The Feel-Good First Aid Kit

Hello, Sweetie!

We all have days when we feel down, low and generally a bit worse-for-wear. This may be a common occurrence for you, or it may simply be a one-off, every-blue-moon kind of deal.

Either way, there are things you can do.
If you are looking for some concrete ideas in a pinch, I've made a list. It's from me to you, to help lift your mood :)

Drink Tea

Or coffee. Or hot chocolate. Heck, make a cup of hot Vimto (now that IS magical Unicorn juice!).
The point is that whilst warm drinks tend to be soothing( and many contain helpful ingredients or even aid your system), the actual physical process of making a hot drink is  uplifting in itself. Whilst the kettle is boiling, practice some gratitude. List five things that mean the world to you and say thank you for each one. Say it out loud or in your head, it doesn't matter. The chances are that making a hot drink is second nature to you, so that means you have head space to just THINK.

De-clutter your virtual space

As someone who is terribly disorganised, I find a sense of relief when I clear the digital fog.
Delete old, useless emails and text messages. Clear out any old numbers from your phone and empty the call history (Don't forget to save any unsaved numbers!). Remove all those pointless shortcuts from your desktop and delete any apps you don't use on your tablet or phone. Run a disk cleanup, delete temporary files. Organise all of you photos and documents into set albums and folders. Make sure all of your anti-virus and general programs are up-to-date.

Delicious, tasty virtual bliss.

Make a big list of all the things you are grateful for

Sometimes this can be difficult when we feel down. It can be hard to sort through the shit and find something precious, but you can do it. I promise.  Obvious ones are friends, family, nice memories, favourite objects, favourite books, a pet...
If you get stuck, ask a friend. Their gratitude list might not be the same as yours, but they might give you ideas about your own (In a 'Ooh, why didn't I think of that?' kind of way). Fill the page, aim for 10, add more if you can. Put it somewhere you will see it often. On your mirror, in a journal, on a desk, on the fridge, even in your bag, or use it as a book mark.

 Make your space a sanctuary

It doesn't matter if it's a whole house or part of a shared room - every little space can be customised, even if it's just a little. Try moving some furniture around or placing a colourful throw over a shelf or bedside table. Add some candles or crystals. I often beat myself up for being messy, but cleaning a space with some upbeat music shaking the walls is a huge mood-booster!

Walk away from Social Media

If only for an hour. I notice that after long periods of time sat staring at Facebook, my mood starts to dip. I think part of it is because people sometimes share some heavy, painful stuff, and part of it is that we see how FANTASTICALLY AMAZEBALLS everyone else appears to be doing.
Fun fact - people only tend to post what they want you to see.
Nobody has a perfect life, so don't beat yourself up over the pictures others paint.

Spend some time with animals

Whether it's taking your own dog for a walk or playing chase-the-laser with a friend's cat, we all have access to animals. One of my favourite things to do is take a trip to a local pet shop. Just watching the rabbits and guinepigs shuffle around makes me smile. Even the fish are soothing to watch.

 Watch a feel-good film

Some films are amazing for when you feel down. My personal favourites are Kiki's Delivery Service, The Cat Returns, Chocolat, Practical Magic, Willow and basically any Disney or Pixar classic. Add your favourate snack and a duvet. Win = win.

Buy a pot of bubbles

Best. Thing. Ever. Keep them by your bed and use liberally as often as required.  Just watching all those beautiful, shiny bubbles float around and pop is flipping GLORIOUS. If I was a doctor, I'd give these out on free prescription to everyone.

Ask for help when you need it

Lastly and most importantly, always ask for the help you need. You are NEVER alone in this world. Seek out a friend of family member, reach for a trusted colleague. Search for local social groups or join an online sisterhood. I can't stress enough that if this is happening often, you need to be contacting a doctor. Do not suffer is silence, you shining star.

Remember poppets, you are strong, you are beautiful and damn it all, you've got this!

Feed the Fire: Turning Anger into Action with 5 Steps

Hello poppet, let's talk about anger!

To begin with I really, really need to press the fact that anger is a normal, healthy human experience in moderation. You experience anger when you feel passionate, and passion is beautiful and creative.

