[yourwildlife101]

We get what we need, when we are ready to receive it...

You know I love me some learnin'. 

I LOVE doing courses, expanding my horizons and challenging myself in new and exciting ways.

My present moment's are no exception.

I thought I would fill you in on what I have been up to lately as I am in such a blissful and delicious place.

I pressed the JOIN NOW button for Belinda Davidson's school of the modern mystic button with a smile on my face just like that of a cat that got the cream. I knew this was what I was looking for however I did have a little resistance around it. You know what though, I was at a place where I was second guessing everything. The School of the Modern Mystic (SOMM) has been an absolute universal triumph for me.

In December last year I took on a meditation mission. I was going to throw myself a little life pause everyday in the craziest time of the year. Well.... I meditated twice. I had such a forceful block, I would procastinate like a mo-fo to avoid that mat time. 

OH HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED. 

Part of the SOMM requires you to cleanse your chakras 2-3 times a week, and I have been managing a cleanse 6 times a week. I AM HOOKED. I can't believe the change in me, my view, my sleeping and my energy levels. 

If you are new to the the Chakra Energy system, never fear. I had no real understanding on what they are until recently either. I knew we had them, I had seen the images, but WHAT they actually were, I wasn't sure. 

Basically, they are beautiful energy wheels that spin effortlessly in points of the body and they control every aspect of your health and life. Each of the 7, are responsible for different aspects. If there is an area of your life that isn't working, all you have to know is that one or more of your Chakras are blocked or not spinning at it's full potential. 

IT'S THAT SIMPLE. 

So I began my guided meditations. 34 minutes of focus, colours and healing.

I feel like a new woman. 

If someone would've said that I should find half an hour to be still, and focus on these mystic colour wheels a year ago, EVERYDAY, I would have said "for me...impossible, i'm too busy".

Exactly the time I should have allowed this to be part of my life. 

Do I fidget? YES.

Does my mind wander? YES. 

Does that frustrate me a little? YES. I just bring my thoughts back to the present and keep on truckin'.

My mind wandering doesn't mean I can't do it, it just means i'm learning and that is all part of it. 

I am learning to heal my mind and body and support my life through meditation and the Chakras and it's blowing my cancerian mind. 

I can't wait to teach you all more about it, but for now, I am off to channel some energy into Chakra One, the Base Chakra before my baby wakes up to start his day. 

Live WILD.

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE.

Love Kt

xox

(top chakra image credit goes to mind, body, green)

[yourwildlife101]

YOUR WILD WOMEN introduces to you, Laura Van de Vorst, the woman behind The Green Tribe .

When I came across The Green Tribe I knew this space was special. There is so much passion, light and good vibes that beam from Laura's soulful choices through the screens in to our homes. She is spirited, adventurous, giving and a down right breath of fresh, wild flower scented air.  I knew I had to get to know this blogger, entrepreneur and all round inspiring woman. I know you will fall in love with her view on the world as quickly as I did. 

Introducing Laura Van de Vorst.

  Thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions Laura. You are one super-inspiring woman.

 Shall we dive in?

            Laura what get’s you totally psyched?

  Practicing yoga at sunrise // Traveling + Adventures // Uplifting conversations // The taste of fresh mango // Having a photo camera in my hands // Word-nerding // Cuddling my lover

  I also get psyched when a big idea pops up. Before my inner critic joins the party, there’s only room for pure anticipation and positive energy. Dreams and sparkles shoot around. It’s a wild feeling.

  Are you a rituals gal or do you fly by the seat of your pants and wing it each day?

  During the day I tend to be more playful and spontaneous. But I’ve got a sacred morning ritual that gets me pumped for the day. I would recommend everyone, especially entrepreneurs, freelancers, and business babes, to have a morning ritual.

  I’m currently reading The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. She’s a fierce lady full of in-your-face wisdom. She considers effort, action and routine the best preparation for a creative mind.

  I work out straight after I wake up: I do an hour of ballet; power pilates; or vinyasa yoga. When I am in a hurry, I do a 20-30 minute HIIT workout. Sometimes I go for a long run. My workouts are meditative for me. After exercising, I drybrush my body head to toe and jump under the shower. I never skip breakfast - it’s the best meal of the day! I love my bliss bowl, smoothie or gluten free pancakes.

  If we were to get a birds eye view on your life TODAY, what would we see?

  You’d see a little dot moving all the time. I’ve the restlessness of an explorer. Over the last years I’ve been living across several countries. I met inspiring people with whom I made truly magical memories. They are the footprints in my heart that made me who I am today.

  The Green Tribe is cyber perfection. Blogazine ROYALTY. What is your favorite piece on your epic site?

  Thank you love! My soul sister Greta recently wrote a beautifully empowering post (October 7th) on what it is like having high empathy and how we can learn to deal with the negative baggage of others. She and I are both highly sensitive people, so this post is really one of my favorite pieces at the moment.

http://thegreentribe.com/2014/10/high-empathy/

As women we can often be our harshest critiques. What do you do to silence your inner mean girl?

  Over time, I have come to realize that my inner mean girl only exists in my head, she doesn’t speak the truth and she’s definitely not there to stay. When she drops by with some thunder, I know it’s because something threw me off balance, something that wasn’t necessarily in my control. I’ll go for a walk, inhale, exhale, do some calming yoga and go to bed early. Everything always looks brighter the next day!

  One thing many people don’t know about me is….

  I’ve been lost in a poisonous jungle and crossed a flooded crocodile river with one of my best friends – the bridge was gone and there was only one way to get out of that forsaken wilderness – so we took our chances.

  Oh, and many people don’t know that I started a company called healthcoachFX. I believe that the key to living healthy is making it simple, delicious and personalized. Technology can do that. In the coming year we will offer a range of tailored lifestyle solutions such as a slim plan, fit plan and care plan. Our product is basically a holistic wellness retreat in your pocket.

  I believe that when we look after our body, it will look after us. Talk us through how you nourish your body? 

  The most important thing is to learn how to follow your inner voice and honor it by staying true to yourself. No matter what you do and no matter how crazy things get, try to make a habit of tuning in with yourself. Take baths, practice meditation, or apply a delicious natural beauty product onto your skin. I’m currently loving Korres Bergamot Pear Body Milk and Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm (pink-grapefruit-lemon!).

  Also make sure to create a fitness regime that works for you and eat clean. I exercise 5 times a week before I take my breakfast, drink loads of water + ginger teas, and mostly eat gluten-, lactose- and sugar free. I throw my rules overboard 20% of the time and make sure to laugh + love a lot.

  I also believe that connecting with like-minded people, talking and having fun are essential for nourishing a happy heart.

  If you could offer the fabulous tribe of Your Wild Life one piece of health or wellness advice, what would it be? 

  Did you know that it’s proven that hugs are good for your immune system? Hug it out!

  Describe your PRESENT in one word?

Optimism.

  What do you do to ensure you are living your most WILD and WONDERFUL life?

