Showing all posts in Mindful Living

In General, Mindful Living, Mindfulness, Women's Interest

A Spa Break to Recharge You

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on

spa break

I have never been on a spa break. I know friends who have however I’ve always been put off by the idea of needing to look good in a bathing suit. I don’t. As it turns out spa breaks are less about being a supermodel and more about self-care. This is an area of my life that I need to concentrate on more.

I have been a freelance copywriter and blogger for over twelve years. The freelance lifestyle works for me, particularly from a family flexibility point of view. There are downsides to self-employment, namely no employer-paid annual leave. Of course, I set out every year to put pennies aside (you don’t work, you don’t get paid) and take “proper” breaks from work, let alone a spa break. I’m not great at following through. I always take a good break at Christmas however last week I looked at my diary and realised that Christmas 2017 was the last proper switched-off break I took.

Summer freelancing is always something of a juggle, however, I usually manage it ok by getting up at 4 am. I’m a natural early riser so this isn’t as terrible as it sounds. I usually work until 9am-ish (deep work) then have the day with the boys, finishing admin, emails and planning later in the day. In theory, this works brilliantly and affords me more downtime than I’m used to. It always has in the past.

My youngest broke his risk in spectacular fashion on the last day of term. This required a hospital sleepover, a surgery and a pin being put in. This has had a significant knock-on effect on our summer for various reasons. If I had prioritised my self-care, my holidays and my dedicated off-work time before now, I doubt this summer would have been so tiring! I have eye strain, backache, had my first vision-altering migraine a few weeks ago followed by ten days of mild but tiring headaches. This isn’t a result of just a difficult summer though, this is down to poor self-maintenance.

The Husband has convinced me that I need to prioritise self-care. I know this. I completed a diploma in spa breakmindfulness at the beginning of the year, however, have let things slip. I’m considering a short break at a spa (some of the treatments look and sounds wonderful), we’re going to arrange more date nights/days out, I’m going to switch off the phone and laptop more. I’m already spending more time painting miniatures with the husband. Next summer we are going away on a PROPER break to my favourite Scottish coastal hideaway. I am going to spend time on recharging me for a change. I’m looking forward to it.

Do you forget your own wellbeing when it comes to self-care and taking breaks? How do you recharge? Do you run, book a spa break, fall into a good book or book a night away? I’d love to hear!

 

In General, Mindful Living, Mindfulness

The Joy of Mindful Writing

Author Nicki CawoodPosted on
The Joy of Mindful Writing

When the Joy of Mindful Writing popped through my letterbox I knew after just a few pages that this was going to be one of those books that I keep with me for a long time and refer back to again and again. The Joy of Mindful Writing, one of a number of books in the Mindful series from Leaping Hare Publishing, has been written by Joy Kenward who writes with warmth and a keen understanding of what it is to write and to be mindful.

Joy of Mindful WritingThis isn’t a read once and shelve it kind of book. This is a book that you put page markers in, sticky notes or even highlight (unless you borrow someone else’s copy of course). It’s a reading and understanding book with exercises, meditations and more for you to try, all of which help you get closer to your goal of mindful writing.

Mindfulness is not something you can switch on and off like a light switch unless perhaps you have reached Buddha level (which I have not). I started to gain a keen interest in mindfulness and mindful living last year and as a consequence am now nearly the end of a mindfulness diploma. I’m also someone who loves to write. I’ve been blogging for coming up twelve years and have been a freelance copywriter for nearly nine years full-time. I love to write and I’m pretty good at it. There are different ways to write however and mindful writing is more than rambling in a blog post or working to a client-sent brief. Mindful writing is….. more. I’ve written mindfully in the past, without knowing it. I don’t write that way all of the time because it isn’t relevant. It’s difficult to explain but if you are a writer moving into mindful writing, you might very well know what I mean.

The Joy of Mindful Writing is perfect for those just starting to write and those who, like me, have been doing it for years. It’s not a better way to write or a more professional way to write. It is simply a different way to write and its something I’m exploring more in my personal writing right now.

To fully appreciate the impact this book has you really do need to explore it yourself. There are meditations and more which help bring clarity and open you up to creating something unique and special to you.

This is the only book in the Mindfulness series that I’ve explored however it will most definitely not be the last. Thank you to Leaping Hare for sending me this book to try out, it’s been quite the exploration!

See the full The Mindfulness Series collection for more ways that you may enjoy a more mindful way of living.

Joy of Mindful Writing

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