Leaving Ads with the kids, I sailed out of the house at 8am, laptop in hand, shouting over my shoulder about immense writing schedule and a cloud of secret guilt wafting behind me.

And the truth was that I was going to work.

And I DID have a major writing schedule.

But what I didn’t mention was that at 10am, in the middle of the e-x-t-r-e-m-e-l-y heavy duty morning, I was sneaking off somewhere that I shouldn’t be.

The guilt was quite agonising.

… But livable.

So, of course the Universe conspired to grass me up.

At precisely 9.45 I slapped my lap top shut, zipped it into the bag, slung it into the car and zoomed away from where I’d been working solidly for an hour or so.

Zipped through town, past the lights, along the seafront and up the tree lined avenue towards my home. You see – the place I was off to for guilty pleasure – is literally doors from my home (which could be deemed a little foolish).

And as I turned the corner, now mere minutes away from my blissful encounter, who should come trotting down the road but Ads, Rowan and Reid!

Delighted to see me, they flagged down the car.
In a state of mildly concealed shock and flushed disarray, I wound down the window.

“Hi!” I said in a high pitched voice.

“Have you finished working?” Ads asked, delighted.

“Er, no, no,” I started nervously chewing my nails and glancing at the clock. It was now two minutes to 10am. ”I’m er … going somewhere else … for more work.”

“Well, why don’t you go back to the house? I’ll drop you off, then I can take the car and come back in a bit?”

“I need the car,” I shot back, running a hand over my hair.

“Oh, okay,” Ads looked crestfallen. “Well, can you give us a lift into town and then we’ll walk back?”

Cheerfully and full of innocent baby-sitting duties, Ads piled the kids in the car, whilst I – the evil sneaker – screeched into reverse and drove them back the way I’d come, dumped them in town, then drove back to my road and jammed the car to a halt.

Moments later, Yaz’s glorious smile met me.

She was leaning against the stable door of her gorgeous, sun lit therapy room.

I hurtled towards her, up the road:  hot, sweaty, red in the face and feeling utterly guilt ridden.

We briefly sat and talked.

I confessed my awful, awful sin of sneaking to see her whilst I was supposed to be conducting pious workly duties.

I told her about Ads nearly catching me. I told her how dreadful I felt. She laughed her head off, found it all supremely hilarious and then, still giggling, left the room whilst I stripped down to my knickers and hopped under the warm towels.

Yaz is a therapeutic masseur. Her business is called Seven Sisters Serenities.

She’s flipping amazing and if you live on the Isle of Wight, I 100% recommend her.

Yaz has got healing hands and the back and head massages I’ve had with her have the most profoundly restorative effects.

An hour later, I was a different woman.

Relaxed. Zen. Re-centered.

Leaving her treatment room and getting back into the car, it was as though all of my energies had been realigned. The frazzled, crazy Tranquility Whore was replaced by the Supremely Zen Inner Sage who walks with her shoulders back, owns her time and creates space for outrageously immersive self-care activities.

I drove home.

I made lemon tea.

Seconds later, Ads and the kids burst in.

Tucking some oily hair behind my ear and hovering in a cloud of geranium oil scent, I asked …

Now.

Here are some Whys.

Ready?

Why is it that creating time to love our Inner Sage and give them what they need can make us act in crazy ways?

Why do we prioritize work, friends and everything else but leave the most important foundation – ourselves – out of the Important List?

Why is it that men will notice that someone left the hallway light on, but they don’t notice that their partner is dowsed in essential oil and looks as serene as a Yogi who has been adding Valium to her Nutribullet?

Last week I posted some juice on the 3 Aspect Gorgeousness System.

We explored your Inner Artist, Inner Sage and Inner Pro.

For me, creating the space to Revive My Sage required drastic action. Parenting three strong willed, unique and equally amazing children, as well as running Gorgeousness Ltd and fulfilling various writing commitments, meant that there was very little time left to focus on my personal well-being.

Then I started to get bolder about my Inner Sage needs.

At first this meant diarizing clear time in which I could find silence, release and relaxation. I spent time walking, did a massive digital detox, surrounded myself by solitude and enjoyed regular massages with the lovely Yaz.

All this wasn’t an instant fix. It took time for the Sage energy to begin infiltrating my life but gradually the days took on more spaciousness; like a crystalized spine, crooked from bad posture, gradually bending and flexing through Yoga, until eventually all the vertebrae are realigned.

That is the best way I can describe how Sage energy heals your life; it allows being between the vertebrae of doing.

The incorporation of this intentional space-making gradually shifts your lifestyle; it becomes a way of life that reflects your attitudes and values and will take on your personal flavor of Sage. It isn’t about perfection and only ever eating v v v clean food.

It is not about judgement or regret or belief that there is one right way forward.

Your Inner Sage and their tranquility needs are personalized to you and as you continue to build on that practice, you’ll find that your life and YOU begin to shine radiantly.
That fact that you are reading this means that on some level you have been drawn here and therefore I encourage you to begin a unique journey of Reviving Your Sage from this point (as opposed to Tranquility Whoring).

Each Sunday I am going to do my best (unless my Inner Sage suddenly gives me a karate chop to the thigh) to give a weekly idea that will help inspire you to love your Inner Sage and honour her throughout the week.

I thought it would be cool today to really jumpstart your Inner Sage by honoring your commitment and creating a Sage Love Mission Statement. To help you do this, take a few moments to note the following:

Now look at how you can weave some of those things together and create your statement of intent. Make sure you include some of the Sagey descriptive words that you added too, eg. “I will make 20 minutes of calm, relaxed Yoga an essential part of my day and incorporate a serene and joyful swimming session into one evening per week.”

Write this intention onto a piece of card or coloured paper, maybe give it pretty border, then put it somewhere that you will see it every day to remind you of your commitment to your Sage.

Even if you don’t action any of your intentions, just reading the statement whilst feeling the tranquility of the intention will begin to stir your Inner Sage.

If you would like to share your Sage Statement on the Grow Your Own Gorgeousness Facebook page I WOULD LOVE THAT!!!