Hiiiiiiiii! (That looks like one of those games where you have to find the exclamation mark….except I’ve made it all easy for you by just popping it at the end π). How are you doing? π Read any good books lately? π Did I ask the question about books too soon? I swear I care about you more than I do the books you may or may not have read…..*secretly crosses fingers behind backπ€*…..ππ.
I haven’t been well these last few days, it’s been a build up of a few things including the bouncy castle we had for my mum’s birthday (#noregrets π) but yesterday I felt a lot better after I got the morning out of the way. It’s lucky that I did or else I wouldn’t have been able to handle the drama that unfolded, but we’re not here to talk about that, today’s post is focusing on what I did mindfully in order to find an escape from it all!
This might be a new series as I’ve had it planned for a while and am finally jumping in! π *Cannonballs into the deep end before remembering that I cannot swim* π¦ Whoops! Metaphors all the way, everyday! π We shall avoid those situations at all costs π. On our first jaunt on this mindfulness journey, let’s start off with something that sounds really boring but can actually be quite relaxing….
Hoovering!
We have one of those little hoover’s for the front room as the big one is for the dog hairs around the rest of the house so I wasn’t lugging around the household vaccume, just the handheld and it was nice to get the sitting room clean in a matter of minutes. I don’t even remember setting out to do it but I suppose just getting started is the way for these things to get done π. I saw a piece of dust and I was all over that room before later sitting down to survey the scene and marvel at how calming the task had actually been (these are strange times π΅).
Used a cleanser, serum and a moisturizer oh yeah! π
On the days when I’m unwell I’ll admit I don’t do any of the above π and then on other days it might only be a moisturizer so to do ALL of them felt like an entirely new level of self care π±. I alternate between loads of different cleansers and facial washes but at the moment I’m sticking to one serum and moisturizer. The serum is what I shared with you in my last post and the moisturizer is by Good Things which I wrote a bit about here and swear by for my dry/sensitive skin! To be more mindful I took extra care in applying the products using circular motions on my skin and it was like I was my own personal masseuse ππ
Read the newspaper
I was mostly just obsessed with the pull out magazines in the Times because they feel like the free catalogues you pick up in a store and I miss those days π―π. When it comes to the rest of the newspaper…Is it classed as reading if I couldn’t actually process anything in that moment (more on that below) because I was mentally preparing for my next point….
Video made a cheesecake π§
I usually say video bake but this was a no-bake cheesecake so I couldn’t really say that π. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do this but I figured I could get through it by sitting down instead of standing as I really wanted to go through the therapeutic process of throwing something together π. We we were unable to get dairy free cream cheese as it was sold out so eating it wasn’t on the cards for me and being more into the whole thing to release my inner Martha Stewart worked in my favor if I couldn’t actually eat any so win win I guess π€·
…I think “win win” is my new phrase that finds it’s way into every post but now that I’ve drawn attention to it you’ll probably never find me saying it again as that’s just how things work π. Our cheesecake is still setting in the fridge so unfortunately there are no pics yet but I’ll be sure to add it onto my July favourites at the end of the month because I really enjoyed baking it!
Relaxed πππ…π…πππ
After that video call bake we got a few things done + had a zoom chat with our aunt and when that had finished I was very tired so I lounged back and relaxed! This may or may not have involved binge watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills π. A while back if you’d have asked me what my favourite Real Housewives was I’d have spun a tale about how they’ve all had they’re standout time in my heart but I can honestly say that my absolute fav is New York! It’s just got its own vibe to it and is just so good to watch (spell check wanted me to say eat π). I get the feeling that even if it didn’t have the drama it’d still be brilliant but maybe I’m stretching too far on that, I don’t know π.
I planned what other mindful things I could maybe do the next day
Hold on….that next day is today! π΅ Okay ummm, I better make a start π Oh wait….I’ve already done it! π Did I trick you? Do you care? Do you have to care in order for me to trick you?? Regardless, I think I had you for a moment there before I bombarded you with questions so yay! ππ
The things on this list were simple tasks that I’d been meaning to do such as sorting through the bottles of shampoo & conditioner in the bathroom as there are loads of empty ones that are just sitting there and it’s my job this time because no offence mum but the last time you did that you threw away my Vaseline spray and and it wasn’t empty, it just felt like it. We don’t want a repeat of the wraith that fell upon the world that day now do we? π THAT’S the ultimate question π.
