fatigue – Page 11 – make today happy

More days of happy: Red Red Robin

Being mindful by looking out for robins:

I love robins. I really really love them.

I’ve loved them ever since I performed a tap dance with my dance school to the brilliant Red Red Robin song when I about 8 years old. Yes, me… on a real stage with real people watching!! Argh!!

I love everything about the nation’s favourite bird. I love their bright red breasts which makes them out from the crowd. I love their year-round melodic birdsong which really cheers my day. I love their loyalty to the area in which they were born, rarely straying. And I love their presence around Christmastime, on cards, jumpers and all-things festive.

Surprisingly and disappointingly I don’t see them very often. We used to have a robin visit our garden occasionally, but I haven’t seen him for a while.

It’s one of the few birds I consciously look out for on my soul strolls.

And I’ve been lucky enough to spot two in the last few days!

WooHoooooooooo!!

On our way back from the health shop we stopped for a short soul stroll through a park, and I heard him before I saw him. I was over-the-moon to spot him and pleased-as-punch to be able to capture him before he flew away.

And I laughed when I got home when I realised I was wearing my robin jumper – now christened my ‘good luck robin jumper’!

This morning was a real treat. On my regular walking route into town, I’ve spotted a robin a couple of times. But he’s always flown away before I’ve been able to snap him – such a tease!

As I passed the spot today, I started to sing the Red Red Robin song as I kept my eye open for this seemingly elusive bird. And to my delight, he appeared a little further along, sitting on a branch, singing his heart out. Clearly he was showing me how the song is really sung! Again I managed to quickly capture him before he flew away.

Happy red robin days.

Act of kindness #2: Warming messages

Being kind by putting up kindness messages around town:

On this chilly foggy morning, I needed to visit my favourite health food shop to pick up a few essentials and thought I’d sprinkle a little kindness around in the hope of bringing a warm sunny smile to the early morning shoppers.

Armed with some of my kindness cards upon which I’d written my favourite message: “You are AMAZING – if you forget that, please read this again” and a blob of Blu-Tack, my lovely mum and I ventured into the town centre.

Here’s where I stuck my kindness cards:

Kindness Card #1: The car park’s Give Way sign

Kindness Card #2: The pillar facing the main doors of supermarket

Kindness Card #3: A lovely ornate lamppost between the supermarket and the high street

Kindness Card #4: Inside a cafe’s menu

Kindness Card #5: Another ornate lamppost on the busy high street

Kindness Card #6: The bark of a tree in the middle of the town’s square

Kindness Card #7: And perhaps my favourite place of all-time, on the lapel of the brilliant ‘Beeman’ sculpture

If you spotted one of my kindness messages this morning, I’d love to hear if it made you smile in the comments below…

More days of happy: 7 things I love about March

Being grateful for the month of March:

It’s finally here: one of my favourite months of the year.

I woke up feeling pretty excited this morning. And after making sure the first words I spoke were “white rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits” to bring good luck for this shiny new month, I couldn’t wait to turn the page of my wall calendar and say a big fabulous Hello! to March.

Here are my top 7 reasons why I love this marvellous month:

1. Spring is here
After the cosy hibernation of the long winter months, there’s a delicious scent of fresh starts in the air. As spring arrives, I feel myself going through a metamorphosis and am ready to spread my wings.

2. Mother Nature in bloom
After the barren tones of winter, it’s such a joy to spot lush green leaves sweeping over the bare branches and bright colourful flowers popping up everywhere. I’ve already been excitedly spotting snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses, and even some early spring blossom. Bring it on!

3. Dawn chorus
As migrating birds begin to return and year-round birds start singing for mates, it’s such a treat to hear the skies come alive with the sound of morning birdsong and I continue to enjoy their joyful tunes all day long.

4. Lighter longer days
Hooray for longer and lighter days as we head towards Daylight Savings. Waking up to an earlier sunrise and enjoying a later sunset is an instant mood booster and I love that it starts to bring people outside once again.

5. Warmer temperatures
As we leave behind the winter chill for the warmer days of spring, I’m always relieved to shed my heavy winter coat, hat, scarf and gloves, as well as the winter blues. I love being able to get out into nature so much more, feeling lighter and brighter with a spring in my step.

