Inspiring Souls - The Biophilia Edition

Today's Inspiring Soul is the most beautiful breath of fresh air and an absolute lover of life. Lola Berry is one of Australia's leading nutritionists, a recently qualified yoga instructor, a health blogger, a presenter and a self confessed health and nature nerd. This girl is so unapologetically herself that it's just so dang contagious and she is in fact one of my greatest sources of inspiration in fostering self love and acceptance. She is delightful. And I just know that you will adore her. So brew a fresh chai and enjoy this week's incredible and inspiring soul - Lola Berry.

1. Describe your lifestyle approach in three words.

To simply “be the best that I can be” in all areas of my life.

2. How did you gain your ‘health nut’ status?

Hmm… I guess that one’s something I almost coined myself, I am so proud of being a health nerd! Haha. I’ve filmed whacky segments all over the world – have even been dumpster diving in New York and eaten from one, filmed with food heroes in London at the Borough markets so I guess you could say I’ve always been a bit of a health food nerd.

My mum even says that as a kiddlet when she’s take me to parties I would be the last one sitting eating at the table and not be interested in the party games, just the food!

3. What is the most over used ingredient in your kitchen?

Coconut oil and chillies – I use them both in nearly any dish and believe it or not you can get away with both in sweet and savoury creations!

4. What have been the greatest challenges for you in your quest for health/wellness/peace of mind?

Opening up and having honest conversations with myself when I’m not being real. I’ve worked in TV for 9 years now and there was a point where I was in it for the wrong reasons so realizing that was a tipping point for me, and I took myself out of the environment and just did some serious work on myself an my values. Now authenticity is something I value above more things in myself and the people I spend most of my time with, life’s too short for anything less.

5. Who are your greatest influences and inspirations?

Steve Irwin; he’s amazing, his passion and enthusiasm for wildlife conservation changed the way the world viewed and respected wildlife. It’s his energy that’s magical.

-    The other is my dad, he’s always supported me but also pushed me. He has encouraged me to really focus on kicking my goals. Don’t get me wrong we drive each other nuts sometimes - our personalities clash quite a bit - but he’s like the quiet hero in my life and I’ll always be so grateful for everything he has done for me. I feel really blessed that he’s my dad.

6. What has been your most radical change?

Yoga has been a big one for me, it is the best gift that I can give myself and on top of that because I teach it too – it is a gift that I can share. That said I feel like I’m going through changes all the time and learning so much about myself, feels like a pretty ace journey to be on. 

7. Recipe for success? 

These are honestly the things that I need to work on the most - but when I do everything seems to fall into place and that is simply honouring myself. This might mean 
+ Taking time out
+ Putting myself first
+ Saying no and not feeling guilty about it but instead feeling empowered.
+  Getting out into nature 
+ Smiling 
+ Dreaming
+  Writing
+ Swimming in the ocean
All these actions are little gifts that I can give back to myself. 

8. Describe your perfect day.

To simply be living my dream; to do anything I love; Yoga; Nature; to live from my heart and to inspire people to live this same way in any way that I can!

9. What are your words to live by?

"Dream so big it scares you" & "When you come from the heart, anything you create from that space is limitless".

10. What is something (an issue or concept or campaign) that is on your mind at the moment?

I love that mental health issues are getting more exposure, so I’m involved with a charity called One Wave is All it Takes and these guys go out surfing in fluro every Friday to raise awareness for all mental health issues – I think that’s pretty ace!

11. Message for the wannabe wellies? 

Be true to you. You are the only person who can get you to where you need to go and you are the only person stopping you. 

    Blessings and oodles of love for this forest fairy x

WARM FUZZY FRIDAY - The 'Ode to Amazingness' Edition

Provided to us with oodles of gratitude from the Universe (accessed from here)

Blessings, gratitude, Public Holiday appreciation and a whole lot of love from me to you x

Kind Homes and Kind Cleaning - Let's Get a Little Dirty First

Found here

Ok, so you’ve made a promise to yourself and the earth that you’re going to invest in more kind and natural products for your beautiful home. Great! Well done. You’re feeling fabulous. You throw on an eco chic cardie, grab a big eco tote babe, order a grande cappuccino to go and hit the shops. You walk past the confectionary aisle like a mother flippin’ boss and you shoot those chip packets a look that says ‘uh uh hunny, I’m eco friendly shoppin’ today’. You strut past the magazines and hold your head high as you approach the cleaning aisle – ready to fill your tote with safe suds and kind cleaners. You pick up your first candidate – a bottle of detergent in a green and brown bottle (those bland tones mean natural right?), smiling at your choice as the word ‘natural’ is written is kickass font on its label and you flip over the bottle without a care in the world just wanting to confirm the ingredients are ones that you’re familiar with. You stop dead in your tracks.

