Well-being Wednesdays!

Hello! Grace here. On a Well-being Wednesday!

Before all else, I’d like to wish my lovely Grandad a Happy 83rd Birthday!! I cannot wait to celebrate with you down the road and give you a big hug. Love you love you love!! xoxoxo

How are you all coping? Okay, I hope! I find that I’m starting to just ‘get on with it’ now. Anyone else?

We humans are quite resilient creatures. We’ve already created a new ‘norm’ for ourselves here in NYC. I’m sure it’s the same where you are. What felt terrifying before, now feels a bit less so. And we keep going.

Each day is different. These days are different from the days we had in March and then the days in April, aren’t they?

I’m in week 8 of quarantine now, and I’m finally starting to feel SOME interest in exercise again. It’s taken EIGHT weeks to get there though! And who knows if it’ll stick!

Before the lockdown went into full effect I was working out with a good friend almost every day and had lost 12-14lbs (almost a stone!) since Christmas. Mainly in a countdown-driven panic about turning 30 in a bikini in Jamaica, having crept back up to my heavier side.

For the first time EVER I’d already started to pack my suitcase (yes, Mum!). Mark had spent months planning the whole trip, with a group of friends. He really went all out too, bless him, after I threw him the 30th Birthday Bash of the decade last year in Miami. We were all set! Down to the last detail.

And then… the news started to get more and more intense every day. Trump banned travel to and from Europe. We all started to get a bit nervous. Half of our group had small children at home, so if anyone got quarantined or stuck in a country, we had a problem. Eventually, we had to pull the plug; flights and hotels got canceled about a week before the trip. Well, you can imagine. I was pretty gutted at the time. I unpacked all my new cozzies and put my sweatpants on immediately.

And I’ve stayed in them for about 8 weeks, long past my milestone birthday, out of pure rebellion.

But who does that serve really? Not me… or my bottom. We all respond to disappointment in different ways, and I’ll admit that I don’t always react to it positively or bounce right back. I certainly haven’t with exercise or staying healthy in quarantine. Maybe, moving forward, this will have taught me how to find more grace in disappointment ๐Ÿ˜‰

Has it taught you anything yet?

Of course, this was mid-March… and my comparatively tiny disappointment was right-sized by the news within a week! Perspective.

As the pandemic got worse, and the news scarier, my disappointment shifted to gratitude. But… that didn’t change my shift in motivation or make me want to do jumping jacks. If anything, it made it worse. Who cares about what you look like in a swimsuit when so many people are struggling… and dying? Instead, I’ll do nothing and feel everyone’s pain, whilst quickly undoing all of my hard & happy work.

What is the opposite of resilience?

We’re all at different stages. Some started out very productive and now feel a little lost, as the days go on. Some are only just starting to find some semblance of structure in their days… without having a meltdown. Some have been having a wobbly the entire time. And if you’re like me… it all depends on the day! It goes back and forth quite aggressively. Some days we impress ourselves with how well we’re coping, and how productive we’ve been. And other days… well, other days are a complete shit show. And THAT is okay. It’s not a race or a competition (though social media can sometimes make us feel otherwise).

We’re all in it together. I KNOW some of you can relate to this. I KNOW my Mum has absolutely brilliant days… and other days she wants to end it all with a micron pen! This whole ordeal is very testing for absolutely everyone, and I think the trick is not judging yourself for those bad days (or weeks… or MONTHS!).

Like everything, it all depends on how you look at it. I can either now beat myself up for not starting sooner, or I can congratulate myself for getting there in the end. So here’s my mindful challenge for you for the week… And it’s harder than it sounds.

As well as being kind to others, be kind to yourself, inside your head. Treat yourself the way you treat others. Lift yourself up the way you lift others up. You all leave these wonderful and lovely comments of support on our blogs and other people’s posts and pictures, telling them how talented and fabulous and strong they are. I dare you to treat yourself the way you treat everyone else. Just inside your head. For a week.

If we’re going to be stuck with ourselves, I think we should be nicer to ourselves, no matter what stage we’re at, or how ‘together’ we are today. Worth a try!

Just some food for thought! (Mmmmmm food!)

Stay safe!

Lotsa Love, Grace xoxo

Clarity โ€“ The Home of Art, Craft and Well-being.

16 thoughts on “Well-being Wednesdays!

  • 6th May 2020 at 8:57 am
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    Thank you Grace, for your wise words and the beautiful E. H. Shepard drawing – after all, Pooh was an “astute and helpful bear”! Take care and Stay Home And Craft!

