Category: Health

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Essential Oils as wellness tools

essential oils for wellness

“Wellness” refers to being in optimal physical and mental health. Essential oils are one of the easiest ways you can support yourself to better wellness.

Are you addressing both aspects…or only one? (or none). Taking full personal responsibility for your wellness is like “future-proofing” in a small way (remember, accidents happen, and sometimes there is something rumbling under the surface that you dont know about. And also, the mental game is very influential on our physical health). So it is important to be using tools and lifestyle behaviors that support good health, and encourage releasing of negative thought patterns and behaviors that may influence your health and well-being.

I get asked a lot about the five questions below so I thought I would share my answers in order to inspire you to try your own blends or combinations that might support your own wellness journey.

neroli supports the throat chakra

FAQ’s

Which essential oils do you use for reducing stress?

Lavender peace – this is very strong for my senses, and will use it sparingly in the diffuser (1-2 drops max. I find it helps me go to sleep so I use it late at night. But with strong anti-anxiety properties, I find this is very helpful in stopping a racing mind.

Aromatouch – this is an excellent blend for massage as it helps soothe sore muscles. I have been using it for years as a muscle rub after a shower. It is calming and soothing without being a “lavender” smell. Magnolia. It starts and ends for me with this oil. It is my all time favourite and has been in my pocket since it very first arrived on the market. It contains very high amounts of linalool

Which essential oils do you use for uncovering shadow parts?

Neroli – it helps with “communication” therefore it is a throat chakra support, which helps to increase internal dialogue. Many people believe they have trouble “speaking their truth”, well let me tell you that this oil can help you overcome this!

Which essential oils do you use to reduce inflammation?

Copaiba rolled down my spine every morning while my tea is steeping! I make tea every morning, and while I wait I simply roll this oil down my spine. Inflammation is a key cause of disease in the body. So this is my personal ‘war on inflammation’ I do it without even thinking about it. Copaiba helps to reduce pain over time because inflammatory cytokines get reduced.

How can I improve my sleep?

Cedarwood in my Epsom salt bath with lavender are a MUST.
2 cups Epsom salts, and 4-5 drops of cedarwood is my go-to when I need to ground myself and release the week. My human design is “Manifestor” which means I go hard, and then I need to become a hermit for a while. I need to tap out and just relax and be with myself. Something I struggled with for a very long time. And now I embrace my limitations and happily retire to a bath for an hour of bliss. It helps me to go to bed relaxed in body and mind. I will also use Aromatouch if my muscles are noticeably sore.

What do you suggest for better digestion?

I am in love with the ZenGest blend rubbed on my tummy. It is a new recipe blend and smells incredible. Cardamon and peppermint are my go-to oils for cooking and enhancing flavours – and would you believe also help digestion? I use this at the first sign of a tummy ache, or if I know that I am about to eat a heavy meal at a party, then I will use it before I eat. My youngest will often get a sore tummy, so she uses it too.

cedarwood is a grounding and calming oil

We have a plethora of oils at our finger tips, which when used wisely, can help to move you towards more awareness, openness and care for your entire being.

Over the years of practicing yoga and “trying” to make better food and lifestyle choices, I have learned that illness, chronic conditions, and accidents happen. However, we have a tool at our finger tips that is going to support us to move in a better health direction.

If you are wanting to kickstart an area of your health, the pure intention of using an oil to support this is a fabulous start.

Want to lose weight? Use Motivate oil blend every morning when you do your morning movement.

Keen to be less frantic? Use Magnolia every day and keep it with you during every single frantic moment to help interrupt your habit of freaking out.

Needing to listen more and speak less? Use frankincense to slow your roll and help you to be more grounded.

Ask me for suggestions if you are stuck, but also lean into the oils you really love the smell of – they are no doubt the right ones for you to use in this season of change and growth.

Belle xx

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Yoga for everybody

Private hatha yoga or yin yoga classes online or in person to deepen body and mind connection.

Yoga is a funadamental practice for anyone who is wanting to deepen their mind and body connection, move in a way that supports health and longevity and feel good at the same time!

Yoga for everybody

Belle is an experienced hatha yoga practitioner and teacher, with a passion for teaching the basics in a way that anyone can do it.

“Yoga can be very intimidating for new students, so it is important that every person who joins me in a class walks away feeling excited and wanting to come back!”

For new students, safety is the most important aspect, as well as having a deep undestanding of what the postures are meant to be activiating. Belle’s classes are created to help you to achieve your movement goals of flexibility, strength, ease of movement (think: getting up from the floor without creaking!), fluid joints, mobility, empowerment and feeling in flow.
As we age our body can move gracefully, you dont need to succumb to injury or illness, and you can stay feeling fit and strong, no matter what life throws at you.

Belle’s story is one of being very active as a teen and twenty-something, then falling ill and getting injured in her late 30’s. It was her foundation in yoga (back when she was 20yrs old) that allowed her to rehab her body and help to heal and recover.
If you are experiencing a body that just doesnt move the same, or feel the same as it used to, then yoga can help you to love your body – no matter what is is doing these days!

Join Belle for a 1hr yin yoga and meditation class that will help you to stretch out, and to unwind in body and mind.

Practice with Belle

Belle is available for private yoga classes in person (in Sydney) or via zoom sessions.

Each yoga class will be tailored towards your needs – to help improve flexibility, strength, and mindfulness.

Starting from $45 / 45mins.

Book here
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30sec cold shower for better health

Fancy exposing yourself to a 30sec cold shower each morning instead of running the risk of getting a cold or flu? Well, if research is anything to go by, you could be experiencing better health in as little as thirty days.

