hi, I’m Belinda Marie
founder of Soul and Self
I created Soul and Self as an online respite from the striving pace of the world.
A space of feminine healing, living and business, where you can honour and trust your femininity, creativity and natural rhythms as a woman.
A space to de-armour from the masculine-focused paradigms you’ve been taught to live from, and recognise the intrinsic value and gifts of your deeper nature.
A space to untangle from the relentless self-development paths, linear models of success and hustle-centered business/entrepreneurial ‘shoulds’ that have taught you to fix, force, push, perform, chase and strive your way through the world.
A space to slow down, connect with what is real and soften into your natural essence, deeper gifts and feminine heart.
What you’ll find here
Writings
Browse free writings on the nature of the feminine; softening instead of striving; trusting your pace, path and heart; being a sensitive soul in business, feminine creation and expression; gentle marketing; online visibility approaches that are more receptive and inward.
Digital Shop
Explore all current online offerings.
Working together
Stay updated on 1:1 availabilities and small group mentoring opportunities by leaving your details below.
Why I created Soul & Self
I began Soul and Self as a blog and healing space for creative, sensitive-hearted women, at a time when I was feeling increasingly disillusioned by the education system that I was a teacher within. My heart was feeling heavy and uninspired after working for years in a system that was so focused on outcomes, productivity and results, nearly always at the expense of the things that I felt were just as deeply important- less tangible aspects like relationships, creativity, beauty, spirituality, joy, depth, play and rest. Things that couldn’t be measured, compared, tested or placed easily into a planning document.
As I began to pave a different path outside of the conventional working world, I was able to see more clearly how these softer, less tangible traits/frequencies are distinctly linked to the nature of feminine and unconsciously diminished and devalued in so many contexts in our world, beyond the education system. I saw how we are taught to produce, achieve and strive externally through the lens of a more masculinised idea of success, causing us to unconsciously distrust the more feminine-oriented aspects of our nature and to undermine and devalue the importance of our feminine hearts.
As my writings grew and I began connecting with and supporting more and more women, I began to see how many of the women attracted to my work and writing were distinctly feminine-essenced beings- yet were often stuck in cycles of trying to push and ‘fix’ themselves to meet masculinised ideas of success, growth and outward performance.
Some of these women were beginning to soften into their feminine essence, yet were struggling with the unraveling of old patterns and identities that no longer served them. Others had been taught to doubt and ignore their feminine gifts, pace and desires that did not match up with what seemed to be outwardly expected of them. Others had been taught to disregard or judge their intuition, their sensitivities and their craving for a softer way of living, relating and creating. Many women were encountering all of these challenges to varying degrees, in different aspects of their life, relationships and work/businesses. (I wrote a blog post about the three main feminine expressions I tend to encounter, which you can read here).
What I have found, is that an over-focus on this masculine orientation (external, linear, outward pushing, tangible, results-driven) is modelled within every crevice of our society- education, work, business, healing, personal growth, religion, motherhood. Yet for the woman who thrives through a connection to her feminine essence, this focus may be deeply counterintuitive to her natural desires, values and expression. It is a way of living that keeps her constantly pushing outwards- striving, forcing and exhausting herself to meet the expectations of the outer world, all while overriding her feminine essence, value and heart.
Which is why feminine restoration is the central focus of Soul and Self. A space to tend to the natural interiority, rhythms and truths of our feminine souls. To rediscover our feminine energy, sensitivities and desires, as we live, relate and create in the world as distinctly feminine beings, rather than trying to contort ourselves into the masculinised expressions and dimensions of outer achievement we are so often taught to see as the only path to success. To return to our hearts, our softness, our tenderness, our feeling bodies, our deeper feminine value, in a way that is natural, unforced and true.
Soul and Self has grown with me, into a gentle business that is organic and always evolving, mirroring an ever-deepening relationship with Life and the nature of the feminine. As I moved deeper into the process of creating a business in this gentler way, I realised how challenging it could feel to be in business as a feminine soul who craved a softer, more receptive way of doing things. It was so easy to fall into those same cycles of thinking that I had to change, “fix” or compromise my deeper nature if I wanted to create a successful business.
Which is why I started creating writings and resources around business, marketing and online expression. A way to offer encouragement, support and guidance for other women who are seeking a gentler approach to business creation, anchored in feminine values, naturally-paced creation and more receptive, inward approaches to sharing and selling.
Soul and Self is a tender, always evolving space, to share my own experiences and connect with other women who are on this path of softening into their feminine essence and discovering their deeper nature. I’m so glad to welcome you here. If you’d like to stay connected, I suggest subscribing here to my email notes on feminine healing, living and business, which include any updates on latest writings, offerings and ways to work together.
Belinda 💓
qualifications/certifications
Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary)
Master of Education
Certificate III in Micro Business Operations
Theta Healing- Basic DNA Activation
Reiki Levels 1 & 2
Have a wander…
location
I live in Melbourne. Australia (AEST time) but support women worldwide through self-led support and zoom. For this reason, all of my prices are in Australian dollars.
Share your business in a way that feels unforced and natural to the way you intrinsically prefer to communicate