Our lives are perfect, just the way they are….📸🎞📸

So over this last week, I have had to stop. I’ve had to stop because the dreaded winter cold and flu caught and tagged me. With this downtime I started to think about how many of us are addicted with the best and beautiful people in social media……you know the one’s, fit tanned bodies, beautiful children, perfectly clean and styled homes. 
WHY………

Well in my opinion when we scroll, we compare ourselves to the beautiful and seemingly perfect social media photos and posts…..you know, all the tanned fit bodies, perfect children, perfectly cleaned and styled homes. Nothing is amiss…….as we scroll we hate them a little, but we also love to stalk on their perfect lives……wishing and dreaming that our lives were also that perfect, so we could be that happy too! 
BUT DID YOU KNOW, THAT YOU’RE WRONG……about your life! 
Our lives are already perfect……
Everything that we have right now has been created by US and WE have the power to love what we have OR to make the changes to get what we want.

What we see on social media, is that “grass is greener, on the other side” ideology. That perfect social media life that we think is out there is not going to make us happy. Because that life is someone else’s life. Yes, sure let’s follow, like and be inspired by what we see….but how about we stop wasting time wishing we had what these other people have  and really, truly create our own amazing journey of life…..because that’s exactly what we all have.

If you follow me on social media…..you will find raw, real and authentic me. I want to show the world what it’s really like…..no glitz…..no glammer but yet how I can live a damn amazing life.

Can’t see through the maze of what’s on social media and reality……let me help you break down some of the walls so you too can see that your life can be just as amazing, or perhaps better than those social media faves, that you currently stalk. Email me at harmonishakti@gmail.com and “let’s make life shine with amazement”.

Let’s also connect on social media if we haven’t already here;

http://www.facebook.com/TheBarefootGoddessAU

http://www.twitter.com/just_1_goddess

Www.instagram.com/the__barefoot__goddess

Much love

Harmoni 💋

Stepping from illness to healthy my way!

Let me tell you, bringing back an exercise regime after such a long journey with chronic illness is sought with so much fear and anxiety. But, if I want to have the life that is filled with effervescent energy and clean health, I need to be starting again with rebuilding inner & outer health. So, i have got to do this properly and appropriately. I think bringing an exercise regime will help my body to heal faster physically and allow me to feel so much better  mentally, thus continuing to move forward with my dreams for the future.  But, thinking about this new journey, I also know how important it is to know the limitations that I have as it’s been a very long time since I’ve had fitness incorporated into my everyday. By increasing my activity slowly and with fierce patience, I hope I will be going to avoid injury and get back to a optimum state of health and fitness. Also this new regime will be done by working with my many doctors and rehabilitation specialists particularly my OT (occupational therapist) , NeuroPhysio and my yoga mentors. 

To resume and start this fitness regime after so long I need to make specific precautions to ensure that everything will be ok.

So where do I begin in making my plan;

• First and foremost my steps to increasing physical therapy is by continual consultations with my doctors, therapists and mentors. The best thing i can do, as I start this exercise plan after being sick for so long is to talk continuously with my team of health professionals as a balancing tool of advocacy. 
• The next point of call and important factors to remember are to recognise symptoms before and after any exercise I do. Knowing when to keep going or when to stop and seek attention is one action that most causes me some anxiety, but I also know that the thoughts are there because I haven’t done this in a long while.

Acknowledging that I am starting over is vital and no matter how healthy I was before becoming sick , this journey has taken a toll on my body. My bones, muscles and joints are all weaker than before and my stamina and endurance is much lower. Reminder to self – this is normal! Keep telling myself that I am starting over, like it’s my first ever time exercising. I think preparing myself mentally to start slow, will allow myself to increase my activity more and more overtime and will ensure my patience stays strong. I can and I will get fit, it is just going to take time.
One major thing I must remember is that my immune system has been compromised from my many complex conditions, so ensuring I can heal and overcome my illnesses in total means I cannot overwork my body. I know when I overwork myself, I feel unwell for at least the next day or maybe more.

In order for me to be successful with this regime, I need to plan ahead with making goals;

1.  I will make my goals each week and write them down, so I will be more likely to achieve them – accountability is everything!
2. I will write down my main goal, and then add smaller goals for one week, only, increasing to two weeks and a month as I progress. 
3. I need to remember to be realistic and specific in my goals. 
4. After each exercise session I will write down my accomplishments as a marker to see how far I am moving forward.

Most of all I, need to stay motivated by working to my weekly goals and exercise plans. Because this is a new journey in a while, there are going to be challenging times so working with my team will help me find a success.

