Discover the Healing Power of Writing

& the Joy of Creative Self Expression

Hi!

I am Kerstin Pilz, PhD.

Writer, teacher, world traveler, yogini, meditator and photography enthusiast.

I believe we are the authors of our lives. We are in charge of the stories we tell ourselves.

When I got lost in the dark woods of grief, creative writing made me find my way out.

I am so glad that you’ve found me!

I am here to help you discover the power of your own voice and to guide you towards your own creative inner magic.

I offer you what I know about the healing power of writing and I share with you what I’ve learned about the craft of writing and storytelling, about words, meaning and language, in 20 years as University lecturer.

Read my story Watch my TEDx Talk

Are you ready to start writing in 2021?

Want to START WRITING this year?

You’ve always wanted to write and don’t know how to start? Or maybe you’ve written before, but your creativity needs a little push?

Join me for a 3-week writing sprint.

I’ll send you the writing prompts. All you have to do is show up and do the work.

The start of the year is the perfect time to start writing!

See more & purchase

Check out my ONLINE COURSES, RETREATS & DOWNLOADABLE MEDITATIONS

Online Writers Group

Join me every third weekend of the month for a LIVE WRITING SESSION.

It’s amazing what you can write in 1.5 hours in a supportive community via Zoom.

Next live session: Saturday February 20 & Sunday February 21

Buy your ticket here!

TROPICAL WRITER’S RETREAT

What would happen if you gave yourself the gift of a creative writing holiday?

Join me in my beautiful home in Far North Queensland for an exclusive 5-day small group writing retreat.

2021 dates now available.

Tell me more!

NEW YEAR MINDFULNESS RESET

The start of the year is an opportunity for letting go & setting fresh intentions.

That’s why we’ve created this exclusive end-of-year singing bowl meditation album for you, complete with a 40-page journal.

Start the year off right with this mindfulness reset.

Yes Please!

The Healing Power of Writing

Watch my TED Talk and find out why writing is the best thing you can do for yourself

The Healing Power of Writing

TEDxTownsville, October 2020

It’s one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. But also one I am most proud of.

I told my story of how I discovered the healing power of writing by going through the fires of grief in 15-minutes to a global audience.

My knees were trembling as I stood there in that red circle, blinded by a bright white light. But my voice was loud and clear.

Only the truly brave dare to be vulnerable.

Saying those words on stage felt empowering. I was speaking my own truth.

I believe that we are the authors of our lives. Vulnerability is the way to a deeper relationship with ourselves and with others.

Watch my TED talk and find out why I think we can all benefit from the healing power of writing and from the joy of creative self-expression.

Join the community

What’s new on the blog

writeyourjourney

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The calm before the storm. I took this photo on Sunday. By Monday we had wild weather hitting us, the ocean a churned up washing machine with waves big enough to be surfed. Being just offshore from the Great Barrier Reef we don't get much proper wave action here, as the reef acts as a buffer. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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And the rain, oh my, 250mm in 24 hours, that's more than my parents in Germany see in a year. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The ground is so saturated that many big trees just toppled, leading to blocked roads and a 12 hour power outage. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It was quite romantic to make dinner by candlelight on my camping stove. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We get cyclones every year. 10 years ago we had the mother of all cyclones slam through here, destroying everything in its path. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We don't usually get worried about cyclones until they reach category 3, which this one is on track to become by tomorrow. It is headed away from us, but things can change at any moment, and we remain on high alert.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It took me a while to get used to living with so much uncertainty, but once I'd experienced the colossal power of a category 5 cyclone, I also learned a few essential life lessons.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Nature is fundamentally indifferent to our plight, we really are just a blink in the universe. Everything is impermanent, my house could be washed away at any moment. So what really counts is what we choose to do with the nanosecond we have here on earth. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Or as Mary Oliver famously put it: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
With your one wild and precious life?"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What will you do with the nanosecond you have on this planet? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #noticewonderconnect #consciouscreativity #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #wholeheartedliving

