Author: Kate.Purcell

There are some days that I still struggle with body image.

Even though I have lost a fair bit of weight over the past year, I am still not a size 8 and I grapple with this sometimes.

My perfectionistic tendencies kick in and I start criticizing myself for not being “perfect”.

Why do we do this? What is the point?

I am a big believer in the importance of self-love and self-compassion, and I am usually very good at practicing these. Yet I do still get stuck in self-loathing at times when it comes to body image and the way I look.

I never judge anyone else on their looks, so why do I continue to judge myself?

Having a history of negative body image and eating issues does not help me in my cause towards unconditionally loving myself. Sometimes I think I will always be prone to having that inner critic inside my head telling me awful things about myself…that same inner critic that sparked off my anorexia many moons ago.

Like I said, I think that most of the time I can love myself warts and all. And this is very empowering and feels really good. But what do I do on those days that all I can think about is losing weight?

What would I say to someone in the same position? I would probably tell them that it is ok to want to be healthy and if that means losing some weight, that is ok. But it needs to come from a place of love… not from a place of self-loathing and fear.

We are each unique and perfect in our own ways. Anyone who judges us for not being ‘perfect’ by society’s standards can go and take a flying leap in my opinion. And this includes my inner critic. I need to see that inner critic for what it is… a negative Nancy who doesn’t deserve to be listened to. If someone in my external world was telling me what my inner critic sometimes tells, I would cut ties with them immediately. I would consider them toxic, and abusive. So perhaps when I am next up against my own inner critic, I should do the same thing. Simply ignore its words and not give it the time of day. This of course is a challenging thing to do… because sometimes you cannot simply shut out your inner critic’s words. But you can stand up to them and respond with assertiveness (and love). I need to respond to my inner critic with words of affirmation. I need to affirm that I am in fact, already perfect, regardless of the number on the scales. I need to affirm that I deserve love and that I am more than willing to give myself this love and care. I need to affirm that I am “perfectly imperfect” and that my imperfections are what makes me who I am. Unique and beautiful, as each of us are in our own way.

So next time the inner critic within your mind starts wreaking havoc, stand up to them and affirm the positive. Love yourself unconditionally, regardless of the number on the scales.

I will give it my best shot, because I know I do not at all deserve that kind of abuse. I deserve only love, light and compassion.

Kate xx

There isn’t usually one day that goes by that I don’t push myself to wander outside my comfort zone. There is a saying that goes “magic only happens outside your comfort zone”, and I would 100% agree with this. At the moment in my life, I find running mental health groups very challenging, and I always feel uncomfortable in the lead up to any group. But I always remind myself… “You will thank yourself afterwards”. And I always do! In that zone of uncomfortableness, I am also buzzing with excitement and totally fulfilled. So even though I am in a zone of discomfort, it brings so much joy into my life, every time I stretch myself and do something that I thought I could not do. I look at it like this. Whenever you push yourself, you get to feel really alive!! Its almost like there is a shot of adrenaline that courses through your mind, body and soul. Similar to how adrenaline junkies feel when they do a bungee jump or sky dive. The only difference is that those kind of adrenaline junkies gravitate towards pushing themselves physically, where as myself, I gravitate more towards pushing my soul to its limits! Sure, I do also enjoy being in my comfy zone at times, in fact this can be really nourishing to just relax and breathe into your comfort zone space. But I like to mix it up! Like I said, in order to feel like I am really living my life to the fullest! Next week I take another plunge in that I will be doing my first public speaking gig in a couple of years. This again, puts me right outside my comfort zone, but I know from past experience that I always have a blast!

I have to remind myself sometimes of the amazing payoffs involved in pushing through my comfort zone. This is because it is scary at times and sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. But I know that if I want to grow and learn, and really live, then pushing through those stay-safe-boundaries is absolutely the way to go.

I encourage you to ask yourself: “what can I do today to push through my comfort zone?”

“what can I plan for this coming week that will really push me into feeling really alive?!”

It doesn’t have to be work related either. Go on a blind date or meet up with an old friend. There are countless things you could do to push your boundaries, it just depends on who you are and the experiences that you in particular, want to have. What do you gravitate towards that perhaps you haven’t because of your fear of the unknown?

Get out there and do it! You will not regret any moment spent outside your comfy zone…

Plus… your future-self will thankyou for it!

