Life Lately: Slow Living, Creativity & Finding Your Way Back

Hello, how are you ? I hope things are well at yours. Or mostly all good. It’s kind of impossible to be great all the time. Isn’t it? Is it?

Well for me it is mostly good. Coming into the third week on January I am still ‘getting over’ a particularly bad Christmas. Christmas is never a great time for me, the loss of love ones makes it particularly hard. And then there is the stress and pressure of the whole Christmas period. Well I find it stressful. I envy the people who love Christmas time.

So it has taken me a little while to regain my composure. A little while to remember my tool of ‘tricks’ to get my mind to be a little more positive and for my heart to be able to deal with the pain. I am getting there.

What’s in my tool box ?

Let me tell you, just in case it might be a help to you.

Vitamin B {Thank goodness my hubby reminded me that it has been a little while since my last Vitamin B shot}

Why do I always forget about my Vitamin deficiency? Instantly I feel better. I no longer feel like my legs and body are too heavy.

Walking Alone {Yes I do walk the dog every morning. But from her: pulling the entire way, (It’s tough trying to keep my balance), from being on the lookout for other people or other dog walkers (all of whom my dog sees as a potential threat that needs to be taken down), from picking up the two poops that she deems necessary to always do. Nothing about walking the dog is about me. It feels more like survival}

So evening walks have resumed, and while it is hard to get out the door without feeling guilty for leaving the said dog behind, I have loved getting out and exploring this new community that we now live in.

The Garden {During the morning I take time (reminding myself constantly that I no longer have to rush to do everything) and I water the garden.}

Garden? Ha, in my old home we had a garden. But I always deemed my time too valuable to care for it very much along with the chickens, ducks,dog and house duties. As we will be moving again we have kept our favourite pots to a minimum. Now we have 5 pots of plants that I tenderly care for. And I enjoy it immensely.

Hubby loves colour in the garden and he always ensures that we have our pots full. My mum loved her ‘pots of colour’ and taught me from an early age to dead head the flowers. Now when I am near the flowers, I always feel my shoulders unclench, and I feel closer to mum.

Music {Music with no ads. (Gosh I miss listening to a CD from start to finish)}

Oh the joy to be singing along loudly in the car to songs I love. Once again music was a tool that I had forgotten that lifts my heart.

Journaling {Yep, I have began journaling again}

This time it is a big folder for a ‘junk journal’. And this time everything is going in. Inspired by illustrations from my old Flow Magazines that I can not bare to throw out. I remember the joy in collaging my old school folders back in the day. I’m going back to that. This time I am actually booking in the time to do so, otherwise it is so easy to ‘put it off’.

Reading {Over the past few years I have reclaimed my love of books.}

I have realised that even though I have so much more time I am still reading in chapters only. It is never a long read-a-thon session that I used to love to do before I had children. I need to get back to that. It has only taken me 24 years to reclaim.

Crochet + Knitting {of course}

My Slow Granny Blanket Project has been released out in the world. It is a special project that I have been thinking about & developing for a little while. It is a slow + gentle project with no rush or expectations. To see that people have ‘found’ it when they have needed it, means so very much and it thrills me to see people joining in on the project. Creating with your hands really does do something for your heart and soul. It has become part of my toolbox too.

Friendships whether it is a friend checking in, a funny meme or quote being shared, or long luscious talks. Talking + connection helps. And I treasure my friends.

How about you, do you have any tools to help you when life becomes a

bit intense?

Remember to do something just for yourself.

You are important.

Melissa