Seeing the bigger picture and loving fiercely.

  OFF THE CUFF QUESTIONS – Quick fire Questions

  Heels or Flats?

I’m tall + restless, so I love sneakers. My latest treasures: Adidas Stan Smiths. And although my brother and I are living 700 km apart from each other, we ordered the same pair, in the same week, without either of us knowing about it. So in-sync!

  Summer or Winter?

Spring! I love the anticipation of new beginnings, fragile flowers, fresh greens, crisp air and the bright sunlight warming up the earth.

  Gluten Free or Whole Wheat? 

It all depends on your metabolic type, blood type, stress level and epigenetics. Every body is biochemically individual and thus different. I have an autoimmune disease and eat 100% gluten free to keep my micro biome healthy.

  Hair up or Down?

Down. If it were the seventies, I’d wear flowers in my hair, everyday.

  Dress or Jeans? 

I love dresses but also cut-off Levis and jeans shirts.

  Smoothie or Muesli? 

Smoothies. My all-time favorite is a rainbow of spinach, kale, orange, dates, Brazilian nuts, and vanilla.

                          ____________________________________  

WHAT A WOMAN!!! if you want to connect with Laura, or follow her and her fabulous Blogazine, The Green Tribe you can find her on

FB - www.facebook.com/thegreentribe.livingwell

WEB - www.thegreentribe.com

TWITTER - The_Green_Tribe

Live WILD.

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE.

Love Kt xox

[yourwildlife101]

You can work through ANYTHING....

Ain’t no mountain high enough.

Ain’t no valley low enough.

Ain’t no river wide enough, for you to be screwed! 

Now yes..I took a little liberty with this one in changing the words, but this little ditty is TRUE. 

There is absolutely nothing in your life that you can’t overcome. No obstacle, no fear, no circumstance.

I know that if there is a will, there’s a way. 

Life can throw us some pretty hectic curve balls. It can force us to face demons we never expected. Now I’m not talking about the cute goggly eye'd, “How to tame your dragon" type monsters.

I’m talking nasty, hide under your bed, run for the hills type ones. 

Elizabeth Gilbert said last week in one of her interviews, that "your FEAR, is the most boring thing about you.”

This resonated with me whole heartedly. 

I have felt fear. I had let it creep into my life, and I had let it occupy to much of my NOW. It was robbing me of my ME-NESS. 

This rocked me to my core, and I was NOT going to let it take over. 

#WINNING

So now let's flip the table beautiful one. 

Have you felt fear?

Are you succumbing to it?

Do you want it to be a part of your normal? 

At any point, we get to change it. We get to say HOLD UP, wait a minute. 

This is not how my story is going to end. 

You do not have to get caught up in this chapter. 

  If you don’t like how your book is reading wise one, change it.

DO SOMETHING. 

Ask questions, read up on the issue, take a step, make a call, TAKE A COURSE.. change your path.

If you are in a state of blissful content, and don’t ever feel your FEAR, then you my friend are solid. 

There is no right, there is no wrong with this, there is only what YOU allow to continue, and what feels right to you. 

Ahhhhhh….LETTING IT GO. 

You deserve to live lightly. 

You deserve to have a calm mind.

You deserve to feel fulfilled.

IT IS OK TO BE HAPPY AND HAVE EVERYTHING YOU DESIRE. 

You deserve that. 

Time to get rid of the guilt, realise you are capable of making ANYTHING happen. If something seems impossible, it just means that someone hasn't done it YET.

Live WILD. 

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE.

Love Kt xox

[yourwildlife101]

YOUR WILD WOMEN ... Liz Taamo- Roi

Beautiful, sweet & good for the soul are just a few words that describe our next WILD WOMAN, Liz Taamo-Roi. The thing is, these words don't just describe Liz, they are words I have often heard spoken about the beautiful Raw deserts she creates under the blissful banner of LUV SUPERFOODS. 

I am a HUGE fan of all that Liz does, the passion behind it and the courage it takes to follow your bliss. I knew I had to get her to be a part of this series... 

Meet Liz...

If you had to describe what it is that you do with LUV SUPERFOODS, what would you say?

Luv Superfoods is about finding balance and still being able to enjoy the sweeter things in life. 

  I'm lucky enough to be that person, that brings a little bit of extra joy into every healthy, dessert-loving foodie's life, through my sweet raw creations. You can call me a Raw Baker / Unbaker. I spend my days in the kitchen making serotonin releasing, superfood, raw, vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, clean treats & desserts. It's a tough gig having to taste test everything too! ;) 

  The joy that it brings to not just the health conscious, but also those living with intolerances, is priceless! 

  What was the “AH-HA” moment that drove you to launch such a beautiful business?

I've always known that chocolate ran through my blood (or maybe it could have been the copious amounts of milk chocolate I was eating haha). I wasn't brought up in a household where health had an importance. It wasn't until my very early 20's that I started to find an interest in fitness & health and it's link with nutrition. 

  For me, personally, I could never live without the joy of dessert. The relaxation and energy it gives me, is just too good to give up! So when I started my fitness journey, I found it hard to kick my chocolate addiction. I had to find a way I could still reach my goals, be healthy, still feel good & enjoy myself. That's when the chocolate addict inside of me, got creative! 

  I was always so excited about my healthy, sweet creations that I loved sharing them. I had a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart, that would grow when someone enjoyed something I made. And knowing it wasn't going to negatively impact their life, but instead bring beautiful energy and happiness, made me REALLY happy. 

  And that's how it all started! I still get that warm fuzzy feeling in my heart every time! 

  Are you a rituals gal or do you fly by the seat of your pants and wing it each day?

I'm definitely a fly by the seat of my pants and wing it every day, kinda gal! Haha 

  I believe that when we look after our body, it will look after us. Talk us through how you nourish your body? 

To nourish your body means a whole world of things to me! 

  SELF LOVE would have to be my number one thing. When you give yourself good energy through your thoughts, you are also going to make the right decisions in looking after yourself and nourishing your body. Wanting to stay active and choosing to eat beautiful, wholesome, colourful foods will come naturally, with that self love. 

  I make sure I move my body on a daily basis, whether it's power walking through the grocery shops (I've always called it "walking with a purpose" haha), yoga flows at home or a sweaty Crossfit session. 

  I choose to fuel my body with as much organic fruits & vegetables as possible. I start my days with a green smoothie, everyday! It's a natural multivitamin in a glass. ;) 

  Spinach + Kale + Celery + Apple + Banana + Apple Cidar Vinegar + Lemon = my go to green smoothie blend. Super Cleansing and detoxifying. Perfect way to get that good energy flowing, to start your day! 

    If you could offer the fabulous tribe of Your Wild Life one piece of health or wellness advice, what would it be? 

STOP holding yourself back and START doing what makes you happy! 

