All Good Things Must Come To An End

This is me 2018. It’s been a year of extreme highs and inevitable lows; growing and birthing a beautiful baby boy has been magical, momentous and equally terrifying!

Motherhood has connected me to a love so profound it scares me how fiercely one can love another human; but parenthood has also brought me to my knees, literally. I’ve been floored both physically and emotionally and some days I’ve barely recognised the woman staring back at me in the mirror.

I’ve been pushed to all of my edges and limits and there have been days when I’ve cracked and broken into a gazillion pieces. Feeling vulnerable is an understatement. Parenting has a way of unearthing all of your unhealed wounds and past traumas. (I highly recommend it, it’s great therapy!)

Yet even in my darkest hours a silent voice has reminded me that I’m also resilient AF, and this woman is by no means shattered beyond repair. In fact, quite the opposite. I’ve earnt my strong Mumma wings and I am spreading them far and wide in 2019 with nothing but love and gratitude for this transformational journey I’m on. I welcome the continuing growth and expansion that’s to come for both myself and my little family.

I gave up on New Years resolutions years ago, but I do like to set a theme for the year and I’m making 2019 my year of TRUST.

I am trusting in myself, I am trusting in my intuition, I am trusting in my worth as a woman, I trust in my capacity to continue to give as a mother, I trust in the goodness of others, I trust that the Universe has our back and is supporting my family regardless of what life throws our way.

And on that note I’m shaking my booty into 2019 with a twinkle in my eye and a heart full of love, compassion, acceptance, forgiveness, faith and gratitude for all I have learnt and all I am willing to let go of.

2018, thank you for the lessons. 2019, I am ready!

I will be taking a break for blogging on WordPress but you can find me on Instagram and Facebook by following the links in the sidebar 👉🏻

Dear Dad has been my home for 5 years of writing, but I’ll admit I’ve struggled to maintain my blog since becoming a mother. It doesn’t feel right blogging here when I simply don’t have the time to reciprocate by reading all of your magical blogs.

And so I am taking a break from this platform but will continue to post on my Instagram feed!

I will reserve this space for its original intent, which was, and still is, a place for me to simply say: Dear Dad…

Thank you for being so supportive over the years and for the loving connections I have gained from this sacred space, I love each and every one of you 💖

Love always

Peace out ✌🏻

Hayley xx

The Time Is Now

The only time we ever have is NOW. Even when the future arrives, we begin to live it in the present moment, which is always NOW. Yet so many of our present moments are squandered with thoughts of the past or the future. 

Ruminating and mulling over the past, which cannot be changed – robs us of the present moment. Day dreaming of the future, which is never guaranteed – robs us of the present moment.

Our mind often swings back and forth like a pendulum between past and future thoughts, keeping us from fully experiencing and living life now. When we silence the mental chatter by breathing deeply and opening ourselves up to experience the moment fully, we become aware of our true self and the loving presence behind the ‘thinker’. We begin to connect more deeply with life and the people we share our experience with. 

Each moment is new and fresh. Old habits begin to fall away as we recognise ourselves and the world we live in as ever changing, ever evolving, ever new. 

We are limitless. Life is limitless. And the time to live is NOW.

Today, breathe and enjoy the moment fully. Trust that you can experience love, peace and gratitude in this very moment.

In love & light,

Hayley xx

Transformation Is Often Hard

Transformation isn’t always a walk in the park. In fact, it’s often a hike up a rocky cliff – sometimes we stumble and find ourselves stuck in a deep, dark crevice.

Just two days from reaching the finish line of sober October, I woke with a hangover from hell. Immediately, I began to criticise, self-punish and drag myself through the mud: “Failure… Did you actually think you could remain sober? When will you ever learn? Clearly you’re not capable of breaking this repetitive cycle…”

And then I remembered, transformation is about progress, not perfection. As I allowed myself to be held and supported, I thought of the advice I would offer a friend or loved one in the same position: Be gentle on yourself. Too often we speak to ourselves in harsh, reprimanding tones – rejecting a part of ourselves as ‘not good enough’, when in fact, we are perfectly imperfect just the way we are. Transformation takes time.

Today, be gentle on yourself. Embrace the messy moments along with the magical ones, for they all form part of your growth and expansion. Trust that from the darkness, a beautiful butterfly is emerging. The journey may be slow, but it is one worth taking.

The road ahead is clear and free. I give myself permission to move out of the past with gratitude and into a joyous new day.’

– Louise L Hay

In love & light,

Hayley xx

Beyond the Mind

Do you feel anxious? Worried? Confused? Just when you think you have all the answers, does your mind send you reeling frantically with thoughts of “What if?”

