What’s Your Excuse?
I wrote a post some weeks back on Finding Your Purpose and today I want to continue on with this theme. Well, not so much finding your purpose as such, ...
The Great Organ Donation Debate – Part 2
Last week, I finished with the question, Should Donor Families and Recipients Meet? I mentioned that there are many unique challenges faced by both sides. As always, I speak from ...
The Great Organ Donation Debate – Contact Or Not?
Today marks the first day of DonateLife week. For many of you who follow my writings, you know that I lost my only child Ben at just 15yo, in 2017, ...
If You See My Head In The Sand, Don’t Assume I’m an Ostrich
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that bad things happen to other people, and that significant loss, such as losing a child also happens to someone else. ...
How Do You Spell Love?
My Gorgeous Benny, “Do you have kids?” she asked. And there it was. Out there. The question that I dread the most in the world, and even more this week. ...
Why Should You Embrace Adversity?
I may have been known to include in the right discussions, how we have become a death-denying and grief-phobic society. It is probably the result of doing whatever we can, ...
If That Happens, Then What?
A couple of years ago I was up early and decided to take a walk through some local markets. I had a funny feeling I was going to bump into ...
Looking For A Way To Make A Difference? Try This…
What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do? Hands down, mine was leaving the Children’s Hospital in the early hours of a Sunday morning in September 2017. After ...
What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?
Over the last few weeks, we have spoken about finding our purpose, what it might take, and how it might look and feel. We also established that out of two ...
Which Pocket Is Your Hand In?
In a past life, I spent several years working in the Intelligence section of Customs (now Border Control). I spent my days tucked away in an office trying to figure ...
Where Are You Right Now?
A woman builds a business. She employs several people and is a good boss. She values her staff, and they feel respected. She makes a good income and lives a ...
Directions To Finding Your Purpose – Start Here…
In a recent post, ‘What kind of travel companion are you?’, I mentioned how when we come into this life, we bring with us two gifts. One we are given ...
What Have You Got To Be Grateful For?
What’s one good thing that happened this week?What’s one thing that didn’t really work for you, or that you feel you failed at? If you were to write down just ...
What Kind Of Travel Companion Are You?
I believe that we all come into this life with two gifts. One gift we are given and the other we are to give. Today we talk about the former. ...
This Is Your Deadline.
At some point in our life and usually as we enter middle age, (whenever that is), we are encouraged to ‘get our affairs in order’ and make sure we have ...
The Most Empowering Question You Can Ask
I recently read that, “Why is this happening?” is the most useless question in the Universe to ask, in relation to circumstances we experience. “What?” as in “What do I ...
We Are All Spiritual Beings Having a Human Experience.
I used the analogy recently when discussing meditation, of being at Sushi Train.There are lots of dishes (or thoughts) that we see moving along the conveyor belt. Some look good, ...
Is Trying To Be Normal Stopping You From Being Amazing?
I just want things to go back to normal! How many times have you heard that phrase or even said it yourself? Maybe you’ve heard it in another way like, ...
Have You Been Conditioned to Believe an Untruth?
A man on safari sees a group of captive elephants, each with a thin rope tied loosely around one ankle. These majestic creatures are enormous, some reaching 4m into the ...
Am I Crazy? Or Am I Grieving?
One of the most common questions a parent who has lost her child asks is, ‘Am I going crazy?’ Part of the issue is we try to normalise how we ...
Ben’s Not Back Yet, So I’m Not Better Yet
There seems to be the perception out there that after a while a person will stop feeling the effects of grief. As if we will get better after having been ...
What Season Are You In?
I often hear people say, ‘I wasted all that time’. Any one of us could look back on periods of our life and wonder what happened? Where did the time ...
What Are You Filling Your Container of Life With?
I wrote once that time is an illusion. It goes by whether you like it or not. It passes whether you are productive or not, active or not, and regardless ...
The Lesson I Learnt On My Yoga Mat
The internet has become an amazing resource for reviewing ridiculous amounts of data. It has also taken away any excuses we might have had around the ability to learn new ...
Breathing – The Scientifically Backed Solution Revealed
I was thinking how crazy the weather has been lately. So many times, it has looked like it was going to pour, then it never did. Other times the sun ...
Make Your Greatest Challenge Your Biggest Reason to Keep Going.
Two monks take a 72-hour train trip and being monks, they travel economy class. Dressed in long robes, they are packed like sardines into full carriages of the poorest people ...
Someone You Know is Bereaved? Things You Need Consider. Part 2.
The first significant loss I remember, was when I was 17 years old. One of the boys in my circle of friends had a blood disorder called Thalassemia. I knew ...
