The Untied Life...

Sometimes it feels asthough we live in a world where we plan everything, everyone has pretty much every minute accounted for and we're all exhausted! Imagine throwing it all up in the air and making choices based on the moment that you find yourself in.  Two of my Australian friends Holly and Cameron, have spent the last 7 months in 7 different countries immersing themselves in local communities and culture.  They left behind any regiments of Western society in search of the rawest human experience.

Teaching Buddhist Monks and Burmese Refugees English (no, I'm not kidding) and saving hitchhikers from a days walk while loaded with fruit and veg, led them to an orphanage specialized for children with HIV.  They loaded these enthusiastically vibrant children with film cameras and after teaching them the basics, set out to understand what the world looked like through their eyes.  What they discovered was nothing short of magic!

Here's a couple of sneak peeks into the lives of two humanitarian free spirits...

What made you want to travel?

Cam: There's a community of free spirited people out there who have very little in common apart from the thirst for an organic cultural experience... Even though I had no idea what I was in for, I had that desire. These are the people who ignite my thirst for life.

Holly: I wanted to contribute and give back to humanity.  The only way I felt that I could determine how to truly achieve that was to immerse myself in their culture. I needed to understand what it was like to live the life of these people in order to determine what I could do. 

Advice for people who are wanting the same experience?

Holly: Go to a travel agency and write down all of the tours that are available in the areas that you'd like to see. Then definitely don't do any of those! Ask travelers and locals the places in their area where there are no westerners. Then go!

Cam: If someone had nothing more than $2000 saved, I'd say go and buy a one way ticket. Learn to listen to yourself, follow your instincts and let go of any compulsion to plan!

Best Memory?

Cam: Just one? In general, the genuine joy for life that was on the most impoverished children's faces and the gratitude of locals for the smallest gestures.  

Holly: Riding on the back of a Motorbike in a boarder village between Cambodia and Thailand and 30 children chasing after us screaming in English, "HELLO!"

How have these experiences changed you?

C: It has opened my heart and mind in ways I never knew possible. Realizing that everyone has an innate desire to get by. Everyone's trying to do their best to live, whether that's a 9-5, a 20 hour work day at the market or selling a cow. I have now learned to be grateful for every moment that I find myself in. Whether it's good or bad I accept it for what it is and just keep moving forward. Control is an illusion and acceptance is key. 

H: While discovering what these peoples truths were, I also discovered the truths within myself. I remember taking the wrong bus and ending up somewhere in Northern Thailand by myself. I was frightened, scared and melancholy just to name a few! Because of the multitude of heightened emotions experienced in such a short amount of time, it was one of the most powerfully beautiful experiences I've had to date. Through all of these challenges I have found my bliss. Something I never could've anticipated.

One thing they both agreed upon was openness. Be open, stay open and life will be open to you...

Thank you Mum!

This is the first mothers day that I've spent with my Mum in I don't know how long and I'm really excited to be celebrating her up close this year. We were chatting today about life lessons and she had a couple of pearls that she shared with me that I thought I'd share with you... Enjoy!

Be wise about who you share your true heart with.  It's okay if that group of people is small, it should be! Make it an elite club with an exclusive membership.

Once you've found those people, love them fearlessly and with a passionate, reckless abandon.

Iron your clothes.

Give back in anyway that you can.  Even if it's only an ear or a smile do it as often as possible. These small gifts will change you.

Life is a series of ups and downs and how you handle the downs are an important part of your story.  Learn to ride those slopes with grace and faith.  Things will get better, you can grow if you choose to and most importantly let go.

Forgive.

Learn what's real and what's just noise.  Don't add unnecessary stress to your life and learn how to deal with what already exists.

Find your passion and feed it often like a greedy, glutinous animal!

Keep it simple. All of it.

Laugh as often as you can. Laughing changes your frequency and can be one of the most healing things you can do for yourself.

Wear sunscreen.

Don't allow other people to do to you, what you wouldn't allow them to do to your child.

Never stop growing.

Happy Mothers Day mummy! I love you!

Whoa Baby!

When I see one of my dearest girlfriends with her baby everything in my body screams, "I want one!" It's true that I've always wanted babies but as I get older I become more aware of the complexities of raising a happy child and just how much it changes everything you once knew to be true.  
I spent an afternoon with this fashion savvy new mommy making her Mama's Abondiga soup and chatting about motherhood.

1 lb lean ground turkey
2 eggs
1 cup white rice
3 lg potatoes
1 tablespoon oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

combine meat, eggs, spices and rice

What were the biggest changes you experienced after becoming a Mom?
Everything changes. You always have an idea of what motherhood will be like but it's all those things multiplied by all the things that you never could've anticipated. I expected my marriage to change but I didn't realize that it would change quite so much and all for the better. The love I share with my husband has deepened in ways that I didn't know were possible.  When I look at my baby, I see him starring back at me and the love that we shared in order to create her. It's more profound than I ever could've bargained for.

chop potato into large pieces and fill large soup pot 1/2 way with water. Bring to boil.

