Anthea Lawrence Coaching

Being the queen of adaptation and creating new opportunities, I am embarking on a new path. Releasing the old and in with the new on many levels. It is a work in progress. And that’s the fun of it. The progress. The destination is a mercurial thing. Constantly moving and evolving so being satisfied in each moment is key. Watch this space

In the midst of watching an incredible Netflix series. I consider it a must watch. Having spent the last few weeks in North American, episode two is a real eye opener. Time to go vegetarian people!!!

Watch You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment | Netflix Official Site Identical twins change their diets and lifestyles for eight weeks in a unique scientific experiment designed to explore how certain foods impact the body.

I found this card really interesting today. I am finding that I am questioning if the changes in my flexibility is due to chemo, because I stopped walking 45 minutes a day for a month or two, because of the estrogen blockers I take or that I am telling my self that because I am 51 and post menopausal, that of course things will start to go a bit south. We are conditioned to believe that as we get older our bodies will start to breakdown. That we can expect to find more health challenges. But what if we chose a different view. Instead of complaining about this issue or that pain, we changed the narrative to one that is more towards what we do want for our bodies. “I am becoming more flexible everyday”, “I am enjoying challenging my body with gentle movements that will make me stronger so I can do more strenuous movement soon”, “I love my body and will listen to what it is saying and make positive changes to support what it needs”.
The power of our thoughts is never to be underestimated. Beliefs are just thoughts we think over and over, so choose better feeling thoughts to create better feeling beliefs. I have no doubt that we can help heal our bodies with the power of thought and belief. I am proof of that. And I will continue to gently use my thoughts to soothe my body back into being flexible and strong again.

Well this episode blew my mind. Especially the words about “not buying into the label”.
That label can be anything that makes us feel lesser or helpless or fearful. The “c-word” is a label, “being hormonal” is a label, having a “hereditary disease” is a label, being “too old” is a label.
Incredible things happen everyday for people who have a “label”, but that’s because they themselves don’t buy into the label others place upon them.
If you are dissatisfied with a label that has been put upon you, change the language around it. Use words that feel better when you have to talk about it, otherwise put it out if your mind. Choose to focus on wellness or possibility rather than the negative narrative that medicine or society in general use.
Anything is possible if you choose to believe it is.

Learn To Heal All Areas Of Your Life INSTANTLY! You Are The ONE 💜 Abraham Hicks 2023 Learn To Heal All Areas Of Your Life INSTANTLY! You Are The ONE 💜 Abraham Hicks 2023★ 🧡 Abraham Hicks Workshops!🧡★👉 Watch Abraham Hicks Best Segment Vide...

This is a wonderful explanation of how I approach the world. If we all knew this and understood how important is it to only care about how we feel individually. If we recognised that everyone is on their own path and that it hasn’t nothing to do with the vibration we can choose to offer them. The world would not be in the state it is.
I choose to watch what I am thinking and to adjust those thoughts to a higher vibe if needed. I choose the language I use with more discernment. I aspire to not buy into drama or conflict that I have no control over. I choose to instead offer loving vibrations for that is the only way I can positively add to a situation.
Listen to this 15 minutes if you are inspired to. Certain don’t listen if you aren’t inspired as you are not ready to really take on what is being said. By know it will find you when you are ready.

Become Vibrationally Worthy Of All The Good Stuff You Have Been Asking For 💜 Abraham Hicks 2023 Become Vibrationally Worthy Of All The Good Stuff You Have Been Asking For 💜 Abraham Hicks 2023★ 🧡 Abraham Hicks Workshops!🧡★👉 Watch Abraham Hicks Best S...

