Coffee

What do you practice?

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Do you practice gratitude? 💬

I am a firm believer in bringing peace and comfort to my life. I have a lot to be grateful for, but I only came to realise this when I started writing down 3 things during my day, right before I go to bed, that I am grateful for. A counsellor at the time, and also an additional close friend suggest I try this exercise years ago. It is a technique I still practice to this day.

When I’m going through a hard time, I find practicing gratitude gives me insight as to what parts of my life make me happy and feel fulfilled. It also makes me realise what areas of my life are not bringing warmth, comfort, care, peace and positive energy. I highly recommend trying to bring aspects of practiced gratitude into your life – it will bring about a clearer picture mentally, emotionally and spiritually 💖 Happy Monday book lovers!

Saturday 19th February

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Where am I? I am currently sitting in the most gorgeous and welcoming bookstore/cafe called Bouquiniste, Kiama, NSW. This stunning space is owned by Clayton Zane Comber, talented writer and author (you can expect to hear a little from Clay on ‘Author Talks’ soon 🎙📚) & his spectacular partner Hannah who has a wealth of knowledge in hospitality and publishing. What a duo ⭐️

What am I drinking? A delicious long back in a cup with almond milk & a mixed berry slice

What am I thinking? This weekend I am incredibly grateful and proud of myself. I decided to take myself on a holiday to Kiama, not only to catch up with a life long friend, but breathe in the beach and explore a place that I have admired for over a year now. Clayton and Hannah have created the most creatively accepting space for book and coffee lovers alike. They inspire me to keep my dream alive of owning and running my own bookstore/cafe one day – with floor to ceiling bookshelves, mood lighting, bright and eclectic decor, and above all else, a fabulous environment. I am so grateful for time to explore and grow my perspectives.

I recently discussed ‘Infinite Country’ by Patricia Engel at my Literary Lovers Book Club. This short novel expanded my knowledge and awareness of Colombian culture, common adversities, folklore and spirituality. As the reader, the change in perspectives is quite jolting in this novel. We move from hearing Tahlia’s story, of whom has just escaped a correctional school for an assault she committed, to then being thrown into her parents story. This allows you to connect and understand her disconnected and emotionally damaging childhood. There are a lot of one liners and paragraphs that I’ve appreciated in this novel – I tabbed and wrote quite a few annotations. I will admit that I can see myself recommending this to only a selective few readers, depending on their style and tastes of reading. I can appreciate the talent, personal connection and beautiful writing in this book, however it didn’t make as grand of an impact on me as other novels I’ve read this year.

Monday 16th August 2021

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Where am I? My family home in Regional NSW

What am I drinking? A good old instant coffee with almond milk (who doesn’t love one of these in the morning?!)

What am I thinking? My life, as have the lives of many people living in NSW, has been a whirlwind the past few days. I am grateful to be safe. I am grateful to be healthy. I am grateful to have company in lockdown. I believe that many people, including myself, will and have taken this lockdown as a hit to their mental health. I am trying to stay focused and breathe through the overwhelming thoughts of feeling lost and unstructured. I am a rigorous planner and love my routines, therefore this week and possibly weeks to come will be a new challenge. I’m trying to see through to a hopeful future and one where our whole state can come out of disarray. Stay safe everyone.