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.

I love this idea from Leigh who blogs at Headspace Perspective – 31 days of mindfulness to counteract the stress of December.  I am not sure how far I’ll get through the 31 days.  It probably depends on whether baby decides to arrive early or not.  But I’m going to try my best.  I’ve been joining in on Instagram, and I’ll try and blog about it every few days.  If nothing else, it will lead to an eclectic selection of photos randomly juxtaposed!

Day 1 – the notebook was a present from a very lovely friend and I’ve been using it to write down things that I’m thankful for.   I don’t manage it every day, but whenever I do it makes me feel better.

Day 2 – after a long and tiring day of feeling unwell, and having painful Braxton Hicks contractions, I was very much cheered up by Tiddler singing Jingle Bells to the bump.

Day 3 – trying not to be quite so cross about the very existence of December and making an effort to remember what Advent is meant to be about.

Day 4 – today was another really difficult day, and the contractions were worse again.  Feeling a bit better now since the lovely husband came home and ran me a bath, even if he did have to pull me out of it too!

And if that all isn’t enough, I just need to remind myself that despite the combination of December stress and late pregnancy stress, the denouement of both will be A BABY!  I am so blessed.  I don’t have to look far to find something to be thankful for.

“I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.” 1 Samuel 1:27