Someone You Know Is Bereaved? Here’s What NOT To Do. Part 1.
For the most part, I like to believe that people are kind and want to help. In times of grief, there are often no words that can express the emotions ...
A Signpost, Not a ‘Find Your Purpose’ Post
Every decision you make and every step you take (or don’t take) will directly contribute to your future. Time waits for no one. It’s a case of going…ready or not. ...
Feel Like You Had an Epic Fail? Read This…
What an interesting start to the year. I hear so many people express a desire for this year to be better than last year only to follow it up with ...
Fell Off Your Wagon Again? Read this…
Did you know, we never lose our habits? They stay with us always. The good ones and the ones that don’t serve us so well anymore, the conscious and the ...
Sometimes.
What if 2022 was going to be the year that you created something amazing? The year you finally got there? The year you absolutely nailed that thing? Despite or because ...
A Reality Check, Not a Planning Post
5 more days until we close the chapter titled 2021. I wonder what I’ve learned. I use a calendar to keep track of events, appointments, important dates, etc. and around ...
Who Are You Following?
Jim Rohn is famous for having said, ‘you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with’. While I love this quote, I have always thought ...
How Do You See The World?
I was recently asked what my ‘self-care’ regime looks like. ‘I have learned how to just be how I need to be in the moment. I allow myself to feel ...
Passion or Addiction? Part 2 – The What, The How, and The Why?
Last week we left off with three questions and I want to jump in and address the first one straight off, to set the scene. What is an addiction and ...
Passion or Addiction? Part 1 – In the Beginning…
I read an article a few years back on broken people. I cringe now as I feel using the word broken to describe a human is as misplaced as should’ing ...
An Unconscious Random Act of Kindness
You never know what goes on in another person’s life. We have all been guilty of judging people at some point, based on who they present themselves as in the ...
A Bereaved Parents Guide To Preparing For The End Of the Year
Time and milestones can become profound and often surreal experiences when you lose a child. Once upon a time, my life was mapped around the school terms and holidays. All ...
Is Your Life Actually an Escape Room?
How strange life is. The timing of things. The ‘randomness’ of events. The events that become defining moments in our lives. And the moments that can change our lives and ...
Are You Spending Your Time With The Right People?
Sunday is often a time to reflect back on the previous week and plan for the next one. I have had an interesting one. I have worn many different hats ...
Equality or Liberation? Are You as Inclusive as You Think?
The human body is quite amazing. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Different shades of colour, and with a variety of types and textures of hair. If we treat ...
Never Stop Educating Yourself! Here’s why…
Some years ago, I was involved in a network marketing company. It was an interesting chapter in my life and one I am glad I experienced. I have a lot ...
Healthy Ageing Made Simple
We have all heard the saying ‘use it or lose it’. This phrase has never been more important than when we look at health as part of the ageing process. ...
What History Are You Currently Creating?
Usually when I begin reading a post that starts, “it was four long years ago today that…” I am getting my finger ready to click off. These pieces are usually ...
The Power of having a ‘YOU’ Day
When was the last time you had a ‘ME’ day? I had one recently and it was divine! I woke up, (which consequently was when I had finished sleeping not ...
The Essence of Ben and All Those Passed…
She asked me what the hardest thing was that I have experienced since you passed, and how I have dealt with it. It was one of several questions that were ...
Commitment Ahead – Proceed with Care
Today’s topic is one of commitment. Pretty broad subject I realise, so unless you want to read a small book worth of a post, it will just be a few ...
Why Would You Go on a Yoga Retreat?
My yoga teacher held out a black notebook. I noticed there were several hand-written comments, and it was open to a page she had titled: ‘Why Would I Go To ...
Do You Have Enough Gears For The Hill?
A parent goes out for a bike ride with their kid. They get to a big hill and the adult instinctively gears down as the hill gets steeper. With 24 ...
The Most Valuable Lesson From an Elephant
I feel like I might have given elephants a bit of a bad rap in last week’s post, so this week I wanted to rectify it. I actually really like ...
What My Inner Elephant Taught Me…
By now you probably know how much I love a good positive quote – feel free to share one, or lots! So, when I came across this, I just had ...
The Lesson I Learnt From My Smart Watch
I wonder what the world will look like in 10, 20, 30 years time. It seems with each new advance in technology, we are given ways to make life a ...
Will You Leave People ‘Dying to Know’?
Today is Dying to Know Day. Yes, it’s a thing 😊, but if you’re anything like I was you have probably never heard of it. I won’t go into detail, ...
