Give the gift of love this Christmas.

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Struggling to buy gifts for those hard-to-buy-for people in your life? Then why not offer them the gift of love! ‘Ha?’ I hear you say! ‘That’s not something I can give another person.’ Actually it is. You just need to be open to showing love, gratitude and perhaps even get a little creative. Which is fun, right? Everyone I know … Read More

Is your life a balancing act? Life Balance 101.

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health3 Comments

I’m sure I’m not the only one who struggles with life balance from time to time. I am a Libra after all, so my life lesson is balance, if you’re one of those lovely Astrology-nerds! Where do I struggle most? Finding time for all the things I love! Learning French, pole dancing, swing dancing with my fiancé, knitting skirts, wanting to … Read More

Self love: Three keys to loving YOU!

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relationship_with_self

Self love. We hear the words thrown round all the time, but what does it really mean to love oneself? Let me answer that for you… To love oneself means to accept, respect and believe in all that you are. When you have deep self love you have this inner knowing that anything is possible, and because of this, your … Read More

Being happy is easier than you may think!

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being_happy

Being happy can be a foreigner or being happy can be your friend. If you’re like 99% of the population you’re probably looking for happiness in all the wrong places. And when you do find happiness, it only hangs around momentarily. What I’ve noticed since working as a Relationship Therapist and helping people develop their relationship with self so they … Read More

Anxiety cure: The ‘how-to’ guide that works!

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anxiety_cure

Anxiety can be like having a lasso around your neck. Just one small tug and you’re left gasping for air. Yet life doesn’t have to be this way. You can cure anxiety. And it all starts with understanding one simply fact: Anxiety is simply a fear of the future. If you’re not in your head worrying about possible outcomes, then … Read More

Perfection Paralysis. Are you trying to be perfect?

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perfection_paralysis

Are you stopping yourself from doing something because you’re not polished yet? Not perfect? Then you may be the victim of ‘Perfection Paralysis’. When we strive to be perfect at something, we do one of two things: We either work our proverbial butt off trying to reach this unreachable ‘perfect’ or we shy away from doing anything for fear of it not being perfect. … Read More

Kegel exercises: Do they really work?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Sexual Health4 Comments

‘Do your Kegel exercises … Strengthen your pelvic floor …’ If you’ve given birth, chances are you’ve been told this at least once, and even if you haven’t given birth, you’ve probably read about Kegels in some women’s magazine touting their importance. Who wants to wet their pants every time they sneeze, right? The problem is, if you’re doing Kegel … Read More

Love story: Are you living yours?

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Love_Story

Every love story has a beginning. And it usually starts with someone searching for true love. I know for me, I always wanted to find ‘The One’. The romantic in me always on the lookout for her Prince, always hoping to experience that deep heart-felt connection. And for many years I searched and searched, experiencing flings and rendezvous’ that while … Read More

Too Busy? Do you know how to press pause?

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too_busy?_press_pause

When you finish an activity do you rush off to your next busy engagement like a mouse being chased by a cat, or do you take a moment pause? To be with your experience and be with yourself? Most people’s lives are so full to the brim they’re bursting at the seams, relationships and productivity compromised by this multi-tasking society … Read More

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

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Curing Anxiety: 5 tips Picture

Do you sometimes feel like a huge tsunami is crashing in on you? Is your life filled with perceived threats? Financial sharks, relationship eels, health jellyfish all creating a life driven by fear. We perceive danger at every corner of our life, using drugs, alcohol, unhealthy foods, smoking, retail therapy and the like, to dampen our consciousness and impair our ability … Read More

It’s time to stand to attention!

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Just as we have a national budget deficit so too do we have an attention deficit – and it’s this attention deficit that stops us truly connecting with ourselves, with others and the world around us. Amid the world of distractions we live in, we often hear people say ‘Pay attention please,’ or ‘Can I have your undivided attention?’ So lets first take a look … Read More

Ready to ditch your fear of public speaking?

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Would you believe three years ago, just the thought of public speaking would send shivers of anxiety down my spine? Seriously. I remember in my early 20s being a guest speaker at a university lecture where I had to talk about journalism – my former career – and quite literally shaking through the entire talk. My hands were white and … Read More

Your internal tape recorder: It records EVERYTHING!

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It’s funny how much we know (especially about other people and the world around us) without consciously realising it. When I’m out walking, and I see someone coming my way, I can tell automatically before I see their face (as I’m a little short-sighted without my glasses) if it’s someone I know. How? Because an unconscious part of me recognises … Read More

Connection. That’s all we really want… yeah?

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We all want connection. In fact, that’s what we crave, what we yearn for, right? Connection with others, but most importantly, connection with our self. Yet this deep soul connection remains elusive for most people. Why? Because instead of focusing on connecting, we humans tend to get caught up pursuing things that we think will deliver us that connection, seeking … Read More

Are you the target of someone else’s emotional pain?

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It can be really difficult when someone shoots a vindictive arrow your way. I’m sure you can remember a time (or 50) where someone fired at you. Perhaps they said something mean or maybe they did something unforgettable that broke your trust. It hurt, yeah? Much more than a physical wound. You see, while physical wounds heal with time, emotional … Read More

Faith. Where is yours?

