Samantha Jordan TLC

Today I really didn’t feel like writing my wellbeing blog. In fact I considered stopping writing it altogether as I wondered why I was doing it in the first place, and what really did I have to offer anyone? Yes, I started it because I wanted to give something back to the world and I really hoped that what I wrote would be a blessing and a support in some way. I guess in some ways I wanted to get me out there. Step out and have the courage to have a voice, within the sea of all the other voices. Years ago if you wanted to get your thoughts out into the world you would have to … umm … well … you couldn’t really, unless you were considered ‘someone’. Someone who was important and therefore given a platform to speak from, in the few avenues available. Now it seems any old Tom, Dick or Harry can get their thoughts and words out into the world which is both absolutely brilliant and downright depressing, right? I say downright depressing because if you’ve chosen to read this today then it probably will be, lol😉. I would say, without a doubt, like my dad, I’m a pretty firm “Tom” because one of the meanings of the name Tom is …

Simplicity

Well, that’s me folks ~ in a nut shell ~ I’m pretty simple and at the moment I simply feel mentally and emotionally exhausted trying to keep up. Do You? Knowing and teaching nourishing wellbeing techniques to support myself and people on their journey is wonderful, because these techniques do soothe and calm us. But sometimes we feel too worn out to do them, despite how simple they are ~ and that’s true, even for me! As none of us are immune from the stress and often negative affects of our own personal journey’s and intensely feel the need to just stop, breathe, place our hands over our eyes and say

If I close my eyes … will it all go away? If I close my eyes … and I can’t see the pain and confusion, will it stop? If I close my eyes … can I forget that I ever thought I had a purpose in life and simply be me? If I close my eyes … If I close my eyes …

At the moment that’s all I want to do so please feel free to join me in that peaceful place, I’ll be waiting for you ~ and oh, you can only join me if you promise not to speak, ok? 🙊 I just need some peace and quiet! But you’ll know that I Love you! ❤

Love and blessings, until next week!

Sam xx

It’s well-being Wednesday and all I’ve been thinking about is the power that words have to build up or tear down a person. Sometimes we can underestimate the power that our words can have on others but also on ourselves. Sometimes we speak of and TO ourselves far worse than we would ever speak to others, so today I’m reaching out and asking you to think about how you speak to yourself today. If you speak kinder words to yourself then you will ultimately speak kinder words to others. You really won’t be able to help it as whatever you focus on you will produce more of. It always starts with YOU! It starts with how you treat and value YOU! If you treat yourself with contempt then that is the energy that you will emit to others. If we feel bitter about what is happening to us then we will communicate that to others. We won’t be able to hide it!

Did you know that when we meditate or place ourselves in a position of relaxation then our brainwaves are functioning in alpha waves, and in alpha waves our subconscious is open to receive new messages, so in that place of openness it is a great time to repeat or listen to positive affirmations. It seems positive affirmations have been getting some bad press lately, as though they have little value BUT this is not correct…

Words are powerful!!!!

Allow yourself to enter into a time of relaxation so that your brain waves move from beta waves (which are when you are active and problem solving etc) to alpha waves when your subconscious is open to receiving messages and then make sure the messages your subconscious receives are good. Your subconscious is your unconscious mind and is full of all of your life experiences, beliefs and rules that you live by and sometimes the messages you receive are not always good. Sometimes, you need to intentionally re-write the messages that you are ‘unconsciously’ receiving, as these affect how you think and feel about yourself.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

Romans 12:2

So today I have written a few affirmations that you can repeat to yourself throughout the day, or you can write your own, as you know what you really need to hear right now. Sit quietly and check in with yourself. Often the horrible thoughts and feelings you are receiving need addressing with the opposite words that will ultimately address the lie that is whispering in your ear and will then set you free from what is hindering your happiness today. Here’s some affirmations to get you started, but speak your own too as YOU know what you need:

• Even in difficult times I choose to see the good in life
• Each day blesses me with more things to be thankful for
• I am stronger than I think and I’m so grateful that I know this
• I know my life has value and I have a healthy sense of self worth
• I choose to respond to situations from a peaceful place
• I am more than good enough and I’m getting stronger every day
• I am learning how to safely experience my emotions
• I love and appreciate myself for who I am
• Every decision leads me to a new level of growth and progress
• I am so blessed for all the good that I have
• I choose to create for myself a beautiful day

There are so many more affirmations that you could say or listen to. So, this week, take some time to speak out affirmations or listen to a guided relaxation that includes positive and healthy affirmations and let those sink deep into your soul. YOU NEED THEM!!! Don’t underestimate the power of the spoken word, and make a decision today that you’re going to become your own best friend and speak to yourself how you would speak to your best friend if they were going through what YOU are struggling with today. Remember the next page of YOUR book is blank, so YOU choose what you want to write on it, ok? 📖 🥰

Have an uplifting week friends! It’s within your power to do so!