  Too often do we make excuses for why we are, where we are currently sitting in life. Or just accepting mediocre. Why not be WONDERFUL? Why not BE BRAVE? Why not look forward to waking up early to see the sun rise & be excited about what the day will bring? Why not take that leap of faith and FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS! We are all capable of being happy. YES WE ARE! 💚 I've been through dark times in my life, where the thought of happiness seemed impossible. It wasn't until I starting being brave and throwing away all self doubt, self hate and all excuses, that I started LIVING life & being brave. Once you do all that, you open so many doors to happiness & feelings of accomplishment. YOU CAN accomplish anything with confidence, love and abit of sweat! 

  You get to take 3 things to a desert island… whatcha taking?

 I'd take my husband, a camera and a knife. 

  I love taking photos, so I would definitely need that camera. He he. I can't imagine being anywhere beautiful without my husband. So he needs to be there haha I just imagine it to be one big magical holiday! We would be climbing coconut trees, husking coconuts, using the knife to cut up delicious coconut flesh. We would be drinking coconuts and i'd probably be wearing coconuts too! Haha Living off the land sounds pretty amazing to me. 

    Most people don’t know this about me but….

I walk around the house naked a lot. Lol! Thats all I could think of. So, there you go! 

  What do you do to ensure you are living your most WILD and WONDERFUL life?

Step back and just breathe. We are all living a wild and wonderful life. We just sometimes get caught up with life and it's challenges, that we lose sight of what really matters. If I have a roof over my head, food to eat and a bed to sleep in. I'm living a pretty wonderful life. And being able to work towards my dreams/goals, shows me I'm living MY wild life. 

  I think it's important to reflect at how far you've come and appreciate the journey so far. And then look forward to endless opportunities. 

  OFF THE CUFF Q's:

Describe your PRESENT in one word?  Amazing! 

  Heels OR Flats?

Flats all the way! It is nice wearing heels once in a blue moon. But I swear joggers everyday.

  Summer or Winter?

Summer! Summer! SUMMER!! 

  Whole Wheat or Gluten Free?

Gluten free.

  Dress or Jeans?

Both! Dress. Only because my muscly legs usually don't fit comfortably into jeans. 

  Smoothie or Muesli?

Green smoothie! YUM!

  To find Liz, and try some of her delicious creations, you can follow her on FB at https://www.facebook.com/luvsuperfoods to keep up with where she and LS is at or show some INSTALOVE on @LUVSUPERFOODS

Thank you so much for taking part in YOUR WILD WOMEN series Liz. You are one inspiring, go get em wellness warrior. 

Live WILD.

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE. 

Love Kt. 

xox

[yourwildlife101]

Are you still MIFFED?

I have a question for you wild one. 

Are you still miffed? 

Are you still holding on to something that is preventing YOU from living your life with a calm heart? 

At some stage in each of our lives, we have been hurt or had something not go to plan. That’s a given. They are our little speed bumps. 

My question is, are you still reeling from the shake up to your shazzy from a bump that happened miles ago?

If you are it’s time to work out WHY you are. 

Are you upset about the situation that occurred itself, or are you frazzled and empty from the events that have occured since then? 

By events I mean the conversations in your head? 

The emotional turmoil and the re-play of the situation over and over again?

What is it exactly that you are having trouble letting go of? 

Why are you carrying it with you? 

What are you saving it for? 

Holding on to this is like you have dined at the WORST restaurant in town, and asked to take home your dodgy left overs, AND you are keeping them in your purse....for EVER. 

Every time you reach in to that gorgeous hand beaded bag of happiness, you also get a whole bunch of the worst meal you ever had stuck under your nails. 

NO THANK YOU. 

We have ALL done it, but ladies, our purses should be full of rainbows not anger, bitterness or hatred. 

So... I am calling you to action. Whatever it is that you are miffed about, it's time to lighten the load. 

Are you ready brave heart? Empty your emotional purse of the dregs, take the garbage out, and let that shit go.

Feel better?

Me too. 

Live Wild.

Be Brave.

Live True. 

Love Kt.

xoxo

Angry Bird; photograph by John Kok. Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus). Onkoshi Camp, Etosha National Park, Namibia.

[yourwildlife101]

WHO KNEW EAGLES HAD IT SUSSED?

  When I practice yoga, it is never really about the physical aspect.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love to bend, twist and challenge my body into all sorts of cool contortions but it’s a workout of a different kind. I show up for my mind. I show up because I know whatever I am taking with me into my class, it will be dealt with right on my mat.

  We bend, so we don’t break.

  My yoga teacher said something to the class this Saturday and it socked me side ways. 

It was a couple of small sentences that made a BIG impact,and it was about an eagle.

An eagle you say?

AN EAGLE.

As soon as the words were spoken, the light bulbs started going off. It was as if Kim Kardashian had just thrown on a set of yoga pants, entered the room and the paparazzi were going mad.

  "Eagles soar to the highest highs and travel the longest distances because they GO WITH the wind? They don’t fight it."

  WOAH… FLASH.

  RE-CAP. They go with the wind, and soar to unimaginable heights. They don’t fight it.

  This resonated with me and I have carried it with me ever since.

  So being the word nerd I am, I did a little research on this majestic feathered enlightened one.

  Turns out they are pretty amazing animals and we can learn a lot from them. They LOVE storms. They use the force of the storms and the wind to rise higher, above the clouds while the rest of the birds hide in trees amongst the branches.

  Do you see where I am going with this?

  What if we didn’t fight with ourselves anymore?

What if we used the storms to lift us higher?

Could it be that this beautiful bird has it figured out?

  I decided the gig is up.

I will not fight with myself anymore. I will go with the wind, and that wind will be my internal voice.

  BOO-YAH!

  What if you did the same?

What if you said enough with the battle in your mind? The war of words is over. You don’t deserve the torment. Time to step out of the ring.

  Pipe down “inner mean girl”.

Sit down “anxious annie”.

You’re FIRED “fearful fembot”.

  Instead super mega powerful GODDESS woman IN DA HOOOOUSE and she is walking her talk.

  This feels so wonderful to me.

  Who is keen to make like an eagle? Let’s step out of the mental sparring match we often hold end the fight. Let’s rise above the storm and use the wind to lift us up?

  The views are spectacular.

  We got this ladies…we got THIS.

  Live WILD.

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE.

  Love Kt.

xox

[yourwildlife101]

What is YOUR perfect?

Perfect is such a HUGE word. 

It’s pretty subjective in itself wouldn’t you agree? What’s perfect for YOU, rarely is for someone else. 

If you gave 5 people a piece of pie (ummmm...YUM) and asked them to describe it to you, I guarantee you would get 5 very different view points and they would all be correct. 

It’s all a matter of opinion. 

Now in saying that, the opinion that matters most, is yours.

That’s right. The only person who has to be head over heels about your life is you. ( Cue huge sigh of relief here beautiful one). 

So, now we know the only boat you need to be floating is your own, "Hello captain", what is YOUR perfect? I don't mean the "text book" definition of perfect. I want YOUR perfect. 

