We often reach out to our sisterhood to share their stories, their learnings and reflections, here’s one on The Road to Courage from Natalie Heslop.

STEP 1: MOMENTS OF RESPITE

The days of keeping busy are over…

Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, once said: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

We need moments of respite or time out! Moments when we can centre ourselves, reflect, renew, and recharge.

It can take the form of simply having five minutes of guided meditation, enjoying an afternoon cup of tea, or even playing your favourite music and don’t forget the joy in having a dance in front of the mirror.

A break every 30 – 60 minutes is typically suggested, especially for people who spend most of their day sitting or are otherwise inactive for a significant portion of the day.

To further expand on those moments of respite, heart-based or “being present” experiences help centre ourselves and “fill our bucket”.  For instance, taking a walk-in nature with a friend can lead to a lasting memory of the shared experience, even if the conversation or activity was not exactly memorable.

STEP 2: MOMENTS OF COURAGE 

Now that we have mastered moments of time out we’re ready to create moments of courage: try stepping outside your comfort zone and taking risks, setting goals, and working towards them, and surrounding yourself with supportive people who encourage you to be your best self.

 These moments can bring us back to our true selves, allowing us to remember our strength and resilience.

Remind yourself of who you are.

Life can only become memorable when we step into our heart space and act on our true impulses.

Whilst sipping on a cup of tea or wine ;) reading these words, give yourself the opportunity to savour the essence of who you truly are. 

Identify your strengths, conquer any fears and make a conscious decision to create more moments of respite and courage in your daily life. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. 

- Natalie Heslop

What wine goes with what glassware can be confusing…. when it comes to selecting the correct glassware for your favourite wine you can make it as simple or complicated as you like (similar to selecting a wine).

If you prefer a more relaxed approach we would suggest purchasing 2 different styles of glasses - one for your sparkling wine and one universal glass to cover your white, red and rosé wines.

Classic style flute
It’s not complicated and very elegant. The height of the flute allows the bubbles to travel through a larger volume before popping at the top

So, let’s start with the sparkling wine glass. You may be drinking Four Sisters Prosecco, Australian sparkling or Champagne so you need a glass that covers all styles of bubbles.

To start out I would suggest a classic style flute, it’s not complicated and very elegant. The height of the flute allows the bubbles to travel through a larger volume before popping at the top - and who doesn’t love that?

If you’d like to take it up a notch and spend a few more dollars, I would suggest a tulip shaped sparkling glass. This style is definitely on trend and for good reason. It captures the aromas and allows for optimal concentration in the glass. The tulip shape encourages the bubbles to travel to the top at the correct speed, purely to enhance your experience. Basically, the wider the glass, the more aromas the glass is able to capture.

Classic tulip sparkling glass
It captures the aromas and allows for optimal concentration in the glass. The tulip shape encourages the bubbles to travel to the top at the correct speed, purely to enhance your experience.

A glass of sparkling is well known as a celebratory wine for events and special occasions but can also be served at the start of a meal as an aperitif before eating.

Serve sparkling (including Prosecco) 3-7°C Serve Champagne at 8-10°C.

Universal glass
The stem is medium length and the deep tulip style bowl permits aeration when swirled.

Now, let’s move on to the universal glass.

There are so many different styles of universal wine glasses but if you were just looking for something simple I would suggest an all-rounder that’s dishwasher safe. The stem is medium length and the deep tulip style bowl permits aeration when swirled.  As mentioned, it’s a universal glass so you can use it for whites, rosé and reds alike.

Serve white & rosé wines at 7 – 12 °C.

Serve red wines at 12 – 20 °C

Glass washing tips

Hand washing is always recommended but most glasses are dishwasher safe (please check).

Polish when the glass is hot with a microfibre cloth or towel for the best shine.

Enjoy!