Love and blessings, Sam xxx

Talking about alcohol is like talking about money. It’s a sensitive issue that can often be veiled in secrecy. People don’t find it easy to talk about either and in terms of drink they can often feel judged by the amount that they drink and often that judgement can come first from themselves. So it’s often easier to make light of it and joke around with a wink and a nudge at how funny it all is (ignoring the obvious fact that it’s probably destroying their health and will rob them of their future happiness, but shhh don’t say that …. we definitely DON’T want to say that, right?). We’re surrounded by so many images in society that paint a somewhat romantic view of alcohol. TV and social media adverts displaying perfect people in perfect lifestyles, ending their busy days with a perfect glass of alcohol, in a perfect setting. When we’re not in lockdown … the supermarkets are packed solid with rows and rows of alcohol; restaurants, hotels and bars have lush displays of alcohol and even airports are tastefully dressed with arrays of alcohol luring us into this false sense of fulfilment after a hard days work or a difficult experience. I mean seriously?? How is anyone meant to view alcohol other than it is a well dressed friend who is just there to support us on this journey we call life? But isn’t it true that not all of our friends are helpful? Not all of our friends are our real friends ~ in fact some of our friends are simply NOT GOOD FOR US!

I’m not wanting to burst your bubble, BUT, let’s not forget that alcohol has a huge economic impact on a country and in the UK alone it contributes around 46 BILLION a year!! So of course it is going to be EVERYWHERE ~ and it’s going to be dressed up in an attractive way and stand on street corners waving it’s pretty little hand saying “I can meet your needs, so choose me” . That sounded sleazy, and I meant it to! Sometimes we need to realise that we’re actually being sucked in to something that can cause us more damage than good and that we’re not just weak or bad people who have no will-power! So, I called this blog …

Alcohol … help or a hindrance?

Let’s look at the word hindrance for a minute …

The state of being interfered with, held back, or slowed down … something that makes it more difficult for you to do something or for something to develop

Is that how you feel having this friend called alcohol in your life? Hindered? Interfered with? Held back? Let me be transparent and say that I’ve struggled with the feeling of needing to have that drink in the evening on many an occasion and I’ve often succumbed to the temptation, but realising it was doing more harm than good I had long periods of sobriety. Which, if I’m honest, was not easy to achieve at the beginning. In the past I’ve struggled to become disentangled from the daily habit of needing to have a drink at the end of the day and convinced myself that I don’t really need it and I could easily NOT have it BUT then under that comfortable heading of “I could easily not have it” I have convinced myself that I am therefore now ok to have it, knowing that I don’t really need to have it!! Sounds convoluted right? That’s how it works. It plays all kinds of mind games with you to get you to still choose to take that drink. It’s like you’ve awoken an animal that seemed like a friendly little animal at first, and naturally, you need to feed it every day and whilst you’re feeding it, it is a very friendly animal (albeit it dragging at your heals and stopping you from getting on with your life at times). But when you stop feeding it and it feels the pain of imminent death then it starts to panic and will say and do ANYTHING to get you to feed it again ~ and it does right? You feel helpless to get free from under it and quite frankly wish you’d never invited it into your life as you realise that pets/animals are not just for Christmas!!!

Now I can enjoy a glass of red wine on occasion or a Guinness in the summer but I’m always aware of the slippery slope so have to make conscious decisions and be honest with myself. Many people live in denial, constantly denying having a problem because of shame, guilt ~ helplessness to know what to do about it. Many people genuinely don’t have a problem with alcohol and that’s great ~ I’m genuinely happy for you! But for those of you who have that whisper in your ear that is trying to get your attention, take a moment to reflect and think carefully about whether you are being helped or hindered and then, without judgement on yourself, find some support. I’m not talking about AA as such, as although they have helped many people over the years and continue to do so, I don’t think it’s always helpful to identify with something that locks you into a lifestyle with that sense of continued self deprivation. That sense of …

“I have been without alcohol for 363 days and it’s been so difficult and I’m so unhappy about it, I feel like I’m missing out on life and wish I could have a normal life like my friends but sadly I’m destined to live this sad existence without alcohol” type narrative.

