In Spaces Between

Another week down, which means it’s 3 months and 16 days (to be precise) until I’m walking down the aisle. Oh my goodness. There’s so much to do, which probably explains why I’ve been having “wedd-mares” every damn night, where the theme is always the same: it’s the day of the wedding and I’ve forgotten to organise the whole thing. Not the best thing to wake up to, believe me (but very normal for brides-to-be, so I hear).

Last night’s wedd-mare was a beauty (an intersection of wedding madness and way-too-much-tech-time) – I dreamt that I had forgotten to decide on ‘readings’ for our ceremony and choose people to actually read them, and when I checked my Evernote app, where they were apparently saved, they had all disappeared. Now, clearly, my beloved Evernote would never let me down like that, which shows how ludicrous these dreams are, but coupled with the fact I’d found my wedding dress stuffed and crumpled in the dirty washing basket, it was quite the drama at the time. Ahem. Definitely looking forward to having my brain back in June!

Aside from bad dreams, I’m in what I lovingly refer to as my ‘Golden Week’ – a week that rolls around every month where my energy is off-the-charts, everything flows beautifully, nothing can rattle my sense of calm (like, for example, being told yesterday that I have to create the copy for our website at work by Friday – we’re talking thousands of words and a heap of research), and I go slower. I’m content. I do things mindfully, with purpose, rather than my usual whirlwind style. I eat better – craving nutritious, nourishing meals – and I feel like I can run forever when I’m exercising. Needless to say, Golden Week is my favourite space to be in!

Do you get this too? I think us women really notice a dramatic difference betwen our Overwhelmed and Overwrought (hormonal) Weeks and these Golden Weeks (I find the latter usually follows the former) so I’ve been thinking about ways we can bring that electric energy and sense of fulfillment into the weeks where life does get too crazy and we’re off-kilter and it’s all a bit “much.” Healthy eating thing is a no brainer – starting the day with a green juice or smoothie or adding more salad to your plate instead of carby foods that make us sluggish will improve our moods immeasurably – but there are a few other things that I’ve found work a treat that I wanted to share with you.

The first is letting ourselves off the hook a bit. You’re having a bad week – so what? Next week will be better. The fog will lift. The words will come to you. The muse will appear. The tension will ease. Step back – or do something else – until that happens. Don’t make any big decisions. Be aware of the shift and be thankful for it.

The second thing is indulging in self-care. In those overwhelmed weeks, exercise and looking after ourselves is usually the first thing to go – but that’s when we need it most. Instead of looking at the chipped nail polish on your toes thinking you must get a pedi soon when you have the time, paint them yourself. Peppermint oil foot soak and all. Time well spent. Instead of wondering how long it’s been since you went for a walk or ate something green, lace up your shoes and walk to the local farmers markets to stock up on energy-giving foods. Convincing yourself that eating more sugar, or downing another cup of coffee, will give you more “energy” has the reverse effect (but we all know that, right?)

Third thing, get out of your own head. Email someone you admire and tell them why they’re awesome. Ring a friend and tell them you’ve been dying to see them and you want to take them out for coffee for a chat (a chat about them, not a download of your bad mood). Ask your parents if you can cook them dinner. Surprise your lover with something you’ve made. Start each day asking “How can I serve?”

And finally, have fun. I called my Mum with a heavy heart last week because I was feeling a bit “off” and after giving me some beautifully inspiring advice, she asked me “How much fun have you been having lately? Like, real fun, silly stuff?” Heaps! I thought, I’m always having fun! And it dawned on me that most of my weekends were spent either on the computer or thinking I should be on the computer. There were lots of pockets of joy in and amongst the work, sure, but there certainly weren’t spontaneous moments of unbridled pleasure. In my head, there wasn’t time for all that. Work, work, work. Mum’s advice to seek out random pleasures – things that didn’t involve me achieving a result – really hit home, so I wanted to pass on that wisdom to you today in the hope that, if you need it, you’ll find ways to reel in more fun to your days as well.

That’s a lot of musing for a Wednesday morning and there’s still a big love list to come (wheeee!) so, gorgeous souls, here’s what’s made me happy over the past week!

