I've had a makeover...

Please head to my new website www.jessicaturner.com.au I'll see you there! xx

What happens when we meditate every... single... day.

I’ve decided to be my own guinea pig in a little experiment. All it will take is lying flat on my back for a few minutes each day.

Let me explain: I’ve used meditation since a teenager, on and off in my life, when I'm feeling anxious and even when I’m feeling great. I know that however I feel, the calmness and clarity that comes with meditation makes me feel even better. Meditation can serve as an anchor, grounding us back to our own true desires and feelings and blocking out the irrelevant noise of the world. 

Even Harvard researchers say, "There is a true biological effect".

My favourite morning walk meditation stop.

So if it feels soooo good, why the heck don’t we all do it more? I want to show you, honestly what happens if we really commit to this every day, because I have a feeling it could be amazing.

I got up a little earlier every day for a week to meditate for at least ten minutes, to give myself the gift of doing nothing and seeing what happens if we, busy people FIND the time.

"Meditate. Breathe consciously. Listen. Pay attention. Treasure every moment. Make the connection." Oprah Winfrey. 

Monday: I went to bed at 9:30 Sunday, so I wouldn’t have trouble getting up early. I meditated at a time which suited me. Some say you should do it first thing, but the aim here is to "just do it" and make it consistent and easy.

I had breakfast, walked the dog had my usual takeaway latte, came home and got down on my mat. I did some basic yoga before meditating for about 15 minutes. I listen to a playlist which makes me relax. 

Feelings: This practice slowed down my morning. I felt refreshed and clear. 

Tuesday: After another early night, I followed the same routine. Then, I simply lay flat on my back. I listen to music and then slowly relax every part of my body, consciously thinking about each area. I concentrate on breathing and repeat mantras I like. Saying in my mind things such as ..."I am peaceful in my body, heart and soul". 

Feelings: If I could use one word to describe how I felt during the day, it would be "clarity". My intuition was crystal clear. I didn't second guess decisions, such as going in to chat with my boss about my work. I just did it. I spoke with him honestly and it had a great outcome. 

Wednesday: ​I meditated for about 15 minutes today again. 

Feelings: The morning didn't exactly go smoothly today. On the way to work, I had a little bingle in the (boyfriends!) car. How I dealt with it was what mattered. The crash and the damage was minimal, but I was still shocked and it was a stressful situation.

I was calm and kept it in perspective. Although I felt guilty (it was my fault, sorry boyfriend!). I told myself it wasn't on purpose and this moment wasn't going to ruin my day. I called my boyfriend straight away and firstly, I told him I love him and that I crashed his precious car... In that order!

Thursday: Ahh I'm running late and I didn't have time for more than a few deep breaths on the couch before work.
Feelings: I felt guilty for missing this morning.. what will i say on my blog!? Well no one's perfect and I'll do it after work. Today there were terror raids in Sydney, which makes for a buzzing newsroom. I found it harder to quiet my busy mind later in the day.  

Friday: Hooray for Friday! I meditated for about ten minutes before work, but again found it a little harder to keep my mind clear this morning. 

Feelings: Today was a busy at work again. I was consciously getting one task done at a time without being overwhelmed. 

The Weekend: You'd think it would be easy to find time to meditate on the weekend, but with less of a routine it can be difficult. Still, I meditated in the mornings. I know I'd find it harder in the afternoon, when i have a nice glass of red on my mind! 

Feelings: I take each moment as it comes, I catch myself when I get too caught up planning and looking ahead.

"The power is in you. The answer is in you. And you are the answer to all your searches: You are the goal. You are the Answer. It's never outside." Eckhart Tolle. 
​

What now...?

After truly committing to an everyday practice, I feel I can't go back to my "now and then" meditation. I kinda knew this would happen!

When I begin my day with meditation, I feel clearer, more connected to my own feelings and intuition. 

Ultimately, I believe meditation makes us more clear about who we are and what we TRULY want. It helps us connect with the present moment. It sounds like a miracle pill.. but it's free and it's ours whenever we want it. 

