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I met Barbara at a Reflexology network meeting 12 years ago. She shared an Indian Head Massage with me and I Reflexology with her. We got to talking and she said she wanted to train to become a Reflexologist herself. She joined my Diploma class and graduated as a Reflexologist. She makes her own natural skincare products which I love, especially the Reflexology balm which I highly recommend. Her skills as a moisturiser maker were put to the test when she did a workshop for my Aromatherapy students and blew us all away with her amazing products and beautiful aromas. WHY USE NATURAL PLANT BASED PRODUCTS? Chemical free products are best for use on our skin so that we can avoid damaging side effects of some of the chemicals found in shop bought products; the use of flower waters and natural carrier oils is an ideal way to do this. Both and carrier oil and the flower waters must be completely natural to maximise the benefits. The most vital action of a face cream/oil is its ability to penetrate the skin. It is not beneficial if it sits on top. Nature provides the best absorption bases. Some of the ingredients to avoid in shop bought products would be parabens (which is a chemical used as a preservative), sodium laurel sulphate (a lathering agent used in a lot of shampoo and bodywash) & aluminium (found in some deodorants). PLANT OILS Plant oils (sometimes referred to as carrier oils) are extracted from vegetables, flowers, nuts or seeds and have therapeutic properties in their own right. Many plant oils contain vitamin E, an antioxidant that can prevent damage to skin cells and delay the progression of skin ageing. It also acts as a natural preservative, giving oils good storage stability. Vitamins A, D and essential fatty acids that are important for healthy skin are also found in many oils. Examples of some excellent plant oils to use on the skin: Avocado Oil. Apricot Kernal Oil. Coconut Oil. Jojoba Oil. Rosehip Seed Oil, Vitamin E oil. TONER (FLOWER WATERS) Rosewater – soothing, cooling and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a gentle antiseptic. It can be used on all skin types, even the most sensitive skins, and is particularly recommended for dry skins. It can restore the skin’s PH and can relieve eczema. Oily skins are better treated with orange flower water. Orange Blossom Water – is slightly more astringent than rosewater so it’s a better choice for oily skin. Due to its astringent properties it can be used for tightening lax skin. Lavender Water – is excellent as a skin remedy for any skin type and any skin condition. A sprayer bottle with lavender water is especially useful when travelling in hot countries as it can soothe sunburn and insect bites and a sold compress over the eyes alleviates headaches and migranes. It can be used as a toner for all skin types. EVOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF RESOLUTIONS Often at the start of a new year we decide to make changes in our lives to be a better and healthier person by setting our New Year's Resolutions. This year instead of resolving to do something different, why not instead think about how you can evolve. The word resolution suggests that something needs to be resolved and as a result many New Year's resolutions are hard to achieve and short lived. However, if we instead decide to set New Year's Evolutions, it instantly feels a more aligned process, working towards change that is on - going and always evolving. Your skin is constantly evolving and changing through the seasons and through your life, so to ensure the maximum positive results when it comes to healthier and more nourished skin, you need a routine that evolves and changes with you. Coming out of the darker winter months the air is clearing for spring and summer, and fingers crossed warmer weather. Whatever the season it’s important to nourish and protect out skin, Here at Josie's Botanicals we are always researching and experimenting to create the most nourishing and healing products that support your skin's journey throughout the year and your life. From daily routines with our cleansing, toning and mositurising products to our skin healing balms and lotions for when our skin needs that extra care, we ensure our range of products works in harmony with skin no matter what time of year. With Love Barbara www.josiesbotanicals.com

I’m delighted to introduce this month’s Women Empowering Women guest Blogger the lovely Nurture Niche member Aoife Keely. I met this young woman last June when I began my Nurture Niche Group. She has been on every Wednesday night since and inspired me to put the Journaling Gems and Regina’s Rituals workshops together. She’s a very honest down to earth woman, says it as it is, I really like that. Her blog is exactly that, truthful, honest, and down to earth. Enjoy. When I think of how naive I was about fertility. I wanted to be married, wanted a house this delayed us trying for a baby for years and years. I knew about it, but I suppose you just never think it will happen to you. You can literally google and read into infertility or any illness endlessly and I did. Every blogger, doctor or guru whoever mentioned infertility online.... I read it. I was obsessed with finding out why I was infertile which led to fads. I stopped caffeine, meat, alcohol, nail varnish, any unnecessary chemicals and everything was organic. I was practically a monk! The reality was even the highly qualified expert doctors didn’t know that answer so I was hardly going to find it on instagram. The internet can be a great place and social media can connect us which is fantastic. But it can also cause us to compare, feel jealousy and believe that little prefect square is someone’s real life when in actual fact that’s far from the truth. Throughout my journey I Journaled. I always had, I set goals reviewed them and wrote inconsistently about my feelings or how things were going. I attended regular for acupuncture, dabbled with counselling and always trained at the gym. Hindsight is a great thing, but I wish I had had the tools I have now then. After a five year wait with some terrible sadness, my story has a fairy tale happy ending as I sit now with two sleeping babies, we are so blessed. For anyone still on their journey that is what I would pass on, to apply consistency to the wellness side of your life because it’s a long road, a marathon and meditation, manifesting and journaling etc can only help. Aoife

