Magical Love

 Happy Thursday everyone!

It's been awhile, sadly I've been a front row passenger on the struggle bus.

I've missed a couple of months due to illness and then I broke my leg (both bones), shattered my ankle, and tore a ligament. I guess tying sled to Milo and sitting Charlie on it and telling him to haul butt wasn't one of the smartest things I've done.... 

But it was fun while it lasted...

 

Isn't he just the coolest... haha

Anyway on to this month's topic - Magical Love. With Monday being Valentines and the fact I write romance, I really felt I needed to write about love...

I'm sure we have all heard the saying Love Is All You (I) need...and while I would add that clean water, shelter, and doughnuts are important, there is no doubt that love is some powerful magic. It can be truly live changing. 

I'm not talking about romantic love but self-love. Before we can really love another person we need to love ourselves - unconditionally. The latest buzz is all about 'self-care' and 'self-love' but it's still something some of still struggle with.

I was recently with a group of friends and we were talking about how difficult we find it to develop a self-care/self-love routine. I thought I'd share some of the reasons and things we came up to over come them (this is with their permission. I'd never share something personal shared with me without asking).

I don't have time to set-up a self-care/self-love routine. This is was a common factor among us. One that most people relate to on some level. The first thing to banish is that your self-care/self-love routine has to be multi-step involving all the things. I mean heck yeah, I would love to have a hot tub with bubbles surrounded by candles with a plate of doughnuts but in reality I don't even get to take a shower without Charlie pounding on the door. So to try to establish this would be horrible... Milo would knock the candles over trying to get into the hot tub. Charlie would be making Santa beards with the bubbles. And they would eat all my doughnuts. NO self-care there. 

So I set aside 10 minutes a day (the best time for me is 6:30 pm...dinner and the dishes are done, homework is done, and Charlie has his 30 minutes of screen time.) The key to this 10 minutes is to SHOW UP FOR MYSELF. I have found the best way to do this is by having a 10 minute activity in mind. On Monday's I do a face mask. On Tuesday's I paint my nails. Etc. I have found if I don't have a plan, I spend my time picking up and trying to decide what I'm going to spend my 10 minutes on... which ends up nothing.

Now 10 minutes isn't long and I do try to schedule more time through the week and sometimes I get and sometimes I don't. But either way, I have shown up and given myself 1 hour and 10 minutes of self-love. And that might not sound like a lot but it was more than I had before I started this routine.

If you are someone who has trouble finding time for self-care/self-love, I'd like to encourage you to start small and promise yourself that you will show-up everyday for those few minutes. 

Because you deserve them!!!!!

I would love to hear how you schedule self-care/self-love time. 

 Your Best Self-care Tip May Be Doing Nothing by Heather Michet

We’re at the crossroads again: a new year, new promises, new shoulds and pressures to strive higher and harder to “be more, do more and have more.”  

We’re told that bigger dreams and bodacious goals get realized when we push the limit.

But is this really the only way to get there?

I mean seriously: Are your body and spirit deeply crying out to hop on the treadmill, both literally and figuratively right now?

Mine aren’t.

Think how out of sync a busy calendar and pushy task list really are in the month of January.  Are Mother Earth and her creatures scrambling around like maniacs to get everything done while they hunker down?  Nope.

We’ve just bustled through a full and hectic holiday season (ok, perhaps less so than those of 2 years+ ago, but still).  Winter weather has set in which means snow and cold for many of us.

Then January 1st hits the books and we’re supposed to wake up bright, perky, and fired up to set the world, our business, and our health on fire to the highest and healthiest heights.

Are you sensing a disconnect and incongruency here?  Some cross-purposed energies, perhaps?

Think about this for a moment: December 21st was the first day of WINTER.  Not Spring.  Not Summer.  Winter - a time to pull in, tuck under the covers, reflect, get quieter, sit still, rest, recharge and engage in gentler, slower activities like reading, sipping a great mug of tea, writing, handicrafts and naps!!

