One visit changed my life...

Those who suffer from sinusitis understand how bad the pressure and pain can be when you have it, your nose gets stuffy, your eyes burn, and you get headaches and find it difficult to concentrate properly. After suffering from sinus for years and believing it was something I just had to live with, a visit to my doctor for what seemed like the hundredth time finally led me to some answers. Frustrated with my stubbornness and unwillingness to continue taking sinus medication or have surgery the doctor reluctantly suggested I visit a Naturopath. Although I thought I would give it a go I had no idea how much a visit was going to change my life.

Both nervous and excited I arrived at my first Naturopath appointment, however she was so relatable and easy going that I felt at ease as soon as I stepped into the consultation room. Not only was my sinus an issue but I was also in a very bad sleeping routine which consisted of going to bed very late and not getting enough quality sleep due to vivid dreams and being a very light sleeper throughout the night.

Through my teens and early to mid twenties I would have vivid nightmares. This led to a terrible sleep routine as I would stay up until I was dead tired. Being so tired when I finally went to sleep usually meant I wouldn’t have nightmares, but it also meant I wasn’t getting enough sleep to repair and revitalise my body and mind. The Naturopath was confident that if I was to stick to a healthy eating plan and take some herbal concoctions with some time I would be free of both of these issues with the added benefit of losing weight that I had found hard to lose.

The eating plan meant I wasn’t to eat high carb foods or flour and I was to avoid dairy which was a known cause for my sinus as I’d had allergy testing done a few years earlier. Within a week and a half my sinus had gone from a heavy weight sitting in behind my eyes and nose giving me headaches and a “foggy” brain, to just a hint of the feeling I’d tolerated for such a long time. Also, my extra weight easily began to fall off. It wasn’t always easy in the beginning; it took a few days to overcome what I called my “Carb Cravings” where all I wanted to eat was a burger or even a piece of toast. And sometimes I would get frustrated that I had to prepare most meals instead of eating "quick" or "easy" foods. However I now feel so much better in myself that I am not interested in the foods I’m not supposed to have (most of the time). Anytime I’ve dared to try some “bad” food, I felt terrible afterwards with sinus and an upset stomach which helps with not including those foods in my diet anymore.

I’ve been on this eating plan for almost 9 weeks now and as well as not having to take sinus medication the entire time; I have managed to lose 6kg with some but not excessive exercise. With some herbal help I am sleeping through the night; dream free and for around 8 hours a night. I couldn’t have imagined a visit to a Naturopath could change so much for me, but it really has been life changing. I feel healthier, lighter and fitter and haven't had to take sinus medication which I was taking almost everyday. I have also started to feel more motivated and energetic which can only lead to more great things. I’m not saying that a Naturopath can fix everyone and is right for everybody but it helped me to lead a healthier happier life.

Journey to Self-Discovery & Happiness: Part 2

One particular book that drove me to start a big transformation in the way I viewed myself, the world and the people around me was Eckhart Tolle’s – A New Earth. Reading it I found myself agreeing with so much it said. It made me realise that I needed to reflect on the past to not make the same mistakes I had made before, but not to relive and dwell on it. The only time I ever truly had was “Now” this moment.

Facing who I really was and why so many things had happened to me in my life was also a step in the right direction. Realising that a lot of the bad feelings I had experienced and situations I’d been in were in most part my own fault wasn’t easy, it was hard to believe I would put myself through so much heartache and pain. But my negative perception on certain situations and my ability to convince myself that I was a victim and everyone was out to get me was all an illusion I had created in my own mind, and elevated to a point where I destroyed and pushed away a lot of important relationships and people in my life. This realisation was a massive stepping stone in the right direction; it changed my outlook on life completely and had me looking at people and my environment in a completely different light.

My negative side had taken control so often in my life and I now made it my mission to recognise it and put it away when it appeared. Another realisation I had was that everyone has experienced many different situations, emotions, past heartaches and mishaps, upbringings, cultures and the list goes on. To me this meant people are just trying to get by with what they know just like I had been for so many years.

