Finally...I AM BACK!!!

THIS BLOG FROM BELOW IS FROM A YEAR AGO...I AM BACK...WOOOOOHOOOOO :)

Finally...amongst the chaos of life in general, raising an overly-independent toddler & running my own business I have learned to prioritise my time & limit my face-aches(from the addiction of facebook lol). I have FINALLY started this blog...I have been wanting to do this for ages...procrastination is a biatch!

I Just turned the BIG 4-0 & it's not as fabulous as I thought to be honest (what exactly was I expecting though)? It must be the hormones...or the fact we moved house...or that hubby works away alot...or maybe that I am still TRYING to lose the 'baby-weight' I gained 4 years ago (and the rest)...or perhaps its that I am STILL looking for what I am PASSIONATE about(besides my business)..hmmm it could be that I suddenly feel bored...a tad bit lonely...frustrated even...about what though? GEEZ I dunno??? One thing I know for certain though...I miss my Mum more than ever at 40:(

Welcome to my blog. I have so much to share...and TODAY is a GREAT day to start:)

The house is quiet, I have Glee in the background & I type with somewhat urgency.

This blog is a journey of self-RE-discovery, opening my heart & releasing it :)

B R E A T H E... L E T I T A L L O U T...

Glad you are here:) Linda

Eat Pray Love & The Medicine Man

TRAVEL is one of my passions...I started when I was 18. I've been to about 25 countries & plan to travel to another 25 in the next 5-10 years.

I've been fortunate enough to visit Bali 5 times (as a single woman). So in July, 2010, when my family & I visited it was a whole NEW experience. I actually did some serious sight-seeing and saw quite a lot of the magical island.(partying hard & hang-overs & shopping frenzies where pretty much the itinerary for the first 5 visits)

I remember seeing an interview on Oprah with Julia Roberts about a movie she had done called 'Eat Pray Love' and it sounded awesome. I heard about the popularity of the book and how many women had poured themselves into it...& I wanted to as well.

It just so turned out that I coincidentally started to read the book a week before our trip to Bali and that REALLY excited me. I told my husband Anan that i just HAD to meet 2 of the characters from the book Wayan & Ketut Liyur (Medicine Man)

Our trip to Bali was actually to celebrate my 40th Birthday. I was very VERY lucky & blessed to have one of my best friends Nicole join us, as well as her hubby Brian and Nicole's Mum & Dad also came along. We had a blast...it was sooooo much FUN...my BEST birthday ever! And when they all returned to Australia, Anan, Rhianna & I continued our 3 week journey of Bali.

We traveled up North to an area called Lovina. It was gorgeous, the black sand beaches, stunning sunsets, exotic foods and just the relaxed atmosphere. We did so much in the 5 days we were there...the most memorable experience was visiting the Helen Flavel Foundation and donating clothes and bags of rice to the poorest villages of Lovina.

Then we moved on to Ubud...the place where the movie 'Eat Pray Love' was filmed. We only passed through Ubud...Anan wasn't to keen about visiting Ubud for the reasons I had explained BUT it's something I just HAD to do...I was a bit nervouse actually...I have never really met REAL people from a book I had JUST finished reading lol...I just cound NOT want to meet them!!!

If you have read the book or seen the movie you remember a character named 'Wayan'. he was the healer with long black hair that had a daughter named Tutu. We managed to find her shop and i thought it would be a good idea if I got her to sign my book.

So I walked into her small shop/restaurant and instantly noticed her. I asked her for a menu and I suddenly felt her negative vibrations. She must of thought 'another bloody woman wanting an autograph'. I felt really uncomfortable...and pride got the better of me and I left...I was pissed off as well!

I told Anan that she was a cow! I know that Anan had no real 'connection' to it all and begged him to go in and get her to sign my book and of course my amazing husband did:)(thanks babes)

Then we moved on the the Medicine mans residence. It was EXACTLY what I expected...the book was so descriptive and he was sooooooo LOVELY! He hardly had any teeth...his English was very broken (but after my experience of teaching English in Japan it was easy for me to understand).

As soon as I sat down directly in front of him he noticed I was holding a copy of the book. He took it from me and flicked through the pages...then he asked me to find a page where he could see his name printed on it, then he asked me to read a little.

After some small chit-chat we got serious and he did a healing session with me and read my palm. I was with him for about 30 mins and made a donation when I left.