I have worked on my self-development, self-love, self-acceptance, and self-compassion, endlessly over the years. And I have come so far. From a scarred, bruised, shell of a person… to someone who is happy, whole and thriving. Credit goes to my unwavering spiritual path, and my commitment to always moving forward in life, and never ever giving up… even when faced with adversity and struggle. I now stand in a very privileged place… full of abundance. And this really does prove to me, that our outer worlds… our experiences in life… really do reflect what is going on inside ourselves. My outer world used to be empty and miserable. It was full of self-loathing and personal inadequacies. Because my inner world was flailing, big time. Consequently, I had very little in my life and very few things to be grateful for.

Now I am committed to a spiritual view of life, where peace and love and faith come naturally to me. I am committed to loving and honouring myself, every day. So, my life is certainly blissful at times… full of hope… full of joy… full of promise… and full of abundance. Even on bad days, I feel grateful and lucky to be who I am and to be living the life that I am. And when you view yourself (and your life) this way, miracles really can and do happen. I truly believe that.

You must do the inner work though. What does that look like? I recommend that you surrender your healing and growth to the universe. If you completely surrender, and pray for guidance, the universe will show you the path forward. You will be able to intuitively know which way to go, and what work you need to do to grow and learn. The inner work for me included introspection, meditation, writing, reading spiritual and personal growth books, and pushing myself beyond my self-imposed limits. Do not discount the inner power and growth that moving beyond your comfort zone will provide. Learning about the art of manifestation and the importance of having unwavering faith in the universe was a big learning curve for me too. When I relax into knowing that the universe always has my back, I am able to surrender and just enjoy life, in the moment. Worrying and stressing about the future just dissipates.

My inner world now looks like this: I am able to be kind to myself, I allow myself to really feel my feelings when needed… and give myself the space to heal. I show myself self-love and self-compassion, which allows me to move through adversity with grace and understanding. I am able to lean on self-acceptance and forgive myself for my shortcomings. I believe in miracles and trust that the universe will provide these miracles in the right timing. I trust and have faith in the universe’s plan and know that the universe is always working towards my highest good. Through the process of surrender I am able to lean into love and joy in the present moment, knowing I am always being supported and taken care of. I believe I am able to co-create my future by using positive affirmations and visualisations, and with it this brings self-empowerment and anticipation for all the wonderful things that I know, in time, will manifest.

As someone who has dealt with serious mental health issues in the past, I know what it is like to be held back in life because of the negative stigma that surrounded me at every turn. This is what it was like for me at the beginning of my journey. And if you can relate to this, I honour you. It is difficult to move beyond society’s expectations. But let my journey show you that despite a mental health diagnosis, you can grow and learn and become a better person. You must be fierce in your pursuit of your dreams though, and do not allow naysayers to get in the way. Simply know, that if you want it badly enough, you can do it. You can move forward and become a vibrant, happy, whole individual who lives an abundant and meaningful life.

Do the inner work, and you will see just how wonderful your outer world can be.

I have worked on my self-development, self-love, self-acceptance, and self-compassion, endlessly over the years. And I have come so far. From a scarred, bruised, shell of a person… to someone who is happy, whole and thriving. Credit goes to my unwavering spiritual path, and my commitment to always moving forward in life, and never ever giving up… even when faced with adversity and struggle. I now stand in a very privileged place… full of abundance. And this really does prove to me, that our outer worlds… our experiences in life… really do reflect what is going on inside ourselves. My outer world used to be empty and miserable. It was full of self-loathing and personal inadequacies. Because my inner world was flailing, big time. Consequently, I had very little in my life and very few things to be grateful for.

Now I am committed to a spiritual view of life, where peace and love and faith come naturally to me. I am committed to loving and honouring myself, every day. So, my life is certainly blissful at times… full of hope… full of joy… full of promise… and full of abundance. Even on bad days, I feel grateful and lucky to be who I am and to be living the life that I am. And when you view yourself (and your life) this way, miracles really can and do happen. I truly believe that.

