What the World Needs

What is it that makes you come alive? What causes time to stand still in that moment when nothing else matters? Are you living? Laughing? Loving? Maybe you are creating, teaching, or learning?

Whatever it is that brings you the most joy – do that.

Forget about what you think the world needs. Don’t try to mould yourself to fit into a box of what you believe is expected of you. What the world needs is your joy. Be the joyful, loving soul that you are, and then share yourself with the world.

Today, follow your bliss. Know that we can best serve others when we spend time each day doing the things we love.

In love & light,

Hayley xx

Sacred Energy

Empaths are highly sensitive beings who can sense another’s pain and feel it as their own. You’ll know if you are an empath because you tend to see the best in others and their hidden potential. You are trusting and optimistic which can sometimes lead to others taking advantage of your kindness for their own gain. Empath’s struggle to see anyone suffer and will go above and beyond to ease the pain of others. Your optimism and desire to heal often exposes you to a number of harsh, toxic energies in your bid to make others feel better. The problem with this is it can leave you feeling depleted and drained.

Yes, it is ok to be giving, gentle and kind. But it is not ok to be taken advantage of. How is anyone supposed to take responsibility for their lives if you continue to make excuses for their behavior? And how are you to ever feel vibrant and healthy if you are allowing others to continue to draw from your energy reserves without reciprocation?

If you have found yourself in a situation where you are constantly giving with very little in return, if you are often placing another’s happiness before you own – then it is very possible that you have found yourself in a toxic situation and are experiencing energy imbalance.

Be wise and know that you cannot help everyone. Become attuned to those who take without giving in return. Be willing to set healthy boundaries and strong enough to walk away from those who do not have your best interest at heart.

In love and light,

Hayley xx

 

Trust In Yourself

Self-doubt. We all experience it. We’ve all succumbed to that nagging voice of, “I’m not good enough, worthy enough, deserving enough… Who am I to shine? Why would anyone listen to me? I’ll just play small rather than make a fool of myself….”

But as Marianne Williamson reminds us:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?’

– Marianne Williamson

Last week I threw caution to the wind and created a video entry for the Writers Workshop Sydney competition, where I’ll have the opportunity to submit a book proposal if I receive enough votes to attend. I waited two weeks before uploading a video. I was stunted by self-doubt. Some of the thoughts that ran through my head were:

“There are some entries who already have 500 votes…I don’t even have 500 followers! How will I ever obtain that many votes?”

“I entered the competition last year online and my book wasn’t selected then, why would it be selected this time?”

“You’re going to look very silly, Hayley…just leave it up to those who can do it well…”

“I’ve entered far too late anyway, the competition has been running for two weeks, I should have done it at the start…Too late. Why bother?”

I had to dig deep. I had to silence that nagging voice of self-doubt. I had to trust in myself. Every ounce of my being tells me: “Hayley, you came here to teach, and to write. And if it doesn’t happen this time, it will happen at the right time. Keep the faith.”

Our dreams come from the same Divine energy that created us. Our dreams are real. We must trust in ourselves, and go after them. Whatever your wish, whatever you feel called upon to do – throw caution to the wind and go for it. It’s ok to be vulnerable. It’s ok to fail. But don’t let fear of failure or judgement get in the way of your dreams.

Here’s to believing in yourself and going after your dreams. Trust in yourself and know that when you do, ‘you are trusting in the same wisdom that created you.’ – Wayne Dyer.

In love & light,

Hayley xx

If you would like to vote for my video entry and support me on my writing journey, click on the link here. You can click on the word ‘VOTE’, find my video (Hayley) and click on the heart below my video to place your vote. Your support means the world to me xx 

 

 

Alone Time

Just as time spent with friends and loved ones is essential for a happy existence, so is time spent alone.