So nice to have a wee write up in the Central Otago News, ODT and Wanaka Sun about our almost 5 km walk on Sunday 💜

I am reading this book On Our Best Behaviour by Elise Löhnen. It is a deep dive into how we as women are culturally programmed, using the analogy of the “Seven Deadly Sins”. It is a brilliantly written and fascinating look at how the repression of the feminine came about and endured for so long. It still does but there is major change occurring. It begins with “Sloth”. She comments on how we have been trained to fear being seen as “lazy” if we are not firing on all cylinders, being everything to everyone, at all times. We are condemned as mothers if we stay at home with the kids, for not fulfilling our potential. At the same time, should we go out to work, we are damaging the children. On top of this is the constant drumbeat that we are still not doing enough. We link our worth with the “output” we produce. All this “busyness” is detrimental to our health across the board; mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. We become burnt out, less productive and can’t in anyway live up to our potential. Throw in our feminine cyclical nature with its hormonal changes and our bodies are under even more stress. We need periods of rest, “slothing” out, doing the stuff we love to do. Also time to process what we sometimes avoid by keeping busy. Unacknowledged emotions do not go away they only cause more issues, often physical, that will force you to stop in a very unpretty way. “Placing faith in our own sovereignty is critical”. Trusting our own intuition, questioning the beliefs that don’t serve us, finding our individual, true purpose is central to our well-being.

This is one of the quotes I wrote on my shower wall. I am a firm believer that we create our own reality by the thoughts we think and the emotions that come from them. We are here to have a human experience and that means that there will be s**t times as well as good. The beauty in the s**t is that we find contrast, and from there we discover what we really want. It is ok to feel the crap because it allows for growth. No matter where you are on the emotional scale, you can find a better feeling thought. It can’t be forced, it just needs to be believable enough to give you some relief from where you are. This quote does that. A little relief. Because wherever you are, you have the power to change your vibe by thinking differently. Appreciate the little things, and find that silver lining.

October is BC Awareness month. So just for fun I have organised a very casual walk from the Cromwell Boat Club (McNultys Inlet) around the lake to in Old Cromwell Town. Walk starts at 9 am on Sunday October 8. Wear pink and make a donation to the BC Foundation. I will figure out how to put the link in❤️

After a few inquiries I have decided to pop a wee booking tab on my FB page. If you would like to book in a time for me to call you to have a wee free chat about anything Midlife or Rogue Cell related, then go ahead. No obligation, just a listening ear. You can find the link to the link in the bio💕

I will always reach for a better feeling thought. What does this mean? Our thoughts and beliefs are what create our reality. Our emotions and feelings are the indicator to show us if our thoughts are in alignment with what we actually want. We have 100% power over choosing our thoughts. Over the last few months I chose to believe and think about my body lovingly and gently releasing the rogue cells. I chose not to use words like battle, as I was not at war with my body. I deliberately chose not to use the C word. I deliberately chose not to subscribe to the fact that there was the C word in my body. I didn’t think of myself as being ill with a disease. I chose just to look at it as having a new human experience. I chose to focus on wellness, not disease. For me, these were better feeling thoughts. I even found an online website called “A better feeling thought” and found it really helpful in the moments that were really challenging. When we think about things that make us feel good, we become more relaxed. We are not as stressed, which has many physical benefits. It is a step by step process. You can’t go from fear to joy with one thought. But you can find relief from fear by finding a thought that feels just a little bit better, and gradually you can build up to finding thoughts that feel better and better. So how can you apply this in your life? Using gratitude as a gateway. We can all find something that we are grateful for no matter how small. From just enjoying the sunshine. To appreciating the feeling of the water cascading down your body in the shower. To the feel of the wind in your hair. Focusing on anything that makes you feel a little bit better can set the ball rolling towards changing your life.

