Believe You Can

You can do all of the preparation in the world to ensure you achieve your end result; you can cover all your bases with prevention methods and tools for success – but if you are lacking that one vital element, all of your carefully laid out plans may well be in vain.

So what is the vital ingredient? SELF-BELIEF.

Belief in oneself, your capabilities and your worth is key for the success of any personal venture. If you have lingering self-doubts or lack trust in your abilities then you are already setting yourself up for failure. That’s not a bad thing. No doubt you will gain some wisdom for the next time…

But if you’d like to avoid there having to be a next time, begin with your mindset today.

Believe YOU CAN. Believe YOU ARE WORTHY and TRUST in yourself.

As I near closer to my birthing and my intentions for a natural, instinctive birth – my mindset matters now more than ever. Because whether I believe I can, or believe I can’t – I am right.

Today, believe you can.

Love Always,
Hayley xx

Magic in the Air

December is a magical month. A month of miracles. (It’s also a month of high stress, frantic preparations and empty pockets!) But above all else, there is a sense of love, connection and magic in the air as we go about our daily rounds. We begin to reflect on the year gone by, and set in motion our hopes and dreams for the year to come. With all the magical mayhem of Christmas, let us not forget to dream. For dreaming is where the magic happens.

Everything starts as a dream. And your dreams are real.

So go after them!

In Love & Light,

Hayley xx

Soulful Sundays #11: Step Inside

Welcome to my eleventh 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

Eudora Welty’s quote resonated with me this week. As my book proposal submission draws near, I have led a somewhat more sheltered life in terms of socialising. I have endured many names such as ‘unsociable, ‘boring’ and ‘hermit’ by my friends in their attempts to coax me out. (All in good humour of course!) They have mostly respected my need for peace. But despite them thinking that I must be having a really boring time of it, I have actually been living the opposite of a ‘sheltered life’. I may have confined myself to the laptop far more than I would have liked to during this beautiful Melbourne sunshine, but I have managed to switch my thoughts of social deprivation into one of complete abundance.

I have had so much pleasure daring to dream, going within – that ‘sheltered’ has felt more like an exciting exploration. An adventure of the soul! And of course, whilst I may have declined social gatherings, I have remembered to nurture myself during this busy period of teaching, writing and preparing for Christmas!  Spending time in nature, walking, yoga, and a holiday to the Sunshine Coast with family have all helped to keep me sane and happy.  Deprived I am not. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time that your friends and family may consider a ‘sheltered life’? When in reality, you are daring to beat to the sound of your own drum? 😉

Soul Strolls

And talking of soul strolls, I am seeing these beauties spring up everywhere here in Melbourne at the moment. Beautiful blue flowers shooting up out of thick green grasses. I even have some growing in my front garden, although I have no idea what they are! So if anyone can enlighten me, I’d be very grateful.

Photography by Hayley Jade Gledhill

Soul Sounds

I love music that soothes the soul. This beautiful track  ‘Balance’ by Tao Lounge sends me into a deep meditative state whenever I listen to it. You can find it on Spotify by following this link.

Soul Food

Today I am sharing this Pork and Pineapple Curry by one of my favourite health and wellness bloggers, Alice Nicholls at The Whole Daily. Whilst I love to cook, my partner’s a bit of a rookie! But he has kindly been helping me out in the kitchen whilst I’ve been teaching, writing and working on my proposal. To broaden his scope, I sent him to Alice’s website for some healthy alternatives to his usual Shepard’s Pie and Mac n Cheese. He chose this, and did a mighty good job of it too! It’s now become his new regular (I’m not complaining) 😉 Enjoy!

Soul Sisters

Today I am sharing Michelle’s post Sunrise Epiphany. This post made me chuckle out loud as well as nod in agreement! Head over to Michelle’s post for 12 things we can no longer afford to keep doing.