You must do the inner work though. What does that look like? I recommend that you surrender your healing and growth to the universe. If you completely surrender, and pray for guidance, the universe will show you the path forward. You will be able to intuitively know which way to go, and what work you need to do to grow and learn. The inner work for me included introspection, meditation, writing, reading spiritual and personal growth books, and pushing myself beyond my self-imposed limits. Do not discount the inner power and growth that moving beyond your comfort zone will provide. Learning about the art of manifestation and the importance of having unwavering faith in the universe was a big learning curve for me too. When I relax into knowing that the universe always has my back, I am able to surrender and just enjoy life, in the moment. Worrying and stressing about the future just dissipates.

My inner world now looks like this: I am able to be kind to myself, I allow myself to really feel my feelings when needed… and give myself the space to heal. I show myself self-love and self-compassion, which allows me to move through adversity with grace and understanding. I am able to lean on self-acceptance and forgive myself for my shortcomings. I believe in miracles and trust that the universe will provide these miracles in the right timing. I trust and have faith in the universe’s plan and know that the universe is always working towards my highest good. Through the process of surrender I am able to lean into love and joy in the present moment, knowing I am always being supported and taken care of. I believe I am able to co-create my future by using positive affirmations and visualisations, and with it this brings self-empowerment and anticipation for all the wonderful things that I know, in time, will manifest.

As someone who has dealt with serious mental health issues in the past, I know what it is like to be held back in life because of the negative stigma that surrounded me at every turn. This is what it was like for me at the beginning of my journey. And if you can relate to this, I honour you. It is difficult to move beyond society’s expectations. But let my journey show you that despite a mental health diagnosis, you can grow and learn and become a better person. You must be fierce in your pursuit of your dreams though, and do not allow naysayers to get in the way. Simply know, that if you want it badly enough, you can do it. You can move forward and become a vibrant, happy, whole individual who lives an abundant and meaningful life.

Do the inner work, and you will see just how wonderful your outer world can be.

The law of attraction states that like attracts like. What you give off, you get back. So, any positive thoughts, feelings, actions and intentions will be reflected back to you in the form of whatever it is that you desire.

I can attest to this. Since about May last year I have been engaged in a meditation practice that focuses on feeling the feelings that I am wanting to experience, visualizing the events that I want to experience, and letting go of worries and the things that do not serve me, day to day.

Since that time, I have attracted a loving romantic relationship, better finances, a publisher for my book, and a job that suits me down to a tee; and that makes me feel fulfilled, motivated and grateful every day.

And I am in the process of manifesting… more of the kind of work that makes me feel happy, more opportunities to spread my message of hope, through the distribution of my book and more public speaking opportunities, even more cash flow, and a better living situation.

I have no doubt that if I continue practicing my morning meditation and keep my vibe and spirits at a high vibration, that I will attract everything that I am currently praying for. The other key ingredient to successfully manifesting is mastering self-love, self-acceptance and self-compassion… because if we have limiting beliefs around what we deserve or what we are worth, the universe is going to get confused. I really feel that over the past 8 months or so, I have built a much more loving relationship with myself… and this also can be reflected back when I look at everything positive that I have created in my life. Once you start loving and believing in yourself, that is when the universe will respond in kind.

If you – reading this – require any coaching or advice about manifestation, the law of attraction or self-love practices, please do not hesitate to contact me.
My passion, aside from working in mental health and helping others in their recovery journey, is working within the realm of manifestation and positive self-love practices.

Happy manifesting.

Love Kate xx

At this festive time of year, I usually struggle with a little bit of weight gain, and hence, body image issues. And this year is no exception. It is inevitable because of all the birthdays and festivities that pop up around this time. I’m doing a bit better this year, as compared to the last few years, and that is mainly because I gave myself a buffer… I lost a fair bit of weight last year, so a couple of extra kilos aren’t upsetting me too much. But I wanted to draw attention to this issue and say to everyone to spare a thought right now for the many people out there that struggle with food and body image issues. I am so incredibly lucky that I have managed to overcome my struggles, but there are many out there who haven’t. And I recognize just how difficult Christmas can be for these people. In fact, I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.

The majority of us look forward to eating and drinking more over this time… it is good to indulge, have fun and be merry. I include myself in this cohort now…. Although body image issues are always in the back of my mind… perhaps I will never be free from that pre-occupation.

When I was in the throws of anorexia in my teenage years, I loathed the food related expectations that came along with Christmas time. I would either eat nothing, or have a Sustagen drink, and I would not sit at the dining table… preferring to sit alone and keep to myself. I never thought I would get to the stage where I could actually be a part of the festivities and enjoy the food and drinks like a “normal” person.