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I treated myself to a half day off yesterday. We took the tinnie to Bedarra and Dunk islands, and it was pure magic.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I look at those islands everyday from my house, but very rarely do I get the reverse point of view. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We only have a tiny boat, which means we only go out when the ocean is pancake-flat as it was yesterday.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We were on the water before 6 am and sped right into the sunrise. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Breakfast was a picnic on the beach. I'd brought a book, but I ended up just sitting and being and taking in all the beauty. We were back home by midday but today it feels like I've actually been on a real holiday. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Strange what happens when we take time out to just be.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your favorite way to recharge? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#bedarraisland #dunkisland #tropicalfarnorthqueensland #travelgram #travelpic #tropicalisland #summer #travelstoke #writeyourjourney

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Chuc mung nam moi 2021! Happy year of the Ox!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's the lunar New Year. I loved being in Vietnam during TET. It's such a special time of the year.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This year I remain stranded in Australia during TET celebrations, so I've drawn a card from my "Wild Kuan Yin" Oracle set by @alanafairchild and I've drawn this card (not sure if it's an ox, but looks close enough). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here is what it says:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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"What will you choose now?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
You always have this moment. In between all that has been in the past and all that can be in the future, there is this moment, a space where you can have absolute power of choice. So why not allow yourself to choose peace, to choose trust, and to fall in love with your life?"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What a beautiful message. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's bitterly cold in many parts of the world right now, many places are back in lockdown (sorry Melbourne!) and I wonder, what does it take to allow yourself to fall in love with your life during those dark times?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #happiness #selflove #stayhomestaycreative #noticewonderconnect #timeonmyhands #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving

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"To stay with that shakiness — to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness and wanting to get revenge — that is the path of true awakening. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic — this is the spiritual path. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Getting the knack of catching ourselves, of gently and compassionately catching ourselves, is the path of the warrior. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We catch ourselves one zillion times as once again, whether we like it or not, we harden into resentment, bitterness, righteous indignation — harden in any way, even into a sense of relief, a sense of inspiration." ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Pema Chodron, "When Things Fall Apart"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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These words inspired me when I hit my rockbottom about a decade ago and couldn't see my way out of it again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I am working on the proposal for my memoir and I had to settle on a working title: "Falling Apart Gracefully: Learning to make Heartbreak your Friend".⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When I choose it, I had totally forgotten that Pema Chodron's slender book "When things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times" also has the words "falling apart' in the title. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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That book had been my bible during those difficult months, years even. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It taught me that whilst it's ok to occasionally fall apart into a red wine drinking, cigarette smoking mess, there is also another, more graceful way of falling apart. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When we dare to make heartbreak our friend, we can fall apart with our eyes and hearts wide open. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Which writers do you turn to in difficult times?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #fnq #tropicalfarnorthqueensland #thewritinglife #memoir #pemachodron

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I had the opportunity to chat with Kerry Newsome from @hellohoianvietnam on her podcast "What About Vietnam Trip Planning" last week about travel and journaling. #linkinbio👆 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This is the year of armchair travel for most of us and I was worried that I wouldn't have much to say to Kerry, but hey, when given the opportunity to talk about writing, I actually never run out of things to say.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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One of the things I spoke about was that travel often also leads to some kind of inner journey, as we step out of our comfort zones and immerse ourselves in what is different and foreign. Right now, there is a lot of fear and uncertainty about travel. A journal can be helpful in documenting your inner journey as well as the outer journey, taking notes not only of the places you visit or the meals you eat, but the ways a culture affects you, or how the nerve-wrecking bargaining session at the market made you feel.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A travel journal can be an important tool in the trip planning phase (of course we have apps for that now, but nothing beats an old fashioned journal). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I encouraged Kerry's listeners to not only think about listing places to see, or hotels to stay in, but to also make a lists of the fears and reservations they might silently harbor about going to a foreign culture or about traveling in a post-pandemic world (is that actually ever going to happen?). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Here is a photo of me in Hoi An in 2016 when I came to make it my home, which was over a decade after my first visit ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It was in the pages of that little journal in my hand that the idea for Write Your Journey was born. It seems so long ago now...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What about you? Do you use apps to record and plan your trips or do you bring an old fashioned pen and paper journal? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#travel #travelwriting #traveljournal #journaling #writingprompts #hoian #vietnam #whataboutvietnam

