Calm, mindfulness and yoga

(An unrelated photograph of Thursdays strawberry and mulberry harvest in the peg basket. I ran out of hands to carry them all.)

This week I find that I have been musing over calm and mindfulness. I've been focusing on several questions. How do I want to 'be'? What needs to change? What should be prioritisied? What does balance look like? From there I have been writing down the three things I can be doing right now to make those changes a reality. I think they we can benefit from slowing down and asking ourselves such questions more often. What makes us happy? How do we add more joy to our lives? Or how can we better appreciate the joy before us?

There are a few things I want to focus on right now, I know I want to be calmer, I want to create better routines, and I want to stop rushing and being late. All of which are interrelated. Firstly though, calm. I really want to be less snappy at my husband and children. Instead, I want to be more patient and lighthearted, more open to the joy around me. One solution to finding this calm in myself, which I practiced pre-children, is yoga. However, as a mother hoping to attend a class there are practical problems to consider, such as the difficulties of finding time, money and baby sitting. I mused on this and realised I didn't need to go anywhere, I could do yoga at home, I just needed to make the time, and a commitment. (I find the slogan 'yoga every damn day' very motivating!) By creating a reasonable bed time for myself, as part of developing better routines, I could then get up half an hour earlier than the children, and practice half an hour of yoga each morning by watching Youtube clips through the tv. This has now become a priority and a part of my routine, and I am enjoying it immenselly. Even after the first morning on Monday I felt a greater calm and a greater well of patience when the children rose and joined me for breakfast.

Since then the children have been waking earlier too and joining me on the mat. Goodbye Mama's quiet time! At first I honestly felt frustrated by this. I wasn't able to do 'serious and relaxing yoga' while the children crawled under my down ward dog, or sat on my lap at every opportunity. But it was fun, and I love having them giggling beside me and mimicking me. So I found a solution to the absence of the relaxation element too. The Smiling Mind app. Clare Bowditch recommended it at the Big Hearted Business morning tea, and it fits perfectly with where I'm at and what I am looking for. Short, guided meditations, tailored to you - for free. (Pop over and check it out, you can down load it to your phone. I don't know a single mother, or anyone really, who couldn't benefit from this!) This way, I can practice yoga with or without the children, then when they go for a nap, or before bed, I can practice mindful meditation. It is excellent for treating stress, anxiety and depression and for general calm. Perfect!

By going to bed earlier, getting up earlier and feeling calmer, I have been better able to improve our established routines. I also feel less stressed and hurried in the mornings, because having to hurry children stresses me out like nothing else, and I hate being late. I am often my own worse enemy though, as I am prone to thinking, "well, I have another ten minutes before I need to start getting ready, I'll just finish this first." Before I know it twenty minutes have passed and I am suddenly in a rush. What I am trying to re-train myself to do is get ready to go first, then if there is time to spare I can do a short activity and still leave with time to spare. It working well with Cohen too. It's so much nicer to not have to say 'hurry up' ten times to a four year old because you have given them well enough time to get ready and then have a play, rather than the other way around.

I think we all want to live well, be happy and find contentment in our lives. All of which I believe are absolutely worthy goals. And it's interesting the way that technology can be used to help fulfill those ambitions. What those goals are is different for all of us and changes with the season of our lives.

Do you have similar goals?
Do you use any apps you use to exercise, unwind or find calm?
What motives you?

Big Hearted Business in Brisbane

For many years Clare Bowditch had a dream to 'teach creative people about business, and business people about creativity, in ways that make sense.' That dream is becoming a reality as her business venture, Big Hearted Business, grows. As a jeweller and one woman business, trying to make a carer from my creativity, I knew I wanted to hear the wisdom Clare has earnt on her own journey.  And so I eagerly attended the Brisbane Big Hearted Business morning tea, taking my place in the old theatre seats, surrounded by creative talent. I'm so pleased that I did.

 

With honesty, humour and generosity, Clare spoke about dreams, community, careers, marketing, networking and money. She asked, 'what is your dream'? A simple question to which I thought I already knew the answer. Funny how the simple questions can throw you. When I started to write it down, I was surprised by my response. She continued, discussing the process of growing that dream with "tiny consistent actions" and declaring that all successful businesses needed, "The three M's. Money, marketing and mental awesomeness."

 

I left the talk feeling energised and inspired, having reached new conclusions, ready to push myself out of my comfort zone. However, it was the post morning tea discussions with Kylie, Nic and Jennie that really cemented those thoughts and pushed me even further. Without Nic's suggestion, and Kylie and Jennie's encouragement, I may have continued to talk myself out of one dream in particular. I didn't think I was ready, I thought it was too soon, too big a financial gamble - but I am going to take the risk and apply for the Brisbane Finders Keepers markets. I'm really very excited about it, and nervous too. They may not accept my application. But I won't know unless I try!

 

So, if things go quiet around here it's because I am writing my application, working at the jewellery bench and designing my market table. You can keep up to date over on instagram. :)

 

PS. If you are interested in what I make, please join my mailing list to be the first to find out about shop updates and special offers.



Isolation, Inspiration Bombs and Morning Tea

Working from home, with two children and a black cat for company, it's easy to have moments where I feel detached from the creative community and isolated from the jewellery industry that I worked in for so many years. While I am lucky enough to be able to work in my ugg boots and make Lego with my four year old each day, children and cats do not give good business advice. Even with the support and conversation of social media, there are times when I miss having another adult to bounce creative ideas off, or discuss business practicalities. Instead, everything is up to me. Each decision is mine. Each success or failure is mine. Concepts which are at once liberating and depressing. 

I have stumbled across a few ways to combat that sense of isolation. My friends and family become unwitting third parties to my small business - their advice sought with regards to design, packaging and supplier conflicts. I surround myself with positive creative examples. Books, blogs, podcasts - listening to other creative people talk about their creative work and themselves helps me feel a part of the broader community of makers and inspires me keep going when the bolts of inspiration make way for the hard work. Most recently I discovered Clare Bowditch's Big Hearted Business 'Inspiration Bombs'. They are clever and charming little films which feature artists and illustrators at work, while engaging interviews with other creative spirits are laid in audio over the top. The term 'Inspiration Bomb' really does sum them up nicely. They are visually and intellectually nourishing to the creative spirit. I signed up to receive the free weekly Inspiration Bombs newsletter and smile each time one pops up in my email.

I have also brought a ticket to the Big Hearted Business Morning Tea in Brisbane on the 17th of August. I'm really looking forward to it. Are you coming? Say Hi if you do!