Guest Blog and Recipe from Belinda "Living from the inside out"

Good Morning friends! I hope this finds you happy and healthy! I always love sharing blogs and pray that even just one person is helped or touched in some way with what I share. I have a feeling that more than one might be with this one….as I know for all us Mums out there, this blog has a message that we need to hear more often!
I hope you enjoy this guest blog and recipe I have for you today from the lovely …..

Belinda from Living from the Inside Out….

Tell us a little bit about you and your family …

I live on the Gold Coast with my family – husband, Darren and two precious sons, Hayden 11 and Lachlan 8…and how could I forget our Staffy, Roadie (I am surrounded by testosterone!). I am a soccer mum…and I love it! Our boys are involved in everything – we all naturally lead a very active and healthy lifestyle.

Please tell us more about your business and what a typical workday looks like for you? 

That’s a tricky one to answer as I wear MANY hats. I run a construction business with my husband. I am a Pilates and meditation teacher, a life coach who guides women (especially mothers) who have lost their sense of self to discover how to live their truest, happiest and healthiest life. I am also a writer and the Author of Living from the Inside Out, A Guide to Healing and Transforming your Life from Within.

No day is the same for me, but let’s try and paint a picture of a working day…here goes:

I may teach a Pilates/meditation class after I drop my children off to school. When I return home around mid-morning I will do some coaching – all my sessions are virtual (done over Skype), so I can coach anyone in any part of the world. Then, I move on to paying invoices and suppliers and do a MYOB reconciliation for the construction company. In between I will jump onto social media or write some articles or blogs, reply to emails and book meetings etc to discuss growth opportunities for Living from the Inside Out. Wow…when I break it down like that – I can see that juggling is something I am very good at! In saying that, I am also very good at walking my talk – when life feels super busy and I feel overwhelmed, I put everything aside as I know it will be there waiting for me tomorrow.

How big a part does food play in your overall daily health?

It plays a major part! I would not be able to function the way I do if food was not a priority! I work off the 80/20 rule: 80% great nutrition, 20% much more relaxed. I enjoy my occasional chai and half-strength lattes – I like meeting friends for a coffee, but I also know my limits. Food for me is the fuel that allows me and my family to live the amazing life we live!

What inspires you? 

My children are my inspiration – providing for them, being a good example and role model for them, spending quality time with them! They light up all the corners of my life…I am very blessed! 

What is one piece of advice you could pass on to other Mums?

I mentor women everyday – this is something I am super passionate so thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my passion here:

We become immersed in our responsibilities of being a mum, wanting to protect and nurture our children every second of every day. We get so caught up in thinking that if we do not give all that we have we are not a good mum (the guilt cloud enjoys lingering around mothers) – so every moment is totally devoted to our babies.

Yet giving absolutely everything we have to our children generally leads to fatigue and exhaustion, and for some mothers, total burnout. Their health suffers, as does their confidence, and they lose touch with who they are. They give so much of themselves to everyone else that they end up having nothing left to give. And quite frankly, you can’t give what you don’t have. A car cannot run on empty and neither can you! If this sounds like you, learn to ditch the Superwoman façade and hang up your cape!

By giving your whole self away to others doesn’t leave much left for you, and this can be detrimental to anyone’s health. It is imperative that you take care of your health and own needs, so that you are the healthiest and best version of yourself that you can be. You must ensure that you look for a balance so that you can be a positive role model for your children. It’s important to show them that as much as you are fulfilled and love the role of being their mum, nurturer and protector – and wouldn’t change it in an instant – they must also be able to witness you looking after yourself.

It’s not healthy for children to see their mum constantly frazzled and worn-out, neglecting her own needs, health and wellbeing. There’s a reason flight attendants tell you to put your own oxygen mask on first. It is not a selfish act, it’s simply that you need to look after yourself first before you can look after anyone else. And this also applies in life, especially to motherhood.

My belief is that if we are happy and healthy, both physically and emotionally, we will be in a much better position to handle motherhood and the pressures that come with it, and everyone will be rewarded (happy wife, happy life/fulfilled mum, no more glum!).

If you could have dinner with any 3 people in the world who would it be and why?

Hmm…that’s a tricky one – can’t we turn it into a dinner party and invite more than 3? Okay, maybe not – here’s the first 3 that come to mind:

Kate Middleton for her poise, grace and authenticity.

Nelson Mandela for his humanity, wisdom and courage.

Russell Brand for his wit, honesty, and humour.  

Please tell us 3 fun facts about yourself. 

I stand on my head most mornings which is an amazing restorative pose remarkable for circulation.

I sometimes talk aloud to myself (to the Universe) saying affirmations as I walk/drive and I have been caught a couple of times – I am sure many people see me as the “crazy/strange women” who talks to herself…lol!

I represented Australia in touch football as a school girl. I have always been active and a little bit of a tom-boy – I have never been a girly-girl. Maybe that is the reason I am surrounded by males today (husband, sons and a boy dog!)…and I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

 Website – www.livingfromtheinsideout.com.au

Facebook – www.facebook.com/livingfromtheinsideoutbelindaanderson

Twitter – twitter.com/LivingfromtheIO

Homemade Chocolate

3/4 cup organic coconut oil

1 cup raw mixed nuts, chopped (macadamias, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, almonds, or cashews – choose as many as you like)

3 tbs cacao powder (nutritionally dense superfood jam-packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals)

1/2 cup organic sultanas (or a handful of chopped dates)

1/4 cup organic maple syrup or raw honey

A pinch of Himalayan salt 

This recipe is so flexible you can add any type of dried fruits (figs, cranberries, blueberries, goji berries). Sunflower seeds, chia seeds, shredded coconut, puffed rice, almond or cacao butter, cinnamon and vanilla extract also make great additions. You can get as creative as you like. 

Line a baking dish with non-stick paper (the size of your dish will depend on how thick you want your chocolate to be – the smaller the dish the thicker the chocolate). If the coconut oil is solid, melt it in a saucepan on a very low heat until it is just melted (don’t heat too much). Remove from the heat and add all of your ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture into your dish, spreading evenly, and place into the freezer until set. Flip on to a chopping board and cut into bite-size pieces. Store in the refrigerator, unless you eat them all first!

Did you love this blog as much as me? Please don’t forget to show support and pop over and say HI to Belinda (all the links are above!) …. I am excited to have just got her e-book …. and it is my intention to start making more ‘me’ time with even perhaps a chapter of a book a day …. I have so many lined up to read but I am starting with this one!

Wishing you a beautiful day, 

Take Care of You,
Collette x

Instagram: collette_cutoutthecrap

Guest Blog and Recipe from Belinda "Living from the inside out"