Hi lovelies,
It has been a while since I last wrote. I’ve had a busy summer and I wanted to make sure I had some stories to share with you all.
As we move into another season, I like to take this time to look back and move forward with my learnings.
The summer flew by so fast with trips around the UK during the school holiday. We visited Bridlington on the East coast, staying in a caravan. Just like British Summer it rained most of the time we were there. But I enjoyed that as the sound of the rain on the caravan roof is very relaxing. The kids weren’t phased either and we still went on the beach.
We visited Anglesey in late August this time in a house! I love caravans, but my back couldn’t take another stay. I have many friends from Wales, so it holds a place in my heart. This trip was extra special as my mum came with us and we met up with friends we met last year on holiday. This is one of those learnings I wanted to share. Spending time with friends, old and new, is so important and nourishing.
As autumn settles in I am noticing how things are slowing down. The heat wave we just had in the UK at the start of September was different for that time of year but very welcome after a month of rain. I do love the heat and find that it slow things down. Another reflection over the summer was that I didn’t stop because of my new job. I noticed I had stopped taking baths, walking out in nature and doing yoga. I understand it is a busy time of year for people to commit to walking with me but in hindsight it is the best time to do so because of the lighter nights and the warmer weather even with the rain up north. I pass through my local town on the walk to the yoga centre. This is where I completed my mobility training so I know the route, but it has all changed for bike lanes. I understand it is there to help ease traffic and that is great for the environment but now I will have to re learn the route as all landmarks for me are different. So, I am nominating my son to walk with me to yoga starting mid September.
I know these things are good for both my body and soul and I have noticed the difference in my body since stopping them. Going through stress and change without them does take a toll. In reflection I now know this and that is a good thing and I know where to make these things happen again.
If I could share with you one piece of advice during this change in season. It would be to take an hour to yourself, go on a walk, take a bath, or go have a coffee. Just give yourself some space away from the house, family, work environment to take a look back over the last season and see what your highlights were and what you may have missed. Write it down, record it or simply keep it in your thoughts. Then as you move forward pick three things to change or go back to.
For me these three things will be;
- Back to yoga – because I have noticed my body is becoming stiff and feeling crunchy. Giving my mind time to slow and my body time to stretch and loosen will in turn bring my energy up and strengthen my mind.
- Daily gratitude – I want to start a daily gratitude at the end of every day. Nothing to serious, just a simple check in at the end of the day to think about what I am grateful for because it is so easy to drop out of the practice and the negative to take over. Reminding yourself of the things that bring joy and gratitude is strength building for me and sometimes I forget how much is around me that I can be grateful for.
- Getting space – Giving myself time to take the space I need away from life. Not in a bad way but in a way that allows me to breathe. Taking a bath or sitting in the garden or treatment room away from the kids, work, the cleaning. I have realised how important breath work is to me over the last five years and when you are so busy, I think we even forget to breathe or at least we are not aware of it. This increases the nervous system and keeps us in that fight, flight or freeze mode. Remembering to breathe and allowing space for it is another promise to myself.
I wanted to share these with you in the hope it might inspire you and so that I have some accountability. If you put something out there into the universe, I believe there is a level of accountability and that is what I need so I stick to these changes because I know they make a difference to me and my wellbeing.
I hope you all had a wonderful summer and have good times planned. If you wish to share your thoughts or tell me some of your practices, then please feel free to leave in the comments. Please remember that all the thoughts in this blog are my own and I am not a professional counsellor. If you are feeling at all low, please do seek help. I wouldn’t be where I am now without the amazing professionals that have helped me.
Take care, stay safe.
Nina xx
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