It’s been a difficult few days, and I’ve been very glad of the 31 days of mindfulness to keep me going. I’ve enjoyed looking at the variety of photos on Instagram, and especially reading Leigh’s latest blog post on mindfulness which I found very helpful. Two things in particular jumped out at me. Firstly, the encouragement to “be kinder to myself” – like Leigh I have good friends who tell me this, and like her I also find it very difficult. But I am trying. Secondly, the advice to “accept however I am feeling, whether that feeling is happy, sad or anything in between.” I am working on that too, and it helps to focus on small positives without allowing negatives to take over and cloud the view.
So these are my latest four days of minfulness.
Day 5 – It was a rather up and down day, but it ended well. I spent a relaxing evening having Turkish takeaway with a very special friend who always makes me feel better about everything, but I didn’t have a photo of that. So instead I took a picture of my favourite blanket when I came home and snuggled up on the sofa with the lovely husband.
Day 6 – a long, tiring day at the church fair, but the children had a good time and I enjoyed twenty minutes of peace and quiet in the chapel in the midst of it all. There was a sort of “lucky dip” basket of blessings to take away, and I love the one I picked out.
Day 7 – another tiring day, and too much on my mind in the evening, but I tried to focus on something positive, and I chose the cushion which I bought at the church fair. I love the fabric, which came from Dublin. Pretty things make me happy – it just takes a bit of mindfulness to pay attention to them!
Day 8 – I have been trying to rest today, after getting worried that the contractions were becoming more intense and frequent as a result of doing too much at the weekend. The children have been very good at entertaining themselves (I am doing my best not to get stressed about the resulting mess!) and I have been reading a book that I bought at the church fair, One Good Turn, by Kate Atkinson. I am really enjoying it and I need to keep making time to read – it’s hard to fit it in most days, but worth it.
I’m still struggling a bit, very tired and the pains are still quite bad, though definitely less frequent after a more restful day. But I am surviving, just managing to stay afloat and sometimes that is enough. So I’m off to bed to read another chapter of my book and try not to worry about anything that I can’t solve right now.
Mindfulness helps me a lot when I’m feeling low and anxious too. As does making time for myself every day.
I hope you start to feel better soon.
Ooooh I forgot your were pregnant – congratulations!
I don’t know much about mindfulness but I do know that I’m focusing right now on how much I love my big sister, which is helping me shed the negativity of a stressful day and concentrate on what really matters. But then again, my sister is proper cool, which helps.
This is wonderful, Hannah, I’m so glad my random idea is helping you. The blessing you picked seems perfect, I believe that often the right things find us when we need them. A couple of phrases stuck out for me: “Pretty things make me happy – it just takes a bit of mindfulness to pay attention to them!” – I’m the same, to really see them, take them in, not just look at them and “But I am surviving, just managing to stay afloat and sometimes that is enough.” Yes. I put a lot of pressure on myself, and I sometimes need to remind myself that I’m doing ok. Love and hugs xxx