The Sandalwood Connection

09/01/2026

Question: Is it possible for me to be less judgmental/critical of others when this is the type of environment I was raised in? 🤔

Answer: Hell YES 🙌 PS I am sorry you experienced this criticism and negative evaluation at the hands of your life role model. ❤️‍🩹

➡️ Negative behaviour such as this is used by the perpetrator to manage personal insecurities yet is detrimental to the children growing up in the home, hearing such comments, and being personally criticised. 🥺

🧡 Shaylene
✨

08/01/2026

Social media is chockablock with perfect, shiny, happy moments. Let me keep things REAL. 🥴

I’ve worked really hard to ‘slow down’ over the last eighteen months. My country mate would chip me about rushing and being from north-western Queensland, well, life runs on a slower schedule out there. People move more slowly, take their time and talk a bit slower, they live with greater awareness of each day, and connect beautifully each time they bump into each other as there is always ‘time for a yarn’.

I have lost count of how many times he has told me, ‘See? If you’d just slow down…’ So I’ve been really proud of my imperfect progress to date and then today … I’ve had a good stuff up. 🙃😩

This morning, I rushed getting a load of laundry on. 😬 In my haste to top up the automatic liquid dispenser in my washing machine (the low level alert was flashing‼️) I failed to realise it was NOT laundry liquid I added but rather - once bubbles were going crazy 🤪 - that I had in fact filled up the whole dispenser with DISH LIQUID. 🙄

Yep, ‘slow down, just slow down will you?’ I can hear him saying and oh my, don’t I wish I could turn back the time and take note of the bottle label. Alas, too late. 🤷‍♀️

Now I have created myself an additional job of flushing out the dispenser and the machine, rewashing the clothes and thinking 🤔 ’Man, I wish I’d been more present this morning and focused on the task at hand.’ Too late for that now but I’ve been curtly reminded of the importance of slowing down and being present. 💝

Let this be your gentle reminder to not be like me 😆 and take a moment to chill and slow down. Enjoy life. 🤗 Smell the roses. 🌹

🧡 Shaylene
✨

05/01/2026

A good 18 months ago I started to focus on ‘slowing down’ - my movements, home tasks, what I would cram into a day, the speed at which I walk and talk. I still talk too fast when I’m excited 😛 and if you’re too slow, I will take my turn with the conversation. 🤩

Soooooo, the fact that these boots are still damp and cannot be put away, is challenging me. Because in this situation I lack ‘choice’ over the next action. If they were dry, I could ‘choose’ to put them away immediately or leave them until later. But alas, herein lies my lesson on patience and what I have control over. No control? … release your grip and let it go. Deal with it when it’s ready but until then, take a breath and go do something else. 🤗

🧡 Shaylene
✨

A lesson in patience … still waiting on our boots to dry out after the wet ride on Sunday. Today will be the day. 😃

🏍️ Shaylene

25/12/2025

Merry Christmas 🎄🤶🤗

🧡 Shaylene
✨

24/12/2025

It is nearly time for the jolly man in red to make his appearance and time for me to express my sincere gratitude for an amazing 2025. 🙏

Thank you to my incredible clients who have dug deep and chosen growth in 2025, and for including me in your journey. It has been an honour to assist you and witness you being you, doing you, for you. 💕

Happy festive season! 🎄

🧡 Shaylene
✨

15/12/2025

🧡 Shaylene
✨

13/12/2025

It doesn't matter how irrational the fear may be, the thought is real. The task is knowing it's just a THOUGHT, not a FACT, that starts to bring the world back into focus. 🤗 (IE central nervous system regulation).

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bb89Qj7SQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I've just arrived home from an event and have been personally greeted (aka ambushed) in the front yard, by my little Christmas elf. 🧑‍🎄 Isn't she cute?!!
Just before this photo though, she unleashed a verbal tirade of worry and concern. She was worried something bad had happened to me as I'd been gone for over two hours. 💔
Catastrophising is an autistic trait we help her through most days and right now, she's physically attached to me (like a barnacle) as her nervous system settles down and she moves back into a regulated state. We all deregulate at times but for our neurodiverse kiddos, feeling out of control can be quite scary.
If, like me, you parent or care for someone on the autistic spectrum (or has additional needs), ensure you are taking care of yourself. 🍳 Eat well, 😴 get your sleep, 🚶‍♀️move your body, 🧠retrain your brain and release old coping patterns that are not serving you. 🎄 This time of year so many people are purely surviving and being in a state of survival for too long, is quite damaging physically, emotionally, and psychologically. You deserve to live well and when you do, those around you also benefit. 🤩
🤗 Shaylene

06/12/2025

30/11/2025

Tears and snot don’t scare me. I have tissues. 🤧

But most importantly, I have got you. 🤗 You’re not on your own with this anymore.

🧡 Shaylene
✨

30/11/2025

I can get into my head sometimes 🤷‍♀️ but thankfully I also know how to get myself out. Earlier today, there was a moment of sheer panic about the UNFAMILIAR 🏍️ bike course and stories I have heard about that road - remember my earlier video where I explained how anxiety feeds off ambiguity ie what is not known? 😳

Sooooooo, how did it go? I hear you ask. 😜

The ride outcome…brilliant! 🙌

The need to stress… totally unnecessary. 🙄

🧡 Shaylene
✨

30/11/2025

Anxiety loves ambiguity and the brain does not know the difference between real and imaginary scenarios. 🤯💥😬

🧡 Shaylene
✨

23/11/2025

👉 Release
👉 Reframe
👉 Refocus

It doesn’t matter what or who it is, how many times it’s happened or whatever the go is. Choose you. You MUST choose different if you want a different outcome. 🙌 It’s ok if that feels hard or scary. 🤗

Practice those 👉 Release the moment/practice/pain; 👉Reframe your thoughts to what you can do/will achieve; and 👉Refocus on what you are now going to do/what you are choosing. 💃🤩

🧡 Shaylene
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