“CAUTION” 

“Avoid contact with skin and eyes”

“Seek medical advice if consumed” 

and what the fudge is ‘diaphhhkhnbvtd5iwnsganacetoxide’?

You put down the bottle, defeated, and walk over to your old faithful (but insanely scary chemically composed) bottle of regular cleaner. Choosing kind products is too hard - you think. I hear ya. I hear ya loud and clear. Thanks to poor regulations and monitoring of various marketing campaigns we are being ‘greenwashed’ on a daily basis and being encouraged to purchase falsely described eco friendly products.

What do we actually need to look for?

Firstly – be wary of health disclaimers such as ‘caution’ ‘danger’ ‘warning’ etc. These labels are indicative of the products’ toxicity. Always look for (and abide by) care instructions such as ‘wear masks and gloves’. How often do we nuddy up to clean the shower – when really we should be donning a Breaking Bad style outfit with half the products that are out there! Next thing to keep your eco eyes peeled for is products that are ‘plant based’ versus ‘petroleum based’. The more products we use that are petroleum based – the faster the depletion of this non renewable resource and the greater our nations’ demand on its importation from other countries. Lastly opt for environmentally friendly packaging. Look for recycled plastic//paper or better yet check out Method’s range of packaged goods using Ocean Plastic!

BTM's Little Black Book of Dirty Bitches (not the kinky kind).

+ Diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) – sudsing agents that react to nitrates and form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are carcinogens that penetrate the skin.

+ Butyl Cellosolve (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) – a nerve damaging chemical that’s easily absorbed by the skin.

+ Ammonia fumes – Can cause respiratory irritation.

+ Sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) – There are uber caustic (cause living tissue to burn) and if these are mixed with any products that contain ammonia or acids – their reaction will create a toxic and lingering fume.

+ Sulphates – These little buggers can trigger respiratory distress in mah fellow asthmatic homies (breathing problems represent!).

+ Phosphoric Acid – This can irritate the lungs as well as burn the eyes, skin and internal organs if ingested. Not fun.

+ Mixing toilet cleaners that contain acids with those containing chlorine (and c’mon people – we have all been there) will form a lung damaging chlorine gas. Eep!

+ Lye and sodium hydroxide – Corrosive agents that can burn skin and eyes.

+ Aerosol sprays – These are easily inhaled into lung tissue.

+ Silica powder – Can be dangerous if inhaled.

+ Chlorine bleach – This can irritate the skin and airways.

+ Petroleum dissolates – Flammable and dangerous if swallowed.

+ Dyes – These can be contaminated by heavy metals (such as arsenic and lead) which can then penetrate the skin and leave residue on all surfaces.

+ Phosphates – These pesky little devils overnutrify rivers and streams. This leads to excessive algae growth, which deprives fish of oxygen.

+ Chlorine (found in dishwasher tablets) – When the chlorinated chemicals mix with the steam of the dishwasher it creates a very dangerous vapour when steam is released by opening the door at the end of a cycle.

+ Alkylephenal Ethoxylates (APEs) – These disrupt our body’s natural hormone regulation.

+ Perchloroethylene – Exposure leads to liver and kidney damage.

So this is what I have been researching, reading and discovering this week. There is just SO much to learn and new research findings being released everyday. The shortlist above is simply a reflection of where I am at in my decision making when choosing products that are safe for me and safe for my darling mother earth.

Our favourite product to use in our house is quite simply boiled water and lemon and some good ole fashioned elbow grease. Add a little vinegar and bicarb soda for those trickier spots and stains. Homemade products are a great economical and environmental alternative to hitting up the shops.

What are some of your favourite Earth friendly home and cleaning tips?

Found here

Blessings and lemon stained hands x

OUR GYRE-NORMOUS PROBLEM - The Follow up Post

Found here.

