Embracing change

 Savoring simple daily pleasures

I look forward to and relish all the seasons. My husband is a summer- man and spends his wintry months longing for the warmth and ease of summer days. 

While I do enjoy summer, very much, I don't feel I prefer any one season to another. Each offer their own special and unique qualities and characteristics, which I long for with anticipation every time one starts to show the signs of change. 

Here we are, already moving into March this week! This year feels a little different as we approach autumn as the summer has been so un-summery- Cyclones, storms, floods, earthquakes- its been a bizarre season and frankly quite unnerving. It has absolutely brought our environment and our impact to everyone's attention- even those who were skeptical about climate change can hardly deny what's before them and the destruction and devastation left in the wake of such sever and unprecedented weather. 

Yet still, as I sit on our covered deck with the Cicadas noisily in the background and my two cats flopped in the shade, I am excited for Autumn. I plan to have a quick cull and edit of my wardrobe today in preparation of changing over my clothing for the new season- not quite yet but I like to take stock, donate anything that didn't work for me, refresh it a little and make a note of what I may need to replace, procure, add or change- both for the current season and the one for which we are headed. 

I'm looking forward to finding the perfect sweater I've been looking for, to ordering firewood for our wood burner and open fire place, to getting my cosy scarves out and enjoying feeling chic and pulled together in my various blazers when the weather cools. 

I love the process of puling out the throw blanket's and making the home and especially the family room warm and inviting, changing the candle scents for something more seasonal and associated with the Autumn, and creating and savoring time in the kitchen with seasonal, fresh and preferably local ingredients. Pulling out the cast iron Dutch oven, autumnal stone fruits, and preparing to decorate and celebrate Easter- one of my most favorite times of the year. Even living in a topsy turvy season here at the bottom of the world where Easter is Autumn, not daffodils and bunnies and new growth, but hunkering down and stocking the pantry and layering up for my walks!

I feel like there are several garments I've barely used this summer as the weather has been so unsettled and my beach bag and swimwear isn't full of the tell tale signs of a long hot summer as it would usually be- sand filled, gritty lip balms, and the odd pretty shell collected. 

The mornings are just starting to have a gentle nip to them and a light mist is common in the valleys and dips. But the days soon warm up and its still pleasant in the evenings to keep the big doors open while I cook and we have dinner. 

So I will savor what's left of this summer, be grateful for warm walks, the smell of sunscreen, the sound of Cicadas,  hanging out my laundry, breakfast al fresco and throwing the house open each day; And I will anticipate with great contentment the coming of a new season, and the enchantment of watching the balmy days evolve into Autumns magic. 

 Mother nature

Savoring simple daily pleasures

We are on the cusp of Autumn here, and despite the horrific weather this poor land has done its best to endure over the last few weeks, days like this give hope and promise of a fresh new start, a new season, and the comfort that we get a brand new day each and every day, the seasons roll around as sure as the tides approach and recede. 

There was a pleasant distinctive nip in the air as I set out, and this photo above taken just before 8am captures the mist and the sunlight that is so unique and special to this time of year.  The odd car passed me but for the first part of my walk all i was aware of was the trickle of streams and continual run off from the storm water and heavy rains, the birds and feint roosters calling in the day.  By the time I had looped back for my return trip the heat had suddenly ramped up and the cicadas were almost deafening - reminding me summer is not over yet. 

This is one of my favorite times of the year. I don't look forward to dark mornings and shorter days but the anticipation of the changing colors, of wisps of wood smoke, of crackling fires and of bracing walks when you glow once you're back inside in the warm are all things I look forward to and enjoy. 

This week has been a jumble of emotions, and learning of the tragic passing of a young mother with a daughter the age of my youngest really brought to the fore the fragility of life, and the importance of treasuring time, moments, hugs with loved ones: Savor the everyday moments, for we are fortunate to have these to enjoy day after day, however simple- hanging fresh linen in the sun, sinking in to a bubble bath, relishing your tidied up clean kitchen after a family meal, your morning coffee, a laugh with a dear friend, a good night kiss. 

It is these moment's which make up our every days, and our lives. Be present. Don't rush them away in a plight to complete your to do list. 

Breathe deep. Enjoy. 

To be grateful for your health, a roof over your head, to have a safe place and enough income to provide for the necessities. Remembering as our income expends often so do our list of necessities. What we truly need is much less than we frequently persuade ourselves we depend on. 

