You may have noticed that I’m a bit of a fan girl when it comes to self care and self love so I got really excited when I came across this gorgeous little Self Care Starter Kit made by the people at Blurt. It gives really useful tips on how to look after yourself and give yourself a little bit of self love. The website has been created to support people with depression but the resources are accessible to anyone.
About a month ago I wrote a blog telling you that I had been feeling a little under the weather or shit as I delightfully put it. I’m happy to report that I’m back to my chipper old self again and I wanted to share how I got here.
Get Creative
Writing a blog about depression was hugely cathartic for me, it was a way to process and express how I was feeling…warts and all. It was really lovely that I received so many comments, personal messages and phone calls either checking in that I was OK, thanking me for sharing as they had been feeling the same or just giving me a big old hug. Thanks lovelies ♥
As my band has now finished and I haven’t had the urge to play my guitar, writing this blog has become my main creative outlet and I genuinely love writing it, it makes me feel good. Other creative pursuits over the past month have included Singfest , a weekend of singing with excellent tutors and lovely participants. I’m a huge advocate for how well group singing can improve your sense of wellbeing, what I especially liked was hanging out with two of my work colleagues, I can feel some lovely friendships blossoming which again…makes me feel good ♥. I also went along to Into the Wild festival which was bursting at the seams with creativity, I danced my socks off and had a fantastic time trying new things and meeting new people.
Lifestyle Tweaks
I generally know that when my life goes off balance it is because I’m either not eating right, exercising enough, not getting enough sleep or my alcohol intake has increased. I had the quadruple whammy so sat back and thought about what I needed to do to get back in balance. So…I’ve been exploring new ways of keeping active by going spinning and trying different yoga classes. I’ve set myself a little weekly goal of making something new in the kitchen and have upped my intake of green veggies. I’m back on the maca smoothies once a week, am drinking less beer and more water, I’m going to sleep early whirly around 10pm in the week…all of which has left me feeling good, great in fact.
Solitude
In my last blog I talked about facing my sense of loneliness. A lovely lady called Marie that I met at Into the Wild (who also has a blog ) recommended that I read a book called Solitude and Loneliness: A Buddhist Viewwhich I’m really enjoying. It has helped me understand that it is more beneficial to experience the feelings of loneliness rather than running away or masking them. So I’ve been hibernating a bit and facing this stuff feels like an enormous paradigm shift. Within my hibernation I decided to re-download the meditation app called Headspace, which I recommend and is a huge contributor to me getting the best sleep I have had in AGES!
So these are the ways that have helped me get back to my smiling, life loving self again. I noticed that the Blurt website are running a campaign called #365daysofselfcare which I absolutely love the sound of so my first day consisted of hot yoga after work, delicious vegetarian homemade patties for dinner followed by an evening writing this blog….perfect! 365 days is a big commitment but I and YOU are bloody worth the effort. Fancy joining in on #365daysofselfcare? To finish here is a stunning poem quoted in the book I mentioned earlier…
Love after Love
The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the others welcome
and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
all your life, whom you have ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.
Derek Walcott in Solitude and Loneliness