A poem by Regina Curley My daffodil stands tall and proud, As if to say it’s spring again, shout out loud! He speaks to me 'I've missed you so', It’s your favourite season you told me so. Awaiting all my other bulbs, To push up through the soil and gulp, The sunshine and the warmer weather So the colour comes back to my garden altogether. Our Spring flowers love my little natters, I talk to them about how much they matter, I speak to them when I feed and weed, They are divine messengers from just a little seed. The Nurture~Zone There are many ways to express yourself! You can shout out loud, you can sing, dance, or you can quietly write down your thoughts, save them for better days or burn them as a letting-go ritual. I find writing really therapeutic. It helps me let go of stored up negative energy and enhances the other practices that I have, of releasing what does not serve me. But most importantly it allows the inner creative part out. Even if it's to show gratitude, joy happiness, or fun, it all mounts up to being calm peaceful, and at ease. Try it, it's a wonderful exercise in courage. A positive challenge that builds on your self-esteem and confidence. That’s has to be good! If you have any poems you would like to share then please reach out!

I was introduced to this poem many years ago and it has really resonated with me. Every September when I was teaching, I always introduced my students to the idea of resting the mind through meditation and would play the 5-minute piece for them. The feedback I got was always one of awe. The music is so enchanting and emotional. I have included the link for YouTube below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I still do. Rest in Natural Great Peace ~ by Rinpoche Rest in natural great peace this exhausted mind Beaten helplessly By Karma and neurotic thoughts Like the relentless fury of the pounding waves In the infinite ocean of Samara Rest in natural great peace 💗 Watch the beautiful video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvo-CCtC3Zs #rest #peace #meditation #timeout

I met Sheelagh about 10 years ago. She rang me for a chat about our favourite subject, special services! We both have a son with Down Syndrome and a feisty approach to advocacy! She has attended lots of workshops I have facilitated and my meditation classes. I first discovered Plan B, 29 years ago, when my son Terence was born, Terence is the apple of my eye and was born with Down syndrome. Now to be fair, none of our children arrive into our lives with an instruction manual, we just learn through experience, patience, support, and love to adapt to our ever-changing situations. What is Plan B? you're probably asking yourself, well you know those situations in life, the ones that bring you down and sometimes leave you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted? Do you know the times in life when you feel like your banging your head against a brick wall? Well, I've always been a firm believer in finding solutions to every problem that comes my way. Inevitably, we often find ourselves in situations where we can not see the wood for the trees. During my son's early years, right up to the present day, we have found ourselves trying to find solutions, whether it be an educational issue, day service issue, health issue, or financial issue. This is where Plan B comes into play. Plan B comes into our lives when we least expect it. So, you are faced with a problem where none of the usual solutions are working, the problem comes between you and your sleep. At this point, I take myself away from the situation/ problem, I literally walk away. I switch off my phone, I unplug the house phone, I just STOP, I just BREATH. I cease thinking about the problem. I switch off. I just let it all go. You see, we don't give ourselves enough credit in this life, that we, yes you and me, are intelligent human beings with capabilities beyond our comprehension. Plan B, comes from within us, that little voice that guides you in the right direction, that gut feeling we tend to ignore. That solution we find, when we STOP and slow the mind. You know that expression, " why didn't I think of that before?" That my friend is where you will find Plan B to all of life's situations/ problems. Trust in your own gut and listen to the answers that come into your life. We spend so much time, worrying, overthinking, forcing ourselves to find answers, when all we had to do was trust ourselves and just listen. Plan B, comes from within, it is never handed to us by others, it's right there, in your gut, in the pit of your stomach, all you have to do is trust yourself. Plan B has never failed me because my son has taught me the most important lesson in life, he trusts me to always find the solutions and make the right decisions for him when it's needed and I trust myself to always find my Plan B. SLOW, BREATH, LET GO, LISTEN, TRUST, and right there, you will find Plan B. Sheelagh

