After a day of particularly agonising pelvic floor pains (my own fault for pushing my pregnant body to walk further than was comfortable) I woke this morning feeling very sorry for myself.
‘I feel so limited!’ I heard myself say as I winced with each step. And back to my horizontal position I returned.
I love the way pregnancy forces us to stop and slow down. Natures way of conserving our energy for the big day? I believe so.
As I surrendered to rest, my body thanked me and I took the opportunity to strengthen my mindset instead.
Limiting thoughts of “If I can’t cope with pregnancy discomfort, how on Earth will I cope with labour discomfort?” were promptly pushed aside.
It’s ok to feel vulnerable and yes, it’s even ok to have a little moan. Just as long as we acknowledge that we are only limited by our beliefs.
A few hours later and my pelvic floor has eased. I am feeling more energised and yes, even excited for our impending birth!
Because truly, anything is possible with a little faith and belief.
Many have ‘failed’ multiple times on the road to fulfilling their dreams. Oprah Whinfrey, Walter Disney, Thomas Edison, Steven Spielberg, J.K. Rowling and Albert Einstein all experienced humiliation and rejection on their path to success.
As J.K Rowling reminds us:
‘It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.’
Be bold. Be brave. Don’t be afraid of setbacks.
This weekend I have the honour of attending the Hay House Writers Workshop in Sydney, Australia. This will be my third time pitching my book proposal to one of the worlds most renowned publishing houses. I was almost floored when I received a phone call from one of their authors inviting me to attend the live event. Dreams really do come true. And should I not succeed one hundred times, I will never give up on my dream. Why? Because it lives and breathes within my heart.
Ever since I decided I wanted to be just like Roald Dahl when I was six years old I knew I was destined to write. If I touch the heart of one person or one million, I have stayed true to my soul.
If you have a dream, don’t just go after it – go after it with all your heart. Dream with intention and know that anything is possible if you just trust and believe in yourself.
Welcome to my sixteenth instalment of ‘Soulful Sundays’. A weekly share where I post a roundup of soulful reflections, each including recipes, songs, quotes, blogs I have read and/or any other inspirational discoveries to sooth the soul.
For me, Sunday’s have become a day of quiet contemplation and simple pleasures. A time to reflect on the week gone by and to consider my hopes and dreams for the week ahead.
My hope is to extend some love outward and to share some simple pleasures with anyone who cares to receive them.
Soul Reflections
I can’t think of anything worse than a life not lived. Arriving at the end with a heart full of ‘if only’s’, ‘what if’s’ and ‘I should have’s’ seems somewhat tragic to me… I’d like to think we can all arrive feeling that we have lived life to the fullest, that we experienced the joy and beauty of a life free from fears and regrets.
To live life is to be present and open. To be fearless and free. To think, speak and act from the heart. It is not always possible to be and do all of these things all of the time – but we must certainly try. As Katherine Mansfield beautifully states; ‘Warm, eager, living life – to be rooted in life – to learn, to desire, to know, to feel, to think, to act. This is what I want. And nothing less. That is what I must try for…’ And so must we.
What in life is holding you back? Fear of failure? Fear of getting hurt? Fear of looking foolish? Fear of succeeding? The change and responsibility that comes with all of that? Whilst it is true that we must go forth with the flow, we wont get very far if we have one foot on the gas pedal and one foot on the breaks. Yes, tread gently, but let us also be unafraid to throw caution to the wind.
For in the end, isn’t our wish to say that we have truly loved and lived?
Soul Strolls
Blue is my favourite colour, so I couldn’t resist stopping to take a photo of these vibrant blue beauties whilst taking a soulful stroll recently. I hope you too have found the time to get out in nature this week!
Soul Food
It’s still very warm weather here in Melbourne and smoothies are my go-to easy meal fix at the moment. Today I am sharing my favourite Kiwi & Kale Green Juice. It’s fresh, citrusy and super good for you, especially if you had one too many the night before!
Soul Sounds
I just love this song ‘Fading’ by Vallis Alps at the moment. It makes me feel free and happy, I hope you like it too.
Soul Sisters
I recently had an emotional reaction to a comment that was said, it awakened an old hurt of mine and I took what was said out of context. Thankfully, I promptly apologised and there was peace regained and a shared understanding between myself and the other person, which is why I am sharing this lovely post called True Power by Bernice. Bernice blogs at Spiritualjourney17 and regularly shares inspirational posts which resonate. Head over and check out her blog!
There is no such thing as ‘failing’, only perceived failures. So don’t allow anyone to tell you that you have failed. And certainly don’t think yourself a failure. When something doesn’t work out, there is usually a reason why.
‘If it doesn’t open, it’s not your door.’
– Jamie Gonzalez.
Think not defeat. Defeat says: ‘I am not good enough.’ And there is simply no place for that kind of negative self-talk if we are to create the life of our dreams – ‘if we think defeat, that’s what we’ll get.’
The next question to ask would be: “Where to from here? Do I try again? Assess what went wrong and take a different approach? Or do I traverse another path entirely?” Because ‘if we are undecided, then nothing will happen for us’ and quite simply, we will remain stuck. It can be both frightening yet exhilarating to explore unknown territory, to discover unchartered lands. But the best part is, we are now equipped with the knowledge and clarity we acquired to help navigate our way. For that is what we really gain from ‘failing’ – insight. Take those lessons and apply them moving forward.
Let us not over analyse what may or may not happen next. Let us not be afraid of things not working out, for we needn’t rely on external sources to reward us with our happiness. Happiness is an inside out job. It serves not to wallow in the past or worry about the future. Simply take action and live for the present moment. Dust yourself off and follow your joy, follow your bliss. Do what makes you smile. It could be as simple as spending time with friends, going on holiday, watching your old time favourite movie or finally making a start on that book or project. Whatever we choose, ‘we must pick something great to do and then do it.’
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.
Dear Dad 