Peace out. 

xx

JT

A chat with Sandra Sully

Sandra Sully is one of the most respected newsreaders in the country. Warm and shining on our screens, it's easy to assume that Sandra's life is perfect. But away from the news desk and bright lights, Sandra is facing a big personal challenge.   

Only those closest to Sandra have known that her husband Symon has moved to New Zealand. Living an ocean away from the one you love can't be easy, but the couple is making it work.

Sandra has always been a generous mentor to me and I'm grateful she chatted so honestly about love, health and her career, from one Queensland girl to another.

Jessica: Sandra, you’re newly married, you love your work, you look fantastic and healthy, you must be pretty content in your life at the moment?
Sandra: I am, but I have to say, life isn't without challenges. For me, in the last year and a half my husband has moved to New Zealand, so there is lots of travel across the ditch every other weekend, or he comes here. There’s also a lot of juggling with my step-daughter. It's my reality but I think you have to embrace what you have to do. 

I'm a glass-half-full type of girl and I think you have to see the positives in everything. Most people don't know that my life has changed dramatically, with my husband taking a job in New Zealand. It's pretty crazy but I'm happy and he's happy.

I remember when he said to me 'babe this is a great job and I'd really love to do it but how are we going to be?'.  I said 'well if it's what you want to do, we'll make it work.' So far so good!

Jessica: So it's going well?

Sandra: Yes, he's really loving the job and we've both fallen in love with New Zealand. You just never know where life will take you....it’s great. 

Jessica: You must be very good at balancing it all, having time for yourself and each other?
Sandra: Well it's never going to be perfect, but time management is the most important thing. If you stick to the priorities in your life, and for me it's my husband and my family, then you just accept you're not going to be able to do everything. 
My step-daughter is a real gift. All of a sudden in the last 4 or 5 years, wow, I've got a little girl in my life. I have to think about making sure I have food in the house to make lunches!

Jessica: Does having a little girl around keep you grounded
Sandra: Absolutely, she's 9 going on 29. She's my new little friend and am very aware of my new responsibilities.  As much as I like and need order around me, I just love when I am with her that I just switch off my phone or my iPad and spend time with her. We have lots of fun together and a child in your life changes your perspective in a really lovely way.  She is good for me.

Jessica: So you're forced to switch off?
Sandra: Yes, since Symon's moved over there, I can, at times, work longer hours but then I can shut it down as quickly.  People often say will say to me “gosh you tweet a lot”, but I do switch off on the weekends and when it suits.

I'm only online as a ‘news person’ though and try to keep my private life out of social media. Someone once said to me, if people can't see the picket fence people will always trespass, so I try to create those fences so I and others know the boundaries.

Jessica: What is me-time for you?
Sandra: I've been getting back into pilates. I've had a nagging injury and it's taken me five years to get to the bottom of that problem, so pilates is all I can do at the moment.

My guilty pleasure is movies, reading, sports and some trash TV. When I'm with Symon, we walk a lot, go to the gym, but just spending time together is pretty fun. 

Jessica: For many women, it takes a while to work out exactly what ‘works’, when it comes to nutrition, beauty and health. Do you think you've 'got it'? You sure look like you have!
Sandra: I'm probably the most unfit I've ever been in my life and I don't have it worked out. I hate feeling unfit and unhealthy but am slowly getting it all back on track.

I used to be a fitness trainer before I started journalism, but lately I haven't been able to run at all. I'm not there yet, but life is a work in progress.

Ultimately, the best thing you can do for yourself is try to eat well and get lots of sleep. I think I'm having an affair with sleep, it's the best tonic. 

Jessica: At Chanel Ten you have really driven social and digital media and you have your own online newspaper, #shortblack. Is an online presence important to you?

Sandra: I saw a need to be involved early on, for the newsroom and for myself. I have found it quite rewarding professionally and many opportunities have come as a result. I think you constantly have to up skill and I have learned a lot. It's given me an extra focus. It doesn't mean I'm the guru but I love it. 