Honouring our alone time is essential for balance and renewal. During these stolen moments of solitude we reconnect with ourselves; our deepest dreams, wishes, hopes and desires. Taking a break from the world doesn’t mean that we care any less for our friends and family, it simply means that we love them enough to take care of ourselves first. We cannot give away what we don’t have. If we are depleted, out of touch with ourselves, tired and run down – how can we give the best of ourselves to others?

Today, take a guilt free moment of peace.

‘Compassion is not complete if it does not include oneself.’
– Allan Lokos.

Know that in serving you first, you can better serve the world. When you take the time to connect with who you are; your truest, essential nature – the love and compassion your show for yourself will ultimately bless those you come into contact with. 

In love & light,

Hayley xx

 

Little People

Today I watched as the students at school played table tennis against the reining champion, or ‘the King’ as they call him – a cheeky sort of chappy, and popular with his friends. In line with the children stood a bashful girl with Down Syndrome. As she stepped up to the table to take on the champ, I witnessed a beautiful moment of courage and connection. The ‘King’, usually witty and teasing in nature, switched his demeanor to one of pure warmth and compassion. As the girl struggled to aim and hit the ball, he encouraged, complimented and nurtured her. I was humbled by this display of empathy rarely seen among peer groups of today.

‘Courage doesn’t always roar.’

– Mary Radmatcher

Courage can be found in these simple acts of kindness that are often overlooked. Courage is witnessed in those whose endurance is often silent in strength. It is the father who is also ‘mother’ to his two children because ‘Mummy is with the angels now…’ It is the toilet attendant who escaped the bombs, and smiles though her eyes tell of heartache and loss… It is the paramedic who holds a strangers hands and comforts him during his final breaths…It is elderly gentleman working long into his retirement to ensure there is enough food to eat…It is the young girl that wakes before sunrise to care for her sick grandmother before school…

Today, let us not forget the courage and strength found in ordinary people. May we ease the suffering of others wherever possible and acknowledge that we are all in this together. Above all else, let us be kind. Because ‘the world may not acknowledge the courage of little people, but it would fall apart without their courage and endurance.’

In love & light,

Hayley xx

Reach Out

Too often we hear, “It’s not my problem… Let them deal with it.” It seems far easier to turn a blind eye than to reach out a helping hand. But we mustn’t underestimate the power of a kind word or gesture, however great or small our offering.

If our hands were not made to reach out and heal, then for what were they created? To destroy? To harm? To dismiss? When we use our hands to prepare food, it is to nourish and heal our bodies; when we make work of our hands, it is to provide for others through service and exchange; when our hands are used to lift and carry, it is to move and lighten the heavy load. The same is true on an emotional level. We possess the power to lift each other up, to provide, to nourish and to heal. So why wouldn’t we?

‘We rise by lifting others.’

– Robert. G. Ingersoll.

Our greatness is not measured by how much we earn, what we can achieve or how far we can get ahead, but by the love and joy we share with others. Today, let us not hurry or dismiss, may we be attuned to the needs of others and reach out. Because ‘if we don’t help each other, who will?’

In love & light,

Hayley xx

Your Dreams Are Real

I am a big believer that our dreams come from God and that He has the power to accomplish them. Often we pin our hopes and dreams on one outcome. We have set ideas of how and when we must arrive there. However, in doing so, we miss the many opportunities there are to land among the stars.

Today, dream big. Know that your dreams are real. Trust that God knows precisely the best, possible way for you to fulfil your Divine purpose. When we get out of our own way and allow ourselves to be led by Divine guidance, who knows? We may even land on the moon after all.

In Love and light,

Hayley xx

Deep Holes In The Sidewalks

 

Dear Dad,

Today I received a parking fine for $150. I hesitated when parking in that area, the sign was new to me and I was unclear of its meaning. I ignored the feeling of hesitancy I felt when exiting my vehicle. I was gone from my car for less than 10 minutes, and returned to find the parking ticket waving at me from my windscreen. My heart sank. It was the most expensive avocado and banana I’d ever bought. Normally in this situation, I would feel the anger rising. Thoughts of ‘Why me?’ surfacing. …but not this time. For I have been here before. The victim. The blamer. I know why I received this ticket.

