A Springtime update

Hey All- It appears that I've neglected my little space in the blogosphere, yet again :( That's on me. Life has been very busy and I've been meaning to reconnect but it's finding time and momentum. Within the chaos, there's likely been some writer's block.

28/04: I began writing this on a day where I'd banked overtime hours at work and taking the day off.. Finally! I could discuss every event of the past eight months, but I can shelve that for now. I'm going to keep this post short and sweet; she says. I want it to give me some impetuous to get writing some more beefy contents (again, she says..Life forever gets in my way!) I need to remedy the writers block by writing a little journal update for now :-)

I attended a wedding during the Easter weekend; my partner's sister. The weather was brilliant, the sun was shining (which made a change from the wind & rain we'd had) The day went really well. Nick (boyf) and I had a week off work last week and sadly, the sun shone twice. Wonderful. Those signs of spring really do make me feel so happy. The older I've gotten, I do feel like I suffer from S.A.D.. Anyone else? Everything improves for me when sunshine is around; my health certainly improves; Vit D helps my skin, my mental health, energy levels, optimism, lowers irritability. The UK doesn't see enough sunshine in my opinion (I'm sure some would disagree..) Beltane and May Day is approaching and going by past posts, it's a time of year I love Retrograde release & Spring is springing! May is on its way and the Taurus energy always brings good things I feel, weather warms up, flowers bloom, the desire to connect with nature beckons! 

      With the year just flying by, the beginning of spring is a nice way to wind down & think about what's important to you and what matters. Of course, going to a wedding is a nice event but it can make you consider your own internal goal posts. I'm 35. We all have hopes & dreams through life. That said, things change. Over the last few years, I've done lots of soul searching and opened my eyes to lots of things. Marriage is a lovely thing sure, but now I'm older, it doesn't take away from a partnership and love, without the ring and paper. 09/05: We bumped into some folks that Nick knew at the weekend who asked if we were engaged (HAHA! Boyf must've panicked) Why do people feel they should ask that? I don't mind though, people are curious beings. Of course it's been spoken of. But it's not high on the agenda. Other things are. Things that are just as stressful & emotionally/ mentally draining- I hope to discuss this one day in much more depth, but for now, it's a personal experience.

Luckily, I have a partner that is on the same page as me (He says so anyhow...!) We have some more renovation work in the home; We sorted a new driveway out in February- Can't believe it was that long ago. There's lots more we need to work on, but it's expense and time. We'll get there I'm sure, if we stay focused.

I had a nightmare few months with my car, since December of last year. At the fault of others obviously. It was absolute chaos and made Christmas a difficult time for me, emotionally to be honest. Not to mention, financially. Nick surprised me with a trip to Disneyland Paris for November- I'm so thankful for that. That'll be our holiday I think. A few days away. I'm very excited. I feel it's really important to have things to look forward to in life, no matter how small. Look up happiful.com for interesting tips and articles for a happy life.

09/05: It is now post-Coronation too. Less I say about that the better. I cannot believe people would cheer such grotesque wealth when we have the cost of living crisis. It honestly baffles me. I may likely discuss this in more detail due to the social injustice and inequality of it all. 

      On that note, I'll say adieu but if there's any topics you'd like me to talk about, by all means, get in touch with me :-)

Retrograde release & Spring is springing!

Soooo, how are we in March already ?! I recall blinking and now it is Easter next week...God knows when that happened.
       Now, it may not look or feel like it, but Spring is here, and if you look hard enough, Mother Nature is trying hard to show us some signs.

Our planetary alignments also work hard at doing just that. (spoiler: this will be a bit spiritual-y, but y'all know how my posts are..) Mercury has gone retrograde in Aries and the Spring Equinox has arrived. Have you been feeling ultra emotional? Hyper-sensitive? That'll be the pre-shadow period for you. So, for a week before Mercury stations you may feel like technology is failing you, delays happen, past feelings/people catch up with you; basically, we're consciously aware of hurts, needs, triggers. Some of us may feel that more. I do as I'm quite a watery sign, but my fire soon bites back.

How can we move forward into April with passion and action, but with purpose and in our best interests? For me, I'm a pretty logical person but in retrograde, I think my perfectionist side gets muddled and confused. I want to get the show on the road but also want to be sure on whether I am right in my decisions, so some Aries, impulsive energy may be good for me to give me some extra fire! Perhaps you too. Remember though, introspection is key here, being impulsive isn't always wise, especially now.

A lot of readers may think getting in touch with your spiritual side is nonsense, but for me, it's helps me become a tad more mindful & eases stress- so it may for you ? You know, we have so much armour on these days that we forget to nurture. Take this time to become more present. Consciously release any physical or mental stress that might be present in your body or mind. Be kind to you, shed the ego and social conditionings. Reinvigorating ourselves can help us to wire ourselves up differently ready for April.

