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A Happy Life

The Expat Astrologer

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If you missed my post on social media, I am starting up a new business, uniquely geared to helping expats move to places in the world that are aligned to their astrology.

What is Expat Astrology?

Last year I found out about astrocartography through booking a session first for myself, then one for Rob and then I booked one for Riley with Lunafinula. Siobhan explained to me that such a thing exists where you can plot your Astrology natal birth chart onto a map of the world. Depending on where the stars and planets were in the sky when you were born, they run across the world showing you places where you may find love, fame, family, connection, luck, abundance as well as struggle, pain, growth, change/reinvention, rebirth, healing and transformation.

It is called many different names: Astrocartography, Astrogeography or Astrology of place. Learning about astrology and how it maps out all over the world has been this eye opening experience for me, and its something that I feel called to share with others. I have always loved travel, and now that I am again living in foreign country – finding out that there is a reason why I have been called to certain places all over the world in my lifetime was just too good not to share with you!

My Expat Family

I am not sure I ever told the story of how my parents met, but I think its the most perfect expat love story. A love story that by all accounts would not have been possible, had my greater family not been expats already. My dad is South African, and my mom is Canadian – and they met in Canada because their older sisters were next door neighbours!! Their families knew each other before my parents met, how incredibly special that is? The fact that all of my dad’s side of family were all born and raised in South Africa and that they chose to move to Canada of all places, is the reason my parents were able to meet in the first place. Now when I look at their birth charts on the map of the world, this love story is clearly shown – it was written in the stars all along.

The same goes for how my brother now lives in Mauritius with his family. And suddenly it makes sense to me how history is repeating itself with me moving away from home, just like my mom did all those years ago. Logically I have always said that Rob and I decided to take a job in Ireland because it offered us a new adventure and reason to travel. But now that I look at it more spiritually, there is a definite greater reason why Rob and I were called to move to Ireland.

I find the astrology of place incredibly soul affirming, romantic and inspiring – there are so many more places I want to travel now that I am learning more about myself, my partner and now we can start to explore parts of the world that would be good for our child too.

Your Own Unique Astrology of Place Chart

I guess its my Aquarius Sun, Pisces Moon that really felt called to this business, I want to be able to read people’s charts and tell them the story of of their life, inspire them to travel and explore what kinds of places they might be called to journey to. You don’t have to have travelled far or even at all to harness these energies in your every day life. Just by wearing colours, eating food, listening to music, even making friends/connections with people who live there can help harness and benefit from those energies for you!

Have you ever visited a place and instantly feel excited? Ever visited a place and swore you would never go back? Ever had an ache in your heart at how desperate you are to go to a place you have never been to before and when you think about, it instantly makes you excited, lighter, uplifted? That’s what astrology of place, and that’s why I think its a great tool for expats to explore! Imagine knowing before you move countries, what living at that place could be like for you? Besides all the research and planning that goes along with moving to a foreign country, why not explore your astrology with this new home too?

Limited offer, exclusive to my readers!

Because I am only starting out on this new business venture, I am offering an exclusive offer here. I hope you will give me the incredible honor in reading your birth chart and mapping all the best places for you! Please email me for more info. You can find out more on my separate business Instagram account: The Expat Astrologer.

10 Lessons Lockdown Taught Me About Myself And Others

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Over a year of on and off lockdowns, level 5 restrictions, 5km radius from home, and not seeing family and friends… its been a huge eye opener for me on how myself and others have been able to manage this ‘new normal’. Most days, I have been OK with staying home and hanging out with the few people I actually enjoy hanging out with – my introvert self has managed things for the most part OK. But on the days where I have struggled, its almost been because of someone else’s poor choices or actions.