6. Easter
As well as enjoying the 4-day holiday and treasured family time, I have to confess I do look forward to lifting my year-round ban on sugar to enjoy a yummy Easter Egg and a Hot Cross Bun or two.

7. My birthday
There are a fair few celebrations in March: birthdays, anniversaries, and Mother’s Day to name a few. And the excitement builds to my birthday which falls on the 29th. I’m happy to admit I’m a real Birthday Princess and think birthdays are a wonderful opportunity to do something really lovely – the CFS condition has made this a challenge over the last few years, but I still try to enjoy this special day.

So these are my favourite things about March. What do you love about March? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below…

Day 99: My kind Valentine

Being kind by leaving love-filled goodie bags on car windscreens in the hospital car park:

Happy Valentine’s Day! And Happy International Random Act of Kindness Week!

So why not combine the two, me thinks!!

How about some Valentine’s Day Kindness Bags filled with love-themed goodies?

And being joined by my helpful nephew Callum, I have all the ingredients for the sweetest Valentine’s Day EVER!!

I’ve been planning this ever since my Random Act of Christmas Kindness. One of my favourite kindness acts so far, I loved choosing what to put inside my festive goodie bags and it gave me such pleasure leaving them on car windscreens at my doctor’s surgery.

But most of all I was incredibly moved by a response I received from a lovely lady who received one of these bags (see the comments section if you’d like to read it).

So the day is finally here, hooray!.

And I’m over-the-moon that my seven-year-old nephew Callum wants to help me. I love what a big heart he has and how his teacher is always commenting on how kind and helpful he is.

So earlier this morning we spread our loot across my bed, and had fun packing our 20 kindness goodie bags.

Into each clear bag, we popped: a red foil-wrapped chocolate heart, a mini packet of Love Heart sweeties, a mini chocolate bar, a highlighter pen, some heart stickers, a handful of heart-shaped jewels, and a feather or two.

We wrote kindness messages on my Kindness Cards. Callum carefully writing: You are amazing, and adding his name and age on a few. So sweet. And we also included a ‘You Are Loved’ card I’d made using one of my favourite nature photos I took last year, with a little explanation about our Random Act of Kindness on the reverse.

Excited and ready for action, we drove down to the City Hospital and parked up.

Although it was freezing, our hearts were warmed as together we placed our kindness bags on the car windscreens.

We even had the chance to give someone one of our kindness bags face-to-face: we spotted a lady heading into the hospital and ran across to hand-deliver a goodie bag. She seemed really happy to receive it.

We hope that when the owner/s returned to their cars after their appointment or visit or work-shift, they will be surprised.

And we really hope our little act of kindness will make a few people smile and feel happy, especially on this love-filled day.

Last week, I told the Nottingham Post about our little Valentine’s adventure, and we were interviewed and snapped by our city’s newspaper while in the midst of our good deed. Once the feature goes out, I will post the link here:

We then celebrated with a trip to our local Costa for a well-deserved sugar-loaded treat!

What really warms my heart is that Callum wants to take a kindness goodie bag with him into school next week for his ‘show and tell’. My heart is so happy to think that this small act of kindness may help inspire this younger generation to continue the ripple effect of kindness.

What a brilliant way to celebrate the start of International Random Act of Kindness Week!

Now back home, I’m shaking with exhaustion and about to switch-off and have a long soak in a yummy Epsom salt bath.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being kind by leaving love-filled goodie bags on car windscreens in the hospital car park.

ps if you have received one of our Valentine’s Day Kindness Goodie Bags, we’d really LOVE to hear from you in the comments below. If you’d prefer me not to publish your comment on the blog, please let me know.

Day 98: Friends

Being grateful for my friends:

Friends.

Just thinking about them makes me smile.

I’m sure you’ll agree that friends enrich our lives. We support and inspire, console and motivate, have each other’s back, and believe in each other.

Whether it’s a giggle over something silly, or a pour-your-heart-out kind of chat, friends comfort each other during tough times, and are there to celebrate the good times.

And what’s more, they know you and still love you!