Sometimes, we can chase dreams, achieve goals, compare our lives, that we forget to evaluate things.
This 3 week check-in can help us reanalyse our lives and understand if what we do in our lives is definitely what we want or if any changes can happen. We can refigure out what makes us happy, all around. The whole package of our dream identity might actually be missing a certain je ne sais quoi.. see if you find it again!
       So. Let your sails be set and the winds will blow. If we all have bravery to take charge, we can proceed as our true, selfless selves. What retrograde can do for you, if you wish to apply it, is direct you to a more advanced you- think outside of the box. The seed is ready to grow now, the cocoon of winter needs to be shed. {*note to self}

I guess what I'm trying to say here is, slow down, do some inner work and look at things in a new light. Take a day or two each week to wind down or concentrate on getting jobs you've put off doing (but don't make that taxing, I'm talking spring cleaning, blog work etc!)

My last few weeks have been a bit odd, for want of a better word. With winter vibes clinging on and a feeling of a universal somewhat melancholy, I wanted to grab this chance to perhaps reach out to someone who really needs a pep talk. Misfortune is always greater to someone else and even at our vulnerable states we can find strength

Take care and let me know your thoughts below! If you'd like to hear more of what I love, feel welcome to follow my Insta >>>

Life Thus Far: an overview

Oh my oh my, sweet friends. I am SO delayed!! If there was an award for procrastination that would definitely go to me; the master {not that I condone procrastinating!}… I have also realised that I haven't posted a LTF series in an exceedingly long time so, without further ado…

The weather here in Britain has been particularly unpredictable which is kind've wreaking havoc with my moods (and head; my shunt reacts to weather!), so I've not felt I've had the chance to really sit and write up about what's been going on lately, so I'm sitting here with my incense on whilst my cat pesters me for attention; it's as best a time as any eh!! 
       Do you ever sense a surge of overwhelment coming your way, like me?? I tell you, I was all guns blazing in January; I really wanted to kick start 2017 with a bang and "let that sh*t go" but by February, things starting going haywire again. Not in a bad way but things starting going wrong. I don't know if it's the fact that I've become a tad more in tune with spirituality or if it's just life being a bitch, ha….Anyway, today I'm focused on the affirmation found in Katie Piper's book Start Your Day With Katie: 365 Affirmations for a Year of Positive Thinking which I've used religiously: - 

'Seek harmony in your soul and kindness in the people close to you; happiness found in material things will not bring you lasting joy.'

I think that is such a comforting statement! When I think of this, what I consider is that I've definitely spent the last few months clearing out what doesn't serve me. I mean, as you may have read, my persona can flip a lot and as much as I can feel overwhelming, there's also so much oomph within me. My father, as I noted in my last post, had been poorly on&off since November; he's been feeling better for a couple of months so that's lifted some heavy clouds that were lingering!!

With a tendency to over-think and rethink, I decided to take advantage of the Spring Equinox & re-align and balance those scales, so to speak…it can be easy for some of us to jump from decision to decision and feel like you're 'all over the place', but that's where Spring can help to ease us into a sense of harmony, renewal & reassess some priorities. 
        So I took the opportunity to look for some volunteer work, on the side. I started some training in Feb/March at a homeless emergency nightshelter so yep, loving my shifts there. I've done plenty of volunteering in my time but working with the homeless is something I've wanted to pursue for a long time! I still feel like my journey is ongoing; my dreams are still there to attain but I'm always off on a tangent! However, you have to trust that the universe will offer you great changes in divine timing :)

The purpose you aspire to is always there so I continue going forward, and if it helps anyone, my advice is to get out in nature if you need help in cleansing and expanding your soul. Nature is breathtaking with its untouched beauty and there really is something so purifying about being around it (even if you bring it indoors- note my precious cactus above). A New Moon is coming up this Wednesday that's heading into the sign of Taurus so that calls for bullish energy that'll keep us grounded and fuel newfound wisdom, so take hold of reliable and earthly feels!

Stowe, National Trust, Buckingham

I adore this capture I snapped; it's as if the heavens are breaking through with our angels. Enchanted. So, lovely folks, I'll leave you with that. I intend to carry on keeping my dreams in sight, continue learning & doing new things and steer clear of negative emotional entanglements - has the year started off how you intended? Or perhaps your desires or intentions have changed? Let me know, I'd love to hear and trade stories…

…and ps. our moon cycles can offer us so much subconscious information, so listen to your intuition always, and if you're a deep thinker who follows the watery fluidity of your many thoughts, just think, you're probably a mermaid ;-) Take care guys!

Wear your crown with pride!

Hii Guys! 

It's been a while I know. No-one's more apologetic than me… but I have good reason. Over the past couple of busy months, I've really took some time to look after myself; soul searching if you will. 

That said, it is not without its ups & downs. Such is life, for me. Today is no exception. I have been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster all day. I'm blaming hormones (Yep. I'm passing the blame ha!) I'm also having a bit of a "hair-mare" so that's driving me round the bend- more on that another day!