So my last post about the current state of our Ocean Gyres definitely got the conversation going and served to highlight the fact that our system is not working. We are consuming at an unfathomable rate and as primarily using permanent materials to produce one-time use items. Say what? Why would we manufacture disposable items with a non perishable material such as plastic? It makes no sense at all. So, as promised, here is a list of suggestions and tips for how YOU can get plastic and litter savvy -

1. Use eco friendly shopping bags. It's so so so frightening to think of just how many plastic bags are used and inappropriaetly disposed of every single day. Remember the creepy guy from American Beauty that captured the beautiful footage of the 'floating bag' ... brother should have snatched that bag from the wind and reused or recycled it. 

2. Be plastic bag savvy in general. Health food stores and SOME supermarkets are now stocking biodegradable plastic bags for bin liners, puppy poop and nappy bags. These are a great, earth friendly alternative to regular plastic bags. If you are using standard plastic bags - try and reduce your rate of powering through the pack. Use the same bin liner and empty your rubbish directly into your green rubbish bin. Or don't use a line and give your household bins a hose out every week. Think outside the square and be uber plastic aware.

3. Opt for loose fruits and vegetables. Don't go for the pre packaged options every time, try to stock up on loose fruit and vege every now and again to reduce your plastic consumption. Use the mushroom bags (the brown paper bags) if you feel like you need bags to separate your produce or get some of these great reusable produce bags by Onya. I use these little babies and they're amazingly handy. Not only can you use them to collect all of your yummy produce - but when you get home you can use them to contain your fruits//veges while you wash them. Too easy!

4. Wear your 'plastic glasses' at the shops and choose paper based packaging alternatives. For example does your regular washing powder come in plastic tub AND boxed varieties? Choose 'le box'. Toilet paper wrapped in a choice of plastic OR paper? Choose 'le paper in le paper'. Same goes for juices and milks - opt for cartons instead of plastic bottles. Same product but a little more friendly to our planet.

5. Choose cloth based toys and materials for your kids (fur babies and real children alike!). There are some great earth friendly toys and products available for bubs and pets if you look around. Since I am not a real mama just yet, my toy purchases are solely for my big drooly rotty baby (and my fur nephew) and I always opt for eco friendly alternatives that use natural products that won't hurt my pup when she happens to play with (subtext - eat) her new toys.

6. Use scented candles or burn essential oils rather than purchasing plastic encased air fresheners. Less chemicals, less toxins AND reusable//recyclable. That's a sweet smelling win for errybody!

7. Be a coffee babe. If you drink macchiatos, cappucinos and espressos on the reg - be conscious of just how many cups and, more importantly, plastic lids, that you're consuming every month. It gets pretty hectic! Opt for a reusable alternative, such as the Keep Cup, that looks brilliant, is kind to the earth and can also offer a lower priced coffee incentive! If your local coffee spot doesn't offer cheaper rates for reusable coffee cup users then get pushy. Bring in some info about the improtance of encouraging reuasable alternatives and suggest that they charge custimers that make the switch 50c less per cup of coffee ordered. Get political and lobby for your latte. Check out this Great Forest article or more information and inspiration. 

What are some of the ways that you ensure you're not leaving a plastic Hansel & Gretal style trail? Share your tips below!

Hehe this gave me morning lols.

Found here.

Blessings and a giant, yet belated, Earth Day cuddle x 

PS. Want more info you knowledge hungry beautiful beings? Have a read on the Sustainable Coastlines and Method websites - these are the two organisations that I volunteered with for the clean up morning in Hawaii. Incredibly passionate and inspiring people and they have a LOT of info to share. Got a little longer to spare? Click here to watch 'Plasticised' - an incredible documentary about our plastic little planet.

THE GYRE-NORMOUS IMPACT OF OUR OCEANIC GYRES

The shoreline of Kahuki beach, Oahu. 

Today I’m talking gyres. This is a little bit of an overdue post and one that has been brewing at the forefront of my mind since my recent holiday to Hawaii. It was there that I saw, firsthand, the effects that our consumption of plastic is having on our environment. The postcard pristine white sandy beaches of the infamous North Shore are just that. Limited to a postcard. The reality of these beaches are extensively littered and polluted coastlines stretching for kilometres. During the Wanderlust festival, my beautiful girlfriend and I offered our morning sesh to take part in an initiative by Sustainable Coastlines for an ocean clean up. The group met early, drove to Kahuku beach and had our minds blown when we arrived. This wasn’t Hawaii. This wasn’t a beach. This wasn’t how our planet is supposed to look. The shoreline resembled a tip, with debris, microplastic, rope and all sorts of rubbish scattered along the once beautiful Hawaiian sands. It broke our heart. For those people who believe that the way we live, the way we consume and the way that we treat our planet isn’t wreaking havok on Earth’s delicate ecosystem (i.e. mister Prime Minister) – I challenge you to sift through these sands and then look me in the eye to tell me our current system is working. It just aint.