Our New Canon 5D

We got ourselves a brand spankin’ new toy! So exciting. Time to learn to use this baby properly now – and to start shooting some video’s as well!

PS: Does anyone want to buy a Canon 30D? We’re selling ours, which is in great condition. Email me for the deets (I take a lot of my photos on here using it).

Green Juice

 

I’m on a green juice crusade at the moment – I’ve been drinking it like veggies are going out of fashion and my energy levels are seriously PEAKING. Ziiiing!

I was going to explain the whole process of making green juice but the ever-gorgeous, bursting-with-health Louise from Table Tonic has done the job for me with her post How to Make the Perfect Green Juice/ Smoothie, so I’ll let you be guided by her fab instructions instead.

Love the tip about adding lemon to green smoothies to cut through the grassy taste. Genius.

Bleach Festival

 

I haven’t been able to get along to check out The Village Markets since the end of last year because every time they’re on, I seem to be interstate or caught up with something, so over the weekend I trotted along to their ‘pop up’ event at the inagural Bleach Festival that’s been running on the Southern Gold Coast.

I scored the cool box below (made from pallets – going to try my hand at DIY’ing some of these!) from The Porcelain Tree and I’m so in love with it. We’ll somehow incoporate this little gem into our wedding but for now it makes a pretty cute storage box for some of my crystal decanters, don’t you think?

I also picked up this vibrant little tea towel – which I’ve turned into a wall hanging as you can see – from amazing illustrator and designer Leah Bartholemew from Beneath The Sun.

At $22 a pop, these babies would make a great housewarming gift, and I reckon they’d be perfect to frame for a newborn’s nursery.

Be sure to check out the rest of Leah’s stuff on the site too, it’s stunning (coincidentally, I just realised I’ve hung mine pretty much the same way as she has in her images).

 Martha Beck

 

I’m slowly plodding through this book, taking in a few pages here and there when I have the time, and I’m already getting the feeling that it’s going to be one that will really change the way I approach the second half of my year, post-wedding madness.

Think I might even do the exercises in the book, which I never usually do (shock horror) (c’mon, I know you don’t either, ‘fess up!).

Fresh Flowers

 

Some pretty pink natives and lilies have been brightening my home – and my days – since last Saturday when I picked them up at the Farmers Markets. Simple pleasures. Ultimate bang for your buck.

New Cookbook

 

Does anyone else love Jamie Oliver’s show 30-Minute Meals? I think he’s amazing – I love how confident and competent he is in the kitchen, and his “throw-it-all-together” “bit-of-this-bit-of-that” style is a dream to watch, in my opinion. Far better than stuffy awkwardness.

You’re probably wondering how Jamie relates to our new Donna Hay ‘Simple Dinners’ cookbook, so let me tell you. Basically, after marvelling at Jamie, Ramai said wants to do more cooking but that convoluted meals that take too long to prepare always turn him off spending more time in the kitchen. We decided that Jamie’s book would be all the motivation and inspiration we both needed to create exciting meals – in manageable time periods – so I gleefully went on the hunt… but couldn’t find it anywhere. THIS IS WHY WE NEED PHYSICAL BOOKSTORES (I’m still not over this… and yes, I know my Book Depository habit is part of the reason).

Anyway, without digressing too much further, I bought Donna’s bright and beautiful book instead and love it. Until Jamie arrives in the mail, it’s simple DH dinners all the way.

Vintage Shopping

 

I love when other people share their “secret locations,” and I’m of the opinion that holding onto things (anything in life) impedes the flow of more good things into your life, so let’s get share-y shall we?

There’s a ridiculous warehouse jam-packed to the max with trinkets/ antiques/ vintage everything in Murwillumbah in Northern NSW called The Grainery (info here) and your head will probably fall off when you walk in the door it’s that good. I’m not exaggerating about the “jam-packed” bit. Wowsers.

A few things to remember if you can get there:

1 // The owner Michael will tell you that the place is closing down. He’s been saying that for five years apparently. Don’t feel rushed into a purchase.