Before last Christmas I bought a tin of Honey Sticks. They are Beeswax crayons for in the bath. I thought they would be a cute gift for a kid at some point, but they stayed in the gift drawer. In May, after my diagnosis, I started using the crayons in my shower. Everyday I listen to a 15 minute YouTube of Esther Hicks channeling Abraham while I am in the shower, and so much of what is being said inspires me, that I write it on my shower wall. This has been such a cathartic and healing process for me. I am reminded every time in go into our ensuite, to reflect on what emotions I am feeling and to monitor my thoughts. To find better feeling thoughts and to look at the bright side. I feel very strongly that this is something that everyone can benefit from, regardless of your situation. This particular quote is one that can take you from a place of feeling s**t about your health and turn you towards hope. It is an easy and believable thought, that is so much more beneficial than “I feel like s**t”. The quotes that I will share over the next while are not just for someone who is dealing with rogue cells, but for anyone who is feeling off in their body. Peri menopause and menopause can cause a lot of uncomfortable symptoms, but instead of the negative self chatter about losing one’s mind, or berating ourselves about gaining weight or cursing our bodies for having heavy periods and hot flushes, change the narrative to that of compassion. Give yourself time to understand what changes are happening and why. Turn in the direction of wellbeing by doing nice things for yourself that make you feel good. Investing your time and energy into yourself is the greatest gift you will ever receive.

(Please read previous instalments first)
Turns out, as always, things just work out for me. The results from the CT scan showed that after only seven chemo treatments, & all inner work & diet changes, that the tumours in my breast, lymph, lung & bone, had all gone. A smattering of rogue cells were still on my liver, but nothing much to worry about. So having the infection was a blessing. It stopped me needing the harsh, damaging chemo & so I didn’t need the portacath any more anyway. My CA 15-3 count is at 78 units/ml as of this week ( August 31,2023).
My plan is to get well below 30 units/ml. I will still have the three weekly immunotherapy & I am on estrogen blockers, but I don’t need another scan for three months.
I feel amazing. I am slowly rebuilding my strength & fitness, I am maintaining a healthy weight for my height. I am eating a bit of meat again, as I have low iron, & that is ok by me. I look great, & I suit having a bald head. I am taking it slow & giving myself the space to get back to normal life. I am continuing to meditate, do yoga & watch my thoughts. I am appreciating my life so much more, & the people in it. I am grateful for this experience for all the ups & down & insights it has brought me. I am most grateful for my incredible husband, my kids and friends who all supported me through this. It is tings like this that bring what is most important in to sharp focus.
So my hope for you, from reading this is to listen to your body. If you are feeling “off”, or something feels not quite right, get it checked. Don’t be afraid to be pushy if needed. You know yourself & your body better than anyone.

(Please read previous instalments). On July 7, I was in Dunedin for treatment & as my wound from the portacath insertion wasn’t healing properly, due to an exposed stitch, the nurses took the stitch out. This left a bit of a hole, & because my immunity was so low, I got a skin infection in the wound. I started on oral antibiotics a few days later, but I developed a fever so I was admitted to Dunstan hospital for three days of IV antibiotics. This was my low point. The lack of sleep & the harshness of the antibiotics sapped my energy & my positive outlook. I felt more ill then than I did with the chemo. The following two weeks were unpleasant due to the 6 hourly oral antibiotics. It also meant that I had to stop chemo & I had to have the port removed. I couldn’t stomach anything much besides marmite sandwiches & mandarins, so I lost even more weight.
However, the oncologist was not at all concerned, as my CA 15-3 levels were still dropping. Almost every week, the level halved, even when I stopped the chemo. The oncologist wanted me to have an early CT scan so he could see how things were progressing. So I did.

( please read previous instalments first)