Happy Sunday my friends,

In love and light,

Hayley xx

Soulful Sundays #10: Self Acceptance

Welcome to my tenth 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

We have all been there, trapped by feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth. Maybe we’ve been triggered by a comment, or the actions of another, and within moments we find ourselves caught in a land slide of unworthiness and negative self-talk: “What’s the use?…I’m no good at this…she’s far more capable/prettier/skinnier than I am.” Suddenly, we are caught in the dreaded comparison trap. We have forgotten who we are. We have forgotten our innate beauty and unique value upon this spinning axis of life.  It is during these times we must be gentle with ourselves. And most of all, stop looking for outside approval and validity. At our core we are pure love and light. Our presence and contribution on this earth are as significant as the air we breath.

So be kind to yourself. If it helps, write down 5 things you love about yourself. If that seems too difficult in the moment, you may want to begin by listing five things you have done that you are proud of, however great or small that may seem. This simple act can quickly remind us just how amazing we truly are. We are ALL deserving of love. And that love begins first, with you.

Soul Strolls 

Last weekend we were holidaying in the Sunshine Coast for my partner’s 30th birthday. Whilst my English skin got a little burnt despite my best efforts not too, we had some wonderful strolls along the beach. It was lovely to get away and spend some time by the ocean and breath in some salty sea air.

Soul Sounds

On Friday we watched Coldplay live at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. I have loved Coldplay since their first album, Parachutes and have been a massive fan ever since. My Dad and I used to listen to Coldplay often, so they hold an extra special place in my heart. From their flawless vocals, magical lighting effects,  evocative lyrics and humbling interaction with the crowd, Coldplay left us with a Head Full of Dreams and a heart full of love. WordPress wont allow me to upload my own video, so I have included the official Head Full of Dreams video, which aptly portrays the mesmorising live atmosphere we experienced, along with a photo I snapped on the night.

Soul Food

I love healthy alternatives to popular puddings, so today I am sharing this Pumpkin Cashew Cream Cake  which I discovered on one of my favourite health and wellness websites, KrissCarr.com. With Christmas around the corner, I’m all about sharing tasty recipes that wont leave us collapsed in a sugar induced food coma for hours! Be sure to let me know if you try this one out.

Soul Brothers

Today I am sharing a post by Christopher Bland titled Privileged (Remastered). Chris shares his heartfelt, and often times, haunting experiences past and present through exquisitely thought provoking prose. Chris truly writes from his soul and shares his world through the trials and tribulations he has faced during his lifetime. Feel free to check out his blog Listen With Your Soul.

In Love and Light

Hayley xx

Soul Whispers

Too often we dismiss our ideas as ‘silly’ or ‘absurd’. We keep quiet or fail to take action for fear of getting it ‘wrong’ or looking stupid. However, those still voices of intuition are the whispers of our souls.

Today, listen to that small, still voice within, and trust it.

In Love and Light

Hayley xx

Soulful Sundays #9: Creativity & Connection

Welcome to my ninth 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

This week in Melbourne it’s the Untitled Literary Festival; five libraries, nineteen events and seven days of guest Authors, speakers, and creatives. A dream for anyone who loves the written word. As you can imagine, my diary is pretty booked out this week!

Surrounded by so much inspiration and talent, it got me pondering what it is that I love so much about the literary world and creative expression, in any form really.  For me, it always falls back to the same four fundamental components: connection, exploration, inspiration and imagination. I realise that not everyone may write or create for the same reasons, but for me, these four elements embody my love of creativity and writing.

Connection: Through my writing journey, I have found great connection with countless souls, many whom I consider great mentors and friends. And yes! That includes YOU! Most importantly, I have found connection with my Self. That inner voice of truth that often becomes buried beneath the mental chatter and confusion.

Exploration: Writing is an exploration of the soul. An excavation process, if you will. And the treasures we uncover provide the inspiration for creativity. Through our creative journey, we explore our inner and outer worlds with a sense of newness and wonder.

Inspiration: Inspiration can arrive in many forms, a verbal queue, a fleeting moment, the quiet whispers of our souls, a glaringly obvious recognition, a song, an image, a scene…inspiration is everywhere. We must simply be open to receiving it.

Imagination: Once inspired – or as Wayne Dyer would say; ‘In spirit‘ our boundless imaginations are set free.  Imagination is creativity’s playground.

