well-being

To See Myself

| Sheree

Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.

There are some days when I get into a funk. When I allow things to get on top of me.

Responsibilities, commitments, inadequacies. Boredom, shame, guilt.

This is when I know I need to get into my body and get into a loving relationship with self. I need to silence the crap rolling around in my head about my self and this world we live in and start loving on myself.

Taking myself on a Photowalk outside as well as inside brings me joy.

The act of moving and recording it, making a record of it brings me right back into the present and helps me to realise what a blessing life really is.

A life not to be wasted away on useless, soul destroying negative self- talk and that crippling sense of failure.

Nah looking myself in the eyes and still being able to smile at myself for myself brings me joy.!

This Week

| Sheree

The aim this month was to turn up here everyday and post something; words, images. Anything. Anything that would be used as evidence of my presence. Of my joy and my gratitude.

And now I look and see I’ve missed the last 7 days. And for now I don’t have the energy to go back over this week and pull out the good parts. Or maybe even the bad.

I just know that time is fleeting and speeding. Before we know it, we’ll be in 2024. And I’m not sure I want to waste any more time living in the past.

I’m wanting more and more to live in the present. This is what I’m grateful for; the time and means and ability to live in the present. Live/ love with each day as it comes.

Chopwell Woods

Gratitude for my body

| Sheree
Whitley Bay, 12 December 2023

I’ve spent decades hating on my body.

Too big, too fat, too black for most spaces, places, people. So I thought or was lead to believe.

I’ve spent decades trying to get rid of my body.

Make it smaller, make it thinner, make it whiter. All the time knowing I was wasting my time, energy and money. But that didn’t stop me.

I was hard wired into chasing the perfect body, the ideal standard of beauty. Which just wasn’t me and my body.

Slowly, with care, self-love, mindset changes and practice, I’m learning to appreciate my body and all the spaces and places and people she takes me.

Through my body I get to experience this world and all its terrible beauty. And right now, as that’s all we can depend on/ should focus on/ breathe into, I’m loving on my body from the inside out.

I’m offering her grace and compassion as she continues to move me through this world. Allowing me to be here, {being} myself in all my fucked up glory.

And isn’t that fucking awesome!

Today my body walked me into the sea to remind me to feel again. To remind me I’m alive again. To remind me that we are only here for a short, brief time so shouldn’t we try to squeeze all the feels, sweet and not so sweet, out of it while we’re here?

My body supports me in this mission.

Every. Single. Moment.

Thank you x

Not quite ready yet

| Sheree

I’ve been receiving emails from newsletters that I subscribe to detailing end of year round ups and reflections. And I’m not sure I’m ready yet to step into that energy. I’m still living the year in front of me now – day by day. To let me just linger in the moments. Linger in the awareness of time passing. Winter’s here and the geese are getting fat an all that. But even in these times of worry, brutality and violence, let us to a moment to breathe and give thanks.

Loch Lomond

| Sheree

The calming waters of Loch Lomond graced us as we walked yesterday. After heavy rainfall over the weekend, the Loch was swollen and flooded the West Highland Way in parts.

It’s funny how that can be a cause for concern in terms of getting wet but then not thinking twice about stripping off and getting the whole body wet for a dip!

It was so worth it though.

Is it a Selkie?

Gratitude is a must!

| Sheree

I fell out of the practice. And feel out of practice too.

Maybe I got complacent. Maybe I got into a funk. Let’s just say for a time there, I found nothing to be grateful for. My glass was half empty, as they say.

And then I had a moment. A moment of realisation. A moment of shaking myself into consciousness. A moment of clarity.

I have a lot in my life to be grateful for. I have an abundance of reasons to be leaning into joy rather than gloom. I’m alive for one and get to choose how I live my life. Duh!

So I’m resurrecting my gratitude practice which I’ve let slide for the last month. I know when I’m practicing gratitude, my outlook on life, my life, all life is much greener. Much more hopeful. Much more honest.

So today I’m grateful for the time and space to laze in bed until I’m ready to get up. I’m grateful for this time and space to listen to my body and rest. I’m grateful today to have a bed to laze and rest in with a roof over my head, protecting me from the rain, from the elements, from the man-made destructive world. Outside. I’m thankful that I can retreat from the world and heal.

Today I’m grateful to have family and friends in my life. I’m grateful to be loving, loveable and loved. Love is the most powerful energy there is and I’m grateful to recognise it when I give and receive it.

Summer Summer Summer

| Sheree

Mid July has come and gone and the summer holidays are nearly upon us, and my life do I need a rest. So rest I will be doing. Well resting from the public eye. It might seem as if nothing is happening here because I might not be posting as often as I’d like. But let me tell you, behind the scenes I’m still beavering away. But I’m fixing now to rest. Rest into my practice that hold me at times of upheaval and trouble.

So I’ll be walking, dog walking, writing, journaling, dreaming on paper, yoga, mindfulness, good food and drink and catching up with friends. What I’ll be sharing here are images. Images of the good stuff and living. As I have to remind myself (and you maybe also) that it’s all about the joy. Or it should be and if you’re not feeling it then make plans to get yourself some. JOY.

Not quite wild yet

| Sheree

The heat has been on for the last week or so and then today a downpour that didn’t seem to want to stop. But it was needed. There needs to be some kind of release.

I’m in the thick of organising house moves and exhibitions and lectures and just writing them gives me a headache never mind completing it all. And complete it I will do as that’s what I do. But at what cost to my health and sanity?

Today I’m resting for some and then doing/ working for some. Breaking up the rests with work instead of the other way around. And it’s working. I feel better, lighter and more productive but never doing more than I can handle.

I have loose ends that need to be tied up which are sapping my energy but some things are just out of my control. So I’m sitting with these uncomfortable feelings trusting in the ancients that they will allow things to turn out for the best for me.

I have to believe it when I get lost in the mix or start to doubt the path I’m on. That the universe has my back. That these things happen for a reason. I just wish sometimes things where a bit easier for me.