Cold water therapy is a bit of a buzz concept now – especially with Wim hof and his team of fanatics leading the way! I’m one of those Crazy Ice Bath People, and I’m proud to say that I can speak not only of the theory of cold water plunges but also of personal experience too.

I took my first cold water dip in the icy waters of Thredbo, NSW in June 2021 with a group of eager participants wanting to reach beyond their comfort zone. We were under the careful instruction and training of Leah Scott, a qualified Wim Hof Method teacher in the Snowy Mountains. Her retreats are not for the faint-hearted and will change your life. (Trust me, it changed mine!)

After that retreat, I then went on to do 90 days of cold water immersion – whether it was a 4min cold shower every day, an ice bath, a river plunge in the national park near my home, or my parent’s pool. After 90 days I stopped counting, it had become part of my daily life and it helped me to overcome some serious mental health challenges from 2 lockdowns and a devastating divorce.

I was determined to understand how this 5-10min daily plunge could have affected me so profoundly so I began doing some research and realised that this isn’t “new”, its just been popularised by Wim and his team. Isnt that awesome?

The benefits of a cold shower

Proponents say that swimming in cold water can help with insulin resistance, muscle recovery post-exercise, cardiovascular health, reduction in inflammation, increased energy, mental health support, and even weight loss.

To get the benefits the water must be at/below 15 degrees Celsius. So if you live in a colder area then you can just access cold water from the tap, the pool or a local river. If you are in a warmer area, you may have to start freezing ice regularly.

Cold shower research

Not surprisingly most research is conducted with the view of enhancing athletic performance. Athletes want to reduce recovery time and reduce pain. The research supports cold water immersion as a powerful tool for recovery (1, 2).

A 2016 study wanted to determine if taking a 30s, 60s or 90s cold shower (after a hot one) every day, could reduce the number of sick days a person took off work. The result? It CAN. The good news is that there was no statistical difference between the 30s,60s or 90 s groups – meaning you can just do thirty seconds and reap the benefits!

All the way back in 2008 a study showed that cold showers could be beneficial in treating depression as it sends messages from the skin to the brain to help switch it back online.

But how does it work?

Immersing in cold water below 15 degrees C, causes your blood vessels to constrict, and then when you emerge from the water and begin to “thaw out” a little, the vessels will dilate again (3).

Cold water will activate the sympathetic nervous system which is commonly referred to as your “fight or flight” response. When you are immersed in cold water you will release more noradrenaline/norepinephrine peripherally and it will increase the release of noradrenaline in the brain as well. When the skin feels the cold water, the receptors will send a sudden signal back to the brain to say “hey, something is happening here” which scientists believe could have an anti-depressant-type effect (4).

The part of your brain that is responsible for wakefulness and attentiveness – the reticular activating system (RAS) – can also be positively affected by cold water immersion. In particular, the locus coeruleus of the RAS, is involved in the arousal, and sleep-wake cycles, memory and emotions. People living with chronic fatigue syndrome have seen benefits in daily immersions due to norepinephrine being predominantly released in this part of the brain which then contributes to a cascade of downstream pathways (5).

The innate immune response (the barriers of your body that stop pathogens from entering) and the autonomic immune system work in tandem to keep you healthy. Acute activation of the fight or flight nervous system affects the innate immune response, and research has shown that it can be positively influenced through meditation, cold water immersion and breathwork (6). The immune system when out of balance will have an overstimulation effect causing too much inflammation in the body. This then causes pain, discomfort, and illness. By managing the effect of pro-inflammatory markers through cold water therapy it reduces inflammation, therefore reducing pain and discomfort.

Benefits for non-athletes or those who arent “that sick”

I love reading research and knowing that athletes and those who are fighting some serious illnesses are getting better-informed healthcare every day. However, I want to focus on the average Joes and Jills of the world – those who are moving thru life and trying to live better and do better, and enjoy themselves at the same time. Most of us are sitting in this category, and what I love about cold water showers and immersion is that we can tap into our superhero vibe just by facing our fear and getting in that cold water!

We can benefit just as much as an athlete. -especially by reducing pain and discomfort and reducing recovery time post workouts.

How to take a cold shower effectively

even though the research says to start warm and then finish cold, I think this is really hard to do. It isn’t my approach, but hey if you insist, you do what works for you. My method is that of stepping into the boxing ring. You go ALL IN and you don’t back down.

Step 1. Turn on the cold tap all the way – full force

Step 2. Stand in the shower and let the water touch your feet

Step 3. Flick the water at your body, getting your arms wet

Step 4. Get your legs wet

Step 5. Turn around wet the back of the legs and butt

Step 6. one full arm and shoulder / then the other

(by this stage most of you should be wet)

Step 7. Soap up and then fully immerse to rinse off

Step 8. wash your hair (this is usually best after you have done the non-hair wash a few times first).

Tips

Put a hype song on so you can sing and dance to it

Do some big deep breaths (in for 4 out for 6) before stepping into the shower

Resist the urge to turn on the hot water tap

Stay for at least 60secs / or 30 secs after you have settled your breathing down (then you will feel the full rush of dopamine as you have settled into the shower

DONT yell, scream, carry on – just calm your breathing down (it takes about 30-60secs)

Be present

Remind yourself what a badass you are!

Go on, you can do it

So there you have it – ALL the research, all the reasons WHY you should be doing cold showers – your mental health, your physical health and your badass self are all waiting for you. Imagine sticking to this for thirty days and finding out that you were stronger in body and mind than you thought possible!