Just the night before I had found myself in a familiar hole. Money worries, feelings of lack when I discovered that my work hours had been reduced from four days a week to just two. We haven’t had as many schools book our programs next term and I’d felt a worry over the drop in income. Scarcity thoughts crept in and I reacted from a place of low vibration, arguing with my partner and succumbing to the ego in me. My parking ticket was a confirmation of my scarcity thinking, mirroring back to me my false feelings of ‘lack.’

Looking down at my ticket, I sighed and resolved to step out of my familiar hole. Crying over it would only exasperate my situation, bring about more of the same circumstances.

Father, thank you for the sign. For the reminder to walk a different path. I am grateful for the extra time to myself next term, for the extra days you have provided so that I may attend to a project dear to my heart. The freedom from lesson planning is something to be thankful for as I throw myself into other avenues with great passion. And of course, two days of work are always better than none.

Love  always,

Hayley xx

***

Dear Child,

Sometimes situations will arrive at your door in unforeseen and distressing ways. You may feel as though the world is against you, that life is unfair and this shouldn’t be happening. In each heartache there lies an opportunity for spiritual growth. Are you prolonging unhealthy habits that are holding you back on your path to freedom? How about stagnant thought patterns that are creating equally stagnant circumstances? Is there an element of your own undoing that you have been refusing to see? Blame, excuses, feeling angry and victimised…we’ve all been there. But those feelings no longer serve us.  Nor does the outward search for refuge and answers. The answers lie here within. Be still.

Let us open our eyes and our hearts so that we may hear the answers to our prayers – for the solution to all sorrow lies in communion with the soul, with God. Instead of proclaiming ‘This isn’t fair!’ – may we have the strength to ask, ‘How may I grow from this? How may I serve?’

There are no accidents in this world. The world is ever changing, ever evolving, all knowing and divinely timed. When you accept that this is so, when you trust in life and trust that life is preparing you for your purpose – you can smile in the face of life’s hurdles, for they are your greatest teachers. Be safe in the knowledge, that in time – all will be well.

In love and light,

Your Father.

If you too have found yourself stuck in a hole, may Portia Nelson’s Poem – There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk, bring comfort as she reminds us that it is we who hold the key to end all suffering.

There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk

Chapter One
I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless,
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find my way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit …but,
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

by Portia Nelson.

Let us be kind to ourselves as we navigate life’s sidewalks, may we pick ourselves up out of those deep holes, and choose another path.

Five Reasons Why I Am Grateful For My Dad

It is but a simple shift in perception. From one of sorrow to joy; of envy to inspired appreciation; of lack to fulfillment, gratitude and abundance. With this shift in perception comes a renewed love of all things – even the ones that bring with them great heartache and despair. For it is precisely from knowing and experiencing such heartaches that we come to recognise and appreciate the rainbows after the storm.

Flowers grow out of dark moments.

– Corita Kent

Five Reasons Why I Am Grateful For My Dad

1. You were, and still are, my greatest teacher. You were my biggest heartbreak, and yet my most profound awakening to a deeper kind of love. In losing you, I gained another part of you – a part that is ever infinite and always guiding.
2. You taught me not to take myself too seriously. Ever the joker, you showed me that the quickest and surest way to ease my own sorrow is through laughter. Laughter really is the best medicine, and you had an ability to make others laugh uncontrollably. Whenever I feel glum or despondent, I turn to laughter. ‘Daft as a brush just like your Dad’ my best friend says. ‘Nothing embarrasses you’ Mum tells me, ‘you get that from your Dad, not me!’ It makes me smile to know that I will always have this part of you.
3. You showed me the true meaning of grace. In moments of darkness you faced the terrors head on, never the victim – always accepting what life threw at you with an earnest grace. If I have learnt anything in this life, it is that our most trialing experiences are often our biggest teachers. Through your adversity, you remained steadfast and strong, despite your obvious pain – your love for us never wavered.
4. Because of you I have an endless well of patience. Any man who can live with four hot headed females as you did, has reached a state of tolerance to rival that of taxi driver working the drunk o’clock shift. It takes a strong man to not react and continue navigating others home whilst all his buttons are being pushed. If ever my patience is tested, I need only remember your poise and ability to remain calm and nonreactive under testing circumstances!
5. Without witnessing your life lived with epilepsy, I could never have developed such a profound empathy towards others. Through watching your struggles from a very young age, I have come to stare with deep sincerity into the heart of every soul regardless of their condition, social status, or circumstance. This has led me to undertake work that brings me great purpose and fulfillment. At the heart of every person lies a beautiful soul – and I am committed to treating others with compassion and understanding at all cost. I owe this gift to you.