What does your world look like when all your chickens are in a row? Your plates are all spinning in blissful synchronicity? Your cup is running over with the most fabulous of contents? 

YOUR PERFECT! 

What does that vision look like?

How does it feel?

Who is there?

Got it? 

AWESOME. 

Now for me, I am in the midst of what was once a “hot shoe shuffle”, instead shifting into an "interpretive dance”.

I'm redefining my perfect. 

I used to think PERFECT meant that there were no hiccups. Everything would be seamless. There would be no bumps. Was this realistic? Definitely not. This was motherfluffin madness. It was like living in a pressure cooker. This was a recipe for a sh*t storm of disappointment.

Here comes the light bulb moment. 

PERFECT to me means choosing to look beyond the imperfections and choosing HAPPY. 

I have slowed the Katie train right down and I am paying attention to what matters. 

I no longer have 80 tabs open in my minds computer, and I am following my bliss.

Scary? YES.

Nerve wracking? At times.

Utterly and totally intoxicating? ABSOLUTELY. 

I am getting down to the juicy parts of my belief system and finding what it is that excites my spirit. 

This gal loves to learn, so I have just finished a beautiful course with Rachel MacDonald, Bright Eye’d and Blog Hearted and I have just enrolled in Belinda Davidson’s mucho acclaimed course, The Modern Mystic. To say I am totally jazzed would not be doing my vibe justice. This especially means ALOT for our tribe here at Your Wild Life. The wheels are in motion. There is a big SHIFT happening. HOORAH. 

Finding my PERFECT. Hmmmmm.....

(www.etsy.com)

My perfect consists of the PRESENT. I am learning it, and I am living it. My perfect is many things. 

At times I am surrounded by brain bending spirituality and my mind just sings. 

At times I am so busy with my to-do list's my engines are buzzing with adrenalin. 

At times I am elbow deep in pear puree and my smile is true. 

Many, MANY times I have my baby in my arms and my heart is so full. 

At times I am in silence on the couch with my hunky hubby and I am at peace. 

At times I am challenging myself at training and I could cry with happiness and marvel at the way my body is getting stronger by the day. 

All of these times are so different, but they are making up my perfect. My perfect moments. 

Now…back to YOUR perfect. 

How’s it looking wild one? 

Can you feel it? 

Do you know where it is? 

When we are aware of what it is that fuels our smiles, and strengthens our foundations we tend to become more present. The real soul hugging sort of stuff. The we can recognise the moments. We can savour them. We can CREATE them. We delight in them. 

I hope you find YOUR perfect. You deserve to know what it is. You can take any moment and make it perfect. if you decide that's where you want to be. 

I wish you a day filled with perfect moments. I wish your smile to be true and your heart light. 

Live WILD.

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE. 

Love 

Katie.

xox

[yourwildlife101]

Meet our first WILD WOMAN... Fiona Caddies founder of White Zebra.

Introducing the first amazing woman to feature on YOUR WILD WOMEN. The effervescent Fiona Caddies of the Health and Wellness website White Zebra. Fi is a yoga teacher, motivational speaker, health enthusiast, co creator of WZ and all round beautiful person. This is one BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED soul sista.

Shall we get to know her a little more? 

Fiona, Fiona, Fiona, thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions for Your Wild Life. I think the world needs to know more about the powerhouse that is YOU!

Shall we dive in?

  ICE BREAKER - Two words to describe you? 

  Bright & Energiser

  Are you a rituals gal or do you fly by the seat of your pants and wing it each day?

  I’m 100% rituals girl but I’m married to a fly by the seat of your pants type guy. It messes with my OCD! haha

  Do you have an affirmation for the moment?

  I have many affirmations but my current one, which I’ve been repeating excessively recently is:

We are only given challenges by the universe when we are able to handle them. I have the strength for every challenge which comes my way.

  What string of perfectly put together words are driving you at the moment? 

  I have unlimited potential and endless possibilities!

  What drove you to start White Zebra?

  Whilst PTing for a long time, I knew I wasn’t able to get all the information to my clients I wanted them to know in the 30mins-3hrs in which I saw them each week. I also knew my one-on-one time was limited due to the number of hours in the day and that I wanted to reach more people, all over the world, to inspire and educate as many people as possible! WhiteZebra.com was born!

What project or task would you consider the most significant accomplishment in your career so far?

Speaking at the Beautiful You event. The estimated amount of women is to be 20000. I’m alongside some amazing celebs like Jen Hawkins | Model and founder of JBronze, JULES SEBASTIAN | Stylist and TV Presenter and KATE JOHNSON | Model and Mrs Australia 2014.

I am also a regular contributor to Therese Kerr’s site (Miranda Kerr’s mum) and other sites like Telstra Business and Lifestyle You.

Interviewing celebs and seeing how they live their healthy, motivated, successful lives is also amazing! I love getting in to the real lives of people we see on television and magazines, day-in and day-out. We really are all the same with similar lives. The difference is that some dream and believe in themselves and are motivated and committed to chase their dreams to make it their reality. I love it!

I believe that when we look after our body, it will look after us. Talk us through how you nourish your body? 

Nutrition is a big #1 for me but it goes hand in hand with mindset. I find that if my mind is all over the place, my nutrition will be too. The same is true with my nutrition being out, then so my mind will be. So, I make a conscious effort to have my morning routine set my day up well. I know my plan for the day with a list of boxes to tick (not too many – 3-5 big ticks is great). Yoga will always be a part of my day, as will a green smoothie or a big stirfry with lots of veges (or both!). I don’t have specific macronutrient daily targets but I aim to have protein and fat for breakfast with protein, fat and veges in every meal after that. Herbal tea is a big must all day and so is a little bit of my healthy chocolate and some berries for something sweet too.

  What is your absolute MUST HAVE item with regards to your HAPPINESS.

Outside time!! Sunshine and beach with my labradoodle, Coco! Yoga is also essential for my happiness too :)

  If you could offer the fabulous tribe of Your Wild Life one piece of health or wellness advice, what would it be? 

When your gut tells you something isn’t right, it most likely is. Follow your gut, be true to your authentic self and be kind and nourishing to your body and mind. When you do this, everything else will fall in to place xo

  OFF THE CUFF QUESTIONS

Heels or Flats?

BOTH! Flats are far more comfy and practical but heels make dresses so much prettier!

Summer or Winter?

100% Summer!!!

Gluten Free or Whole Wheat? 

Gluten Free

Hair up or Down?

Always up!

Dress or Jeans? 

Dress or baggy pants

Smoothie or Muesli? 

Smoothie for sure!

  Social Media links:

Twitter and Instagram

Fi – @fi_caddies

WhiteZebra - @_whitezebra_

Facebook:

Fi – /caddies

WhiteZebra – /whitezebra.health

Pinterest:

Fi – /fionacaddies

WhiteZebra – /thewhitezebra

[yourwildlife101]

Equip your emotional tool kit. My top 5 tips for dealing with Anxiety.