I feel so blessed to have had some amazing friends throughout my life so far. I am truly grateful for every single one: longstanding and new, young and young-at-heart, near and far, lost and found.

Friends can really feel like family: they’re the family we choose for our ourselves.

I came to realise this even more so having lived in various places around the world. Having to start from scratch quite a few times, it’s not easy and can be pretty lonely at first. But slowly and surely, friendships form and blossom.

But then it’s heartbreaking when one of us – which usually happens to be nomadic ole me – moves on and we have to say goodbye.

So that’s why I say, thank goodness for technology!

I am forever grateful to be able to stay in touch via Skype and FaceTime. I don’t think I’ll ever get over how incredible is it to sit and have a face-to-face catch up over a cuppa with a friend on the other side of the country or the world!

And while I’m not a huge user of Facebook, I’m glad to have it so I can have a quick scroll through friends’ pages now and again to see what they’ve been up to.

I have to confess, I used to be doubtful how you could make real true friends through social media. But thankfully my eyes, and heart, have been opened thanks to an amazing daily gratitude app. This like-minded community filled with kind-hearted, happy souls make me smile every day and I’ve formed some truly special life-long friendships. Even though we haven’t met in person yet – and I stress the yet as I know it will happen – I know that these friendships are just as real and just as true.

While new friendships are all shiny and exciting, I’m really sad to have lost connection with friends from the past, as we both moved on or grew apart. But I’ve come to accept that this is part of life.

As with any relationship, they can be difficult and challenging at times, but hopefully you can work through it together and come out stronger.

Sadly, there are some friends we have to let go of, or they let go of us. No matter how painful it is when this happens, I try and remind myself to be grateful for all that we’ve shared together. And whenever I think of them to remember to smile and send them love ♡.

Having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome makes it frustratingly difficult to stay in touch and keep friendships going. As much as I want to connect, the nature of my symptoms make it a challenge.

It’s safe to say I’m reliably unreliable when it comes to making plans for a get-together be it in person or via technology. I find I have to reluctantly cancel planned chats at the last minute, due to not feeling well enough. And this is really upsetting and I never feel great about it.

But my friends are always in my thoughts and in my heart, and I hope they know that. I hope once I’m well enough, we can reconnect and make up for lost time.

I just love how great friendships are those where you can simply pick up where you left off, even though you haven’t spoken for a while.

And I know that we are always there for each other. After all, that’s what friendship is all about, isn’t it.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being grateful for my friends.

Day 97: Colouring in

Being mindful while colouring in:

One of the best things I added to my healing tool kit last year, was colouring in.

I even remember how I first heard about ‘art therapy’ aka colouring in for adults. It was featured on a TV show around a year ago as a way of reducing stress and anxiety.

I remember it so clearly, how it was one of those lightbulb moments, where my whole being (and inner child) shouted out: “What a brilliant idea! I want to do that.”

I couldn’t wait for the next time I was in the city, when I could pop into the book shop to buy my first adult colouring book.

A few days later I was excitedly clutching my first purchase and couldn’t wait to get back home to begin what has become one of my favourite mindfulness practices.

I am seriously hooked.

As the activity has grown in popularity and adult colouring books are still topping the best seller charts, my portfolio of colouring books and pencils has grown exponentially too.

I love the process of choosing which illustration I’m going to colour in; I get all my lovely books out and see which one I’m drawn to that day. I have such a great selection to choose from: mantras and expressions, nature-focused images, soothing mandalas, and even a book centred around one of my favourite seaside cities, Brighton.

A brilliant tip I heard early on was to photocopy the picture I’m going to colour in. This means that I can enjoy colouring in my fave image again at a later date. It also means that I can put the finished artwork on my wall, which I tend to do if it’s a mantra. And the anal part of me does it just in case I don’t like my colour choice and I can start again (which I haven’t had to do so far!). Win! Win! Win!

I love choosing the colours too and am mindful of not getting stressed about which colours to use, as this kind of defeats the whole object! Sometimes I like to pick a colour theme: seaside shades, the bright happy colours of India, variations on one or two colours, or a complete experimentation. I sometimes like to play lucky dip and whatever colour comes out of my tin is the one I use for the next bit.