Happy Fathers Day Dad – Loving You Always, Forgetting you Never xx

Where To Now?

Day 20: Wrap it up.

I’ve made it! (albeit four months after Writing 101 ended…) but I’ve made it nonetheless. ‘Slow and steady wins the race’ – and although I have completed this course at my own pace, that alone has moved me one step closer to overcoming a fear I once had of being too afraid to even begin. So in some ways, I have won the race, despite arriving last at the finish line. I have won because I overcame my fear of beginning, I didn’t give up and I completed what I set out to achieve – which was to complete the course and push my writing in new directions.

I’m asked at this stage to reflect on what I have gained from taking Writing 101 and where I wish to take my writing moving forward, and so here are my thoughts on that matter.

What I have gained

Writing 101, along with other courses I have taken such as Poetry 101 and Writing 201 have certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone. I have explored different writing forms, styles and perspectives, and for that I am grateful. At times I was surprised with what came out of me! And at others I have sat staring at the empty page wondering how on earth I could fill it with words. But I found that in the end, when I entered my heart space, the words just seemed to flow. If you haven’t already, I challenge you to sign up to a course in order to discover what you are capable of, not to mention the wonderful and diverse writers you will undoubtedly meet along the way. I have inspired, and I have been inspired – and that is a wonderful feeling.

Moving forward

When I first began writing publicly on Dear Dad the whole process was a little scary to say the least. Even though I have come a long way since losing Dad, there was a lot of heavy stuff that I had buried over the years and was still holding onto – I uncovered some fairly raw emotions in the beginning. Looking back on those earlier posts, I can see that I was wading through a great deal of guilt and regret. I also understand that I needed to revisit those darker recesses of my mind so that I could shine a light of awareness on them. I needed to kick the mud from my boots and free myself of the burdens that had so far, weighed me down. As Frosts’s opening quote reminds us;

The best way out is always through.

– Robert Frost

I do feel that I have undergone a healing process since I first revisited the events surrounding Dad’s death, and although I shed some tears along the way and undoubtedly have more to shed, the whole process has been cathartic for me. These days I feel more joy in my heart than I do sorrow, and I am overcoming negative behavior patterns that once plagued me. More and more I am uncovering my authentic self as I move through my spiritual journey; the dark clouds are lifting and I am able to see more of the light with each passing day. That is what I want to share more of moving forward. I know that there may be more places I still need to visit as I uncover more layers – but all in all, I am happy and hopeful for the future.

Whilst I will still be writing here to remain close with my Dad, after some long deliberation I have decided to proceed with a side line blog, Wholesome Souls I almost deleted this blog entirely and was convinced that I only needed one writing space, but since I would love a space to share healthy recipes and motivational life style choices, I have decided to continue with Wholesome Souls, if only to keep myself accountable. It is still in the early days yet, but my goal for this blog is to move closer to self-love, healing and transformation and to help others along the way. I truly believe that lasting transformation begins within. In having a separate writing space dedicated to health and well-being, I hope to quell behavior patterns and lifestyle choices that often prevent us from reaching our full potential. Feel free to show your support in following my second blog here.

Hayley xx

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