The trouble with me, as my nearest & dearest know, the slightest thing can trigger me. I can get exceedingly angry if I'm passionate about something, you know? I'm working on that though. It's not pretty at all…. I wrote a post on my Instagram about a week ago discussing just this; so it's apt I share! 
        In the UK, we are now around a month in to Spring, which also brought the International Day of Happiness 😍🌾🌼 falling on the same day. It got me to thinking about the links of our differing seasons and how we can try and utilise them to help mental health issues but also understand how and why season changes can affect us in problematic ways. What do you think??

I certainly think that we all feel so much better when springtime arrives. Nature blooms and the time of growth, renewal and new life surfaces. I definitely aim to use the season to continue developing myself in positive ways. It's a great time for energy & exuberance and beneficial for those who suffer mental health issues; but as I noted above, we aren't superheroes and we don't always feel great but please do not feel inferior if you still suffer from low mood. It's very understandable. Take things one step at a time & seek support from whom ever you feel comfortable around. 

So, my main focus for today is about providing some tips really- let me know if they help and please do share this on! If you'd like to, you can also follow me on bloglovin'…Just click on the icon to your right :-) 

You may or may not be aware of the Facebook page: Action for Happiness. Check it out. It's quite useful for promoting a positive mindset to everyone & I came across this below image that struck a chord with me. Here's my top 5 thoughts: -

1) Inspire and motivate others: Lots of us face problems that can be very well hidden. It's a mask that can be used. So be aware that you never know what a person is facing every day. Put a smile on someone's face for no reason- make them smile or laugh, be kind or pay them a compliment. You'll find that the more you do this, you will feel better yourself.

2) Take time to be just you: In my previous post, I talked about my vow of becoming more spiritual; I stuck with this as much as possible & it's working. Even if it's an hour a day, take time to enjoy living in the moment. Try out some mindfulness, read a book, get out in nature..anything where you have time to reflect & rejuvenate. Give it a go! 

3) Drop the negativity: This is something that can be easier said than done and I need to follow my own advice. If anything or anyone is dragging you down then drop it. Let it go. Life's too short. Instead, surround yourself with what and who you love- any anger will slowly fade away.

4) Acceptance: We can all worry but it can be super intense when you may suffer from depression or anxiety. If you feel as if you've suffered setbacks or failed then please try to stop beating yourself up. We make mistakes but we learn from them. Accept that you can learn from any problem & actually use them to formulate a new direction. When you realise this & practice (1)(2)(3), your fears will be flooded by love.

5) Break the boundaries: You're here on Earth for a purpose; should you not feel that way, look harder & deeper. Sometimes we feel life's a struggle and you want to give up but stop right there; find a meaning. YOU are worthy! Try to stretch yourself and learn something new, fun and creative. This can be a challenge, I know; start small but think big. Every day you'll push yourself more & remember.. every great success requires some type of worthy struggle to get there. Know this!  

For now, I'll leave you with this cute, positive little quote; We may not always feel 100% o.k. with our day or progress, but try and wear your crown on top of your head at all times and you'll feel like a Queen/King/Boss…Leader!!

Spring in my step!

Hello hello :-)

So, I've found myself in the depths of March & it's officially Spring! It is still a bit gloomy and chilly here in the UK but it's occasionally picking up and the sun has been shining. I cannot WAIT for all the lighter evenings and warm weather, sitting in a pub garden with a cider and friends...adorned by a light, summery maxi dress! 

I know that, again, my post uploads are severely lacking, but I think I just get wrapped up in life and get a case of writer's block :-/ As you will find in my previous posts since last summer (Life thus Far: an overview), life has thrown some right curveballs at me, but I think since the start of 2015, I started to see the light and gradually picked myself up; I still get dark days, why wouldn't I, I'm human after all? 
       I mean, my dear friend is still no longer here on Earth, my father still has cancer and a guy whom I trusted with every fibre of my being, still left me….but these are things I cannot change. But I've learnt that when you have the support of family and friends (my mum is a saviour in human form) and can feel their unconditional love, you realise that life is just testing you..yet again haha.  We all suffer from pain and it's not so bad, that's just how the cookie crumbles, right??!

What you may or may not realise is that it is Brain tumour awareness month (Brain Tumour Survival) So close to my heart, yet at times I feel I am not doing enough to raise such awareness. Since my brain tumours in '04, I do suffer from fatigue, balance issues, (occasional) anxiety and (sometimes) severe tension headaches/migraines. This is caused mostly by unwanted stress, that quite often, I stupidly bring on myself. I think that's why last year felt so difficult. I don't think people can easily understand something that is quite complex..Akin to depression, you may look very normal, but deep down, you're a complicated individual who requires lots of emotional support. Hmm.

What does help me at the moment is both exercise and taking the correct medication. Exercise is such a great focus. It's just a pity I'm not always great with consistency and healthy eating HA. But this workout gear helps, check them out at Fabletics….

Camacan Capri; Sintra Bra

Now, in the spirit of my desire for summer to hurry up, here's something amazing to listen to….imagine that mojito please ;-)