Another idea that has helped me is by realising that most people want the same things out of life, love – either from a partner, friend or family which also includes acceptance, and happiness. Sometimes it is easy to feel like someone is going the wrong way about finding these two things but who am I to tell them how their journey should be? Have I not made and still make mistakes in my own life. I now try to be honest but not judgemental. Now tattooed on my wrist is a heart with the word happiness through the middle of it to remind me, as it is very easy to fall back into old habits and judge others without knowing their whole story.

Happiness appears to be the meaning of life for a lot of people but it’s not as easy as simply acting as though you are happy all of the time. Bad habits die hard and it is easy to begin slipping back into my old ways, but when I can push the negative thoughts away I am definitely a happier and better person for it. My journey of self-discovery isn’t over, who knows what the future holds; but with a more positive outlook on life things don’t seem as scary or hard anymore. My hope is that in reading this, you realise finding happiness doesn’t have to come from a big life changing event or situation, all it takes is to really want it, and not be afraid to find it and face who you really are.

My original tattoo

My journey to Self-Discovery & Happiness: Part One

It seemed everywhere I turned there were books, movies, websites and documentaries talking about finding your true self and happiness. Some suggested solitude was the answer, others relinquishing all possessions, some said travelling the world and others recommended finding it through religion or spirituality. Everyone is different and I believed one or more of these could definitely help people in the pursuit of happiness, but what about the people who have children and a husband to take into consideration? A lot of the suggestions and ideas I’d discovered sounded somewhat selfish to me as a parent. I mean it would’ve been great to take a trip around the world by myself with only the clothes on my back but then who would’ve raised my two young children while I was away? My husband needed to work to feed, clothe and educate them and I didn’t expect our families to raise the children my husband and I chose to have. This meant I had to find myself and happiness in a less dramatic way.

 To be honest I think most of our self-discovery begins long before we realise or want it too. High school was definitely a character building environment where broad shoulders were needed to take the weight of the expectations from teachers and parents, the peer pressure from classmates to be “cool” and fit in and of course to push through the self-doubt and in my case depression that came with it. Though at the time I’d felt as though I was in a long dark tunnel with no end in sight, I somehow managed to find a way out of the other side and in time it made me a stronger more confident person. If it weren’t for the trials and tribulations of my teenage years and my early twenties,  I’m not sure if I would have reached the point where I’m more confident with who I am and know that I can handle almost anything that gets thrown my way. I am also lucky to have the support of my family, friends and most importantly my husband to help me through any future or current problems I might face.

Marriage was a huge deal for me, not only had I never entertained the idea of being a “wife” but I had gotten myself through so much of my own drama that I felt that I was too independent to be in a long term relationship. But my husband Tim came along and made me realise that having someone to lean on and help wasn’t a weakness, it was added strength. Least to say my views changed and now I have been, for the most part, happily married for four and a half years. Not long after we were married it was as though a hidden switch flicked on inside of me and the desire to have a baby arose, another thing I had never really thought about; being a mother.

After the birth of my first child Logan although a first time mum, being away from work and on my own through most of the day meant my mind wandered towards some of the big questions I’d never entertained before. “Can I still be the person I was before? Who am I?” A good friend of mine suggested a few books I might be interested in and then my conscious self-discovery journey began.

 

To be continued….

More than a Mum - My first blog

As a stay at home mum of two I, like many other mothers, easily get lost in the day to day tasks of being a "mum". Laundry, dishes, cooking, housework, singing children songs and playing children games are what most of my days consist of. Although becoming a parent has taught me patience and what is truly important to me in life, I've decided its about time I start to look after myself as well and make time for the things I enjoy (socialising, painting, drawing, writing, craft, reading). Pushing myself to get out of my comfort zone is also high on my to do list as I was a lot more open to new experiences before I had kids. I've basically created this blog to motivate me to follow through with these ideas. If I don't I wont have anything to write about.

I struggled with low self esteem, like many teenagers, along with depression and anger issues through my teens. And have since worked hard on myself to become a more compassionate, tolerant, healthier and happier individual. Trying to see the world through rose-coloured glasses isn't always simple but when I can see things in a more positive light, it definitely makes me feel better and happier in myself and situations aren't always as bad as they first appear.

Through my blogging experience I hope to discover like minded people and find confidence in my abilities as a writer, painter and crafter. These are things I have always enjoyed but never had enough self belief to pursue as more than a hobby.

So here is to finding the best in yourself and the people around you and seeing myself as more than a mum!