Hello readers/friends, how have you been this February? I've struggled. Here is some AI stickers created in whatsapp that are uncanny in their accuracy. It wasn't all bad, the flowers were blooming and I was praying, but it had some hard moments!
A theme this month was becoming too busy, realising I was stressed (mainly by unrealistic workload), and trying to unwind it. When I am stressed, I have an inflammation flare up and get achy and tired, sleep worse (not helped by the heat or the achyness) and eat worse (sugar making the inflammation worse). It's a vicious cycle. Thankfully I am always able to unwind it once I start feeling it, it's never relentless and inescapable. Why can't I just stop it happening? Because at first, it feels good. Things get busy, I pick up my pace, I feel like I'm on top of everything. And then I start noticing signs having no patience for people or wasted time. And I'm snacking more. And I'm getting achy. So the start of the curve is OK, it deceives me, and I don't realise until it is too late.
I had a day off during peak work stress which I am very proud of. It was so helpful. I released feelings, had a nice lunch at the art gallery and looked at the art, did yoga with Ros, just had a very slow gentle day. It did not fix all the physical and mental stuff instantly but it was an important step back which gave me the perspective to start unwinding, and about a week later I did a diet reset (cut the snacks and rich food out), to give my guts and inflammation less fuel for drama.
I completed the pilates challenge this month, I did 17 classes in Feb. I don't know if that helps with stress, or makes me busier and tireder. I know one week I did 5 no problem, the next week I only did 3 classes but 2 of them were way too intense and that really set off some inflammation, so I think it's about intensity not frequency. I should go frequently but probably not push as hard.
The big thing that this month marked is the finishing of the furnishing! My couch and armchair were delivered last Tuesday, and I was also given some bookshelves which I painted last weekend. The house now doesn't have empty gaps, or random makeshift situations, it has intentional furnishing and styling, blending new and old in a way I really like. Still haven't finished the styling, the bookshelves are empty. Also, the birdcage is on wheels so it's always rolling around from room to room and window to window, there has to be some flux. But I now have a couch for reading that is not in a dark room with a TV! And enough couch space for a cosy little movie night.
My Make Do (low spend year) challenge is enjoyable. I basically don't go buying things just because I like them. I start from my life, and what do I need. If I see something I like, I have to ask, can I make do without it. It's simple. I've got a list in my phone of things I want or need, or wants that might be needs in future but for the short term I can make do. This month, I bought new joggers - my feet have grown, so I looked at my current shoe model, found it on ozsale and bought a half size up, saving $100. I also bought paint for the bookshelves. Technically i could have made do with them not being repainted, but they looked pretty worn and second hand, and since I got them for free, $60 on paint was a pretty small investment for 2 large bookcases in fresh clean white. And, I totally forgot this, but I bought a bottle of dye and dyed some faded jeans to dark grey! They didn't turn out how I hoped but they did turn out how the bottle said so I think my hopes were delulu. However, I have been wearing them, they are much more wearable, and doing things like that make it better to make do.
While this summer has been way too humid, my garden has loved it! It is such a pleasure to look out the window and see green in every corner, and swing in my hammock.
It being a busy month, there were a lot of fun things too! I picked a pub for dinner with some colleagues and it was PERFECTION. The food, the music, the fun drinks, highly recommend the Family Hotel. 4 gal pals from church did Mt Tomaree and we also swam even though the weather and water didn't look great, but it was so refreshing after the humid walk. There was a surprise farewell party for a girl leaving Maitland and I made lots of chicken wings from recipe tin. I had some fun fridays with JK. Me and my colleague picked some sunflowers from the field at the homestead.
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