WORKSHOP #6 // FOR ANY WOMEN WHO HAS EVER FOUND HERSELF AT WAR WITH HER BODY

Join Cappyhour and special lil lady Tia Miers for 'Reclaiming your womanhood'. A workshop focusing on all things women! Tia is a local Naturopath, iridologist & herbalist who is passionate about natural healing & helping women lead a healthier and happier lifestyle. If you’ve ever felt at war with your body, this workshop is most definitely for you!

Did you know that your periods, the condition of your skin, and the state of your bowel movements are all indicators of how well your hormones are balanced?
Hormones affect everything including acne, oily hair, dandruff, dry skin, cramps, headaches, irritability, exhaustion, constipation, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, clotting, shedding hair, weight gain, anxiety, insomnia, infertility, sex drive & cravings. Periods don’t have to be a curse and can be a time to rejoice!

Both coming from pasts of having too many of these dreaded symptoms and having found the tools to self cure. We both feel beyond passionate about these topics and trust completely in these basic lifestyle changes. Tia and i feel so excited at the prospect of helping more women to become in touch with their flow. Join us!

This workshop will give you the tools to find balance naturally through diet and simple lifestyle changes. Infused with themes of self love & creativity, express freely in a 0 judgement zone surrounded by like minded women. Sip some Chai, enjoy some snacks & create a bleed box filled with self care goodies.

When? ~ 14th March 5:00- 6:15 (QLD TIME)
Where? ~ Arthaus Projects ~ 2/5 Karen Avenue, Mermaid Beach
Tix ~ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reclaiming-your-womanhood-tickets-43422648310$25 (inc. tea, snacks & bleed box)

THE POWER OF WORDS // BOTH YOURS & MINE

Although i’ve always loved writing, it was drilled into me very early on by my english teacher that since my Strictly Ballroom essay wasn’t bang on, i couldn’t pursue my writing. Since my essay didn’t appeal to the HSC marking criteria, i was, in her eyes and now also my eyes, a bad writer. After being so discouraged from these words, It took 7 bloody years for me to realise that i may in actual fact be capable of creating a piece that i could be proud of. All it would take would be persistence and a can do attitude.  Now i write for myself, from my heart, passionately, in the hopes that people may connect with some of my words but if they don’t, it’s more than okay because writing is an outlet for me now and it feels damn good to get it all down.

A couple of years ago i was out at a bar and a boy came up to me and said ‘ew, you have freckles’ and just like that i would now spend the bigger part of 5 years covering every single freckle with a thick layer of makeup just because this boy’s words lead me to believe that freckles were a burden. For years, i had low self confidence and i’d take every single thing anyone said personally and It took some years to realise that actually, my freckles are great. I haven’t worn make up in a long while and now my favourite physical trait are the little suns kisses that are scattered over every inch of my being. For the record, i’m not against make up, i just prefer a natural vibe. Do whatever makes you feel happy and confident.

I write this to reiterate that words are powerful. Think before you speak. Are your words being used for the greater good? We’re all taught the ol’ sticks and stones yet its still important to take into account that not everybody may be as resilient as you. You never know what kind of day a person may be having, whether they’re feeling a little more sensitive that usual, what the nature of their reaction is or what sort of background they come from. So be soft in your approach. Just like words can be used in a negative light, they can also be used for the ever so sweet!

Give this a crack. Tomorrow morning when Sue, the wizard barista asks how your morning has been, throw ‘good’ in the bin and try using ‘swell’….then elaborate on why it is that you are so swell!

9 times out of 10 a response that veers away from the norm will lead to a fruitful conversation and you never know what could come of that…a sweet recommendation, an opportunity or even a new pal! If you respond with ‘good’, you’re closing off immediately. Don’t spend the next couple of minutes scrolling away whilst you wait for Sue to brew you that mean coconut latte.

Leave your phone in the car and make the conscious decision to give Sue the time of day. Tell Bill he’s lookin’ goooood. Be genuinely interested in Helens creative ventures. Tell that boy you dig what he’s sporting. Don’t hold back, scream it across 4 tables. If your gestures are sincere, they will bring huuuuge benefits! I promise you. A 5 minute conversation will bring more positives than a 5 minute swipe to your arthritic fingers.

I live by ‘If it’s on mind, it’s going to be on yours in 2 seconds flat’ and just this week, I’ve made 2 beautiful new friends and landed myself a sweet job just by starting a conversation and saying exactly what was on my mind at the time. What have you got to lose?