The five major oceanic gyres. 

Found here

So what the bleep is an ocean gyre? A gyre is basically a large, swirling, rotating ocean current. There are five major oceanic gyres within the Indian, North Atlantic, North Pacific, South Atlantic and South Pacific oceans. These have been swirling and gettin’ their groove on independently for millions of years. Cue humans. We silly little humans have been using the ocean as a wee bit of a giant waste paper basket. Rubbish is thrown overboard, collected at beaches and ignorantly dumped at sea. So where does all this yummy stuff collect and congregate? Just like a beach side rip dictating where we end up during a playful little swim – the ocean currents give this rubbish a free ride (from ALL over the world) where, naturally, it meets at one of these Gyres. The most prominently polluted oceanic gyre was discovered in 1997, and aptly named the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and it’s mate (a little close to home for us Aussies) the Indian Ocean Garbage Patch, was discovered in 2010.

These patches are essentially floating rubbish tips. But if there are blobs of trash floating around in one spot in the ocean surely we can just head out with our nets and scoop it all up right? Wrong. These plastic remnants degrade and break down (but never completely) into small, and very dangerous, microplastic. These are then ingested by marine life and leak nasty chemicals into our beautiful oceans. Oh well poor fish – they get little bits of plastic in their tums – big whoop. Firstly it’s painful, nasty and eventually kills thousands of different species because, news flash, earthlings weren’t designed to consume plastics//toxins//pollutants. And if you can’t empathise with a fish or whale or occy – then think about your fellow man. We then consume the seafood so are indirectly consuming all sorts of ocean nasties, including that plastic that we initially turned a blind eye too. Another factor that makes collection of this rubbish really difficult is the sheer size (and neverending build up) of these rubbish collections. The size estimates of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is between 700, 000 square kilometres to as gargantuous as 15, 000, 000 square kilometres. Scary shit.

The remains of an Albatross found in 1997 - full of plastic.

 Found here

But there is hope. Like anything in this world, we humans are blessed with the power of choice and the prospect of change. Witnessing the drastic state of our oceans scared the pants off me and has inspired me to change my ways. I will be doing a post later on this week with more of a focus on how we make the change and how we make simple choices that will drastically improve the state of our beautiful planet.

Blessings and swirling, rotating, twisting gyre love x

FEED ME MONDAY - The 'Gettin Buzzed' Edition

Happy Monday my beautiful peeps. I hope you all had an amazing weekend filled with sun, fun and food. I certainly did! 

During a long pow wow with my friends around the breakfast table we were talking about the disgustingly huge amounts of sugar and nasties in drinks being consumed by kids//teens. A few of my friends are teachers and commented on the crazy repercussions in terms of behaviour and performance that these drinks yield. Case in point - iced coffees. Anyone who has tried one knows, these things are delicious and addictive. But how do they manage to keep up crawling back for more? 46.5g of sugar per 500mL bottle. That's how. Ridic! 

How do we get our energy fix, sans nasties and sugar dumps, I hear you ask? 

Well, I thought the same. And so this morning I had a big ole play in my humble kitchen trying to create a healthy, low sugar, replacement (without the chemical shitstorm). I thought I'd share it here for you guys in a very much overdue Feed me Monday post!

Dare (to-be-healthy) Iced Coffee

1 small ripened banana

1 1/2 cups organic almond milk

1 Tbspn cacao (I used a maca/cacao blend)

Small squeeze of honey

1 tspn vanilla extract (not essence!!)

1 shot coffee of choice (I used a nespresso choc pod)

4-5 large ice blocks

Add all o' these babies to your blender and go for gold!! In just a few minutes you will have an energising, nutritious and much much much healthier alternative to your morning iced coffee. Give it a shot and try to replace your usual fix with this delish treat and see how you find it!

If you have any recipe requests or any other 'healthy alternatives' that you'd like me to have a play with in the Bless this Mess kitchen - leave a comment below or shoot me an email!

Blessings and mocha flavoured kisses x

FRIDAY FUZZY ...

Just one today. Because it's bold, poignant and at the forefront of my mind. Oh and it has such a beautiful sentiment. Happy Friday my darling hearts.

