Month: September 2021

How To Keep The Holiday Vibes Going

startalittlefireLeave a comment

A beach scene recreated at home

When you’re on to a good thing, you want to keep it going, right?  But how can we keep the holiday vibes going?

I posted before the summer and asked about what memories you wanted to create, and hopefully you’ve got a few good ones to keep you going.

But the back to work/school routine and shorter days could well be starting to feel a drudge by now.

Here are a few ideas on how to relive the feel-good summer vibes, if the sunny memories are starting to fade.

Switch up your routine. 

Now we’re back in the old routine, you might need to inject a bit of novelty into your week to avoid things becoming same-y.  Try and think about how different your day to day routine looks when your on holiday….leisurely breakfasts or relaxing mealtimes, getting outside for walks, exploring new places.

Think about how you can incorporate this – even if it’s just planning a leisurely weekend brunch or walk, if the weekdays are too hectic.

Become a local tourist. 

Being restricted to our local areas during lockdown meant that we had to be a bit more creative about where we visit.  Perhaps there are some local attractions or activities that you’ve always meant to explore.  Or perhaps you’ve always fancied fruit or pumpkin picking?  Check out what’s happening in your local area and get some things in the diary.  Having fun things to look forward to can help when you’re having a dull week.

Dream on Dreamer. 

If your feet are itching to stuck into some warm sand, rather than trek around your local park in the rain, you can spend some time daydreaming of distant shores.  You might want to create a visualisation that you can use during meditation…you can imagine the palm trees rustling in the breeze as you’re swaying in a hammock, or feel the warm heat from the sun on your skin.  And if you want to make it a reality, why not start a vision board and plan your ideal break…sometimes planning an adventure can be just as much fun as going.

Immerse your senses. 

Recreate your favourite sounds, smells and flavours from your most memorable trips.  Make up a playlist of your favourite holiday tunes.  Buy a room fragrance or skincare scented with exotic florals or woody tones.  Research your favourite dishes and get cooking (or drinking, cheers!).

Some really simple little ideas like these can help to inject a little joy into the everyday, and can really give you a boost when you’re feeling a bit dull.

 

Photo credit: @lionel_gustave via Unsplash.com

Finally decide that you are an adult

startalittlefireLeave a comment
Image shows an adult woman in thoughtful pose


“Finally decide that you are an adult who is going to devote the rest of your life to making progress”.

I love this quote from Epictetus, which was kindly shared in the London Writers Salon newsletter this week.

This well-known Stoic quote in its entirety is a call to action about examining our part in feeling unnoticed and unenlightened, and if you ever need a motivational kick up the bum, then check it out.

But I thought that this final sentence also sums up the concept of lifelong learning perfectly.  And how it isn’t ‘just’ about achieving, but also the pursuit of progress and taking responsibility that matters.

With the last 100 days of 2021 approaching, where can you decide to be an adult?

 

Photo credit:  @kalljet via Unsplash.com

Why not have a go this month?

startalittlefireLeave a comment

Motorcycles with learner plates

Did you know that September is the Festival of Learning’s ‘Have A Go’ month?  In celebration of lifelong learning and self development, it’s encouraging people to try new things.

I have long been an advocate for lifelong learning and I believe that our education shouldn’t stop when we leave school.

And whether you consider learning to be education in the formal sense, such as gaining qualifications etc., or whether you are interested in learning more about yourself and how you can get the best out of life, education and evolving is key.

Just as the world around us evolves, so do we. So should we.  We’re not the same people we were when we were younger.   Situations and experiences shape us.  Sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

We are constantly evolving.

The positive side of that is that we have the opportunity to choose what we become.  Our resources may be limited at times and we may need support to do it, but ultimately, we have the power to change our experience.

And without learning, we stagnate.  Physically and mentally.  We lose motivation and desire quickly if we’re not stimulated and engaged with the world or the people around us.  And it can be difficult to get it back.

Trying new things brings novelty, and our brains love novelty.

Research has shown that we are much more likely to stick at a new habit or skill if it involves something new.

During lockdown, many people have struggled with motivation, and after months of being stuck at home without routine or structure, it can be hard to get yourself back out there again.  So trying something new could be one way to take small steps.

Whether it’s a new activity we’ve never tried before, or perhaps doing something familiar in a different way, we can build our interest back up.

Is there something you’ve always wanted to have a go at?  Perhaps a new skill or ambition, or just greater awareness of self?  Something to improve your health or wellbeing, or open doors to new opportunities?

Sign up for a class, join a group, try a taster event…you never know where it might lead!

Photo by The Ride Academy on Unsplash

The Joy Of A Blank Page

startalittlefireLeave a comment
An open notebook of blank pages

 

 

 

 

 

Do you feel joy at seeing a blank page?

The start of September is traditionally time when we start thinking about going back to school or back to work after a summer break, and its often associated with the desire to get back into a routine, or start something new.

The feeling of a new year is strong, and after being (hopefully) refreshed after the holidays, there can be a lot of pressure to launch back into the day to day treadmill of activity that we were used to.

But I’m not feeling it so much this year. The summer has indeed been lovely, and it’s been great to meet up with people again and get out into the world, but I can feel the busyness and the pressure building back up.  And I for one would like to put the brakes on a little.

Because over the last year or so, I’ve learned a lot from slowing down.  At first it was enforced because of lockdown, but I soon realised that my mind worked a lot better when it was slower.

My brain started to come up with way more ideas and creativity than it ever did in the time before.  And certainly, more than sitting at a laptop, willing the ideas to come ever could.

We’ve come to think of ‘slowing down’ as being lazy or unproductive, but there is a big difference between doing nothing and doing things more mindfully.

When we begin to become aware of how our lives are playing out day to day, then it’s much easier to recognise when things are out of balance.  And the quicker we can take remedial action, the lesser impact these imbalances can cause.

And we also invite in more possibilities when we think slower.  We don’t automatically do things because we feel we should, or because we think we know the best next action to take.

If we allow more creativity in to our thoughts, then we can think up new possibilities.

It’s like sitting with a blank notebook, and no expectations.  

If you’re a writer, you’ve probably heard about the ‘morning pages’ idea from Julia Cameron…the practice of sitting down with a pen and paper first thing in the morning and letting everything out on the page.  Ideas, rants, nonsense…whatever comes.  Just allowing your brain to empty what it needs to, can allow space for better thoughts to come.

However, you’re feeling this September, embrace the joy of the blank page.  Whether you see it through the lens of exciting new plans or possibilities, or a chance to empty out what’s been cluttering up in your head.  Sit for a moment, and allow yourself time to see what comes next.

 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash