How do you cope when life hands you lemons? Especially when some areas of your life are going well and then, suddenly, another area falls apart?
When someone close to you is very ill, it sucks the joy out of everything and yet you have to remain strong and positive. Juggling family worries, a new book launch, the bathroom being ripped out (lots of noise, dust, and water and electricity going off and on) – well, my sanctuary is writing. And I’m grateful to have that, as it shuts everything else out for a while. I can then re-enter the world calmer, stronger and ready to do battle. And life is a battle of sorts. You can either lie down and whimper, or you can get up and fight.
I’m sharing this because if you are looking for a great way of relaxing, I’ve recently discovered Tai Chi. It’s something I’ve always meant to try and you know how it is – time rolls by. But with everything that has been going on recently, I realised that I needed it NOW. I’d not been sleeping well, as the moment my head hit the pillows the worries were relentless.
One thing about being faced with a problem where there’s nothing you can do (other than listen and be there when needed) is that it makes it doubly stressful. You feel as if there should be something you can do to fix it. But when it’s down to the doctors and prayers, it’s a humbling experience and it does put everything else into perspective.
So I figure that if I take care of ME, then I will be stronger to help those around me.
What I love about Tai Chi is that it’s gentle and meditative. You can break off in the middle of a busy day to spend ten minutes doing something that will immediately calm you. Whether that’s the thoughts whirling around inside your head, or simply relaxing your body.
I was lucky enough to join a local class run by a very motivating and informed lady, Ann Evans, and while my moves are not as graceful and perfectly formed as Ann’s, the benefit was immediate.
It can be done anywhere, but Ann explained that being grounded is important. The electrical energy builds up in our bodies and having bare foot contact with the ground is a great way to discharge it. Now, I’ve never walked on grass in my bare feet before, because I have sensitive, ticklish feet.
But, as I spend many hours each day either on my PC – or iPad – writing, what Ann said made a LOT of sense. So now I’m a convert. Even doing a little session in the rain one morning. Try it for yourself! And when I’m grabbing those precious minutes out in the fresh air it reminds me to look around – and there is nothing as calming as nature!
Another reason for my quest to keep myself as fit as possible is that I recently found myself in A&E. I had what is called a Baker’s cyst behind my knee and it burst, mimicking the symptoms of a blood clot. Fortunately, it’s down to a bone spur in my knee and I’m fine, but I will be blogging about an interesting connection with kidney stones (if any of you have experienced that) as it’s all interlinked. And now I’m addressing the cause (having had both) rather than the symptoms.
So while work is going well, other things have weighed (and continue to weigh) heavily on my heart; but it just reminds me to keep counting my blessings. And to keep sending out good karma, hoping it comes back to my family as healing love for those in need right now.
And it’s PAMPER TIME again…
Once a week I set aside an hour to meditate in a leisurely bath with some soothing music. But first I like to exfoliate my face using St Ives Apricot Scrub. It costs a couple of pounds and one tube lasts for ages.
It’s slightly gritty so you don’t need to rub hard, or for very long, but when I wash it off my skin feels clean and looks fresher/brighter.
I follow this with the Body Shop Drops Of Youth Liquid Peel. It’s probably the single most expensive product I’ve ever bought (£18) but it’s 100% vegan and lasts for a very long time if you use it once a week.
It contains the stem cells from three different plants and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth. I don’t use many products, mainly out of laziness, but as my skin ages and I wear less make-up, I don’t want it to look tired and jaded, but refreshed.
Note: I have normal skin with no cuts or skin issues. If you have sensitive skin, or skin problems, check out the manufacturer’s blurb, consult your doctor AND always do a small test patch of any product you are trying for the first time.
And finally… a Writer’s Life:
I thought it might be useful to any writers out there who drop in, to talk about the two most common questions I’m asked.
The first is:
What is my no. 1 writing tip?
Everyone’s style is different, so my top tip is to get organised. Record everything, takes copies of every little piece of research you carry out. If you are talking about flights, research times/stop overs etc. If there’s a building central to the plot, draw an internal layout so your descriptions are consistent. Family trees, together with dates of births/deaths etc, will make sure you don’t make a mistake over the age of a character. Believe me, it can happen!
For every story I have written I have a thick folder with pre-printed forms I use to record chapters – title, length and a few notes; I also record the timeline sequence; another is for characters names and traits etc etc. None of the files are less than two inches thick. BUT when it comes to structural editing time – often months after the manuscript was submitted – it’s easy to re-quaint myself with the characters again and double check information quickly.
The second question is usually:
What did I wish I’d known at the very start?
I don’t think I fully understood how much it would take over my life. Or how fulfilling it would be. Or how anxious I would be at times over numerous things.
Ironically, I’m a super-organised person by nature and I’m well-used to hard work. And I like to be busy and productive; it helps that I’m married to a man with the same traits, though. Some partners would not understand.
When you are following a passion and have been bitten by the bug, it’s like being on a fast moving train with no scheduled stops. You’re either in it for the long-haul, or you jump off. And then, possibly, live to regret it.
If opportunities come your way you have to be ready to grab them and do whatever needs doing to fulfil your obligations. It can very quickly go from the thrill of writing ‘The End’ to suddenly being on book six, seven, eight… and juggling everything that goes with it! So yes, I found myself in Italy on holiday and working before breakfast with a dodgy internet signal and the family saying ‘are you nearly finished?’ because I was on a blog tour.
I guess it’s like having a baby. Until the baby has arrived you can’t really imagine how it will affect your life. The answer for me was that I began with a rolling plan. Write some manuscripts, set up my author platform (website, FB, Twitter etc) and start submitting to publishers.
I reviewed it every year, setting myself more ambitious goals as I reached a new milestone. And I’m still rolling that plan on every January 1st. I still love what I do and have no regrets. But if I thought I’d worked hard in my previous careers, I will say that it does take a lot of commitment and dedication.
And I’m still riding the train, very grateful to be on it!
Coming soon:
When it comes to health a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, but no knowledge, is risky – taking control. I’ll be talking about hair analysis and my experiences.
Turning a bland bathroom into a sanctuary needn’t cost a fortune.
The placebo effect – does it matter?
Until next time – thank you for visiting and remember – everyone has problems, it’s just that they are all different. For me, sharing is caring and I hope you find a little nugget in my blog posts that resonates with you!
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, do not accept free gifts or money with regard to any product/person/organisation. Until next time…