Found here

Blessings and healing vibes out to the collective consciousness x

CLEANSED, SPARKLY & REJUV'D - A Review

The delicious daily juice pack by Inner Ego

I am full o' beans, bright eyed and glowy skinned after my very first two day juice cleanse. I have always been interested in trying out a juice cleanse, after years of struggling with all sorts of digestive issues and troubles, but have never been able to source a local supplier. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered the beautiful instagram account by @innerego - a Perth based cold pressed, juice cleanse company. 

I had a little stalk of their beautiful website - do yourself a favour and have a looksie here - and decided that THIS was the supplier for me. The offer cold pressed, raw and fresh juices, delivered straight to your door in one, two or three day packs. The cleanse consists of eight juices per day, packed and ordered for your ease and convenience, that you enjoy in place of solid food. These juices are jam packed with essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients - so do not fear that you're not getting enough goodness in your body - you are! The beauty of these juice cleanses is that they provide short term detox and digestive rest. They are not designed to be consumed for more than three consecutive days in lieu of food - BUT Inner Ego do offer individual orders (minimum of six bottles) and have a few little stockists around the place for those of you looking for a daily afternoon energy kick! 

The box was delivered by the owners, exactly when they said it would be - and service with a smile. What could be better?! The box of juices is so beautifully put together and packaged - a handful of colourful straws, tips and instructions for the cleanse and, of course, 16 little jars of vibrant nutrition! They had me at hello. 

Each bottle comes perfectly portioned, labeled, numbered and ready to enjoy. The quaint labels use a very rustically inspired template that are easy to read and interpret. On the front we have the order number of the juices (one through eight), list of ingredients and an 'experience summary' (i.e. a sweet green remedy). On the back you can find information on the juice such as how it's produced//created as well as a nutritional panel for each and every juice. VERY handy if you are calorie conscious (although when it's good, real, plant based food - I really don't believe number crunching is necessary! S'all good!) or wanting to see a little more of the breakdown of the juices' nutritional punch. 

A few extra tidbits of information - the juices have a shelf life of three days as they don't possess any additives or preservatives. They are to be consumed within two hours of opening, so you can sip and enjoy your juices but not too slowly! When you grab them out of the fridge (and yes, they must be refrigerated!) they may look like they have separated with a bit of layering noted at the bottom - this is a natural part of the juicing process and they just need a little pre-drink shake up to mix it all up! The masterminds over at Inner Ego have created a brilliant FAQ page on their site which serves to answer all of your niggling questions. The owners are absolutely lovely - with an incredible mission to provide quality assured, easy to access, on the go nutrition for people who want to implement healthy changes into their lives but who are too time or resource poor to self juice!

Day one kicked off on a busy work day and I can't even describe how incredibly convenient it was to be able to have brekkie and lunch packed in no time. Easy peasy! I tried to space out the juices appropriately - with at least an hour and a half between each juice. I pretty much stuck to this plan and managed to get all my juices in. I was so full in the afternoon though that I needed to break up the juices a little longer. Inner Ego have done a great job in creating filling and satisfying juices! I felt a little headachy on the afternoon of day one, nothing too hectic, just a little spacey and achy! This sensation passed within the hour and I felt lovely and relaxed in time for bed.

Day two FLEW by and I guzzled down my juices with ease. I don't know whether it's because my body had become more alkalised or whether it was random coincidence but the juices tasted SO much better on day two. Very energetic, light, settled tummy and sharp mind. Day two was fabulous! No detox symptoms either which was a wonderful bonus. I must admit - I got a little hungry in the early evening but nothing too terrible or too tempting.

I thought the easiest way of sharing my experiences with you is to break down each of the juices - tell you a little about the flavours, effects and snazziness of these bottled wonders. Sounds good right? Let's kick it off ...

Juice One - Cucumber, celery, lettuce, lemon and mint
This one was very difficult to swallow on the first day - hello acidic body! It became much easier to drink on day two - but still holds sharper, strong flavours of lemon and mint. Very good for a mind/body wake up and uber relivitalising.
In a word - ZAP!

Juice Two - White tea, pineapple, lemon and mint
YUM! This juice had a very light, refreshing and subtle flavour that provided an amazing morning pick-me-up. The label says great for 'clarity' and I must admit I was sceptical - but it hits the nail on the head. Mental and physical clarity a go-go with this juice. It's made from Fujian white tea which possesses less caffeine than other white tea varieties so is nice and gentle for our bodies.
In a word - Refreshing.

