Calming my way through January

I discovered a new technique that is amazing!

Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash

Hello and welcome!

I hate January and February. In the UK, they are cold, dark, dank months which seem to drag on forever. The days are gloomy, cold and not particularly pleasant. However, yesterday while playing golf, despite the bone-chilling cold, I was thrilled to hear small songbirds chirping their tiny hearts out. It lifted my soul and reminded me that Spring is not too far away.

Necklaces of fresh green shoots clustered around the bases of trees also signalled new life. Daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops will soon burst into a rainbow of colour. Here is a poem I wrote some time ago which is in my first self-published book, A Collection of Poetry with a Sprinkling of Short Stories, which is available on Amazon.

Glorious Spring

Sunshine yellow trumpets sway rhythmically beneath budding hedgerows
Pops of purple with orange saffron throats stand erect, mouths agape
Feeding from mother nature’s warm, mossy soil as they drink in the watery sun
Spring bursting into life, lighting up Earth’s pallid winter canvas

Chaffinches, blue tits, robins; star-bursts of songbirds chirrup with joy
At the abundance of berries and seeds, rich pickings from nature’s larder
As they busy themselves nesting, preening and feasting, spring-cleaning
Preparing for parenthood; clutches of delicate, speckled eggs incubated

As landscapes erupt from dormant states bursting with life and hope
Magnolia blossoms, candle-like at first, unfurl into exotic, waxy blooms
Cherry blossoms burst into fluffy pink pom-poms of subtle candyfloss hues
Spring lambs bounce, tails wagging as they nudge their mothers’ udders

Spring will fade into summer, will fade into autumn, will fade into winter
So the cycle begins again, repeating as the seasons ebb and flow, each one
A unique gift of joy, of life and death, flourishing, wilting and withering
Rejoicing in nature’s rich tapestry as she wraps her magical mantel around us

Learning to Love Me More

This is a tough one for me. I am the one who looks after everybody else. I rarely find time for me. However, I found this wonderful Substack recently, Geetika’s Substack by

Geetika

and discovered, to my absolute delight and amazement, the technique of Ayurvedic Self Massage. To say it has been life-changing would sound a little dramatic, but honestly, I feel so much calmer and at ease with myself. Instead of running around like a headless chicken most mornings, pushing myself to write, exercise, practice the art of self-care (I have never really done this before, but making more time for me feels great), and getting ready to work in a busy office, I now focus on exercising and self-care. That’s it. The writing will follow.

I start by doing some gentle stretching exercises (I am still suffering from lower back pain following a minor RTA last November). Then I get on my exercise bike, which my physiotherapist recommended to keep me supple and strong. Then, instead of pushing myself mentally to write so many words, I warm some coconut oil and rub it into my knees and shoulders. Whilst waiting the ten minutes or so for it to work its magic, I listen to an audiobook. I am currently listening to Freida McFadden’s The Widow’s Husband’s Secret Lie.

It’s brilliant and utterly addictive. I listen to it in my car to and from work and settle down with it last thing at night. I only recently discovered Freida McFadden and am devouring them ferociously. I have an app on my phone called BorrowBox which is connected to my library. I still buy books, obviously, to support authors and, well, I just can’t resist a good book. However, borrowing from a library means that the author still receives a small payment (PLR - Public Lending Right) for their work.

After the soothing oil has worked its magic and eased my aching joints, I shower and dress, feeling rejuvenated to face my busy day.

I have been rubbing foot cream into my feet every night before bed for some time now, and this is another blissful ritual that I do to promote self-care. I don’t know whether it’s psychological, but I sleep better after massaging delicious smelling creams into my feet.

Geetika

recommends massaging warm oil into your feet, but I haven’t tried that yet. I can imagine it would be incredibly soothing.

As someone who has always enjoyed massages and pedicures, I recently had a full foot pedicure, which included my feet being warmed in heated cushions while the essential oils I had chosen soaked in. It was utterly blissful!

Abhyanga is a game-changer for winter wellness -

Geetika

So far, after just one week of practising Ayurvedic self-massage, I feel calmer. I have more energy. I feel at ease with myself and I don’t beat myself up as much as I used to. So what if I didn’t manage to write today? I have one book out there in the world, one ready for submission and I am working on a third. Isn’t that enough? I must learn not to push myself too hard. To be content with the achievements that I have accomplished. Practising the art of Abhyanga has certainly been a game-changer for me and has helped me to focus on the importance of self-care.

I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago about how I am not going to beat myself up so much.

If you get the chance, try Ayurvedic Self Massage. I have never felt so calm and mentally nourished in a very long time. Thank you,

Geetika

for sharing and explaining this technique so beautifully.

Whatever winter rituals (if you live in the Northern Hemisphere) you have lined up, take a moment for some self-care and winter wellness. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, I am green with envy.

Until the next time, look after yourself.