That’s what is waiting for you on the other side of your curiosity as to whether cold showers or cold water immersions might be right for you.

Leave a comment and let me know if you have tried it, or maybe are willing to try it!

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Scrub your Socials- take your power back

Starting off the new year and taking your power back with a digital clean up clean up can be the most important thing you do at the start of the new year! Take your power back by removing negativity in your Socials, and removing the dead weight in your Inbox!
The collective energy for us at this time, is to restore, to connect and to enjoy. Why not use this time to restore your own energy, connect to those things that matter to you, and to embrace the idea that our life is for us to enjoy.

Here are my top tips when it comes to socials and digital life, so that you can clean up the energy in this space. Remember – we get energy strands of connection in the online world, just like we would in peson.
EVERY person you see on social media you will create an energy strand with.
EVERY person who scrolls your feed will create an energy strand with you.

Do you want that? Regularly clearing out your online space is a healthy part of your energetic hygiene practices. Just like if you went to a pub, you would come home and have a shower…consider this the same routine.
Cleanse
Release
Renew your boundaries!


My Top 5 Tips take your power back with a digital clean up:


1. Scrub your socials:
Go thru all your socials and remove any account that doesn’t give you good feels when you see it.
This includes people as well as biz accounts (but we will get to that in Step 3).
If it isn’t an account that LIGHTS YOU UP …its gone!
Remove it ASAP and get that lower vibration out of your field. Otherwise, it will continue to drag you down.
It happens gradually over time, without you even realising, and one day you declare to the world “I’m going off FB / IG for a while in order to rest and recharge”.
Um really? Why not just stop using it before announcing to the world you are over it? (It’s a bit of a bugbear of mine!)

You see, this kind of behaviour comes from a lack of boundaries in this department, and you honestly only have yourself to blame. However – we don’t do “blame” in my world, we simply LEARN and don’t look back. (I think perhaps a trigger releasing session would help in this case though!)

So here is your new mantra:

I get to decide what is in my feed

What I click on, the algorithm decides I like

I must be diligent about what I click on

I get to control my experience

If I don’t like what someone is posting I SCROLL on, OR I delete / mute / unfollow / block etc

My socials. My choice!

Never again will you feel whiny and in your victim mode about how “bad” social media is for you!

Personally, I love IG as I can follow hashtags I’m truly interested in, and that inspire me and teach me.

Everything else is a no-go for me and my mental health. This includes “friends”, or family who I am afraid I will offend if I unfollow. (And honestly, how often do you see these so-called ‘friends’ anyway? Would you share a meal with them? That’s what I ask myself. If I wouldn’t then I wont allow them into my energetic online field either. Another Q to ask yourself – if you wouldn’t share a meal with them, are they really a friend? Does it matter in the grand scheme of things if you removed them from your digital life?)

2. unsubscribe.
We get hundreds of emails every day – so be discerning about what you will accept in your inbox. If you’re anything like me you have signed up for a discount on a shopping platform and keep receiving their newsletters. I also have well-meaning sign-ups where I wholeheartedly decide I will be interested in a particular website and its offerings and then promptly never read another email from that site ever again. And yet they keep sending me emails!
My brain likes to pursue many a rabbit hole, and I get really interested in topics for short periods of time. Then I am over it. The dopamine hit wears off. Are you like that too? Well, the time is now for you to start cleaning out your emails and only keeping those that actually add value to your life – like mine.

OR not.

The choice always remains yours – so embrace your power to choose and decide what you want bombarding your inbox. It does take a fair bit of time, so I suggest putting on some music, or a podcast or watching Netflix and doing it simultaneously. That way you can just keep powering through the ‘unsubcribes’ and GET IT DONE.

3. unfollow/unfriend.
This is a tough one, as it pulls on the heart strings doesn’t it? I can’t tell you how many times a client has said they simply must stay “friends” with a family member out of fear they will offend them if they don’t.

STOP

DOING

THIS

This is the very definition of giving your power away. I didn’t know until a short time ago that we can actually mute a Facebook ‘friend’ and we won’t see their posts anymore. I love this as it means that you don’t have to completely say ‘goodbye’, just ‘let’s have a break for now’.

I know that it feels uncomfortable when you make these small decisions about a friendship or family connection, but it is really about being kind to both yourself and them. Your negativity – even in private – still affects the energy strands that connect you both. So what you are doing is removing your trigger so you can take back control of your own energy. That’s got to be a good thing – right?
A few years ago my cousin’s wife unfriended me, and I didn’t realise for a while. It definitely made our relationship non-existant as I haven’t heard from her or my cousin ever since. I have never tried to contact her again as I feel awkward and uncomfortable knowing I’m not her ‘cup of tea’ – which is okay. We never had anything in common, except she married my favourite and much loved cousin. It’s a shame, because her one small act caused me some heartache, and means that my kids don’t know hers. Remember – be kind. To yourself and others.

Be ruthless with ‘friends’ that you don’t even know. If they post things one time that are questionable, or directly opposite to your values then consider whether this is the content you want to consume. Some people vent and it triggers your own stuff. (Maybe it’s time to do an Emotion Code session though?) That’s ok. Cut them some slack and start looking at why it affected you so much. If they do it again, and it really annoys you, offends you, or crosses a line – it’s time to unfriend. No one wants to leave their front door open to angry, bigoted, racist, keyboard warriors, conspiracy theorists etc…so think of your account as your front door to your own energy field.
You need to put a line of defense between you both.