Today was a truly Saturday-ish Saturday. A full, and fulfilled day. Beautiful meals prepared at home - a sumptuous yet simple dinner and a decadent breakfast outside with the birds as my background soundtrack.  Time in the garden clearing up from the storm in full summer heat,  time with my eldest daughter, a local walk observing the dramatic cloud formations, and a soak in the bath with peppermint tea and the rain pattered. Simple perfection. And a brand new day tomorrow… with, dare I say it… more sunshine forecast …

 Silver linings 

Savoring simple daily pleasures

Our poor waterlogged land is bracing itself for another almighty deluge brought by high winds in the form of Cyclone Gabrielle.  

Under more usual circumstances, a cyclone of this magnitude would be frightening enough, but on the back of the huge storm damage suffered the country is on tenterhooks. 

I was shocked and saddened to witness the aftermath of panic buying today as I popped in to my local supermarket and green grocers and butchers to buy a few items we would need regardless of weather. Shelves completely empty and great gaps where product deemed essential would have been. 

Apart from one or two items- (any bread whatsoever!) I got what we needed and nothing extra. I had just passed a very pleasant couple of hours with a dear friend for a long over due chat and catchup. We sat in a cozy window seat watching the village buzzing past and the strong pre cyclone breeze providing some welcome cool. 

But what has been especially lovely these past days is everyone's sense of concern and care for their communities. Checking in, making sure friends and neighbors are ok, offering help, lending items, giving advice and support. Its heartwarming to see, in the face of such uncertainty - people really do care. They band together to shelter, provide and care. 

While schools await further instruction as to if they will open on Monday, students are somewhat comforted by the fact they are in this together. A sense of comradeship which helps to alleviate angst and worry to an extent. 

We feel we are waiting...not quite believing it will hit as hard as predicted but being ultra cautious with provisions, plans, preventative measures any way- just in case. 

And through all this the unthinkable catastrophe in Turkey and Syria unfolds. More than many of us can comprehend. And still....hope, fellowship. A woman pulled alive after over 100 hours buried in rubble, tiny babies- alive! Fighting to stay with us. The joy and relief on the rescuers faces match by the grief and terror on those waiting to find loved ones. 

Humanity is an amazing thing. In amongst the rubble, the bombs, the floods- people care. They are GOOD. They have hope and spirit. 

It makes me involuntarily take a literal and mental deep breath. To take stock. to be so grateful for what I have. Not least a safe healthy family and a roof over our heads. 

The unctuous smooth comfort of the pillowy pizza dough I made tonight for dinner, the beautiful belated birthday flowers from a friend and the warm gentle glow from a light yoga stretch before getting ready for bed. 

As I type the wind is strengthening outside my windows and my scented candle is flickering. 

I'm going to run a bath, pop my computer and phone on to charge, and take a few moments to connect with family overseas. To tell them they are in my thoughts and I love them. 

I'm going to slip in between my fresh sheets in my safe bed and drift off with a feeling of peace and wellbeing as I listen to the storm grow. 

Tomorrow is a brand new day

 Contentment in tea

I've always enjoyed teas of many varieties. From the idea of "popping the kettle on" to "Makin' a brew" to high tea in a fine dining establishment or high end hotel. 

The anticipation of taking that moment, to choosing what tea cup or mug, a pot, a bag, loose leaf, shared or solitary.

My grandmother was a big tea lady- the whole of that side of my family are pretty significant tea drinkers actually. Served out side during warmer months- after her obligatory "forty winks" siesta or nap, always SPODE blue Italian, always loose leaf in a pot - she preferred a blend of Assam and Lapsang souchong. And unfailingly with a nibble of something deliciously simple and mostly quintessentially English. As I write I can smell the comforting dependable wafts of what my children call - Bacon Tea (Lapsang is smoked and woody and has a very distinctive and strong aroma). IN the winter time tea would be served as we sat on big plush gulumpty sofas around a roaring fire my grandfather tended to.  it drew any family who happened to be close by- cousins, Aunty, Uncle pussy cats, dogs- neighbor and villagers. All were welcome. It was just tea, with cake- Grannies chocolate sponge with her version of icing which consisted of melted chocolate poured on top of the cake and dotted with smarties. The milk was in a jug- and more often than not was cream or very nearly. The culture then wasn't to offer more than that, or to assume it may become wine or aperitifs, it was tea. Convivial and communal - and an essential part of everyday. Throughout the day. 

