Well, I said that I would check in at the end of January and let you know how my trying to live in the present was going. If you remember my last blog, at the start of the year I said that I would stop planning, stop making far too many lists, as they were constraining me, and try to take each day as it comes just as I did in childhood. So how is that going?
The short answer is - very well. I have really surprised myself. I used to set myself lists of chores to do for that day and if I didn't get through them all I felt like a failure. Many days I would skip walks or fun things because I knew if I did those then I wouldn't get through all my chores. How ridiculous is that? Very, I know. This year, so far, the only lists that have been made are menus, shopping lists and feel-good activity lists and do you know something - life has been so much easier and so much happier.
My son and I had trips out and I didn't worry about catching up on chores when I got home, I took lots of walks and really enjoyed them - and the house didn't get dirty and the washing didn't pile up. Even when Covid hit it didn't cause my usual winter SAD to kick in. I was miserable for a few days because I felt rotten but, once I was over the worse, I slept, read and knitted and I didn't worry about what wasn't getting done. By the time I got the negative test I was a bit fed up of the indoors but that was it, no big worry. I continue to take each day as it comes.
On the first of January I started to knit a weather blanket. Even that has helped my mood.
Usually I only remember the gloomy overcast days in January but just look at that blanket, yes there have been overcast days but do you see how many days of blue skies and sunshine we have had too?
January has been a rather fine month considering - even with the two storms (The green rows are the strong winds) - and that isn't a bad start to a year. We've embraced Hygge here and had lots of fairy lights to brighten the gloomy days, warm blankets, snuggly socks and hot chocolates. My husband made lambswool (a hot cider drink with roasted apples) and we went out to wassail our apple trees on old twelfth night. We sang wassailing songs, talked to and blessed the trees, hung toast on the branches and scattered some of the lambswool around the roots. We then sat to watch the stars for a while as we drank our lambswool. Unfortunately I was coming down with Covid and didn't stay out as long as I would have but it was fun. Can't wait for next year.
I usually have my reading planned out months in advance too. Something else that was constraining. This month I have picked up whatever book I felt like at the time and I have really had fun with my reading.
As I have enjoyed living in the moment so much I am going to continue through February. I shall live one day at the time. I have had a look at my almanac to see what events/celebrations are coming up and I may try to join in with some of those:
1st February is Imbolc, also known as Saint Brigid's Day. It marks the beginning of spring. I shall get myself out walking again, look for signs of spring around me and enjoy the daily progress of nature. I may change my porch display to be more spring like and colourful too.
1st February is also the start of LGBTQ+ history month - the theme this year is Medicine #UnderTheScope - a prompt to celebrate the work of LGBTQ+ people that have made significant contributions to the field of medicine. It's also an opportunity to shine a light on the discrimination and inequalities that LGBTQ+ people have historically experienced in healthcare settings, and still face to this day. I intend to educate myself more about this.
2nd February is Candlemas - a celebration of the presenting of Christ at the Temple. It's also the time to take down your Christmas trees if they are still up. Snowdrops used to be known as Candlemas bells because that was the time you were sure to see them. I may go on a snowdrop hunt on this day.
10th February is the Lunar New Year - Chinese New Year, this year it is the Year of the Greenwood Dragon. Another good time to celebrate. We have lots of events in Liverpool City Centre for this and I think that I may cook up a Chinese banquet too.
February 13th is Shrove Tuesday and my lovely daughter will be home for half term so we shall make pancakes together with lots of different fillings
February 14th is St Valentine's Day - a day to celebrate love, not just romantic love but the love between parents and children, the love between friends and the love we share with pets. It's a genuinely all round positive day, just celebrating love in its many forms.
February 29th is leap day - we have a whole extra day this year. My plan is to decide on the day but do something really fun to celebrate having the gift of an extra day to the year.
So that's some of the celebrations that I may join in with but most of all I intend to live in and for the moment. I shall look for the joy and the gifts of each day, celebrate them and hopefully find as much happiness in February as I did in January.
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