4. mute. I’ve mentioned it before but it needs its whole paragraph and time in the sun. Instagram has a mute button, and it is totally fine to use it. Just see how when you use it, that your life doesn’t end!
But you can use your own mute button on many things – like not replying to a message as soon as you receive one. You can choose to mute yourself during a conversation, and just hang up and plead “it dropped out” if queried.
Muting yourself means you get to decide what comes out of your mouth. It also means you retain your own power. There is no rule book that says you “must” respond. So choose when you do.

5. rest. I know you think that sitting on the couch and mindlessly scrolling for 3 hours is resting. It is not.

It is scrolling, and it is not mindless.

It is very mindful – and not in the best way.

When you are scrolling away you often lose track of time, and you ignore your kids and animals, and probably forget to do the chores around the house. Bbe intentional about your scrolling. But don’t call it rest. Cos it ain’t.
Resting is when your body AND mind get a break. (This is also not called sleep).

Resting involves an intention to slow down, and to just be in the present moment. My favourite way to rest is in my hammock with a blanket (if it is cooler) and a pillow under my head and knees. I love the feeling of swaying gently. I often don’t read in the hammock, I just look at the trees and the sky.
Some people say that resting can be reading a book – but the mind is still active.
Others say resting can be swimming – but the body is still active.

Many people find it hard to just sit and do nothing for a period of time, except breathe and be. So i invite you to set a timer for 3mins and just allow yourself to be in the present moment. Lay down. Watch the clouds. Listen to the birds. Just rest. And when the timer goes off, set it again for another 3mins. You’ll be amazed how quickly time flies doing nothing.
Resting is the biggest gift you can give yourself in this busy life we live. So choose to consciously do it for a few minutes per day – and watch how your entire perception will shift.

Start today

Scrubbing your digital energy field is an act of self love. Start today and notice how less-stressed and anxious you become. Removing the negativity, the draining, the anger, the complaining, the comparison and the sense of missing out can help restore your balance and your enjoyment of life. When you become ruthless at guarding your own energy, you will find the rest becomes easier and life becomes happier.

Good luck xx

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Accountability Coaching

Do you feel like you lack motivation?
You’re not alone.
Many people attend a coaching or energy healing session and feel inspired to commit to new healthier life habits – only to get sick, overwhelmed, tired or disappointed by something in their life again.
At that moment, their bad habits creep back in, AND they slowly forget what they were trying to focus upon!
That’s when frustration, irritation, anger and also binge eating or drinking kicks in.
And that can make you feel even worse.Let’s not even mention when you go 0-100 in 10 secs and let rip at your kids or partner.

The struggle is real – but you don’t have to stay there.


Accountability Coaching is a supportive service offered by Belle that will help you to stay on track and reach that milestone of 90 days – this is SO important when you are wanting to create REAL and EFFECTIVE change in your life.

The research is clear: 21 days to create a new habit
21 days to reinforce that habit
another 21 days to make sure it sticks and
another 21 days to make it seem so easy.

What could you become in 90 days?
What dreams do you have for health or well-being or career?
What can you imagine your life would be like if you could build momentum and have someone supporting you (and kicking your butt) along the way?

How does Accountability Coaching work?

You will do an initial 2hr session with Belle (in-person or zoom) in order to get clarity and set priorities; clear limiting beliefs, blocks and self sabotage to reaching your goals.
Then every week you will do a 30min coaching call via phone to check in, release triggers, and keep you focused and on track.
–> 3 months <–
12 sessions
self work
workbooks

Each week you will focus on smart, measurable and achievable goals. You will have tasks to complete that are easily added to your current schedule. This will help you to avoid overwhelm and burnout.

Could you do this yourself?
Of course you could!
HAVE you done this for yourself yet?
NO!
And THIS is why you NEED an accountability coach!

You already KNOW what needs to happen.
You have the SKILLS required to reach your goals.
What you NEED is someone to believe in you, to keep you focused, and to hold you accountable each week while you tick off your list of goals.

This is for you if:
– you want to achieve your goals in the next 3 months
– you are sick and tired of making excuses
– you want to plan, execute and smash your goals!
– you are a spiritually focused person who wants to combine their masculine and feminine energies to get into flow and ease.

Are you a HELL YES?
Get started here:3 Month Accountability Coaching.

Are you a MAYBE but need more info?
Book your Clarity call here:Accountability Coaching Clarity Call

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How to use your emotions to feel incredibly good

How would you rate your Emotional Wellness on a scale of 1-10?

 

8-10 – my emotions are fairly balanced and even. Sure I am like most women and will feel irritated at times, but I am reliable and stable and think clearly and reasonably most of the time.
5-7 – I tend to go up and down,mostly even, but I can usually bring myself back to normal after a while (food / wine helps). I am more happy than sad, hardly get angry (although sometimes the kids push me to the verge of being a T-Rex), but I think I’m not as bad as others I hear about. I would say I am pretty much middle of the road, and whilst life is okay, I have everything I want, there are still times when I get sad for no reason or get snippy at people. 
3-4 – I am quite up and down most of the time and I get anxious / moody / depressed at periods of time for sure. I drink probably more than I should. I don’t exercise much and I really feel like life is difficult. I definitely eat more than I would like, and it is probably “emotional eating”. I feel sad a lot. And I sometimes wonder why life is so hard. 
1-2 – I can’t handle my emotions going up and down all the time – actually I wish they would go up so I can feel good and confident and excited about life! I have been on anti-depressants for a really long time, I don’t trust myself off them. I have a lot of anxiety and have a psych that I see a lot – this is my saving grace. 

