My last blog for 2013

Bring on 2014

 

I have been pondering about my next blog for a good couple of days. It's the end of 2013. I even had Stewy", my boss ask me: "So when's the next blog due and what is it going to be about?" (as i write the blogs for the gym I work for) I responded: 'Oh too many ideas and thoughts, I don't know what to pick."
LIES- I was having a bloggers BLANK.

 

The 31st of December and unfortunately I am going to be the 1 MILLIONTH person who will say: "Wow where has this year gone?" There I said it. Every friken bloody person I speak to has said: 'I can't believe how fast this year has gone, where did it go?' I have wanted to throw a shoe at each person who has said that, or put a dollar in a jar for every time someone had said that to me. Now I am being a hypocrite as I am sitting at Box HQ front desk, struggling what to blog about for the last day of 2013, and THAT is all I can come up with.
As I slowly face reality, at 6:37am, watching everyone dawdle in to do their last EVER workout for 2013, I seriously take a moment and think back on the year I have had and by a moment, it was a good solid 5minutes before i  realised I was staring at a member very awkwardly.

I think back to what I was thinking or where I was for the last 3 years. I dare you to try it. What were you doing this time last year, or the year before that, even go back further. Can you remember? Sadly my memory is a bit blurred, but I thought, wouldn't it be interesting, If I could find any documented diary entries, a few years ago and see what I had been doing and If I had written any New Years Resolutions.
I found a few of my old diaries dating back to 2011. Yes I am openly admitting I write very regularly in my diary. It is very therapeutic, helps with my crazy thoughts but has also given me a passion for writing and blogging. Today is your lucky day, as I am going to show you raw images of some of the diary entries I did at the end of each year.
I decided to do this, as I was watching Channel 7 morning show and they had a segment of the typical 'New Years Resolution' that most people have.

• Lose weight
• Find Love
• Be Happy
• Career Change
• Make money
• Make babies
• Don't make babies
• Quit Smoking

They stated or argued that, those who have similar goals and New years Resolutions, don't in-fact end up sticking to them or even remembering them. Now before you chuck a hissy fit and decide 'Well what's the point on having a goal if you don't stick to it.?' Very good point you make and let me give you the answer. Rather than having such a wide, typical goal, the trick is to be more specific. An example is, one of my goals are to focus on natural remedies (yoga and meditation) and get off any medication I am on. Yep deep and very specific but that's what you want to channel. Another corny yet so beneficial and inspiring way of reaching your goals, is a vision board. I read a fantastic book recently called 'The Winner's Bible' By Dr Kerry Spackman- highly recommend it! So useful. It teaches you how to become elite athletes and business people to permanently rewire your brain and transform your life. It shows you how to mind map and how to create your very own vision board as well as teaching you human behaviours, why we do things the way we do, based on our pasts, family history by how we have been brought up.

Anyway I don't always have much time to read, but that was one book that taught me so much about how important it is for me to visualise my goals. I learnt so much about myself, how I am a visual learner, (everyone has a way of learning or picking up information) how to supercharge myself, through hard times and being able to recognise the people I wanted to surround myself with who that brought the best out of me. One of the places or community that did this was this gym- Box HQ.

 

 

I wanted my last blog to really be raw and truthful. I wanted to let you into my life, in hope I have somewhat touched you, or mdee you re-visit a part of you, that you may have avoided or thought there is something you really wanted to work on next year but you didn't know how or where to start- or you just simply needed a sign.
Whether 2013, was a good year or not, or there were moments in it, where you wished you approached a situation differently, or you never got to do the things you've always wanted to do. This is me telling you NOW at 6:50am to let everything that has happened this year, GO- to accept how this year has ended for you, to be grateful, content and also proud of how far you have come this year. Now simply ask yourself: What will 2014, bring for you?

