Hi Honeys
How are you today? I'm sorry I've been missing, I haven't been coping all that well for the past couple of weeks. The cold and damp is encouraging every joint in my body to rebel (or it feels like that anyway) and I'm ashamed to say the pain and exhaustion tag team has been winning the battle. This just simply cannot be allowed to continue though honeys, it just can't.
I'm determined that this year will be better than last year, dear ones. I know that I can't control everything (like the pesky arthritis for instance) but there are things I can control (hopefully) and I'm going to give it my very best try.
Why not grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or two) honeys and I'll share what I'm hoping to achieve this coming year and maybe you can share what your goals are too? Maybe we could be each others cheerleaders? OK, let's go make a cuppa and I'll see you back here in a few minutes dear ones 💖
Hello again honeys, do you have your cuppa? Me too ☕ Why not settle back and get comfy and we can have a chat 💖
Last year and the need for goals...
This past year (longer if I'm honest) while thankfully not the worst times I've lived through, certainly hasn't been the easiest either. I know what you're thinking dear ones, but if you've been kind enough to visit this little part of the internet before you'll know I don't like pity parties. Wallowing in troubles never helps solve them, it only creates misery for ourselves and those around us and who wants that.
It could be argued though that ignoring problems, pretending they don't exist, could be just as bad. It can allow them to grow, to worsen. "A stitch in time, saves nine" as the old proverb wisely said.
So, (hopefully) without wallowing, I'll try to explain why changes are needed in certain areas, and what I'm going to do to try to improve these areas. Thank you in advance for bearing with me. 💖
It could be argued though that ignoring problems, pretending they don't exist, could be just as bad. It can allow them to grow, to worsen. "A stitch in time, saves nine" as the old proverb wisely said.
So, (hopefully) without wallowing, I'll try to explain why changes are needed in certain areas, and what I'm going to do to try to improve these areas. Thank you in advance for bearing with me. 💖
Planning...
“A goal without a plan is just a wish” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
This is the year I need to try to focus honeys. There are so many things I'd like to have done this past year, so many projects not yet started. This is the year to get things done!
I've always liked to make lists and, having made a list, to then tick things off as I complete them. This would seem to be the best way forward and to help with all of the planning (and list making) I'm hoping to get done this year, I have a gorgeous new diary (a gift from Hubby, thank you sweetheart x)
As you can see from the image above, the dairy is bright, A5 sized, and its page-per-day format (except weekends, where Saturday and Sunday share a page) allows lots of room to plan and list. 2020 is also (as the cover announces in large, friendly lettering) a leap year, so as a bonus we have an extra day this year too 😃
I've already made a start on trying to organise this diary into an actual working planner, so I'll circle back and share how it's working in a future post. At the very least I hope that by planning ahead I'll be able to post far more regularly on this blog.
Moving...
As the saying goes honeys, "use it or lose it" and with the worsening of my arthritis I'm now in such constant pain that I can't even stand for very long anymore. For over twenty years I've been battling inflammatory arthritis, joined a few years ago by osteoarthritis in my lower spine. I've tried not to allow it to beat me by simply trying to keep moving as much as I can.
Around 18 months or so ago, our wonderful practice nurse at our Doctor's surgery suggested I try yoga and I'm so grateful to her for that. I adore yoga and have two dvds, by a wonderful lady called Barbara Currie. Those dvds have really helped me to not only maintain what little mobility I still have but have also taught me some gentle stretches that have helped me cope with the early morning pain and stiffness known to every arthritic spoonie.
While I'm sadly aware that my arthritis won't ever go away honeys, I'm hoping to be able to maintain as much mobility as I can for as long as I can. To this end, I've just treated myself to two dvd sets by a company called Beachbody.
The first of these sets, called "3 week yoga retreat" I've been hoping to buy for quite a while now but at almost £60, well it just seemed like far too much money to spend on myself. I know if I'd ever mentioned it to Hubby he'd have said to go ahead and order it but we live on a limited budget and I just couldn't excuse spending so much on myself. Luckily though I spotted it in a sale online for just a few pennies under £20 and thought, go ahead!
I haven't tried any of the four dvds include in the set yet but will write a review at some point in anyone is interested honeys.
The second set I bought, also spotted in the sale at Amazon, is a Tai Chi set called Tai Cheng. I haven't ever tried Tai Chi but a dear friend has and she says it's really helped her. This recommendation, along with some wonderful user reviews, at least one of which mentioned it being super helpful for spine pain (I'm so, so hoping this is true because it's where I'm having most difficulty coping at the moment) is what convinced me to buy it.
I was also pleased to find out the five disc set, which comes complete with a large foam roller, a strength band and other accessories, was only £9.95 too. Again, if anyone is curious, I'll share a review when I can.
Calming...
As I've mentioned so many times I'm sure, my go-to method to de-stress is to sit on the bed in our master bedroom and to "step into" my much loved canvas print on the wall above the bed.
I've stared at this beautiful canvas for so long over these last few years that I don't even have to be in front of it to "see" it any more. I can just close my eyes and (mentally at least) "step into" it, walk down those sandy covered steps and sit on the beach.
I felt an immediate connection to this canvas and still adore it. It calms me honeys. It even helped me to get through a very scary CT scan at the hospital and for that alone I'll forever be grateful. Do you have an image or a place or activity that calms you? I used to love hill walking and even belonged to a club years ago. Oh to be young and to go trooping up and down those gorgeous walks in the Scottish hills again. 💖
I have stubbornly high blood pressure honeys, and this beautiful canvas, imagining myself sitting on that lovely beach, helps to calm me. With all of the planning I'm hoping to do for this year, I thought that rather than relying on my little canvas happy place in times of stress, why not schedule a regular time to chill, to unwind. Maybe that might even help to lessen the stress I have and, who knows, might even lower that stubborn old blood pressure?
Nourishing...
This year I'm going to continue with meal prepping. Do you remember that last year I set up systems to make our (both Hubby's and mine. Bless him he's totally on board with me as always) diets healthier. This included filling the fridge and freezer with healthy meal and snack choices on a Sunday to see us through all week.
It's just so much easier to make healthier choices if, when hunger pangs appear, you go to the fridge and see a gorgeous, fresh salad sitting there or a lovely jar of natural yogurt with a little fresh fruit as a base or maybe even a tiny tub of healthy nuts.
Now that we're heading back into spring again, only 55 days to go (yes, I'm still counting down lol) we'll be back to salads again in no time yaaaaay 😊
I know that I shouldn't, but I do still struggle with self care. It does still, at (most) times feel as if I'm being very selfish which I know is silly. I keep telling myself how silly it is but every now and then I get that tiny voice in my head telling me I should be doing something more useful, like housework, and not trying to complete my sun salutation in spite of achey shoulders.
Here's the thing though honeys. Whenever that little voice starts to tell us that we're being selfish, that there are better uses for our time than whatever it is that's helping us, powering us, making us stronger, we really do have to be strong enough to tell that voice to shut up. It has to take a number and wait it's turn to be dealt with because this is our time.
What are your plans for this year honeys? They don't have to be huge changes. Why not choose a tiny step. Maybe even one that only you will notice? Just to get started. Making that investment, because that's what it is, into the Bank of You will pay out so many dividends. It is not selfish and you so deserve that "me" time.
Till next time dear ones, smile lots and never let a chance to hug someone, or tell them you care, go past. They might need it more than you know. Thank you for keeping me company, hugs always x
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