Chuck on a smile, stand tall and stay curious.

STOP BEING SO HARD ON YOURSELF // YOU ARE YOU

I had a pretty low day the other day and was beating myself up about my appearance. I felt i looked boring and couldn’t stand my exterior. The funny thing is I hadn’t ventured away from my norm. I was sporting the usual salty hair, shirt see through, bright earrings popping, yet i felt boring. At the time i was hanging out with my beautiful friend Summer who is incredibly conscious, soft and attentive. Summer felt these vibes straight away and later that evening i had a message from her saying ‘Your clothes don’t define your emotions or who you are. You rocked that white top that made your freckles pop! Your cute as skirt that showed off your beach babe legs! and earrings that just screamed fun and dangerous!’. This message was a beautiful reminder that at times, I can be way too hard on myself and that re introducing going against my mind was once again going to be a very necessary theme in my life. How was it that i beamed confidence in practically the same outfit the day before and the following felt the complete opposite? I’m a huge advocate for detaching/ going against your mind and know that perceptions can become warped if in a negative frame of mind. So after this was brought to the surface, i made the conscious decision to jump back on the positive mantra train and to re start the positive affirmations. Although i am my number one supporter and have finally stopped seeking recognition from others, hearing those words from Summer propped me back up and got me asking myself some important questions. I am, once again, making the conscious decision to not let my outside appearance dictate my mood or happiness. I am bloody beautiful, unique and much more than that and i believe these words with my whole heart and so are you!

’In a population of 7,000,000,000 you are 0,000,000,001 of this. If there was anything in the world that was 1 in 7,000,000,000, it would be considered rare, unique, special, and regarded as a priceless collectors item, but guess what, that is you. Your individual worth in untouchable, your individuality as an asset to Earth is like no other commodity we claim as ‘value’.
- An exert from local author Josh Hedges’ book ‘Seeds for truth’.

I know Its impossible to always feel on top, high and confident and thats okay…even Buddha has bad days. Take comfort in the ride, staying present, not worrying whats going to happen next, posing yourself questions, listening to advice, staying open and genuinely excited at who you may learn from next. Always staying open to fresh ways of doing.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.

xx

WORKSHOP NUMERO UNO // SUNSET YOGA & VISION BOARDING

~ Sunset Beach Yoga + Vision Board evening ~ 

I am super excited to present Cappy.hours first workshop in just under a weeks time on
the 03/08/2017.

I've put a lot of myself into creating a dynamic space for growth, new ideas and connections, the idea being to simplify the process of meeting new people in a stress free and zero judgement zone. So i'm getting these workshops happening to talk all things self love, individuality, body positivity, creativity, healthy living etc. It's going to be cruisy but hugely fulfilling - so I'm super excited!

Join me for an evening of rejuvenation, creativity and positive vibes whilst guided through sunset beach yoga with the lovely Beth from Kingscliff Heatwave Studio! Following yoga we will be retreating back to my place to get creative, set some fresh goals, ideas and intentions alongside a group of beautiful women. Come get artsy, create a vision board, share a story and kickstart/reignite your journey into self love.
Boards, mags, pins, paints, chai & healthy vegan snacks will be provided so come get cosy and gift this to yourself.
I will be sharing the tools that have helped me to change my perceptions, find purpose & smash my goals!
I guarantee you’ll feel rejuvinated after a night filled with positive energy, connections and good vibes.

TICKETS:

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/sunset-beach-yoga-vision-board-…

Join me - I'd love to see you there!

Insta - @cappy.hour

Keep your eyes peeled for future workshops that will seek to positively feed the mind,body and soul. I'm talking pottery, macrame, yoga, vision boards, healthy food, film and photography and whatever else this grows into. It will be so fun to make it happen and watch this evolve - with more ladies jumping on board and contributing their own ideas to the project!

Lots of love,
Capucine x

UNHEALTHY MIND, UNHEALTHY BODY // KICKING DEPRESSION IN THE BUNS.

I used to be such an easily influenced person. To me, saying no was the hardest thing in the world and pleasing everyone was the aim of the game. I'm sure some of you can relate to having no drive or direction. I too have felt these feelings very heavily, leading to 0 self worth & zest for life.
I've learnt over time that if you let them control you, you will fall victim to the mind and the cycle will go on until you bury it completely.