 

I cringe when people say- "2013 is my YEAR." true BUT shouldn't every year be YOUR year? Or should you aim higher? Do you look back on each year and say: 'Yeah that was my year.' I personally try to look at each year, as being better than the year before. Whether I do that or not, is up to you to decide when you see below my little diary entries I did, or goals I reached for.
This is my last diary entry for 2013. I cannot wait, to see what 2014 brings for me and for Box HQ :)

 

I wish you all an amazing NYE, love you all to bits.

   BOX OUT
   Tam xx

Natasha Darling's Story.

Natasha Darling's Story.

It was about two weeks ago, I was hanging out with a close friend of mine and we started talking about meditation. I had been specifically told by my massage therapist that I really should get into meditation because he could sense that I was the type of person who had a lot on my mind and was constantly running around doing a million and one things.  I would then come home and try to go to sleep and it would take me HOURS to get to bed. My friend would also tell me that he believed that natural remedy is the best form of medicine and it can cure sickness, anxiety, stress and anyone who has a busy hectic lifestyle, with sleeping problems, such as myself.
I kept thinking to myself; "Yeah yeah, I've heard it all before and I honestly thought it was a load of bulls****." I kept brushing it off.. UNTIL I was on set for Australia's Got Talent, Tommy Franklin's video clip and I met Natasha Darling.
Before you guys read this interview I did on her, I just have to point out that everything that I had spoken about meditation with my friend and my massage therapist, to then meeting someone who had battled a disease and survived BECAUSE of meditation, truly says to me that the universe had brought me to someone like her. It is amazing how people cross paths in our lives, how there is a purpose behind everything and how we connect the dots to give us answers to things we have been searching for, or even that significant sign that is telling us something. I have now seen it all. I really hope you enjoy this story because it brought tears to my eyes.
Love Tam xx


I met this amazing woman on the Tommy Franklin shoot. I really wanted to share her story to you all as she is one of few people who have lived to tell a miracle of a story.
Natasha is a spiritualist, an artist, dreamer and a creator. She pulls off short pink hair, her fashion represents a raw individual chick who rocks out crystal jewellery that she wears close to her heart which symbolises a positive aura that you sense as soon as you meet her. This year she went on a rollercoaster of a journey, with an illness she had to battle. She survived this, through the power of meditation and the power of her mind. Here is her story.

Tam: Tell us your career journey you have gone through, what are you passions and dreams.

Natasha: I guess I have always been very creative and kind of fell into fashion originally. I worked as a Stylist and it naturally eventuated into also working as a Creative Director on editorials and other projects. I have many passions but communicating creative concepts in visual ways is always really satisfying.  I quit fashion 2 years ago with the intention to be a painter/artist. I felt after doing fashion overseas and here I had reached a point where I felt I was complete in that arena and wanted to explore some of my own ideas for my own personal projects.  That's the thing about art, it's very personal and your not trying to sell anything, versus fashion where it's highly creative but it's a form of advertising which is totally fine, though I wanted to bare my self and truly express my own point of view.

Tam: Was there challenges faced for you

Natasha: Yes, life is full of challenges and I have always done my best to welcome the wisdom that comes from them. When I did styling it was always obviously a lot of work and the challenge was trying to balance my health with that industry. It is pretty difficult to work in that world and stay balanced, it's so fast paced and intense.  There were obviously many mini challenges along the way but I take pride in finding solutions not dwelling on problems so past is past, I have overcome them and am a better person because of it.

Tam: You recently overcame a near death experience, explain what you went through?