This is what he said;

- Anan is a very lucky man to have me as his wife.
- i am a very strong and powerful woman.
- I am a very kind and loving soul.
- I will be successful in anything I pursue.
- I will have 3 children.
- I will not get Breast Cancer.
- I will not suffer with any other serious disease.
- I should slow down when I drive.
- I will run my own school someday in a poor country.
- I will travel the world & help as many people as I can.
- Anan & I will be married until we are old & grey & until he dies.
- Once again that Anan is a very very lucky man to have me as his wife.

We kissed, we hugged & we took photos.

And I smiled for the next 2 weeks...I was so happy...I really believe he has some special magical powers...and I will visit him each time I visit Bali.
What a beautiful, wondrous, extraordinary, magical man:)

So if anyone plans to visit Bali, I strongly recommend a trip to Ubud, not only for the amazing experience you can share with Ketut Liyur but Ubud is a very stunning town that just oozes culture & arts (with lots of 35+ women floating around holding Elizabeth Gilmores amazing book)(YES, I noticed them lol)

EAT PRAY LOVE...I DO :) Love Linda

p.s. Yes, I have stopped speeding lol

STOP Complaining....it's amazing what happens!!

Look, I know we ALL complain, whinge, criticize, moan, groan at some stage or other...some more some less...it's a part of our culture and upbringing(for most of us. Almost everyone living in every nook and corner of this world does it. And yes, we all are aware of the fact that it’s not good to complain or criticize unnecessarily, still we tend to do so. BUT, honestly, it's really NOT necessary and if you can somehow STOP and think about what you are about to say and come from a place of gratitude, you will be AMAZED at what things WILL happen!

For me, it's a constant challenge. When I am feeling grumpy & moody I find myself complaining more that often. But I have really improved and I am now able to really watch what comes ut of my mouth & I have learnt, through my love of personal development books to come MORE from a place of Gratitude. And, the fact that I am married to the most positive, inspirational, gratfeul being on earth:)

For example...I used to catch myself saying things like "Gosh it's so hot today", "I am so fat", "I wish I lived closer to my sister" and "this steak is so tough" AND NOW I FIND MYSELF SAYING "I'm so grateful I live in sunny Perth", I am grateful I am attractive, my skin is clear & my hair is beautiful & curly", "I am grateful I live in Port Kennedy, Perth and not Nazareth, Israel(where Anan is from" and "I am grateful I have food on the table"

It's a learning process...being in a state of gratitude will change your life forever. Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life.Gratitude creates the most wonderful feeling. It can resolve disputes. It can strengthen friendships. And it makes us better men and women. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
-- Melody Beattie, best selling author and journalist

I decided to share today a few tips, I believe these tips will help us all remain in a state of happiness and live the inspirational lives we truly desire to live.

First, we have to decide to be GRATEFUL. An inspirational life is filled with gratitude. Again, we have to decide to be grateful. Huh? Yes, gratitude is a decision, an emotion, and a state of being. Gratitude is synonymous with appreciation. When we are grateful, we increase. We increase the quality of our lives as well as our own vibration. By way of the law of attraction we draw more things to appreciate in our reality.

Second, if you find yourself in the company of complainers all too often, it is time to find some new people to hang-out with. Your subconscious mind is listening to this crap and if you hear enough of it, you will find yourself complaining too. If you want to enjoy life as you co-create your reality, then you can’t hang out with people who won’t stop complaining.

Third, accentuate the positive. Now this may sound like a rap song by Lil’ Wayne or JayZ, but I am totally and completely serious here. Discover ways to accentuate the positive. When I say accentuate the positive, I mean bring the positive things to your attention while other folks are complaining.

And one last tip, and I got this tip from my good friend Ranae. Each night, before you have dinner, hold hands with your partner and/or loved one/s and share 3 things you are Grateful for. My 4-year-old daughter Rhianna really looks forward to this each night and now truly understands the meaning of GRATITUDE.

Tonight, as we held hands as a family she said " I am grateful I have a yummy dinner tonight, chicken & rice & miso soup & salad...and i am grateful I can see Cadence tomorrow and I love Mummy & Daddy, I missed them today when I was at Kindy"

AWWWWWWW How cute is that !

