Home » Posts tagged 'Faith'
Dear Dad, as I sit here on the Eve of Christmas watching our baby boy play, I can’t help but wish you were here; yet…something in the twinkle of his eye and the curve of his smile tells me you are 💙
I will always love you, I will never forget you… Thank you for being my Dad, my hero, our guiding star 💫
Here’s to those special souls who cannot be with us this Christmas; whose presence, though deeply missed, will be always be felt,
Love always,
Hayley xx
I was saddened to hear an old school friend recently passed, leaving behind his family and son. I later learned he’d battled with depression. My heart felt heavy.
So many who feel burdened, or that they are a burden on others, feel their only answer is to take matters into their own hands. So many lives lost, so many hurting families are left to pick up the broken pieces. It’s times like this I remember how important my mindfulness and emotional awareness work with children really is. Could depression really be prevented by teaching children self awareness and emotional regulation? I believe so.
How often have you heard, or even repeated this line: “I’ll be happy when… *insert perceived doorway to happiness here*
This is part of the problem we face; feeling powerless and placing our happiness on external events, but happiness is not OUT THERE. Happiness is not a place in the future we have yet to arrive at. It’s in here 👉🏻❤️
Happiness is an inside job, it’s a feeling, a choice, a direction of focus, a decision to be grateful regardless of our circumstances. It’s also an act of self love, a recognition of our own self worth.
Once we realise that possessions and people are not the primary source of our happiness, we can begin to take control of our own peace and joy.
“But my husband makes me happy? My children are a great source of joy…My home brings me peace…” All very true and valid statements, to which I relate to every one. I adore our home for the sanctuary it brings and I love my family unconditionally. They stimulate my joy and happiness all the time. (Notice how I said MY joy.) They awaken the happiness that ALREADY EXISTS within me by their sheer existence and presence in my life. And whilst that means my joy would be severely depleted if ever they were to leave, ultimately, my happiness would still remain, even if a little more dormant. It would be up to me to choose (or not choose) to reawaken my joy.
‘Where our attention goes, energy flows.’
And it’s precisely this flow of energy that drives our experiences and ultimately, our sense of happiness. Some days it’s harder than others, some days we just need to feel all the feels and that’s ok too. Just remember, if those days turn into weeks, months and even years, it’s ALWAYS ok to reach out and ask for help.
Today, may you feel the deep sense of peace within you. May all the people and circumstances you meet stir the infinite well of joy in your soul.
Love always,
Hayley xx
As I journey through this lifetime, an ancient teaching becomes clearer with each passing day; we really only ever have two choices – love, or fear.
All of our choosing, all of our doing, our thinking, our responses, our actions, our REactions and our beliefs are born out of these two choices; love, or fear.
Whenever I’m feeling misaligned from my true self, I can guarantee there’s an underlying fear present; fear of failure, fear of abandonment, fear of loss, fear of not being ’enough’… fear of being ‘too much’, fear of offending, fear of rocking the boat and yes, even fear of succeeding. We can be fearful of our own greatness and our unique gifts and talents too.
Today, notice any fears bubbling beneath the surface. How do they inform your words, thoughts, deeds and actions? See if you can choose again. What happens when you greet your fears with faith and love?
In my experience, the simple choice to choose love over fear has the power to change the entire trajectory of our experience.
So what will you choose?
Love always,
Hayley xx
In the event of loss, setbacks and adversity, it’s easy to lose site of the shore. It takes effort to remain mindful and present to joy when your head is spinning with ‘what if’s’ and ‘if only’s’.
If you’ve found yourself caught in the murky abyss, hold strong. Your first job is only to acknowledge you are there. Tire yourself not with thoughts of how you wound up there and how on Earth you’ll ever get out, simply BE in the abyss and feel all the feels. Honour exactly where you are in this moment.
Trust that you have the power to heal and like anything, this shall pass. Now hand it over to a Higher Power, and let go.
All will be revealed to you in good time if you simply keep faith.
Remember, you are an infinite, unlimited being of light and LOVE. And with love in your heart ANYTHING is possible – even the murkiest of waters can be transcended into crystal clear rivers.
You, my Dear one, are completely unhindered. Place your feet firmly on the earth, arms stretched wide, eyes tilted to the skies, and smile.
Everything will be ok.
Love always,
Hayley xx
Nobody wants a fair weathered friend who only shows up when your life is flowing with ease and grace.
We can’t all ride the limo of success and happiness all of the time, but if you have a handful of loyal souls who walk beside you through thick or thin, then consider yourself blessed, for those are the truest of connections worth treasuring.
Be grateful for those willing to ride with you aboard that rickety broken down bus; even when it’s hitting all the pot holes, coming up against roadblock after roadblock and struggling to get over the hill.