2 // There are no price tags on the items. You have to ask, and Michael will pluck a number out of the air and give you a reason why that’s a “bargain.” Case in point: he told me the jug/ vase above (a present for a friend) was $100 (it’s solid brass and from the 60′s) and I told him I had $40 cash on me and that was all I could give him. He said no, I put it down and continued checking out the place and he hunted me out and said “For you, I’ll do it today but you’re getting an amazing deal.” Right-o, salesman!

3 // Only cash is accepted. Be ready.

4 // And finally, don’t go in blind expecting op-shop prices. You won’t find a 4-piece set of Blue Willow china for $10, nor will you find a decanter for $10 or $20. View each piece as antiques and make your decision from there. Enjoy!

Pearl Jam Twenty

 

Hands down one of the best docos I’ve ever watched.

I was a huuuuge Pearl Jam fan as a pre-teen/ teen (and still believe Ten is one of the greatest albums of all time) and I found this insight into the band – all the members, not just Eddie Vedder – truly fascinating.

It also features great interviews with Chris Cornell from Soundgarden, footage of Kurt Cobain talking about the band (including cool shots of Eddie and Kurt hugging backstage at MTV) and a bunch of other stuff that will have you reminscing about the good old days when music was as raw as all get out. Run.

Wise Words

 

“When you focus upon anything at all, it’s like a call goes out to every corner of the Universe, summoning ideas, strength, courage, insight, resources, and whatever else is needed to complete the laser beam of your concentration.

If it’s an answer you need, it will be forthcoming. If it’s a choice you have to make, your options are calculated and recalculated under each scenario. If circumstances need to be arranged then every soul on the planet is consulted.

And if it’s help you need… we’re already there.  

When you focus upon anything at all.”

~ Notes from the Universe

+ So lovers, do tell: what’s lighting your fire this week? Have you taken a moment to appreciate that smile the stranger gave you on your morning walk, or the dinner your beloved cooked you? What about the fact your hair looks freaking awesome today or that you’re rocking red lips like nobody’s business? I want to hear it all so please share away in the comments below – let’s ignite the flames of gratitude today. Let’s go BIG!

“Words have wings, so speak good things.”

Images: Make Up Your Mind | Free People | Julian Bialowas

 

You are love. Yes, yes, you are.

I hope everyone is feeling the love this morning… I know I am! This week’s Making Me Happy list is a biggie so let’s launch straight in, shall we?

Sydney + Sunshine

 

I’ve got a confession to make and I feel like a bit of a noodle for saying this – to me, Melbourne has always been my number one Aussie city. Yep. In the past, I’ve been known to say “Yeah Sydney’s OK, but Melbourne is where it’s at” and for the past three years we’ve travelled to Melbourne about four times each year (and I don’t want to start any turf wars or anything, but I’ll take this opportunity to ask: do you have a favourite?)

ANYWAY, didn’t Sydney just flip that little theory on its head last weekend! Ramai and I had an absolute ball for the three days we were in town and we were both seriously depressed on Sunday afternoon when we were travelling back to the airport to head home. I feel like previously Sydney was the friend you’d see occasionally at parties and say a quick hello and that was about it, but now we’ve sat down over a drink and realised we actually have somuchincommonitsnotfunny, it’s like Insta-besty. Looking forward to our next visit already!

I’ll do a separate post with our photos but in summary, this is what we did:

+ Visited (and subsequently fell in love with) Palm Beach/ Avalon/ Manly – loved our lunch at The Boathouse too, so thanks for the recommendation everyone (saw Lara Bingle there too appropriately bedecked in a sailor hat, as well as a rad pair of boots I wanted to steal).

+ Marvelled at the beautiful bodies at Bondi on pretty much the most perfect day ever.

+ Visited a cool vintage/ retro store (multi-levels, bursting with goodness!)

+ Drove to Garie Beach in the pouring rain and didn’t see much but fog and, you guessed it, rain.

+ Hung with our friends Jimmy and Nikki, as well as our friend Ado and his new girl Celeste, who was wearing the AMAZE pants in the top right (she used to design for Shakuhachi and now designs for myPetsQuare and Alice McCall, and is stunning stunning stunning).