I’m a searcher. I’m a talker, and I’m a rationalist. 

I like to figure things out. 

I come armed with a spiritual tool belt, ready to take on some major mind renovations when I am uneasy. 

This has ALWAYS worked for me in the past, so lately when my trusty tool’s of old were no longer doing the job, I started to worry. 

My usual go-to’s weren’t helping, and I couldn’t work out why. 

It’s because my circumstances are different. 

When I would feel a little racy, a little anxious in the past I would go for a massive run, throw myself into work, catch up with friends or hit the gym. 

Now I have a bouncing, beautiful baby, those old faithful's aren’t possible on a whim. I could be mid nappy change, he could be asleep or I don’t think he would be super keen on taking a body attack class at the local, and let’s be honest, neither would my pelvis. HA! 

So…what to do? Reach out, sort it out and move forward. I began FRANTICALLY searching for ways to combat these not so nice worry wart feelings that would come up, and EVERYTHING that I found, kept telling me to SLOW DOWN WOMAN! 

I wanted to make everything better NOW. I wanted to FIX it. However a beautiful thing happened when I began to respond, instead of react. 

I became aware of my feelings, and they are just that…FEELINGS. They are not facts. They can’t hurt me. I am just having a moment. Recognise it, 

and let it roll on by. 

GENIUS. 

The result? A calmer, more peaceful existence. This was a NEW tool for me, and it was working. Like any new skill it needs practise to nail it every time, but I am up for the challenge, are you? I also had to come to terms with the fact that I am not what aisles me. I thought if I am doing this, then I bet a lot of others are too.. i say HOLLAAAAAA to you. This is what I mean.....

We are not our worries, we HAVE a worry. 

We are not anxious, we are FEELING anxious. 

We are not FAT. We have some fat on us. 

We are not LOST. We FEEL lost. 

YOU ARE NOT STUCK. Just not moving forward right now. You feeling me? Cool right? 

Nifty little realisation FOR SURE! 

I thought today I would share with you my TOP 5 tools I have accumulated for dealing with anxiety and stress. Find which ones work for you at different times, but be open to them all.  

1. NOTICE THE FEELINGS - Practice mindfulness. I do mean PRACTISE. This is a learned skill, but one definitely worth cultivating. When you feel a little racy, acknowledge that this is just a thought. Recognise it, and let it go. Decide to be in the moment. This moment deserves your time. You are here for a reason. Be aware of the beauty that’s around you and relish in it. 

2. RATIONALISE IT - Are these feelings REAL or VALID. Where are they coming from. Is there any truth to what you are thinking? Are you filling your head with WHAT IF’S? Now, you and I both know there is no need to be worrying about the future. I guarantee that 99% of what you think might happen, never will. So why worry? 

3. CHANGE OF SCENERY - Get up. Take yourself out of the stressful, uncomfortable situation and give yourself a hefty dose of ZEN. Nature has the most delightful way of persuading us to switch gears, you know, from crappy to happy in the blink of an eye. If something isn’t working for you, CHANGE IT! You are not a tree, you can get up and move any time you like :)

4. MAGIC 5 - 5 things I can see, 5 things I can feel, 5 things I can hear.  - This is a crafty little one. If ever you are in a situation and feel your thoughts running away on you, find 5 things you can see, 5 things you can feel, and 5 things you can hear and say them to yourself. If you have to do it 20 times then so be it, but it’s hard to think of anything else when you are looking for something else.

5. TALK TO SOMEONE - A problem shared is a problem halved. If something does concern you, have a conversation that matters. Even if it doesn’t seem like a big deal, you might feel better to share it with another. I am also a huge fan of journaling. Get those thoughts down on paper. When we can actually see the thoughts on paper, they are not so scary, in fact, sometimes they can be quite funny. 

These curly feelings happened for a reason. I now have the NEW tools to help others…WOOP- WOOOOOP!!! I GET IT! 

YOU ROCK UNIVERSE… this is FABULOUS! Turning this negative to a positive is how I roll. I also believe that the universe will keep giving me the same lesson until I learnt to deal with it, and took what I could from it. SMART, SMART, SMART! Message recieved.

(Pic credit to www.wellnesswarrior.com.au) 

The thing is brave hearts.. IT WILL PASS. If you are going through hell, keep going. If it’s raining, that just means there’s a rainbow on the way. A life without edges is impossible, but we can learn to admire the view and rise from the ashes. Don't attach to the negative. Start each day with a true and positive heart and show the world what you are made of. 

YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS. 

If you think this will resonate with someone that you know, share it on. 

Wishing YOU days of calm, of mindfulness and happiness beautiful one. You deserve it. 

Live WILD.

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE. 

Love KT.  

xox

[yourwildlife101]

Spring cleaning for your soul.

It's SPRING and it's the season of fresh beginnings, new growth and where the world awakens from it's wintery slumber. 

SIGN ME UP FOR SOME OF THAT!

Many of us start to feel a little heart heavy towards the end of winter, and I was definitely feeling a case of the BLAAAAHS. However upon the realisation of the seasonal change, my mindset shifted, I was ready to shake off the "sads" and with the start of a new month, and new season ( double reason to celebrate in my world) I am giving myself permission to find all sorts of HAPPY within my SPRING, and I would love for you to join me.

Time to TAKE OFF SOME LAYERS - Let's shed the worries and limiting beliefs. Have you accumulated any extra emotional clothing over winter? Are you wearing an 'anxious anorak', a 'cautious cardigan' or a dress made of 'self doubt'? Time to throw them out, YOU DON'T NEED THEM ANYMORE. If you have been hiding behind these negative feelings, you don't have to believe them. Feelings are NOT facts. Time to pay attention to what has been going through that beautiful head and heart of yours and decide what to keep and what to get rid of. Some emotional spring cleaning if you will. 

GET OUTSIDE! - There is nothing better for the soul then to get out in nature, kick those shoes off and allow yourself bare footed self to become grounded. This practise is actually called GROUNDING. Let the vibrations from the earth travel through you and re-callibrate your systems. This is GENIUS if you have been feeling a little funky, anxious and perhaps a little all over the shop. Time to realign and get the troops together. Add in some deep belly breathing while your trotters are fancy free and you are going to be one centred sally. 

REKINDLE A FRIENDSHIP - If you have been in hibernation mode, and perhaps put the chai tea catch ups on the back burner now could be the perfect time to reach out to your soul sista's and have a giggle. Find out how they are doing. Share a story or two and make some divine plans. 

FIRE UP YOUR ENERGY WHEELS - I am just beginning to learn a lot about our 7 Chakras, but a beautiful explanation of them was made by Tara Bliss last week and you can read more of that in the link below. Sometimes these power houses get blocked and need a little help from us to spin freely again. Check it out. My root Chakra has definitely shut up shop, so I have some work to do there...EXCITING! 

http://suchdifferentskies.com/let-chakras-work/

MAKE IT SHINE - Let's get down to the core of what makes us US. Let's celebrate your YOU-NESS. You may be quirky, you might be creative, you might be beautifully shy? You may be unbelievably outrageous, you could be an amazing cook? You could be a rock star in the garden. You might be a born nurturer. You might have a smile that lights up a room. IT ALL WORKS. Whatever it is that makes you YOU, let's celebrate it. 

