Hi all!
I thought I would write just a quick blog post this week as I’m prepping for my Yoga Teacher Exam this Friday & tying up loose ends before I depart Melbourne the following Wednesday for Vietnam/Cambodia!
I wanted to share with you my 10 absolute favourite things in the whole wide world. They are the things that make me happy every single day and what I’m truly thankful for.
- Family & Traditions:
Even though my family are scattered not only here but overseas, when we all come together we always have a lot of fun. We’re all so different but so similar in many ways. On Christmas Eve, the family dress up according to the yearly theme and we all eat, play games & open presents together at midnight. It’s a tradition that has been going since I was little and it’s one that I hope we don’t lose even when my sister & I have children of our own someday. This year’s theme is Theatre & Musicals so stay tuned for the group photo!
- Friends:
I am one of those quality over quantity girls and I can count my true, trustworthy friends on one hand. My Ultimate Best Friend (UBF for short!) is Christine Graham (or as she will always be known to me: Graham/Gray) who became my best friend when I was 10 years old and still is 15+ years later! We can go weeks without seeing one another but all it takes is one lunch or dinner to bring us right back to why we became best friends in the first place. She really is the Yin to my Yang!
- My Love:
2+ years ago, I met the love of my life and not a day goes by where I’m not thankful that the universe brought him my way. He has the kindest heart, the deepest soul & an intelligent, witty mind that makes me laugh & leaves me inspired. Francis is my best friend, my soulmate & the man I will gladly share the rest of my days with.
‘Every Love Story Is Beautiful But Ours Is My Favourite.’
- Animals:
Growing up, my sister and I had two cats Sylvester & Fudge that we loved dearly but I didn’t realise the extent of how much I cared for animals until I became a vegan. I stopped seeing them as a commodity or an ingredient in food & saw them as our equals. I know that one vegan cannot change the world but doing my part & not funding their exploitation is my way of expressing love & peace toward them. I am currently sponsoring Boots the Goat (pictured) for a whole year thanks to my favourite charity ‘Edgar’s Mission’ and I cannot wait to visit him and all his friends in the Spring when the shelter re-opens!
- Reading & Writing:
Since I was a little girl, I have always had a passion for reading & writing. I used to go to the library, borrow 20 books and read them all in a day! I have grown up writing poems, short stories & in 2013 my very first book was published (pictured). By the end of 2015, my second book will also be published & I absolutely adore my blog which is my deepest form of self-expression. Reading & writing go hand in hand for me. I’m proud to call myself an author & will write until I can no longer… My top 5 favourite books are:
- Blackwood Farm – Anne Rice
- Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
- Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
- King Lear – William Shakespeare
- To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
- Travelling:
As mentioned in an earlier blog post, my sister and I travelled the world at such a young age. It is something that sets my heart on fire & gives me a sense of absolute freedom. I’m lucky to have found a partner that loves to travel just as much as I do & it’s something we’ve agreed to keep doing year in, year out even when our own children come along…
- Yoga:
By the end of this weekend, I should be able to call myself a qualified Yoga Teacher! I began doing Yoga when I was in high school. My mum & I would go every week to a Hatha Class in Sunbury & I could feel my mind, body & spirit heal after every session. I was experiencing particularly high anxiety at the time & yoga kept me in the present moment. I took it up again early last year & all those similar feelings of healing & peace returned. That was when I realised this was something I was meant to do for the rest of my life & share with others. I enrolled in a Yoga Teacher Training Course & now this weekend I face my final exams! Wish me luck!
- Eating & Cooking:
I love to eat, create & cook vegan food! Cooking used to be something I feared & was altogether clumsy at but since transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle I have found it an absolute joy! Peace.Love.Veggies will continue to feature recipes & travel food blogs as I explore the globe more and more! Stay tuned!
- Walking & Nature:
Even when it’s bitterly cold, I love to walk for at least 15 minutes and marvel at the wonder & beauty of nature. It gives so much & takes nothing. It exists to calm the mind & keep us present. Once the weather becomes warmer, I am going to drive to various walking tracks around Victoria & discover some of my favourites! The next time you go on a walk, disconnect from your phone and look around. You may discover a natural gem that captures your heart!
- Clothing:
I don’t see clothes as just a way to cover my naked shell, I see it as a form of self-expression. Fashion allows you to be unique, creative & fun! You can mix & match your outfits. You can pair them with accessories (in my case…headbands!) & even coordinate with Mother Earth! Florals in Spring, Browns/Reds in Autumn, Darks in Winter & Brights in Summer! Here are a few of my favourite clothing labels:
- Tree of Life (check out blog page)
- Her Pony
- Ishka
- Gypsy Warrior
- Freez
- Tishka
- Bohemian Island
- Anas Leggings
What are your top 10 favourite things? Feel free to share!
Peace & Love xoxox
Such a positive, uplifting post about your favourite things, the things that make you happy. I was smiling all the way through this. So exciting that you are going to be a yoga teacher very soon, and I’m sure an inspiring one too. Also congratulations on your second book. What an achievement and I hope to get it soon like I have your first one right beside me now 🙂
Some of my favourite things: good company, good conversation. Reading (Wuthering Heights is also one of the books I liked a lot as a kid, these days I like to read articles by Jeff Goins). Music. Photography. Nature walks. And of course, my collection of stuffed monkeys 😉 <3
Mabel!! You have my book! Make sure you bring it tomorrow to lunch and I will sign it 🙂 thank you so much for supporting me & the blog! I’m glad it made you feel happy & uplifted! Thank you for the kind words!! I love your list 🙂 stuffed monkeys of course!! These things make you happy so always pursue them & never let them go! Xx
Even though I know your “favourite things”, I still enjoy the way you express your thoughts and feelings in print. I look forward to your blogs very much .
Thank you for the kind words – may I ask who this is?