Juice Three - Carrot, orange, lemon and ginger
One of my absolute favourites from the cleanse. Beautiful rich, full bodied, strong flavours of orange and lemon. This juice was a lovely mid-late morning kicker because it is a little thicker and 'heartier' than the other juices - very filling in my tum! The juice is also aesthetically gorgeous - with a vibrant orange colour that invokes an instant perception of freshness.
In a word - Zing!

Juice #4 - Carrot, orange, lemon and ginger

Juice Four - Beetroot, pineapple, celery and lemon
Strong, powerful and very earthy in flavour. If you're not a fan of beetroot - this one may not be for you. Luckily I love me some beetroot so my reaction to this juice was 'gimme'! It's slightly sweetened from the pineapple which leaves it tasting rather refreshing and energising. Like it's juicy predecessor - the vividness of colour this little juice packs let's you know it's full of goodens.
In a word - Earthy//grounding.

Juice Five - Green apple, pear, kale, lettuce and celery
For late lunch it's your typical 'Green Juice' - loaded with vital greens and sweetened slightly by the apple//pear - this juice is a fantastic early afternoon addition to the cleanse. I downed my juice at about 3-4pm, just prior to my workout on day two, and it left me feeling pretty dang good. It possesses a delicious, light and humble flavour that would make it an amazing one to consume on its own (separate from the cleanse pack).
In a word - Recharging.

Juice Six - Grapefruit, pears, lime and mint
I must preface this reflection by stating that I'm not a fan of mint. I'm one of those rarities that just do not like the strong flavour - whether it in a juice, salad or even icecream//chocolate! But I love and appreciate it for it's very refreshing and rejuvinating properties so I definitely can see it has its place in the world. My first reaction on day one was 'zing!' - I found the flavour so overpowering (rich in lime and mint) that I had to actually hold my nose to get it down. The beauty of biodiversity huh!? So many different taste preferences and experiences! Day two was a completely different story - whether the amounts of ingredients differed slightly or whether my body was more alkalised - it was actually a very light and enjoyable drink!
In a word - Full on.

Juice #5 - Beetroot, pineapple, celery and lemon

Juice Seven - Red apple, decaffeinated green tea, strawberry, pomegranate and tomato
Holy yum. I loved this (mainly) fruit juice! It has a very distinct berry flavour that is still only moderately sweetened by the fruit juices - very uplifting but not so much so that I was over-energised before bed - it's really such a perfect blend. Despite being derived from pure juices - this one is actually quite creamy and filling - it leaves you feeling very satisfied and refreshed.
In a word - Nourishing.

'Juice' Eight - Filtered water, almond, cacao, dates and spices.
The healthy foodie's take on chocolate milk. This delicious almond based night cap was soooo good at the end of the day - giving you the feeling of 'dessert' minus the guilt, heaviness and regret that late night dessert consumption usually brings. I think they saved the best til last with this baby but so perfectly placed it at the end of the day to provide your tummies with a smooth, delish and satisfying drink. It reminds me of a sort of cacao chai - not overly sweet, slightly spiced and so dang delicious. *Adds 15 of these to cart*
In a word - Indulgence.

There is quite a great deal of controversy at the moment as to the safety of such cleanses. It's my informed belief that two or three day cleanses provide a safe space for internal detox and mental clarity. They ensure that you are still able to get vital nutrition and nourishment to your cells - while allowing a bit of rest for your digestive system. If you do your research and choose good quality juices (or better yet, if you're not able to find a company that you endorse//support - create your own juices!) so that you can be sure you are getting optimal nutrition. The juicing regime that I embarked on encourages the consumption of eight juices per day - that's three litres! Other juicing trends//diets that have been recently under the media spotlight have reportedly involved having three juices per day with people reporting feeling hungry but embarking on the regimes in an attempt to lose weight. Cleansing and weight loss are separate things. I did not once feel deprived, starved or 'lacking' during my cleanse and never felt like I was consuming the juices out of obligation or in an effort to lose weight. It provided me with a chance to rest my digestion, get some good quality phytonutrients into my body and to promote mental clarity//sharpness. Set your intentions prior to your cleanse, and always ensure that your decisions are driven by love, respect and kindness for yourself and your body. 

