It’s time to stand to attention!

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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!

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Sexual HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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.

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

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.

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Sexual HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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!

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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.

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Sexual HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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!

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Sexual HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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…

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

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!

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

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

Inner Mean Girl/Dude: How nasty is yours?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

We all have an inner meanie. You know the one I’m talking about. She/he’s negative, judgmental, constantly comparing you to other people and how well they’re doing or looking. She/he also likes to sabotage you in any way possible, such as keeping you busy doing all the things that will keep you from your dreams. You know your inner mean … Read More

Surviving xmas and keeping your relos!

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

If your family get-together makes you feel like you want to suffocate your siblings (or your parents) in a stocking, don’t despair, surviving xmas is possible. Truly! Christmas can be full of cheer and happiness and kisses under the mistletoe, if you do a little internal work and recognise that any trigger points round the dinner table are the most … Read More

Life: Our biggest teacher

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

We live in a world that applauds learning from others in a formalised manner. Now I’m not saying don’t get that university degree, take that music class or see a therapist to help you resolve that emotional debacle. What I am saying, is that there are other helpful ways of learning and growing and developing, and they don’t require forking out huge wads … Read More

Is your relationship baby-ready?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

The good ‘ol biological clock can send us into a head spin, if by thirty (or even forty for some ladies) they have not yet found the man they wish to procreate with. I see single women go on a date with the intention to marry the first man who will give her their sperm, instead of actually finding a … Read More

Lets talk about sex… baby!

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Sexual HealthLeave a Comment

Sex isn’t usually the topic of conversation at morning tea, unless of course you’re Samantha from Sex And The City! But how many of us ladies LOVE that show? Why do we get so into it? Because it looks at a topic that most of us aren’t privy to in our everyday working lives: Sex. We do it. It’s what made us, yet … Read More

Relationship Rescue: Do you have white knight syndrome?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

In fairytales the white knight recues the damsel in distress, falls in love, and saves the day – charming isn’t it? However, real-life knights are men and women who enter into romantic relationships with damaged and vulnerable partners, hoping that love will transform their partner’s behavior; a relationship pattern that seldom leads to a storybook ending. The rescuer enters the … Read More

Synchronicities: The traffic lights of our life

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

Our life is full of synchronicities. Perhaps a friend you’ve had on your mind calls out of the blue, or you get a flyer advertising yoga in your letterbox the very day you were thinking about starting yoga. As you’re driving to work, you see a billboard answering the exact question you had in mind. Or perhaps you dream of … Read More

Stories limit us: Are you a storyteller?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

We all have stories. Some people have happy stories; other people have challenging stories that bring pain. I’m sure you’re familiar with stories like: ‘Oh, my car wouldn’t start and now I’m running late for work, and then I spilled coffee in my lap, and it was all because my husband left the lights on in the car last night, … Read More

Happiness is a state of being, not just an emotion. How happy are you?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

being_happy

Happiness. Deep down it’s something that all of us want. That’s why there’s a whole self-help isle at bookstores promoting this very ideal that so many people strive for. Yet there’s still a lot of confusion around the emotion of happiness and the state of true happiness, and whether it’s even possible to feel deep happiness long-term. First though, we need to talk about … Read More

Settling for less: Are you sacrificing your true desires?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

Are you settling for less? I’m sure at some stage in your life you’ve settled; for the good-enough partner, the it’s-not-so-bad job, that mediocre orgasm (or lack there-of) or the time-poor lifestyle that leaves you with no time to spoil YOU. People sacrifice goals, needs, wants and happiness – even our health – daily. And sadly, society actually supports this. … Read More

Lust at first sight: Do you mix up love with a full-blown bout of longing lust?

Tamra MerciecaBlogs, Mental Health, Relationship HealthLeave a Comment

We all know what lust feels like. That electric spark that passes from you to your heartthrob each time you touch. That sense of ‘I’ve found The One’ washing over you, before you’ve had a chance to even find out his/her name! Yet this head-over-heels feeling we’ve all been swept up by at one time or another is likely to … Read More