feel the rain on your skin!!! 🎶

go outside, be grateful, say no 🫶

Down bad with the sunday scaries? Me too – welcome! I’m so glad you’re here with me.

What a week. I’m feeling a bit scrambled and sensitive and messy today. I need to check back in with my vulnerability factors and make sure I have the basics covered. I will be considering that as I plan the week ahead.

This week, I flew up to Auckland to be part of a campaign on mental illness awareness for Voices of Hope. It was surreal and exciting and validating. I got to connect deeply with some very kind, funny, empathetic people. It was a long day of filming and hanging around and being vulnerable and I have been playing catch up with my life since then. But that’s okay! Something big and out of the ordinary happened. It makes sense that it took more of me and I am needing more time to feel like I am back in my life again.

say no!!!

This time of the year there is usually a lot more socialising than we are used to. A lot of people, myself included, find themselves saying that everything they are doing is necessary and has to be done this day, week, month. Be real with yourself. Who is saying it is necessary? What are the consequences of it not being done this day, week, month? And whose consquences are they?

Sometimes, despite the guilt, shame, FOMO, disappointment, we can’t do everything. What can you say no to? If you take more time to rest and do what your body needs from you, will you enjoy the rest of your time more? Will you be more present? Be brave and say no. You will feel guilty and you will feel FOMO and also you can handle it. These feelings will not kill you. You can tolerate them.

Some poetry about gratitude:

Quick fire links:

• How well are you handing life’s daily challenges? We can build resilience and better handle difficult feelings when we reduce our vulnerability factors.

• Feeling low about general world politics? Get some validation and inspiration here and here.

• Need more support? Fine a helpline here.

The weather has been warm recently, at least in Wellington. If you get a warm, bright day this week, let yourself feel it. Even if you are walking to work or on your way to something important, take literally 30 seconds (I promise you have 30 seconds) and close your eyes. Let the sun warm your face and let yourself feel it. Where do you notice it first? What does it make you think about? We are animals and this is our most primal joy. These moments are abundant (really!!!) but ONLY IF we take them whenever we can. This week, take it. It was already yours to begin with.