Self-care for Sensitive Souls
Reconnect with your inner resources
A few decades ago, back in the dark ages when patients knew their place, I had a brush with my doctor. I asked her whether changing my diet might help with an intestinal problem I was having. ‘No,’ she said firmly, ‘and I will tell you what to do, not you.’ I was just a bit ahead of the curve. These days, taking an interest in and sharing responsibility for our own health is welcome in the doctor’s surgery. But there’s a 21st century version of that conversation that can still be more prickly than purposeful, if not handled diplomatically … February has come and gone, we’re well into March … and we're still waiting for Spring. Since Mother Nature is holding out on us, I’ve decided to light up the bleak-dreary-cold slog with some home-made happiness. Over the past few weeks I’ve been (mostly complaining but also) asking people how they’re getting through the unending chill. So here’s the collective wisdom of Cheltenham folk and beyond, for bringing on our inner sunshine … Cosying up in comfort is one of the pleasures of winter. By the same token, spending more time indoors brings us energetically closer to our home. We become more aware of how our surroundings make us feel. And that opens up the chance to do some energy-boosting that will take you right through to spring … There’s still some summer left (now and then) … but are you finding it hard to get out and enjoy it? When we’re in pain, it’s not very tempting to go out and about. We want to hunker down and take care of ourselves. And if it’s just a day indoors here and there, it’s no big problem. But over time, the snags with staying in can start to build up. So is it worth the effort to take a spell outside our four walls? If you’re easily disturbed by noise, crowds, bright lights and smells, you may be having mixed feelings about going away on holiday. I know how that feels, so here’s how to have a calm and comfortable trip … So you’re talking to a friend about how you’re feeling. It’s not a good day, and you’re suffering. ‘I can’t take this any more,’ you say. ‘It’s unbearable.’ She's sympathetic … but then starts telling you (lovingly) that it’s happening for your highest good and that maybe you should look at what the lesson is for you ... You won’t be surprised to learn that at New Year, there’s a spike in sales of self-help books. But why is it we so rarely actually finish one? We love self-help books. They guarantee a solution to our woes for £9.99. What’s not to like? The clocks go back this month … an extra hour in bed, yippee. All very well if bed is a lovely-inviting-sleepy place. But at least one in ten adults in this country suffer with chronic insomnia - and if you’re one of them, you don’t slip into delicious oblivion with a sweet sigh. If only! I don’t know about you, but I always get butterflies in my stomach at this time of year. The holidays are over, and real life is lying in wait, just where I left it. What can you do when you need to get on, but you’ve been ambushed by your worries? Here's how to get from uneasy to unruffled – whenever you need to ... “No. 1 Health Rule: Give yourself permission to be happy ... Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health, because if we’re scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don’t have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to-do’ list.” – Michelle Obama Amen to that! Not so easy is it, though? Maybe you resonate with how my yoga class mornings used to go … |
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Copyright © 2024 Claire Seabrook All Rights Reserved
Claire Seabrook Body Mind practitioner Cheltenham |