So let me begin now by listening to my body. From yoga to cardio, if I can only exercise for 30 minutes each time, because I am feeling exhausted, that’s okay! Be proud of what I achieve in that session.  The most important goal for me, is to be always slightly outside of my comfort zone, without being in pain or having symptoms return. I’ve been ill for a long time, so even walking is a challenge, but with the help of my walker I will progress. I am in a position now, where I can begin. So I am starting small, even getting up to check the mailbox or a lap of the clothesline is a session. Then each day I will slowly and gradually increase the cardio and strength activity using the exercises mapped out by my neurophysio and remembering to incorporate mindfulness with yoga and meditation into each day.

I hope, if you are reading this I may have inspired you to think about starting or restarting a fitness regime after a long journey with illness. If you are able to start, believe me you will not regret the decision as despite the challenges it empowers and awakens mind and body and brings a new level of healing. Just, please make sure you have a wonderful team around you. 

Also remember I am on social media, and I would love for you to come and say hi on any of these channels;

http://www.facebook.com/TheBarefootGoddessAU

http://www.twitter.com/Just_1_Goddess

http://www.instagram.com/the__barefoot__goddess
Healing and healthy hugs to you all,

💋
“Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally”

Once upon a dark time has turned into divine shiny me time….

Once upon a time there was this barefoot little lady so lost in the dark that she had no energy for anything in life….so divine time and selfcare time fell to the land of whatever, whenever and never!

She then awakened as me…….and finding divine me time with the truest form of self care & self love being created.

I work so hard on healing my health and life for me and the greater world, that is so beautiful to find products that bring me to life. In looking for products, I am so focused on finding natural and environmentally friendly products. 

One product that ticks these boxes and also repairs my damaged locks is Hello Hair. I love the fact that their products are vegan – yes that means, no animal products are going into your hair or body and products have been tested free of cruelty. I apply Hello Hair to my  hair once a week, and I can see such a difference already. My dry stressed out hair is truly recovering with the hydrating hair mask. It is so easy to use, I use it in my normal shower applying the mask  and then washing it out by shampooing and conditioning my  hair as normal but you can use it on dry hair. I am finding that Hello Hair products are assisting me in managing my dry, flaky scalp issues that many of my autoimmune health conditions cause. I can tell you honestly the hair mask leaves my hair feeling softer and healthier.  Step into some divine you time by perhaps checking out Hello Hair.

I hope where ever you are, you are finding some self care time – it’s so very important for optimum health and life.

Much love ❤️ 

Make sure you connect with me on my social media channels;

http://www.facebook.com/IAmFNDAware

http://www.twitter.com/FND_Goddess

http://www.instagram.com/the_barefoot_goddess 
“Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally”

Mumma, Just Chill Ya Undies…….

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the what if’s!!!  You know the stuff  – work, family, health and life !  How awesome would it be if we could just space it all out so we never had to think anout more than one thing at a time! Ahhhh yes – what if!!!! But we all know the truth, that life gets hectic and there’s so much to get done or to think about that we regularly feel like our brains are going to explode. Thinking about the what ifs  in life , end up making our ‘To Do Lists’ seem even longer and more stressful – so what’s the alternative? What if we found a way to include more  mindfulness in our lives and as my son says ” mumma, just chill ya undies”!  Chilling out and relaxing is something, we in this modern world have forgotten and it’s causing more chronic health issues around the globe.

We Need To Learn To Breathe…..

How many times have you promised yourself that you will  ‘make more time’ for you – be honest, I know that you probably do this all the time – HELL, that was me too!!  But, I’ve learnt that making time for myself is so very important. But sometimes it can be seriously really hard to find time for a even a small break so how could I stop for something like a meditation session even though i know it would help. During busy or stressful situations I’ve had to learn to simply use something i’m already doing, and that is breathing. What ever I am doing, I am still breathing throughout, so I thought I might as well make the most of using that most important action in a better way. When I am noticing that I am feeling tired or perhaps anxious, stressed or that I am not paying attention to what’s happening  in life because I am overthinking – I now begin to deepen my breath rate for a short while. This doesn’t  impact me in any way of what I maybe doing ; in fact by becoming more present and mindful through focusing on what my breath is doing, I can begin to lower my anxiety and stress levels so the head clutter and overthinking calms and I can be more productive and proactive across my day.

If You Forget – Write It Down……

I can tell you that keeping all of my TO DO list consistently enabled in my head is highly stressful.  I was always worrying whether I was  forgetting anything – to a point that my thoughts and actions becoming highly anxiety ridden affecting sleep  and my relationships with family, friends and colleagues. Something had to give. I had to unclutter my mind, so beginning the process of writing things down began. Simply from filling my mind with clutter, I learnt how overloaded stress can take its toll. It left me feeling angry, irritable, tearful and depressed.  Since writing things down or adding alarms into my mobile phone I have transformed my day.