 

It’s true, you may feel overwhelmed by the strength of your emotions at times, but the fact is this society we live in is trying to make you fit a mold of being “even and level”…however a vibrant woman is like a flowing river. Sometimes meandering, sometimes rushing, sometimes there are rapids, and sometimes quiet pools of reflection. Learning to listen to your energy body – both physical and emotional – will help you to break the cycle of the ups and down, and give you a way forward when you are feeling hopeless. 

Learning to listen to and respond to your Physical & Emotional Body

Are you getting a sore neck and shoulders more often than not? Do you have questionable tummy issues? Do you get tension headaches and feel stressed and on edge a lot? Heart Palpitations that are not a “heart problem”?

These are all signs of emotional imbalance…and if left unchecked, will only get worse.

Emotional Wellness & Intelligence means you are aware of your emotions, know what they mean, know what physical symptoms are related to, know why they are there, and how to use them – and you NEVER try to squash them down.
Instead, you tame them and make them work for you.

Your body is a biofeedback system that tells you when something isn’t quite right – so physical symptoms are the window to your emotional body. Learning how to use your physical sensations to gauge your emotional health and achieve mastery over them is a practice, and is an unfolding. It doesn’t happen overnight, and usually it comes after a period of feeling flat, uninspired and lacking zest for life.
When you are in this season it can feel frightening and like you will never return to a life of balance and pleasure and excitement…but be assured, you are standing at the precipice of blossoming, if only you will have the courage to keep moving through…..

Emotions can be affected by:

* food (some foods really affect you in the brain first, and the body later – so you may not even realise what you are eating is directly responsible for your mood.)
* dehydration (most people are chronically dehydrated, increasing your water intake to 2L-3L per day will have an immediate impact – try it!) 
* lack of exercise / or too much (hard core exercise in a stressed-out person is counter productive, and can make your stress levels much worse. If you are a couch potato, then you already know this is no good. Get up. Gently walk around the block…and listen to Tony Robbins – you need to move your ass!)
* hormonal imbalance (which can be thrown out by stress, its a vicious cycle, so get your food and water and exercise on track and watch your cycles…if you aren’t regular with a 4-5 day bleed each month, then see a naturopath, or try doTERRA’s Phytoestrogen supplement. It is a god-send for me.)
* too much stress (and not enough tools to help eradicate it.) Self-help is everywhere. Try a yoga class (yin, not Vinyasa/Power) attend a meditation class, use calming essential oils like doTERRA’s Lavender Peace/Serenity or Peace blends.)
* your environment (empaths know what this means!) The people around you can greatly impact your emotions. Spend time with people who make you feel happy and balanced. Stay away from the drainers, and the ones who are bitchy or who bitch about other people to you.
* physical connection (sensual / non sexual touch works wonders for mood.) Holding hands, cuddling with partner or kids, or having a cuddle with your dog/cat is a great way to increase feel good hormones in your brain/body.Ask your partner for a sensual breast massage using doTERRA’s Whisper blend. And tell him “no sex, just touching” – he will be beside himself! 
* chemicals (drugs, perfumes, skin care, cleaning products). Ever had a cleaning headache from the bathroom cleaners you use? Have you noticed it can instantly it affect your mood, giving you a crappy headache and making you sleepy. The same is true for many perfumes – these are a chemical cocktail of toxins that are just waiting to get into your airways and flood your body thru the blood. They have a HUGE impact on the body. Steer clear and using a Pure-Fume like doTerra’s Whisper blend, or Patchouli or Wild Orange.
* Music (radio, news, podcasts, training vids on You Tube) Listening to people whinging about love-lost is not going to inspire a happy mood. So crank up Bon Jovi and rock that mood out. Or maybe Beyonce is more your thing. And get rid of those talk-back radio stations that are filthy or low-brow and encourage stupidity! Also cut back on the violent and salacious tv shows you insist on binge watching. The same goes for reality “fight-fest” tv. What you watch and listen to will affect your mood, and affect your energy field, and you may not even notice it until it is too late.
* memory – I dare you to open a photo album and walk down memory lane and look at your history. See where you came from, re-live the good times. Do this with your kids. Or play the game “remember when ….?” Kids love to be reminded about fun times together, so do this often. 

The key is to listen with attention to your body and to learn how to nourish and care for her.

Emotions as Guideposts:

Knowing how to use your emotions as guideposts is the sign you are turning into your Wise Woman. She is that part of you that is patient, kind, loving and caring to Self. She isn’t afraid to feel, or express, but she knows why she feels the way she does, and can manage her moods and her ups and down with grace and care. 

Allowing the Wise Woman to come forth:

How long has it been since you sat in stillness and listened to your inner wisdom? Your Wise Woman is that part of yourself. She is gentle, so her wisdom isn’t like a punch in the gut – it is that instinctive “knowing”. Like when you have a newborn bub and she is crying her heart out, and you just know how to soothe her and what she likes.
Or when you have a major life decision to make, and your head wants to keep telling you which way to go, but your “gut” says something else….and you go with the head, knowing full well you should have gone with your gut. That is her. She is your Wise Woman.

The best way to re-introduce yourself to her is to begin a daily ritual of saying “thank you for being here” and acknowledging her in your life. When you ignore your gut instinct, you are essentially ignoring a part of yourself.

Take notice of when you suddenly get a sore tummy out of no-where – what is it trying to tell you?
Notice when you finish a massive day at work and your body is aching everywhere – what is it trying to tell you?
Notice when you feel frustration rising up inside of you – what is it trying to tell you?
Notice when you totally lose your shit at the kids/dog/partner – what is it trying to tell you?