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I've been having some really crazy nightmares lately. The other morning I dreamed that I was standing on the TEDx stage about to deliver my talk and I had forgotten every single line of my talk and I didn't have my written script or palm cards with me. I just stared into the void, that blinding bright light that shone into our faces when I actually delivered my talk last year, not sure what would happen once I opened my mouth. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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And then I woke up. I felt shaken and rattled as if my mind had been invaded by aliens. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So what are our dreams and nightmares all about? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Later that morning I did a short intention setting practice with my TED sista Peace Mitchell and Katy Garner from @ausmumpreneur and was reminded to 'step into my brilliance' every day. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I guess I needed to be reminded that I am a confident woman who has a powerful message to share. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Why does this happen to us? Why do women doubt themselves? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I have always struggled with aggressive self-promotion. It's just not my thing. But in order to be heard, we need to claim that masculine energy and be aggressive about it sometimes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I am sure my dream was about so many things, but I just wanted to share this reminder with you today. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Don't doubt yourself. Step into your brilliance. Claim your voice. Speak your truth.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Do you ever struggle with making yourself heard? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#believeinyourself #motivation #inspire #believe #dontdoubt #personalgrowth #ownit

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Sometimes it's important to remember these things when life seems hard and dark as it does right now for many of us.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I am very lucky to be experiencing the pandemic in a remote place with low population density which has so far shielded us from second lockdowns and compulsory masks,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But am sad that I haven't been able to visit my ageing parents in Germany. It will be two years in March since I last saw them and I don't expect to be able to visit any time soon. Two years is a lot in the life of a toddler and it's also a lot in the life of an over-eighty year old. Because these final years will not come again. And so sometimes it is hard to find the ecstasy in life when dark thoughts visit.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I also miss travelling and my community in Hoi An.

But I console myself trying to pay attention to what is in front of me right now. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The ocean, every day it looks different. Every morning brings a different sunrise. Those are tiny moments of sweetness, fleeting and beautiful.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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How do you find joy when life seems bleak? How do you find ecstasy in everyday life?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #happiness #selflove #covid-10 #stayhomestaycreative #noticewonderconnect #timeonmyhands #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving

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I had goosebumbs listening to the acceptance speech of Indigenous elder, artist and educator Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann AM as Senior Australian of the year.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The way she explained the indigenous concept of 'dadirri' made me think of mindfulness and our silent writing practice:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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"It is our most unique gift. It is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to our fellow Australians. In our language this quality is called dadirri. It is inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Dadirri recognises the deep spring that is inside us. We call on it and it calls to us. This is the gift that Australia is thirsting for. It is something like what you call "contemplation".⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When I experience dadirri, I am made whole again. I can sit on the riverbank or walk through the trees; even if someone close to me has passed away, I can find my peace in this silent awareness. There is no need of words. A big part of dadirri is listening." Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My morning walks are my 'dadirri'. I had goosebumps waking up and walking into this sky the other day. Little moments of joy. Writing is another way for me to experience 'dadirri'. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What is your way to experience 'dadirri'?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #singingbowlmeditations #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #meditation #mindfulnessmeditation #zen #innercalm #flow #zen

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It's almost a year since I got accidentally stranded in this spot. I am not complaining. It's a pretty nice place to spend my first pandemic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We are remote and sparsely populated and the last time I wore a mask was on the flight to Australia last February. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Back then I was the only person on the plane wearing a mask. Nobody could have imagined then, that we would have a year of closed borders. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And I can't see myself getting much beyond the Queensland borders this year either.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So for 2021 my travel goals are to see more of my immediate surroundings and to go camping. All very achievable on my reduced budget.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What about you? Where do you expect to travel this year? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#covid19 #selfisolation #staythefuckathome #meditation #zen #inspiration #calm #innerpeace #resilience #writingtherapy #wellness #coronavirus #workingfromhome #remotework #writeanywhere #retreat #writersretreat #smallpleasures⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#slowingdown⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#photoaday2021⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#quietmoments⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#itsthesmallthings⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#thesmallthings⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#simplethingsmakemehappy⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#simplethings⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#reflecting⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#lifeinlockdown