My grandparents mornings- for as long as i can remember - with my Grandfather making the tea as soon as he rose- in colder months re kindling the fire with bellows as the tea brewed. His was ALWAYS in an enormous oversized cup and sauce, grannies was in the more demure Spode, and always accompanied by two rich tea biscuits...and for grannie, always in bed! 

I so enjoy taking the time to make tea and savor it. It doesn't happen every day- and I'm a HUGE coffee girl. Its rare for me to take tea before the afternoon but for many years my days started with Earl Grey- no milk or sugar.  I almost always have some kind of tea in the evening - often chamomile, lavender or peppermint- never caffeinated. 

I love the ritual and occasion of choosing the serve ware- depending on mood, season, company, and the tea itself. Pairing the tea with whatever afternoon tea treat I may have planned or baked. Paris Earl Grey, Darjeeling, A flavored specialty black tea or a fruit tea. 

Tea parties when my girls were little, endless tea parties with various dolls and teddys as guests...and the cat more often than not. I remember making my Mother drink cappuccinos I'd made in the bath with the bubbles!

This week I was able to enjoy a long over due catch up on a rainy afternoon over a pot of tea with a friend here at my home, served in a proper tea pot, on a tray. Simple and elegant but just right. Today, after such an unbelievable week of wild wet weather and the carnage it left in its wake, we took the girls to an adventure park with a friend each for some thrill seeking adrenaline pumping fun- I took a moment- just one, to sit in the shade at the café with a pot of peppermint tea, savoring the moment and feeling so grateful for all of it.

I remember a holiday in Cornwall (one of several each year with my Mother) where we stopped in to visit a friend of hers I didn't know very well. We were taken on a tour of their beautiful home and shown around the garden where we were offered tea- it was a sizzling hot English summers day, but I have never felt my thirst so quenched as I did that day drinking tea in that beautiful picturesque garden. I remember vividly being astounded that a hot beverage could be so welcome while sitting in the heat of the sun. A turning point in my tea story...and a right of passage to claim to be truly English. 

 "Deeper appreciation and deeper awareness of what we value and care for, increases quickly, and in abundance when we are awakened to how fortunate we were to have it in our lives in the first place"

Shannon Ables 

I read this tonight as I finally soaked in a somewhat ochre coloured bath after a dramatic, adrenaline fueled and quite extraordinary 24 hours.

As I so often find with my reading material, but especially Shannons, fate, luck or The Lord has it that what I happen to read on a certain day is uncannily apt and so appropriate and relevant to that exact day. 

We have just had sever flooding and slips and general devastation from unprecedented rain fall here in Auckland. The likes of which have never been recorded here before. To put an element of perspective on it, I learned on the news this evening that we generally consider 6ml of rain in a single hour "heavy rain" Yesterday we had 72ml in that time. 

Roads crumbled and fell away, gardens were converted to rushing brown torrents, intersections were fierce rivers with wheelie bins and cars bobbing about in them. Our own garden suffered considerable damage with our pretty trickling stream charging over its banks, taking grit, boulders, mud, logs and heavy garden furniture with it while carving a new path through our lawn and pushing our retaining wall over by a good meter.  Breathtaking, frightening and in a way Awesome- in its true sense of the word. The sheer force of the water to carry such debris, push past anything in its way or take it too.  

Heartwarmingly the sense of community was enormous. Many texts and messages- before and after we lost power, people bailing out neighbours, scraping drains with spades, directing traffic, offering advise and alternative routes, checking on wellbeing, seeing where help was needed most. Both last night as the storm raged and in the humid still of this morning as the neighborhood- and indeed the city, woke to survey the extent of the damage, the flooding, the aftermath. The predominant sounds of cars driving through rivers of water and sirens near and far. 

Tragically, some lost their lives. But most came together. helped, pitched in, donned gum boots and brushes and walked out to do what was needed. 

It has been a long day, we have helped neighbors' and community, strangers and friends- not one person complained. no one was cross or angry or bitter. it was a privilege to witness such humanity, such support, kinship and comradery. 

Much of the mess is still there, more rain is to come, but people have done what they can. To secure, make safe, clean and minimize.

Family and friends have reached out to check in and send love. 

I am so very grateful to have my home still, my cozy bed, electricity and my family safely here.