Be YOU and be YOU proudly. 

Spring is the time when the world regenerates. It's new beginnings. Its a freshness and a revival of life. It's a time to peel off that dead wood and BLOOM. The earth speaks in flowers and you can flourish along with it. 

I hope you feel beautiful, loved and supported this season. 

Live WILD.

Be BRAVE. 

Live TRUE. 

Love Kt.

xoxox

[yourwildlife101]

Sometimes I get anxious....

I am going out on a limb here, I am choosing to be a little vulnerable and honest with a topic that has crept into my world the last couple of weeks. 

ANXIETY.

What a cruel little critter you are. 

I have been riding the waves of anxiety lately and it's been no fun at all. Most days are wonderful, but some days I find I have to pay attention to where my thought process goes.

I don't believe I am alone in this, but I do believe many women don't talk about it. I am the opposite. I want to talk to anyone who will listen because I believe when we stand together, we stand strong. 

I have been waking some days, like today, with the suffocating waves of anxiousness washing over me. 

WHY? Im not sure. I do know though that these anxious periods are signs that I need to pay attention to what is on my mind. Sit with it, deal with it and make the changes. 

I know I had a rotten nights sleep last night with a squeaky fence in the storm, BUT I feel the real culprit was I had such a busy day yesterday and loaded up my plate to much and didn't wind down last night. My brain was in go-go-go mode when it should have been in RELAX mode. LESSON LEARNT! 

I am choosing to bring it up today because I think it's important that we talk about these things. I think we need to realise even the most optimistic peeps sometimes get a little overwhelmed, and need to stop and reassess. 

THIS IS OK. 

THIS IS NORMAL. 

You and I are human. 

The question is, why do we worry? It's such a useless emotion. It only takes away our joy. It forces us to feel uncomfortable and scared...but of what? I am going to say 98% of the things that many of us worry about each day NEVER come to light. In fact, by worrying about them we are actually forcing them to come to light. We are bringing these worries to our reality. We are manifesting them in to our future. 

TRUE STORY!

We are such powerful manifesters. We need to use this tool for GOOD. We need to try and focus on what we DO want in our world and not what we don't. 

We need to choose our thoughts everyday like we choose our clothing. With purpose and with intention. 

Does it work every time? Can we stop the waves? 

Not always, but we can grab a board and learn to surf. 

I am talking about this today because I am not alone. I want you to know that if you are ever feeling anxious, give me a shout out and I will help you out. Talking to someone when you are feeling a little shady can do wonders. 

Writing this is making me feel TONS better. I know this will pass. In fact, it has. I know all is well in my world and that in future, I need to wind down before bed, and slow EVERYTHING down.I am choosing to see this as a positive, and as a sign to dial it back. I put a lot of pressure on myself and it's only because I am so excited to get things happening that I over extend myself.

There is no rush. Everything will get done in time and I can choose to set the pace. 

Look out for a future post on my tips for dealing with those anxious times. 

Right now though, I am off to hug my baby, breathe in the fresh air, and I will spend my day choosing to see the GREAT stuff. 

Thank you for listening brave hearts.

Live WILD.

Be BRAVE.

Live TRUE.

Love Katie. 

Image from Studio + Mela on Etsy.com 

[yourwildlife101]

Permission to say NO in order to say YES :)

Being a grown up is HARD!

Remember when you were younger and all you had to worry about was whose turn it was to run through the sprinkler? You only had to be sure you were home by the time the street lights turned on and your biggest worry was what mum was making for dinner and where were you going to hide the pea's? THEY WERE GOOD TIMES! 

This week I had to make a HUGE decision. To make a MAMMOTH change and step away from my full time work as a PT and from a company that I just LOVE. 

It sucked.

It absolutely SUCKED (said with hanging head, and heel scuffing the dirt. Real tantrum sort of stuff).

When I sent that email, I absolutely expected to see pigs flying past my window, hear that hell had frozen over and that bears no longer poop in the wood. That's how much I thought that I would have ever had to utter those words. NEVER. 

You know those BIG decisions? The real grown up ones that have you going "How did I get here?". I have had a week of those. 

The majority of the time I still feel like I'm playing house.I don't feel like I am 32, married with a baby and a hound.

Even with all those boxes ticked, I still don't feel like a grown up. Some moments however make me say "Back the bus up...how did I get here? ". You know the one's?

I had one of those really profound grown up moments when I had to pick out tiles, and talk about power points and shower fittings with our builder during our recent home renovations. SCARY STUFF. Somehow I had managed to put my big girl panties on get it done. 

How did I get HERE though? At this place in particular.

How am I now in the situation where I need to make all these MIGHTY decisions? The truth is I'm not sure. I know I was present and played an important part in every single piece of the deliciousness of it all. I know along the way so many things changed. 

At some point in my life's movie I started saying no to 3 day hangovers and hello to early nights. Saying no thanks to late night tapas and exchanged it for weekend breakfast dates with friends. I said good bye to unfulfilling work and followed my bliss to be a Personal Trainer, fear fighter and Wellness coach. I said adios to being able to a do what you want, when you want lifestyle, and welcomed the birth of my first child, Master Archer. I went from worrier to WARRIOR and made some changes.

By saying no to something else and following your heart sometimes results in a GIANT resounding YES to your spirit, your family and a whole lot of growth. 

IT'S OK TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. Its great to move forward and end up somewhere different. Priorities are open for negotiations but your happiness is not. 

I was hitting road block after road block, and I resisted this for so long. You immediately know you have made the right decision because you feel light, settled and happy. 

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly". That's the sort of epic universal evolution I am after. 

I am making decisions to follow my spirit and see the world through the eyes of a child for awhile. HOW FABULOUS! I am listening to the calls that excite my spirit, I am hanging with my son and I am embracing my creative flow. When we take time to live, it will in turn inspire our work. 

Archer and I cloud watching this week...utterly AMAZING. He thinks I am a pretty big deal.

So my gorgeous friends, can you relate?

Are you ready to adjust your sails and change your path? OR here's a fun thought...maybe this was the path you were always meant to travel and you are just realising it now.

Are you picking up what I am putting down?

Universe you sexy beast.... COME AT ME! 

Love Kt.

xox

[yourwildlife101]

DOING IT!

Well I am totally JAZZED! 

I am signed up, thrust forward and dipping my toe in the pool of possibilities. I was asked the question this week, what would I do with my 25th hour, and it rocked my rose coloured world. 

The answer was fast, clear and rather loud... "ROCK MY BLOG". 

Now before you say, "WTF" Katie.... what about your family? Your son, your hunky hubby?" 