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I've got a deadline for my book proposal: Valentines Day. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
That's not much time given how much work goes into a proposal for a memoir (up to 50 pages). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The depressing part about pitching a non-fiction book is that it's all about how big your social media platform is! At least if you desire to be traditionally published.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I always assumed it would be about the quality of my writing. Sure, when writing a memoir you also need to be an above average writer and a good story teller who can keep the reader engaged, but in the end it's all about the size of your social media platform. I like the writing part, not so much the social media part.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I am the classic introverted writer who can go for days without seeing anyone, happily chipping away at my story. I've cranked out 12,000 words in the last two weeks. What helped me do it, was to stay away from social media as much as possible and to stay at home, going for solitary nature walks. So building a giant social media platform isn't really what my life is about. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But it's time to re-emerge here on IG because I love photography and I love engaging with others in this way.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Thank goodness for these stunning sunrises we've been having this week. At least I've got something to catch your attention. I always thought that it would be about my writing, turns out it's as much about that as it is about my social media skills. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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How do you feel about social media? Does it drain or nourish you? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#authorlife #amwriting #authorconfession #writingcommunity t #writingtip, #writershelpingwriters #authorsofinstagram #writeyourjourney #writinggoals #writinglife #creativewriting #writeeveryday #writingchallenge #memoir

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I got up at 4am today so that I could be awake enough to speak on Scottish radio about the Healing Power of Writing on the Soulcraft Wellbeing show.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's truly magical when I get a chance to connect with people around the world to speak about something that I feel so passionate about. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What I love about journaling is that the blank page really is a safe space where we can say the things we often don't even dare to think (provided that you keep the journal safely hidden from snooping family members—I still cringe at my mum reading my journal when I was a confused teenager).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Journaling is about capturing the raw and the unfiltered. It's where we are allowed to just let it flow without editing, bypassing the analytical part of the brain.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It was perfect timing that our interview finished just as the sun came up and I sat down and did my morning pages in this magical spot right outside my front door. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you are struggling to get started, I've made a beautiful PDF with my favorite writing prompts ready for download for anybody who joins our online community. #linkinbio⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Where is your favorite spot to write in your journal? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #fnq #tropicalfarnorthqueensland #journaling #amwriting #writersofinstagram #authorlife

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#decemberreflections DAY 16: PLANT LOVE⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I am lucky to live surrounded by jungle. Everything grows like crazy in the tropics. At this time of the year the morning air is fragrant with ylang ylang, a native rainforest tree, that is used in aromatherapy and precious parfums, including Chanel. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I haven't got a pic of it and I wish I could capture the fragrance here on IG. It's rich and deep with notes of rubber and custard, and bright with hints of jasmine and neroli...a blissful stimulation on my early morning walks. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your favorite scent?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #happiness #selflove #covid-10 #stayhomestaycreative #noticewonderconnect #timeonmyhands #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving #aromatherapy

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Everything is strange this year, even the weather forecast. We are supposed to have an early wet season this year. But it's mid December and we are still enjoying spectacularly cloud-free mornings like this one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's a La Nina year. The last time we had that weather pattern, 10 years ago, a category 5 cyclone destroyed my beautiful beachside haven of #missionbeach, leaving an entire community grieving and World Heritage listed rainforest devastated. It was an unfathomable amount of destruction. 10 years on and nature has healed itself. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We get cyclones every year and I no longer bat an eyelid when we get a category 2 warning. But the possibility of a heavier than usual wet season prompted me to take a very sensible decision: I have deferred all retreats until after the wet season. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It was a difficult decision given that I had some wonderful women lined up to get stuck into writing their books with me at the start of 2021. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But it comes with a silver lining: I now have time to get back to writing my own book! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's all about keeping my priorities in focus.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What are your priorities for 2021? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #happiness #selflove #covid-10 #stayhomestaycreative #noticewonderconnect #timeonmyhands #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving

