Journal #25
With the theme of burnout in mind, I thought I would share the things on my radar to help nurture my physical, mental and spiritual self.
Emergence, 4-Day Byron Bay Artist Retreat
Going on a retreat sounds like heaven right now, and Rachael Sardelich’s 4-Day Retreat in the hinterlands of Byron Bay is definitely on my hit list for the year's second half.
Rachael is my creative mentor and meditation teacher; anything she creates is rich in magical insight and creativity. Rach describes this retreat as being a healing balm for the creative heart. Emergence is a full-body experience that calls upon the wisdom of healers, innovators and storytellers to nurture and upgrade your innovative architecture — the parts of you that dream of being more visible, more vibrant and more aligned with your truth.
With Rachael’s infectious Generator energy, I can only guarantee that she will create a space for creative incubation and the regeneration of mind, body and spirit; your Emergence journey will enliven creator energy, renew your connection to nature, foster greater clarity, and reimagine a new way of being. The line-up of facilitators is remarkable—definitely, one to check out. Maybe I might see you there :)
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
This book and Rick Rubin’s quotes from this book have been all over Instagram lately. It is one of those pieces of writing that will be on everyone’s bookshelves for life, as Rick’s wisdom around the ebb and flow of creativity is almost biblical. Having found myself in bouts of creative stickiness, it is nice to have this validated through Rick’s shared experiences written in this book. I highly recommend this one. So much gold, whether you are an artist or not.
Acupuncture with Tsering Gendun
I have always been a massive fan of Acupuncture, especially when I have niggling aches and pains. But recently, in my state of energy depletion, I reached out to Tsering (my go-to Northern Beaches Acupuncturist) to see if she can help me address my adrenal fatigue. This week's session discussed burnout and how Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture can help.
From Chinese Medicine’s perspective, burnout means you have depleted your energy to the point where it is tough to make more because it takes energy! Acupuncture is a great therapeutic tool to help nourish your nervous system and build your energy reserves up again. Tsering advises booking in before you hit peak burnout to avoid other issues, like my frozen shoulder. Tsering is a fantastic practitioner with a wealth of knowledge. If you are Sydney based and looking for treatment, do contact her. She is my saviour.
Tiny Beautiful Things Mini Series on Disney+
Based on the best-selling collection by Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things is about a woman, Clare, who becomes a revered advice columnist when her own life is falling apart. This beautiful limited mini-series sees Clare revisits the most pivotal moments of Clare’s life to inspire the advice she needs to give her letter writers. Through her writing, Clare can excavate her life's beauty, struggle and humour to show us that we are not beyond rescue. In fact, our stories can ultimately save us… and maybe even bring us back to our authentic selves. Warning… Get the tissues out, as you will feel a rollercoaster of emotions.
Heartbakes by Charlotte Ree
Charlotte Ree's Heartbake is a heartfelt memoir of food, love and self-discovery. Charlotte Ree, a devoted home cook, takes us along her journey of learning to cook in the wake of a divorce that left her feeling unsure of who she was and what she wanted at a time when the whole world was turned upside down. With each meal that she masters—a boiled egg, grilled cheese, lasagne, ricotta and pesto ravioli in a brown butter and sage sauce—you follow the story of Charlotte's search for love—in friendship, in family, in romance, and love in herself as she begins to heal from the narratives she'd been telling herself for years. This book is deeply personal and emotional, with a bonus of Charlotte’s favourite recipes at the end to inspire us to experience the meals that got her through this healing journey. Fun fact… Her Basque Cheesecake caused the Northern Beaches to sell out of cream cheese on Mother’s Day weekend. Wow, that is some influence!
Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater by Mario Badescu
If you are anything like me, my skin dries up when the colder weather hits, making it very uncomfortable. I am always searching for a product that can give me extreme moisture with the bonus of dewy skin. Insert Mario Badescu Facial Spray. I am generally not one for facial sprays, but I love this product, and it is under $20, which is unheard of. It is all the things it promises, refreshing, hydrating and calming. I use morning and night; honestly, my skin thanks me. I am also a sucker for anything that smells good, so adding rosewater, thyme and gardenia extract tantalises my most robust sense with every spray.
The Imperfects Podcast Live Show
The Imperfects Podcast is a show that I have mentioned a few times in my newsletter, and when they announced they were going on tour, I jumped at the chance to see Hugh, Ryan and Josh in real-life. A mix of comedy and vulnerability, this live show was everything I hoped it would be and more. If you are a fan, I would highly recommend booking a ticket. They have a couple more shows listed around Australia at the end of the year. You might also meet one of their favourite podcast guests if you are lucky.
The Numbersmiths
With selling and buying a house in Sydney, my husband and I have been knee-deep in our finances, ensuring all our ducks are in a row. Both being self-employed, managing things like cash flow, super, and the dreaded BAS and tax is not only painstaking but can also be very confusing. I am creative but weirdly love a spreadsheet and reconciling in Xero. The only issue I have is that I am not well-versed in accounting. With the drive to change this about myself, I recently contacted Mel from The Numbersmiths for some business and financial guidance.
The Numbersmiths, by trade, are bookkeepers, but when meeting Mel (the founder), I instantly knew they are more than that. I signed up for their Arrive mentorship consisting of three monthly sessions. Each session is carefully planned so Mel can identify my financial woes and then build a financial strategy to help me overcome the contributing factors holding my business back.
I particularly loved the Money Mindset Map, an exercise that clarified where and what I spend my money on. We then took a deep dive into Xero to tidy up all the loose ends (lots of loose ends) to ensure that I am using the software correctly and can truly benefit from everything it offers. I have one more session to go, and I am most looking forward to this one. This is the session where Mel will teach me about the valuable course of action for my business and exactly what I need to do to see it grow.
What I love about Mel and The Numbersmiths is their holistic approach to bookkeeping and money management. I have always struggled to find an accountant or financial planner that understands the creative mind, and honestly, with Mel, it feels like two creatives meeting together; just one is more financially savvy than the other… hehe :) Investing in mentorship can be a hard financial pill to swallow at times, but I also see the immense value in it, especially in my time with Mel. I see it as an investment in the future of my business, so if you feel the same, I encourage you to reach out to Mel for a free chat.