Natasha: Well, I have suffered from an autoimmune disease for some time and beginning of this year I started to get sick with what's called a 'flare' though this one just got completely out of control and I was incredibly sick and was hospitalised.  I was told I could die any time, I had such high inflammation in the body it was very dangerous.  A normal persons CRP rate is under 5, mine in hospital was 148! I was put on steroids to suppress my immune system, though I wholeheartedly practiced meditation to Tibetan music that night and I focused intently on what number I wanted my CRP rate to be, miraculously I was able to bring it down, in 4 days I had brought it down to 20.  Doctors couldn't believe it, they're explanation was the steroids because I had never had them before, though they had never seen someone drop so quickly. After leaving hospital I soon realised my weight was down to a frightening 44kg.  I had barely been able to eat much in a month and was very frail. I had to work with diet, meditation and affirmations to get my system working again. Not before I went down to 36kg though, I then found this diet that truly helped me which was called 'specific carbohydrates diet'. After slowly putting on weight I started to see all my hair fall out, I ended up going fairly bald so I shaved my head and saw it as another part of the journey to overcome. My body had just been through so much I just had to surrender to the higher purpose. I have do e really well recovering but still hiccups along the way, it's a huge thing to come back from so feel it will take time to truly feel like I am out of it, but I trust in the universe, it is obviously a part of my path!

Natasha sitting at 40kg

Tam: what was the hardest part about it

Natasha: I think the hardest part was other people not understanding how hard it is to have a chronic illness, to have to take things in baby steps or much smaller! I feel people I knew saw it from the outside but on the inside it is just so challenging for all those around me. My family and closest friends had to really see me so weak and not my usual self and having people do everything for me wasn't easy either. At one stage reality hit when I couldn't even pick up my own laptop, I was too weak! So I stayed positive but you really mentally get challenged when you are in pain 24/7. I sometimes wonder how I got through it, though we can only do our best and those around us as well!
 
Tam: With everything you went through, how did you know that meditating and the power of the mind would save you?

Natasha: I had nothing to loose really, the doctors told me I would die, I couldn't sleep because if the pain and i guess you just click into survival mode and try it.  I had always done meditation and visualisation when I felt it, so it wasn't completely foreign to me. Though I also wanted to prove to the doctors that I had the power, so much of the time they can make you feel so helpless, so belittled! So I felt I needed to focus and show them I was a unique example of someone who was truly actively involved in the healing process.
 
Tam: I saw the dramatic changes you had on your body with the photos on Instagram, but I also loved how you still looked at it all as a life-changing moment to tell your story to others, has it had a huge impact for other people?

Natasha: I love sharing my story because it brings awareness to autoimmune diseases that so many suffer, I also share it because it shows people the power of self, with focus, persistence and positive thinking, I feel you can achieve anything. It has had a deep impact on people I have told, I get the feeling that they are humbled by how limitless we are as Human Beings. I think we get caught in our worlds and forget our greatness, our possibility, our uniqueness.  Hopefully my story reminds people the power of hope and when applied, miracles can happen!

Look at that transformation- Natasha had set her mind and decided to change her life. WONDER WOMAN

Tam: Did it change your outlook on life? Did you see yourself change?

Natasha: I was always a very spiritual person in many ways, I had suffered from depression when I was younger and when I overcame that I think I had this deeper desire to change the world and help people. Through this experience though it definitely showed me my strength, I had to surrender completely and while it wasn't comfortable, I somehow hung in there, so now I feel more expansive, like I can do even more than I ever imagined. This experience has also allowed me to reach more people, and more people reach me on social media platforms, as I shared all of my journey on Facebook and Instagram. I also see the incredible power of community in any difficult situation, that impacted me a lot!

Tam: Were you always into art? What inspired you to paint

Natasha: I was always an artist yes, I have loved art since I was born but changing from fashion to art was a bit scary, it seemed weird to have a career as an artist but deep down it is what I always dreamed of.  I am inspired by spirituality, my art is about the higher realms and sacred places on earth. I feel I sort of channel them into my works and I have been told my art is very healing. I feel it comes from the energy fields of things I paint. I don't intentionally know what I am painting at the time, though it usually comes after and it all makes sense.

