What a difference a day can make! I’m sat here pondering life, as I often do.
I have a mug of tea beside me, and having just unpacked some lovely new stock, I’m taking stock of myself… I’m looking after my friends shop for a few days, while she takes a seaside holiday over on the East Coast.
Wherever we are, we are never far away from The Edge!
Whether that be the coastal edge, on the edge of our seats (either with excitement or fear…), on the edge of everything being all together AND all ok, or on the edge of everything NOT being all together and NOT ok.
I have re-learnt something recently that is impacting on my days.
We are only ever a moment away from everything collapsing in on its self, and that, was how a recent day felt.
It always shocks me how one minute everything feels ok and the next it does not. It can be the simplest of things that happens. In this case, it was, but the effects lasted for hours, and at times, I really could not lift myself out of the cycle of fear and despair I was feeling.
There, I’ve admitted it. It’s out there for all to see!
Yet, as I type away at the keyboard, I find myself laughing silently to my self.
I feel so completely different.
I am back in the rational land of knowing that, you’re not all out to get me, nor that, I’m incapable of getting anything done.
This feels like heavy stuff, but it also feels important to write about it too. For many years I’ve developed a way of coping with life, and most of the time I assumed (probably wrongly) that everyone else has their sh*t together.
I have been reminded recently that is very much, not the case. So I’m extending a big warm proverbial hug out to anyone else who, is going through a tough time at the moment.
It doesn’t matter how much money you have, how big or small your home is, how many bereavements you’ve dealt with, whether you have children or not, whether you have a job or not, how often you meditate or do yoga, how often you have a late night or how hard you party, sometimes life just catches up with you, and as I describe it, sometimes the house of cards falls down.
But, the good thing is, most times we can pick ourselves back up, and start rebuilding the house of cards, one tiny step by one tiny step.
This can take seconds, minutes, hours, or days…
Being gentle on our selves and not comparing ourselves to others, forgiving our selves (I know - again) – this is so important.
So in between the meditating, the cooking & cleaning, the wonderful weekends away, exploring new places and re-visiting old favourites, the fun boat trips, the helping others out, the managing of elderly relatives, and seeing family/friends children flourish from afar, the sending of cards and the hurried messages on-line to keep in contact with lots of lovely people, I realise I am only human, and breathe a sigh of relief!
I had forgotten that most of what I worry about, doesn’t actually matter.
I had forgotten that we’re wired for kindness (to ourselves as well as to others) and that whatever action I take, is an endeavor to be gentle on us all. This can be difficult sometimes, when we forget that absolutely everyone is doing their best, struggling with their own life challenges and also wanting to please everyone where possible.
This has to stop!
I’m sat here, thinking, well what next?
All we can do as human beings is – be true to our selves, be kind, be compassionate, be forgiving… both to ourselves, and to others.
Remember the tiny pebble dropped into the pool and the wonderful ripple effect.
But, we must also aim to choose happiness as a way of life, and we must be grateful for what we already have, but only if we truly feel it…
And there you have it, you must FEEL whatever you are feeling, whether it be good or bad, happy or sad, allow the feelings to be there, sit with them if need be and then (when you are ready) let them go, but let them go you must!
Sounds familiar? Well, I’ve written about it before!
Bottled up emotions are not good for our health. Occasionally, I find pummeling the cushions on our sofa very therapeutic when I’m tidying the lounge, and that sometimes will follow my morning meditation and yoga! Whatever, works for you ☺
This is a call for us all to be kind to our selves in times of stress and challenging moments. The last few months have been filled with challenges all round, nearly everyone I speak to has had to deal with ‘stuff’.
And so as I come to the end of this blog post, I realise I’m just a little bit closer to accepting more about myself, and that, as I’m always reminded, it too shall pass.
After personally taking stock, it’s back to cleaning the bead-trays and re-stocking them with lovely new shiny ones ☺
Life goes on regardless…
Back to the present moment, as I look forward to some light entertainment tonight, we’re off to the cinema.
With love and gratitude to everyone faced with challenges right now x