With respect & gratitude, Linda :)

Acknowledge your friends

Friendship is one of those interesting concepts that defy any real definition. Some people claim to have 150 good friends, others may only have one good friend and for them that’s plenty. For me personally, I have 2 very very DEAR CLOSE friends. I have known them for 20+ years, they know pretty much know EVERYTHING about me & we connect on a regular basis (usually daily on email or facebook). Then, I'd say I have a handful of BEST friends...some i have known for ages, some for a few years, but the connection and closeness is there.

Then I have about 20/30 really GOOD friends (eg. friends I have been close to in the past but hardy see them nowadays) and then I have hundreds of 'friends', you know people from high school, friends from your old work...and alot of them are probably even acquaintances...do you know what I mean? Anyway, I am blessed...I truly am.

I like to think of my closest friends more as confidantes. Those people I can confide in; those who I know will have my back when things go wrong, those who pick me up when I’m down and who share the laughs when times (fortunately most times) are good. More importantly they know that support is reciprocated. That they can count on me when they need me most.

Recently, I have realised several things: never take anyone for granted, let alone those closest to you; if you are frustrated always consider that other people’s problems may be far more serious than your own frustrations and your family and friends are the most important people in the world.

It is your family and friends who offer support and who you may discover are just as important mentors as any author or well-respected business-person that may be driving your ambition.

Without support your ambition means nothing. Without support there is no one to share your successes. Without support you tread a lonely and dangerous path.

So, next time you speak to your true friends, let them know how much you appreciate them being around. It’s a few words that will mean a great deal to both of you and will ensure your friendship lasts as long as it should.

Since we are on the topic of FRIENDS...I'd like to acknowledge some of the most dearest, & loving people in my life...some of them are like sisters & I am so grateful and blessed to have them in my world...without them I am nothing.

Nicole, Patricia, Jennifer, Ranae, Ronny & Karen.
My life is so much more meaningful having you as my closest friends.
Thank you for always being there for me & thank you for being YOU.

"My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."
- Henry Ford

And to ALL of my friends out there, I love you dearly...This is my wish for you:

Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.

My appreciation is ever-growing, Linda

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as when one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.
The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg,or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level?

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best~of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

I didn't write this, but it's an amazing article & I wanted to share:)

Live, Love, laugh, Linda:)

Do you believe in coincidence or the work of spirits?

At 1am, Friday 14th January, my dear 94 year old Nanna (Greta) had a nasty fall at the Elderly Lodge where she was staying and was quickly admitted to Swan Districts hospital.

At 10.30 that morning my sister, Shelley was notified of the fall and that they needed to get in contact with her son Keith to obtain permission to commence surgery on her brain as she had developed 2 blood clots from the fall. They also strongly advised Shelley to visit Nanna in hospital as it was pretty serious. Soon after they had connected with Keith who advised not to operate due to a number of reasons, (1/ She was 94 & had been through enough and 2/ There was no guarantee she would survive the operation).

My sister Shelley, who was pretty much Nanna's primary carer since our Mum passed away a few years ago, planned to drive to the hospital and would then call me to let me know how she was.

During this time, Anan & Rhianna (4) had been present and aware of what was going on. I started to gather a few things together as deep in my heart, I knew it was serious & that I had to go and see her (for most likely the last time)

Rhianna sat on my computer desk, and had drawn on an envelope I had written on. I was researching the currency exchange rate for Thai Baht and had written some conversions. Rhianna had asked me if Nanna was going to die and I replied saying "maybe sweety, maybe its her time to be with God & the angels"....

You will be absolutely Amazed, shocked, spooked by what Rhianna had written

My beautiful Nanna sadly passed away at 8.22pm that evening.

RIP Nanna, we all love you and miss you so very much...



Now if you look closely she has written 'FRI' (perhaps abbreviated for Friday-the day Nanna passed). And a back-to-front 'J' which is the first initial of my Mums name.
Then you can clearly see 'RIP' with a 'N' (perhaps Nanna) & another 'J)

In Loving Memory of 'Greta Helen Maxwell'

Read at Nanna's Funeral...

Today, I'd like to reminisce about our beautiful Nanna on behalf of all of her Grand kids.

How lucky we all were to have our Nanna live to the amazing age of 94. Selfishly, we wanted her to live forever but finally she is at peace resting in the palm of Gods hands and graciously reunited with her beautiful daughters Thelma & Janice, loving son Ronny & late husbands Jack & Arthur (Pop). Not to forget her long time companion 'Bonnie the Jack Russell'.