Blessings, juicy smiles and a light, happy heart x

Disclaimer - Although I am reviewing the Inner Ego pack - I received no financial endorsements or incentives for completing this review (other than the initial cleanse pack). The opinions and review that I have provided is completely independent and reflective of my experience with the juice cleanse. At the time of this post - I am not an affiliate or employee of this company and all opinions//information stated above is entirely of my own. 

FLEXING MY GRATITUDE MUSCLE

Found here

There are oh so many things that are making me smile this week & this list is just a short snippet of things that are fuelling my fire -

+ Weddings & the absolute love fest that they are

+ Preparing to take on health coaching clients over the next few weeks

+ Cuddles. Squeeze-the-shit-out-of-one-another style cuddles

+ Days upon days of fresh, cold pressed, organic juices

+ Having my eyes marvel over the pages of a good book

+ Blue blue skies

+ Study sessions with a wild, open & passionate heart

+ Wrapping my hands around a hot mug of soy cappuccino

+ Forehead kisses

+ The zealous & infectious energy of a two year old rottweiler

+ Hard core, crazy dancing to Snoop

+ Compilation CD's on repeat during long drives

+ Going for a walk in the Autumn sun

+ Long, mermaid hair

+ Morning tea with grandparents

+ Pages & pages of notes, scribbles & sketches

What are YOU grateful for?

Blessings and buckets of gratitude x

WHEN YOU FEEL A LITTLE LOST

Found here

It's been a slow few weeks. I have been telling myself - time and time again - that I need to just stop for a while and reboot. But I didn't listen. I went faster. Added more to my plate and kept chugging forwards. I wasn't being 'mean' to myself - I like being busy and seeing people and studying feverishly and learning lots and working with clients etc. It's not like I was hating life while I was so busy, I still was so happy and in love with my life, I was just tired. So after ignoring small signs that my body may have needed a break - no energy, trouble sleeping, anxiety - last Sunday I got a BAS (big ass sign). I woke up and literally felt like I had been hit by a truck. Everything hurt. EVERYTHING. Every muscle, joint and bone ached. Sleep was inevitable as it was all I could manage while I felt so terrible - so I hopped into bed and stayed there for the next 24hours in hopes that I would wake up spritely and with abunant energy ready for a busy Monday. Berm bermm. Long story short - last week was a complete write off. Normally, when I'm sick, I can still function. I can still write, work on reports, make phone calls etc. This was oh so different. I couldn't do anything. My body was screaming 'stop!' and all it wanted to do, and needed to do, was sleep. 

I was wracked with guilt. 'But I have SO much to do', 'How am I going to be able to pay the mortgage if I take time off work?' and of course 'But I feel so lazy'. This inner dialogue of guilt imposing meanness went on for days until the words from people I love finally sunk in - 'stop, rest and give yourself time to heal'. As soon as I gave myself permission to heal - wouldn't you know it - I healed so much faster. Even though my body went through all sorts of different illnesses in one week (I swear I've met my quota for the year in just 7 days!) - it actually became easier to deal with once I'd granted myself permission to just be. By Sunday I was pretty much back to my old self, more energy, less dizziness, no significant aches and pains. Just a little worse for wears, but very much 'Emily'.

This week it started again. The self bashing and the 'shouldas'. 'I should be working harder to make up for last week', 'I should have forced myself to study when I was in bed last week' or 'Now that I'm better I should go for a run since I didn't do anything last week'. I'm a blogger who hasn't been blogging, a runner who hasn't run in months, a positivity junkie who hasn't been all that positive, a food lover who hasn't been cooking, a passionate wordsmith who hasn't been reading, a student who has struggled with studying...

and that's all ok.

We so often punish ourselves for what we're not, or what we are 'failing' to do. But in any given moment, we need to trust ourselves that we are doing our very best. In every single moment, I believe we are exactly where we are meant to be. Sure, we can choose to try harder in certain areas or can dedicate ourselves to achieving x, y or z. But ultimately we are exactly who we need to be and where we need to be.

Instead of subscribing to this inner dialogue of what I 'should' be, I'm-a change channels. I am investing instead in raw, honest, divine, beautiful and complete trust in myself and the process. I trust that we will always get to where we need to be, we will always do what's right, we will always be heading in the right direction for ourselves. 

Momentary swaying off course is just that. Momentary. Come back to you and you will always be exactly where you need to be. 

Blessings and love soaked permission to be perfectly imperfect x