15 seconds of Trees
series
The Goddess of Rest in County Dublin
The Goddess of Rest pt. 4
Peak District Excursions
The Goddess of Rest pt. 3
The Goddess of Rest pt.2
What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?
The Goddess of Rest
Rest is important to me after a lifetime of hustling and running on empty to be the most productive person alive. All to be loved . All to be accepted. All to be successful on somebody else’s terms.
Not anymore. Nine years ago my eyes were forced open to the system. This grind culture. White Supremacy Culture. This only getting your worth from what you do rather than who you be.
No I no longer buy into that crap.
Rest is paramount for me these days as I’ve realised I cannot fulfil all things I want to do in my pursuit of joy and purpose if I do not take my right amount of rest. If I do not stop and smell the roses and {BE}.
This summer I’m taking an extended rest and the Goddess has come visiting as a result.
The Goddess will be showing up this summer because she can. Because she’s ready. Because she has further things to teach me.
Update – Mamathon
As I was saying over in the introduction to the recent episode released from The Earth Sea Love Podcast, apart from the year flying by, May was the month that kicked my butt. It’s officially going down as the worst month of 2023, so far for me. But hey I’m still here to tell the tale and I’m grateful for that.
I have to give some credit to still being here and getting through the trenches down to my walking practice of May. I completed the Mamathon as hosted by Girltrek and clocked up 53 miles. Of course I did more walking than that in May but these are the miles that were recorded with my Garmin watch. Just trying to keep everything recorded so I knew when I hit the miles, I knew I was banking them towards this challenge.
I’m so glad I took up this task. I started it with Miss Ella and finished it with Miss Ella yesterday afternoon. Even though she was full of cold she joined me to mark the occasion. I also went over on my right foot again. Same place / same injury as the one that stopped me completing the West Highland Way last year. But I’ve been icing and elevating it as well as walking on it today. A bit swollen and bruised but okay to walk on.
And I’m pleased about that as I would be most upset if I was out of action again just when I feel as if I’ve gotten into some kind of walking routine. Girltrek are running their Black History Bootcamp podcast this year again, which entails 21 days of meditations of Black stories are shared. So I’m just gonna keep on walking in June to the sounds of this podcast and clock up some more miles.
The West Highland Way is on again this year. Birthday week with dear friend, Alex, we’re walking the way together. More details to follow. Already excited about completing it. See what I did there? The power of positive energy. It usually get’s me through. Got me through May. Thank you very much.
Happy June.
May Gratitudes
May 2023, will go down as the month that kicked my butt. Hard.
On so many fronts, and with many changes and challenges. Maybe I’m being melodramatic in the scheme of things. In the scheme of things, my life and challenges are small and insignificant. But it’s my life. And hell if I don’t pay attention to it. {BE} in it. Present.
I’m glad May is over and I have that beginning of a new month kind of excited vibe. But before I jump into June, I’d like to give thanks for what May has delivered to my door. The good and the bad. As I believe, even the bad, difficulties and pains, turn out to be blessings later on down the line. I just have to keep the faith and trust that all will be revealed in time.
For now I’m grateful for:
- the late night walks with the sun just going down and a chill in the air.
- the pleasant company of Miss Ella when she’s in a good mood! And also when she’s not as she still makes me laugh!
- the bonds of friendship with people near and far, for long and short periods of time.
- the opportunity to share my words with other people.
- the opportunity to share my artworks with other people
- the success of applications submitted.
- the rejections of applications submitted as they always give me the opportunity to reflect and refocus.
- the promise of a restful summer.
- the green plants that keep me company and lift my mood.
- the morning black coffee and dark brown sugar.
- the comfort of hot noodles.
- the roof above my head for now.
- icepacks, and comfy sofas, YouTube content and music.
- humour, wherever it comes from.
- my body, big or small, young and old, she has always been there for me.
- late night conversations.
- single malt whiskey.
- the dawn chorus.
- workshops and readings facilitated by others that really support my creative practice.
- morning pages, visual journaling and words/ images/collage.
- an endless supply of brown moving boxes and tape.
- selling, donating, giving books away and feeling lighter in the process.
- scented candles and afternoon breezes.
- the sea, always the sea and more!
Take a moment …
to list three things you are grateful for right now!
Right now in this moment I am grateful for:
a good night’s sleep and waking up refreshed.
a day of sunshine and space to create.
the love and support I receive from friends and family and the universe.
Living Wild Studios 