I find colouring powerfully healing. It only takes a few moments before I feel myself forgetting about everything else and relaxing into it. And I just love how it helps keep my mind focused on the present moment.

I’m so thankful that this fun activity with its therapeutic and soothing qualities has made such a comeback: love live adult colouring in!

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being mindful while colouring in.

Day 96: Highly Sensitive Person

Being grateful for realising that it’s ok to be a highly sensitive person:

Lately, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with everything and knew I needed to switch off from the world and retreat into my shell for a few days.

And I’ve been doing some thinking about how and why I got to this point, yet again.

I love how things come into our lives when they’re supposed to, and during these last few difficult days I came across an article about the connection between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and being a sensitive person.

As I delved into this a little further, I discovered there’s a new documentary about being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) titled: “Sensitive – The Untold Story”.

I found another article in the Huffington Post which asks: Do you cry easily? Do you often get accused of over-reacting or being too sensitive? Do you have a high degree of empathy? Do you find that good and bad things affect you more deeply than those around you?

As I answered yes to all of the above, I knew I needed to watch this film.

So I did.

And I have to admit I watched it with tears in my eyes as I realised that some of the things I’ve felt and thought since childhood, others feel and think the same.

Oh, what a relief it is to find out that I’m not alone (in fact, 1 in 5 of us is a HSP). What a relief to realise that I’m not “too sensitive” after all, I am perfectly ok as I am. What a relief to realise that I am simply a highly sensitive person.

And I’m ok with that.

In fact, it’s something to celebrate as there are so many beautiful blessings with being a sensitive person. And I’m going to focus on these from now on.

After all, I can’t change who I am, so why not embrace it.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being grateful for realising that it’s ok to be a highly sensitive person.

ps if you’re interested to see if you are a Highly Sensitive Person too, the force behind the documentary Dr Elaine Aron has devised a self-test, please click here.

Day 95: Kindness trail

Being kind by leaving kindness messages on windows and mirrors around the city:

Time for another Random Act of Kindness me thinks.

I wrote out a kindness message on the back of my new Kindness Cards with the intention of sprinkling some magical kindness around my city on this freezing cold January Tuesday.

The message was simple and true of ALL of us: You are beautiful ~ inside and out.

I set off for my Artist’s Date in the city of brunch and a movie, clutching my Kindness Cards and blu-tack ready for action.

As I was a little short of time and am still slowly building up my energy levels, I decided to leave a trail of Kindness Cards in my wake.

First up was the window of my local connect bus:

Followed by the window of my tram which took me into the city:

After eating a delicious brunch in my favourite café, I nipped to the bathroom to pop a card on the mirror:

As I walked through the shopping centre, I stuck a couple on the mirrors in the main public toilets:

After arriving at the cinema and before my screening, I popped one on the bathroom mirror:

And after seeing my film, I stuck my last card to the mirror in the main bathroom.

And that’s it. My job as Kindness Fairy for today is done! I really hope I’ve made at least one person smile today after seeing one of my kindness messages.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being kind by leaving kindness messages on windows and mirrors around the city

ps if you happened to see one of my kindness messages, thank you so much for visiting my blog! I’d love to hear from you in the comments below…

Day 92: Banishing winter blues

Being mindful when exploring a local park on my soul stroll:

Needing to banish my January blues and hormonal grumps, I practically forced myself out of the house this morning.

With the perfect winter’s day of crisp blue sky and smiling sunshine, I borrowed dad’s car and went on a mission to find some soothing nature to lift my spirits.

I decided to go and explore a nearby park which I’ve never been to before. The crazy thing is that the edge of the park is probably only a 5 minute drive from the house, but the main entrance and car park is right over the other side of the park. But still, is only around 15 mins drive.

I’ve also felt a little apprehensive about visiting on my own as it’s near a rather unsavoury area, but today I was feeling brave and courageous.

And it was the best decision ever!

Immediately after driving through the park gates, I felt soothed by my surroundings of lush green fields and trees galore.