Photos are really precious to me. I’m an old-fashioned woman, I have tons of albums going back years every occasion in them. I know nowadays, photos are kept on the phone, but I love them to look at on days when I am feeling a bit sad or missing someone I love, that’s no longer with us. But they have the power to transport me back to happy times that we sometimes forget about. When I look at this photo of my eldest daughter and her daughter, I feel so joyful. I remember Natalie’s wedding day fifteen years ago, as if it were yesterday. The excitement and the celebration. They offer a great talking point. Emilia her daughter had her first communion celebration in the same hotel and her dad who is a great photographer, set up the two photos. There’s another one for the album! #holisticwellness #anxietysupport #photos #family #strongwomen #irishwomen #photoalbums #firstcommunion #nowandthen #familylife #mothers #daughters #generations #memories

When I saw this print, I had a big urge to buy it. Not just because it matched the new colour scheme in my living room, but because it touched a part of me that likes to reminisce and remember people and times past that were happy, that we no longer have with us anymore. I really love it; it hangs on the main wall in the living room, and I look at it every day. The first time I heard the song I was ten years old. I didn’t understand the lyrics, but I really loved the tune. My mother had a beautiful singing voice. She sang while she worked, like lots of other mothers of her era, cooking the dinner, hand washing her precious woolens at the kitchen sink. The Beatles music featured a lot in my young life, my mother singing all their hits. What I will say about their music, it is legendary no doubt about it. Timeless, they all have meaning constantly. So, the print now framed, is a reminder that the only constant is change. Nothing stays the same, that’s how it is meant to be. #songlyrics #memories #family #mystory #music #prints #generations #songs #music #meaning #nollaignamban #quotes #reminisce #thebeatles

Have you ever felt that you are different from everyone else? That you don’t want to follow the crowd or be like a sheep? That maybe you have your own individual quirky ideas and they are far from what your peer group are thinking and doing? Well maybe you come from a cohort of people who want to make the world a better place. That you would like to do things a bit differently than those who have been before you. Being a good communicator is a great gift especially if you are trying to make a change. Those of you who know me, know that I have a great belief about the people in our world that are different, with learning differences especially and look different too, very much are different, because they are enlightened beings, here to teach us lots of lessons. You know my guy with down syndrome, well one lesson that he has taught me is patience is indeed a virtue one that I did not possess until he came into our family. I operated in my male energy quite a lot when I was rearing my now adult children and everything was like the army, a place for everything and a thing for every place, with no exceptions. The ability to change and be more flexible, softer, and bring in the female energy, has brought a lot more happiness into my life than I ever thought possible. How did all this come about? Well, it began with not getting the result out for the effort put in. What do I mean? Doing things for other people because I thought I was being charitable and kind, as that was what I was brought up to do, but actually I was trying to fulfil the need to be needed or the need to be loved, a direct hit from childhood, being the child of perfectionist parents! While having a high standard for me will never change, I have changed how I achieve that now. The need to be perfect has faded into the background, when I realised it was driven by the fear of not being good enough, I did some work around that and being perfect is not that important anymore. One of my cousins told me that as he has grown older, he continues to redefine perfect! I like that one, it works really well for me too! But in my teaching practice, I always give the best that I can. Teaching is a very responsible role, especially in the health and well being world. Vulnerable people hang on your every word, so it is vital that this is taken into consideration when preparing lessons, so the participant gets the correct information every time. After that, whatever they do with the information is entirely up to them. I was never fearful around other people taking my notes, or using my information, but there are many in my profession who are. The willingness to share, for me is an essential part of education of any kind. I always felt that if sometime took my notes and used them as theirs, at least the information was correct. If you use someone else’s ‘stuff’ without acknowledgement it will come around and be found out. That never worried me, and still doesn’t, as I believe there is plenty of room for all of us. However, the message is in the giving not in the worry about how it will be received. That goes across the board about everything. Dare to be different? Why not, now more than ever, we need the ‘different’ people of this world to stand up and be counted. Happy New Different Year.

