When I graduated high school I received the highest recognition at my commencement ceremony. It was the Award of Merit given to a student who went above and beyond, exhibiting exceptional school spirit. To say I was shocked is a total understatement LOL. ‘Me? Why ME?’ I was honoured but lost that spirit because of […]

When I lived in Italy in my early twenties there was a girl who socialized in the same circle as me.  ‘Chiara’s’ energy was heavy and I had a very difficult time dealing with her personal attacks.  Any chance she’d get she would put me down in front of others, laugh at my spoken Italian or try […]

Looking at myself with brutal honesty and objectivity was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do. Even harder, was removing my rose-coloured glasses to look in the mirror and admit the truth behind all my intentions. The more aware and spiritually-aligned I became, the more pain I felt!  It’s no wonder we use […]

I rode a school bus from age 9 to 17 and thanks to my relentless schoolmate, John the last 4 years were absolute agony for me. His torment began when my older brother graduated and was no longer around to protect me. John was ruthless, shouting loudly, “Hey! Anchor nose!” every time I boarded the […]

A while back a friend of mine told me she removed me from social media because she found my posts on my weight loss and menopause offensive. Startled, I began to second guess my intentions. Was I right showing women that they could go through ‘the change of life’ and still manage their weight successfully? […]

One of the best tips I can give you when it comes to managing perimenopause weight and its symptoms is to swap your food for healthy options that are equally as tasty. This was a challenge at first because I was constantly craving plates of whole wheat pasta and sweets! So, how could I change […]

Just because I smile on social media doesn’t mean I’m happy all the time…but I’ll get to that in a minute. In the last year staying sane (‘balanced’ would be more appropriate) has been a massive challenge as we walk a fine line trying to find stability through the treacherous climate of this pandemic.  Covid-19 […]

We can all paint a pretty picture – the image we portray to the world and a beautiful portrait depicting laughter and joy which thankfully hide the scars we’ve accumulated over a lifetime. Large and small, they are masses of distorted emotions left behind from wounds afflicted on us so deep that some will never […]

Shimmering like colourful, moonlit canals that gently interweave the palazzos of Venice, these Swarovski crosses on 18 carat gold-plated brass are some of the most beautiful pieces of jewellery I’ve ever owned. Reminiscent of Venice, Florence and the renaissance, I am grateful to artisan and Monnaluna creator, Giovanna Bruno for this handmade violet cross necklace […]

Someone give me a medal – and not for losing 30 lbs weight loss but instead for blogging these ‘before’ photos!! These are definitely NOT my most flattering shots but I felt it was important to bare all because I’ve been told for decades that losing weight during perimenopause was IMPOSSIBLE.  Well, they were wrong! […]

‘Adversity introduces a man to himself’ – this quote from Albert Einstein came to mind over a month ago in a moment where I felt I could not go on.  I’d spent the last year in hospitals dealing with my mother’s illness and her traumatic death due to ovarian cancer. Yes, watching my extremely active […]