Do ‘You SHOULD’ on Yourself or Others?
My sister reminded me of a summer camp I attended between primary and high school. Ironically it was a camp for budding writers and she had come across my report ...
Do You Pull Others Down, or Lift Others Up?
Brisbane was confirmed this week as being the host of the 2032 Summer Olympics. It made me think of the athletes that have a goal to be there and what ...
Do You Know WHY You Do What You Do?
At the end of last week’s post, I touched on the concept of finding our WHY and as promised this week I want to unpack it a little. If you ...
How Hungry Are You?
I think I may be becoming predictable in the way I start a lot of my posts – ‘I had a conversation with someone recently…’ This time it was with ...
Do Great Expectations Lead to Greater Judgements?
Here we are again Benny. You on your side, me on mine. I have been sitting here almost a nutcase trying figure out what to say to you. I don’t ...
Are the Hurts of Your Past (or Passed) Bleeding All Over Your Future?
Sometimes we don’t know how capable we are of doing something, until we are forced to. Covid has probably taught us this better than any other recent example I can ...
Why Don’t We Talk About the ‘D’ Word?
I was asked recently if I ‘enjoy talking about death’. 😊 Well, I wouldn’t say I ‘enjoy’ it, but I am very comfortable and do speak about it. Perhaps I ...
Are We Really a Society That is DEvolving?
“… People are so consumed with themselves. If they just thought about each other for a change, they could provide support and would learn so much about gratitude!” “You are ...
Life After Death – Part V – Baby Steps Forward
Over the last few weeks, I have given you a glimpse into what it’s like to lose someone close to you – more specifically to lose a child. Perhaps you ...
Life After Death – Part IV – 15 Things Young People Grieving Want You To Know.
I spoke with a friend recently and we discussed what the next 12 months might look like. I wanted a sounding board and some clarity on what my next move ...
Life After Death – Part III – The Challenge Intensifies
As we continue our journey, I want to take a minute to reiterate my intention for this series. It is purely to open a window into what it’s like to ...
Life After Death – Part II – Living in The Fog
Losing a child is not like anything else. It is different to losing a parent, or grandparent, a sibling or a spouse. There really is no other loss it can ...
Life After Death – Part I – The Creation of You 2.0
Disclaimer: I write this post purely from my lived experience. My qualifications are a Masters in being a mother and a PHD in dealing with losing my child. This does ...
When does losing my child get better?
‘All connections we have in life serve a purpose…’ she wrote. I had coffee recently with a gorgeous woman. It was one of those ‘six degrees of separation’ meetings and ...
Do You Miss the Old You?
You know those people that after spending even just a few minutes with, you can’t help feeling good? Something inside lifts you up and it doesn’t seem to matter what ...
Reflecting in December
Wow! December 1st. Time to face the fact that another year has almost finished and we’re on the downhill run. For many of us it’s the final burst, wrapping things ...
Vision Quest – Part III – Collateral Benefits
Have you ever experienced something that was so incredibly powerful it literally changed you? By change, I mean it changed you on such a deep internal level, a core level ...
Vision Quest – Part II – The Journey Within
Dear Self (Continued from last week…) The walk was short but the mental and emotional baggage you carried was incredibly heavy. It seemed to weigh you down and slow your ...
Vision Quest – The Decision to Go Within
Dear Self Some months ago, you made a decision guided by what can only be described as a need or an inner calling, to go on a journey. I watched ...
The Wounds That Time Can Never Heal
On 30th September 2017, I lost my only son Ben. He was fifteen years young. I have learnt much over the last three years. Things I am glad I know, ...
Sanctuary Yoga Retreat – Inside and Out
“Anyone who wants to walk up to Reception, there’s a beautiful trail through the rainforest. Just be aware though, it’s steep and rugged in places…” – Ruth Campbell I smiled, ...
Some Perspective On Death Please
Is it just me? Am I alone in having a different perspective on what’s happening in the world today? Death is not a new concept people! It has been happening ...
Change in Your Life Begins With Change In You
Sometimes you have a week where upon reflection there was so much in it. Life lessons, a range of emotions, realisations and decisions. When you decide to live a certain ...
New Year New Growth
Here we are, January 5, and 5 days into our new chapter. I was about to write that we have 360 days left before we can assess how 2020 was ...
A Lesson From Space
I was busy wiping down shelves in my study as the dust that has come in my windows this week has been ridiculous. The mercury has been consistently in the ...
The ‘Cowardly’ Lion – A Lesson on Bravery
The fourth member of the party on the journey to see the Wizard is the Lion. He is often referred to as the ‘cowardly’ Lion but in the story, he ...