For as long as I can remember, Christmas was a wonderful time in our house when I was a child. The whole lead-up to it and especially Christmas Eve. My mother was an incredible woman, she loved Christmas with a passion and as a result, passed on her enthusiasm to us. She was an amazing dressmaker, so was always finishing off work late into the night on Christmas Eve. What I can remember about that day is, it would be dark early in the afternoon. The lights on the Christmas tree switched on and the carol singers on the radio. The whole atmosphere would be that of excitement and anticipation. My Dad was a great storyteller. Before we went to bed, he would tell us all sorts of tales, but most especially the one about the night before Christmas and I would just love being drawn into the sound of Santa on the roof of the house and maybe, just maybe, he might have landed his sleigh and all the reindeers on our roof – imagine that! Then wondering what Santa will bring the next morning, oh so exciting. I am very fortunate that I received beautiful toys from Santa. Mam would then be busy in the kitchen doing her preparations for her famous turkey stuffing, oh wow nobody and I mean nobody, made stuffing like her. It was delicious. The smell wafted up the stairs on Christmas morning and it awakened me to the knowledge that yes, the big day, was finally here! As I have grown older we had lovely experiences with our own children, and now they are adults with their own children, Christmas is now a very different one. Except for one little gift that I have cherished forever, the gift of my son with Down Syndrome. His ability to look at life and his skill to simplify everything never ceases to surprise me. We told him when he was thirteen, that Santa didn’t come to teenagers, so he did his best to accept that, we brought him out shopping for a beautiful red bike that he so enjoyed cycling. He has never asked for a present in his life, every year when we ask him what he would like, he says ‘I’ll have a think about it!' But he never comes back with an answer. One thing that he does still love and he’s nearly 34, is a ‘Now that’s what I call music’ CD. When the decorations go up, he still hangs his stocking on the mantlepiece and tells us that he knows that Santa doesn’t come to teenagers, but he just comes to put his CD into his stocking especially for him. So, every Christmas we look forward to Santa putting Geoff’s CD into his stocking! So here’s to another magical Christmas, The wonder never ends! #christmas #christmaseve #family #memories #mystory #christmastraditions #downsyndrome #anxiety #stress #support #empower #dublin #ireland #santa #happychristmastoall #christmaseve2022 #gifts

As we approached the car park, I noticed the time, dead late not my usual way of being, but we got delayed on the way over so concerned that we might miss the train I quickly bought the parking ticket and we ran for the train. We had great a weekend in Kilkenny a nice rest, good food and of course a little bit of Christmas shopping done, I was feeling really happy and relaxed in myself. It’s not often we get to go somewhere on our own, with having a person in the family with a learning disability, it’s full-on, so when the breaks come, we make the most of them. Weekend over we got off the train as darkness was starting to fall. Shock and horror just hit me like a ton of bricks as I discovered the car had been clamped! What? How could that happen I paid the parking ticket before we got the train. I rang the clamping company and they told me I never paid the ticket. I took a photo of the car and sent it to them. They sent me another notice back to say that I had not paid the ticket. I got into the car and looked and at the ticket and as sure as eggs they were right, the payment never went through. I never checked it I just threw it into my bag and ran. The shock nearly knocked me out of my standing. So back to the clamping company again and I paid the fee of €120.00 with my credit card and they told me it would take two hours. It was freezing cold and raining by now. The problem was we needed to be home for our guy but the clamping company just said they would get there when they would get there, no consideration for the fact that it was an unfortunate happening. I stood outside the car and cried uncontrollably when a man came over and asked if I was alright. I told him the story and explained we needed to be home so we could be there when our guy came in, he was very sympathetic. Please wait there he said. I got into the car out of the cold and rain, when next he arrived and threw an envelope in through the window of the car and said Happy Christmas I hope this helps and left rather swiftly. When I opened the envelope there was €120.00 in cash in it. I couldn’t believe it. Imagine that a total stranger would give us that amount of money without knowing us, believing the story, and then leaving without telling us who he was or anything. It really restored my faith in human nature. There are so many good people in the world, and I was fortunate enough to have that experience that day. I never found out who he was, but I put his name under my healing candle for a long time after that as a thank you for his kindness. #lifelessons #mystory #kindness #humannature #healing #lifecoach #faith #rak #randomactofkindness #compassion #empathy #christmas