Check out her website: www.natashadarling.com

Tam: How did you meet Tommy Frankin (AGT)

Natasha: I met Tommy in Byron, I had a fairly freshly shaved head and was still a bit fragile after being in bed most of year, it was my second trip to Byron away from home and quite a big deal. My first time dancing in the Beach Hotel, I was still very low energy wise so I danced in a few minute segments. A couple of different people came up to me saying I danced like Tommy, one even said I was a girl version of Tommy lol! I had not watched the show as I was very sick around that time so I actually had no idea who this Tommy fella was?! Later that night I was walking down the stairs out front and I saw a tall bearded man talking to my friends, I slowly made my way there and as I approached, he said 'Your interesting'!!!! I said 'thank you' and introduced myself, he did too and it was quite a funny moment! From then on we really became best friends and Tommy really helped me find myself again. After being a 'sick' person for so long, around Tommy I started to just come out of myself again. It's been a lovely journey ever since.

Tommy and Natasha

Tam: You've just finished a great project you were working on with him and worked with the fashion label One Piece- how did that idea come about?

Natasha: I actually met Tommys good friend Robbie at the Grand Finale of AGT and he was the head producer of the project, we clicked and kept in contact and when I heard about it I offered my experience as producer and Creative Director.  I was excited by the idea of doing film again and I love dance so much, to be surrounded by dancers wearing One Piece, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to be a part of something I had the experience for.  I was so happy to get my best friend of 10 years Jess Hutt on board too, so it felt like one big family.

Tam: What's next?

Natasha: I am writing a book about recovery, I really want to share my story in writing but also through videos and live speaking. I am still perusing my art but I feel this experience can't be wasted, I really want to help those who are going through extreme illness and share many if the tools I had to get through it, including spreading awareness to the diet that helped and continues to help me for people especially with autoimmune diseases!

Tam: What message do you want to send out to the world or people reading this?
Natasha: I really just want to share the message that we are much stronger and powerful than we most of the time realise! The more we love ourselves and stand authentically as who we are, the more we stand in our truth, the deeper we can go and the more people we can connect with. We are truly limitless BEings, when we work together in truth, commUNITY is more powerful than anything! Just love who you are for who you are, embrace YOUR story, everyone's story is valid, everyone is important, the more we share and connect, the more expansive we realise we are. :-)



Love Tam xx

BOX HQ Raising Money For MS Australia

For most of us, a typical Sunday is a day of rest, a day of lying in bed, being able to relax from our week of hard work, or getting over our Saturday night hangover... for most of us.
On the 17th of November 2013, the crew at Box HQ proudly dedicated themselves to the '12 WODS in 12 Hours' Challenge to raise money for MS Australia, (Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia), "who are responsible for funding new and exciting research projects that are working towards a cure for MS as well as making available all the latest research information from around the world."
This organisation, really fits close to home to the owner of Box HQ: Stewart Adams. As the morning of the challenge started, Stewy thanked each and everyone of us for donating money for MS Australia and explained that he grew up with his mother have Multiple Sclerosis and how hard it was for both of them, but most of all how much he says he is a 'mummas boy' and wanted to do this for her.
What opened our hearts to all of us was when Stewy said; "Most of the time, we are not appreciated of what we have, the bodies we have and what we are capable of doing and this is him giving back to MS Australia but most of all, his mum.

 

I was amazed at the level of everyone's mentality and participation of the 12 Hour Challenge. Some people came from a wedding the night before or had a huge night out and only had 2 hours sleep YET their bodies were STILL able to push through doing 12 WORKOUTS of Crossfit-type training every hour on the hour from 6am-6pm. I could honestly say I didn't think it was humanly possible, the body would shut down, we wouldn't be hydrated enough and we would just pass out. I was SO wrong.

Maybe we all got through it, because of the purpose, or of the dedicated, strong, motivating coaches. The entertainer Moey, we "hired" for the day, commentating on mics, dancing around attempting to take a Zumba class. Or maybe, just maybe because, everyone who was there, WANTED to be there. We had mentally prepared our mind for the day, we believed we could, as a team rock out 12 WODS in 12 HOURS and the fact, that we had everyone supporting each other throughout the day. The smallest gesture of putting our bars and weights away for each other, the loud cheers, counting the 5000000 burpees it felt like we did and the endless supply of nutrition, snacks, reloads of lollies, nuts and the best protein shakes ever.