1. No one knows what they are doing.

I get annoyed easily these days at the news, because I am a heavy rule follower. I have always been this way, if the rules are clearly outlined, make no mistake that I will rehearse them, learn them back to front and follow them to the letter. In true opposites attract, I’m married to a lawyer, who sees ALOT of grey. Everything is grey to him (whereas for me its most certainly mostly black and white with a few very detailed and specific grey exceptions that have been accounted for and outlined in said rules). So for Rob, everything is up for interpretation and debate. And for me, there is no discussion – rules are rules. Throw a pandemic into the mix and you slowly realise that the rule setters actually have no f**ken idea what they are doing (perhaps they are all lawyers with a lot of grey!?). We are all just fumbling about in a sort of trial and error scenario (my absolute worst nightmare! we need better structure and rules!!). Plainly put, the pandemic and how best to handle and manage it is a whole lot of grey. And its managed by humans, who by all accounts are selfish and self serving and mostly are all faking that they know better than they do. So yea, its been a TRIP and let me tell you a massive lesson in letting go and accepting things for what they are in the present moment, and stopping yourself thinking about the future worries.

2. Everywhere in the world is handling things differently.

Clearly we are not anywhere near over this. That hope that the new year meant a nice big reset back to the old ways, is just not looking likely now 4 months into 2021. Yes we are moving slowly out of level 5 lockdown restrictions with only a slight ease in restrictions, but the majority of non-essential stores and businesses are still unable to open – how people are managing??? Mental health is completely stretched. And we haven’t even got to the part of the story where we are ‘living with Covid-19’. At the moment we are still in the ‘try avoid Covid-19’ stage of the game plan. No one can say what the next few months will be like. That uncertainty is a not-so-great ingredient to further stretch everyone’s mental health, am I right? And the real kicker is if you are reading this outside of Ireland you probably think we are all crazy, because certainly the process for managing this pandemic has been different dependent on where you live in the world. I have friends in New Zealand who just can’t even comprehend a lockdown that lasts longer than a week or so, never mind a lockdown going on and off for over a year. I have friends in South Africa who say they wish the restrictions would be stricter. And ones in America who have different restrictions depending on the state they live in. Its all guesswork and that is hard for a rule keeper like me to handle.

3. Boundaries.

This lockdown hasn’t all been doom for me though, personally I have more better days than not. Mostly because I am able to control the news I consume, and one of the key lessons I have learnt is how essential it has been to create some boundaries between myself and people I find hard to be around when things are going wonky. That old joke, who would you like to be stuck on a deserted island applies here. Its been essential for me to manage who gets unlimited access to me when my emotions are sensitive and my mental health is struggling. I don’t feel the need to reply to every WhatsApp. I have stopped accepting Zoom Quiz nights. I am selective with who I complain to – some people spiral both us down further, others just aren’t sympathetic or understanding, and some you just want to have a fun chat and it feels like its going to ruin the vibe if you share your worries. also this all online – none of these are personal face to face connections, so I have felt distant from a lot of friends and family. What’s the point if you have no real news to share?

4. Daily walks outside have been essential

Grounding, meditations, walks with the family – these are all things I did way before a pandemic hit, but I never realised how essential it was to keep doing these every day until someone told us we couldn’t leave our home unless it was exercise within 5km. Suddenly then, the streets have been filled with everyone in the neighborhood going for walks. And the neighbors smile and say hello now when you walk past. I’ve had more random chats with complete strangers in the park over what my child or dog is doing than I ever did before – people are desperate for human connection.

5. Human connection is more than zoom calls, voice notes, and text messages.

The truth is, we need face to face interactions to keep relationships and friendships going. Also I hate work video calls that could have been an email, lets normalize email – let’s bring that back eh?

6. Daily Gratitude Practice is a must.

The quickest way to stop an anxious or stressed moment? Name 3 things you love and are grateful for. Some days they are just: husband, child, dog. Other days it is: the postman remembered Jack’s name. Our neighbors got a new dog. We made a cheesy pasta. On other days it could be: The kid said a new word. Hot coffee. A positive email from work. Simple moments captured throughout the day to be grateful for. I write down 10 things each night. I have been doing it since November last year. What I find happens now is when I am feeling sad or anxious or I catch myself worrying about the future, I start silently listing those things I am grateful for. And suddenly it brings me back to the present moment. It doesn’t always improve my mood completely, but it settles me enough to be able to move on.