I’m not trying to upset anyone who feels this way and again, I’m not saying that organisations like AA are not helpful, as they have been a lifeline to so many and will continue to be so, as some have severe addiction to alcohol and need specific treatment and support. But for many there is a place of contentment between sobriety and freedom that can be achieved. A place where you enjoy life with or without alcohol does exist. It’s not either/ or!

I’m aware that this is a sensitive area and many might feel annoyed simply reading this. If you do then maybe ask yourself why you’re feeling annoyed and listen carefully to how you answer. Be honest with yourself and listen ~ if you’re feeling stuck in an unhelpful pattern of behaviour and your relationship with alcohol is not where you want it to be then be honest with yourself. You may as well as be as it won’t just be hurting you it often hurts those you are closest to eventually. I’m not trying to add guilt to the issue ~ I’ve said before in previous blogs, we’re not inviting guilt or shame on this journey!

I’ve helped others with various levels of alcohol issues so if you do need help then just reach out and I will, of course, be confidential. During this pandemic we need to be kind to ourselves and realise that finding ways to cope with all that’s going on is normal and whether the way is healthy or not is a normal response to how we’re feeling. Whenever we drink, smoke, overeat etc it is meeting a need within us. Sometimes we need to find healthier ways to meet the need, and that’s ok!

Reach out to me if you need me and we can Zoom chat.

Many blessings and I’ll see you next week, Sam x

We’ve just entered another National Lockdown and like many I think it’s needed and a necessary response to the ever changing affects of the pandemic. Of course just because it’s deemed a wise thing to do it doesn’t change the affects it will have on everyone. I’ve heard it said that we’re all in the same boat but I really don’t think that’s an accurate depiction. We’re in the same ocean but we’re all in very different boats as we navigate this somewhat treacherous sea. Some have bigger, more equipped boats than others ~ some have large yachts with only a handful of people on board, whilst others have tiny broken down boats holding more people than it should be expected to carry. Some have the equivalent of a tiny raft, and others have the size of a comfortable house boat ~ I could go on, right? There’s no judgement here and I’m really not just talking about where you live … it’s about our individual circumstances. Then of course it’s WHO are we sharing the boat with? Again, some are within a loving supportive family or group of people, whilst others are drifting alone ~ and then there are others who are navigating this sea within dysfunctional relationships or domestic violence scenarios where they feel trapped and unable to escape. We’re NOT in the same boat are we?

Of course I could easily write so much more about all of the many aspects of the affects of COVID and lockdown economically, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It’s a huge event and the vast sea of related issues are varied and are having a continuous but often different impact from one person to the next. Many people were already struggling with challenging life issues that have now been exacerbated and potentially worsened by this. Many have suffered life changing and heartbreaking loss 💔. Again, I could say so much more as this short blog will certainly not do YOUR experience justice. Whatever our personal experience of this ‘unprecedented’ time of our lives our shared humanity is that we, as a collective, deeply care for one another and although we haven’t walked a mile in each others shoes, we can certainly relate to the fear and uncertainty that produce the stress and anxiety that we often struggle with every day.

And it’s not the fear of COVID as such, it’s the inner fear that creeps up on you with that quiet voice that whispers to you saying you will not be able to cope with the loneliness, the isolation! That whispers to you that you’re so undisciplined and unmotivated and can’t manage your time well at home ~ that you really have to comfort eat and then the related fear of putting on weight and how that makes you feel ~ the whispers that you ‘need’ alcohol to get through this and numb out all the other negative whispers that threaten your mental and emotional health throughout this journey.

We really do need to recognise the negative whispers, and yes accept and validate that’s how we’re feeling but also reassure yourself that YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK! I know, I know … you probably think you’re not and feel incredibly weak at times. I do! Can I let you into a secret? Come a little closer as I will need to whisper it to you …

I feel weak most of the time

shhhhh …. don’t tell anyone! I need to maintain my confident exterior so that I can come across impressive to everyone!!! I’m serious ( although not about being impressive, lol) … I’m serious about feeling weak and inadequate; but I discover each day that I am stronger than I think and listening to the negative whispers in my mind are not helping as they are not telling me a true story ~ and yet I believe them! It’s a daily mix of surrendering to God, knowing that in my weakness He is then able to be my strength and the acceptance of who I am and where I am on my journey. As Maya Angelou said:

When we know better, we do better!