There is a lot of general unrest in my personal social circles at the moment, and it has played havoc with my sleeping patterns, my diet and my mood. I know exactly where my friends and loved ones are coming from, and I have been feeling intense with a bubbling undercurrent of anger and worry.

I know I'm not alone.

So my darlings, I want to help you turn your anger into action. I want you to feed the flames of your passion and use that energy constructively.

1. Find the Fuel
   
   What exactly is it sparking your wrath? I'm not suggesting you spend your days brooding over things that make you angry, because that is not productive. What I would suggest, however, is to remain in-touch with your catalyst. Remind yourself why it is that you do what you do on a semi-regular basis. This will help you keep up-to-date with the subject and spark you to encourage change.
   
   
   
2. Feed the Fire
   
   Education is your kindling. Expand what you know – engage with your anger. Ask it questions and then find the answers. Build your ideas and solutions around the things that anger you by deciding what you need to know and what can be done. Seek out like-minded people as they will help to keep your fire burning, but draw a line at being consumed. Keep you mind open and think for yourself! Do not be led by others.
   
   
3. Control the Flames
   
   There is a difference between a well-tended camp fire with a positive purpose and a wild forest fire that destroys all in its wake. The key is control. Pick your battles wisely and calculate the outcome. Decide what the line is between your passion inspiring others and it sending people running for the hills in fear. Do not lash out, keep your ideas and goals in mind and understand that alienating others with your fire creates resistance, not empathy.
    
4. Resist the Damp
   
   I'm talking about apathy and depression. The quickest way to cave and give up is by not engaging with the fire in your belly whilst it is still hot. When anger cools, so does passion. This basically leads to you disengaging with you hopes for change, and a layer of damp will create a glass ceiling that becomes difficult to pass through. You need to keep moving – morning dew doesn't form on moving targets. Keep making steps towards your goals!
   
   
5. Temper the Heat
   
   Passion is awesome. Live with it as much as you can, but never let yourself burn out. Don't use up all your fuel before you reach your goal. Turn the heat down once in a while. You should always have an ember burning, but listen to your body and mind, poppets. If you burn too loud for too long, you will start to find yourself running out of oxygen. Save some of your intensity for valuable moments, and let yourself breathe when you need to!
   
   
   
   So my darlings, don't be afraid of your fiery anger. Wield it! It is your most valuable asset to living a passionate life, and knowing how to use it can make a world of difference to your mental well-being.
   
   Burn Bright! xxx

The Womb of Divinity

"My womb is home to the divine." -  Rupi Kaur

I cannot describe to you the absolute LOVE I have for this quote poppets!

I do wonder how many of us women worldwide feel shame and disgust when we reach our moon cycle. How many of us solider on, hide the wreckage and dose up on Paracetamol... maybe some confiding in one or two close female friends or relatives in secretive whispers of absolute horror.

We live a world where periods are hidden. We view them as 'indecent', 'gross', 'dirty' and a 'nuisance', treating them (and ultimately a part of ourselves) with disrespect and shame.

Changing this opinion and overall world view is hard, and progress is slow. In fact, many people will feel uncomfortable reading this post, and it's such a shame. Just give it time, the tables are turning.

I'm not going to preach to you about the beauty of moon cycles.

I will however leave you with just one request. One small, life changing request that takes so little effort, darlings.
The next time you are flowing with the Goddess, take some time to self-reflect. This is such a poignant time for you. You are releasing the physical excess of divine energy, so do some spiritual and mental clearing, too. Treat yourself with kindness, let yourself relax.
And for those women who don't flow, never have or don't anymore, allow yourself that time, too. You can't bare all the world's weight on your shoulders, you simply can't do it all. You are not a bottomless pit of give, give, give. So give yourself the opportunity to flow with the Goddess, too.
Remember you are strong.
You are a warrior. You are wild.
You are Woman.

xxx

P.s. If you are interested in reading a wonderful little Myth about Moon Cycles and where they come from, see my older blog post here.
Much love!

Kintsugi for the Soul

Sometimes, darlings, we describe ourselves as 'broken'. Heartbroken, broke with money, broken up inside, having a break down...
Do you know that those cracks that reside after a break make you the shining, unique person that you are?
I know that when you are feeling broken, it isn't easy to see the emotional wounds and feel unique and beautiful. It's hard to see that when you crack, it allows healing light to come pouring through you.