7. Breaks are mandatory and should be scheduled.

If you are reading this and working from home right now, get up from your desk, walk out the front door (or back) and take 3 deep breaths outside. Do that again in an hours time. Set an alarm if you have to. Take breaks, and move away from your workspace. Honestly, think about the days we were in the office and someone walked past your desk on the way to the coffee station or asked you if you were keen to walk to the deli for a snack? we took breaks before the pandemic, now suddenly we are all working from home and trying to make sure our screen is always showing we are online – we still need to pee. we still need breaks.

8. Housework is not for the weekend or evenings.

Oh yea, want to know my favorite part of working from home? I can put on a load of laundry while I make my first coffee and switch on my laptop – and in summer, I will be able to hang it out in the sun and fold it away – all before the end of the work day. HECK YES. I am here for not doing loads of laundry in the evening. We even clean the house over lunch breaks now – so we don’t have to do it on the weekend – revolutionary! Tell your friends!

9. Stop watching crap on TV.

Joh, this is a big one, but who is absolutely done with watching crap on TV – I have burnt through everything good on Netflix, that I just can’t get myself to watch another crappy show. We watch one episode of a show (Call My Agent is what we are currently watching), and then we head to bed at 8:30/9pm and read/journal. I am sleeping so much better because of it. Also, speaking of tips for better sleep – I switch my phone to flight mode before I turn the light out, which effectively makes my phone a clock only – no notifications and that means in the morning I can choose when I am ready to respond to messages and notifications and check social media.

10. Music. Dance. Good wine. Take-away coffee. A tasty take-away.

Maybe its just me, but I absolutely love the little dance parties we have had as a family – its been such a great stress release. Good music pumping, moving our body – shaking out the bad energy, drink the good wine, ordering take away coffees while we are on our daily walk, supporting the local take-away restaurants by doing a Friday lunch out – these have been all fun little ways to switch up the mundane days we have been struggling with. When things look bad on the outside, I go inward – and that’s when I am forever grateful for the fact that I have Rob, Riley and Jack to bring me back.

I hope this post finds you and your family well and safe in these uncertain times.

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC BEEN FOR YOU? WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNT?

With love from Ireland,

~Meg~

p.s I write about expat living in Ireland, minimalism and slow travel (when we can travel!). I am mindful about inbox spam and only send out one email newsletter each month, so to be sure you don’t miss out you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

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3 Tips for Better Finances in 2021

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I think we’re all hoping for better finances in 2021. Is it just me or do you find that with the social restrictions I seem to be spending way too much time online shopping?? If you’ve been feeling the financial pinch, as well as the social one, then you’re probably wondering what steps you can take to make this year a better one.

While there’s no really easy way of saving money, making it go further, or getting rid of debt, there are ways of making it more enjoyable and satisfying.

Here are three simple tips you can start on right now that will lead to better finances this year and healthy money habits to adopt in the future.

Tip 1 – Track Your Money

It’s so easy for spending to get out of control. With a click of the button and next day delivery, all those little treats end up being a massive splurge on the credit card. Sure you can always persuade yourself it’ll be alright. Maybe it will, but wouldn’t it be great to take ‘maybe’ out of the equation, so you know for sure?

Tracking money is easy. Just take a notebook and pen and draw three lines down a fresh page to make four columns. Head these columns like this:

  • Date – this is when you paid for something, or when money came into your account.
  • Item – what it was you bought, or where the money came from, such as salary or wages.
  • Cost – what you paid or made.
  • Balance – this is a running balance of what money is available to you right now. Every time you fill in the other columns, either add or subtract the amount from the figure showing in this column. Start the column off by writing down your current bank balance at the top of every new page.

Don’t forget to add direct debits and other automatic payments. You can pull up a list on your online banking app or latest statement, then fill them in on your tracker along with the dates they are due.

You can do this sort of tracker on the computer, in a spreadsheet, if you want, but having a notebook is quick and easy and you can carry it around in a bag or pocket. Jot down a quick note of spends every time money changes hands.