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DECEMBER REFLECTIONS with @susannahconway⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
DAY 12: Best decision in 2020⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Not rushing to the airport in order to try to get back to Hoi An when it was announced that in 36 hours the borders would close. I literally froze and missed the chance to get out. At the time it seemed like a really bad decision. Suddenly I was stranded in Australia, separated from my partner. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Nobody knew then that this would turn into almost a year of closed borders. It took a moment for the reality to sink in that I was literally trapped on this large continent at the end of the world, whilst my partner remained in Hoi An. Australia wasn't letting anybody out and Vietnam wasn't going to let anybody in.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Who knows when I will get back to Hoi An? After 10 months of separation, my partner made the difficult decision to come back to Australia. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We left behind a life we'd spent 4 years building and a fully furnished home. It all seemed like a really bad idea.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But in hindsight, I can say that I have blossomed and grown in ways I didn't expect. New opportunities have presented themselves. I was invited to give a TED talk. I have held two very successful retreats in Australia. I have transformed my home into a retreat centre...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Looking back on this strange year, the decision to let the 36-hour window before the borders closed pass, turns out to have been the best thing I could have done.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What a strange year this has been.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What is one of the best decisions you took in 2020?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #happiness #selflove #covid-10 #stayhomestaycreative #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving

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The remote emptiness of Far North Queensland that I have so often hated, strangely has been a comfort this year.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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One of the benefits of becoming stranded here, is that I had a lot of space and time to be alone. Most mornings, mine are the first footsteps on the sand at sunrise. What a gift.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Speaking of gifts, it's the season of gift giving. The person we most often forget is of course ourselves! I've put together a blog post of my favorite FREE self-care gifts. #linkinbio⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It includes Morning Pages, my daily walk and lots of sleep!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What are your favorite self-care gifts? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #happiness #selflove #covid-10 #stayhomestaycreative #noticewonderconnect #timeonmyhands #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving

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Can you see that little dot in this pic? That's the full moon. That was one of the times this month when I forced myself to slow down, stop working and actually be present to the rhythm of things. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This year when the world slowed to a standstill, still sees us all rushing into the final month of the year.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So I've sat down for a good one-on-one with myself and I've made a list of all the self-care gifts I need to give myself more regularly. I felt inspired and turned it into a blog post (#linkinbio), because there are so many little things we can do every day to help us feel balanced, in sync with ourselves and energised throughout the year.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Self-care isn’t all about bubble baths and spa treatments. It’s about how we look after our physical and mental wellbeing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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For me it's all about slowing down and switching from busy 'doing mode' to 'being mode'. I don't do it often enough, hence the long note to self (which turned into a blog post that you can read here: https://www.writeyourjourney.com/self-care-gifts-to-give-yourself-this-season/). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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How about you? What are your top self-care gifts to yourself? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#selfcare #meditation #zen #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #reflection #introspection #newyearsresolutions #goals #newyearsresolutions #newyear #change #life #gifts #christmas #christmasgifts

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#decemberreflections2020 with @susannahconway⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
DAY 9: SILVER

Waiting for the dark clouds of the wet season to close in on us. In the meantime enjoying these silver hues.

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#decemberreflections2020 with @susannahconway⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
DAY 8: FAVE CAPTURE OF 2020⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It would have to be this pic. I took it back in late January on my first morning walk around my small fishing village in Hoi An, central Vietnam after being bed-ridden for almost a week (in hindsight I wonder if it was Covid-19). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I made the effort to walk to the market that morning because it was the last one before TET, the Vietnamese New Year. The TET markets offer endless colourful photo opportunities but on that morning it was sensory overload in every sense: the colours, sounds, smells and the chaos of vendors, buyers and scooters as the market swells to double its normal size at this time of the year had me instantly in a dizzy spell...but then I saw this on my way back down the quiet lane to my house and I felt very happy that I'd found beauty where I least expected it...in a puddle on a potholed road. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's an unexpected place where you found beauty this year? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#miksang #contemplativephotography #mindfulness #inspiration #moments #creativelifehappylife #writeyourjourney #gratitude #happiness #selflove #stayhomestaycreative #noticewonderconnect #timeonmyhands #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #innercalm #happy #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving

