This was originally posted on Mrs Brimbles Blog here.
The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.
It might not be a broken bone or rash that is visible but mental health is important too. It’s massively important. Did you know that a lot of mental illnesses show with physical symptoms too? Sometimes it’s things like Insomnia or Hypersomnia, sometimes it’s things like a change in your diet or the way your body processes what you are eating.
I would say I’m a bit of a logophile then again I thought something like etymologist would be more official (not to be confused with entomology which is the study of bugs! Always makes me think of Gil Grissom in CSI). I like reaching for a well-known search engine to look for the dictionary definition of terms (especially big words – the bigger the better sometimes! For instance, today I used discombobulated in a tweet during BedsHour!).
But what’s this got to do with my planner or journalling?
Well certainly this week has been about self-care. For one week in August, it all goes a bit crazy and Mum and I along with 15ish other volunteers run a Holiday Club at a local church. It always seems like a good idea then by the time we get to this week we start to question our sanity!
Along with this my amazing Dad and Sister in Law have taken Jaxon for a little across two days which meant I could try and get my head in the right place and clear the decks a bit!
I worked through my emails, wrote some tweets and did some work tasks but I didn’t make it to this week in my planner (As you can see below). It crossed my mind to do it Friday morning when Sister-in-Law had Jaxon but I woke up with a bad head and decided to snuggle on the sofa instead. (As Mum said, I was burning the candles at both ends and that’s why I’ve had a bad head twice this week!)
She’s exactly right. I get up with Jaxon around 8ish then I’m on Mum duty until he goes to bed. Because he’s been at Holiday Club too his bedtime has been later than usual. I’ve got home around 9pm and then started to try and fill in what I need to get done. Any parents who survive on minimal sleep because their kids think sleep is for the weak, I applaud you because I’m one spoilt Mummy when it comes to sleep! Ever since Jaxon was born he’s been a good sleeper overnight – nap time was a different story but overnight – I’m spoilt!
But on Thursday when my Dad/Jaxon’s Grandpa had Jaxon for nearly the whole day I managed to get September sorted out. With Jaxon starting school, I can see the monthly view coming in handy to make sure we’re organised and keeping up with washing uniform and things like that. When I saw the fairytale/woodland stickers, I wasn’t 100% sure they were my thing but then I got thinking about how as kids we’d go conker hunting in September and October once the leaves started to change and things like that. So I decided that I’d use them across the September Monthly and actually by the “end” I wanted to try and fit more stickers into the spread so actually decorated the first week of term too!
I cleaned down the kitchen table, got the tripod out and decided to go for it. I could edit out the rubbish parts and talk over it later when needed. As I was stood there mid filming, Our Sidekick arrived in the kitchen chatting away followed by Our Sidekick’s Social Worker coming for a visit. Part of me was tempted to load it at the end as a blooper reel! The SW got all excited about how my tripod was set up and how I was using my phone and things like that – It was kind of entertaining to listen back to it while editing! But we got there in the end! I think I’ll go back and do the August Monthly one as a memory keeping kind of thing because I’ve done zero journalling.
So when I’ve actually had time to do self-care, what have I been up to? Well, I’ve been knitting a jumper designed by a lovely lady called Nicky. It’s all knitted in one piece and from the neck down (Rather than back, front and two sleeves like most jumpers I’ve done in the past). It’s knitted in DK on 4mm needles so feels like it’s taking ages but it’s at a point now where I can do a couple of rows, put it back in my bag and carry on with something else so it’s perfect for knitting groups etc. This week I had two knitting groups. I ended up talking Disneyland Paris to one lady as she’s off on an adventure with her daughter, son in law and grandkids next year and wanted to know every piece of information I could bestow on her! I also caught up with my lovely friend who’s recently opened her own shop in town. The two knitting groups I attend are definitely my self-care slots. Even if I’m having
Well, I’ve been knitting a jumper designed by a lovely lady called Nicky. It’s all knitted in one piece and from the neck down (Rather than back, front and two sleeves like most jumpers I’ve done in the past). It’s knitted in DK on 4mm needles so feels like it’s taking ages but it’s at a point now where I can do a couple of rows, put it back in my bag and carry on with something else so it’s perfect for knitting groups etc. I’ve now got to the arms which have a lot of lacework so at least for a little bit it’s taken a back seat.
This week I had two knitting groups. I ended up talking Disneyland Paris to one lady as she’s off on an adventure with her daughter, son in law and grandkids next year and wanted to know every piece of information I could bestow on her! I also caught up with my lovely friend who’s recently opened her own shop in town. The two knitting groups I attend are definitely my self-care slots. Even if I’m having bad day and want to miss group, I know that if I can just get out of the house and get to the group after 10-15 minutes I will feel better. I know that once I get through the door someone will watch Jaxon if I just need to go have a little cry in the corner or someone will hug me tightly and tell me it will be okay, maybe not right away but it will be okay. And you know what, right now it’s exactly what’s needed.There’s been various things on top of the holiday club crazy and I’ve been so grateful for those lovely ladies picking me up and giving me a hug.
This was written and submitted to Anna but now today Jaxon starts school and I can see things getting a little loopy again. I think once he’s in school this morning, I will feel that bit less stressed because he will be there and that will be the first day in progress but at the same time I’m still a bit anxious about how he will be in school and things like that. I spoke to a friend of mine who runs her own business amongst other things. She told me to take a break for a day or two. You’ve gone from being a “full time” Mum as far as Jaxon being with me all the time to now him being at school five days a week. Well, I had a few plans but when my friend said “Let’s catch up” it turned out that today is the best day for us both so I’m off to see her and her children for the morning which will be lovely. (and more self-care!)
