In my last post, I was excited as we’d finally been connected to the internet via a Minihub and I was at last able to catch up on some work that had been on hold since we moved here, 3 months ago. But things went downhill from there! My computer had been in for repairs and I thought that when I got it back I would be able to get stuck in with many of the things that I’d been planning to do, such as updating my website and planning the Equenergy Open Day, however when I turned it on it made a kind of ‘pfft’ noise, there was a smell of burning and it immediately went off again. Not good! I wasn’t too worried though, as I now have a laptop to fall back on, but when I switched it on it was obviously not well either! It went into a diagnostic loop and then crashed. Consequently, both are now back in the shop and I’m typing this on my husband’s laptop. As someone who likes to feel independent and unrestricted, this is frustrating for me…
You might not be aware that in addition to my health and wellbeing business, I also work as a British Sign Language / English interpreter. This week I’ve been supporting communication for a case at family court. I was booked by the solicitor representing the mother which has meant that I am interpreting instruction from the client to her solicitor and barrister. These conference meetings are normally fairly brief and less formal than the court proceedings, and so I have been working on my own, unlike the court interpreters who work in pairs. The case has proved quite challenging with heated and emotional issues coming up, resulting in long and serious discussions outside of the court room. I realised that I was going home at the end of each day exhausted and still carrying these emotions. As you can imagine, the case is highly confidential and so I am unable to offload to anyone. I am self employed and don’t have a supervisor or line manager to confide in so at times it can be a lonely and isolating experience. It didn’t help that this was happening at a time when my plate already felt quite full due to my technological challenges back at Equenergy.
Thankfully, as is the nature of court work, although I was booked from 9-5 each day, the times when I was needed were subject to change, meaning that I finished earlier some days, and on a couple of occasions I wasn’t needed until later in the day. This allowed me to have some time with the horses, doing the regular duties of feeding and poo picking. (The rest of the time my wonderful husband had taken this on for me. Without his fabulous support I wouldn’t be able to work these hours.) These regular duties might not sound very exciting, but they were a great way for me to relax, re-ground and recover my balance and perspective. Spending time in court listening to evidence of abuse and seeing witnesses caught in perjury can make the world appear to be a very negative and threatening place, but being back in Nature, around these gentle beings, helped to restore my faith in the goodness of Life.
It helped me to remember to focus on the positive and not to get too caught up in the things that seemed to be going against me. It can be so easy to think of all the ‘problems’ that we’re facing, all the things that are going ‘wrong’ in our day, and to forget about all the little wonderful things that make our lives better. These can be simple things like the sun shining, a smile from a friend, or enjoying a nice warm cup of tea. The more we can notice, and be grateful for, these little things, the more things we will see to be grateful for – and the more of these things we will attract into our life. For me, it was:
- noticing again the beautiful, restorative stillness of this place
- the opportunity to spend quiet time with our cat and the horses, whose gentle energy is so calming, smoothing out the wrinkles of my day
- coming down from the fields to a nice warm house with our little woodburning stove glowing nicely
- enjoying our outdoor, more physical lifestyle, and being grateful for my health and strength which allow me to do this
- the beautiful sights and sounds of being in this rural setting
- being able to cook tasty and nutritious meals to support my wellbeing, particularly when I’ve had a busy, demanding week and need to look after myself
These things are very individual, so what is important to you could be quite different from my list, but these things are particularly precious to me as there have been times in my life when I haven’t had them, and so I’ve come to understand the impact they have on my wellbeing.
What things in your life support your health and balance? Are there ways that you can bring more of them into your day to day experience?
So when your day is feeling really tough and you’re struggling with lots of challenges, look around for those little moments of brightness. Take note of them and hold them in your heart. Perhaps even keep a gratitude diary. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference this can make, and how much fun it can be looking out for things that you can be thankful for, or that make you smile.
If you feel that you would value some support in this, or everything just feels too big and you don’t know where – or how – to start, please reach out to someone you trust and ask for their support.
This is one of the areas where I can help, and if you would like to have a (no obligation) chat, then you can contact me at:
- robyn@equenergy.com
- 07980669303
- www.equenergy.com