The Power of Lessons Through Stories
I love how much power and value there is in stories. Not just listening to them or reading them, but really hearing the hidden messages that we are supposed to ...
The Tin Man – Matters Of The Heart
As we continue our journey to see the Wizard, the next character we meet is the Tin Man… Ah, I have been looking forward to writing about him. Like me ...
A Mindful Lesson From the Scarecrow
As promised, let us begin our journey down the yellow brick road. The first person to accompany Dorothy on her quest to the Emerald City is the Scarecrow. We know ...
Lessons From The Wizard of Oz
Who remembers the classic movie The Wizard of Oz? The story of four unlikely characters that crossed paths. A Tin Man, a Scarecrow, a Lion and a young girl called ...
Good Grief… Two Years On
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. On 26 September 2017 that nightmare became my reality. It was around 8.30pm and I was standing in the hallway of the gym, in shorts ...
Two Spaces, Two Opportunities, Two Choices
I found myself in a small room of like-minded people. Whilst everyone had a different background and a different story, there were two things that brought us all together. Each ...
Signs From The Universe, You Are Not Lost – You are Here
I was waiting for a lady to park her car so I could get into mine at the supermarket when she rolled down her window. “Excuse me, were you at ...
Energy Flows Where The Attention Goes
A class of students waited for their professor to distribute an exam. As each student turned over their papers, they saw there were no questions on the sheet. It was ...
What If People Just Do Things – Not actually TO us
What a time of learning, growing and realisation. Welcome to life. I commented to a girlfriend ‘just when I thought I nearly knew everything …’ There is a phrase ‘Hurt ...
Real Is What Some of Us Become
“Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you … It doesn’t happen all at once, you become. It takes a long ...
Every Day Can Be New Years Day – It’s A Choice
Another week down and we are half-way through the year. I wonder who kept their New Year’s resolutions … I wonder who even remembers what they were 😊 If you ...
Mind Flu
I recently had the delightful experience (not really) of the Universe reminding me to be grateful and not take for granted what I have. Apparently, I was becoming complacent! I ...
It’s How People Feel, Not The Words That Are Said, That Is Remembered
Hi All It’s pretty amazing how we always hear exactly the right message at precisely the right moment we are supposed to. I suppose it highlights the importance of being ...
Freedom – Belief – Hope – Power
I was playing around with this week’s post trying to include the topics of Freedom and Belief. It came on the back of a story I heard recently about a ...
The Purple Truck
I picked up my 3-year-old nephew from day care/pre-school recently and before getting in the car we stood for a few minutes watching some workers load a big purple catering ...
The Benefit of Hindsight – An Awesome
You know those days where you sit down at the end of it and find yourself thinking ‘man that was such a good day!’ Or perhaps it’s the last day ...
Your Life Movie Always Attracts The Right Cast
I met someone ‘randomly’ once 8,000 km from home. We were both drinking coffee and we struck up a conversation. I remember him asking me what brought me to town ...
Life Lessons We Can Learn From Animals
There are generally two camps for pet lovers, the dog lovers, and the cat lovers. All the other animals, guinea pigs, birds, fish, lizards etc. seem to fall into the ...
All Seasons Will Change, Regardless of the Weather
I hung a load of washing out on the line in the early evening of a Friday. My theory was if I did it late that day, it would all ...
Life’s Journey – The Spiritual, Physical And The Airport
I am sitting in an airport and my mind is thinking about a million different things but more than anything, what I have learnt (and continue to learn) about life ...
The Compass
It’s amazing how fast technology is moving, it seems there is a new gadget or widget being designed or invented every day. This week I was reminded of the Spot ...
Life Is Precious
I had the privilege of speaking once again this week to another school group. It is fast becoming my favourite audience to engage with. I guess because they are roughly ...
Life is a Gift
I watched a movie called The Childrens Act. Great movie if you haven’t seen it. I would recommend keeping a couple of tissues handy though … or maybe that’s just ...
The Dinner Guest Story
It started out just like any other day. The hard-working father of three, two girls and a boy, sat at the dining table drinking his morning coffee. It was strong ...
The Giraffes
I was in the car recently and as it does when I am on auto-pilot, my mind drifted off across a multitude of topics. I could have been well on ...
The Power of a January Reflection
It’s been a huge start to the year for many of us and it’s hard to believe the first month has slipped by already. Some of us are feeling refreshed ...
Departures and Arrivals
I was going through an airport recently and as I headed for Departures, I thought about the difference between the Departures area and the Arrivals area. You may first ask ...