+ Realised that our souls wilt a little when we’re in cities and surrounded by buildings for too long, and that we MUST be near water as often as possible for recalibration and glorious grounding.

New Threads

 

I had a quick race around Zara in Sydney and picked up the tops above, two pairs of rad tight black cropped pants and a lovely white tee.

I was also delighted to find that there’s a Victoria’s Secret store at Sydney Airport so I stocked up on some Ravishing Love fragrance mist, which is to-die-for. Seriously the most delicious scent in the universe. Get amongst it, angels!

Grandiflora Arrangements

 

I think I must secretly be hankering to be a florist or something because I’m fascinated with flowers and arrangements. I’ve been waiting impatiently patiently for Grandiflora Arrangements by Saskia Havekes (of Grandiflora fame, obviously) to arrive in the mail and was ecstatic when it finally came yesterday. I may have even cheered at the post office when I picked it up… which isn’t as embarrassing as it sounds because my book-buying addiction has lead to a pretty tight friendship with the staff at my “local.”

The book is broken up by sections on Autumn/ Winter/ Spring/ Summer and details the flowers that are in season in Australia each month, as well as examples of the ways they can be arranged.

I’m currently thinking of the combinations of flowers we’ll have at our wedding so the pages of this book will no doubt be well-thumbed very shortly. And just on flowers, to the Peony Gods out there (I know you exist) WHY are gorgeous peonies only available in Australia for 2.1 seconds in November? WHY?!

Sending Our Wedding Invites!

 

The website has been revealed, the twine has been tied (with Ramai’s help – whatta man), the stamps and doilies have been stuck to envelopes and the Post Office lady has kindly hand-cancelled each invite for me, so now we all we have to wait for our friends and family to receive them and I can share some photos here! Check back later in week for a sneaky peek.

Knowing My Limits

 

I’m finally learning that I need to slow the hell down in my low-energy weeks because it’s not sustainable to run this engine at F1 capacity at all times. And that’s totally okay. Ebb and flow. Soft and hard.

The awesome thing about having a bunch of plates spinning is that it teaches you about priorities and it also forces you to rough up those perfectionist, over-achieving Type-A traits every once in a while and realise that the world will not fall apart if you have to pull back on occasion.

I’m going to be completely honest and open with you and tell you that over the next few months, there may probably will be times when I need to focus on my wedding first and foremost, or my job, or my health (not to mention my loved ones). I’m getting to a point where I can accept that, and let me tell you, it’s been hard. The way I’ve reconciled it in my head is I’ll just go hard when I can and I’m full of energy and when I can’t, I won’t try and push through for the sake of it. It’s hard when you’re so passionate about something (like, say this blog) and that thing has to find its place amongst the many other things competing for time and attention.

I’d love to get a discussion going in the comments – do you put too much pressure on yourself? Share away!

Lana Del Rey

 

To quote Triple J, “she’s divided listeners the world over” but I’m definitely having a moment with this girl. I can’t stop playing Blue Jeans and have seriously had Diet Mountain Dew in my head for days.

I know Lana isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – in fact, I’ve seen three friends on Twitter say they hate her and three say they adore her – but that’s the sublime thing about music, there really is something for everyone.

For more: 

+ This will make you giggle.
+ Behind-the-scenes video of Lana’s cover shoot for British Vogue with Mario Testino

+ Funny video of Kirsten Wiig impersonating Miss Del Rey on Saturday Night Live (she nailed ‘The Lip’)

Salad-spiration

 

On the quest to up the ante on the vegetable front, I’m striving to eat salads for dinner as often as possible these days… but that doesn’t mean things have to be boring.

Ramai and I have decided to pull together a salad inspiration ‘chart’ (for want of a better word) that will have recipes and photos of all our favourite salad combos so we don’t get stuck in the rocket/ cherry tomato/ avocado rut.

I love salads that are literally leaping out of the bowl they are so full of “added extras” (snow peas, kale, sprouts, toasted nuts, chia seeds, lentils, tofu and brown rice to name just a few). It makes my mouth water just thinking of them actually. Nom nom.