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  • 6th May 2020 at 9:00 am
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    Oh, and Happy Birthday to your Dad – a very wise and amusing man on every occasion I have had the pleasure of meeting him!

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    • 6th May 2020 at 6:01 pm
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      Hi Grace, that was a big disappointment for you not having your trip to Jamaica for your 30th, but there will be other times as you’ve accepted and it could all be for the better. I haven’t weighed for a few weeks so hoping I haven’t put on what I lost earlier in the year. Trouble is that I can’t walk too far to get much exercise, I try to keep my food intake down and don ‘t eat much cake or sweet things but it’s hard going trying to keep the weight off when I have to sit about a lot. I exercise my hands a lot with my crafting but it ‘s a shame that doesn’t help! ha ha! Birthday Wishes to your Grandad Grace. Keep Safe and keep being positive.

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  • 6th May 2020 at 10:56 am
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    Grace, beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Beauty is not what is on the outside but within us. If God or whoever had wanted us to be stick insects the ‘good stuff’ would not have been invented to tempt us. The stick insects are really jealous of the curvy girls as they are not starving! Being fit isn’t the same as being thin. You are a beautiful, caring person which is why you are ‘loved’. Be kind to yourself.

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  • 6th May 2020 at 11:06 am
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    Wise words Grace and I love your graphics. At 76 my stamina is not what it was and putting on weight at Christmas didn’t help. But I’m not a quitter!!! Made myself a promise and some of the weight is coming off. The lockdown has not made a lot of difference to our current lifestyle but it has encouraged both of us to be less idle. Moving from Essex to Norfolk meant lots of changes and we did have two massive clear-outs but there were still many things we kept “just in case” and we have come to the realisation that things we have not used or even looked at in the last few years have had to go. We have nearly filled our second small skip and have boxes of stuff for the charity shops when they re-open. We have a plan, jobs start in the morning and when we’ve had enough we settle to crafting or art of any sort. Doodling on Youtube is something we both like and do as we fancy it, the sound of your mum’s voice and her laughter is a real tonic.
    There is no hurry to get anywhere at the moment, just a chance to relax and enjoy life while we have it. Wishing Grandad a happy birthday and you and yours all the very best. ๐Ÿ’

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  • 6th May 2020 at 12:11 pm
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    Got on the scale the other day and was shocked. Staying home day after day with food within easy reach is not good for me. Add in the stress for the world situation, truly dismal weather, two trips cancelled (one was my birthday weekend too) and the pounds are starting to magically appear. Some days it’s hard to take that deep breath and realize that in the long term this quarantine will have been for the best and how lucky I am that minor disappointments are my biggest problem. I’ve said it before, but thank goodness for crafting. It’s my happy place.

    Happy Birthday to your Grandad. Hope you get to see him soon.

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  • 6th May 2020 at 4:36 pm
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    You must go to Jamaica when all this is over. It is the most amazing place. I will need to go back there as I left a piece of my heart there. Just such a stunning place

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  • 6th May 2020 at 5:15 pm
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    Thanks Grace. I must admit that I have not been going out to exercise, but I have been watching what I eat and have kept off the stone I lost between January 12th and the start of lockdown. The need to keep to a low salt diet has helped. No crisps!!!! I am glad that I have tasks that I need to do for school and samples to make or projects for my daily blog to complete. It helps to structure the days/weeks. I am in school tomorrow for the first time since lockdown started (very reduced numbers of pupils 6 -14 at most) with three colleagues to look after children of key workers, who don’t have alternative safe provision, so their parents can go to work. I was thinking of printing off the geisha picture for them and getting them to decorate her dress following your Mum’s relevant YouTube video. Stay safe!