Whenever I feel creatively blocked, I know it is because I have lost connection in some way, with myself or with others. Once I reconnect – exploration, imagination and inspiration just seem to flow. What are your reason’s for writing/expressing your creativity? What are the core pillars that keep you connected to your truth?

Soul Strolls

Here are a couple of snaps taken on my daily walks this week. Summer is arriving here in Melbourne, and my what a beautiful summer it is. Longer evenings, warmer weather and glorious flowers in full bloom.

Soul Food

Anyone who knows me will know that I am slightly (very) obsessed with peanut butter. I recommend natural, whole-food peanut butters over conventional peanut butters, which usually contain added sugars! So when I found this healthy (yes healthy) vegan peanut butter ice-cream recipe, I had to share. Did someone say peanut butter ice-cream? Yep – she sure did! Nom nom nom.

Soul Sounds

This week I am sharing a piano track for focus named Sleeping Lotus by Joep Beving. I love the sound of the piano, this track is beautiful to listen to whilst in the bath, house cleaning, or simply relaxing and of course, whilst being creative.
**for some reason I cannot embed the track at the moment, so if you use the link for now, I will attempt to embed the video again tomorrow.

Soul Brothers

Today I am sharing A Wish For Writers by Charles French over at Charles French Words Reading and Writing. A simple yet inspiring message of hope for us to persevere with our creativity.

May you all be blessed on this creatively inspired Sunday,

In love and light,

Hayley xx

Hayley In Wonderland

What a beautiful, sumptuous evening here in Melbourne Australia. Fragrant, alive, vibrant. The sweet aroma of Mother Nature’s ‘pure’-fume intoxicating and delighting my senses. The hottest day I’ve felt since Winter passed, welcoming Spring in all her colour and beauty. Spring is now surely making way for Summer.

Although unplanned, I took a spontaneous walk, which turned out to be Divinely timed. The Sun was lowering herself in the warm dusky sky, lingering long enough that I may enjoy a colourful sky lit walk. A walk which I can only describe as alive. If only I had captured pictures to share with you. But I’m equally happy I could drink the beauty with my own eyes, free from the lens of my camera phone.

I cannot describe the scents so well that I can do them justice. Only that with each few steps, I was captivated by yet another alluring aroma so vividly intense, that I felt I was wandering the isles of a duty free fragrant section in the airport lounge. Except, instead of the sickly, synthetic smells that overpower and repulse, each long inhale provided me with a healing hit of pleasurable plant ‘pure’-fume.  And all of this whilst listening to a steady orchestra of birds, crickets and life… Monarchs resting in lazy fashion, opening and closing their wings like clam shells; dogs chasing frisbees and footballs; children collecting baskets of flowers to take home to Mum…

I arrived home as the Sun was dipping, bidding her final farewell for the evening…

I felt like Alice In Wonderland.

May you be blessed with the presence of Now. However fleeting and brief those moments may be, may they delight in all of your senses. Here’s to living a life of wonder.

In Love and Light

Hayley xx

Peace

Operation Affirmation Frustration

Some people go into panic mode when they realise the power of their emotions. They attempt to tie a noose around their negative thoughts and walk around affirming positive statements that simply aren’t true yet.

I am not denying that affirmations are a powerful and effective tool for manifestation; because they are and that is why I use them myself and encourage others to do so. However, I am suggesting that we choose our affirmations carefully. If we affirm something that is too far from our current personal reality, this may lead to further frustration. If there is too great a discord between where we are and where we’d like to be in our affirmative statement, then our good intentions could, in fact, have the opposite effect and lead to blocks.

For example, it’s no use saying ‘I am slender’ on days when we feel like a beached whale. That statement will only remind us of what we are not (yet) feeling. And it’s a sure fire way to have us running for the spoon and jar of peanut butter! (Or is that just me???) So on days when our self esteem and joy are somewhat waning, rather than attempt to bridge an impossible gap, it is much more effective to reach for thoughts and feelings that improve our current state of mind. This is usually something closer within our reach, for example; I feed my body with foods that help it thrive. I love my workouts once I get going. I know that my body is capable of reaching a healthy weight if I allow it to. I am progressing towards a healthy body. My next meal will be healthy and nutritious. There are parts of my body which I love. I am further along than I think. From here, we are able to build some positive momentum. These statements are achievable now. We can take action.

