Justine Crowley
Bio
In a career crossroads all of a sudden. Re-discovering freelance writing.
Author of 12 Non-Fiction eBooks - Smashwords as the distributor
Author of Kids Coloring Print Books on Amazon
Lives in Sydney, Australia. Loves life.
Stories (128)
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Why Decluttering is a Journey - Not a One Time Fix
Beyond our stuff, material goods and possessions; there is more to decluttering our homes and personal space than simply asking the question as to whether or not each and every item in your home sparks joy. I am in awe of Marie Kondo and other minimalists who share and inspire in a noisy world of obsession and wanting more, more, and more each and every single day; yet the items in our home can cut beyond skin deep. The key is to also take inspiration from Jerry Seinfeld, and not allow our homes to be garbage processing centres, the latter of which anyone reading this article does not want. Read on.
By Justine Crowley3 days ago in Psyche
Why Somatic Healing Techniques Trump Traditional Self Help
When the body feels and becomes safe - that is when pain and trauma starts to transmute. Talk therapy, combined with listing down the pros and cons of aiding in decision making, no matter the magnitude, is all well and good; yet such self-help and healing techniques do not reach the somatic and sticky bits, right up to the fascia. In no way, shape or form are these techniques being discounted and brushed aside; however for deep healing from caretaking, people pleasing, co-dependencies and addictions (all in the name of unresolved trauma - whether acquired through childhood and/or adulthood); being stuck in the head is a significant disservice to you, and to all of us. (Yes, we are all connected at the end of the day, even if you live in the Northern Hemisphere).
By Justine Crowley18 days ago in Psyche
The Hidden Costs of Hustling. Top Story - December 2025.
People do not need to be reminded of the murky, colourless and dull picture of what burnout resembles, of either 'taking on too much' or 'hustling too hard.' I truly get it. Burnout is real for both entrepreneurs and employees alike; and when we push our bodies to the brink - aches and pains, and perhaps a few viral infections and mental exhaustion (only to name) come knocking on your domain. And these pesky guests do not give two hoots as to whether or not they are invited to the party - let alone into your own personal space. Life is expensive, and it is only becoming more commonplace and familiar. It is important to put in the effort, yet that effort needs to be inspired. It does not matter what line of work you engage in, provided you are in the flow. The healing starts with you in getting to the bottom of your trauma and inner child. Doing the inner work.
By Justine Crowleyabout a month ago in Psyche
Setting Guilt-Free Boundaries
Boundaries are not intended as a sole mechanism to avoid people pleasing, trauma, confrontation, and/or discomfort. Not all boundaries are healthy. Healthy boundaries send out a powerful message to the world that you truly care about yourself. That you matter. That you are putting yourself first - even if it is only for a change to begin with. That is a powerful start. That is the ultimate level of self-care. This is not a luxury in this stone age. This is a necessity. Then again, rock music group Nirvana (adequately put) sang out loud to "come as you are."
By Justine Crowleyabout a month ago in Psyche
You Are Better Than You Think
Whether you are patient or not, and irrespective as to how well you handle criticism from others, whether constructive or otherwise; in the line of acceptance or defensiveness when it comes to the latter; deep down, many of us are our own harsh critics. Looking in the mirror is a simple cure to no longer being hard on yourself, yet it (the harmless mirror) is so confronting for many people. Off hand, motivational and healing author (the late Louise Hay) mentions that many people find it difficult to look at themselves in the mirror with compassion and love for a few seconds; yet the wobbliest among us can balance on one leg for longer than that. Many people want to smash that harmless mirror, or throw it away. They do not like what they see.
By Justine Crowley2 months ago in Psyche
Gift Giving Must Be Mindful . Top Story - November 2025.
Gifts are given to others for a myriad of reasons: to celebrate joy or a specific milestone. Gifts travel way beyond marked occasions like Christmas, Birthdays, and other commercially oriented days such as Valentines Day to name. Gifts are given when people are awarded promotions; they recover from surgery; and at weddings, baby showers and graduations to name.