This is a mechanical exercise that doesn’t take much effort and can be a fun personal challenge. It’s also the basis for all professional bookkeeping so could even lead you to a new career in accounting.

Tip 2 – Use Your Tracker to Cut Your Corners

Nobody wants to deny themselves the nice things. Cutting out the stuff we love is normally the first thing that springs to mind when you think about saving money or cutting back on spending.

But there’s a better way.

The cool thing about tracking where your money is going, is you can start to see patterns in your spending. When you’ve been writing down transactions for a couple of months, you’ll have enough history to start putting all those numbers to work.

Look back at the categories of items you buy, and how much they’re costing. Categories might be car expenses, groceries, clothes, hobbies, entertainment, take away meals, utility charges… there are lots of different spending categories.

Maybe the amount you spend on car fuel surprises you, or perhaps you didn’t quite realise how much take-aways or basic groceries were costing. Once you know where you’re spending more than you like, try and figure out ways to cut that cost:

  • Maybe you need to shorten that next road trip you are planning? or budget/save for those extra fuel costs?
  • Switch to a cheaper supermarket, or change some branded items to own brand alternatives?
  • Question every purchase – do you really need it; do you honestly love it? Can you manage without it?
  • Can you switch providers for utilities or Internet, mobile or TV package?
  • Are you paying over the odds for insurances?

The broad idea is to dig into where money is going, then look for ways to control it or alter its flow, rather than automatically cutting out life’s little pleasures to save money. Often, you’ll find you can pay less for necessities, meaning you can pay off the credit card faster or still afford an indulgence or two.

Tip 3 – Put Saved Money Away

When you’ve clawed back a bit and reduced the monthly spend on necessities, make sure you get hold of the money you’ve saved or it’ll flutter off in a different direction.

Opening a separate bank account for savings is a good way of tucking that money aside. Online accounts with banks like Revolut are easy to open and run from your phone. You can still get at your money any time, just like a regular bank account, but it’s one step removed from everyday spending.

It’s fine to start with small savings. If you can save a few bucks a month, you’re winning. Stash it away and do the same next month. It takes practice and some determination to change spending and saving habits, so go easy on yourself as you change your money habits.

If expenses crop up and you can’t see a way to save, it’s fine. Don’t give up completely, just start again and move forward. Gradually, you’ll find ways of saving more, especially if you manage to pay off more on credit cards, so your monthly outgoings reduce.

Controlling money becomes its own satisfaction, and over time you’ll find you have more disposable income to have fun with.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO CUT OUT OF YOUR SPENDING?

Not traveling much these days, just living simply,

~Meg~

p.s I write about expat living in Ireland, minimalism and slow travel (when we can travel!). I am mindful about inbox spam and only send out one email newsletter each month, so to be sure you don’t miss out you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

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*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Accounting Technicians in Ireland. I only post content that I think my readers will relate to, and brands that I think would add value to my life as well as my readers.

How to keep being a minimalist as a new mom

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How to keep being a minimalist as a new mom. Even if you don't have a kid yet, you can still apply these practical tips to be on your way to minimalist living.

Nearly 17 months into this parenting gig and I am here to tell you it is possible to keep being a minimalist with a kid. In the beginning I seriously struggled with the acceptance that we had to bring in more “clutter” into our home when I had spent the last few years trying to get it out! I think for the most part I have embraced the simple fact that now we have another human living in our home and so with that whole extra person comes the need for more stuff. It might feel like you have this overwhelming amount of stuff, but there are ways to keep the clutter down – and when I started writing this post, I realised these tips actually translate to anyone looking to start living a more minimalist lifestyle – not just for new moms!

Even if you don’t have a kid, you can still apply these practical tips to be on your way to minimalist living.

First, you need to accept that even as a minimalist, you still need stuff.