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#decemberreflections2020 with @susannahconway⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
DAY 7: ON MY WISHLIST⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A TED talk hadn't been on my wishlist. Not for this year, not even for next year. I hadn't dared to dream that big. But then a pandemic was declared, the borders closed and my life changed, from one day to the next... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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As it became clear that I would not be able to return to my home in Hoi An for the rest of this year (and possibly next year) I had no choice but to cancel all of my retreats in Vietnam for 2020. I became separated from my partner for the next 10 months, I lost my Airbnb income because suddenly I needed to live in my own home. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So I came up with plan B. I put out a call for a writers retreat right here in my own home in Mission Beach. Two days later it was sold out. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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One of the women who signed up texted me to say that she was down the road from me for the weekend and would I like to catch up. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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That's how I met my TED sister Peace Mitchell, co-founder of @ausmumpreneur and @thewomensbusinessschool. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Peace casually mentioned that she was busy finishing her application for the TEDxTownsville. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The deadline was in a few days. I had nothing to loose and not much else to do, stranded as I was on my own in a remote beachside town. So I gave it a shot...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Just goes to show that sometimes your wishlist can come true before you've even put it out there...!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My TED talk is finally up (#linkinbio). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's on your wishlist?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#ted #tedx #tedxtownsville #tedtalks #believeinyourself #townsville #noticewonderconnect #goals #tedx_official #writeyourjourney⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Photocredit: Kylie Bartlett @lead.love.leap

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#decemberreflections2020 with @susannahconway⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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DAY 5: BIGGEST LESSON FROM 2020⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Adversity can bring new opportunities, transformation and growth.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's not the first time life taught me this lesson the hard way. Exactly 10 years ago, life threw a number of gigantic obstacles in my path that made me stumble hard and fall deep.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It took a number of years to get off the slippery slope and write a new chapter for myself. On January 1st, 2021, it will be 10 years since my husband Gianni died. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In a strange twist of fate, 2020 brought a fresh series of obstacles, for me and everybody else, and yet this strange year has also brought unexpected opportunities that reaffirmed what I already knew:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🔸Overcoming adversity can be a path to growth and transformation.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🔸When we crash hard, we CAN rise strong!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🔸Writing can heal and guide us through a difficult time.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🔸Mindfulness meditation can bring calm and clarity amid the storm.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🔸There is light after darkness.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🔸You are more resilient than you think.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your biggest lesson from 2020?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#gratitude #happiness #selflove #covid-19 #stayhomestaycreative #noticewonderconnect #timeonmyhands #consciouscreativity #creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #mindfulness #calm #innerpeace #zen #innercalm #happy #wellness #goals #instaselfcare #instaselflove #wholeheartedliving #writeyourjourney

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#decemberreflections2020 with @susannahconway⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
DAY 3: BEST DAY OF 2020⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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There were surprisingly many good days in 2020! The day after I gave my TED talk would have to be one of the best. After a month of intense rehearsing, I was finally able to relax with this as my breakfast view.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Today is another great day. My TED talk is up, the typo in my surname has finally been fixed (hallelujah!) and I am ready to share it with the world. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Well, actually, I am not sure that I am ready, but it's time to release it to the world. I can't tell you how scary it is to do this. I may look confident in my red dress, but underneath it all, I feel shit-scared. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I keep telling myself that it takes guts to be vulnerable. And I know, beyond a doubt, that we need to share our stories to empower ourselves and to support each other in being vulnerable. I am doing this as much for me as I am doing this for you and everybody else. We need to allow our emotions in. All of them.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So today is one of the best days of 2020. I am letting the world know that it's finally online. My TED talk about The Healing Power of Writing. Link is in my bio!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#linkinbio #ted #tedx #tedxtownsville #tedtalks #believeinyourself #writeyourjourney #townsville #noticewonderconnect #goals #tedx_official @thevilletsv

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#decemberreflections2020 with @susannahconway⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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DAY 2: FAVORITE HOBBY⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When you've made your passion your day job, it's hard to say what my favorite hobby is. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Believe it or not, tinkering with my website and designing graphics and new pages is kind of a hobby for me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My other favorite past time is spending time in nature, going for long walks or simply watching this view. It's not so much a hobby but a lifestyle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Maybe I need to find a new hobby? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your favorite hobby?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#gratitude #love #life #peace #happiness #grateful #blessed #meditation #motivation #inspiration #happy #selflove #thankful #spirituality #believe #mindfulness #goodvibes #energy #positivethinking #instagood #mindset #superpower #abundance #awareness #writeyourjourney #hobbies #tropicalbeach #missionbeach #farnorthqueensland