I fill their cups for the other 24 hours in my day. I love them with every fibre that I am. I would offer them my last ounce of energy in that 24 hours, however if I was granted one extra hour in my delicious day, I would spend it on ME. I would get going on my YWL, kick my coaching up a notch and try and reach as many people as possible. 

This is what moves me. This is what drives me. This is what gave me a certain jaunt to my walk yesterday and I have woken up with the same fire in my belly today. 

Taking time to LIVE and follow your bliss will ignite every other aspect of your life. It will help you be YOU more truthfully. 

I was worried about the time this would take.

THE TIME WILL PASS ANYWAY! 

I was worried about "finding" the time to make this happen.

I WILL MAKE THE TIME. 

So I jumped... I am surrounding myself with some epic women and I have increased the size of my tribe. I am pushing my boundaries, I am channelling my energies and I am ALL FIRED UP! 

In the midst of winter, I found in myself an invincible summer. LIFE POINTS FOR ME! This feels good in my soul. I am tooting my horn, and I am absolutely ok with it! 

So my dear friends, my TRIBE, my crazy free spirits, what have you done for you?

What is something you keep putting off? Could NOW be the time?

Where is your hearts passion? Is it ready for ignition? 

Let's throw back the dust covers and bust through the glass ceiling we have created for ourselves and take an almighty step in the right direction. 

What if you fall? WHAT IF YOU FLY?

Have the BEST day wild ones, you deserve it! 

Love Katie xox

[yourwildlife101]

Don't just go through life...GROW through life!

Well if these words didn't cross my path at the most perfect and kismet of times. Don't you just LOVE when that happens?

Im a sign searcher...I look for signs to life's questions. I know if ever I'm indecisive about something, the trusty universe will soon create my cross roads and the answer will be clear. 

I have gone through some pretty spectacular changes lately. My life has been flipped, twisted, turned, shaken and given new purpose. After the traumatic way in which my son entered the world I was a little lost, my FIRE definitely dimmed a little as I lost my balance. I went into the 4th trimester of my pregnancy as I like to call it and went under ground. I dealt with everything that came to surface and it took ALOT but the results are fabulous! 

Things that I thought were once super important to me, my driving force are now not as shiny..SHOCK. Things that once scared me, no longer do..BOOM (however my fears are now very different...HA).

I have a NEW drive and a rockin' NEW zest for life. This is not at all to detract from what was, but instead to revel in what IS and what will be.

Arriving here has not been all WOOHOOO, and revelations let me tell you.

You know how the lotus flower has to grow through mud before it get's to bloom?

ME = Lotus, Mind chatter/Life situation = MUD

Ready to hear what I came up with ?

IT'S OK TO CHANGE YOUR MIND! 

It's totally ok for the world to change for you. It's unbelievably ok for you to go a different direction and see the world a different way. It's kind of like putting on a different pair of sunglasses and the lenses are different which then makes the world as you know it appear different. It's fabulous if you learn to see things differently. Priorities change and hearts burst and you realise you are just about to GROW again. 

GO YOU! 

With growth comes change, and change often comes after a little chaos. 

Allowing yourself the space to figure it out and the freedom to have your beliefs change is so important. It's ok to change your mind and have what you THINK you know shaken a little. It's even better to want to learn more about this new mind set!

At the moment I feel I am changing EVERYDAY. My mind is full of amazing ideas to bring to my clients. I am looking at new techniques and courses and ways to connect with people more and help lighten their load. I am revelling in the love that comes from my tiny human, he is just more fabulous every single day. I didn't know what a joy he could bring. ITS CRAAAAZY! The thought of being someone's mother once scared me too, now I have so much love to give, I just can't explain it, but I will try very soon. 

We can't be set in stone. We need to be willing to be MORE and do MORE and love ourselves MORE then we thought was once enough. 

So my question to you is what CHANGE are you fighting? What edge are you tip toeing along? Are you about to surge through the proverbial mud and bloom like a mother fluffin' lotus flower? 

EMBRACE it, ROCK it and GO FOR IT! The world is ready for you now.

Love Katie.

xox

[yourwildlife101]

What makes YOU feel good?

Do you know? 

Have you asked yourself lately? 

It's one of those questions that we should all know the answer too. It should roll off the tongue. It should be EASY to answer, but many of us have no idea. 

We can answer what we don't like, but rarely what we DO. 

Life gets busy right, and things happen. The one constant in life is that everything changes. Some thing's change for the better and sometimes not so much. 

The one thing that needs to remain constant, throughout any change is that YOU should have the most kick ass relationship with yourself. Yep...you heard me right. You need to have a total love affair with the awesome person that is you. 

When you are in a relationship with someone, you WANT to do what makes them happy. You make them a priority. You want to make them feel GREAT! 

If you neglect them, ignore them, put their needs on the back burner, and let's be honest...it all turns to shit! You break up or break down and if you're a woman, you probably break out too...HA! 

So after the long journey into motherhood, the marathon birth and the total baby bliss I am living I have learnt and are learning MANY lessons. I know how important it is to make ME a priority. I know if I am going to be the best mumma to my little human, I need to feel balanced, strong and sane. 

What makes me feel all sorts of SPARKLY is moving my body. It's feeling strong, being HEALTHY and getting outside. I was sitting there at 6:00am this morning after Archer's 2nd breakfast ( just like his mumma). I was thinking about how much I would love to go for a run. How much I used to LOVE it. Instead of thinking of all the reason's why I probably shouldn't, too soon after caesar, still dark out, it's kind of cold, could go tomorrow, should probably rest...the one reason why I should go over ran all the others. 

BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD! 

To hell with everything else. I got changed, rugged my little bambino up, put him in the pram and out the door. Obviously I can't run yet, but I CAN walk. Archer LOVED it. He slept all the way, we both got some fresh air and I smiled the entire time and it hit me... it was HAPPENING! 

PROJECT REFIT HAS BEGAN. 

I am taking my power back. I am making time for me, and I feel so totally jazzed about it. 

So now my wonderful friends. What have you let fall by the way-side? 

What have you stopped doing that made you feel all giddy? 

Priorities will ALWAYS be shifting and changing, thats the wonderful part about life. We can't however use life events/ work/ family to be the reason we don't find that little bit of something- something just for US! 

NO GUILT ALLOWED. 

You deserve to feel AMAZING, powerful, kick-ass and totally all over it. 

Do you? 

If not, you will soon :) 

Excited much? HELL YEAH! Game on WORLD!

Love Kt

xox

[yourwildlife101]

Holy SHOOT... Im a MUM!

Its Mothers Day today, and i thought this was the PERFECT DAY to dip my toe back in to the blog-osphere, and share what has been happening in my wild world. 

ALOT has happened in the 2 weeks since my last post. I feel like I have lived a thousand years in these two weeks, but in the same instance, time has stood still. 