You already know the answer, but you still don’t do anything to change your circumstance. The Wise Woman starts to arise when you begin to “know” and she is in full force when you start to make changes due to the knowing.

Your emotional guidance system was created FOR YOU, not to be AGAINST YOU. So allow the feelings and sensations to rise up – take notice, and ask the question “what do I need?”
And let your Wise Woman guide you. 

 

 

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Mindset- everything you need to know to get out of crisis

Mindset is the starting point of making any kind of life changes.

In this blog Belle shares her 5 tips for finding a balanced and focused mindset to help up-level your life, and make it one that is extraordinary. You’ll be surprised to learn it isn’t complicated or fancy – just consistent. 

 

Mindset is everything – you can push yourself for a time, but consistent, focused moving towards your goals comes from a very different place than sheer will. A shift in Mindset needs to come from first making a decision that things need to change – an actual conscious decision to live life a certain way – otherwise everything will be haphazard and not have a purpose or meaning attached to it.

You wouldn’t start a business and drop $1M into it without having a plan for the business – right? So why do we tend to approach life with no plan attached?

Call it a goal? A dream? A vision? Call it whatever you want, but if you want to start living life on your terms and begin living the life You want, then you need to have the right mindset to get you there.

Now you could be the kind of woman who loves affirmations. That’s a positive mindset.

Or you could be the kind of woman who likes a set order and structure to follow. That’s an organised mindset.

You might like to just do what feel right in the moment. Honey, that aint no mindset, that’s a habit of laziness.
Let me explain.

Most people say they want their life to be a certain way. They allow themselves to dream big, they get into the good feeling space, and they ride the good feeling wave of imagining themselves having the things they dream about. But if there are no choices, no decisions, no structure and plan in place about how to get there – then there will probably be nothing coming to fruition, unless you are holding on to luck and crossing fingers and toes.

So how do you come to that place when you are so focused, so determined and so committed to making things happen in your life?

The Answer? When the pain of living “this” way get sooooo incredibly unbearable that you simply MUST take yourself in the direction of your dreams.

Most women I work with  only make the moves when they are in crisis. Including me. My past is full of moments like this. I remember a time in my life when I was literally sensitive to every food you can think of. My body was in total crisis, every food – wheat, dairy, soy, salicilates (that’s a ahcemical in EVERY single fruit and vegetable) – I would react to with hives, asthma, body pain, weakness and severe anxiety. Life was a nightmare, cos I had no idea it was the food I was eating making my life so incredibly hard. A friend said to me “what will it take before you stop eating chocolate if you know it makes you bloated and gives you tummy pain when you eat it?” I responded “It would have to give me diarrhoea before I stopped.”
Guess what happened soon after?

Yup. You guessed it. And it was intense. I had to stop taking the train cos I couldn’t last between stations and I have an aversion to public toilets! (ultimate pain right there!)

My life had to get me to a point of incredible pain discomfort before I would make a healthy – wise – choice for my body. (Don’t get me started on how unhealthy my thinking, my abuse of my own body and my blatant disrespect for myself was – I was 29yrs old at the time, and I really needed a mentor to support me but they really didn’t exist back then.)

 

So why not make a decision to re-focus your mindset on the things you really want in life, before it is either too late, or the pain becomes unbearable?

 

Life is whatever you focus on, and if you are focused on set backs, disappointments and regreat, then that’s probably what is in store for you in the future.

Are you ready to change it NOW?

 

Let’s do it…here is my 5 step guide to getting focused on what you want NOW:

1. Focus on changing your physical state. The way you sit / stand when you are sad, ashamed, depressed, anxious is VERY different to how you sit/stand when you are feeling unstoppable.
So whatever you are doing right now….STAND UP….shake your body out ….feet hip distance apart, feet turned out 45 degrees ….put your hands on your hips..…tits out / shoulders back …chin up…..squeeze your butt muscles and breathe deeply 10 times.
Research has shown that 2mins in the “Wonder Woman Power stance” will increase strong feel good chemicals in your brain which will flow to your whole body. You will then feel clearer and more decisive. This is what you want if you are going to change your life!
Do this every morning for a week….and see how you feel.

  1. Focus on the food you eat….and stop those sugary, processed, fat laden foods entering your body. Just for 5 days. And see how you feel. Don’t give up everything you love. But if it is full of sugar, fake as hell, comes with a label where you cant pronounce any ingredient, just avoid it for 5 days. That’s all. Then see how you feel.
  2. Increase water. No, I didn’t say tea/coffee / soft drink…I said water. Plain ol’ water. Aim for a glass every hour while you are awake. Yep, you’ll probably be friends with the God of the Toilet while your bladder gets used to it, but who cares? You are increasing your hydration! No brain ever worked optimally when it was thirsty and weak. Water will help you think more clearly and with more focus.

Do this for a week and see how you feel.

  1. Get in some movement every day. Not 30mins flat out exercise. Not cross-fit. Not a gym session where you almost vomit. Just move. Take the stairs when you’d normally take a lift. Park further away from the station and walk. Take the dog for an extra walk each day. If you are completely sedentary: Do 10 x squats, push ups, ab crunches and tricep dips every 2hrs. If you have a chronic illness just circle your joints, breathe deeply and get your body moving again.

Do this for a week and see how you feel.

  1. meditate. Sit there. Suck it up. Get comfortable with your discomfort. Meditation is not hard, it just feels excruciating at first. Search on YouTube for a meditation that you like the sound of (for improving your golf game, for anxiety, for stress, for sleep – you name it, and its there.)