You really can’t be anyone else but YOU and you really can’t be anywhere else but where you are RIGHT NOW in life. There are many ways that you can support your life’s journey and I want to encourage you to do something each day that is investing time in you and your well-being. I don’t want to make this blog too much longer, so consider looking back through my previous blogs for some suggestions and I’ll be writing more later. In the meantime, be kind to yourself and others and when you have a good day then rejoice in that, and when you have a not so good day then reach out to someone or simply accept that’s how you’re feeling and give yourself some extra kindness that day. The video link below is one of my favourite guided relaxations, so find 10 minutes, put your earphones on and relax!

Love and blessings to you, Sam x

Tomorrow is New Years Eve, giving us that much needed time to reflect, with thankfulness, for the year we’ve just travelled (and boy, it was a quite a year, right?) . Maybe you’re wondering what on earth you could find to be thankful for given the health and economic devastation? True, we do need to acknowledge the loss and pain. But gratitude for the good we experienced (and it will be there … Pollyanna taught us that in the Glad Game ☺) helps us to process the year with perspective and once again we can embrace that wonderful feeling of being able to let go of the year before and then embrace the year ahead. I guess some people may be a bit jaded by the thought of the possibility of making any changes as the expected New Year resolutions, and understandably so. How many of us have made New Year resolutions and after a few weeks, even days, we’ve effectively ‘failed’ at the intention and slipped back into our old ways of thinking and feeling? Is it ok to give up and just accept who we are? In some ways, of course, it is. Many people really do need to accept and love who they are, as being unhappy with yourself really won’t bring about any lasting change that you desire. Accepting who you are RIGHT NOW is incredibly important and then needing to make some positive change out of that place of acceptance and self love is far more likely to bring about the change that you desire for yourself.

A few years ago I did a 7 step series on how to make the changes you really want to experience for yourself, and I think “keeping it simple” is so important ( I’ve attached a link to that below). Many of our New Year Resolutions over state what we want to achieve, in that we don’t realise that the person we need to be to fulfil those changes needs some coaching on how to be the person who actually does those things … who lives that life … who has those habits! You’ve probably spent many years conditioning yourself to live and act in a certain way, so embracing change is going to take a combination of surrender and letting go of the old way of being AND not only planning for the changes you want to make but also planning a strategy for what you’re going to do when you start to self sabotage and slip back into your old ways of being. We often make goals and decisions about what we want to achieve without planning for the days when we DON’T want to ‘do the plan’. Feeling bad about it is a waste of energy, so please don’t feel bad! Everything and every experience is just good knowledge to have about ourselves … it’s a necessary aspect of life and our continued growth. For change to occur we usually need 3 things:

• Move towards pleasure
• Move away from pain
• Inspiration out ways both of the above!!

We need to want to change because the pleasure and happiness we will experience after we have changed motivates us to change, or the pain of staying the same as we were motivates us to make the change. Of course sometimes we feel too comfortable so the pain of staying how we are isn’t enough for us to change. Maybe we need to sit and think about who and how we will be 5 or 10yrs down the line IF we haven’t made the change and really feel the pain of THAT possibility to then motivate us. It’s a sobering thought! Of course the nicest way to change is to be inspired, but even then you’re going to have to face your subconscious who is used to you living a certain way and is there to serve YOU! For instance, if you decide you want to get up earlier to exercise in the morning your subconscious is there to serve you and make sure you are comfortable. As soon as you attempt to get up earlier your subconscious will say “hey, wait a minute, what are you doing? This feels uncomfortable … maybe you should go back to bed for another half an hour like you normally do … that would feel alot better, right?” Your subconscious is trying to do what it thinks YOU want, and it will take time to train your subconscious your new normal. Mel Robbins talks about the:

Five Second Rule

You have 5 seconds to make the change before your subconscious talks you out of it! If you need to get up earlier, as soon as the alarm goes off then you count down …

5,4,3,2,1

Then get up and move! If you stay past this time then your subconscious will talk you out of it! You can use the 5 second rule for any activity that you find difficult to do. If you’re procrastinating then say …

