Everyday Small Things: hidden cool oasis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofHy9ld2bdk&feature=youtu.be

 

It’s really hot in London today, well high twenties, and very sticky. But I found this cool and peaceful oasis on my way home.

Can you hear the babbling brook? Hear the birds? See the dappled light? Stop. Look. Listen. Soak in the moment and enjoy it for what it is – a little oasis in the hot, sticky, never-ending concrete jungle.

I’m actually sitting in the late afternoon sun watching the bf play cricket (and get a wicket-well done hun)…after a day if Pilates… And Andy Murray won Wimbledon… Nope it doesn’t get much better than this! X

Elimination Diet: day 4

Today is day 4 of my elimination diet and luckily so far I haven’t really noticed I’ve been restricting so many food groups.  This shows me that I do eat well most if the time 🙂 it is the weekends that kill me however!

What am I eliminating? My aim is to explore tiredness, migraines and ‘angry’ joints (that inflame very easily and take a long time to settle- the kind that surprises professionals even). So having taken the advice of a nutritionist amount others I am excluding.., (hold your breath – no don’t really): all grains, dairy, legumes as well as the usual sugar and processed foods. 

What am I most nervous about?  Craving crisps when I have a migraine as they are such a comfort food for me, chocolate cos I love it and picking at eliminated food without thinking as I still have to cook for others in our house.

I am very grateful however that this weekend doesn’t really exist for me as I’m in an 8 day Pilates course! Starting Saturday. So I’ll be busy and distracted out of the house.  Also Pilates makes you feel amazing, clean and super in tune with your body.  I cooked all Thursday in preparation-THE KEY TO SUCCESS- to minimise falling off the wagon.

My first true test arrived last night with our pastry chef neighbour who returned from a festival with tray loads of temptation!  How do you stay strong in those moments?  If you know me at all then you’ll know that I am usually extremely weak when it comes to temptation! But yesterday- wasn’t difficult actually. They say on an elimination that if u mess up ONCE you may as well not make the effort at all! One of the reasons behind doing the elimination is to ‘heal’ your gut and thereby help your body ‘recalibrate’ its immune system (which gets heightened with an inflamed gut). Thereby helping joint inflammation and migraines etc.  I’ve gotten to the point of my Happy, Healthy &Strong journey in which it is time to take a good hard look at my diet. And more importantly am in a place in my life and self that I can. I am.:)

So all in all so far so good. Maybe for the first time in my life I’ve found the mental strength to not let any demons out to sabotage me in a moment of weakness. Maybe this is because my motivation to look at my diet is different than before (eg losing weight). I have to remind myself that this 30 days is not going to solve all my problems. But hopefully it’ll be a massive piece of the jigsaw puzzle. And at the very least I will learn something about myself. Happy days!

P.S. I will post the weekly menu plans I’m making too at some stage in case you’re interested. X

Everyday Small Things – Wisdoms

You are today where your thoughts have brought you.

You will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.

– James Lane Allen

I think of this quote as the adult version of “The World is your Oyster..” quote which just added to my anger as a teenager because I couldn’t be a rocket scientist if I wanted.  I just wasn’t smart enough.  That was cool with me.  But the fact that everyone says this just frustrates me.

Whereas the quote above is more realistic to me.  It reminds me that it is only I who sets the limits to my life.  Now I know you are probably thinking this is pretty similar thinking to the oyster quote, but this is more about the choices, decisions and mindsets that I choose each day.

Sometimes in your life (like being a little isolated and lonely overseas) you need a little reminder that it is only you who chooses to be happy.  No one else.  The choice doesn’t just find you.  You are the choice.  I’ve found this outlook so helpful when facing food demons, and enjoying my exercise (rather than feeling guilty when not doing it), and just appreciating the everyday small things!!!!

Are there any quotes that really annoy you?  Don’t speak to you?

What quotes really do speak to you?

Back in the Game

Well hello there everyone!   Thank you to all the lovely people who have made contact through their blogs etc!  It has been amazing how quickly this new blog has reached out and started to create a fascinating new network of really interesting readers!   Thank you all!!!

