Quote No.52 from Encourage Yourself Encourage Others by Anne Devine.
What have you done during Lockdown that’s been new to you?
I’ve taken part in a Zoom poetry club and a Zoom Cafe Adler. They were fun and they gave me the opportunity for some new learning. I enjoyed the sense of community and it helped replace the social interaction I’ve been missing! I’ve also been busy sharing and enjoying these positive quotes and the lovely interactions they are creating for me!
Please share something you’ve never done before, something new and different that you’ve been doing!
Le grà,
Mindfully Marie xx
(Enquiries to info.devinepublishing@gmail.com)
To all who struggle with this pandemic or any chronic illness, this is for you, just know you are never alone, you are in the best of company…
It crumbles like sand
Overcome by a wave
Stealing your inspiration
Or your power to investigate.
Physical tasks must be trimmed
Right down to the quick,
Mental tasks tease,
Like a shadows in the sun
Now you see me…
now I’m gone!
So quickly it fades,
From functioning… To falter,
What felt like a good day or good hour,
consumed and usurped,
Leaving you literally stranded in the midst of stuff!
It dehydrates your thoughts,
It punctures and deflates,
She has you caught
Laughs and knows she’s fine,
while she has you there,
Then leaves you short
Refusing to repay the debt.
So does it defeat you
Steal from you and
Rob you blind?
Or can you befriend it?
Mould and adjust it?
Even a little at a time?
Well, those are questions you pose
And repose, numerous times each day,
As you show up to a
Battle that could go either way!
And is there an answer
To this piece of arithmetic?
Is there is vacination
That can do the trick?
Well the answer is as fickle
As the ego, when it’s in full play
And it defies all logic
On any given day!
Sadly it’s more complex,
As it’s catching in your breath
And the answers
at best, are really hit and miss!
Some discovered and uncovered
Are a chumley mix of tricks
Such as
Pause… and take a moment, to simply catch your breath…
And with dire warning…
Never, ever, use the words…
‘I expect’…
“Rest,” my Da would say…
“Hold your horses, sweet Marie”
Now I recall his kindness
and cherish his request
I dismount & recoup
Heeding his bequest!
Then like a flame rekindling,
Though; not as quickly as it faded
With a streak of determination
You saddle up again…
A dawn of inspiration seeps in slowly, like the morning sun
And brings with it a power, to investigate anon and
With a steely determination
So worn and battle weary,
You acknowledge your, position or condition
And face the day quite cheery!
And with the wisdom of any moment, being yet again undone
You accept what you can
And leave the rest…
unsung!
To all who struggle with this pandemic or any chronic illness, this is for you, just know you are not alone, we are in the best of company!
Quote No.54 from Encourage Yourself Encourage Others by Anne Devine.
Coping during this pandemic takes real courage, actually it takes twice as much courage!
“Choose ways to be actively kind to yourself.” Make time for that walk or bath.
Be creative, when you can’t have a real cinema night, have a home, virtual cinema or “Watch Party” night.
You will be well placed to handle everything life throws at you; family illness, separation, isolation, pain and loss coupled with the fear and uncertainty of this new unknown.
Be extra kind to yourself and others today!
What’s on your list today?
Le grà,
Mindfully Marie xx
Encourage Yourself Encourage Others by Anne Devine. (If you would like your own copy of Anne’s book send your enquiries to info.devinepublishing@gmail.com)
Time and the right conditions not only preserve but bring about something of beauty – Marie Clancy.
In my previous post I wrote about the importance of self-care, you might like to read it 4.Self-care x 10! When you or your children are struggling to cope with bullying it is very important to continue to practice self-care during and after the event. Being bullied can cause strong feelings of loneliness which come from the isolation of bullying. Bullying thrives on isolation and fear. Lack of access to information, lack of support and worse still lack of knowing which way to turn or who to ask for help all serve to enhance the isolation and loneliness you feel!
The loneliness was something I found hardest to cope with as I struggled to find answers and effective support.
But there is help out there. Don’t allow yourself to be rendered voiceless.
I want YOU to know that I am here for YOU and YOU are not alone…reach out, share your concerns and talk about the bullying you or your child are experiencing.
What has been your experience of the loneliness of bullying? How would you describe the loneliness of bullying? How did you overcome it?
Last night’s beautiful Irish sunset. Approaching darkness or embracing light?
Do you see the darkness when you look at this photo or do you see the light?
Do you see people panic buying and paralysed by the unprecedented changes to our daily lives caused by Covid19?
Or do you see ordinary people doing extra-ordinary things to reach out and support one another, in ways not seen before?
This is an opportunity to change our focus,
From
‘What about me?’
to
‘What can I do for you? And then realising, what that just did for me!’
We can all do something with the time we are being given!
What are you doing?
I’m working from home, at least until the 29th of March. After that the future is unclear but that doesn’t matter because we only have to focus on this, one day at a time!
I never thought supporting others with their literacy development by phone, e-mail and online could be so fulfilling. I’m finding myself present in somebody’s isolation. I’m a voice and a listening ear. I’m having conversations about the fear this virus is causing. And in the same conversation I’m talking about the power of being connected to each other and its positive impact on mental well-being. I’m highlighting the importance of distraction and the opportunity to set small learning goals…
Like
Taking a break from news updates
and overwhelming media stories,
To
Setting a goal for this morning
And one more for tonight,
Like
Reading something you enjoy,
Then
Writing the paragraph you just read,
And then selecting two spellings
Breaking them into syllables such as
Information….
In / for / ma / tion
Or
Situation…
Sit / u / a / tion
Then with a sense of satisfaction and achievement,
Time and the right conditions not only preserve but bring about something of beauty – Marie Clancy.
In my previous post on bullying I shared some listening tips I found helpful Read it here
Another important aspect of listening, when bullying is an issue for you or your children, is listening to what your own body is telling you.
When you are stressed you might notice that you behave in ways that are out of character. Examples could include cancelling a day out with a friend, missing time at work or increasing your consumption of food or drink, as a source of comfort. You might realise you feel anxious and ready to snap at those around you. If this sounds very familiar then self-care is the answer.
There is a well known saying… “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” No matter how tough we think we are, any on-going, distressing situation can wear down our resilience and make us want to run as far away as possible from the upset. I’ve been there, many times, when I felt helpless to improve the situation for both our children. I felt totally stressed and unable to concentrate on other aspects of my life.
Thankfully I realised the importance of self-care. I realised I could not be a source of support to others if I did not look after my own health and welfare first.
To be your best self and function at peak capability, particularly at a time of crisis, YOU need to make time and space for YOU.
I can’t emphasise enough, the importance of that last sentence! Self-care might initially involve some professional counselling support for you or your child. Finding a Counsellor or Psychologist experienced in the area of bullying, and building a positive relationship based on trust, will be the corner-stone to making progress.
Another important part of self-care is finding ways to forget your worries. Part of the reason why I developed this blog and called it “Create Space” was to “create” some “space” for me, to zone out from my concerns, and focus instead on my interests and the positives in my life. This creative space helped me recharge. I forgot my worries and built my resilience!
Try to find what lights your fire, whether it is joining a yoga class or having coffee with a friend. Try a walk in the fresh air if you can’t think of anything that would brighted your day. Self-care will nurture your inner child, lift your spirit, help you put things into perspective and clear your head to enable you consider new solutions.
Remember to practice Self-care! Better still practice “Self-care, times 10!”
I hope you found this helpful or maybe you know someone who might find it helpful. I’d love to hear your thoughts. What happens when you neglect self-care? What’s the last thing you did for fun? How does having “me” time make you feel and why would you recommend it?
Create Space 