Purpose, contribution and belonging are so important to me and I regularly reflect on the lifestyle choices I am making to ensure I do not neglect what matters. There are many many choices we make that influence how we show up in the world and every single one is within our control.
My attitude of never taking a break, the work harder, faster, longer mindset has definitely changed. I can honestly say that finally I have learned the importance of relaxation and I now weave more time to this every day. Ok, its not totally natural and I still have to put relaxing activities on my ' to do list' but at least I see relaxation as a priority now and not a reward for running a million miles an hour!
Perhaps this realisation was influenced by becoming post menopausal. This stage of my life quite frankly seemed to have crept up on me and it sucks. I prided myself on maintaining a trim figure, flirting with my beau, being sexy, sharp of mind and what came out my mouth use to make complete sense. Not now, I forget things, love handles have appeared, I feel sleep deprived and I could go on and on but I won't, other than to say it all takes a great deal of effort now just to maintain what was and to sound some what coherent.
So I made a conscious decision that 2022 was time to fall back in love with Tanya Michelle. Time; to work a little in the grown up world, join in with the communities of which I adore, exercise more and relax. Sounds like heaven, so I am inspired to do it all! Relaxation, however is the one part which I understand the least so I reflect on what does that really mean for me I wonder.
Firstly, it is a mindset for me, a happy and stress free place where I am able to nurture myself, re-energise and be calm. To help me prioritise relaxation and weave it into my daily life I have made a list of my relaxation activities. You may have guessed by now, lists work for me!
MY RELAXATION LIST FOR 2022
Slow and relaxing walks, taking in the scenery
Relaxing and stretching - yoga
Lots of orgasms and long cuddles
Taking a nap
Being creative in the galley
Dancing to my favourite songs
Laughing with a friend
Journal about my feelings
Reading for pleasure not work
Going to the hairdressers
Listening to music and musing in the moment
Kissing, cuddling and holding hands a whole lot more
Solo shopping, reinventing myself as I go, in other words living into the mood board, I can be anyone I want to be!!!
Watching the sun rise and set when ever I can
Sipping coffee and tea and just be in the moment
Taking photos and sharing the story
Taking a shower for more than 7 minutes! (That's a Kerrera thing)
Dressing up once in a while, no need for an occasion
Talking to the animals and connect as only I know how.
Laughing at myself and talking out loud when ever no one is there to listen
On the other fronts of what makes me happy.
January has seen me deliver several face to face Personal and Team Effectiveness training sessions, facilitate two Business Strategy Days and continue with my awesome Coaching clients. This work makes me smile from the inside and radiates my love of life. I simply love it and I now realise after two years of abandoning it that I can not live without it.
I have been home to Cumbria to visit family and friends, laughed, got tiddly, slept in garden sheds and visited places of beauty with rope swings. I braved the cold waters and donned my wetsuit to take a New Years Day swim with the tribe of Kerrera, awesome fun!!! Gary and I have danced under the disco ball and shuffled the night away down the pontoons, that boy has certainly got the moves. I have also spent lots of time with my Caribbean friend Tracy, laughing and attempting to get fit in the Brigg. Whizzed across the water in the rib like bond girls with Julian her beau at the helm. Next week we are taking on garden furniture restoration for a laugh. She also challenges me to try something new each time we go grocery shopping. Monk fish was this weeks alternative to the usual cod, which is our tried and tested favourite. Delicious but not quite so budget friendly.
Gallery of January highlights
January has definitely been a month to realign my responsibilities and priorities. Time to do the things that rejuvenate little Miss Tanya Michelle. After all, life is short. No sailing this month but that is a summer treat and to be quite frank I am having a ball just being on Kerrera and doing what I jolly well please! My constant battle of balancing work, play and relaxation will always be true for me but the path to mastery is never easy and I am not sure I would want it to be any other way either.
"Nothing is easy. Easy is something you earn. It is something you figure out. Easy is a process of failure, discomfort, discovery, getting knock down and getting back up again."
Dr Jade Teta
Good photos. New Year was great!