Our garden may be scared, but compared to many, our damage in minimal. But my heart is full.

There is still so much good in the world among the chaos , we just have to look for it. 

I am ready to savor my inviting bed, begin reading a new book, and look forward to a fresh new day tomorrow. 

 Turning a situation around

Savoring simple daily pleasures

I had a moment today. I could feel it building and my emotions running high- due to a myriad of reasons but lack of sleep a huge contributor.

My husband is currently over seas, my eldest is away with a friend, so for a few days its been just me and our younger daughter. 

Mostly, (apart from the slightly empty panic I always feel after an airport goodbye) it's actually been quite relaxed and we've enjoyed each others company and little rituals we've developed just for the few days. The weather has finally brought us summer back so we've been eating al fresco, taking evening walks together, snuggling up early in my bedroom for quiet time before bed and having a gentle time. 

I never sleep well when my husband is away- which is very infrequently luckily, but after a VERY early start to get him to the airport a few days ago, then disturbed sleep and waking even earlier than usual, my longed for bank of 8 hour restorative sleeps was lost, and my emotions ran high. 

When I awoke at 4.30am I'd already reasoned with myself I didn't have to run today, to listen to my body- it's important not to let fitness routines slip often, but equally important to embrace a gentler day occasionally. So I pottered down to the deck with my nightdress and a shawl, fed the cats, made coffee and finished my book as the sun rose and grew warmer. My favorite time of day. I was trying to be mindful and nurture myself, I changed after finishing my book and did some Yoga and took a shower. Good. right track. I can do this.....

I was also SO hungry. Unusually hungry- Famished! Which I've been battling of late and is out of character- especially in the mornings. So I prepared my self a substantial breakfast of "not quite" oatmeal with lots of added goodness and protein and fats to try and build my self back up- I always find a highly increased apatite when I'm over tired. (That and a niggly sore throat- first signs I'm running too low) 

It doesn't matter what the final trigger was (A sunscreen incident that did NOT warrant my over reaction)

But shortly after my giant breakfast and coffee I lost my temper and got very tearful and emotional. Totally unnecessarily so. My Poor darling girl got the brunt of it- although very short lived with much hugging and apologizing afterwards. 

Anyway, I was still in a bit of a state and highly emotional as we left to go to our local beach with one of my daughter friends. In fact tears were streaming down my face as I sat in the car. Something was a miss. 

Almost instantaneously as we parked and found a spot on the beach my anxiety and state began to ebb away. We found a grassy spot with the sparkling shore line not far from our toes, lay down and allowed the suns rays to beat down on us. 

I was then able to think clearly, breath deeper, and even analyze somewhat why I'd reacted so. 

After a while of baking myself and reading I left the girls chatting happily and took a walk to the end of the beach and back. At the furthest point there was not another sole and only dots of people in the far distance and a few silhouettes of fisherman on the wharf beyond the rocks where I stood.

I stayed there for several long moments taking deep, conscious breaths. Watching the gulls, listening to the gentle waves and the trickle of the waterfall behind me. All was well. My lungs filled and my heart soared.

Now, these blog posts are to uplift and  inspire primarily - so this is not intended to be a tale of woe or bring you down. It is about taking the time if you can, (And you must sincerely try)  to acknowledge your triggers, making space- physically and mentally to accept and deal with them, and finding all the wonderful things still very much present to be so grateful for. To appreciate. To savor. 

I was disappointed in myself as I felt I was letting my self down with such a fierce and gloomy reaction. But to flip it the other way - it was quite incredible that I was able to flip it around so quickly - from sitting in a hot car in 32 degrees with tears gathering at the bottom of my sunglass lenses, to feeling rejuvenated, alive and full of hope and promise- within less that an hour. 

Moments before I took the walk I happened upon a quote in the novel I was reading that had come to my attention through no less than 3 different paths in just a few days- a clear message for me. 

"If one advances confidently, in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours" Thoreau in WALDEN

If that's not a sign to stay positive and keep striving forward, I don't know what is. 

The change of environment was an enormous part of that healing and calming process. A big lesson for me. I was also able to reflect and be honest with my self about things that were troubling me before the tiredness had its unwanted affect. Things I wasn't quite acknowledging or allowing space. Too hard. Too unpleasant. Some resentment even. 

A dip in the ocean at the end of my beach walk was so refreshing and almost cathartic. physically and symbolically washing away those feeling and starting a fresh.