5,4,3,2,1

And then take action! Keep it Simple! Putting yourself under pressure will never bring about the lasting change you so desire. If you try and fail then that’s ok! You’ve just learnt how NOT to do it! The answer is ultimately within you but maybe you need some help for the journey! The help is out there and tomorrows a new day! Have a a Happy New Year friends, whatever the circumstances. Lots of love and blessings and I’ll see you in 2021, Samantha xx

It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow and this year, due to Coronavirus, it is not a ‘normal’ Christmas. Well it’s not a ‘normal’ Christmas for some but actually for others it will be just as sad and lonely as every other year. Oh wow Sam, that’s a depressing start to an uplifting well-being blog. I said it was going to be a well-being blog, but I didn’t promise it would be uplifting (although keep going and hopefully you’ll feel lifted by the end 🥰). Sometimes our well-being is wrapped up in the knowledge of the suffering of others and how we respond to that. Sometimes YOU are the one that’s suffering and you feel like you need to hide it for the sake of others. You don’t want to appear negative or too sad as you don’t want to create a bad atmosphere, so you have to pretend that you’re ok, right? It can be exhausting! Sometimes the sadness or the struggle is so intense you just need to be alone with your thoughts and breathe.

Taking time to be alone can be just what you need, and that’s ok. Giving yourself permission to be who you are and how you are in the moment is kinder to your self than just battling through it. Sure, if we have young children and other family members then I guess it wouldn’t be great if we take ourselves off to our bedrooms to be alone for the whole time (as tempting as that can be at times). So, before it all begins, as unusual as this sounds, you need to take some time to be alone and reassure yourself that you understand that you’re struggling and that you have noticed it, felt it, and heard the cry of your heart. You’re not ignoring it and throughout the Christmas period YOU are going to give YOU some time to breathe and simply be who you are, when you are, where you are! If you think that was mushy, then hold on to yourself because there’s more! You’re then going to take a mirror and look at yourself, look right into your eyes … really gaze deep into your soul … and breathe.

NOW SAY “I love you!”

Take a moment to sit with this. This is a biggy as some may find that they can’t even bring themselves to say it. Take however long you need for this and if you can’t yet say “I love you”, then say “I see you” and reassure yourself that YOU will care for YOU, and you will take the time needed to receive the nourishment and soothing that you need. The time needed to rest, be at peace and maybe even consider that you are wrapped in the loving arms of a love far greater and more vast than we could ever comprehend; yet more personal than we ever thought was even possible.

Immanuel, God with us!

Say to guilt and shame (whether from yourself or imposed by others) that they’re not invited into this space. Protect and hold a space of kindness for yourself and breathe. Give yourself this gift, this Christmas 💚.

Know that you’re loved and accept this Christmas in whatever shape it comes for you this year, and allow yourself to find moments of peace. My good friend Hannah has written a beautiful song called Immanuel this Christmas. I’ve attached it below, I know you’ll enjoy it!

I hope you have a peace filled Christmas, lots of love and blessings to you, Samantha x

One of the craziest and most uncomfortable things I’ve ever done was my first laughter yoga session. It was an audio Skype session with a group of wonderful ladies that I know and feel quite comfortable with ordinarily. We were having a joint ‘meeting of minds’ and the group leader for this session opened with the suggestion of clearing any negative energy with laughter yoga. Now I’m all for laughing … I love to laugh and sometimes replace my sacred morning ritual of meditation, yoga, gratitude’s and prayer with a few YouTube clips from comedian Michael McIntyre, knowing a good laugh is just what I really need that day. 

Laughter Yoga though? This seemed weird. I agreed, in theory, with what the session leader said, however, and maybe it’s because I’m from the UK and a bit more reserved. All the other ladies were from the US and other parts of the world. They all embraced it and followed the exercises as directed and laughed their socks off 😂. No-one was in the room with me and no-one could see if I was participating or not, so I DIDN’T. I felt foolish and sadly cringed at the whole exercise.

The problem wasn’t the exercise, and certainly not the ladies. The problem was me! I was bizarrely self-conscious, given that no-one could even see me. It was almost like I didn’t want to embarrass myself … in front of myself. What? The fact remains that when the phrase ‘laughter is the best medicine’ was coined, they weren’t talking metaphorically. It is a literal fact. Laughter not only produces similar results to mindfulness and meditation, it is also proven that a good belly laugh for 15 minutes is the equivalent to doing 300 sit-ups and 10 minutes of jogging. It helps your blood circulation and increases oxygen to the body. It is also the best way to quickly clear any negative energy from your system and give you a shot of the happy hormones – endorphins – and increase in the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin.