By Justine Crowley2 months ago in Psyche
The Introverts Guide to Getting Out of the House More
The Myers-Briggs personality test is an accurate way of knowing whether you are an introvert or not. Some of us introverts (including yours truly, who has swayed between an INTJ and an ISTP on this test) can be extroverted sometimes as well; yet if you have an "I" at the start of your personality test result, or you just know in your heart of hearts that you are a true introvert is that you are most "in your element" when you are at home, whether by choice or through some form of quarantine. When you know you know right?
By Justine Crowley2 months ago in Psyche
Overcoming Boredom: When The Sparks Go Out . Top Story - October 2025.
No different to how we often associate loneliness with being alone, even though there is a wide contrast between these two different states that a human being can endure. Therefore, boredom (and being really, really bored) is often associated with having "nothing to do" - where boredom is actually a disconnect between who we are and where we want to be at a particular point in time. There is a gap, a void, a yearning of sorts - yet you are in a garden with endless weeds to pull, instead of being in a garden with flowers to observe, water, and enjoy. That is boredom. Dullness. No spark.
By Justine Crowley3 months ago in Psyche
The Art of Recovering Your Spirit in Levelling Up Your Life
Being curious, and maybe even a little unsure or sceptical as to what recovering the spirit (also known as the soul) is all about is absolutely understandable and healthy right now. For others, this idea can be triggering, as it is easier to suppress our unpleasant feelings, emotions and traumas - than it is to deal with them by feeling the pain in order to begin to transmute them. It takes some courage, bravery, and surrendering to what is in order to soften and to heal any intangible wound/s that no longer serve us.
By Justine Crowley3 months ago in Psyche
Your Body Definitely Keeps The Score . Top Story - October 2025.
That is one massive (albeit alarming) statistic. No wonder why we can all feel a bit f*cked up, or the world certainly does, if our garden has been watered accordingly, and all of the relevant weeds have been pulled out - metaphorically speaking of course. The author of the book by the same title (The Body Keeps The Score), Bessel van der Kolk paves the way for a grounding, heavy, eye opening yet awesome read into the human psyche; and (of course) trauma plays a significant role. All of our not so positive thoughts and setbacks to teach us lesson after lesson are all the epitome of trauma. This is why life can feel like smooth sailing for a small percentage of people; while for the majority of us, life is blighted with issue after issue, all thanks to the subconscious. (And that includes all of those circumstances in the opening image of this article.)
By Justine Crowley3 months ago in Psyche
Grieving The Life You Never Had. Top Story - August 2025.
Grief is normally associated with the loss of a loved one, or any other form of experienced loss, whether tangible or intangible. It is a given that life hands us all lemons from time to time. It can boil down to the quality and the size of the lemon sometimes. If the lemon is too bitter, watch out. And how we deal with that lemon is a combination of karma, life experiences and decisions made or not made. We all have regrets, and life is too short to have them. No one should judge that though, as we all have different life experiences, and some people's path to prosperity, success and ambition is not always linear. There are detours along the way. Why is that so?
By Justine Crowley5 months ago in Psyche
Finding Your Glimmers
Hope (aka. a 'glimmer' of hope) is not lost in the simple pleasures of life; even if you think (or more importantly feel) that life feels like a lost cause from 2020 onwards. It is fair to say that the world has (and still is) undergoing some deep and significant transformations, where it feels like you may not have anything to look forward to in moving forward. Depression (and sometimes anxiety, but mostly depression) is the epitome of not finding any joy, and where there feels like (or in actuality there is) a lack of gratitude and love (the two highest positive emotions that a human being can endure, and hence enjoy) can feel like that glimmer has dulled its shine; and therefore you may no longer feel safe - let alone seen and heard. The latter is what we all need in order to thrive, and to go beyond Maslow's basic hierarchy of needs. It is like igniting a bit of romance and spark, so that your life is not too onerous or mundane.
By Justine Crowley7 months ago in Psyche