Or use this one: https://vimeo.com/237005316 password: Meditation

 

If you want an extraordinary life, then you need to take extraordinary action. This is your starting point, and you are the only person who can do it!

Comment how this felt for you, and what you noticed was different in your life.

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Emotional Pain from IVF leads to physical pain

The world of IVF and assisted pregnancies leads to women needing a different kind of support from her natural health practitioner during this season of uncertainty.
For a woman travelling the road of questionable fertility it can be scary, anger inducing, devastating, and sucks the joy out of life (and sex to be honest.). To be micro-managed in the intimate layers of your life is humiliating, humbling and weirdly comforting all at different times. Having to ask for help is a hard pill to swallow and this alone can be the obstacle hardest to overcome.

Physical pain is usually the reason a woman will ask me to treat her in the early stages of pregnancy following a round of IVF, or after a miscarriage.

Low back pain, and upper back pain are usually the first two places that need assistance. Pain is known to steal the joy out of anyone’s life, but it can be even more acute and devastating for a woman who has previously miscarried. The first sign of pain may send fear signals all over her already stressed body. Pain will take a pregnant woman to the depths of despair as she is largely unable to control the outcome of her pregnancy. 

You might think the pain might be just physical in nature, however usually there are layers and layers of trapped emotions causing disruption to the lumbar area and to the neck and shoulders. 

So what are trapped emotions and why are they not spoken of more? Trapped emotions are simply the energy of emotions you have felt, perhaps long ago, or in more recent times that have become stuck in the physical tissues of the body. If you think about it, the feeling of being sad is a little different to feeling of grief..right? And feeling depressed is very different to the feeling of anger. Emotions are just energy and they all feel slightly different. Day to day you no doubt feel hundreds of different emotions in different circumstances. Most of the time the emotions rises up and then is released back into the mystery of where it came from. But sometimes it gets stuck…and this is when it starts to create havoc in the tissues of the body.

You may have heard of “muscle memory” – that mystical way a muscle will “remember” how to perform an action after a period of inaction. For instance, if you start a muscle building program again after a holiday, you will more quickly get back to where you were. 
Trapped Emotions are literally the “emotion memory” that hasn’t been fully released. And so you are more likely to get triggered over and over if you hold a trapped emotion. Have you ever lost it with rage to think “where on earth did that come from”? That is emotion memory that has been triggered. Have you ever felt like it was ground hog day with the same thing happening over and over again over a period of time? Or have you felt like everywhere you go you get ignored or jostled or pushed? This could be due to a trapped emotion or two being triggered.

Trapped emotions do more than just trigger angry outbursts though. They can also cause disharmony and imbalance in the physical body. They are also called “blockages” and can be a cause of illness, chronic conditions and inability to fall pregnant.
I have worked with countless women in the clinic who have been trying to fall pregnant for months or years, only to have one or two sessions with me and then “suddenly” they fall pregnant. A clear energy body leads to a harmonious physical body – don’t you think? 

In a world where women are surrounded with images and stories of how precious and joyful the nine or so months of pregnancy can be, it can impose guilt and strong negative feelings when a woman finds that she indeed does not like her pregnant state and longs for it to be over.

If you are somewhere along the fertility journey and are feeling like it is all weighing you down, and that there is hardly any joy in your life, then get in touch and we can have a chat about what you need. 
I can clear the emotions holding you back, weighing you down and stopping you from achieving your desires of the heart. 

Belle xxx

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Safe Skin Care for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

After a conversation with a pregnant mama the other day, I got to wondering how many other soon-to-be-mamas out there are wondering about skin care and the questionable ingredients contained in these little (expensive) bottles of goodness (or crap)???
I have had a romance with skin care since I completed my Beauty Consultancy diploma after dropping out of uni (double degree in Psych and Sociology – OMG my parents were not happy!) and then began working on counters in David Jones and Grace Bros for Clarins, Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein and Face NY. (Yes, I did drop out of uni for this!) I had always been modelled exceptional skin care habits from my mum, and so I was easily able to share my personal and learned knowledge with women who hadn’t been fortunate enough to know the cleanse-tone-moisturise routine from an early age. (My mum has THE MOST BEAUTIFUL skin at the age of 70. I tell you, it is NEVER too late to start looking after your skin in an intentional and intelligent way.)
I thought I would share my thoughts here on this forum just in case you were wondering what on earth is safe and what you should avoid at all costs during these precious months of incubating and feeding.

Basically there are some standard ingredients that are worthy of avoidance during your pregnancy  – the reason being, there are no tests or research performed, as no pregnant woman in her right mind would offer herself as a guinea pig. 

Ingredients to Avoid:

Retinoids in all forms (Seen listed as Retinol, Retin-A, Retinoic Acid in products)

Vitamin A: Retinoids are derived from Vitamin A – so many suggest avoiding it too. Unless they come from natural sources.

BHA or Beta Hydroxy Acid

Salicylic Acid

Lactic Acid + Glycolic Acid

Dihydroxyacetone: This is the ingredient used in self tanners and again, some sources say to avoid others say its ok. But honestly, I think you can handle being “white” for 9mths, rather than risk your bub being fed these ingredients? Right?

