Jo's Healing Haven

I woke up this morning with every intention of spending the day cleaning the house.

After dropping the kids off at school, I came home, had my coffee and breakfast, and remembered I needed a few things from the supermarket.

By the time I got home, I found myself sitting on my phone, trying to find the motivation to get started.

Instead, I decided to dye my hair!

Then the phone rang. It was the kids' school. One of them wasn't feeling well and needed picking up.

And just like that, my plans for the day went out the window.

Since getting the all-clear from my surgeon after surgery, I've been slowly getting back into my usual routine. The house isn't messy, but it's definitely in need of a good deep clean, especially after the school holidays.

But maybe today wasn't the day for that.

Maybe my body needed a little more rest, even if my mind had other plans.

It got me thinking about how often we wake up with a list of things we feel we need to get done, only to find that the day has other ideas.

Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to get things done that we forget it's okay to slow down, rest, and leave things for another day.

When was the last time you woke up with something you felt you needed to do, but distractions, lack of motivation, or your body simply said, "Not today"?

Warmly Jo

A little update from me…

I met with my surgeon today and have officially been given the all clear to return to work.

I never thought I’d be so happy about being able to do housework again… although ask me again in a month!

I’m now all set to return to work Monday 12th of October.

I’ve really enjoyed having this time to slow down, heal and recover, but I’m so looking forward to welcoming you back into my space again.

The first couple of weeks I’m back are already filling up fast, so I’m now opening my November appointments.

It feels so good to be getting back to doing what I love.

Warmly Jo

Cat owners who can relate...

I woke up this morning to the sound of Blazy playing with something. Nothing unusual, so I called her name and she stopped.

A few moments later, she started up again. I looked over the side of the bed and could see her paws reaching underneath it. Then I saw something black or grey jump out and Blazy went straight after it.

I called out to Pat and said, “Blazy has either got a mouse or a bird!”

Next minute, the bird literally flew across the bed and I had to duck out of the way. Definitely not how I expected to start my morning.

Pat put it safely outside on the roof of the shed. It was a bit dazed and was lying down. I later went outside to check on it and the bird was standing, so I did some distant Reiki. I’ll keep an eye on it.

Because I’m still recovering from surgery, I got Ryan to vacuum my room while I was in the shower.

What’s your story when it comes to your cat?

I spent Friday in Hawera Emergency Department, and after five hours waiting to see a doctor, I was reminded how interesting it can be simply talking to the people around you.

A 95-year-old lady came in, and the person I was with asked her if she had any advice for life.

Her answer was simple.

“Laugh. Not the kind where you feel like you have to, but a real belly laugh.”

I thought that was such great advice.

At 95, after a lifetime of experiences, that was what she chose to share.

Laugh often. Laugh deeply. Let yourself have those moments where your whole body joins in.

Warmly, Jo

A little update from me…

I’m a few days post surgery now and feeling pretty good. I’m needing less pain relief each day, which is a lovely sign that things are moving in the right direction.

Pat put a TV in our room for me, so I’ve been spending plenty of time watching Netflix… although I have to say, lying around watching TV isn’t quite as fun as I thought it would be.

After spending the last month painting the inside of the house, it’s now time for the outside to be done. Fingers crossed the spring weather is kind to us and it all comes together fairly quickly.

For now, I’m taking things gently, resting when I need to and giving my body the time it needs to recover.

Warmly
Jo

Life has a funny way of working things out.

A bill comes in a little higher than you expected, and somehow work gets busier and you’re able to cover it.

You’re having a hard day, and out of nowhere a friend sends you a message at exactly the right time.

You get an unexpected cancellation, and instead of worrying about the gap in your day, you realise you were actually exhausted and really needed that time to rest.

I think sometimes we spend so much time wondering how everything is going to work out that we forget how many times it already has.

Not always in the way we expected.
Not always on our timeline.
But somehow, what we need has a way of finding us.

Maybe part of the journey is learning to trust life a little more, without needing to know exactly how everything will unfold.

I'd love to hear — tell me about a time when something unexpected ended up working in your favour.

Warmly Jo

Sometimes the body holds onto more than we realise.

Stress, tension and emotion can show up physically — a tight jaw, raised shoulders, a heavy chest, a clenched stomach or simply that feeling of being wound up.

Gentle movement and conscious breathing can be a beautiful way to bring your awareness back into your body and encourage some of that tension to soften.

Try a few of these:

Neck
Gently drop your left ear towards your left shoulder, then repeat on the other side.

Jaw
Open your mouth wide, slowly close, then gently move your jaw from side to side.

Shoulders
Lift and roll your shoulders back and down.

Back
Round through your back, then gently draw your shoulder blades together and open through the chest.

Chest
Place your hands over the centre of your chest and make small, gentle circles.

Hands
Spread your fingers wide, then softly make a fist. Repeat a few times.

Abdomen
Place your hands over your belly and take three slow, deep breaths into your hands.

Feet
Press the balls of your feet into the ground and lift your heels. Slowly lower them again and notice the feeling of the ground beneath you.

You don't need to force a release or even understand what you're feeling.

Sometimes simply giving your body a little attention, movement and space is enough.

Come back to your breath.
Come back to your body.
Come back to yourself.

Warmly Jo

A simple little ritual for the home

I came across this cloved orange again and it reminded me how much I love the meaning behind it. I have done this a couple of times myself.

Oranges are often associated with warmth, comfort, joy and grounding, while cloves are traditionally linked with protection and strength.

Together they can become a beautiful little reminder of the intention we hold for our homes — that they feel safe, warm, peaceful and welcoming.

Simply press whole cloves into an orange in any pattern that feels right to you and place it somewhere in your home.

As you make it, you could set a simple intention:

“May this home be filled with warmth, peace and protection.
May all who enter feel safe, grounded and welcome here.”

Sometimes the simplest rituals are less about the object itself and more about the intention we place behind it.

Warmly Jo

We are finally back in the house, and I had the best sleep last night.

I’m still not quite sure how we managed it, but all of the renovations were finished in time for us to move back in. There are still a few little touch-ups to be done, but it feels so good to be home again.

With surgery coming up in the next couple of weeks, I’ll be taking some time to rest and recover afterwards.

I’m now taking bookings from mid-October onwards and really looking forward to welcoming you back into my space again.

Warmly Jo

There is a quiet language in our hands.

Before we say a word, our hands can express comfort, connection, intention and care. They can hold, soothe, offer and receive.

Even the simple direction of our palms can carry meaning.

A palm turned upward can represent receiving — allowing yourself to receive support, calm, love or whatever you may need in that moment.

A palm turned downward can represent releasing — letting go of heaviness, tension or anything that no longer feels yours to carry.

Sometimes we don't need to overthink what we need.

We can simply pause, notice our body and listen.

Do I need to receive right now?

Or do I need to release?

You might even place one palm upward and the other downward, taking a few slow breaths and allowing yourself to be present with whatever comes up.

Our bodies often communicate long before our minds have found the words.

Sometimes the smallest, simplest practices can help us reconnect with ourselves.

Warmly, Jo