I am the classic example of one who let her mind take over.
Just last year, I was partying so hard at the expense of my mental health. I had no ambition or direction, my self worth was non existent and I would live my life through comparisons. Social medias carefully edited pictures of unrealistic people robbed me early of believing that what the universe gave me was enough. I was lead to believe that if I wasn't sporting a full face of makeup and rocking a size 6, no one would think I was worth it. I couldn't take it anymore and finally found the drive to make a change.
I decided overnight to move to Melbourne and within 2 weeks, I'd signed a lease and snagged myself a job in a rad cafe in the heart of Melbs.

It became apparent pretty soon after my move that my body had taken a serious hit during the months of my reckless partying patterns.

My health was spiralling down quickly. I developed a full face of cystic acne as well as a Candida infection, meaning that digesting food would become practically impossible aaaaand I started packing on a bunch of unexplained weight.

Anyone who has suffered from skin problems knows how tough it can be on the moral. This turn of events lead me to become a complete recluse. The only time I would leave the house was to go to work and afterwards I'd hurry home to eat dinner at 4pm and head to bed straight away. The only thing I'd look forward to was sleep and this scared me.

My skin and weight worsened as my mental health descended. My self confidence was non existent. It felt impossible to attain happiness with such an unhealthy looking exterior and I still couldn't connect the dots as to why this was all happening....
I became adamant that there was something so wrong with me. Once I got this engrained in my mind, there was no stopping my search to get to the bottom of it. I spent hundreds of dollars on hormonal tests, pelvic scans, blood tests, vitamins, probiotics and creams to fix my exterior. All my time was spent online researching natural remedies and quick fixes. I was obsessed. I decided to seek help from a naturopath, who would later naturally double as my psychologist. I felt excitement for the first time in months at the idea of being prescribed some natural herbs that would clear up my skin miraculously and all would then be peachy...

My naturopath and I worked together dissecting the mess that was going on in my head. Although the sessions made me feel better, I couldn't understand why I wasn't being prescribed something to clear up my skin.

It's only months later that I realized tackling the mental issues would then lead to a healthier exterior.

Slowly, I found myself being able to control my mind more and more. Falling victim to unhealthy thoughts was becoming less common. I took full reign of my thoughts and realised i was the only person who could decide whether I was going to be happy as can be, or be wallowing in the misery that I knew so well to create. Through this practice, I improved my communication and speaking up became natural.

After the mental work was tackled, the physical happened on its own. The classic placebo effect. My weight began to level out, my digestion started working in my favour (check out the link between gut health and mental health, it's a thing) aaaaaaaand my skin went back to its original state.

I will soon be holding a gut health/mental health workshop which will provide more info on the steps i took to heal myself mentally and physically!

AN INDIAN DISCOVERY

India, you beautiful piece of chaos. Thank you for helping to unlock a part of myself I didn't know existed. The journey is permanently etched in my mind and as i reflect, I feel baskets full of joy.

 2 months spent practicing yoga, broadening my meditation, chanting in Ashrams, reading an abundance of books, immersing myself in Indian culture, getting lost in bazaars, soaking up the city madness, swimming in mud pools, cruising the streets by motorbike, volunteering in various eco projects & meeting a bunch of sweet souls. It feels strange to leave behind the squat toilets, the well where I'd pump my water for my bucket showers, the mosquitos, the constant 45 degree humidity & to swap it all for western luxuries but I know that I'll approach life differently now. 
2 weeks of my time was spent volunteering in an eco project called Sadhana Forest. The project was basically a community of people working together to run a self sustainable living environment. Much to my dismay, I happened to arrive in low season meaning that the focus' of reforestation and water conservation were to be temporarily set aside whilst there were too few people in the community. Each day would now consist of 4-7 hours of tasks including sorting through recyclable rubbish, washing dishes, shoveling cow shit, killing termites, emptying compost toilets, all in 40 degree heat. This experience was huge in the way of character building. The realisation that I wouldn't be planting any trees, getting clued up on Indian farming or harvesting any fruit was pretty disappointing to begin with, but when I decided i'd take it with a grain of salt, I found myself learning in a different kind of way. 

This experience taught me that you can't rely on factors that are beyond your control to determine your happiness. I learnt to stop craving the next best thing and to sit in whatever task was at hand. I stopped wishing away the moment and found myself finding contentment in tasks that I would've found mundane, months ago, like shovelling cow shit. I stopped seeking constant stimulation & I practiced ridding my mind of thoughts & sitting with myself or with whatever task I was dealt..
Work on your jam, live simply, spend time alone, immerse yourself in activities that will broaden your horizons, stay curious & spark up conversations. Radiate positivity, warmth & kindness and you'll attract just that. 