I had crowded planes on the way over, but the clearest skies the whole way!  I’ve been lucky enough to fly back and forth a number of times in my life and have never seen so much the whole way!  I’ve included some plane photos for you!

 

I am now finally settled back in the UK and am brimming with ideas to share!

There will be lots of Everyday Small Things, Wisdoms, Happy healthy & Strongs, Travel tips, Paleo, Travel and Fitness Freak stories.  So stay tuned!

 

 

Stunning, burnt, sand dunes flying over central Australia.  They just go on and on and on…

 

Islands flying into Borneo.

Sunrise flying into Europe.

I skipped off the plane after this beautiful sunrise.  I felt it was a really positive sign as I move into this new chapter of my life…!!!

What do you think when you see a sunrise?

Everyday Small Things: Adoring Pets

I’ve never been a cat lover, but my friend Sarah has the most adorable two brothers (cats that is):  Monty and Billy.  Otherwise known as Montyliscious and Billy-Bob.  And last night I was honoured by having Monty join me in bed.  Now I always thought it a little weird, people sleeping with their pets.  But I certainly felt honoured to be the chosen one!  Needless to say I let him keep his position between the sheet and doona and moved over to give him space.  No I didn’t squash him.. in fact hardly knew he was there.

 

Our family dogs (Schnauzers), the most gentle and friendly of dogs.  Meet:  Sammy (Mum), 2nd litter of puppies & Harvey (Dad) on a trip to the shack.

I love the unconditional love of pets.  And I miss my family dogs terribly.  Especially because when you are away from home you cannot talk to them as you do your family over the phone.  And they really don’t get skype!  Sammy one of our Schnauzers was

deaf in the end anyway!

It’s my dream that when I move back to Australia I am going straight to the dogs home and give a dog a new home.  Mine!

What do you love about pets?

G’day and Welcome!

I am so happy you’ve found me and my blog (Everyday Small Things – EST)!  Over the last few years I’ve felt life flit away from me – the never ending rush of deadlines and to-do lists.  But, NO MORE!  This year I am choosing to remember to STOP.  LOOK.  LISTEN (no kids we are not learning to cross the road here.. or maybe we are on some metaphorical level…?!).  I want to be aware of the small pleasures in my day that do make me happy rather than casting them to the wayside as not being significant enough as I have been.

As an Aussie living in the UK working as a secondary teacher, I have been experiencing some of the happiest, warmest, most spontaneous, darkest, loneliest, most character-building moments in my almost 30 years so far.  Two years has quickly turned into six!  And so I’ve found myself feeling deeply agitated, confused and at times folks.. unstable.

My boyfriend and I at the London Olympics (Mens Hockey – Australia smashed South Africa boomyah) 2013.

This blog came about because although I love teaching, I’ve felt I would always move on from it… exactly to where I am still not sure  – possibly into media which has always been a dream.  And to support this transition I wanted to show that I am more ‘media-literate’ than just using an interactive whiteboard.  So I have tossed and turned on this idea for some time now… even started and deleted a number of different blogs.  But it is true what they say… the best blogs are about the things that are important to you each day… which brings me here….

What is important to me right now?  At this moment?  Well these things:  remembering that there are things each day that bring me happiness and put a smile on my face – that is the Everyday Small Things.  Somehow I’d forgotten this.  Crazy!  I am a young, educated, empowered woman.  How could I forget such a fundamental concept from my childhood?!  I thought I’d go off to the UK.. party, be an outstanding teacher, get rich, get fit, fall in love and of course save the world.  Yeah I’ve achieved a lot of this, but I hadn’t set realistic goals here, had I?!  What have I learnt?  I can’t do it all at once.  And that’s cool.  I’m fine now with needing eight hours sleep.  Of needing regular ‘KT time’.  Of not having boundless reserves of energy.  And with all that in mind I am standing here… at this junction in my life… lucky enough to be able to have the choice and ability to make change.  To be grateful.  And most of all happy.

I hope to have a number of regular features.. so stay tuned!

What’s important to you right now in your life?