The past few months been a bit tough here, and a couple of things that have happened have really made me stop and think about how I’ve been living and what needs to change going forward.
I’ve been forced to stop, slow down and reflect on what I have and what I could have had – and yes, I know this sounds super cryptic but it’s been a difficult time and honestly, I think it’s probably a bit too personal to share the details. Even without the detail though, it’s really important to me that you know that these aren’t just words on your computer or phone screen, these are changes that I’m actively making in my own life for very important reasons to me.
So, the first change that I’ve made is to consciously try to bring a bit more mindfulness into my everyday life.
That sounds like hard work doesn’t it? It’s absolutely not though as I’m not doing anything big or complicated, I’m just making very small changes to carve out a few tiny moments of calm everyday.
Taking moments, not hours
I used to think mindfulness meant meditating or journalling for half an hour a day, but really it’s just about noticing the moment you’re in. Standing outside for a minute with a cup of tea, listening to the sound of rain, watering my plants in the garden for a few minutes, or even just taking a deep breath before reacting to something stressful.
It’s those little pauses and moments that make a difference.
If I feel stressed or anxious about something, I take myself out of the situation as soon as I can so I can do something to calm my anxiety and then come back to the situation and assess more rationally.
Letting go of perfection
I’ve also realised how much pressure I put on myself to have everything just right.
These days, I’m reminding myself that “good enough” really is good enough. The washing can wait until tomorrow, dinner doesn’t need to be fancy, and if the house gets a bit messy, that’s OK because I have a partner who does just as much as I do around the house and he will always pick up the slack if I don’t have the energy to do stuff.
Honestly, nobody notices half the things I worry about anyway. 😁
Recognising when my thoughts spiral
Whilst I’m usually calm and rational, I’ve realised that I’m definitely an overthinker, and I’ve started to notice how quickly my thoughts can spiral if I don’t catch them.
One small worry can (and does) turn into a hundred “what ifs” before I’ve even realised it. I’m learning to recognise that feeling — when my mind starts racing and my chest feels tight — and take a step back before it gets too loud.
Sometimes that means stepping outside for a few minutes, focusing on my breathing, or doing something grounding like tidying or writing things down.
The goal isn’t to stop thinking, but to stop overthinking — and that’s made such a difference to my calm.
Reconnecting with the good stuff
I’ve started to consciously focus on the few small things that make me smile each day — a message from a friend, a funny moment, memories from a trip, or even just something that went right.
I tend to do this at night time when I wake up in the night (a regular occurrence as a diabetic 😬) as that’s the time when my mind doesn’t want to switch off and it’s almost as if my brain decides to revisit everything that’s happened that day to think about what disastrous things can happen on the back of them. If I let it, my brain would make a drama out of every conversation, email or message so by making my mind think of the good stuff that’s happened, it helps shift my focus from what’s missing to what’s already good.
I’m realising that happiness isn’t found in big life changes — it’s hidden in all the tiny moments we usually rush past so remembering them is a pleasant way to distract my brain from making mountains out of molehills.
Being kind to myself
This one’s a work in progress. I’m learning to treat myself with the same patience and kindness I try to give everyone else.
I still have off days — we all do — but instead of beating myself up for them, I’m trying to accept them for what they are and move on gently.
Rest isn’t laziness, and slowing down isn’t failure.
Knowing my Happy Place
Growing up by the sea seems to have given me an inbuilt calming device – the sight and sound of water.
I don’t live as close to the sea anymore but we do have a little duck pond in our village with a fountain in the middle that I’ve adopted as my happy place and lately I’ve been walking there during the day when I’m working from home. It quiets my brain and genuinely calms me.
Mindfulness doesn’t need to be a big lifestyle overhaul. For me, it’s about pressing pause every now and then — slowing the noise, letting the dust settle, and remembering who I am underneath all the rushing around. Life feels softer this way, calmer, and just that little bit lighter.
I’d love you follow me on Twitter and it would be amazing to see you over on my Facebook page and on Instagram. If you’re interested, you can find out more about me here and while I’ve got your attention, if you’re wondering why some of my posts lately are a little bit less frugal then have a read of this post. 😉
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