A JOURNEY INTO SELF LUUURVE // EATING DISORDERS

At the beginning of the year, I attended Woodford folk festival and sat in on a discussion lead by an extremely empowering woman, named Sam Patrick. This womam is the epitome of fearless, feminine and confident and had me intrigued from the get go. Sam shared insights on sex, energies, hormonal imbalances, finding your pleasure patterns & self love.
The main point I took away and decided to implement into my daily life, was to practice as many green light activities as possible per day to reach my higher self.

A green light activity is basically any activity that is good for the soul. Whether it be writing, practicing an instrument, reading, surfing, learning a new language, painting, drawing, stretching, singing, meditating, roller skating or just sitting and being.

To begin with, I decided to incorporate 1-2 of these activities into my life daily. 5 months on and my days are now naturally overflowing with only these.

How much happiness does scrolling scrolling social media aimlessly bring you vs the feeling of learning the intro to a song on guitar? It’s pretty bloody simple but I’m a classic example, coming from craving constant stimulation and always needing to have an online presence, to finally disconnecting and realizing how negative a toll (some) of the online world can take on you.

After taking a little hiatus from the web, I posted a photo of my body that wasn’t necessarily flattering/ my best angle and captioned it with –

‘I wasn’t going to post this because I don’t have a thigh gap & I have hips but instead I will because today was a top day spent riding around Lembongan on a scooty soaking up too many Balinese rays & that made me happy. Social media ain’t real life and angles don’t usually work in my favor but heeeeell, I feel good, I’m healthy aaaand I’m practicing self luuuurve every single day.’ #fuckyobeautystandards

A comment from a beauuuutiful friend of mine, Holly Alpen, really reasonated with me. She wrote –

‘(Almost) everything we see on social media parades underweight models like there’s no tomorrow. It’s unrealistic and crushing. You. Are. Perfect. Post whatever makes your heart happy. Never stop.’

Which brings me to where I am now, with the inspiration to create a fresh space to share some content, freely and openly with all who care to engage. A platform for random thoughts, ideas, highs and lows, travel tips, realizations, questions & snippets into my life.

This is me. Capucine. 21. A woooooman with a strong sense of self, highly independent, an eager need to improve, with high motivation and a direction that excites me completely.
This is my story and my struggle to truly love what the universe gave me.

I’ve always been a pretty healthy and active person. When high school ended, I had full reigns over my life’s direction and decided to take the party road. I had a pretty cruisy job that I could smash hungover & a sweet friendship that fed off spontaneous decisions & big nights out. 2013 was basically partying & living a super toxic lifestyle. It became a bit of a game to see how much I could consume and it really didn’t bother me that I wasn’t taking care of myself or my body. Before I knew it, I’d packed on 20 kilos and had never looked so unhealthy.
I began to completely detest my body and the next years would be spent consumed by some very negative patterns. I didn’t realize something was wrong until my boyfriend at the time analyzed my patterns and told me that I he thought i may have Bulimia Nervosa. The wreckless behaviors that come with the disorder had now become a part of me and I wasn’t letting go any time soon.

A couple of years on and the journey of self love is ongoing.
Coupla steps back, coupla steps forward….It’s all part of the rollercoaster that is life. At times, I do find it tough to listen to what my body & heart really need. Buuuuut… I’m learning to observe and act upon my weaknesses and I’m feeling stronger than my mind every. Single. Day.
I feel a sense of pride as i finally say out loud that i truly do love myself.
I love the freckles that cover every inch of my body, i love the tiger print stretch marks on my little butt, i love that i’m sensitive, i love that watching adults eat ice cream brings me an abnormal amount of happiness and I accept myself for all the i am whilst i work towards everything i want to be.

I ride the highs, observe the lows, manifest the best and reflect on how far I’ve come every damn day.
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the incredibly supportive humans who positively crowd my life. If you’re struggling with something. Anything at all. SPEAK UP. I promise it’ll be the biggest weight off your shoulders.

Adopt the viewpoint that there is nothing that exists that is not part of you, that any judgement you level is self judgement, that any criticism you create is self criticism and you will arrive at an unconditional love that will be the light of your world. You, in all your strength, beauty and will, have the power to create anything your wild heart may desire.