The quickest way we can change our state of mind is by taking some physical action. Consider if someone is depressed and unhappy. How are they usually standing, walking and sitting? Slumped over maybe? Walking slowly with little energy? Sad facial expression? Voice quiet and flat in tone? It takes a lot of energy to maintain that stance (believe me I know, I did it for many years). We’re left feeling dull and lethargic as we’re vibrating at a lower vibrational frequency right at the cellular level.

Imagine our bodies regenerating cells that are vibrating at such a low frequency. Will that bring health or dis-ease? The truth is that most of us can change our state of mind at any time, but we often choose not to. We’ve proven this to ourselves when, for example,  we’re in a bad mood with our families and then someone turns up at the house, and we want to make a good impression in front of them, right? Suddenly we change state and we’re all smiles and our mood is lifted.

Using laughter by starting with a smile will make a difference to your state of mind, but you will need to appreciate the value and, like me, push past any pre-conceived feelings of embarrassment or reservation. The quickest way we can lift our mood is by doing something physically active. Even though a smile, and then laughter, will feel forced at first, you really will need to get over that for your greater good. When you put on laughter in your body, 20-30 seconds later your mind can’t differentiate whether it’s real or fake. Your brain will still produce the same happy endorphins and neurotransmitters, and you’ll feel just as good.

So find something that makes you laugh this week and embrace those happy moments!

Love and blessings, Sam xx

Most people are aware that meditation is a calming and centering practice, but it can be so difficult to embrace when we first begin. Our minds are bombarded by all the thoughts of the day (even first thing in the morning, as we often wake up to a mind full of chatter, especially if we haven’t consciously debriefed and processed the days events before we sleep). It’s helpful to imagine your conscious mind as being like an ocean and all of your thoughts being the waves in that ocean. Sometimes the sea can be choppy and tumultuous, as the waves rise and crash! Sometimes there are gentle, calmer waves and sometimes the ocean is so calm the waves are barely detectable from the shore. One of the aims of meditation is to practice how to calm and quieten your mind. In doing this you give your body, mind and emotions a meaningful break allowing healing to flow and a signal of well-being can flow through your whole being. When this signal of well-being is released this not only calms you in that moment it can also:

• Reduce anxiety and stress
• Boost your immune system
• Improve your memory
• Aid restful sleep
• Soothe the digestion
• Regulate your emotions

One way to support your meditation practice is to ‘candle gaze’. Candle gazing is known as Trataka in the ancient Sanskrit language. It means ‘to look’ or ‘to gaze’. When our minds are full of chatter having something to keep bringing your focus back to is so supportive. This can be a word or a phrase (we’ll look at that another time), or it can be an object, such as a candle. Candle gazing also has the added health benefits of improving your eye health.

So consider this week lighting a candle, and with or without relaxing music, sit and simply gaze. As you gaze, after a while it will be as though everything else in the room is disappearing and you enter your peaceful place. Use your breath to anchor yourself as you breathe slowly in and out. You’ll notice your thoughts and aim to let them drift in and out of your mind like waves. Try not to attach too intense an emotion to your thoughts. Your thoughts might not be very pleasant at times, but simply notice them and seek to not judge yourself. Your thoughts are not who you are! They’ll give you some valuable information about yourself and how you can grow and develop, but be kind to yourself.

Practice safely friends and I’ll see you next week!

Love and blessings to you, Sam xx

When we’re seeking to feel well and balanced in life it’s important to acknowledge our holistic nature:

characterized by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole

In other words, we’re more than the sum of our individual parts, and each aspect of ourselves influences and lives in relationship with the whole. We’re physical, emotional, mental and spiritual beings, and achieving a sense of balance in all areas means investing in each area of our lives. Sometimes we can be out of balance by focussing more on one area whilst neglecting (or not wanting to face) another. We need to have courage to be able to face who we are in our entirety, good and bad! Courage to accept who we are with our light and our areas of shadow … our areas of seeming darkness and often hidden pain.