After parking up, my inner water magnet pulled me towards the fishing lake and I set off down a magical tree-lined pathway, with the glorious sun dappling through the trees:

As the pathway ended, I crossed the empty football fields, and with the early morning frost crunching underfoot, I spied my shadow and fulfilled my curiosity to see how I’d look with longer legs:

I reached the two fishing lakes and was heartened to see them filled with ducks and a couple of magnificent swans. As I wandered down to where they were to say hello, they glided over to me to make friends. I gently explained I didn’t have any yummy treats with me today, but promised to bring some swan-friendly fodder with me next time. They seemed ok with that…

Well maybe not so much as they immediately ducked into the water to show me their behinds!

Enough said!

As I walked around the lake, I was excited to hear some gushing water and went to explore: I found a brilliant waterfall and climbed down the slippery, muddy slope to get a little closer. The sound was music to my soul; hypnotic and deeply soothing:

I continued my journey onwards around the lake, and up alongside the adjoining lake. I inadvertently disturbed two little ducks hiding in the reeds (doing what, I do not know!), and they zoomed across the water in an attempt to escape:

As I followed the stream, the path took me into the woodland area to find more peace and tranquility:

Leaving the woods behind, I began my walk back towards the carpark, pausing to reflect on the magnificence of this tree:

And taking in the brilliance of this blue sky:

Before heading back home, I enjoyed a cuppa in the park’s clubhouse and vowed that I would return again, very very soon.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being mindful when exploring a local park on my soul stroll.

Day 91: My bedroom, my sanctuary

Being grateful for making my bedroom my sanctuary:

I spend a LOT of time in my bedroom. Well actually, I spend most of my time in my bedroom. Some days, I only leave it to go downstairs for dinner and some days when my CFS is particularly bad, I don’t leave it at all (except for the necessary bathroom visits of course!).

I’ve spent most of the weekend in here after overdoing it on my mum’s birthday (which was worth it to be able to make her day so special), and in fact, I’ve spent most of the last six weeks in here, following my big relapse and then my festive tonsillitis and heavy cold.

I’m back in my old childhood bedroom while I’m living back with my parents as I recover from CFS. But it’s changed a lot since then – new additions include fitted wardrobes, lilac walls and carpet, and a yummy double bed.

I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to transform it into my own little sanctuary.

I find it calming, peaceful and safe; like a comforting embrace, and full of beautiful positive energy, with things to lift my spirits and fill my heart.

I am such an outdoor girl and when I lived in Sydney, if I was resting at home I’d usually be on the outdoor sofa on my verandah . So I find being cooped up really tough, but it is what it is and as long as I can get out for a gentle soul stroll or artist’s date now and again, I can manage. And knowing that this too shall pass.

I love my sacred spiritual space I’ve created: my altar. With my beautiful Buddha, oodles of candles, my precious singing bowl and chimes, spiritual carvings from my travels in India and Peru, and other bits and bobs that feed my soul.

I love my window as it’s the place that holds my gaze the most. I love to look out at the ever-changing sky, especially to witness the majestic sunrises at certain times of the year, to watch the life-cycle of my magnificent trees as they change through the seasons, and to try and spot the birds who are singing their tuneful birdsong.

On my windowsill of inspiration, I’ve placed my Love Notes by Kris Carr and Doreen Virtue’s Angel Cards, treasured greeting cards from kind, thoughtful friends, my fave cartoon to remind me that ‘Every single day you make a choice’, and of course some flowers.

Bright, colourful flowers make me so happy, and wherever I live, I always try to have fresh flowers around. Here I have a couple of giant orange faux gerbras, but I also try to have fresh flowers in my room. Today, it’s a bright burst of colourful roses.

Dotted around my room, I’ve put up photos of sunrises and sunsets I’ve taken around the world, a huge beautiful close up of a Buddha face that makes me feel instantly calm and at peace, and various others that make me smile, including artwork by my young nephews.

I’ve also stuck up some of my favourite affirmations to help inspire and motivate me. They remind me that everything is ok, to live in the moment, ride the waves of my life, and let my light shine. I occasionally replace some of the affirmations with those that are more relevant to what I need to hear at this moment in time.

Looking around my bedroom as I write, I’m so very grateful for every little detail. Each one tells a story, contains treasured memories, or inspires or motivates me. All make me happy.

So with this in mind, my happy for today is being grateful for making my bedroom my sanctuary.