Wisdom

 

Love this, but my edit would be ‘Get Up (Really) Early’ instead of ‘Stay Up Late’ (because I’m a nanna).

I personally think magical things happen while the world sleeps. There’s this divine beauty and energy in the stillness.

What do you think?

Mixing Up My Exercise

 

I’m a huge fan of exercise as you know, but as of right now I’m ramping things up to the next level! It’s about to get crazy up in hurrrr!

I started Pilates Barre (or Xtend Barre) last Wednesday (and I’m already excited for tonight’s class) and tomorrow night I start a series of Hypoxi sessions, both of which I’ll review for you, alongside a review on PowerPlate which I’m trying out next week.

Current affirmation: “I am the fittest and healthiest I’ve ever been” – say it with me!

A Day In the Life… On The Style Net!

 

If you’re interested in what an average day looks like in the life of Rach, click over to The Style Net.

Thank you for having me lovely Brooke!

Quick Tidbits

+ Melbourne trip next weekend for my first wedding dress fitting! + finishing books + good people with huge hearts + pondering and scheming + H20 + regaining a sense of order when I’m feeling out of whack + laughing my head off at Geordie Shore (we saw it on MTV in Sydney, the most ridiculous show ever) + excitement for the weekend, where I’ll be devoting 99% of my time to collecting wedding and hens party decorations + the beautiful feedback we received about our wedding site + on the same note, LOVE – big, fat, all-encompassing love. It makes the world go ’round, y’know?

+ Phew, that’s me. To join in and top up your joy stores, I’d love you to finish these sentences in the comments:

“I am totally grateful for…”

“I’m so happy because…”

Images: Le Love | Stephanie Matthias | Altsounds | What Katie Ate | Winter for Elbows | Healthy Dreaming

I’ve just gotten home from a run beside the beach and I’m sitting here at the computer listening to old school Sia, marvelling over how truly blessed I am.

I have a blog that fills me up in a way that I can’t quite explain, a great job, an abundance of beautiful friends (both in “real life” and online), a loving family – and dream ‘in-laws’ – and a fiancé who has the most gigantic heart of anyone I’ve ever encountered. There’s no denying this life is a good one, and today I’m blowing big, grateful kisses to the universe for always having my back. It’s the best feeling.

On my travels around the web, I recently stumbled across this quote from Anne Frank that I thought I’d share with you:

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” 

To me, this quote has a double meaning. One meaning actually loops around to meet the other, in fact. Of course we needn’t wait a single moment to improve the world, but before we do that, let’s look at ways to improve ourselves and our own lives in this moment. It might be changing a limiting belief or letting go of an old story, or just making a minor adjustment to the ways we go about our days. When we start making changes ‘at home’ the whole world becomes a better place.

Remember that what you focus on increases.

TODAY: Open your eyes to a new dawn. Give thanks. Seize the moment. Choose joy. Expect miracles. You’re being lifted up and carried, and you might not even know it.

Sydney

 

My amazing man and I are off to Sydney on Friday for a romantic weekend of exploring, dining, vintage shopping and simply loving each other’s company.

As you can imagine, I spend A LOT of time on the computer these days, so Ramai is often left watching TV or doing his own thing at night or on the weekend, so it will be really nice to be offline for few days to spend some quality time together.

We’re hiring a car and we’re going to go to the Northern Beaches and see where else the open road takes us (of all the times I’ve been to Sydney, I’ve only ever seen the city and around Bondi – what’s with that?)

Do you have any must-see, need-to-go places you can recommend? Restaurants/ cafes/ cute boutiques/ op shops where I can buy awesome wedding stuff? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Sydneysiders!

Wondrous Wedding Bits & Bobs

 

Speaking of op shops and weddings, I picked up a a bunch of different sized doilies this week that I’m going to make a garland out of, which will look kind of like this, but not.

Other wedding-related news: We now have a DJ and a videographer, our wedding website is complete – and has made all my bridesmaids bawl their eyes out, and maybe even one of the groomsmen (ha!) – and our invites should be ready to send next week. THINGS. ARE. COMING. TOGETHER.