So when I took another walk later in the afternoon I was able to process and deal with those issues, decide on resolutions or ways to alleviate or solve them. So now, I sit here on my deck as the light fades, listing to soft jazz drifting out of the house, after enjoying a sumptuous meal I thoroughly enjoyed preparing and savoring, waiting for my daughter to arrive home - and I'm feeling boyant. Hopeful, positive. tomorrow is full of promise.

Now some peppermint tea and a shower to was the salt, sand and sunscreen off before- I sincerely hope, a restful, long sleep. 

Bon Nuit 

 Savoring Simple daily pleasures

I had a minor wobble this week- just momentary, but it got me thinking.

I had a birthday a few days ago - which although the number itself wasn't particularly significant, really made me take note of how fast the last year flew by. Having recently begun my 2023 diary and taken a minute to re read what I'd written as goals in my last years diary made me realize even more deeply that, time flies. 

Don't let it. Hold on to it a savor the present. 

As a child I was so eager to grow up. I couldn't wait to be old enough to have my ears pierced, drive, write a cheque (!) wear high heels and lipstick. Well, now at the tender age of forty something I can say to my youthful list - check, check, check and check. (Although I don't write cheques anymore as they are obsolete!)  

But I am choosing to look for all the good things yet to come, and anticipate, accomplish and achieve- with some good heath, luck and God's will, I am only half way though my life, and in so many ways we have done such an enormous amount so far, what's to stop us learning, developing, growing and continuing to reach for the future- for the next however many decades we are graced to be here!?

My Grandmother started learning the Italian Language well into her 80's. 

Only our minds, and maybe eventually our bodies, can limit us. Doubting yourself is normal, letting it stop you is a choice.

I am excited to embark on this new chapter, new season of my life. I cant wait to immerse myself in my writing, to finally get my written word out there in some capacity, to enjoy my growing and increasingly independent children, to take overseas trips and adventures with my husband or a dear friend, to cultivate a garden which flourishes, to SAVOR my simple routines and pleasures - like daily walks,  preparing a decadent sophisticated meal, taking a bubble bath, enriching my knowledge and reading lists. 

We have the power to CHOOSE to be optimistic, and positive about the years ahead of us. to take our lives and lead them to where we wish to go, not just allow them to unfold and accept them for what they are, but to have the courage to make change, go after a dream, and believe in ourselves. 

None of these things come without some inevitable worry, angst even, apprehension - but nothing can change in the direction we wish to go, just by willing it to happen. We have to work- to earn it. We have to in some ways embrace the fears and let them present themselves so we can be brave, and over come them. 

"Doubts in your mind are a much greater road block to success than obstacles' on your journey"

I'd do well to remember this too....

"The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt" SYLVIA PLATH

 Savor/ Save

These are the words I have chosen to inspire, propel and guide me through this year, 2023. 

To take the moments to savor, enjoy and appreciate my life and to earnestly save in all capacities. 

Save financially- I have some fairly lofty, but achievable, financial goals this year- if I can be consistent and disciplined.  I want to make it work- I want to relish the freedom it affords to know certain things are not hanging over me, to know there's rainy day money, and future proofing. I also know I am capable of being disciplined enough - I have already achieved goals that, for me, were pretty huge; giving up alcohol entirely, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise regimen. 

I also want to be mindful of wastage- I'm generally pretty good at using what food and fresh produce we have - but I can definitely be more frugal, and more mindful. I'd like to grow more in terms of herbs and other vegetables we can enjoy from the garden. In the past I've been guilty of both successfully growing plenty of what we wont eat, or enthusiastically planting seedlings to pretty much abandon them and leave them to fend for them selves. My Grandfather- an exceptional green fingered gentleman, would not be impressed. 

I'm looking forward to introducing a new regular routine of seeking out the local Farmers Markets on a Saturday, or walking up to the Village to enjoy a coffee and bringing home the newspaper and some fresh croissants from the exceptional Bakery. Supporting local. And I believe if I've invested my time and money in seeking these higher quality items, I will use them differently, give them greater regard than something I shopped online for from a vast grocery store chain, (possiblyincluding produce from Zimbabwe, Australia, Holland)- which was then delivered to my porch. That I didn't even choose myself from the selection in front of me.  