You see, it is not what we say, but how we feel when we say it. So if we are affirming that we are sexy hot like Beyonce Knowles, but feeling like we are sexy NOT like Princess Fiona, then the only emotions we are emitting to the ethers are those of lack, inadequacy, frustration, and disappointment. It is much more powerful to reach for something that makes us feel better NOW! (And no – that does not include the Haagan Daaz Cookies and Cream ice-cream!) That’s a temporary feel good! Trust me – I know… 😉 It means reaching for an honest thought or feeling that allows us to feel vibrationally aligned again in this moment.

Once we feel empowered again, then we can embrace the more assertive ‘I Am’ present moment affirmations – such as I Am *insert desire of choice*
eg. tall dark and handsome/in possession of the job I seek/the shizzle McNizzle!

If we affirm these statements whilst feeling good, then guuuuuurl you are all that and more! (And you fellas!) Heh hem – all this Beyonce talk has got me feeling like Beyonce! Maybe this whole post was wrong after all? And all we gotta do is fake it till we make it?! 😉

Happy Friday loveables! And remember – you are beautiful – Beyonce bootay or not!

Word.

Soulful Sundays #6: The Early Bird Catches the Worm

Welcome to my sixth 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 resonate a lot with Terri’s quote. I never used to be an early riser, but I cultivated a habit of going to bed earlier and waking just before the sun rises. Of course, there are days when I don’t make this – but when I do wake and the sun is already up, like Terri – ‘I feel the world has started without me.’ There is something sublime about the silence of the morning, broken only by the merry hum of the songbirds. While the rest of the world sleeps, early risers have already set their intentions for the day, greeting the new dawn with grateful hearts and a gentle knowing. While the rest of the world begins to wake, early risers have cultivated a quite contentment that will last throughout much of the day, having spent the last hour sowing seeds of peace and purpose. I feel a marked difference on the days I manage to rise with the sun, compared to those when I am late to catch the train.

If you aren’t already waking to catch the sun rise, I encourage you to practise this habit. Begin gradually if you need to, going to bed fifteen minutes earlier and rising fifteen minutes earlier, until you have slowly worked your way towards greeting the new day at sun rise. You wont regret it.

*tip – if you are in the winter months, it will be harder! So leave some warm clothes by the bed, a hot water bottle and a heater to encourage you to leave the warmth of your cosy bed!

We went camping this weekend with friends, and while the rest of the happy campers slept, I rose to catch the sunrise along the beach. I was met with this beautiful sky. I love the way the sun breaks the clouds and resembles heaven’s light, greeting the surface of the ocean with a gentle kiss.

I watched as the surfers dotted the shoreline, patiently awaiting the moment they could connect with Mother Nature.  Her voluptuous bosom swells as she breathes life into the ocean, the surfers seizing her glorious waves. They are free. She is free. And all of this at the break of day.

Soul Strolls

A man and his two peaceful companions stopping to enjoy the sunrise this morning.

Our beautiful camping grounds at Jan Juc, Melbourne. So tranquil and picturesque.

Soul Food 

We arrived home later than usual due to camping. I like to nourish my body, especially after a weekend of nature, and so decided to make a quick Coconut & Currant Curried Quinoa. It is quick to prepare and tastes delicious. Plus I have leftovers for my work lunch tomorrow, as this dish can also be enjoyed from chilled.

Soul Sounds 

Today, in keeping with the theme of nature, I am sharing another meditation track titled ‘Echoes of Time.’ This track, with it’s use of wind instruments and flutes, reminds me of the sounds of nature.

Soul Brothers

Today I am sharing the post of Sourav from Indihope, where he shares 5 Quick Tips to Set Yourself Free. You will be both surprised and inspired by Sourav’s list, which gets to the heart of the matter and offers suggestions you may not have considered.

In love and light,

Hayley xx