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  • 6th May 2020 at 5:56 pm
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    Thanks, Grace. Iโ€™ve been slacking on exercise, lately.๐Ÿ˜‚
    Love watching the Shac-Shack. Your Mum has taught me new ways to color. I am truly thankful for that. The Shac-Shack has helped me during this quarantine.
    We just have to take this one day at a time. We are in this together. Take care and be safe๐Ÿ˜Š

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  • 6th May 2020 at 6:25 pm
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    Hi Grace, can’t believe it is Wednesday again already !! I think we all have good & bad days but as you say we should all be kind to ourselves as well as others. We always have said that there is no such thing as can’t. It is no use saying I can’t do that on first looking at something just because it looks difficult or beyond our capabilities. If we have tried several times to do something & still can’t achieve it then maybe then it is a time to say I can’t do that but I at least I have tried !! Six weeks ago when we started on our doodle journey I did not imagine that I would be able to achieve what I have done & look forward to seeing where we will get to in the coming weeks. Your Mom said this morning she had somewhere nice planned for next week so I will pack my case & be ready for instructions !!
    Many of us have had plans cancelled & have family spread around the country so we must look forward to those get togethers in hopefully not too distant future whilst being mindful of keeping safe.
    I have had a fitbit for a while now & it beeps at me every hour to move at least 250 steps. Today I finished painting the back gate & 1 fence panel & I managed to do over 10k steps because I wear it on my dominant arm. My husband says that doesn’t count but I still say it is exercise !!

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  • 6th May 2020 at 6:38 pm
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    Thanks for such a thoughtful and thought provoking blog Grace. Even though I’m going to work every day, I’m still struggling with structure & motivation at home. Everything feels so very different

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  • 6th May 2020 at 8:07 pm
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    Hiya Grace,,
    Thank you for writing this , another great Blog Post.
    You truly are Mum’s daughter.
    Yes its all too easy to to just fall into this situation. We seem to just accept it (as we must)
    When the awful statistics and dreadful News seem to become ‘the norm’ . I for one have dig deep
    to find the positives … but they are there…we just have to change, because nothing is going to be
    quite the same again.
    As we say around here . “We don’t have Good Days and Bad Days ”
    “WE HAVE GOOD DAYS AND WE HAVE GROWING DAYS ! ”
    Dave x

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  • 6th May 2020 at 9:58 pm
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    Hi Grace,
    Well said, we need to beat ourselves up a little less! Thank goodness for crafts and especially your Mums hour with us each morning. It makes Monday morning something to look forward to. She is doing a fab job, all with a smile and a giggle. Just what we need!
    Do go to Jamaica, such a beautiful island! Make it happen one of these days,,,youโ€™re worth it, as they say.
    Keep well and safe.x

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  • 6th May 2020 at 10:09 pm
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    Adrenalin initially stops you eating as it gets you up to fight/flee/freeze but, if the stress carries on, cortisol is released, increasing appetite. If the incident stops, you will adjust but that hasn’t happened, so your cortisol gets stuck on full. It sounds like your stress is coming down now, so you don’t need the food. Bodies are really clever but not always quite right for the moment. However, if you have ever been to something really traumatic, you will know you get the shakes really badly afterwards unless you eat as your adrenalin drops. Biology aside, I think it is fine to feel as for everyone to feel as do as long as we strive to cope. We are all going to have bad moments, particularly if people we know are ill or dying. I like Julien of Norwich – All shall be well, And All shall be well, And All manner of things shall be well. She was walled in so should know how to survive this.

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  • 6th May 2020 at 11:46 pm
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    We have been the same here. Caravan was ready to come out of mothballs and would have been out a few times by now, with all the nice weather we have had over here. The bedding is still packed away and the pots n pans are still awaiting their wash, the van still hasn’t had its spring clean and the mechanical servicing has all been put on hold.

    I think its the feeling of being deprived perhaps hahaha, but we too have had food on the brain! We can’t always get the healthiest options in the supermarkets, so have to buy what is on the shelves at the time. Trying to make the best choices, but sometimes using the scarcity of some foods as an excuse to indulge in the not-so-healthy version.

    This week we decided to make a list and stick to it as near as we possibly can. We also decided that we ‘behave’ ourselves all week and only have a treat on Saturdays. Pete has been keeping himself busy when he has cravings and so have I.

    I am a parchment crafter first and foremost, so I’ve decided to learn more stamping techniques. I’m loving it and it’s getting me back on an even keel and back in control of the eating habits again. At the moment we have absolutely nothing in the house that we should not be eating. The shopping list is all ready for Pete to go to the special opening times at the supermarket to get the groceries. So – what treat did we choose for Saturday? Ice cream!! Everything else in very very very healthy!

    Happy Birthday Grace’s Grandad!!! xxxx

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  • 9th May 2020 at 5:19 pm
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    Wonderful blog post Grace, everything you wrote made so much sense to me, especially re exercise. I’ve had a lockdown birthday and it was pants tbh but I have so much to be grateful for so I’m focusing on that as much as possible but im6only human. Take care, stay safe xx

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