A year of Two Halves

Doesn't time fly!

As I sit waiting for the printer to churn out its admin, I've taken to the window seat for a bit of nosing and some personal reflecting.

It feels like I've lived ten lives in this last ten months! There has been so much change, so many polar opposite emotions and, yes, so much to deal with. Not ALL of it stressful, but a lot of it, even for me - little miss centred - has been a challenge. There's been a wedding and a funeral and great sadness at other types of loss, yet sitting here today, I'm managing to be philosophical. Dare I say it, even happy.

It's times like these...sing my favourite band....and I turn to one of my top ten favourite stress busting activities. No, not air guitar (although I am partial), the Glimmer List. This was actually introduced to me by an ex colleague back in my formal teaching days. She threw it out to me as a sort of life raft when I was drowning in paperwork, deadlines and other grown up career things I now avoid as often as possible: "Instead of fretting over what you've still got to do" she advised, "write a list of all you've achieved."

I highly recommend it. Especially if you work in a highly pressurised environment or are dealing with life altering events and/or trauma.

Simply jot down everything positive you've done/achieved today. If not today then during the last few months. Or, even, over the last few years.

It can be as simple as 'put bins out, had a shower, laughed, called a friend, had a walk' and as complex as 'read my fathers obituary, got married, started my first teacher training delivery, remained positive in the face of grief'. Yes, both these lists are mine.

Stress is my theme this week. I've eyeballed it this year in its many guises and (I think) managed to stare it down. If I didn't have yoga, meditation, years of study on the nervous system and how to reboot it or Reiki, I'm not sure I would have managed it. But here I am, the second half, and doing ok. I ask for help when I need it. I take time out if necessary. Mostly, I'm calm. I'm doing life. More than that: I'm enjoying life!

This, for me, is what we do at TBIS: we tell our stories and help you tweak yours. We don't promise happy endings, but better than that, we promise happy experiences. Whatever your stress, we can help you navigate it. Thank you, for turning up each week, for sharing what we do, for keeping us going - you're ALL on my Glimmer List today & that's priceless.