New Year Blues
I hope you're settling into the new year smoothly! The days are slowly getting longer, and we've made it past 'Blue Monday' - phew!
Now, it's time to look ahead to what this year has in store for us. Covid is still around, but things seem to be moving in a positive direction, which is great news. Here's to a 2022 filled with health, happiness, and good fortune for all of us!
Personally, I've been finding it a bit challenging to get back into the swing of things after the festive season. Tiredness and brain fog have been my constant companions lately - thanks, menopause!
I ended up doing a whole lot of sleeping over the Christmas break, and let me tell you, getting back to a regular routine has been a struggle.
However, getting back to teaching my wonderful students has been a real energy booster for me.
As I've been working with my art groups over the past few weeks, we've been bidding farewell to the old year and tentatively welcoming 2022.
It's been a journey, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to create, connect, and grow with my students. Here's to a year full of creativity, inspiration, and new beginnings!
I personally find setting New Year's Resolutions a bit overwhelming, but it's always nice to think about what we want to achieve in the year ahead. Even the smallest accomplishments deserve recognition and can bring a sense of satisfaction.
Recently, we've been reflecting on what worked for us last year and what didn't using some Year End Reflection prompts I stumbled upon on Pinterest.
Although these prompts are a few years old, they still hold true and encourage us to consider both the good and not-so-good parts of the past year. It's a great way to set the tone for a positive and productive year ahead.
I just wanted to share with you all how helpful our recent exercise was in helping us think about positive things we can do for our self-care and mental health.
We took some time to reflect on what worked and what didn't in 2021. It was a bit emotional at times, but overall, it was a really valuable session.
After that, we moved on to setting our intentions for 2022. There are so many journalling prompts out there that it can feel overwhelming, but I found a simple one to start with:
I will strive to.....
I will honour.....
I will embrace......
I will let go of.....
I will remember....
I will look forward to......
I love using journaling prompts to help kickstart my brain, especially with all the craziness of Covid and menopause swirling around in there!
It's been a great tool for me to reflect on things and make decisions moving forward. I definitely recommend giving it a try!
Recently, I decided to revisit my intentions from last year by checking out my blog post from January. Let me tell you, I realized just how much I didn't follow through on in 2021! I didn't anticipate how much my menopause symptoms would ramp up and impact my daily life.
It's been quite the journey, but I'm learning and growing every step of the way.
Making sure I take care of myself daily is super important!
I just wanted to share with you my daily self-care routine - the three things that really keep me going:
Yoga & meditation
Spending time outdoors in nature
Drawing
Let's be honest, staying on track with yoga and exercise has been a bit tough lately, and surprise, surprise, it's been
affecting my stress and anxiety levels. I find if I at least do a bit of stretching, the odd pose or two,
or just sit on my mat breathing, that at least tides me over till I can dedicate to a full practice.
But I still make sure to get outside every day, even if it's just a quick walk to find some peace and quiet.
And as for drawing, well, I try to carve out time for my creative projects
but work can sometimes get in the way. It's all about finding that balance, right?
Now that I've had a chance to reflect on what's working and what's not, I'm thinking about how I can adjust my routine for 2022.
How about you? Any changes or intentions you're setting for the new year?
I'd love to hear about it and maybe we can motivate each other.
Oh, and I've saved some journal prompt ideas in the blog's Pinterest folder if you need some inspiration.
Feel free to check it out and share your thoughts. Here's to a happy and healthy 2022! Cheers!
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