15 Marbles

September is self care awareness month and I am making a conscious effort to look after myself . Here are some of the things that I have done to look after ‘Me’

One of the things I miss most when staying at home is picking out accessories each day. Last Friday, I made a conscious effort to put on one of my favourite necklaces and some earrings, dab a little kaajal & lipstick – ta da.. instant mood lift!

Finally after nearly 6 months of setting up office at the Dining table, I set up a little office nook for myself. It’s funny how we always put ourselves last .. atleast I do. When we moved to remote learning and working from home, SP already had his home office set up . I moved the hallway table to set up the kids desk & took the last available table – the dining table. That obviously took a toll on my back , neck everything. So, here’s my big step towards looking after ‘me’

And lastly, this is not a big deal or may be it is .. I ordered lunch from UberEats yesterday ! As I said it’s not a big deal , but at the same time it is. You see, I time my lunch break with MsAn’s . So most of my lunch time is spent on whipping up something quickly for us – maybe nuggets/ an omelette / sandwiches/ dosa – anything.. but that means I have just enough time to stuff my face before I get back to my desk. Or sometimes I bring my plate back to my desk. So, I gave myself a break & had a relaxed lunch .. just like I used to at work . It’s the little things that make a difference, isn’t it?

And lastly, one of the things I miss most is talking.. spitting out all my thoughts.. I miss that now, so I am trying to write more, here and offline just random scribbles.. jotting my thoughts down .. so as to clear some space in my mind , because frankly there is too much noise in there right now. 😊

If you are still here and reading my ramblings, thank you .. do leave me a comment or an emoji, to tell me what you are doing to look after yourself!

Take care, stay safe

Much love, Trish xx

Sooo, we have managed to survive the first half of 2020. The Pandemic has tested us, pushed our boundaries and reminded us of our place in this whole wide world.. hasn’t it?

We know now that the world doesn’t revolve around us and that it’s time for us to take a step back and consider our options and our actions very carefully. The world as we knew it has changed and chances are it will never return to the way it was.

Yesterday, our Premier announced partial lockdown for Victoria and as I heard him rattle off the postcodes of the suburbs affected, my heart started to sink. No, it’s not because we are in one of those suburbs.. it’s the fact that we are going backwards. As the hour progressed, my sense on doom started to grow too and I found myself fighting back tears, just thinking about how the people in those areas must be feeling – the stress,the pressure, the worries of health, work everything.

It’s hard being an empath – it’s hard soaking in everything around you- not only are you dealing with your own worries, you also take in the feelings of others around you. The short days don’t help with the feeling of doom and gloom as well. So, I have decided to consciously change my thoughts about the Environment around me! And the first step to that is to treat the second part of the year as the better half of the year! Almost like willing it to turn out the way, we want it to be – safe and normal.

Being disconnected from the outside world has given me a chance to reconnect with old school friends and one of them asked me if I still write . And I said no. I haven’t written it in a while. And I couldn’t think of a reason why not. I have said it here so many times that writing/ blogging makes me happy , helps me clear my mind – perhaps I should make a conscious effort to do it more often and more regularly.. you know as a self-help medium ..

Sometimes all you need to do is to look out a different window to see that everything is not as dark as it seems inside.Sometimes all you need is a little nudge to look out a different window. So, I am going to make a very serious effort – everyday . I successfully finished the FatMumSlim June Photo challenge – ok there were a few days when I had to play catchup .. but I completed the challenge & have decided to continue it for July too. So on the days that I don’t have any wise words to share, I will share a photo instead.

So, on that note, I will end this post. I don’t think I have any readers left, but if you have accidentally stumbled upon this page, do stop and say hi !

❤️❤️

Trish

First of June marks the official start of winter,Down Under. The days get shorter and nights longer, temperature drops and as the chill creeps into our homes,an unexplained gloom starts to fill our hearts as well. Yes, winter blues are real! The good news is that we can chase these blues away,with small pick-me-ups and sail through the cold weather cheerfully.

The first year,that we moved out of India,we lived in Canada.Our arrival in Toronto was ill-timed as it co-incided with the start of winter.Every evening,as I looked out the window and watched  the sky darken at 4 pm,my heart sinked.10 years,and 3 countries later,I have started to pick up on the warning signs and have mastered the tricks to cheer  myself up.Here are a few of my favorite pick-me-ups:

1) Comfort food: When you are down in the dumps,nothing works,except comfort food.One-pot winter warmers are a win-win.There is something about wolfing down steaming hot food,that warms up your spirits.Hearty soups,Pulavs,Khichdi,Mac anc cheese,casseroles are great options for winter dinners.Baking is a good idea too, as the lovely aroma and heat from the oven,warms up your home too.

2) Vitamin D& C : Yes you read it right. Vitamin D is a natural anti-depressant.So,every opportunity you get rug up , go outside and soak in the sunshine.Additionally,take a Vitamin D supplement and keep up your Vit.D levels. And while you are at it,don’t forget to dose up on some Vit.C as well.Just a glass of Orange juice every day,will boost your immunity and keep the sickness at bay.

3) Rug up: When you are feeling cold,its easy to feel sorry for yourself.Dress up warm,when you are feeling warm and toasty,the world looks a whole lot better.

4) Candles and lights: Light up candles,safely,of course and use dim-lights around the house,so as to not run up the electricity bills but at the same time,the glow of candles and lights makes you feel hopeful.

5) Meet some friends: One of the biggest challenges,I faced in winters was home-sickness and that made me miserable.Make conscious plans to meet friends for a coffee or invite someone over.That way you dress up yourself and the house and instantly your mood uplifts too. In the current COVID climate, when physical meetings are difficult, virtual meetings are the ‘New Normal’

6) Laugh a little: Stock up on comedies and popcorn or hot chocolate.Snuggle up with your kids and/or partner and start a laugh riot. 

7) Pick up a hobby: If you have something to do after dark,you won’t resent it so much.My winter hobby is knitting and I look forward to the time,when dinner is finished,kids are in bed so I can get to my knitting.My husband likes playing games on his PS3.Just pick whatever makes you happy.

8) Excercise: Excercise is a great mood enhancer.Even if you can’t get to the gym,an exercise video or treadmill in front of the TV-just anything to get the adrenalin flowing.

9) And lastly,relax,accept the weather and enjoy it-Our lives are so busy,with work-meeting deadlines,running after the kids,keeping up with all the commitments. Why not just take the colder months,to relax..and rejuvenate yourself,mentally and physically.

Give yourself or your partner that foot rub that’s long overdue, read that book that you’ve been wanting to read forever, create some winter rituals-when I was growing up,one of our favorite activity was shelling the peas, sitting around the dining table,as a family,with everyone talking about their day. My kids look forward to their cup of hot cocoa after school,when we sit around the table, drink our cocoa and share the tales from the day.

And when all else fails,try to remember that day in the summer,when it was scorching hot and all you wished for was for it to be winter soon.. Good luck on beating those blues.