Hi, it is amazing to think we are now nearly at the end of May. I have spent the last week watching Chelsea Flower Show on the TV. I have enjoyed this for a number of years for the inspiration and detail. It also marks the countdown for my friend and I, as we go to an annual flower show just a few weeks later, though have often bought our tickets about Christmas. Do you enjoy the colour, the spectacle and ideas from such shows? I enjoy the day out with 1 of my closest friends, the fun, the colours, the smells, the inspiration for my garden and for design in general and it has appeared in my work as a result.
Obviously this year that won’t be happening. I was able to see programmes about Chelsea Flower Shows, but each one reminded me that, this year, they were not the countdown to my fun day out and so, rather than inspire and motivate me, they were a reminder of what cannot be. That is true for so many of us at this time and so can become a trigger for feelings of loss. In medical terms, it is called a secondary symptom of a problem or disease, as it is not that I cannot go to the garden show which is the problem, it is that world circumstances have stopped the show, which means I cannot have a fun day out with my friend. Quite often it is not the primary situation which takes us down, as we fight that, but the secondary (or secondaries) which follow on when we are already using all our energies on the fight. So what do we do?
Well, I admit it has been difficult for me. It reminds me of the changes which have already happened this year for me and how many more are to come. It reminds me that I cannot see that friend or see how his garden is growing at present. Yes, I am really sad about that. Yes, it can take energy from me to deal with that. As I wrote in my last blog, a good routine, especially for 1st thing in the morning, so we get up, moving and doing can really help to keep going. It does mean that, by the time I am reminded life is different, it is at least midday and I have done a number of things. I am also set to continue doing more. During mental health awareness week I also had the added challenges of my computer and light box misbehaving, so I had even more to do deal with, hence the lateness of this blog!
I know, from knowledge but also definitely from personal experience that there are many things we can do to help lessen the dips in mood and motivation and that the earlier we do them, the easier it is to manage and to give ourselves the best chance in life. Physical exercise can help and many on the net are far more qualified than me to talk about what to do, according to your body’s ability. Mental exercise can help and this can include mindfulness, challenges and switching off the news. Spiritual exercise can help, including prayer, talking with others and meditation. Emotional exercise – how do we do this? Acknowledge how we are feeling, to ourselves even if we cannot to others. Look for what upsets or lifts us and plan for these things.
As part of helping this, I know that smell can play a big part. Essential oils are a way to bring specific smells to encourage our bodies and minds to react in certain ways. To help have these reactions it is good to have these oils to hand. However, many oils cannot be put directly on the skin. They can be put in something (a carrier oil or cream) or on something for ready access and so, with this in mind, I have created the butterfly line. It is named for the lava rock which are in many of these bracelets, though it is also true that butterflies spend much of their life avoiding being eaten by birds, grubbing around on plants and then hiding away in a cocoon as a chrysalis, before finally emerging into what we expect from them. So as we wear them and use them we can remind ourselves that, although life is tough now, we will emerge, even if that means we are unrecognisable from how we currently are. This photo shows them photographed in sunlight, as it was the day my light box broke and I had the challenge to photo them!
To celebrate the launch of this line (there are macrame based bracelets which will be joining them), these bracelets have a 20% discount for May 2020. Each are unique, so don’t wait to capture your butterfly! If you want 1 with different of specific stones, please contact me direct. Until we meet again, take care of yourself.