Clementime & Clove

08/07/2023

- Louie loves his new jumper! Nice to meet you both today at the market.

We’ve been calling him sweater vest all afternoon ❤️❤️❤️

Mel & Simon x

07/07/2023

Happy Saturday - love these words xx

There is no
one right way of living.
There is no
one timeline that you must adhere to.
There is no
one true calling that you must pursue.
There is no
one fixed destiny that you must fulfil.
There is no
one set mould that you must fit into.
There is no
one standard of beauty that you must meet.
There is no
one ideal personality that you must possess.
There is no
one definition of success that you must achieve.
There is no
one amount of wealth that you must amass.
There is no
one measure of happiness that you must attain.
There is
no one linear path that you must walk.
And there is no
one ultimate goal that you must reach.

Words by Tahlia Hunter

Artwork by Lucy Campbell

07/07/2023

Feeling like an olde world explorer finding new lands being only the 8,088,908 member on threads… 30 million in the first 24 hours? Crazy!

Totally attracted to the dopamine rush - no ads, has conversations reminiscent of the early social media years. I’m all for it!

28/06/2023

Out for a walk this morning in the cold 🧊🧊🧊🧊🧊 and got this shot of the boy.

No filter, no special manoeuvres, just happened to catch him in the right amount of light so that the iPhone did this.

I love lucky accidents.

❄️

16/06/2023

Wore my “Nope, not today” T-shirt at the gym with my exercise rehab guy.

It’s been a bit of a week, Simon is in Perth, some mental health challenges at home and even my super loved cavoodle has been annoying me with his barking.

And it wasn’t to say to Cam - no, I’m not doing much, it was for me to remind myself that today, even with heightened anxiety and a little bit of attitude to be honest, that whatever effort I put in was enough, to not give up because I couldn’t work optimally. That Nope, I wasn’t giving up today.

And of course, I felt much better after my session and more equipped to look forward to the rest of the day.

The dopamine rush of driving Ivy through the leaf lined streets of Melbourne helped too 💚

So it’s ok to just do a little.

Take those micro-steps.

Be gentle on yourself and if you need a pick me up - find yourself a green Mini Cooper to zip around in - I totally recommend it 💚💚💚

13/06/2023

Had a super interesting conversation this morning on a group call this morning with the talented

We were talking about unrelenting standards, our punitive schemas and what we do to ourselves that hold us back.

And we talked about the concept of being “violently uncomfortable” and I found it fascinating.

I know and understand the stuff around mindset / having a scarcity mindset where we contract and end up living super small, and a growth mindset which is what and I have embarked on by moving to Melbourne.

The nuance here that I had missed previously around the fact that this growth phase is so big and so overwhelming at times.

That the periods where I sit curled up in the couch - and allow ( cause it is a choice 😉) allllllllllllllll the reasons why we should have stayed in Perth flood in… and feel basically like crap is not only normal, it’s actually a necessary part of the growth phase.

That’s it’s necessary to be violently uncomfortable as I stretch myself to become something new, to do something big and scary

It’s my choice always, and we can choose again and again with what to do with our lives, but if we are not being challenged and feeling a little bit like we are going to p**p our pants - are we pushing ourselves to our full limits?

It’s worth a thought ❤️

04/06/2023

Love ❤️❤️❤️

Happy

14/05/2023

Enjoying Mothers Day coffee with Si at the gorgeous ❤️❤️❤️❤️

We are so lucky to have them in the next street…

Coffee, beers, snacks and the best toasted Reuben ❤️

04/05/2023

New lettuce dress from

Been feeling a little flat lately - I think the enormity of moving across the country, leaving friends and family and challenges in Melbourne have dimmed my smile a little.

Completely normal and understandable.

Yesterday I unashamedly wallowed - ate badly ( oh the self judgement there!) didn’t move my body and generally held a massive pity party. I did binge watch 7 episodes of criminal minds though so totally across how to hide the body 😂😂😂😂

Today it’s all about doing what is counter-intuitive. Feel like crap? Double down on self- care and take time to pamper yourself.

So wearing the new dress, have done the makeup and off to my favourite cafe to have chats with the gorgeous Ruby and a divine lunch.

Make sure you do something for you today.

And May the Fourth be with you ( sorry - love love Star Wars!)

Mel x

19/04/2023

This was sent to me this morning as a reminder.

We had been having a conversation about resilience, and the need to go though periods of pain and adjustment.

That we can’t run away from things that feel uncomfortable and it’s by facing them, we learn important lessons and grow as a person.

I have a special place in my heart for fire, as my gorgeous Dad waa a fireman ❤️🔥

Take the time to read the whole thing, it is beautiful.

Mel x

FIRE WALKERS

It is our human instinct: Run from fire.

But resilience isn’t born from the ability to successfully avoid life’s fires.

Life cannot be lived,
embraced,
enjoyed
while we are breathlessly sprinting away from the flames…

These are inevitable.

Distractions,
addictions,
busyness,
consumerism…
They are but short-lived injections to numb the overwhelm.

Fire cannot be outrun.
And attempts to do so only result in a perpetual state of fear…
Of dysfunction…
Of exhaustion.

Fire can, however, be walked through…
And in doing this,
overcome…

When we choose to step into the heart of the burn,
When we allow ourselves to feel the turbulent flames of every emotion fully,
When we give ourselves compassionate permission to be engulfed…

To cry,
to laugh,
to scream,
to dance,
to rage,
to embrace.

To FEEL…

We become fire walkers…

Only after we have been immersed in the inferno of all our emotions,
will we realize that we STILL STAND.
That we are flameproof…

The fire no longer burns.
The flames no longer scorch.
The fear no longer overwhelms…

Fire is not our enemy-
It illuminates the path we are required to take.
Feeling deeply does not cause pain-
It provides release from it…

Embrace fire walking…

Our capacity to feel is our shared human experience…

It keeps us breathing.
It keeps us connected.
And it reminds us that we are truly alive…

With love and a box of matches
Naomi 🔥 ♥️

08/04/2023

Happy Easter - hope everyone takes some downtime over this long weekend to rest and recuperate.

It’s rainy and windy here in Melbourne and Louie is making the most of the snuggle opportunities ❤️

22/02/2023

I’ve been super quiet on here since November.

A little has happened - we packed up our whole life - 25 years of living in the same suburb, sold or gave away 70% of our stuff and moved to Melbourne three weeks ago!

We decided to stop living small and take a risk - new adventures, great business opportunities, the cutest little terrace cottage and in a place that Simon and I both love.

I miss my friends and my daughter dreadfully, but also loving making new connections and trying and experiencing new things daily. It’s been fabulous watching Jack have his eyes opened to possibilities - we even all went to Pride 🌈- which was fabulous.

When I’m coaching, I talk about being authentic and allowing yourself to shine, to be seen. For so long, I covered myself in a coating of black, ashamed of my size, feeling I wasn’t good/pretty/small enough to wear fabulous frocks.

Well - meet my new fave - from - and it’s roosters! And I might have accidentally ordered a couple more 😱😱😱😱

And don’t worry - Ivy the gorgeous green mini made the trip across the Nullarbor safely and with no damage and she is living zipping around Melbourne - although we haven’t done a hook turn yet!