Self Love & Compassion…..

Since becoming more responsive to my self care and love needs, it has assisted me greatly to be able to feel worthy, loved and safe in the crazy modern day world in which we live.  Everyday I now know that I can calm myself through a number of different ways, whether it be by getting myself a warm green tea, or just stopping to tell myself how hard it is in life at a particular time through either inwardly or outloud self talk. Simply by giving ourselves random acts of kindness and compassion on any  given day life can be wandered just as we want. 

My life and those words muttered by my youngest son – ” mumma, just chill ya undies” is my everyday reminder how important I am for my life, but oh so important for my loved  ones lives. If I continue to stay highly anxious and stressed doesn’t allow healing to take place and a life that I want to live. Stay mindful , present and consistent everyday and see how it changes your experiences within life.

If this has resonated with you please connect here or across on one of my social media channels;

http://www.facebook.com/IAmFNDAware

http://www.twitter.com/FND_Goddess

http://www.instagram.com/fnd_goddess

Lisa-Raie 💋
“Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally”

What’s The Worst Thing About My Journey With Chronic Illness???

“What’s the worst thing about my journey with chronic illness ?” I would have to say without a doubt that is the hardest question to answer. But, let me wander this journey with you here and explain why.

The struggles with chronic illness are all too real and present with every breath and step in life that I can’t just pick one thing that depicts my worst. But allowing myself to stop and reflect, I’ve realised that so many times I’ve doubted myself and my life choices. 

WHY – well with my illnesses and disorders there are so many challenges that have bombarded my body for so many years now that unfortunately my mind has become a victim too. I now see life and the world through different eyes because I’ve seen everyday  feeling the worst pain, having the most horrible symptoms, unable to experience and enjoy my favourite activities and no matter how calm and positive I tried to feel, there is such a negative anxiety filling me up. It was at that point and it’s only been recently let me tell you that I realised I had a further problem and that was depression. Life, was slowly spiralling out of control and it wasn’t until I was hospitalised that I became all too aware of what it was doing to me, so I think that’s probably the worst thing within in my chronic illness journey. 

Depression is not some imaginative little scene dancing within my head – it’s full of the most raw and real emotion that creates so many negative and hopeless thoughts than anybody could ever fathom. When in the deepest and darkest moments of despair even the most positive of people could not even bring the good energy out of me and this left me feeling more hopeless, alone and definitely lead me to doubting myself and making choices that I would not normally make. Depression has this power over the mind like the chronic symptoms impacting my body. Because of the impact of physical impairment, through my physical illnesses I learned that my brain functions had slipped a few levels on the ‘normality’ scale with my mental illness. Alas, all the inner walls cave in.

Here, I was just thinking that my new physical symptoms like limb paralysis and weakness, speech problems, etc were part of my longer walked journey illnesses and would be flares that would fade over certain time just as the other physical flares do. But this I learned was about what my health conditions, had developed into. When I and so many have had to live with physical ailments for a long period, the brain also then becomes ill. Working with a number of specialists i realised it is going to take even more work and medication to bring myself back to a level of mindful existence and allowing a quality of life that I desire. With, this new knowledge, I could of sunk further into depression and regressed further into myself and a land of unknown BUT I knew that’s not what my life was meant for. 

Looking at life with different eyes, I was excited to step in and take action to begin a journey of regaining mental health so that I could continue tackling the physical challenges on health firstly and importantly for ME but also so I could show others what is possible. Life lead me to having to overcome fears of being seen a certain way , it was accepting that my vulnerable state had been compromised. In accepting and stepping into these challenges I could accept help. 
So bring me forward to, today I am wandering a path back to the light of day with ME back on the agenda for what has always been my vision, purpose and message of living a life to love. I have accepted that I need assistance with a 4 wheeler walker to reclaim balance and strength to walk again. I know that I need to stop and take time to breathe and rest. Best of all I know that I need teams of people around me, because when i surround myself with a range of different people and experiences, I will have all the power and strength that I need to stay well and live well. My medical team are of a neurologist, rheumatologist, psychologist, neuro-physio and a list that goes on will give me mental and physical health. Family & friends will give me my passion to shine and walk my dreams. Then there are the new team of soul sista’s that I am connecting with globally that inspires and motivates me to walk and talk my story building awareness for all that are walking a journey with chronic illnesses looking for a life to love.