From day one I changed my diet to be vegan. I cut out sugar. I had already not been drinking for a few months, so that but was easy. I focussed on lowering my stress levels through meditation & yoga. I did cold therapy on my hands & feet, along with the fasting during chemo.
I have been working on my self awareness & beliefs for many years. I subscribe to the teachings of Abraham Hicks, so I watched my thoughts more carefully & began to find better feeling ones when I needed too.
I deliberately chose not to “battle”, I was not at war with my body. I chose not to use the “C” word as I didn’t want to focus on all the negative connotations that word activates. I used imagery to allow the rogue cells to be lovingly dissolved, dissipated & to be released.
I engaged the services of an oncological naturopath. I read books that talked about what people, who have come through this type of thing, did, & I did those things. I did not interact with any support groups related to the “C” word, as I was wanting to focus on how I wanted things to be, not how they were. I did not speak about how I was feeling, in the negative. I would spin it to say that I was feeling better everyday, or I was heading in the direction of wellness.
I asked to be sent my blood results every week so that I could research how I could support my body through food, & I could follow my progress with lowering the CA 15-3 count. This is a test that measures the amount of this antigen, released by breast rogue cells, in the blood. My original measurement was around 6500 units/ml, the normal level is less than 30 units/ml

(Read previous instalments first)
On May 31, I had the first of a recommended 18 chemotherapy infusions. It was to have chemo once a week & immunotherapy every three weeks. (Immunotherapy uses medicines that boost the individuals immune system to recognise & destroy rogue cells). I also had a bone scan & was given medication to help strengthen my bones & prevent further damage.
About three weeks in, I had a portacath inserted so the chemo could be administered more easily. It is a small device inserted just under the skin in the chest that has a tube that runs into a vein in the neck.
I always went to my treatments with a smile & looking at the upside of the experience. For example, losing my hair is giving me the opportunity to go grey gracefully, & enjoy the feeling of shower water on a bald head. It is delicious!

So it’s been a while. You can possibly guess from the photo that there has been something going on with me.
An unanticipated diagnosis of stage 4 “rouge cells” (I do not subscribe to the C word for many reasons).
I had been feeling unwell since about January, feeling a bit ill with certain foods, tired & uninspired. I had just put it down to perimenopause until I found a lump in my right breast in late April, along with some lumps in my armpit. I booked in with my doctor, who organised a mammogram. I had to wait a couple of weeks as the clinic is very busy.
On May 9, I had the mammogram, then I was asked to come back later in the day for an ultrasound & a biopsy.
The next few days were filled with anxiety, then I got a call from the surgeon to book in an appointment. I saw him a few days later & was told I would have to have surgery.
The next day (May 18) I was in Dunedin seeing an oncologist. I had a CT scan. It was late in the day, so the oncologist said they would phone me with the results. As luck would have it, I had a slight reaction to the contrast dye used in the CT scan, & my throat got tight. I was directed to the emergency room, where we sat for two hours.
Then the phone call came. “Unfortunately”, he said, “it is more widespread than we hoped”. Stage four, with tumours in my lung, liver & bone as well as the breast & lymph. It will be palliative care.
The world stopped spinning, the noise in the waiting room, hushed to a dull hum. Trev grabbed the phone & walked away to tell the oncologist to stop talking, & I was called into the emergency room.
I followed the doctor in a daze of disbelief. He showed me to a bed & gave me a gown. I shook my head & said, not to bother, my oncologist would phone in a prescription to the 24 hour pharmacy to deal with the swelling. I blurted out that I had just been told I had a new diagnosis, & I walked out.
It was not the best way to be told such life changing news, but I immediately stuck my head in the sand & chose to not dwell on the diagnosis. I decided that I would do everything that was in my power to lovingly release the rogue cells from my body.
This is a long story, so I will post it in instalments

About 8 out of 10 women will experience hot flushes during perimenopause. It is not really understood what exactly causes them but it is probably related to a drop in estrogen, which causes changes in the area of the brain that controls body temperature.
What happens is, the blood vessels near the surface of the skin dilate (widen) to help cool the blood and causing you to sweat. There might also be an increase in heart rate. Each episode might last up to 10 minutes. Some women experience them several times an hour or as little as a couple of times a week. There is no rhyme or reason.
You may wonder how long this hell will last, well it is different for every woman but the average is about 7 years….. Oh joy!
You can’t stop hot flushes from occurring, but you can stay away from triggers that may cause them. Try to avoid: stress, caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, tight clothes, excess heat, cigarette smoke, or even bending over.
You can also wear light-weight clothing in layers made from natural fibres, use a fan, or a “chill pillow” (filled with cool water or other cooling material) at night. Exercising daily helps as does a healthy diet. A cool shower, wild swim, or a frolic barefoot in the snow will give some immediate relief.
Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) might also be an option that you can talk to your practitioner about.

