www.photosync-app.com

An aerial view of a dragon tree on the verandah that’s been growing so well thank to all the water it’s received from Toddler SSG’s trusty blue watering can over the summer.

And yesterday’s afternoon tea.  It was one of those trying days.  You know those days when everything that could go wrong does?  And it’s never anyone’s fault?  And how it’s always you that has to spend hours trying to sort it all out with nothing more than vague fobbing off kind of instructions from the millions of people you’ve spent your day off phoning?

By the time 3.30pm rolled around, I was well and truly ready for a cup of tea and substantial nourishment in the form of a white bread roll thickly slathered in peanut butter and honey.  With a side of the current Donna Hay, of course.  There are so many chocolate based baking ideas in the issue that I want to try this Easter.  Pretzel topped chocolate cake or some salted caramel brownie squares, anyone?  I remember a celebrity personal trainer advising that if you’re prepared to make it from scratch, you’re allowed to eat it without guilt.  It’s all good then, isn’t it?

@medibank on Twitter

I did have one personal admin struggle that actually got resolved yesterday, though.  And via twitter, of all things!  A tweet to the Medibank account saw my query about a declined rebate immediately rectified.  Well played, Medibank and thanks for being so nice about it!

www.circlebloom.com

By the bed time rolled around, I was both exhausted and too keyed up about the day’s frustrations to actually get to sleep.  As the hours of sleeplessness dragged on, I finally willed myself to get my headphones and iPhone so that I could put on the one thing that’s always worked for me.  Circle and Bloom’s Program for Blissful Sleeping.  It’s a 20 minute audio program that costs $9.99 USD to download (I’ve linked to the site).  I’ve used it for a few years now and it’s more effective than you might think.  Coming from a person like me who can have about 5 cups of tea and coffee per day plus or minus a coke zero, that’s really saying something.

Basically, all you need to do is have an open mind and listen.  It is advised that you be lying down somewhere quiet and to definitely not be driving whilst playing the recording.  The aim of the recording is to relax you enough to be ready to sleep rather than to actually put you to sleep.  Joanne Verkullen is an excellent narrator and the accompanying sound track is more chimes and bells than music.  I’m still not sure if it’s guided meditation or visualisation relaxation but it works for me and I’m still not sick of listening to it after all this time.

I first discovered Circle and Bloom during my IVF treatment and found that particular program a very positive yet relaxing part of each day of treatment.  It’s always amazed me just how powerful a tool our minds are.  When our minds are calm, focused and free of fear the rest of our bodies follow suit.  Buying my Circle and Bloom recordings was probably the most empowering thing I have done for myself in both the IVF and insomnia aspects of my life.

Do you listen to meditations?  What are your favourites and how have they helped you?