Belinda Carusi

Woke up this morning full of excuses.

"I don't have time." "I'll go tomorrow." Blah blah blah.

Got to the pool and there were literal 70-80 year old women casually getting out after their swim, and I felt like an absolute doozy for all my excuses.

So I broke it up. A kilometre of straight freestyle would've broken my brain, instead I chunked it into pieces I could handle, and just did it.

Turns out it was fun. Turns out I could do hard things.
Groceries done. Kid-free hours won. Swim done.

Yes, you heard that right, I've used my kids as an excuse. Not just for fitness. Business too, honestly.

I didn't think I'd end up like this. I just hate when my babies cry, and I feel scared of new environments for them.
It's been too much on my nervous system.

But it's time to reassure myself it's going to be fine and the same for them. We're so connected to our kids that when we're scared dropping them off, we project that straight onto them. That's something I've worked through with my therapist... She explained the a parenting model called the Circle of Security.

So writing this, I'm realising I actually have to brainwash myself into believing how good this time apart is, for him, and for me.

Wish me luck

I'm so unfit... the worst shape I've ever been in. And I was paid good money to help other people do the exact thing I'm now struggling to do myself: get fit again.

After my third boy, I've realised this s**t can't fly anymore.
Come on the journey with me... I'm rebuilding my fitness and testing myself by swimming the Noosa Tri as part of a tri team. Open ocean. Less than 70 days out.

Holy s**t. I better get in the water 🏊🤿

17 years ago I skipped Uni, said yes to a snow season at Perisher.

I didn't know it then, but that one decision would set off a chain of events I could never have scripted.

I convinced my friend Sarah to quit her job and come too. She became one of the best snowboarding instructors on the mountain. And this weekend, I'm in Jindabyne celebrating her engagement, to the man she met because she said yes to that season.

One decision. 17 years. A whole life changed.

And not just hers.

This weekend has me thinking about all the moments we almost didn't do the thing. Almost played it safe. Almost waited for the "right time."

What's the decision you've been sitting on that you know will change your life forever...

I'm here as your sign to just F'ing do it!!

Love you 💓💓

The one time I leave. 🪲
First time away on my own in over five years. SIX AM. Airport. Doing my makeup. Find something in my hair.
Head lice.

I'm treating myself in a hotel bathroom while my husband is home washing every sheet, every pillow, treating three boys' heads and deep cleaning the entire house.
Meanwhile I'm sitting here thinking… at least I only have to do my own hair? 😂

Motherhood. It is the greatest thing I have ever done. And it is absolutely, relentlessly, not glamorous.

There is always something. ALWAYS. But let's be honest if you can't laugh at the absolute chaos you will go insane 🤣🤣🤣

And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way.

(Wish me luck that I'm not itching all weekend 🙏)FML 😰🤣

Let me explain.

The most healing thing you can do for your body is sleep. When you're overwhelmed... sleep on it. When you're sick... your body heals fastest when it's fasting, when it stops having to digest and just gets to *work.*

And here's the wildest one... your body grows an entire human being without you doing a single thing. You don't have to figure it out. You don't have to manage it. You could honestly be in the worst conditions of your life and your body will still find a way to grow that baby.

It just knows.

So why do we think our lives are any different?

We've been so conditioned to push through. To do more. More courses, more strategies, more figuring it out, more filling every gap so we never have to sit with ourselves.

But what if the answer wasn't more?

At the start of this year my coach gave me one of the simplest and hardest things I've ever been asked to do. Sit for five minutes. Twice a day. No phone. Nothing.

I used to set an alarm and still check if it was over. That's how conditioned I was to keep moving.

And that right there says everything.

Because when we can't sit still for five minutes... we miss things. We miss what our kids are actually doing. We miss the idea that was sitting right there waiting. We miss the parts of ourselves that are trying to get our attention.

You detox the most on holidays. Your best ideas come in the shower. People get sick the second they stop because their body was holding on, waiting for permission to release.

Doing nothing isn't lazy. It's not falling behind.

For ambitious women especially... it might actually be the most powerful thing you're not doing.

What would happen if you just... stopped? 🖤

What if you could erase your history?

No trauma. No "reasons why not." No stories you've been dragging around for years.

Just you. Clean slate.

Who would you be today?

Because when you strip away all of it... the version of you that's left?

💬 Who would she be?

I'm currently working through this ATM!

Love to know what you would be doing in the comments

Happy Mother's Day 💛
And a very special Happy Mother's Day to all the boy mamas out there... God help us. 😅

To the girl mamas.... see you when your daughters are teenagers. And hopefully one day we'll get our revenge on you for having those "good kids" who actually sit down and don't destroy everything you own. 😂

But honestly? I love you all. Every single one of you is absolutely nailing this mum thing. We see you. 🙌

Boy mums if your relate please tag another mama who feels the pain 🤣🤣🤣