{"id":24981,"date":"2026-08-30T09:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T09:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/?p=24981"},"modified":"2026-10-28T09:00:37","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T09:00:37","slug":"conscious-living-33-making-space-for-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/?p=24981","title":{"rendered":"Conscious Living #33: Making Space for Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

August reminded me that…<\/h2>\n

There is a quiet power in creating space.
\nSpace between who we truly are and the conditioning we have absorbed; between a thought and our belief in it; between an emotion and our reaction to it. When we step back and become the observer, we can begin to ask:
\nIs this true?
\nIs it worthy?
\nIs it helpful?<\/em><\/p>\n

We become more conscious of what we are mirroring, leading with and role-modelling – and of what, in turn, is being mirrored back to us, often through the people closest to us, especially our children.<\/p>\n

This is where real transformation begins<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Not in believing every thought, following every fear or reacting to every emotion that arises –\u00a0but in creating enough space to choose how we want to meet what is here.<\/p>\n

And perhaps that is part of what it means to live awake.<\/p>\n

To notice. To question. To choose consciously.<\/p>\n

To trust that even when we cannot see the whole path clearly, it is still there.<\/p>\n

And in that space between what arises and what we choose next, we may discover something that was available to us all along:<\/p>\n

The possibility of a different response <\/strong>–\u00a0and perhaps find the peace that has been waiting for us in the present moment all along.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Wisdom of our Children<\/h2>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Kids say the darndest things, don\u2019t they?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

But what if, every now and then, we stopped long enough to really listen?<\/p>\n

As adults, we spend so much time nurturing, guiding, protecting and teaching our children all the things we think they need to know about life.<\/p>\n

And then, every so often, they turn around and teach us something instead.<\/p>\n

Lately, I\u2019ve found myself being reminded of this by my own children –\u00a0and by watching other parents with theirs. In their honesty, curiosity, unexpected wisdom (and sometimes hilarious observations!), children have a wonderful way of making us see things differently.<\/p>\n

So here are a few little reminders from this month that made me smile, think, or both.<\/p>\n

Because sometimes, while we\u2019re busy raising them,\u00a0they\u2019re raising us too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How one sentence opened up a window to a whole new parenting style – Watch Here<\/a>
\nHow my own daughter taught me about teamwork – Watch Here<\/a>
\nAnd the way our children grow into the things we’ve taught them – Read Here<\/a><\/p>\n

In Case You Missed It Some Whatsapp Channel Highlights<\/h2>\n


\n\"Image
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

On August 9th, we honoured the women who came before us, the women rising beside us and the generations still to come.<\/p>\n

Their silence was never the absence of a voice.<\/p>\n

It was courage. Resistance. Collective power.<\/p>\n

Across seven decades, their voices have continued to rise – calling for freedom, truth, unity and leadership.<\/p>\n

She rises. We rise.<\/strong><\/p>\n

#NationalWomensDay #WomensDay2026 #SheRisesWeRise #TheAwakenedWoman #ConsciousLiving<\/p>\n

August 12th saw us recognising our youngsters.<\/p>\n

Listen to young people.
\nMake space for their voices.
\nRecognise that they are already shaping the world.<\/p>\n

Mind full or mindful?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One creates noise.
\nThe other creates space.<\/p>\n

Being mindful means becoming the observer of your thoughts, not getting lost inside them.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s your friendly reminder:<\/em>
\nYou don\u2019t have to carry every thought into every day.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

We had a few cold, wet and rainy days in Eswatini this month\u2026 and it got me thinking. \ud83c\udf27\ufe0f<\/p>\n

When the weather is cold, we put on layers.
\nPerhaps we do the same with people.<\/p>\n

When the environment around us feels cold, critical or unwelcoming, we protect ourselves. We close off. We add layers.<\/p>\n

And when there is warmth, safety and acceptance, something in us begins to soften.<\/p>\n

So a little Conscious Living thought for you:<\/p>\n

What kind of weather are you creating for the people around you?
\nAre people having to layer up around you?
\nOr do they feel safe enough to take a layer off?\u00a0<\/p>\n

#ConsciousLiving \ud83c\udf31<\/p>\n

Try This With Me<\/h2>\n


\n\"Image
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

\nOur minds generate thousands of thoughts every day.<\/p>\n

The goal isn\u2019t to stop thinking.
\nThe goal is to become aware of which thoughts you\u2019re giving your attention to.<\/p>\n

This month’s exercise is one I often use in therapy to help create a little space between ourselves and our thoughts.<\/p>\n

Give it a try, and afterwards ask yourself:<\/p>\n

What changed when I became the observer instead of the thinker? \ud83e\udd0d<\/p>\n

#ConsciousLiving \ud83c\udf31<\/p>\n

Upcoming Events<\/h2>\n

Tomorrow, as we step into spring, something new begins.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nOn 1 September, I\u2019ll be hosting the very first\u00a0Awakened Woman Circle<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0a monthly online space for women to deepen the work, stay connected, and keep choosing how they want to live.<\/p>\n

\nThe Circle is both a continuation and a beginning<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0for women who have journeyed with us before, and those joining us for the very first time.
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf3f\u00a0The Awakened Woman Circle<\/strong>
\nFirst Tuesday of every month
\n18:30 (SAST)
\nBegins 1 September
\nSZL 250\/month
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

Learn More & Register \u2192 <\/strong>Awakened Woman Circle<\/a><\/p>\n

Where women stay awake –\u00a0together.<\/em>\u00a0\ud83e\udd8b<\/p>\n

\nAnd if you missed the Awakened Woman workshops, stay close\u2026\u00a0I have some exciting news coming soon. \ud83d\udc40\ud83c\udf3f<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Behind The Scenes<\/h2>\n

This month, I\u2019ve been reading\u00a0A Return to Love<\/em>\u00a0by Marianne Williamson –\u00a0a book that explores what can shift when we begin to move from fear towards love.<\/p>\n

One line that has stayed with me comes from\u00a0A Course in Miracles<\/em>, which deeply influences the book:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe past is over. It can touch me not.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A simple but powerful reminder that while the past may shape us, it doesn\u2019t have to decide what happens next.<\/p>\n

It fits beautifully with this month\u2019s themes of stepping back, observing our thoughts, being present and remembering that sometimes\u00a0a new beginning starts with seeing differently.<\/strong><\/p>\n

August Affirmation<\/h2>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

\nYou don\u2019t need to wish you\u2019d started sooner.
\nYou just need to start from where you are.<\/p>\n

The second best time is now.\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Consciously,<\/em><\/p>\n

Bronwyn Russo
\nClinical Psychologist
\nM.A. Clin. Psych. (Curtin University, Australia)<\/em>
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

View the original newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Making space for spring, fresh possibilities, and the everyday moments that bring us back to what matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24959,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conscious-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24981"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24981\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24982,"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24981\/revisions\/24982"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronwynrusso.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}