Wrote blog posts
When I got into bed later in the day I made a start on this post but I couldn’t finish it because I was tired so you’re currently reading a box-fresh (if you know, you know cause I’m in NO mood for explanations ππ) post completed this morning π
Podcast please π
I discovered the Hobbit audiobook/podcast on Sunday whilst feeling incredibly tired after coming out of a headache courtesy of a bad migraine the day before and I couldn’t sleep because my legs hurt so I needed something calming but nothing that would require too much attention. Well let me tell ya, I went searching in the right place because I found a gem! π (Pretend the diamond emoji is a gem and look the other way π).
I realized an easy-going podcast would be a good idea as I can’t seem to visually get into a book lately. I’ve been finding it difficult to make sense of the words, they just all seem to coalesce on the page. Even on here you should see me trying to make sense of blog comments but I get there in the end and am slowly coming out of feeling this way! It just happens every now and then. I thought I’d listen to the Hobbit which I am currently re-reading and I wanted to brush up on what I’ve established up till now so as to know where I’m at when I pick it up next.
The podcast I found is fantastic! It has the music from the movie and all the voices are just so captivating and really tell the story. I’ll tell you right now, it’s possible to be in love with a podcast/audiobook because I’m feeling all of the emotions right now π. I discovered it on the podcast app I use (Castbox) by just searching for a Hobbit/Lord of the Rings audiobook and that is what it came up as if you’re interested!
In that first chapter when the dwarves all sing I’m not even lying, I dozed off for a bit and that NEVER happens. This is just gold if you need help to sleep and fantasy worlds are your thing β¨π. I had an ounce of energy left to remove my headphones and spray my pillow (with the stuff I mentioned in this favourites post) and I was gone from the world! π΄
Those kinds of sleeps are few and far between but I might have just found a way to bridge them closer together and I’m not gonna let it go anytime soon!…I might just keep replaying that first chapter of The Hobbit over and over again and hope it doesn’t lose its charm but that may be wishful thinking as you can have too much of a good thing sometimes so I’ll treasure this whilst it lasts! β¨
Thank YOU for reading! π It probably won’t sound like a lot to some but it was a packed day for me after being out of action for a while and I found some relief from that in the form of doing things mindfully and remembering to pace so as not to spiral backwards π«.
Did you do anything mindfully today? I was going to say “I’m dying to know” but that doesn’t sound very pleasant…neither does “I’m on tenderhooks” π€….what I’m basically trying to say is that I’d love to know, so let me know in the comments below! ππ. Hope you have a wonderful day! β€οΈ
Oh, sorry to hear you are not feeling well lately, but still, you have done so many nice things! Out of all these, I can pick out the relaxing and congratulate you for doing it. Some people do not make time for it, and others even feel guilty about it! So very well done.
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Thank you so much! π Yeah, I used to feel guilty for relaxing because when I’m unwell I’ll think that if I’m okay I should make the most of time and be up and about not just sitting around so it can be strange doing nothing out of choice when I’m able to do more. I’ve learned to see it in a more positive light in that it’s important to take time out π«β¨
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Love this post! I’d love a series of posts like this π I need to try and do things a bit more mindfully. Also that cheesecake sounds delicious
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Thank you so much!! πβ¨π
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Sounds like such a lovely day. Personally, Iβm in the middle of getting my anxiety under control – through hypnosis actually. So this Monday, I went and had my 3rd go at hypnosis which I guess is a highly mindful thing to do β€οΈπΈ Anyway, great post!!!
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Thank you so much! π I hope that’s going well for you and wish you all the best with it! It definitely does sound mindful and like a way to get to the root of things and be fully in the present moment. I appreciate that, take care π
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Love this post. Iβm going to be greedy though and say you should post one of these video baking experiences so we can join you and all share the pics.
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Thank you Kristie! π Haha π I wonder if I could somehow incorporate a live element into a typed post without just sharing a recipe π€ will definitely put some thought into it. I wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing a video but that sounds like a great idea so will have to think of something! I actually have a post with tips about video baking coming up so I hope you’ll enjoy that! β¨π
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I canβt wait to read it
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Love this! I get very excited when I see you have posted because you always manage to make me smileπ Take care!π
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Awww thank you Ella! π€ That honestly means the world to me, your words made me feel happy which in turn made me realize I hadn’t had a proper smile like that today up until now so thank you for that, I truly appreciate it!! You too, hope you had a brilliant day β¨β€οΈ
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