But alas, with time, and a lot of hard work, I overcame those demons that would force me to the sidelines at Christmas time. Like I said… I may never be completely free of the pre-occupation around my body and weight, but it is only a small issue now, and I try to enjoy myself… because I know I deserve that.

I guess that is a key message here really. I never felt like I deserved to be a part of all the fun. I never felt like I deserved to enjoy food or enjoy myself at all. But over the years I have fallen in love with myself, and I now I feel worthy and deserving of everything that my heart truly desires. And I recognize how blessed I am to be in this space. But again, spare a thought for those people dealing with an eating disorder and/or body images issues… it can be an exceptionally difficult time for them.

Merry Christmas,

And Be Merry!

Love Kate xx

To the girl that I used to be 10 years ago.

I know you are hopeless and cannot imagine a life not filled with disorder and chaos.

I know you think that your future is bleak.

I want to tell you that great changes are coming.

I want to tell you not to give up hope… just hang in there for a bit longer and you will see…

You will see how great your potential is.

You will see that life will provide you with miracles.

You will see magic happening before your very eyes.

You have an incredible journey ahead of you.

I want to hold you in my arms and tell you, sweet girl, that everything is going to be alright.

More than alright…. Everything is going to be amazing.

The girl I used to be had almost given up hope of having a normal life.
She was heartbroken and sad when she looked around her because she could see happiness and life in everybody but herself.

What I know to be true now is this. Miracles can and do happen if you allow yourself to believe in them. With even a little bit of belief in yourself, and a resilient spirit, you can turn your life around and achieve things you have never allowed yourself to dream of.

To anyone out there who does not believe… take a second to consider that an amazing life could be just around the corner… do not give up… open your eyes and your heart to the possibility of great things.
And remember… your life will shrink or expand in proportion to one’s courage.
So, muster all the courage you can, and move forward in any way that you can.
And if you cannot move forward in any way right now, please remember to believe in miracles and hold onto a level of hope. Please do not allow yourself to lose hope completely. Take my story as proof that great change can occur. And take my story as proof that anything is possible.

Who knows where you will be in 10 years’ time?

I never would have imagined the life I am living now.

And I am so very grateful.

Love Kate xx

One of the key things that I have realised over the years that assists with my overall day-to-day happiness is the notion of letting go of the things I cannot control. Sometimes, although we may have many good things in our lives, we still seem to come up against roadblocks and things that we may struggle with. It is easy to get caught up on these roadblocks and struggles, but in order to remain at our most resilient, happy selves, we must learn to let go.

It is important to remember to be grateful for all the blessings we have in our lives. But we must also be grateful for the things that we struggle with. This is because without struggle, we cannot be strengthened. The reason I am so strong, and so resilient in my day to day life, is honestly because of the less than ideal things that I have had to endure over my lifetime.

We wish at times, that life could be perfect. But we must stop waiting for things to be perfect in an attempt to find happiness. If we keep waiting for things to be perfect before we are happy, we may never be happy. That is because life will never be perfect. We are all going through our own versions of struggle. We forget this because each person’s struggle will look much different than our own.

This is why it is so important to hold a sense of compassion. Compassion towards others and what they are going through, and compassion towards ourselves also. When we come up against a roadblock or something that challenges us, we need to remember to be kind to ourselves. Use words of encouragement in order to get through the tough times. Use words of encouragement to help us to find the lessons within that difficult experience.

How do we let go of the things we cannot control? We consciously have to make that choice and stick to it. Don’t allow yourself to ruminate and overthink everything that isn’t desirable. Ask yourself, is there anything I can do to help with this situation? If there is something you can do… do it!! Become empowered and make changes from a place of love. Sometimes though, we must accept that certain things may not ever change, and from that place of acceptance, we again become empowered and we feel at peace.

Why waste energy ruminating and battling with something that may never change? Think of the hours spent in agony, and discontent, when we sit and wallow in our undesirable circumstance. There is absolutely no point.

I have certain things in my life that I have needed to accept and come to terms with. And there are moments and days where I still battle with them. But the majority of the time I make the choice to let go. I just hand it over to the universe. I feel lighter, and I get on with my day, having the freedom to feel peace, joy and gratitude in every moment. You can do this too.