Sometimes we have to just accept where we are at – it’s not practical to throw out absolutely everything all in one go, trust me I have tried this way of bulk decluttering and all that you end up with is realising you threw something out that you might actually have use for down the line. So whilst you shouldn’t hoard things for the ‘we might use this later’ (looking at Rob when I type this) you can note things you haven’t used in forever and mark them mentally in a to-go pile without chucking it all out in the same moment you realise you have too much stuff. It’s the art of pausing, sitting with the feeling you want to purge and letting go when you are truly sure you no longer need it.

The same approach should be followed when you set up your home for a new baby. In the beginning you think that you need a lot of ‘what if’ stuff! Every parent will tell you how this one key piece of baby equipment was absolutely essential for them. But no matter what, no one is you and you won’t really know what works for you and your family until you are right in the thick of it. Trust me when I say that there will be loads of essential things you will impulse buy that you won’t ever end up fully using in the way you thought you would. I should probably write a follow up post on baby essentials for minimalists because we didn’t buy a whole heck of a lot and well look at that, we survived without all that extra clutter!

Equipment, Furniture, Big clunky (and pricey) stuff

Once you have accepted that in the beginning you will have a bit of clutter to manage, here’s another tip I can offer a new mom wanting to keep being a minimalist: you don’t need as much as you think you do. Write a list of all the baby must haves, and strip that back to essentials. There is always time to change your mind later and purchase that extra item once you realise you really need it. You can also follow these tips I have laid out below to help keep the clutter from piling up in your home. The fact is you will need somewhere for the baby to sleep, a way to transport the baby, clothe the baby, and feed the baby – all the rest is just frills.

Clothes: how to capsule wardrobe – the kid edition

Ok so my own capsule wardrobe was slightly expanded when my belly got to big, and then my body again after giving birth but after a settling in period, I managed to stick to my 30 clothing items for myself. It is impossible to keep the same minimal wardrobe for new born – but it does get easier the older they get! In the beginning you will need a few changes of clothes (insert poop emoji here) but a way to curb the clutter vibe in your day-day living space is to only put out the clothing in the size your baby is currently fits in and is wearing. This is just so that you are not looking at a huge wardrobe of clothes where half the outfits are in the next size up or for the next season. Try to keep what you see when you open up the drawer or shelf or cupboard as only the clothes your baby can where today, or right now. Another helpful tip for new moms is to organise and pack the rest of the outfits into separate bags for each size. Trust me it will be easier to manage and see what you do have, what you might need more of, and what your baby does actually ever wear. It also means that when your baby is ready to move to the next size; you simple pack up all the clothes you have out and can either store away to keep, donate, sell or even hand out to your friends or family having a new baby. A nice system of clearing out and decluttering as you go. I find we are able to actually get a lot more wear out of clothes because they are organised and I am able to see the outfits we wear a lot and the outfits she has hardly worn.

Toys – from baby to big kid

Toys and really the types of toys you bring into your home can really add to the clutter and FAST! We are really mindful and try to avoid plastic toys where we can – I went so far as to insist our family and friends not purchase us any toys (only books were allowed!). Although banning all plastic is really hard – one of Riley’s favourite toys is a giant ride on pink plastic car that my brother and SIL purchased her for her first birthday. I digress, my best tip to staying minimalist when it comes to toys for children is to simply outline your wishes to your family. We are not big on Birthday and Christmas gifts, we searched for a really special gift we wanted to gift our daughter and then shared those ideas with the family – a small, well thought out wishlist instead of an open free for all has really helped us curb the amount of stuff that seems to pile up when you start getting all these wonderful gifts from family and friends. Another great tip to keep toys to a minimum is to do a toy rotation. We have a small number of toys kept in a container upstairs in her room, and the rest of the toys are downstairs in the living room. This way we rotate the two sets every now and then so she plays with all the toys but all of them are not laid out in one go. What I have found is the age Riley is at now, she much prefers things you find around the house like car keys, cups, containers, a golf ball, a ziplock bag of clothes pegs , the remote for the TV – basically everything that is not an actual toy, so that helps us from feeling like we need to buy more toys when so much that is around her is entertaining at this age!