Did you know that we are more microbe than human? Over millions of years of evolution our bodies have developed a symbiotic relationship with a diverse array of microbes that have actually created how our bodies function. With out our microbiome, we don't exist. Our pitiful 22,000 functional genes in our DNA is less than that of an earthworm, yet our species is the apex of all creatures on earth. Our microbiome carries out the majority of the functions in the body, with its 3.5million genes. So when our microbiome is out of whack that is where disease comes in. As an example, there is a microbe that secretes a chemical that tightens up the spaces between the cells for the gut where nutrient absorption occurs. When that microbe is not present or in the amount that is optimal, Leaky Gut or Irritable Bowel Syndrome occurs. The human body has no way of tightening up the gap by itself, it is 100% dependant on the microbes.
So in all, it pays to pay attention to our microbiome. Aim to have a diverse an array of microbes present as possible. Clean up what you put in and on your body. Get rid of the antibacterial cleaners, the BPA plastics, the stress, processed foods, the sugar. Walk barefoot outside, get your hands dirty, breathe the fresh air. your body will thank you for it.

It is so nice to have a bit of a kit of practices that get you into the "Feel Good Flow". This is one I particularly like as you can think of people that you know have your back (that feels good, eh?), & you can recognise that they love you too (super nice!) & you can feel all the appreciation "feels" for them.
Asking the question of yourself is super powerful. The reality is, that if you don't love yourself, then chances are, not much is working in your life, so you can now perhaps make that connection & take steps to making changes in that area.
Asking the question of whatever external "thing" that you subscribe to, then helps you trust that all is well in the grand scheme of things. If you don't have an affinity to a higher power of any kind, then you probably didn't even get as far as reading any of this as you think it's all a bunch of crap & life sucks!
I would love to know who is at your table..... DM me if you are so inclined ❣️

Craft Moment
I was chatting to someone the other day & halfway through a sentence, she stopped & apologised for “having a CRAFT moment”.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, a little perplexed as we were in the middle of a field with no macrame or sewing machines in sight.
“Can’t Remember A Fu***ng Thing!” she laughed. Brilliant!
If you are anything like me, I am having frequent pauses in my train of thought, or grasping for a word, or forgetting people's names (even those that I have known for years). It is annoying and potentially embarrassing, but it seems impossible to shake.
With the decrease in estrogen & progesterone production, there is a decrease in the blood flow to the brain & also a decrease in synaptic function. Research shows that Alzheimers disease actually begins maybe 10-20 years before the symptoms appear, and that 60% of dementia sufferers are women. Don’t freak out just yet. You can offset this with lifestyle changes (diet, movement, strength training, stress management & cutting way back on caffeine & booze too) but this is now the time to be looking into seeing if MHT (Menopause Hormone Therapy) is right for you. Replenishing your levels of estrogen & progesterone after menopause, will help keep those neurons healthy & also help with sleep & libido. Hormone Replacement has had a bad rap for a while due to a crappy study that gained press and spread mis-information. I highly recommend doing some of your own research & talking with your primary health provider about what might be right for you. Understanding the difference between the marketed "Bio-identical Hormone Therapy", "Custom Compound MHT" and other MHT forms, is very important. Be sure to talk to a provider that is well versed in this & who will do all the right tests (a blood test or saliva test is NOT sufficient and is rather pointless. A DUTCH Test, GI mapping & blood tests for Thyroid function etc will give more accurate information) & who will listen to you. Don’t take any s**t & ask for a second or even third opinion if you are not getting the care you deserve.