My life is not perfect. But I am happy. I am so incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life, of which there are many. I see my difficulties as tools for personal growth and learning, and I am kind to myself when going through those difficulties. I make a point of always finding within myself, a place of empowerment and hope, rather than feeling like a victim and feeling hopeless.

So, if there is something in your world that upsets you, that you cannot change, empower yourself by letting it go! Feel the weight lifted. Enjoy the moment.

Love Kate xx

I feel so incredibly blessed right now. I really do feel that I have everything I need in this life right now. Sure, that doesn’t mean I have absolutely everything I want and desire… but I have never had more faith in the fact that I have all I need to be happy right now in this moment; and I have faith in the fact that everything that I want will manifest when the time is right. I know the universe is looking after me. I prayed for financial assistance, and literally days later I received a hefty refund from Centrelink. I prayed for a job that I will enjoy, and within a few short weeks, this came into form… and I might add it came into form effortlessly. I know it was meant to be.

I feel blessed I have a wonderful place to call home, I feel blessed with my work, I feel blessed that I have wonderful people around me. But most of all, I feel blessed that I have found a way of living that really works for me. My meditation and spiritual practice have been ramped up in the last few months, and already I am beginning to see the outcomes from this. Not only am I manifesting wonderful things, I am blessed with the ability to feel happy, joyful and at peace with life.

Another side effect from all my spiritual work is that life seems much more effortless, and I have more confidence. I have a spring in my step and I just feel good.

And I know that all these positive vibes will in turn assist me to move forward in ways that align with my highest good.

I want you to know that this is not airy-fairy magic. There are simple yet powerful strategies that I follow every day, to create more magic in my life. Miracles are our birth-right, we just need to remember how to tap into them. If you ever want to know how I’ve changed my experience of day-to-day life, then feel free to drop me a line 😊 I would be more than happy to share what I have learned. Mark my words, one day, I will write another book about how spirituality has changed my life….

Watch this space.

I have been reflecting on something recently… on just how much this year has changed me. And how different I am now compared to the person I was 2, 4, 6 or even 12 years ago. I have been quite happy and content in my life since probably around 2012. Meeting my ex-fiancé and also getting into the field of mental health were two huge turning points for me. But it is staggering to think of the head space I used to be in, compared to the head space I am in now and have been in recently. I have gone from having little confidence and direction, to being someone who is motivated, confident and very aware and conscious of what direction I want my life to take. And more than anything else…. I have gone from being a shell of a person, to a whole, happy person.

Mental illness was such a huge part of my life for many years, and even during those years with my ex-fiancé. Finding my way into working in mental health made me feel good about myself because I was able to give something back, and I felt like I had a purpose. I do, however, feel differently about this now. It is great to give back to others who are on their own road to recovery, and yes, it does still give me purpose. But I feel I have another purpose now. My priority now, is to be happy and spread light wherever I go. This might sound simplistic, but it is a powerful motivator for me. If I can be a bright light in my own life… this is the greatest thing I can do for myself and others.

I had a conversation today with a client about where things are headed in my life. He said he sees me moving out of the mental health field, and I said to him that I do love my work in mental health, but that it no longer defines who I am. When I first started working in the industry, I felt like it fit with who I was… particularly because my mental health journey was such a huge part of who I was as an individual.

I no longer feel this way. I have moved so far away from my mental health journey that it really does feel like a distant memory… I am a whole person with many, many facets… and my mental health is just a tiny portion of that.

I still do feel the desire to share my story through writing and speaking, and I will continue to do this… However, this desire is present because I recognise that my story may have the ability to help others and give them hope that they may be lacking in their current circumstances…. It has nothing to do with self-gratification or to do with having attachments to my past. My past was simply a steppingstone to where I am now.

So, in further response to my client, I said he may very well be right. I may decide at some point in the future to move out of mental health all together. I have lots of other interests and I know there are infinite possibilities out there for me. I will let the universe show me the way.

But for now, I am incredibly happy working part-time in mental health and part-time in retail and I am happy in my life in general. And that is, indeed, my priority. But like I said, there are infinite possibilities out there…. And I am open minded to all of them. I know that with my trust and deep faith in the universe, I will be guided in the right direction.

Love Kate xx