Things I’m Grateful For…

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Bridie

It’s been a while since I last posted, there is something about the time between taking down the Christmas tree and the first daffodils appearing that is very bleak and grey. And I tend to go into hibernation mode. But here we are in early March and spring is just around the corner, days are lighter, and going for a walk is back on the agenda;

Today though, my thoughts are turning to gratitude. I decided to write down some of the things that I am grateful for in my life as a reminder of everything that is good;

1) Knowledge and Education

Books to read, internet to search, wisdom of others, my own life experience, growing older, learning from mistakes, expansion of consciousness, greater understanding of people.

2) Honesty and Compassion

Openness and awareness, being truthful with myself and others, caring, loyal, helping others, trusting myself and others, being generous, giving my time freely and willingly, believing in myself and others, not letting people take advantage of my good nature.

3) This Moment

Living in the present, appreciation, acceptance of what is, acceptance of who I am right now, calmness, just being in the here and now, just being me.

4) Family and Friends

Laughter, long hugs, having fun, creating memories, family values, my husband, our children, similar beliefs, being reliable, loving, loyalty, belonging.

5) Memories

Nostalgia, hearing and telling stories from the past, personal growth, personal history, connections, people and places, old photographs, favourite songs, travelling, adventures.

6) Plants, Animals and Pets

Faithful companions, four legged friends, the natural world, survival, happiness, giving comfort, bringing joy, life.

7) Food and Water

Tasty nutrition, healthy eating, hydration, experimenting with flavours, nourishment, comfort, life.

8) Health

Wellness, being fit, increased mobility, having an expert care team, being in a normal weight range, eating well, enjoying movement, increased energy.

9) Work, Rest and Play

Relaxation, meditation, journaling, having fun, caring for the home, caring for myself, homemaking, holidays, weekend adventures, enthusiasm, being passionate, happiness.

10) Art, Music and Creativity

Making connections, painting, mod podging, new techniques, Pinterest, new projects, new ideas, emotional, ever changing, never ending, having play days, creative huddles, writing, expressing myself.

11) Healing and Strength

Being resilient, personal growth, forgiveness of self and others, time is a healer, freeing, releasing, calming, clarity , peace.

12) Happiness and Laughter

My husband, joyfulness, having fun, hearing jokes, being silly, lightheartedness, sense of humour, smiling, feeling good, feeling happy, feeling alive, being positive, sharing.

13) Passion and Love

My husband, belonging, togetherness, completeness, wholeness, companionship, bliss, excitement, family, friends.

14) Mind, Body, Spirit

Soul, finding purpose, being spiritual, Buddha, meditation space, being at peace, clarity, comfort, connection, being connected, feeling of oneness, depth, being in balance.

15) Sunrise and Sunset

New beginnings, endings, colourful, richness, freshness, magical, gratitude, magnificence, hope, beauty, powerful, quiet, peace.

16) Nature

Trees, flowers, plants, growth, beauty, freshness, clean air, changing seasons, circle of life, Mother Earth, being connected.

17) Moon Cycle

Abundance, visual clarity, wealth, high energy, low energy, healing crystals, feeling emotional, divine feminine power.

18) Each New Day

Waking up, new beginnings, fresh starts, another chance, paying it forwards, doing good, being kind, thankful for life, hope, doing better, learning from mistakes, wiping the slate clean.

What are you grateful for? I’d love to hear from you 🙂

Rustic Stick Star

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Bridie

The one thing I love about Christmas is to be able to make use of the things I find around me in the garden and hedgerows to make lovely decorations and ornaments for the home. This year is no exception and my favourite project by far has to be the lovely stick star made from little twigs gathered on a walk back in the summer. I’d left them drying out in the shed to use as kindling for our fire pit, but actually we had such a poor summer that we rarely sat out in the evenings. So I gave it another use.

So simple, all I did was take 5 twigs of fairly equal size, and cut them to the same length – taking off any knobbly bits with a pair of secateurs. I set them out in a basic 5 point star shape, then used a glue gun to glue them in place.

Once dry – and it didn’t take long, I gave the star a light dusting of silver spray paint. when that was dry, I took some festive themed twine that I’d picked up in Lidle for a couple of pounds and wove it around to make a very rustic and pretty star.

I was going to just leave it as a side decoration, but when we went to decorate the tree, we discovered that our old and much loved glittery star had disintegrated, so we put the stick star to good use!

Looks nice, don’t you think? Pixie, our Christmas cat likes it too!

Autumn Challenges

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Bridie

This time of year is so beautiful. I just love going for walks out in the countryside, to smell the changes in the air and to see the wonderful colours in the trees and hedgerows. I think this year has been pretty special, usually we get a strong storm that blows all the leaves off the trees, but so far we’ve escaped, which means that the autumn colour is still very vibrant and strong.

I’ve been out walking to capture some of the moments of beauty I’ve witnessed over the past few weeks;

The autumnal change in weather also means that the dark gloomy days of winter will soon be upon us. I don’t know about you, but it always makes me feel a bit down in the dumps. I’m a Chronic Babe with fibromyalgia and other autoimmune conditions, so my pain levels take a hike in the cold and damp. I’ve been doing my best to prepare myself for the winter months, coming up with ways to stay as well as I possibly can – mentally as well as physically – and for me that includes; getting out into the fresh air as often as I can (even if it’s only to walk to the end of the lane and back), watching some inspirational You Tube clips (I love the Chronic Babe series by Jenni Prokopy and anything with Dr Wayne Dyer sharing his wisdom), making sure I eat well and take appropriate supplements which for me includes; Vit C and D, fish oils and – if I feel the snuffles coming on – zinc. It all helps keep me in the best shape possible. Then to cosy up my home I have some uplifting and soothing essential oils to burn (lavender, oregano and marjoram) lot’s of candles and fluffy throws and I have also created a morning and evening ritual which includes meditation, prayer, sitting yoga and a little pampering. I’ll post some more on that subject another time. Do you have any top tips? I’d love to hear you!

Bridie Nelson

Category Archives: being real