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Too often I see people who like to doubt.. well.. pretty much everything! They question that great idea, they brush off that entrepreneurial concept as being make-believe as opposed to a very real achievement, and they dismiss other people’s dreams instead of seeing the possibility in them. These people lack faith. Faith in themselves, and thus, faith in the people … Read More

Sharing your wins with love.

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Do you brag or do you inspire? I had a really interesting conversation this week which revealed that while I like to share my wins, the person I was chatting to steers away from this and prefers to share his problems. Why? He doesn’t want to sound as though he’s bragging, which is fair enough. My view however, is that … Read More

Do you need more love in your relationship?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Relationship Health2 Comments

Love, support and encouragement. Do you give these things to your partner, or do you give your partner something else? Snide remarks, put-downs and insulting looks of disgust; do you question their abilities and thus their potential? This is a topic I feel very passionately about because I am constantly seeing couples who lash out in each other in disrespectful … Read More

Natural contraception: Know thy cycle, know thyself.

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If you’re a heterosexual couple of childbearing age you’ve got to deal with the fantasy-crushing subject of birth control. There are certainly a lot of options and devices out there, but not many of them are good for your health. I won’t go into all the scientific links between the Contraceptive Pill and breast cancer here (you can read more … Read More

Are you constantly trying to prove yourself?

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I’m sure you’re familiar with at least one point in your life (perhaps a hundred or two) where you’ve tried to impress someone, or prove how good you are to them; bragging about some credential without any real reason to or talking yourself up amid meeting a new person in the hope of being accepted. To be liked! It’s easy … Read More

How much ‘ease’ do you have in your life?

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We talk about happiness, fulfillment and love as being great things to strive for in life. Perhaps it’s the big house with the even bigger swimming pool or that job promotion that comes with a hefty paycheck or even that hot guy we’ve been eyeing up in the elevator. They all seem like great things to work towards. Yet not … Read More

Everyone gets what they want in life. Really!

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Did you know you always get what you want in life? You’re probably thinking: ‘No I don’t want this debt’ or ‘I don’t want this toxic relationship with my parents’. ‘As if I’d order up a casket full of health ailments!’  Of course you don’t want these things consciously. But if that’s what’s happening in your life right now, then at a subconscious level that is what you want. … Read More

Easter bunny delivers an egg of a yummier kind! A woman’s answer to blissful health.

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Want Easter to leave you feeling nourished and revitalised? Then forget the choccie this year and buy yourself (or your lady) a ‘Jade’ egg instead. I came across the Jade Egg practice a few years ago after I returned an abnormal Pap smear result and was diagnosed as being the stage before cancer. Hence began my exploration into this 5000-year-old Taoist practice. Not only … Read More

Are you a ‘but’ person?

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How many ‘buts’ are there in your life? ‘But this, but that’. I’d love to apply for that job, but I just don’t think I’d get it. Yes, that guy seems great, perfect actually, but there’s no way he’d go out with me. Are you letting your ‘buts’ get in the way of putting yourself out there, going for those opportunities and ultimately living the life you … Read More

Ditch the bra if you want perkier breasts ladies!

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Let’s be honest, wearing a bra can be a pain in the, err… Bust! Trudging into a fitting room, waiting to be measured, struggling into ten different styles to find the one that fits properly. Bra shopping often feels like more trouble than it’s worth. And according to one French scientist, it actually is! In this 15-year study it was … Read More

Do you know the difference between feelings and emotions?

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Often people put feelings and emotions in the same basket. Now while they are certainly similar, there are some distinguishing differences you really should know if you’re serious about living a happy life full of positive relationships. Put simply:Feelings are how you feel in the moment. Emotions are past unresolved feelings. To put that into context: Someone accidentally spills coffee on your lap. … Read More

Why most therapy doesn’t work…

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I’ve spoken to thousands of people who’ve tried counseling, psychology and other new age therapies only to leave disappointed years later (and thousands of dollars down) with the same negative patterns still playing out in their life. They’ve read a library full of self-help books and given that 12-week challenge a go, and still the original problem is there. Why … Read More

Ghosts of the past: Are you haunted by your memories

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We all have memories. And that’s because we all have a past. All those happy memories are great to reflect upon. It’s the awful, sometimes horrific memories that have the ability to unhinge us, break us down and haunt our daily existence. The great news is, no matter what ghosts are residing in your most precious self, they can be … Read More

News Toxicity: Are you poisoning your mind?

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How much news do you consume on a daily basis? Are you a news junkie or do you take small bites? This week I wanted to look at how news can actually make us take on a more pessimistic view of life and even trigger depression and low moods. It’s not surprising, given that our environment has the ability to … Read More

Ditch V-day and celebrate Self-Love Day instead!

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Valentine’s Day has the ability to sweep you off your feet in one romantic heart-fluttering waltz, or leave you standing by the dance floor, feeling alone and dare I say, miserable. Singletons are usually the biggest causality on February 14, but even those of us in relationships can be left feeling bitterly disappointed when the roses (or in my case … Read More