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#decemberreflections2020⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
DAY 1: STAR⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I am doing December Reflections again with @susannahconway. It's a great way to take stock of the year that has been and to get some instalove happening as we wind up the year that nobody saw coming.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's a full moon tonight, the wet season is on our doorstop and I doubt that I'll see any stars tonight. On a clear night in this remote place the Milky Way is literally within scratching distance.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The sun is my star today. It's the star attraction of my daily morning walks. It's what gets me out of bed in the mornings. It's what makes me feel alive and connected to the planet and to the natural rhythm of things.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's the star of your day today?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #fnq #tropicalfarnorthqueensland #missionbeach #writeyourjourney #sunsrise #tropicalbeach #5amclub #earlybird @susannahconway

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What a lucky capture on my morning walk. Glorious skies before the wet season rolls in.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Getting up to watch the sunrise is a special pleasure I discovered when I moved to the tropics over 10 years ago.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your favorite way to start your day?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#creativelifehappylife #forgeyourownpath #wholeheartedliving #theslowcollective #alifeofintention #seeksimplicity #theartofslow #fnq #tropicalfarnorthqueensland #missionbeach #5amclub #earlybird #sunrise #tropicalbeach

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Here's the final German translation of the word retreat I put to my mother. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
der Rückzug⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
retreat, withdrawal, retraction, drawback⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It wasn't very helpful as it brought to mind soldiers withdrawing from battle (which of course goes back to the origin of the Latin verb ‘ritirare’).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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But in a sense that's exactly what we do on a retreat.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The five women who came together for my first Australian writing retreat had each in her own way retreated from the daily battles we all fight at home and at work. They’d given themselves 5 days out to work on their books and on themselves.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What do you do to retreat from the daily battles? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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* ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#writersretreat #writingretreat #meditation #innerpeace #zen #mindfulness #yogaretreat #creativetime #writeyourjourney #transformationalretreat #retreat #retreatlife #wellbeing #wellnessretreat #followyourbliss #gratitude #travel #journaling #heartcentred #innerjourney #fnq #missionbeach #cairns #farnorthqueensland #tropicalfarnorthqueensland #selfcare #wellness #selflove #queensland #australia

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I struggled to explain to my mum what a retreat is. So I consulted my German dictionary. Here is another definition I found:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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der Zufluchtsort⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
haven, retreat, sanctuary, place of refuge, hideaway, safe house⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Women of my mother's generation don't go on retreats. In her day you might have gone to a health spa; there are even specific wellness institutions for burned-out mums in Germany, the Muttergensungswerk. But my mum never allowed herself any self care. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In her imagination retreats are for monastics who pursue spiritual growth in places of refuge and mountain-top sanctuaries.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Come to think of it, our writing retreats are a little bit like that, except we pursue our inner growth in colorful beach frocks and comfortable yoga clothes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In the past I've held my retreats at beautiful @anvilla in Vietnam. This year, thanks to the pandemic, I turned my beachfront home in Mission Beach into a haven of calm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Since borders are set to remain closed for the near future, I will continue to use my home as a place where writers can gather to slow down; where we can safely go on our inner journeys and come home to ourselves.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What's your ideal retreat? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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* ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#writersretreat #writingretreat #meditation #innerpeace #zen #mindfulness #yogaretreat #creativetime #writeyourjourney #transformationalretreat #retreat #retreatlife #wellbeing #wellnessretreat #followyourbliss #gratitude #travel #journaling #heartcentred #innerjourney #fnq #missionbeach #cairns #farnorthqueensland #tropicalfarnorthqueensland #selfcare #wellness #selflove #queensland #australia

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Discover the Healing Power of Writing

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10 essential life lessons this decade has taught me

Why luck had nothing to do with my self-directed life

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I am Kerstin Pilz, PhD.

Are you ready to start writing in 2021?

Want to START WRITING this year?

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Check out my ONLINE COURSES, RETREATS & DOWNLOADABLE MEDITATIONS

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