Our treasure box
I sat down with a marketing guru and after dumping my brain on the table and using the disclaimer that it was in no order whatsoever, she looked up from ...
Defining Time
I read once “Your most valuable lessons will be learnt in the most unexpected places from the least expecting people and often at the worst of times.” During a trip ...
Opportunities and Choices
I heard a story last week of a woman who committed suicide. Her ex husband shot and killed her two teenagers in front of her and then turned the gun ...
Your Life Your Story
I read an article recently entitled ‘How to Know If You Are Having a Mid Life Crisis.’ It had 13 tips and I was surprised as I read them, I ...
‘Tis the Season to be jolly… unless it’s not
‘Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la la, la la la la …’ Unless it’s not. December and this holiday season in general are not experienced by ...
Be You – Be Great
Hi All Have you ever woken up and wondered “How the heck did I get here?” For my younger readers, or the not so young, I mean how did you ...
Do you see what I see?
I recalled this week a conversation I had with a friend years ago. We were discussing a potential drug that could erase your memory and whilst we agreed this could ...
Who do you see in the mirror?
I noticed on the wall of a preschool class once a page explaining the reason behind the children creating self-portraits. These were typically drawn at the beginning of the year ...
Changing your Latitude
Anyone that has ever had a bad day, a bad month or any bad period in their lives knows today that they got through it. I think I am safe ...
Down the rabbit hole
There was a famous novel written in 1865 that told the story of a girl who fell down a rabbit hole into a world of fantasy populated by anthropomorphic animals ...
Perspective from the Moon
Every day we make decisions in our lives for ourselves and sometimes for others and many of these decisions are made never really knowing what the bigger picture is. It ...
Choices and Consequence
I was asked recently how I write my blog each Sunday. I replied that it is usually something that has happened during the week, or a thought that I had ...
Who Am I?
Many years ago, I was involved in a networking marketing company and as part of this I subscribed to an education program. To this day, some of the lessons and ...
The Concept of Giving
The concept of giving seems to have been a recurring theme in my last week so I am taking that to mean that’s the preferred topic for today’s post. I ...
It’s all about the dash
I left home early yesterday morning and headed for the club for Presentation Day and the ‘Bag Your Boots for Ben’ collection. As usual, I looked at Ben’s picture and ...
Real Love is Unconditional
She sat there quietly, eyes blurred with what had seemed like a never-ending ocean of tears. She stared at the screen, it felt like it had been blank for the ...
90% of Life is How We React To It
I mentioned last week that people will see and do things based on ‘who they are’ and not necessarily what it is. We have all experienced ‘bad things happening to ...
Will you make things happen?
Today, I want to acknowledge an extremely special bunch of guys. I had the privilege of being part of an amazing team last Sunday as the Under 16s, Ben’s footie ...
Making the Obstacle the Reason to Achieve
Another Sunday is here, and the world will once again go about their Sunday business. Today I get to watch my son’s U16’s team play in their grand finale. It ...
Emotional Intelligence
I recently attended a one-day business workshop and I was surprised at what I took away that not only applied to business but to every-day life. Two of the key ...
Lift up or Bring Down?
I was sharing recently with someone how once upon a time, when I was a teenager, and around the same time as dinosaurs roamed the earth, we didn’t have the ...
Resilience
I have continued to receive the most beautiful messages from many of you who were close to Ben, sharing how your lives have been changed as a result of having ...
An attitude of Gratitude
Another week has gone by and it’s that time to take stock (for me). What did I learn? What did I achieve? What did I want to accomplish and did ...
Time
I wrote in an email earlier this week: “I have learnt many things this past year including that time goes fast … except when it goes really slowly”. After I ...
It’s always too soon to quit
I had a moment this week where I questioned why we seem to have to conduct an ongoing investigation in our life in order to get answers. What am I ...
Reality vs Reality
I heard of a speaker recently who was talking about how we each have our own version of reality and how we each create them. He went on to say ...
Finding the silver lining on the darkest clouds
I lay quietly in the very early hours of the morning, contemplating my world and the universe, thinking about my day and my week and my life and the future. ...
Forever Ben Shaw
Today’s post is a special one and a bit longer one so you might want to get a cuppa. I have decided to dedicate it 100% to my angel Boo. ...
Once Upon a Time
It has been an amazing and somewhat surreal week on so many levels. This story began back in 1999… Well, really, many years before that as you may read in ...
Elephants
Has anyone ever had an elephant or several elephants living with them? You know, those topics that everyone is aware of, but no one really wants to discuss. I have ...