<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Ground and Grow]]></title><description><![CDATA[Ground And Grow]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:33:03 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[The Town was the Teacher]]></title><description><![CDATA[This weekend life brings me back to the town of Thargomindah, a place that is so special to me. I’ll be sitting among familiar faces, watching a young woman I once taught walk down the aisle. She’s now a teacher herself, giving back to the same community that raised her. It’s one of those rare moments where you catch a glimpse of the ripple coming back around. By coincidence, the day she says “I do” falls on my own wedding anniversary. Life has a funny way of moving in circles like that. When...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/the-town-was-the-teacher</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c87cb4af19906fa178c2d0</guid><pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:25:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_24c39e6703a64626bbeb4137747fb6e9~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_949,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What My Grandad Knew]]></title><description><![CDATA[Lately, I’ve been thinking about my Grandad. He had a big, booming voice and a laugh that echoed like a cooee off the Bunya Mountains. Broad and strong, warm in his presence, with piercing green eyes that both saw you and sparkled with generosity. There was kindness in him and a firmness that never wavered from his values. Community wasn’t something he talked about. It was how he lived. Farmer or townie. Rich or poor. Local or passing through you were met the same. There was no space for ego...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/what-my-grandad-knew</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69a0ec0aaac6e7cda9150fca</guid><pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 01:00:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_3b9d2e0265f54837ad89b1112cea21d4~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_271,h_429,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Let Them, Let Me]]></title><description><![CDATA[I used to take the gossip personally, particularly when it came from other mothers about me and other mothers. Over time, I am beginning to see it differently. The judgement? You see it actually wasn’t really about me or my children at all. Often, the harshest critics in the room are simply letting their inner voice spill out. The one that follows them like a shadow, always quick to critique, to point out every flaw in every one else. The mother who picks apart someone else’s parenting? She’s...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/let-them-let-me</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6959859213d20d5a3d038925</guid><pubDate>Sat, 14 Feb 2026 23:11:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_a756d2d1293f4bd7accd6fb3e18bb30f~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Growing &#38; Glowing]]></title><description><![CDATA[Growth is a word we often associate with change, progress, or reaching new goals. But true growth goes deeper than just ticking boxes or chasing achievements. It’s about nurturing yourself from the inside out - cultivating a quiet strength and a glowing confidence that radiates! In rural and regional areas we face unique challenges of distance, workload, and community expectation. These  can make self-care feel like a luxury rather than a necessity. But the truth is, taking time to grow and...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/growing-glowing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695984eba38f7651d6da9c81</guid><pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 23:08:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_14a0918b13bf48dfa67a9739e3aaf3df~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[It's Not the Critic Who Counts: Finding Courage &#38; Confidence]]></title><description><![CDATA[You may be familiar with Brené Brown and her powerful message “It’s Not the Critic Who Counts,” reminding us that the voices that truly matter are not those that tear us down-but the voices that come from our own courage, values, and authenticity. In tight-knit communities where everyone knows your story, criticism can feel amplified and personal. Whether it’s about managing your farm, raising your family, or simply showing up each day, those voices of judgment can weigh heavily. But I want...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/it-s-not-the-critic-who-counts-finding-courage-confidence</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6959838c564ad52a9592bcd4</guid><pubDate>Sat, 17 Jan 2026 23:05:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_b3823524c30c467496226f74b6d065f0~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Burnout and Barren Ground]]></title><description><![CDATA[18 August 2025 Burnout doesn’t usually roar in like a storm. It seeps in slowly, the way drought cracks the earth. It shows up in the bone-deep exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. In the fog that makes it hard to think clearly. In the sharpness of a voice that once held patience. In the joy that fades, replaced by the weight of endless “shoulds.” For women, especially those building businesses or chasing goals while also carrying families and households, burnout can feel like a private...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/burnout-and-barren-ground</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69597e5913d20d5a3d0379a4</guid><pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2026 20:43:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_ae2a4035965d48fa8bb604cc33640bfd~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Work of Grounding]]></title><description><![CDATA[25 August 2025 When life feels like it’s running at full tilt, the idea of 'grounding' can seem almost indulgent. Who has time to pause when there’s so much to do? But the truth is, grounding isn’t about stopping life. It’s about finding your footing in the middle of it, so you can walk forward with steadiness instead of stumbling in exhaustion. Burnout thrives in the chaos of constant doing and grounding can interrupt that cycle. It’s the simple practice of coming back to the here and now,...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/the-work-of-grounding</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69597dbb564ad52a9592b049</guid><pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2026 20:37:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_823ad371f5dd4cd7a593e1f279f573bf~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Growing With Intention]]></title><description><![CDATA[1 September 2025  Growth is often measured by speed and size: more clients, more income, more success. But true growth is not about more. It’s about depth, alignment, and sustainability. When we grow without intention, we risk scattering our energy like seed in the wind-spread thin, without taking root. But when we choose with clarity and purpose, growth becomes steady and strong. Growing with intention means: Aligning goals with your core values, not with outside pressure. Choosing quality...]]></description><link>https://www.groundandgrow.com.au/post/growing-with-intention</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6956fb17b825d96637d23d16</guid><pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2026 20:34:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/31e073_a351c8789c1d42b882e6a91d131de365~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melanie McNaughton</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>