When was the last time you truly listened to yourself? Not the voice of obligation. Not the voice of fear. Not the voice that tells you what you should do. But the quiet voice underneath it all. The one that already knows what you need. Perhaps it was asking for rest. Perhaps it was asking for space. Perhaps it was asking you to trust yourself a little more. I'd love to know... What is your inner wisdom trying to tell you right now?

Today I met with Katrina from Hitz939 FM. What struck me most wasn't the meeting itself, but how it came about. Katrina had read a post I shared about my upcoming book, The Babies I Couldn't Bring Home. The story resonated with her because of her own family's experience with premature babies. It reminded me of something important: ✨ We never know who needs to hear our story. ✨ We never know who will relate to our experiences. ✨ We never know what connection might be created when we share authentically. So often we hold back because we wonder if anyone will care, if our story matters, or if what we've been through is worth sharing. But our stories have a way of finding the people who need them. I'd love to know... ❓ Have you ever shared something personal and been surprised by who it resonated with? 👇 Share below if you'd like to.

As we move towards the weekend, I invite you to pause for a moment and check in with yourself. Not what your family needs. Not what work needs. Not what everyone else expects of you. Just you. If your soul could (and it does) whisper one thing to you right now, what would it say? Perhaps it needs: 🌸 Rest 🌸 Play 🌸 Quiet 🌸 Creativity 🌸 Nature 🌸 Connection 🌸 Courage 🌸 Something else entirely Take a breath, place a hand on your heart, and listen. I'd love to hear what comes up for you in the comments. 💛 Mine is: Peace & Relaxation With love, Marie 💛

One of my favourite ways to unwind is through Sashiko stitching. The slow rhythm of each stitch helps quiet my mind and bring me back to the present moment. This is my latest mindful stitching project. A gentle reminder that slowing down can be healing too 💛

This is my beautiful sister, Toni-Lee. Toni-Lee is my dad's first daughter from his first marriage. She was born in 1960 and I was born in 1967. Although we share the same father, we didn't meet until 1999, following Dad's stroke. For many years we lived completely separate lives, growing up in different homes, different countries, and creating our own stories. Yet when we finally met, it felt as though we had always known each other. The funny thing is, despite not growing up together, we are so alike it is uncanny. We share many of the same interests, values, and ways of seeing the world. We even look remarkably alike, both carrying so much of our grandmother Ada's features. Yesterday we spent the day together and something beautiful happened. We were sitting at Table 11 at Oodies Cafe. I was wearing my "Make a Wish 11:11" shirt, and I shared with Toni that our Nana Ada was born on 11/11/11. We smiled at the connection and decided that from now on, whenever either of us sees 11:11, we'll think of each other. We even signed the wall together. "Sisters Forever 11:11" A simple moment that somehow felt very special. Toni-Lee is currently travelling around Australia while she still can. She is living with metastatic breast cancer, and the reality is that neither of us knows when we will see each other again. That makes moments like these even more precious. Life has a way of reminding us what really matters. The people. The conversations. The laughter. The stories. The memories we create together. I'm so grateful that life brought Toni-Lee and I together. Family isn't always about growing up together. Sometimes it's about finding each other and discovering that a piece of your heart was there all along. And now, whenever I see 11:11, I'll smile and think of my sister. 💛 Is there a number, tradition, place, or special memory that connects you to someone you love?