Stewart Adams- Box HQ Owner

Nicole and Tam

 What the community at Box HQ also appreciated was the members helping out with photography, massages throughout the day, and the MULTI-TALENTED STAFF who not only participated in the 12 Hour Challenge but also worked behind the counter, serving food and shakes, running the business and keeping everyone safe and happy.

BOX HQ Coach Clay, amazing members and awesome STAFF

We were all lucky enough as well to have Firass Dirani, give to the community at BOX HQ and participate in ALL of the WODS and impress us with his Power ranger-like moves throughout the day.

New record at Box HQ

 

Tam, Firass, Moey

As the night drew close to an end and everyone was discussing whether or not pizza or Lebanese food for dinner was an option, I couldn't help but notice the positive atmosphere that shared the room even when we all smelt like wet dogs working out and appearing ridiculously "good looking." We all posed for our last group photo, half smiling, half of us looking like we needed a bed...or shower, we were happy to say, we COMPLETED the '12 WODS in 12 HOURS' Challenge.
The final words as Stewy thanked each and every one of us was; "What to do next..."
What will happen next for Box HQ, who knows, something outrageous, dangerously daring yet fun- WE will all be there as a family to support one another.

Thank you each to each and everyone of you!!!

Love Tam

Box HQ CREW

When distance makes the heart grow fonder

I have to point out how strong my mother is. I actually can't recall the last time I had told her that, but really looking back on everything now, I wanted to write this blog based on her and my family in Brasil.

Over the years, I have been to Brasil to visit my family but the last time I went I was when I was 12 years old. I was naive and a little brat. My mum would tell me that her uncle who used to look after me, would say to her: "She is really a troubled child." I just had too much energy for one kid I think of how my mother got through the years of watching me grow up is beyond me.
 I remember I used to always write letters to my cousin Betty (when there was no facebook) I absolutely adored her, and when I spent 6weeks in Brasil, i distinctly remember her teaching me the cupping song (WAY before Pitch Perfect had done it) but with a Portugese chant and it was a lot faster. Still to this day I remember that game we played. 
 Years went by, I kept saying to mum, "We have to go back and visit." So many events had happened that either pushed us back from going or situations in life which made it hard for my mother to go back.

My mum and my grandma!

I remember when her first brother passed away, she told me she had dreamt of him going up to staircase up to a white room and she called out to him and he just turned around and smiled.
She was always strong on dreams, it was weird. When myself and my brother would fight, within seconds she had called my brother when I had stormed off in my room and asked him "What was wrong?" She just sensed something  was wrong.
She had always felt unease when her brother died but when she dreamt of him- she could finally get to sleep again. 

Another year or two went by and her dad passed away. My grandad. He reminded me so much of my little brother- he had an obsession with drawing and was fantastic at art and he LOVED Spiderman as did my brother. We would just for hours go through his collection of drawings and he would tell us stories for hours while my mum was with my grandma.

My mum never got to say goodbye.

Mum and dad went through a bad divorce which i partly think was the reason why she couldn't bear to go back to Brasil. I think she felt ashamed or couldn't face the family.

It was only a few months ago, my cousin and two of my aunties had been in contact with me on facebook and I just missed them like crazy. More now that I never get to see them and they had also told me about my Uncle, my mums other brother Alexander, he too was really sick and they didn't think he had much time to live.

I look back on everything now. Connecting the dots. So many moments where I could've packed my bags and gone to see them.
It's crazy when bad events happen in your family, it can truly re-connect everyone again. My mum hadn't spoken to her family in years. Maybe she was angry or she was hurt I don't ask, but when my Uncle Alexander was really sick, it brought the family back closer.