BONUS: Tips to limit the clutter in your home

Outlining the categories is all well and good but when it comes to actual tips to living minimally, I find these three tips absolutely essential in trying to limit the amount of clutter that comes into (and stays in) your home.

  • Borrow/ swop & pay it forward

Thankful for that brief time before lockdowns and heavy restrictions where I was able to connect with other new moms and mom support groups at our local library. I met a bunch of lovely women, some of who had kids slightly older than Riley so we formed a little borrow swop amongst ourselves and this is great for kids clothes that is hardly worn before they are outgrown and into the next size! We had a nice rotation of me collecting the sizes that their children had outgrown, using them for a few months and then I would pass on to the next mom with a child younger than mine! It’s the reason Riley has a shoe obsession at the moment, because I was able to get a bunch of shoes in various sizes from various moms with the intention that I will either return them once we have finished using them or passing them on – and back out of our house! One of my closest and dearest friend here has two much older kids, she actually leant me the stroller we use, the car seat and a cot – plus a whole heap of blankets, sleeping bags, jackets and coats and gorgeous knitted jumpers her own mum knitted. This saved us a whole ton of money but equally I know that once we no longer need to make use of these items, they will all be returned.

  • Charity Shops/ Free Cycle Facebook Groups

Kids’ stuff can get pricey – a good pair of shoes and a winter coat can sometimes cost the same price as adult sizes – and they only wear them for a season because by the next winter they will need a bigger size! Plus, if your kid is going to crèche, you need a set to leave at crèche – the costs and the stuff adds up… I have found some serious gems when it comes to baby stuff at our local charity shop. The hiking boots Riley currently wears are some fancy shmancy brand that retail for €50 brand new… I found them at the charity shop for €4! And the same goes for her winter coat! I like the idea of charity shops for buying essential items at a fraction of the price as we won’t use them for too long, and will either donate them back to be resold again or we will hand them down to the next little kid in our circle of friends. It might not be minimalist, but reducing buying brand new is a sustainable which is equally good to keep in mind.

Another great tip for kids and toys are free-cycle groups! I belong to my local freecycle group for my area and I have a good friend who is a lot more active on Facebook that I am, who tells me when something good is on offer. How freecycle groups works that people post items they no longer need, and you can simply arrange to collect those items – for free! I know of one friend who often finds such great toys on there, gives them a good scrub and even uses freecycle finds as gifts for Christmas – genuis idea! It goes back to that reduce, reuse, recycle – sustainably and more mindfully bring things into your home.

  • Regular spring cleaning

Keeping on top of what you have, what you still need and what you might need is a great way to keep the actual things you own down to essentials only – writing a list and dreaming about what you really want is a great minimalist way of living. If I think I really need something I like to think about it a lot before I actually go out and buy it. Often if I stop thinking about it, or I think about it long enough to realise I don’t need something, I save money and keep the clutter down by not impulsively purchasing something only to find that the need for it has passed. Regularly passing items on to the next family in need, or sending items back to the original lender, or donating to a local charity shop is key to keeping things from accumulating and sitting unused in a clutter wardrobe. If you are not using it, it might be better used by someone else. I try to declutter and clear out cupboards every month or so, the minute I get that sense of dread opening the cupboard and seeing clutter is when I know the clutter has become too much. And because I spring clean and declutter regularly, I feel better mentally but also I am well aware of what I have and what I don’t need more of – so that stops me from buying recklessly.

What is one thing you struggle to let go of as a minimalist? For me, it is perfection – in the past I tried to be the perfect minimalist but the fact is I am realising more that minimalism isn’t a destination, I know that I won’t reach a point where if I own only X amount of things I will become a minimalist. Minimalism to me is really about scaling down on what you own, but it is not about living a life of sacrificing or limiting to a certain number of things you own.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WITH REGARDS TO MINIMALIST LIVING? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS AND I WILL WRITE ABOUT THAT NEXT!

Not traveling much these days, just living simply,

~Meg~

p.s I write about expat living in Ireland, minimalism and slow travel (when we can travel!). I aim to post 1 – 2 times a month, so to be sure you don’t miss out on the new post you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

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