You also need to avoid using skin care that is reactive – usually containing essential oils or other reactive ingredients. When you are pregnant you may suddenly develop the most stunning, glowing skin (not often actually) or you may experience breakouts like a teenager and hate looking in the mirror for 9mths. Hormones. Plain and simple. And stress. And worry. And binge eating on chocolate or ice cream or Maccas will do it too. Oh and deciding to buy/sell/renovate a house will do it to you as well. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

 

The Best Skin Care Products to use:

Products that are designed to work in synergy – no it isn’t a marketing ploy, it is ALWAYS best to use ONE BRAND of skin care and not chop and change. The reason? They are designed to work together to create glorious magick on and in the skin. If you can avoid it, don’t buy different products from different ranges. Choose one. Love it and stick to it.

Choose products that are deeply soothing – pregnancy can cause sensitivity all of a sudden. And if it does, it will usually last up to around 2yrs postnatal – at which time you may be having an other baby, so choose a brand that is solid, and reliable and has a proven track record.
If you happen to get angry breakouts then you may need to speak to a beauty therapist who is trained in helping skin to calm down.
Remember you still need to exfoliate, but maybe not as often, or as firmly. Exfoliation is IMPERATIVE for keeping the skin hydrated and balanced. If you have a build up of gunk and dead skin, then your moisturiser won’t sink in as easily and your make up won’t sit perfectly flat. So be sure to get a facial once per month and use a home exfoliator at least once per week. You will use less serum and moisturiser if you do this. 
Speaking of serums…..they are reaaaallllyyy important. These beauties are the healer of the skin. So you will use them most often at night, and they will go to work while you sleep (or toss and turn, or get up to go to the toilet umpteen times).

Moisturisers are necessary. As are cleansers. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can get away with using soap and water well into your 30’s…as your “skin routine”. It won’t work, and you will be avoiding photos or mirrors from age 35 onwards if you persist in this.

Cleansers will remove make up and pollution that sits on the skin. Whilst also beginning the hydrating process. Moisturisers s go down in the layers of skin and will help store water – which will plump the skin and reduce lines and wrinkles. Soap is drying and will cause more wrinkles and decrease the quality of the skin. 

If you are really dry, then a soothing masque is a good investment to use weekly. Most people in the area of Sydney I live in are not super dry unless they are a Flight Attendant, or work in air con all the time, or sit on the beach in the sun for hours and hours each week. IF this is you, then make sure you choose your monthly self-care ritual to include a hydrating masque as part of the treatment. Otherwise, just have a monthly or quarterly facial and this will be all you need as an added hydra boost.

 

Why I choose Hydraflore:

I choose Hydraflore for my clinic and for my personal use. Nope, I’m never having a baby again (i think 3 + 2 is enough) but I can still use and enjoy this gorgeous, soothing and hydrating line of skin care. In fact my hubby and I have been using it for years because it works. And it is gentle, and doesn’t smell too girly.

The ingredients are Eco Certified and Organic – according to European standards. Which means that all ingredients must be natural origin and at least 95% must be certified organic. Very different standards to here in Australia. 
There are no silicones, or fillers that will clog the skin, or seep into deeper layers and then have to be dealt with by the liver as a toxin.

Hydraflore was created specifically for pregnant or reactive/sensitive skins, so you can be sure this range will be super gentle – yet effective for you.

Beauty Oil is the stand out product in this range, and doubles as a massage oil, facial serum and stretch mark fighter. Why wouldn’t you use this product?
I personally used this oil after I had an “age spot” removed from my forehead (I cannot believe I had an age spot at age 36yrs!) I used a dab of this oil 4 times per day, along with Hydraflore Firming serum and there is NO scarring and you cannot even see where it used to be.

Hydraflore is the real deal. Don’t be fooled by marketing, and don’t get wowzed by the scammers that are putting “organic” on their products without having the proper certifications (there are ways around this, didn’t you know?) 

For one time in your entire life, pregnancy and breastfeeding is the time you are really careful about the food and water you drink, about your exercise, about your hair dye and definitely you should be careful about your skin care too. Your skin is your biggest organ, it absorbs and filters, and so you need to make damn sure the stuff you put on it won’t make your liver work harder than it has too, or that it won’t allow toxins into the umbilical cord.

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Enter: The Wise Woman

Are you ready to meet your Wise Woman?

You’ve known her all her life. She was there when you were gently brushing your hair in front of the mirror. She was there when you were playing with dolls and lovingly caring for them, whilst your mum commented on what a good “little mother” you were.

She was there when you knew to step away from your boy-crush in school and go back to your girlfriends at the disco, (he was giving you attention, but you knew he was a bit of a sleaze bag.) She was there when you planned a whirlwind adventure and dreamed of quitting your job and travelling off into the sunset with a tall, dark and handsome suitor, but realised that giving up your career for Romeo probably wasn’t going to turn out well.

She was there when you held your best friend as she cried in your arms about the love she had lost. And you whispered to her that she would eventually be okay.

She was there when you held your baby in your arms for the first time and knew in your heart that nothing ever would be the same again.

She was there when you dreamily sat on the balcony with a cuppa in one hand and a pen in another, journaling about your plans for the future.

She was there as you embarked on a new course that helped grow you in ways you never thought possible.

She is YOU. She has always been there.

You are the Wise Woman, just ask your friends and family. Ask your kids if you have them. They will all tell you that they think you are awesome. So when you let go of self-doubt, she is the part of you that inherently knows the path forward, knows the best solution in any situation, and is gentle, and caring and…well, wise.

As she begins to take centre stage in your life you will come to feel her and listen to her. But first it takes an awareness and a trust.

 

I have created the Wise Woman Essentials 6 week online program to help guide you back to the core of who you are. If you would like more information about this program please get in touch.