My friendships are the ones that have suffered the most since Stella was born.  Babies are magical little things, they have the ability to cut through all of the 'bs' and find out who's in for what. Sometimes we can find ourselves surrounded by friends that are all about the good times and that's okay but when you're a new mom and you're terrified, you need the real deal girlfriends, your 'sisters'. You need that tribe of people who will come over and listen to your fears about leaving the window open or ramble about the wonders of poop and how today you're a bad mom because you forgot to cut your babies nails. You need people around you who will give your friendship room so that you can become the woman and mother that you are trying to be. 

make meat into desired sized meatballs

Advice for new moms?  
Just let go.  Realize that you can't control everything, you will be surprised, confused, elated, EXHAUSTED and emotional on a daily basis from the second this creature is born.  Nothing will be how you imagined it to be.  Nothing.   ~ Except for how deeply you will love this child... and even the depths of that love will shock you

add meat balls to boiling water and allow meatballs to cook for 30 minutes

Baby weight advice?  
Don't even think about dieting for a good four or five months.  And even then - do it gradually.  Enjoy your time with your new cub, relax and eat the comfort food that (good) friends will bring to you.  I spent a lot of time worrying about getting my pre-baby body back, in addition to all of the other stresses and lack of sleep that comes with being a new mom!  It was so stupid.  Let yourself heal.  Again, let go!  I didn't even begin to feel like myself again until at least five months, and when I did, I was HAPPY to get on that elliptical and get back into the swing of life and watching what I ate.  And then the pounds just melted off.  But remember, your post-baby weight is determined by where your body was BEFORE you got pregnant.  I was lucky to have been in great shape because I was working out a lot with a trainer before our wedding, so that helped. 

add potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes are soft

Fashion advice for new moms?  
Don't go out and buy an entire new wardrobe for your "in between" size.  But it's ok to get a few things.  It will make you feel better than still wearing your maternity gear, and nothing is more depressing that trying to squeeze into your old jeans when you feel like you'll never fit into them again.  So, get a decent pair of jeans - don't spend a lot, you will get rid of these in a few months. (I found some at Old Navy, spent like $25 bucks, they were cozy, cool, inexpensive and I wore them every day!) Keep your leggings and flowy tops, but pack away your maternity clothes and THROW AWAY the giant underwear and go to Victoria's Secret to treat yourself to some new ones!  It will make you feel good and excited to get back to being you again.  Once you're back to your pre-baby size, follow my blog! hahahaha

serve piping hot with warm tortilla and cheese. Delish! 

Anyone seen my muse?

We are bombarded on a daily basis by advertisers, marketers, politicians and people wanting to get our attention. For better or for worse, sometimes it feels like we're surrounded by a bunch of needy toddlers who are on the brink of a meltdown! If you're like me and you're sensitive then sometimes it's easier just to switch on 'auto pilot' and go through life becoming completely desensitized; because if we truly took at everything and responded accordingly, we'd be completely broke and utterly exhausted.  However, the catch of becoming desensitized is that we stop listening to ourselves and our reactions to our surroundings. My mum always says, 'make sure you water the things that you want to grow'. But how are you supposed to know what you want to grow if you're not present? I've always tried to remain conscious of the things and relationships in my life that make me feel positive and renewed, but sometimes I find myself completely detached and going through life with an idea of what I think works for me, rather than paying attention to who I'm becoming.  We have to discover a way to take a moment, turn off auto pilot, take note and feed what brings us joy.  Like most things it's a habit that really starts with being aware of your responses to things through out the day.  I personally think it's always good to stretch yourself and challenge what you thought you knew to be true. We need to ask ourselves, "does this same idea still float my boat?".  It can be a myriad of things but to celebrate the colours, objects, sounds, people, places or faces around you that leave you feeling uplifted and excited, is in my opinion directly proportionate to how excited you feel about your life. You may surprise yourself with what you discover you respond to and once we know what makes us respond positively, we can access this stimuli whenever we need that extra little boost.   .

Here's a few things that inspire me and ways that I continue to challenge myself to keep the thirst for my own life.

I love to go hikes with my puppy or take her to the beach. There's nothing like watching her be completely carefree and have the time of her life. It's completely infectious and before I know it I'm running and laughing with her like there isn't a care in the world.

My orchids are another fascinating pleasure. There's something new everyday and it amazes me how they're always growing and changing. 

I love spending time at the local flea markets and lately I've been collecting old jars from the 1800's.  They make great vases and can instantly transform any table setting.

Farmers market meals!  There's nothing like picking out produce from your local farmers market and then creating a wonderfully colourful meal out of your finds. If you've got the time, why not make a day out of it. It's both creatively and nutritionally rewarding and great on the pocket book!

This is probably one of my favorite pieces of art. It's done by my boyfriends mom and believe it or not is on the back of a grocery bag!  The beautiful pensiveness spontaneously captured here combined with the sheer talent of her work, inspires me every time I see it.

Travel. Sometimes I can't get as far away as I would like but need that quick jaunt to rejuvenate me. In that case it's all about day trips and for me preferably somewhere in nature. Natural beauty is so awe inspiring and being reminded of how we all play a part in something much larger, manages to put things into perspective!

Some mornings I sit with my fresh cup of tea and flip through blogs and/or old magazines and pull out things that I like. After a while I'm left with pages and pages of things that have invoked some kind of inspiration. It's like created my own magazine of things that I love.

If I have the time and get extra creative, I'll put it all together so that I'm left with something that's pure eye candy. Anytime I need a little boost, there are a plethora of things on this cork board that can bring me joy and remind me of how beautiful life can be!