What if easing into the new calendar year this way was the ticket to more fulfillment, enjoyment, peace and prosperity?  

What if savoring our days and their offerings by being fully present for each experience vs. hustling through the task list every waking moment brought us closer to ourselves, our dreams and our world?

What if taking stretches of doing nothing (however brief or extended) resulted in richer outcomes than we ever imagined?

What if, indeed.

I experienced this quite intensely in November after returning from 2 marvelous weeks in Italy.

Part of any “away” time I take is followed by a day or two (or more), of a blank calendar; a time when there are no ‘out there’ commitments, no To-Do lists, and little to no connecting with other people.  This delicious time is all mine to simply BE as I soak in, reflect upon, and write about my experiences and perceptions garnered while away.  

During this integration and recovery time, I allow my body, mind and spirit to dictate what’s next: It’s 3:30 p.m. and I’m so wiped out that I have to lie down and sleep?  Sweet dreams.  It’s 1:40 a.m., I’m wide awake and famished?  Chow down!  Muscles and limbs feel stiff and yearning to stretch and strut?  Get on the hiking boots and head out the door!

This “after party” time following my Italy trip was blissful and rich.  No social media, no phone calls, no work agenda.  And boy howdy did the slow and quiet time provide space to receive some big abundance!!

One phone call from an acquaintance resulted in 2 new healing clients, followed by 2 ceremonial clients confirmed a week later.  WOW, this practice works!!!

Now I’m not advocating for a slothful, undirected or mindless life with this occasional practice of slowing down and quieting.  Nor am I guaranteeing spectacular gifts to roll in like those I received.  

But I know these periods of quiet stillness help us come back to our center to see, feel and discern what is essential.  And I propose there’s no better time to do this than amidst winter’s unhurried season.

So, in addition to visioning your year ahead with its goals and dreams, pull out your planner and schedule in some nothing time that’s free of the external noise.  You never know what goodness may come to grace you.

You never know what goodness may come to grace you.

_________________________________________________________

Here are two great resources to guide and support you in taking slow, quiet and restorative time:

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

Daring to Rest by Karen Brody

All photos Copyright © Heather Michet 2021

Heather Michet is an impassioned healing artist, wellness guide and Ceremonial Songstress who weaves lyrical, a cappella vocals throughout a wide array of ceremonies in a myriad of settings.  From weddings in the woods, graveside memorials, and ashes scatterings at the shore, to house blessings and birthday parties, her Celtic style voice embraces the heart and stirs the spirit of all who gather honoring life events.  

You can connect with Heather and her work in any (or all!) of these ways:

• Listen to her music on YouTube 

• Read about her Ceremonial Songstressing at Purple Crow Sings

• Learn about her wellness tools and services rooted in nature at Iris Healing Arts 

Finding Peace by Lynn Lovegreen

 This month’s RTG theme is peace. In our current world, it can be hard to find peace of mind. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the news or the negative things in our lives. But it’s essential for our mental and physical health to take a step back and find peace. Here are a few ideas in case you need some to get you started.

 

Find one beautiful thing and focus on that for a minute or two. Maybe you have a plant or picture in your home, or there are lovely clouds out your window. Just enjoy the beauty and breathe.

Spend time with someone you love. You might live with a person your love, or have a friend or family member you can be with in person or call on the phone. Whoever it is, carve out a little time with them. Or if it’s not a person, maybe there’s a pet you love—that can count, too.

 

Give yourself some “me” time. Maybe you’re stretched thin from all the obligations others place on you, or you place on yourself. In that case, be the friend to yourself that you are for others. Take time to do something for yourself. Take a walk, read a book, whatever you need to recharge. 

Take a deep breath and do what you need to do. Find some peace. You are worth it.

 

Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for over fifty years. After twenty years in the classroom, she retired to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering at her local library. Her young adult historical fiction is set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.