So the worst part about my chronic illness is, definitely depression and the inability to see and feel that my mind was my own worst enemy and causing me so much further despair. Now, sitting happier on my sofa i’m beginning to again enjoy bliss of being comfortable in my own life so that I can step into your lives. 

Life is a ever changing collection of movements and I know that I need to be slow and steady to wander my goddess journey. I accept all of my illnesses and yes there will still be days of utter frustration that will take me to that cliff edge, BUT I now understand that those days are just a inner message from my mind and body that I am going to fast. Wander slowly, breathe deeply and believe and live every dream because it is possible. Me landing in depression with a damaged mental health, was my trigger that my journey had got off track , and yes it’s the worst thing but it was probably also the saviour in a crazy kind of way.

Please if you’ve resonated with this in anyway, I would love to hear your feedback and if you too are walking a life with chronic illness- what is the worst thing you’ve found along your journey.

Much Love 

💋

** Special Mention; To my new connected soul sista’s, you all light me up everyday and allow me to rebuild dreams that had been lost in darkness.

** To my husband-you’ve been so strong and with me through everything and even when I lost faith-you still had it! That is why, now I’m stepping with a new breath more powerful than before. I often, tell you I love you BUT seriously you will never realise how blessed I am to have you. 

** To My youngest child – you are a guardian angel, however your journey has been so very difficult and not even I can understand the path that you’ve had to endure, with ASD, genetic mutations and other intellectual differences to direct you through life. You are the most loving now young adult that inspires me to keep walking tall for my dream of a health and life to live. 

Please if you would like to connect further, find me on social media at;

http://www.facebook.com/IAmFNDaware

http://www.twitter.com/FND_Goddess

http://www.instagram.com/fnd_goddess

“Let’s Walk Together And Not Tear Each Other Down”

Crying Doesn’t Mean I’m Weak!

You those moments when you just collapse in a heap & cry, cry and cry – it feels horrible doesn’t it and if you are like me, you probably feel weak! But only recently did I learn that crying is good for me.

 Let me explain why;

By releasing my feelings of sadness and even frustration I am releasing my pain, my stress and all my most inward thoughts. It’s actually bringing me forward as before when I was holding all the energy within me – I was being held back – it was filling me with pain causing my illnesses to flare and challenge me. I’m no longer embarrassed to cry and if people tell me to stop being weak , I know that my moment or moments in tears are my releases and they are strengthening me even more for the future.

Let me tell you why;

• Crying makes me stop and understand what’s truly hurting me.  By realising the sadness, fear, anxiety, frustration, etc I am letting go of all that I don’t require being bottled up inside me. Refusing or holding  my tears in means hiding my feelings in a way and thus I am failing to release my negative emotions that are hurting my mental and physical wellness. Crying does not mean that i can’t handle my life, as I once thought. It shows  that I have a deeper connection to  handling my life and all of its challenges. Because I am more likely to cry and free my emotions, I can better regain hold on my experiences and my true responses to each of lifes situations, whether they’re positive or painful and by being able to hold my ground with these life experiences in this way through crying, i know that I am letting my body get rid of negative energy and making room for rejuvenating freshness of breath and life.
•  I  don’t care how others see me, when i cry because it’s basically me being open and vulnerable. It’s brave to show our most emotional side to other people, without stopping to care about what they might think. Crying without worrying what others think of me means that i’m putting a stop to the negative messages that float around within my head and allows me to see that showing emotions means that I am human.
• I know now that, the people most closest to me, benefit from seeing me in such a vulnerable state. It also shows me, which people don’t really have a place in my life and as a result, I find myself  surrounded only by the people who help me grow in strength and wisdom along life’s journey .
• I’m very aware that when I cry I allow myself to release feelings that have made me angry, sad and basically less able of controlling my emotions. I know if I keep my feelings in for too long, I will end up having a major emotional explosion at some point and that’s no good for me or the person or people that may end up being lashed out on. 
• I believe feeling comfortable with myself being able to cry, I can demonstrate that it’s completely okay to display our own vulnerability for others to see and they learn from that. You see, I used to believe because I cry, it was a sign of weakness but I now know that by crying I am actually being strong and honest because I am showing my feelings and emotions whether they be happy, sad, joyful or angry.

So next time you are feeling emotional, know that it is a healthy emotional expression that can and will show your friends and perhaps their friends, that when you are willing to cry then you are indirectly improving life as a result!         

If you resonate or agree with my thoughts on crying out loud to release thoughts and feelings, please let me know through feedback here or of course across on one of my social media channels. 

Till next time

Much love

💋

http://www.facebook.com/IAmFNDAware

http://www.twitter.com/FND_Goddess

http://www.instagram.com/fnd_goddess