Let me tell you about 'kintsugi' or 'kintsukuroi', as it is otherwise known.
Kintsugi is a Japanese process that started as early as the late 15th Century. The Japanese don't believe that when something is broken it becomes worthless or useless. In fact, they repair it. I suppose they could repair it in a way that barely shows the break, but instead they fill the cracks with gold. Yep. GOLD.

How beautiful is that?!

So not only does that broken pottery keep it's worth and purpose... it actually GROWS IN VALUE.

Just like you, poppet.
Every time you 'break', you are restored with more wisdom, more strength and more beauty.
The best part? You always had that inner wisdom, strength and beauty. It was always there. It's just that now the cracks let it stream out of you :)

Much love!

Go, Go, GO!

Hello Darlings!

Passion! Let's talk passion.
What wakes you up?

Seriously, this is important shit.

'We can each define ambition and progress for ourselves. The goal is to work toward a world where expectations are not set by the stereotypes that hold us back, but by our personal passion, talents and interests.' -Sheryl Sandberg

I think what Sheryl is trying to say is that you can't judge a fish by how well it climbs a tree, and we can't let others decide our goals for us. You need to live your life with the passion YOU aspire to, the intensity YOU want to and using YOUR talents that YOU define.

Just remember, it's always the minority that change the tide for the majority. If you do what you do and love it, then redefine the world, not yourself.

Much love!

Rachel x

On the Topic of Selfies

I posted a selfie today, fighting down that initial guilty feeling of 'do other people really want to see another picture of me?" that I get each time I do it.


A selfie is just another picture of someone who is conceited,  attention seeking and vain, right?

Wrong.

I suppose people sometimes post selfies for some validation of how they look, but the majority of the time it's a visual way of shouting, 'Look at me world! I feel GOOD about how I look today!".

And instead of celebrating that, we slate it.

Wow. Back up.

In a world where it  has become the SOCIAL NORM to self depricate, should we not be happy to see some people who are taking pride in how they look, whether it be natural,  dressed up, alone or in conpany?
Should we not be smiling with them?
No. Apparently, we should be dragging them back to reality and reminding them how horrible they are as people for daring to love the way they look. For shame.

Selfies are a form of radical self love, and I'm all for that magical shit. So take my fucking selfie and eat it, because I look freaking awesome and if you don't like me feeling good about myself, that says a whole lot more about you than it does me.

Selfie away, you sexy beast of a Unicorn!

Relief

The rain is pouring and the sky is grey.

 I love this weather.

It's such a relief after the last few weeks of boiling temperatures to see the sky give way. I honestly don't like to wish time away but I really can't wait for Autumn.
Do you know what I love about Autumn? The weather, the leaves, the smells, the colours, the fruits and harvest, the colourful skys, the shortening days and lengthening nights, the promise of cosy nights in, scalves, hats & gloves, Holloween (Samhain) and Bonfire night....
It's an endless list because it is the time of year that sings to me!

I think we all have a season that resonates within us, makes us feel empowered and full of wonder. For some people it is the freezing depths of winter, glistening snow and the soft twinkle of Christmas/Yule lights that brings them to life. For others it is the gentle spring, the first wild flowers, the world awakening and the days beginning to lengthen that carries promise, and then there are those reveling in the current climate of summer, the intense heat, the promise of sun and almost endless days of light that energises their spirit.

I'm definately an Autumn person.

I spent all night packing things up in my flat. I'd rather just get on with it and feel like I'm moving forward, the waiting around bothers me. I have a promising flat share to see on Friday, and I'm hoping it works out. To pass the time, I'd like to invite anyone and everyone to my flat to have a root through the books I have that I want to shift and some pretty ornaments and trinkets, too. I will even make you a cup of tea (Or coffee. Pick your poison, I have loads of both).

So I suppose that right now I feel quite alive and positive. It's nice to have some of the bounce back in my step. It's a relief the clouds have lifted from my mind and it's a relief the sky has caved outside. Just the way it ought to be!

Enjoy the rain x