Nanna was so very wise & witty and had a phenomenal memory of the past. I am pretty sure those crosswords she would do religiously every day helped her with her memory. We would often share stories and share memories of our childhood and listen to Nanna telling us all about our family history.

Sunday's were always very special for us. We would drive down to Safety bay for the yummiest Sunday roast, home made soup and the extra special home made Apple Pie (Yes Alan I mentioned the apple pie:)

In the afternoon we would spend time having a game of cards, dominoes or darts. Us girls would catch up on all the goss with Nanna's huge pile of Women's Weekly & new idea magazines.

Some school holidays were spent staying over her house with friends and we would walk down to the beach in the morning and every now & then she would give us a few cooking lessons in the afternoon...mind ou we could never cook as good as nan !!

Wherever we went we walked or caught a bus. We were always amazed that Nanna never drove her whole life...I don't think she had ever driven a car...us kids thought that was pretty funny!

Nanna was a real down-to-earth lady who absolutely loved her bowls, darts & Aussie Rules Football. She was a very loyal Eagles fan with a soft spot for the Dockers. We also remember her enjoying her mid-day movies and I also remember us kids would always nick her peppermints and chocolate eclair lollies from her kitchen cupboard (top shelf) and have a sip of her beer when no-one was looking.

Greeting Nanna while at the lodge was always a great experience as we would go into her room and nanna would light up with a huge smile from ear to ear. Funnily enough, like we did as kids, our own kids would go straight to her bed side table top drawer) and nick her lollies and chocolates. We would get the best hugs and kisses from her. She truly loved visits from her family and friends and that's how we would to remember our beloved Nanna...her gentle hands and warm giving heart. She was such a beautiful woman...so kind...so special...we miss her so very much...

Our darling Nanna leaves behind 7 Grand Children: Gregory, Linda, Clinton, Bradley, Shelley, Cory & Travis.

And 11 Great Grand Children Brooke, Joshua, Ryan, Alana, Jesse, Kynan, Stevie, Rhianna, Cadence, Brodie & Lily.

We Love You Nanna
We Love You GG

R. I. P

Letting Go of a Relationship That Stresses You

Research shows that having ambivalent friendships in your life—relationships where interactions are sometimes supportive and positive and sometimes hostile or negative—can actually cause more stress than relationships that are consistently negative! Additionally, relationship conflict and stress have been shown to have a clear negative impact on health, affecting blood pressure, contributing to heart disease, and correlating with other conditions. That’s why it’s in your best interest to minimize or eliminate negative relationships in your life. The following plan can help you to minimize the stress of ambivalent relationships in your life.

Step One: Make a list of friendships in your life. Include everyone you think of when you think of your ‘friends’, including those you only see on your holiday card list, those you see regularly, and everyone in between. Also include romantic partners, if they're in your life now or may come back into your life at some point.


Step Two: Circle the names of people who you know are positive: those who support you when you’re down and genuinely share your joy when good things happen to you. As for the others, evaluate the relationship honestly to see if it’s a benefit or a detriment to you. The following questions may help:
-Is this relationship worth the amount of work required to maintain it?
-Is this a person I would choose to have in my life if we just met today? Or have I been holding onto this relationship out of habit?
-Does this person make me feel good about myself? Am I uncomfortable around them?
-Is this friend competitive with me in a negative way?
-Do I like who I am when I’m with them? Or do we seem to bring out the worst in each other?
-How deeply can I trust this person? Could I count on them if I needed to? Could I share my feelings freely?
-Do we have common interests and values? If not, do I benefit from the differences?
-Am I receiving as much as I give?
-If I gave this relationship the effort it deserves, would it benefit me and enrich my life?

After answering some of these questions, you should have a clearer picture of whether this relationship is positive or negative for you. Circle the person’s name if you believe that the relationship is positive and supportive, or if it could be, given an appropriate amount of time and energy. Otherwise, cross off the name.


Step Three: Now put more of a focus into the relationships you have with the people whose names are circled. Remember that relationships, when healthy and supportive, are worth the time and energy you put into them, and give them the time that they deserve. As for the names that are crossed off, you can decide whether you want to keep sending them holiday cards and maintain a friendly rapport when you see them by chance, or if you want to make a clean break. But don’t allow them to continue to add stress and negativity to your life. Reserve your energy for your true friends.