Our baby boy arrived 29th April weighing 8 pound 14 oz, and let me tell you, he made his entry in a very much anticipated, however incredibly drawn out way. We didn't get the beautiful, spiritual, daisy filled, natural birth we were hoping for.

NO WAY HOSEA.  Instead I got the extended, directors cut, no holds barred, 23 hr, ending in C-section filled with tons of drugs and pain killers that I had zero intention of having. I was REALLY upset by this the first few days. Whilst I loved my baby, I felt dupped out of my experience. I was not prepared for it. I was mad, in pain, hurt and had a reaction to the morphine that I didn't even know they were giving me. I was hearing about ALL of these beautiful labour stories. 3 hrs, 5 hrs, drug free love fest's, and I felt I had failed my baby and my body failed me.

I threw myself an ALMIGHTY pity party on day 3/4 and cried ALOT...(cue Baby Blues). I was then given some tough love, woke up, and I promised myself I would not stay silent. Sharing is healing, and I know more women will have felt this way. I am not the first, and I won't be the last who  will have things go a little pear shaped. 

I had an epiphany.

I didn't miss my experience. This WAS my experience. This WAS the way I got to bring my little hercules into the world, and I had to be ok with that and trust the process. We have to be OK with what comes next. 

Now where have I heard that before?

What I did get, is the most WONDERFUL, strong, soulful, wise little boy I could ever have hoped for. We are so blessed that he choose us as his parents and I even miss him whilst I am writing this. 

I have GOT to say though. Nothing can prepare you for the first week of your child's life. So many things have new meaning, it's completely overwhelming and not all in the lovey dovey way :) 

So..here are a few words that will forever be changed in my mind.. you have to see the funny side right?

BABY BLUES - Once what was a beautiful shade of blue, is now the earth crashing events of day 3-4 after birth. I was crying at EVERYTHING. "Would you like some water dear?" " Waaaaaah" "How are you feeling honey?" "Waaaaaah", "Your baby is BEAUTIFUL!" "Waaaaah" If anyone was lucky enough to have to enter my room to check in, they copped the water works. Nurses, family, husband, catering staff. You name it, I cried at it. I needed reassurance and hugs. Even if I was happy, I cried.

Can you say PAR-TAAAY?

ENGORGED - What once sounded like a beautiful canyon somewhere, NOW refers to the giant, world dominating masses that were my breasts. They actually went SQUARE and nurses were coming in to view the beasts. BEAST MODE had new meaning. The pressure was so intense, that I had to be manually hand expressed by the nurses at the hospital. I have a new appreciation for the ever faithful dairy cow :) 

CAESAR - What was once one of the ever faithful go-to salads of millions was now, and forever more changed. One Dr put it to me as, "why come out of the door when you can jump out the sun roof?". Well...that's one way of looking at it. HA! 

NIPPLE SHIELD - Sounds like something your breasts take into war? Well this one is actually pretty accurate. This beautiful clear silicone device has acted as a safety barrier going to war against the appetite of an almost 9 pound baby. 

"BRINGING YOUR MILK IN" - What once would have only referred to the simple trip you would do in retrieving the groceries from the car now refers to the FEEDING FRENZY that your new tiny bundle will be doing in order to let your body know that "HEY... STOP BO-GARTING ALL THE MILK and FEED ME ALREADY". 

CLUSTER FEEDING - Sounds like a breakfast feast or a treat you would munch on at the movies? Well it's NOT! Its the feeding frenzy that comes from growth spurts had by your tiny bundle or the before mentioned bringing your milk in. Bubs is relentless and if they are doing their job well, they will be at you and your boobs to feed, feed, feed. WHO KNEW?

I wasn't ready for so much of those first few days after he was born. I had no idea on how tough it would be. No-one had told me, or if they did I didn't listen. You know why none of it was mentioned or managed to raise a flag in my mind? 

Because none of it matters. None of the pain, tears, fear, anxiety. None of it at all. Because he is here, I'm figuring it out, and each day I love him even more.

HE CHOSE ME.

He is my heart, and I will love him and protect him fearlessly. I would go through it a million times to bring him into this world and can't believe my luck. 

I am MOTHER hear me roar. 

So coming up to mothers day, to all the mothers out there, I SALUTE YOU. 

To all the sons and daughters out there, if you can, call your mum, or go see her. Hug her tight because she will love you like no other. SERIOUSLY...THIS IS A POWERFUL, PRIMAL, CRAZY kind of love. 

Bring on the number 3's, cluster feeds, cracked nipples, and flying wee. 

I feel calm, and like I am doing what I am meant to be doing. I am TOTALLY loving this pure mum time before I head back to work. Every milk stained, mustard poo minute, projectile spews minute.

Motherhood is a privilege, and I will never take it for granted. I know there are many who are waiting for their day to be a mum, and I send you all the most positive vibes that your baby will be here soon.

What have I learnt this two weeks?

I can do anything I put my mind too and so can you, and if you are going through HELL...KEEP GOING. There are far better things waiting for you on the other side.

Im living it. 

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY EVERYONE.

Archer Harrison Dean - My little hero. 

Love Katie 

xox

[yourwildlife101]

My meltdown... she was a GOOD ONE!

The UGLY cry.

Ever had one?

You know the kind where you have no control over the fluids falling from your face? The one where you scrunch your eyes up, curl over at the shoulders, throw your hands in the air and truly wail? 

Well my friends that was me Wednesday. HA!

I cried/ wailed/ howled with such force I burst some blood vessels in my face. It was a full on, no holds barred breakdown that lasted around 17 minutes yet left my face looking like I had a run in with a band of bee's for the entire day. 

My poor husband was on the receiving end of this almighty pity party and he handled it beautifully. ( Well played Mr Dean ) 

Why did I have this volcanic eruption of emotion? 

Because I had bottled it up? Because I wasn't dealing with the issue? Because I'm human? Because life happens? Because it's TOTALLY normal? 

Absolutely.

All of the above and add to that I am waiting for a baby that doesn't want to come, that it now takes 35 mins to waddle a distance that used to take 10, I have carpel tunnel in my hands, i have pubis symphasis disfunction which feels like my hips have split and I am constantly sweating like a Russian hooker on a double shift. (Excuse the colourful description, but I was on a roll) 

Now, all of the above doesn't bother me at all 99.99% of the time. I wanted it for so long and have managed to make more jokes about my situation then I care to recall, but sometimes even the most optimistic of folks deserve a MELTDOWN. 

It felt AMAZING. I felt empowered, and I totally recommend it. 

I used to feel guilty, SLIGHTLY insane, and often felt I needed to justify the out pouring of emotion afterwards, but not any more. 

EMOTIONS are WONDERFUL. They show you are sensitive, and real and that life matters to you. The occasional use of an UGLY CRY is so cleansing for the soul and an essential part of being present. The only negative is when you choose to linger in the "sads". 

Visit, take a little day bag, an overnighter if you must, but DO NOT unpack and live there....the view is way to good back in the land of positive vibes :) 

See you there.

Love Kt xox