This year has been full of ups and downs, extensive emotional processing, and working how to respond to challenges. I am growing, feeling my way through it but it’s not easy. When learning/challenges are served at such an accelerated pace, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
What I am grateful for is that we are going into a season that encourages rest, allows rooms for creativity, and rituals of comfort, such as making pots of cinnamon rooibos tea🙂
While it is helpful to process, there comes a point where resting the mind and the heart, and becoming immersed in the present is very important for healing. Finding activities that help with grounding can be a just what you need.
I worried myself into darkness.
I loved myself into life.
~By Melody Godfred
Each of us has our own list of activities that we like to do over the winter months. Here are some of my favourites:
- Write – I like to journal but also like to explore different kinds of writing.
- Read – Just finished a wonderful book called My friends by Fredrik Backman (explores really tough subject matter with also lots of humour and meaning and many references to art).
- Cook – I love warm dishes this time of year
- Experiments with art – I am playing around with new elements of mixed media, exploring new acrylic mediums and different possibilities
- Walking – I have a favourite neighbourhood walk and especially like looking at people’s gardens
- Yoga – here is my latest favourite video – 25 Min Restorative Yoga Flow | Full Body Yoga for All Levels – YouTube
It’s a good time to reflect on what you need this time of year…do you need to rest? are you hearing the calling of a creative project? are you needing solitude or are you drawn to connecting to others? Are your daily rhythms changing or needing to change? What is relaxing for you? What inspires you?
I realized this month that I needed to tune down my mental activity, tune down my expectations of myself, and take time to organize myself, in a gentle way. This has helped reopen my desire to be creative, mostly just giving me new energy in that direction. Sometimes the soul wants freedom and when you give it space, it responds.
I am currently working on a larger project and am getting myself organized and all my materials together.
But I am quite exhausted from a full year and restless sleep and dreams. I am needing structures of self-care and lots of room to rest so my mind is on my body as well. Sleep regulation can be most difficult with bipolar, epsecially at times of prolonged growth and stress. I am tuning in to what my body/mind need to wind down. My brain needs to slow down for sure. Yoga, breathwork, and guided mediations are all helpful for this. Checking in with my nervous system throughout the day is essential. It is learning in progress – this listening to my body and stilling my mind.
I invite all of you at this time to set an intention (or intensions) this winter for your mental health recovery and/or creativity. Instead of having your mind set the intention, perhaps, if this feels right, listen to your heart and body. Go quiet in however way you do this to connect to where you are at.
with kindness and care,
Meegan
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