Sadly, happiness is not a permanent state of being for most people. We all have good days and bad days, but when life isn’t exactly a breeze it’s very easy to let it erode any semblance of the feel-good factor.
I find it particularly hard to let go of people, even when things have moved on. Changing jobs was always tough for me. Yes, there was excitement about the new challenge ahead, but saying goodbye was unsettling – change was coming.
But that’s only one type of ‘letting go’ – it also applies to baggage from the past that seems to hang around without an invite, or when something hurts your feelings. And if you are a sensitive soul like me, there will be occasions when people probably won’t even realise that’s the case. Then there are the days when we simply wish we hadn’t gotten out of bed because nothing seems to go right.
As an author I have a wide network of online friends, some of whom I’m in regular touch with and that’s an enormous help whenever I need a listening ear. And in return, I’m there when they need a confidential chat to let off steam.
But letting go is an art – whether it’s an old hurt, a disappointment, or simply a part of moving on to the next phase in your life.
The best advice I was ever given (many years ago) was to write down whatever was troubling me as a way of letting it go. It even helped after the loss of a loved one when, after a long vigil, I wasn’t there to say a final goodbye. It was something I needed to do, to move on.
Some people shred their notes, I go out into the garden, sit quietly and burn mine. There’s something so cathartic about watching your unread messages, inner feelings you don’t want to voice, turn into a ribbon of smoke. As it dissipates, I always feel lifted. And it works.
When life isn’t sailing along nicely, I avoid negativity in any way, shape, or form. I don’t read the news or allow myself to dwell on the harsher things in life. I actively seek out thoughts, tasks/activities and people who make me feel happy. It helps no one if I let my spirits spiral out of control and I’ve seen that happen to others.
Music is helpful, as is meditation. I also use Tarot and Oracle cards, because the messages that come back to me are always constructive. I am the master of my own destiny and I believe it’s important to LIVE that. Something as simple as pulling this card, from the Gaia Oracle deck by Toni Carmine Salerno, ‘Liberation – breaking free from a negative attachment’, will make me stop and think!
Whatever tools you use to raise your spirits and put things back into perspective, if it doesn’t make you feel GOOD then it’s not the right solution. A bar of chocolate might do the trick, but a whole family-size chocolate cake isn’t a good idea.
So what little luxuries, treats, fun things have lifted my spirits recently? Well – I love walking by the sea and one of my most favourite places to visit is the Gower Coast.
The walk between Caswell Bay and Langland Bay, on the stunning Gower Coast in Wales, takes about 45 minutes each way and the views are stunning. There are several places to sit on a bench looking out across the water and at the end of the walk there’s the Langland Brasserie. Lunch, or afternoon tea, is the perfect treat before the stroll back.
My bargain buy this month, at only £7.99, is a JSDDE 7 Chakra/Reiki Healing Crystal/Natural Gemstone bracelet with a little tree of life symbol. It was purchased for me as a gift and I love it so much I bought one for a friend I knew would appreciate the thought. I love the idea of receiving something and then paying it forward to share the love. It’s pretty to wear, even if you don’t believe in the power of gemstones/chakras/Reiki.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MYNI95L/
Please note – all opinions are my own. Any products/links I share are because I have purchased, or used the product, and I have no affiliation with the product/person/organisation. As they say – sharing is caring and if you find something you like then job done! Until next time…