Needs must of course, and I became proficient and a frequent user of on line grocery ordering when I was working full time and didn't want my precious weekend taken up with a busy, stressful, supermarket trip: and then from necessity during the pandemic and lockdowns. It most definitely has its place. But I'm more than ready for it to take a less prominent one now. As long as I don't over buy because it looks so inviting and romantic or evocative of a rural existence- I must only purchase what we'll use/ need- and enjoy and SAVOR observing what else is on offer and displayed. 

Wastage with consumerism too- being mindful of buying things on a whim, clothing that's just on special but I don't really have space or need for. Another candle. Something that catches my eye at the grocery store,  an item someone has that I impulsively decide I'd like too. 

I would like to work on moderation and PATIENCE; saving for something and anticipating it, rather than more often than not, my burning desire to have it then and there. And how often does the sparkle and lure of that thing- whatever it was that we HAD to have, dull very quickly, and we don't desire it as much? In fact, it invariably becomes clutter or in a donation pile, It wasn't carefully considered and thought though. It was impulsive. I really need to work on that. Really. Ask my Husband.

I took a lovely walk with a friend and colleague this week,  and we discussed the merits of waiting and not paying full price. If you have some patience and foresight, if you can keep a little record of what you need for upcoming seasons with regards to your wardrobe in particular, what needs replacing, where there's a gap, you can be fairly savvy when it comes to buying on sale and waiting until items are reduced - or making big purchases during big sale discount weekend like Black Friday or Boxing Day sales. It so happened that my friend and I had both purchased the same beautiful, high quality, wool coat- in different colour's, (in a classic trench style, therefore seemingly a wise investments as it's timeless) and within two to three months it was reduced by a whopping 60%!! On a big ticket item that's a huge saving. And would have been well worth the wait. 

I am consciously being more mindful with my time and savoring precious moments. So often we don't realize how precious they are until they're gone.  This may simply be a quite moment enjoying coffee and watching a kingfisher on his branch from your deck,  taking deep breaths of fresh air, listening to the rain fall as you cozily read in bed, or watching your child tear open their Christmas stocking, the magic of Christmas twinkling around them, knowing one day, they'll be part of that magic in a different way. They'll grow up. 

Improving the quality of our everydays by shifting our perceptions of what they offer us.

Time to breathe, time to savor and time to notice all the little things around us. It’s so easy to get bogged down, not look up from the treadmill of our hectic schedules, and forget to take a moment, to notice, appreciate, savor and allow ourselves to be enchanted by lifes wonderful and plentiful delights and pleasures. 

One of my most favorite rituals at this time of year is to wake up when my body is ready- (I’m an early bird so this is usually well before 6am), I take a few moments to watch the trees from my bed and listen to the birdsong of the dawn chorus, then I head down stairs, greet my cats and give them breakfast, take a long drink of water, then take coffee outside on the deck- usually with my husband, and begin to let the day unfold. Feeling the breeze, the freshness and promise of a brand new day, watching the birds busily twitter and flitter- taking time to observe their habits and take some time to savor my coffee, my home and this moment. 

Its so uplifting, and makes me feel as tho anything is possible- which it absolutely is!  It sets me up mentally for the days tasks- feeling excited and enthused to enjoy every moment. 

Now, I live in the real world, as do you; and it is impossible to be happy ALL day- ALL the time- but its much less impossible, in fact its really very possible, to feel grateful, grounded and CONTENTED for much of it. 

We just need to train ourselves to shift our perceptions, find opportunities, and appreciate simple pleasures- like my piping hot espresso watching the native birds, or climbing into freshly laundered sheets at the end of a full and productive day. Im currently typing while a summer rain storm lashes at the open windows and the strong gusts of wind whistle through. I couldn't feel more contented.  This moment, right now, is perfect. It's exactly where I’m meant to be. 

I’m continuously having to remind myself and retrain myself to honor these precious pauses. 

I’ve learnt the hard way that not allowing myself a breath of air, some time with a book, enjoying a pot of tea or a rejuvenating green juice- results in debilitating stress on my mind and body. You can absolutely do it all- you just cant do everything at once. Life is made up of these moments - of everyday rituals and habits and chores- they all string together to make our life story- many more of them compile who we are than the big momentous events, as grand and as important as they are. Our every days are just that. Every day. 

Take a moment, right now, and look up, look around you. There will be something to be grateful for, to inspire you, to point you in the direction of what true contentment means for you, and the path you need to follow to arrive there.