Meet this week’s Guest Blogger Sinéad Grogan, who is next up in my ‘Women Empowering Women’ Series. I met Sinead in the massage matters group. Then in my journaling workshop. I was attracted to her business name GrogyBears. I thought it was very clever. A sports therapist. However little did I know what she is capable of!! An incredible professional working with women and humble beyond belief! When Regina asked me to write something for her blog page I immediately said yes as I love everything her practice stands for. Simple and easy, what a great Motto. The self-doubt and imposter syndrome followed almost immediately though! What would I, a crossfit loving sports massage therapist have to add on a holistic webpage and group?? Regina put my mind at ease and said just talk about what you know and love. I immediately thought of my passion for women’s health and how my own journey with a chronic pelvic floor dysfunction has actually shaped my career and who I am. You see at 44 I feel fitter, healthier and happier than ever. Something I'm really proud of especially on those mornings in the gym when I am rebounding on and off a box or doing some kind of explosive movement with a heavy weight without any major concern that my pelvic floor will hold out. I have been on both sides of fit & healthy and to be honest there was a time in my life where I couldn't run for a bus without a bladder leakage, embarrassment and shame. Because of this I stopped exercising altogether and kept my problem a secret for many, many years. As I got older and wanted to be active again I started opening up about my problem to a nurse colleague who encouraged me to get help. I had to go back to basics and seek help from professionals to rehab my body to function the way I wanted. It took a long time, most of my 20’s & 30's in fact, before I felt physically fit and able to have confidence in my body's ability to move freely without fear of my body letting me down. I have come such a long way from all that. My road to recovery was winding and in the beginning I tried all sorts of gadgets and gizmos to strengthen the muscles I assumed back then were weak, all of that only made my particular problem worse in fact. Some years ago I met with a brilliant physiotherapist who told me that what I needed the most was to learn to relax the pelvic floor muscles not strengthen them. I had had been breathing wrong my whole life it seemstoo!! Deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing to be precise has been a game changer in my personal road to recoveryand my confidence as a woman. I have also done a lot of study in the field of corrective exercise programming and pelvic floor health so that has helped my recovery plan too. Even as midlife hormonal changes brought about a whole new set of symptoms, I have been able to adjust and gone back to this very basic but so effective technique of deep breathing and using the breath to help me engage the right muscles when I need them the most. Problems with the bladder are not an inevitable part of the aging process and absolutely not something we as women should just put up with. There’s loads of help out there and some of the most simple lifestyle and exercise plans are the most effective for any pelvic floor condition. I really hope my little story inspires other woman out there to get the help they need By: Sinead Grogan of Sg Sports & Therapy Sports massage therapist, Holistic therapist, Registered General Nurse, Women’s Health Specialist #sportstherapist #holistictherapist #womenshealth #lifelessons #womenempoweringwomen #girlgang #girlpower #strongwomen #massagetherapist #bladder #pelvicfloor #aging #hormones #breathing

The Christmas season was heralded in, when my Nana came in the door with the huge big porcelain hexagonal shaped bowl underneath her arm. I knew then, it was job on! The unusual thing about this bowl was that it had beautiful pagoda pictures on it and it looked nothing like Christmas, but was only used once a year for the Christmas pudding. Now that was really exciting in itself except it meant that I had to pick all the stalks out of the fruit. When I was a child dried fruit was sold loose without being washed. It had to be soaked and cleaned and all the stalks removed. I hated that job with a passion. But as I was a good girl I went along with it! What seemed like millions of raisins and sultanas later they were ready for washing. Sorry about that rant and moaning but I have to say the end product was delicious. Nothing was measured just thrown in and mixed! Two puddings one for us and one for Nana. They were turned out into a cloth and boiled for hours on the gas hob, with all the windows open and then hung up before being boiled again for a short while on Christmas Eve before removing the cloth. I love Christmas pudding and all kinds of fruitcake. I shouldn’t really when you consider the toil and the torture of cleaning those stalks!! But it always tasted terrific! Served hot with custard - oh yummy. I make Christmas puddings every year too except thankfully the fruit is washed stalks removed and dried already. They’re gluten free ones though, as we have two coeliacs in the house. But I’ve kept up the tradition for 47 years. The beautiful bowl which was stunning, seemed enormous back then, to a little child! I have no idea where it went to. It has stayed in my memory for all these years and it brings back so much joy. I adored my Nana and she me. So maybe that’s why it was a job I did well. Just for her! She was such an advocate of childrens wellbeing. A forward thinking woman, way before her time and a big supporter of tradition. Well here’s to another pudding filled Christmas ! #christmas #irishchristmas #christmaspudding #memories #christmasjoy #wellbeing #strongwomen #christmastraditions #glutenfree #coeliac #family #christmasrecipe #seekjoy #puddings