Today marks exactly four months until I’m walking down the aisle and marrying my dream man! Waaaahoooo!

This Mind-Blowing Video

 

This incredible documentary had me in tears over the weekend and I urge everyone to take the time to watch it. Bookmark it and come back to it tonight if you can’t watch it immediately – it’s seriously worth it, I guarantee it will rouse something deep in your heart.

The interviewer in the video is self-help guru Anthony Robbins, but the real star is his beautiful 108 year old subject and Holocaust survivor, who is the personification of gratitude and positivity. I love a good “enduring spirit against all odds” story and this is one of the best I’ve seen. Just gorgeous.

Huge thanks to Marianne for sharing this one with me!

Stocking Up on Health Foods

 

We hit our local haven of health, Flannerys, over the weekend and stocked up on some new goodies – most good, one not-so-amazing.

The Good

Sun Warrior Raw Vegan Protein: I have to thank Connie from A Life Of Perfect Days for recommending this one to me, I love it! I wanted a protein powder that I could add to smoothies in the morning because I do a fair bit of exercise and find it helps with energy levels and muscle recovery, and wasn’t keen on one that wasn’t overloaded with synthetic junk. Enter Sun Warrior – this one is made from brown rice and doesn’t give me the horrible queasy stomach that I get when I have whey-based protein powders that are full of artificial sweeteners. The flavour is pretty subtle as well which is great.

Natural Celtic Sea Salt: Unrefined. Full of trace minerals. Immune system strengthening. A bunch of other awesome things. Get amongst it.

Nettle tea: This one isn’t for me because I don’t drink tea but Ramai bought it because his boss told him it enhances immunity, increases energy and is full of vitamins. Winner.

Sesame squares: Love these things! I’m sure the honey that binds the nuts/ sesame seeds/ seeds together isn’t altogether healthy but it’s better than chocolate… right?

The Not-So-Good

Our new ‘super greens.’ Note to self: stick to the MOR Life brand. This one seriously tastes like you’ve fallen in a stinky swamp and accidentally opened your mouth. Gag-worthy.

Fresh Fruit

 

It’s the little things. I realised the other day that I hadn’t been eating much fruit lately (which is very strange for me) so I went to the supermarket on my lunch break yesterday and stocked up on a bunch of fruity treats for afternoon tea every day at work.

I find if I know I have something healthy and tasty in the fridge, I’ll eat it. It’s only when I’m unprepared and have to wander over to Woolies to hunt out something to fill the gap that I find myself reaching for the bad stuff.

It’s really a no-brainer, isn’t it? Why do we complicate things so much?

Rad Reminders

 

So excited to see someone else do this too!

Remember me talking about putting affirmations in your phone to go off at random times? Look how good it is! Imagine waking up to that every morning?

Seriously, do it, do it!

This Grand Advice

 

That’s what I’m talkin’ about, people!

In Spaces Between Sponsors!

 

Have you checked out In Spaces Between’s new sponsors yet?

To wind up the joy-o-meter, visit dream.delight.inspire, and find out how to do just that. You can also hire Kim for writing gigs or social media projects (or to sing at your wedding/ next event, girl is goooood!)

To hire a fabulous designer, or to lap up loads of juicy inspiration, be sure to head over to As Ink Remains. This visually stunning site has become one of my new favourite places to hang out on the web.

For all your web hosting needs, and fantastic customer service to boot, visit 123host.

And finally, if – like me – you’re in the midst of wedding planning (or need vintage furniture and props for photo shoots/ baby showers/ engagement do’s and so on) you’re going to love Little Gray Station. I was thrilled to hear LGS got a booking within the first few hours of their ad being live on In Spaces Between. Hooray!

