Moments of Calm

It’s been a while since I published anything here.  I’ve had the longest break from work (19 whole days)  I’ve had in such a long time, and also the first real time away from work since March.  It was much needed and just lovely to stop for a while. So, taking a break from Changing pages too seemed very natural.  Although I’ve not have been publishing, I have been scribbling ideas in my note book, so hopefully lots coming up for you to enjoy.  I’ve also been putting together a monthly newsletter with lots of extra content, which I will tell you more about soon.

The night before going back to work after a holiday is not a time of feeling overly calm for me.  Like many, I begin to feel anxious as the first morning draws closer.  I know many have not been back to work and certainly not school for many months so I can only imagine how that might feel.

So rather than focusing on the things I have been doing which have given welcome moments of calm in recent days, I will share a few of the things I will be doing in the coming days to find calm.

Re-establishing my normal exercise routine

During my time away my usual regular runs became very irregular.  Always good to have a break, but I know I am so much better mentally and physically when I exercise.  So getting back to running and my cycle commute this week will certainly help.  Both are a good way sort things out in head, mull over problems or simply let the frustrations of the day to day go.

Early morning / evening garden pottering.

Due to my husbands hard work and my occasional helping hand and ‘helpful’ suggestion our garden has never looked better than it has this summer  We have spent so much time in it and I will always be grateful for a garden during the toughest weeks of lockdown.  An early morning wander and a bit of gentle deadheading and weed pulling is always a good way for me to find a little bit of calm before the day begins.  Its often the first thing I do when I get home too, after a cuppa of course).  Working in a hospital means I crave fresh air and the outdoor at the end of each day.

Reading Some of my favourite Well being and Slow Living Blogs

I love reading blogs, there is always so much inspiration to be found, often in just a few short paragraphs. There are some blogs I always turn to though, when seeking some calm and it is these I shall be reading this week.  Two of my favourites are Vanilla Papers and My Simple London

Making Lists

I know I have written before about how I love a list, but I really do!  Its been difficult to plan much lately hasn’t it with so much uncertainty and fear, which I suspect many of us still feel to some degree.  However, September is here, and much as I don’t want to acknowledge it yet, it heralds the advent of autumn and the last quarter of the year.  Autumn as dictated by the school calendar is about new starts and preparation.  I have a head full of disorganised ideas at the moment so I know I need to make a time this week to sit down and put everything on paper. Blog plans, instagram scheduling, and writing goals for the rest of the year need to be made.  I know I’ll feel calmer when I’ve managed to do this.

Wherever you are and whatever this week is looking like for you, I hope you are able to take time to find special moments of calm to help you through.