Hush now. Be still. For one thing is certain – the solutions are not in your head.

The mind has a funny way of thinking it’s way in circles. It’s main stimulant of doubt, fear and procrastination presents countless roadblocks to inner peace.

Rule your mind or it will rule you.

– Buddha

Recognising that your thoughts create your experience is the ultimate pathway to peace. We are only ever one thought away from living the life we intended to live, a life that truly matters. For authentic guidance, we must rely on a source much greater than our minds; we must learn to trust in our intuition.

Learning to detach from our incessant thinking can be tricky at first. We identify so strongly with the stories we tell ourselves, that we create all kinds of problems and dilemmas in our heads. But with a little practice, patience and perseverance we can develop our awareness and learn to tap into our intuitive power. Try spending time alone in nature, or go deeper with mindfulness practices such as yoga and meditation. Connect with your breath and feel the answers arise from the space between your thoughts; your authentic self.

Divine guidance is always available to you. Your soul’s whispers are just that – whispers. Unless you are willing to get quiet and be still – you wont hear the messages coming to you from your heart.

Remember, you are more than your thoughts. You are bigger than your mind. The same life force that exists in every living thing exists inside of you. You are connected to the same Divine wisdom that created you. Today, tap into that wisdom. Listen to your heart. Wrap yourself in the reassuring hug of Divine Guidance.

In love & light,

Hayley xx

You Alignment Before Action

We’ve all experienced that split second when our emotions get the better of us. We think, say or act before pausing to take a moment to process our feelings. In the worst instances, we lash out, causing pain and upset to others including ourselves.

Holocaust survivor, Viktor E. Frankl reminds us of that subtle space in which we get to choose our response. If we take a moment to breathe, to connect and align with our inner being, we find peace from the past, and freedom to create a brighter future.

The way we respond to life is key to growth and expansion. In each moment we have the choice between fear and love; conflict and peace; blame and forgiveness.

Today, choose alignment before action. Free yourself from the automatic reactions that bind you to the past or instill in you a fear of the future. When you respond to life with love, peace, harmony and trust – you take back your power; you pave the way towards emotional freedom and inspire others to do the same.

In Love & Light,

Hayley xx

This Moment

The only time we ever have is NOW. Even when the next moment arrives, we begin to live it in the moment, which is always now. Yet so many of our present moments are squandered with thoughts of the past or the future. Ruminating and mulling over the past, which cannot be changed – robs us of the present moment. Day dreaming of the future, which is never guaranteed – robs us of the present moment.

Our mind, which swings back and forth like a pendulum between past and future thoughts, is what keeps us from fully experiencing and living life now. When we silence the mental chatter by breathing and becoming aware of our true self – the loving presence behind the thinking, we begin to immerse ourselves in life itself. Each moment is new and fresh. Old habits fall away as we experience ourselves and the world we live in as ever changing, ever evolving, ever new. We are limitless. Life is limitless. And the time to live is NOW.

In love & light,

Hayley xx

Breathe.

Today, I noticed a six year old boy distressed and crying. He’d gotten into a fight with his friend and was quite shaken by the event. I sat beside him and reminded him to breathe. I’d taught him yoga and mindfulness last year and together, we pretended we had balloons in our tummies. We filled them with air as we breathed in, and then let go a little more each time we breathed out. As we sat breathing together, I felt my own worries subside a little. Within seconds, he’d stopped crying. We smiled at each other. Little did he know, that I needed to breathe just as much as he did…

Later, I noticed he was alone. He was making something using card and sticky tape. I asked what it was. ‘It has special powers,’ he replied. ‘This button, when pressed, creates a protective shield around you.’ He pointed out a little scribble he’d marked on the card. ‘But this button here is the most powerful…’
‘What does it do?’ I asked.
‘It helps you to stay calm,’ he said.

Even at the age of six, this young wee soul understood the power of remaining calm.

We are each faced with adversities. There are things that happen to us in life that are beyond our control – events that we can’t stop or change. This can be difficult to accept. At times, we’re not even aware of why we feel sad or anxious. We just do. But it’s ok to not feel ok all of the time, so long as we don’t get stuck there for too long.

Today, be gentle on yourself. Sometimes it’s ok if the only thing you did today was breathe. Take it day by day, and trust that everything will be ok.

In love & light,
Hayley xx

Perspective

We are only ever one thought away from true peace and happiness. With each breath, each heart beat, we get to choose again. To rewrite our story. To embrace the love and abundance that is available to us. Keep your thoughts and feelings elevated, and trust that everything will be ok. The Universe has your back.

In love & light,
Hayley xx