Stupendous Snippets 

+ Planning exercise reviews for you read about (PowerPlate, Hypoxi and Pilates Barre, which I’m trying tonight) + interviews (I’m totally open to doing these if you want to get in touch!) + impending Melbourne trips for my wedding dress fittings + baby showers and first birthdays (“We totally forgot to BYO baby!”) + making the realisation that I know SO MANY talented women and feeling really proud of them + likewise, hearing about friend’s businesses/ careers flourishing + funny photos of dogs running and being hilarious in general (like this, and this) + also, Zoe Foster’s cat being the most outrageous creature on the planet + listening to Gabrielle Bernstein’s ‘White Light’ meditation in the bath, with my iPod plugged into our speakers, and literally leaping out of the bath when the track changed from the meditation to Gotye’s ‘Easy Way Out’ (bye, bye relaxation) + you, you and YOU, fabulous friends!

+ Let’s not beat around the bush: what are you grateful for today? Tell us in the comments below!

Images: Matthew Cavan Brooks | Wee Ww Yun | Crush Cul de sac

“The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions – the little soon forgotten charities of a kiss or a smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment, and the countless infinitesimals of a pleasurable and genial feeling. ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge  

I was thinking about this post and how much joy it brings me each week, and what I realised was that practicing the art of gratitude is actually practicing the art of seeing.

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the Anaïs Nin quote “We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are” but I’m a huge fan of those words and believe that we view the world from our own unique vantage point – through our own frame of reference – and that’s what this post does every week. It gives me, and us as a collective, an opportunity to observe life and practice the simple art of thankfulness. When I practice seeing and experiencing my life through the lens of hope and gratitude, I find that life expands in new and unexpected ways.

Practicing the art of abundance means looking at the world as it is right in front of you, not as you think it should be. It’s a leveller. It puts things in perspective. It’s a way of letting go of expectations and letting what is – the things that have already come to fruition – shine. When we see the value and beauty in ordinary things, our whole world comes alive to the splendour that exists in the small gifts life gives. A vibrant flower, the smell of the ocean, a smile from a stranger, having the ability to read, or say yes, or say no, the fact we have a warm bed to sleep in. These are all beautiful blessings to be thankful for.

When you go out in the world today: be present and open your eyes wide to see the divine at work in every circumstance in your life. Untold happiness awaits!

Connecting With My Bloggy Friends

 

We had the best time at the Gold Coast/ Brisbane Bloggers Meet Up on Thursday night!

As expected. Kim, Sian, Claire and Jas were gorgeous and vibrant and full of energy – as were all the fabulous girls (and the one token male) that attended – and it was so inspiring to be in a room filled with people who not only “get” this blogging caper but have interesting “other lives” as well. What a talented bunch!

I think having a creative network away from the computer screen is so important, particularly because blogging can be such a solitary pursuit, and Claire and Jas from Sweet Lime and I are really excited to grow the community and continue to hold events where we can all get together, mingle, share ideas and swap stories. We’ve created a Gold Coast/ Brisbane Bloggers Facebook page but I encourage you to click through and like it regardless of where you’re based, because you never know when you might be in town and able to make an appearance at an event. Better yet, perhaps we’ll take it on the road one day! A travelling bandwagon of beatific bloggers – how fun!

Our attitude is very much ‘the more the merrier’ so please do come out of the woodwork lovelies and if you have any questions, don’t be afraid to hollllllah.

Super Ideas + Collaboration

 

I wish I could spill the beans on the secret project I’m collaborating on but alas, you’ll have to hold tight for a few months. Just know that I’m eternally thankful the people I’m working with came into my life because when it flows, it just flows, and you just know when something is going to rock socks.

Our Wedding Photographer!

 

So you’ve seen the photos and you know she’s insanely crafty behind the lens, but I have to tell you – Ali Mitton is an absolute treasure in person!

I feed off other people’s energy in a massive way and our catch up a few days ago was so full of mutual excitement and energy for the coming months I could have bottled it up and gotten intoxicated knocked myself out on it. We’re both totally on the same page with everything and I could not be more enchanted with the whole situation if I tried.

Women

 

Warning, reflections and ruminations ahead!

The evolution of the important friendships in your life and the characters that make up your story is an interesting one.

I’ve always had lots of female and male friends – a wonderful and eclectic mix – and in my late teens and early 20′s, I always really enjoyed the connection I had with my male friends. We’d talk all day on MSN Messenger (remember that?!) and hang out doing not much at all on the weekends. They’d ask for girl advice and I’d tell them about some guy I thought was cute, and it was all platonic and fun – a brotherly-style love.