My Titi Patty and Uncle Alexander

I wish I could say I was able to fly to Brasil to see my family and spend time with my uncle. Unfortunately he passed away a few days ago.
It triggered something in all of us, even my brother who doesn't remember much of him. It made my mother realise that she has to go back to Brasil soon.

Maybe God had a plan. A plan to take away the burden of my Uncle and the suffering that my mum had over the years that she never got to say goodbye to her dad and brother. To tell her that it wasn't her fault and that they still loved her even if she wasn't with my dad anymore.

Distance does make the heart grow fonder, family is family no matter what. I would hate the day to come, if I ever had hate to anyone in my family over the years and I never had the chance to say goodbye to them. 

Mum myself and my brother plan on going to Brasil next year to see everyone. To my whole family in Brasil: I love you all so much. I pray everyday for your well-being and I send my blessings to my Uncle Alexander, who is with God today.
Lastly, to my mum: You are the strongest person I know and i truly look up to you. I will always support you and be there for you. I love you.

 

Love Tamxx

 

My Grandma, Tit Patty and my cousin Betty

 

Do things happen in 3s?

Now I am not one to be superstitious but lately when I speak to friends and they have had a bad week they always refer to the term or "saying" 'Everything comes in 3's' or 
'This is the second worst thing that has happened all week, wonder what the third will be' 
I back tracked to times in my life when I had this happen to me and everything started coming back to me. I remember i broke up with an ex, then my phone got stolen and that same very week my tyres got slashed for some unknown reason. Then I thought to myself; 'Am i creating these thoughts, was i giving out to the universe negativity or the feeling that I wanted all these things to occur. Or was i only perceiving the bad and not noticing the good things in life.'

I think that is what happens to most of us. When something goes wrong, we then think EVERYTHING is happening bad to us, therefore we become sensitive to everything around us and more bad luck is recognised when otherwise, would be ignored.

So am I saying that everything that happens we imagine it ourselves?

Maybe..

I came across a writer who wrote the classic book: 'The Road less travelled.' People he came across who were suffering from misfortunes of life, eventually build a wall of strength and are able to handle bad circumstances better and that his patients were in better psychological form then expected.

"Peck marvels on the resilience of the human spirit to cope with life’s great challenges."
We know of the Ying and Yang

The Ying and Yang in life- has to have a good and a bad. Life as we know it, and have witnessed can NEVER always be good, nor always be bad.

This week was one of those weeks I can use as an example of how much I focused on all the bad things that happened, when really tracking back- Yes they all happened but so many good things happened too that i chose to ignore because the "bad" were more clearer and obvious, I even found myself saying: 'Everything comes in threes' Did i create that thought?

I had so many car issues this week, to the point I spent so much of my savings, yet I still had that situation turn into something good, as random people helped me out that day and all I could worry about was all the money I had lost, when really, i could've been hurt, received huge fines or not had a car at all. 
My uncle passed away too, yet I was thankful that I had such great support from my family and friends I even felt a stronger connection with my mum again.

I could go on, but the point I am getting at is: Stop seeing all that's bad, and reflect each week, all the positive things that happened in your life.

I gave it a shot:
1. I got a contract wit Nickelodeon 
2. I enjoyed my rehearsals with the Burlesque cast
3. I realised that people will help you, even if they are strangers
4. I was able to face all the bad things independently and on my own, without the help of my parents.
5. I had great company of friends during the week. (You guys know who you are)

Instantly, life wasn't so bad after all. It wasn't picking on me. It's just life as we know it. Through all of this I came across an awesome quote for thought:
"But if you had a choice of how you’d like the good and bad to come at you, how would you like it to arrive? Bad and good in equal measure throughout your life? That may be your first choice. But would that really be the best thing? Would life become a predictable dirge of frequently space out bits of rubbish?"

Think about that one, and the next time you feel that all the bad things are happening at once, look at all the good things that have happened to you.
You would be surprised. 

Happy Sunday everyone!
Start your new week fresh and positive :)

Tam xx