Whatever your personal beliefs about God are I find it an incredible comfort to believe that God is there and sees all and hears all. Psalm 139 tells us that there is nowhere we can go to hide from His presence. What a relief to know this, otherwise if there was somewhere I could go I’d probably be in that place ALOT, or even set up camp indefinitely! Why? Because we can all feel as though parts of us are unacceptable at times. We feel (and hide) a measure of guilt and shame for ‘something’ that we don’t particularly like or want to accept about ourselves. Today, as we look at the spiritual aspect of our well-being, I’d love for you to consider prayer as a way to nourish and nurture who you are, knowing that it will influence all the areas of your life. Prayer for me is the glue that holds EVERYTHING I do together!! 🙏

A few weeks ago I hit a really dark period (well lets say years, not weeks) and then two days ago I had a pretty big meltdown due to the prolonged pain of the experience. I’m not saying this for pity, I’m saying this to let you know that even us ‘so called’ well-being specialists (and I say that loosely) struggle with life and how to respond to the difficulties. We’re not floating around on an ethereal cloud of tranquillity every day. So, two days ago I literally felt broken and questioned my sanity and ability to keep going. As is often the way when we hit that point we actually DON’T want to talk to anyone. Even if we know we probably should. So I went into our cold, dark conservatory (sounds depressing, but I had a lamp and blankets so it’s all good!!) and I started to talk to God about EVERYTHING!! I talked (prayed) and talked (prayed) and talked (prayed), and I sobbed (prayed) and sobbed (prayed) and sobbed (prayed). I even pushed the boundaries of my relationship with God by being very frank about how much I wasn’t happy with His choices for me and questioned why He even created me this way, if He knew I’d be incapable of influencing situations in my life in any meaningful way. At the end I sat there sombre and subdued and although I knew my situation hadn’t yet changed, I did know that I’d been heard and I felt like I’d just spoken to a wonderful counsellor and I knew that I was loved and understood!

I could say ALOT about prayer today but all I am going to say is that despite all the suffering you see in the world and all your unanswered questions, choose to believe in a God of love who cares for you deeply and longs to comfort, strengthen and support you on your journey. Take some time to talk (pray) to God today. Let Him know how you’re feeling and invite Him in to your life to walk the journey with you. He knows EVERYTHING about you after all! And knowing EVERYTHING, He loves YOU!

I’ve written below the Psalm I mentioned, and I hope you find some comfort in the knowledge that you were known and loved when God knitted you together in your mothers womb. Regardless of the story you may have been told! Love and blessings to you, Sam 🙏❤

Psalm 139

“You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the
     far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you…

Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting”

If we look at the definition of harmonious,

“To combine things, or to combine well, complement, produce a pleasing visual combination“

If you’re anything like me then your hobbies can often be the first things that get pushed out of your day as other activities take priority. To achieve a sense of harmonious well-being and balance it’s important to include in your day a combination of things that are considered essential and those activities that nurture and nourish you. Activities that nurture and nourish can be often considered luxuries like having a massage, going to the spa, going on a weekend break, treating yourself to a quiet meal with a loved one or relaxing in a warm bubble bath with scented candles. These and many other activities, such as walks in nature and country parks definitely do qualify, but today I want you to consider whether you allow time for hobbies and how often do you make space for them? Maybe your hobbies have fallen by the wayside or maybe you haven’t discovered any yet. Maybe you have hobbies which are quite demanding, like training for a triathlon or abseiling. Both of which meet an essential need in you but perhaps it’s time to pick up a hobby that complements, by bringing variety, bringing something with either a change of pace or a change in creativity. After all wouldn’t we all like to know that our lives produce a pleasing visual combination?

And I’m NOT talking about it looking visually pleasing to others, I’m talking about what you will see and discover within yourself when you allow yourself to get creative and try something new. We so often have untapped gifts within us that only ever get discovered when we start to make time to explore our interests. When we stumble upon a hobby that we love THEN the nourishing and nurturing begins. We feel alive! We feel injected with a flood of well-being and often meaning and a sense of fulfilment. With that new sense of fullness you will suddenly discover you have more to give and all of that extra will spill over into the lives of those you love ❤.

So, let’s get you started! Here’s a few ideas, but there is so much more you can explore:

• Reading
• Model making
• Cooking or baking
• Sailing
• Cake decorating
• Flower arranging
• Swimming
• Art work
• Pottery
• Dancing
• Needle craft
• Crotchet or knitting
• Carpentry
• Racing
• Walking
• Yoga
• Blogging
• Calligraphy
• Rock climbing
• Canoeing
• Running
• Scrap booking
• Music
• Board Games

Happy hobbying my friends and I’ll see you next Wednesday (ps. I’d LOVE you to tell me what your hobbies are and if you started something new).

Love & blessings, Sam 🥰 x