I think it’s a fairly common occurrence that when you’re in a serious relationship, your male friendships take on a different role – in my case, my male friends became closer to Ramai – and although Ramai has always totally welcomed and respected my friendships with other guys, a lot of them changed shape as those guys embraced serious relationships of their own.

Has that been the case for anyone else?

On the flip side, I’ve personally always felt really drawn to go-getting, bubbly, can-do women – either on a friendship level or on a level where I knew I could learn something from these unofficial “mentors” in my life – and I’ve noticed that particularly over the past year or so, the mighty tug of feminine energy has lead me towards some profoundly inspiring women.

When I’m looking for new blogs to read, I usually take a moment or two before I start trawling to ask the universe for the words I’m looking for, and I find I’m always guided in the right direction - towards female writers/ coaches/ entrepreneurs doing the things I want to be doing with my life. Their words always appear when I need them most. I’ll post on the women that light a fire in my belly sometime soon, but when I think of the “ask and you shall receive” nature of calling these women into my life, I’m reminded of the saying “When the student is willing, the teacher arrives.”

Us girls are better together. Celebrate that feminine energy in your life, call more of it in and tell the women that keep your world spinning on its axis how necessary and meaningful their friendship is today.

Nailing Wedding Tasks!

 

Our invites are nearly sorted! After an extensive search, I picked up some brown kraft envelopes in the right size yesterday (we needed them quite large as our invites are a custom size) from Sarbe Invitations + Papers, which is a fab little paper goods store.

Our wedding website is also almost finished, we selected our menu options with the caterer yesterday and we have a pretty good idea about the alcohol we’ll be purchasing. It’s all coming together, which is lucky because I thought we had 5 and a half months to go but it’s actually 4 months and 1 week until the Big Day rolls around. EEK!

Anyway, stay tuned because I’ll be showing you the invites and website very soon.

Rice Paper Rolls

 

I’ve decided we need to make these once a week from this day forward. Light. Fresh. Amazing. Devoured in a flash.

Progress With My Goals

 

I thought I’d give you a bit of an update on the goals I set last Monday.

Run 500km: So far I’ve run 20km, which is a bit under my weekly goal because I was busy with the lovely Sian and Kim over the weekend. A long run awaits this week if this crazy rain lets up!

No chocolate: 8 days and counting! I’m really proud of this one – it might not sound like much but to me it’s been a great lesson in being accountable, sticking to my guns, ignoring that voice in my head that says “One bit won’t matter” and, finally, breaking the habit and replacing it with healthier ones. If I hadn’t declared it here, I know I wouldn’t have stuck to this goal – so a big cheers for bold public declarations!

Alcohol once a month til June: As expected, I had a couple of drinks while the girls were here for the bloggers meet up, but apart from that, all good in the hood, my loves.

I’ve heard from a bunch of you via email (and let me just say, you guys are amazing. A.MAZ.ING) and I wanted to remind you today that I’m totally here for a chat about your goals (or anything else) whenever you like. If you’d like to send a goal out into the ether with love and need someone to share it with, or you want to confess that you haven’t been able to stick to the ones you set but you’re going to give it another crack, I’m just an email away and would love to hear from you.

Bite-sized Bliss Bombs

+ A lovely mention on Susannah Conway’s site (one of my absolute faves!) + exercise sessions in the pouring rain (leading to energy +++ all day) + kisses and cuddles and lots of love + brainstorming a heap of blog post ideas and sticking them on a corkboard on my desk so I can see them constantly + fresh vege juices + an awesome annual review with my boss (yay!) + fun new video projects to sink my teeth into at work + Oprah and Cheryl’s ‘You Become What You Believe’ Lifeclass.

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” ~ John Lubbock

+ Where I live, it’s grey and gloomy outside but I firmly believe sunshine starts within, so let’s spread those rays around today. Tell me below what’s making you happy this week!

Images: Soulhunting | Life’s Little Jems | Jak & Jil | Everything Fab | Cherry on a Cake | Little BGCG