Today, express your love and gratitude for the people in your life who remind you that you’re not alone.
Who rides with you through the good times and the bad..?
Love always,
Hayley xx
As a Mummy who’s nursing a growing baby boy, I see firsthand how constant feeding rapidly increases growth. The same is true of our troubles – the more we feed them, the bigger they grow. ‘Energy flows where attention goes.’ – Michael Beckwith
The more attention we pay to our problems, the bigger our problems become.
This week, as our little one heads into his first growth spurt, we’ve been faced with the challenge of an unsettled baby each night.
In life, and as parents, it’s important to avoid getting too hung up on our troubles and to try to adopt a solution focussed mindset. Even the simple act of ‘letting go’ is far more freeing than trying to ‘fix’ everything and everyone.
Parenting is demanding business and the more we can pull together as a team the more energy we have to share our love and joy with one another.
Difficulties in life are inevitable. If we can learn to welcome adversity, we can trust in our learning and growth.
Today, when faced with a challenging situation, remember: It’s not the problem that’s the problem, but your response and attitude towards the problem.
Love always,
Hayley xx
‘Baby blues, baby blues, all caught up in those baby blues.’ – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
This has been my song for the last three days. At first I thought there was something wrong with me. How can I feel so joyful yet so sad at the same time?
Bursting into tears for no apparent reason whilst my heart simultaneously swells with love for this little soul we’ve created is an overwhelming cocktail of emotions.
And then I heard of ‘the baby blues.’ 80% of women will experience the baby blues and it usually passes within 2 to 3 days.
However, if you find you are feeling teary, anxious, and irritable with moods that are up and down for longer than two weeks, reach out for support from friends and family, as well as professionals as you may be experiencing early signs of post natal depression.
Remember to be gentle on yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Giving birth is a huge undertaking on a woman’s body and emotions and now is not the time to berate yourself. You are doing the best you can.
Bad days don’t make you a bad mum, they simply remind you that you are human; not superwoman.
Trust that like anything, in time, it will pass. You’ve got this Mumma!
Love always,
Hayley xx
Each day I receive a quote to my phone which appears in the form of a notification. On my birthing day, mid labour, this is the quote I received. It couldn’t have been more true.
At this stage I had endured a lot of rain and had been birthing for over 24hours. A pinched nerve in my lower back meant that my labour was not ‘flowing’ as I’d imagined. Determined to avoid any drugs or invasive pain relief that would pass to our baby’s system, I allowed the rain to pour down on me – hard and heavy.
I would say that the back labour and water injections used to alleviate the discomfort were far more distressing than any other part of the birthing process, which i’d always held as beautiful and powerful and still believe this to be true.
The pinched nerve demanded all of my attention and focus, and at times I questioned my ability to birth my baby boy naturally, if at all. But my rainbow came. And I love him with every ounce of my being 💙
In life, sometimes we wish to give up. We don’t see that in the midst of our pain and despair, there is a beautiful rainbow forming.
Today, I ask that you TRUST. No matter what your circumstances or how long you’ve ‘put up with the rain’ – have faith that the rainbow is coming. Trust that it is bright, beautiful, colourful and magical. And yes my dear, that rainbow is just for you. You are SO worthy 🌈
So this little bundle of love is one week old today 💙🌈
Wow, what a journey Motherhood is.
My life now consist of sleeping in three hour increments or less; poopy bums and milky burps are the main flavour of the day, and my breasts have been converted into a 24hour milk restaurant 🥛
BUT, holding you close to our hearts, hearing your little piglet snorts and seeing your dreamy smile as you sleep makes every ounce of tiredness worth it’s weight in gold.
We love you Kole Roy 💙🌈 Happy one week earthside beautiful boy,
Love always,
Mummy & Daddyxx
What are you worried about? Where in your life are you avoiding something because of fear?
For a large part of my pregnancy I worried myself silly about labour and unnecessary hospital interventions. I’d heard countless horror stories (and have thankfully discovered tonnes of positive ones since!) and the thought of birth left me terrified.
‘Worry is the number one thief of our time, and has the power to rob you of the beauty of today.’
If you were to let go of your worrying, what beauty could be found in this moment?
Many of us remain safe in our comfort zone because a lot of our fears can be avoided. Unfortunately, birth and death are not one of them.
If you had no choice but to face your fears with courage, what changes would you make today to your mindset? Your spirit? Your HEART?
Don’t waste a moment longer feeling fearful. Acknowledge what you’re scared of, ‘feel the fear and do it anyway.’
Trust that everything will work out for your highest good.
Love Always,
Hayley xx
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.
Love always,
Hayley xx
Dear Dad 