Jessica: What would you tell others starting out in our industry or to girls who want to find success in their chosen career?

Sandra: When you work out who you admire, work out why. Determine what are the attributes that set them apart, then try to be honest with yourself about what you need to work on. I’d also say, life is full of tangents and opportunities - embrace them!

Ten has been through a lot of upheaval and at times I've struggled with survivor’s guilt. Then I think, I'll keep going as long as I can, and remember it's not what drives me. 

I do it because I really love it. I don't ever want to be seen as 'hanging on'.  When I am not enjoying it, either in front of the camera or behind it, then I might move on to something completely different. 

I don't live in fear, I just accept that it's television. 

*****

Fortunately, television is full of warm people like Sandra but she is one of a kind - a Queensland girl at heart, juggling her life, career and family but still spending time helping the next generation of women succeed. 

She isn't pretending to have it all worked out, but will pass on what she does know to help others and that is a gift.

xxx
JT

Brushing your teeth 'mindfully' can change your life. Really!

I've just returned to work after a few lovely weeks off relaxing, skiing, enjoying great food and red wine.. but unfortunately, I caught the standard post-holiday Monday-itis, just innocently walking to work. 

Holiday fun. Can't not be 'in the moment', learning to ski!

"I won't have another peaceful holiday break for ages!" In that moment, I switched the playlist on my phone to my chill-out list and remembered that EVERY single day can be peaceful and 'easy' if we make it that way.

Being in the present moment, enjoying the walk to work, the music, the scenery is practising 'mindfulness'. It might sound 'woo woo' but science recognises the benefits.

Bondi psychologist, yoga, mindfulness teacher and great mentor of mine, Melissa Podmore (checkout her website below) explains:

"Mindfulness is a life skill that can assist anyone of any age to connect with essence of Life. Children are essentially very mindful from birth. We see this as we watch a two year old explore a set of car keys for example, the are completely present and engaged with what they are doing in the present moment- this is Mindfulness."

Researchers have found practicing mindfulness can effect the brain waves. It can..

• Soothe anxiety
• Decrease everyday stress
• Improve focus and concentration
• Improve awareness of self-defeating thought processes
• Help people to be less reactive and to unpleasant experiences. 
• Develops self-awareness and self-compassion.
• Helps many become more aware of the world, people and experiences around them, shifting focus from the past and future. 

The mindfulness mission is spreading, (yay), with a new educational movement led by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, training teachers in the skills of mindfulness and mindful living to share in classrooms in Australia and around the world. 

It can be useful to so many different types of kids because the teachings are't specific to one religion, with mindfulness approaches in the bible, in buddhist and other teachings.

Melissa says:

"Unfortunately as schooling starts children are conditioned to become more regimented and simultaneously they often can become overstimulated by technology, and so their skill of mindfulness deteriorates."

Here's some tips from the experts which you can use today to become more present..

• Do everyday activities mindfully, such as brushing your teeth, walking, working out or having a shower. Actually feel the water, rather than thinking about your to-do list.. or you may as well be at work already. 
• Put your phone down. Trying not to fill every empty moment by checking emails and instagram. Now this one is hard!
• Practising bringing  thoughts back to your breath in stressful situations.
• A regular yoga and meditation practice can build mindfulness
• Experts suggest, when thoughts come, notice them and take your mind back to the present moment. Just like in yoga.

Being in the 'present moment' is essential in yoga.

                   Hmmm, stopping for a tea break, and enjoying it slowly...

I hope you're able to enjoy being present this week.

Incase you're wondering.. I recovered from my Monday-itis. Phew. In fact I'd say, mindfulness is a miracle cure.

It's lovely to be back to an office, which feels a little rowdier since I left. Back in a creative vibrant newsroom, which despite what you might expect, can also be a very peaceful place. 


Namaste. 

xx

JT

*Here's how to reach Melissa Podmore: www.vibrantpsychologyandyoga.com.au