It’s July – which means it’s time to review May and June (ICYMI: Jan+Feb and Mar+Apr).
Let’s do this!
May was a stable-then-wobbly month. I returned to my dayjob on a phased return, and even into July I’m still on reduced clinical duties as I try to work out what’s realistic and manageable for me.
June was then a really steady foundational month for me, which let me release a lot of the breath I’d been holding for the past 6 months.
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Reflections on the Journey:
Intuition:
i. Read 6 books (& Take Notes): – Tick. I finished Responsibility Rebellion in June and although I had to return “How Not To Fit In” to the library only 2/3rds read, I’ve bought it on kindle to finish 🙂
ii. Continue Weekly Therapy: – Tick. Still in weekly counselling, attended a month of “Equine Assisted Learning” and took 4 beginner sessions of Archery to start to build up my exercise muscles and provide some physical therapy with my friend (who happens to work as physiotherapist.)
iii. Return to Daily Journaling : – This has been up and down, but I’ve been more consistent with journaling when I need to or when ideas strike me.
Creation:
iv. Track Fiction Wordcount: – No fiction for May or June, but I had other priorities. I did write a couple of emotive poems, but there’s not being shared.
v. Weekly Integration: – Tick – Managed to pick this one up again around the end of June.
Stabilisation:
vi. Build on my Healthy Habits: – Tick. I used the oven once in June, and have plans to get back to trying to cook once a week – but again, the mix of ready meals, microwave steam bags of vegetables, Huel powder and vitamins seems to be going well.
vii. Movement 3x a Week: – Half-Tick. I exercised 13/31 days in May and 11/30 days in June.
viii. Create a Cleaning Routine: – At the end of June I was officially getting this back. A friend came over for 5 hours to help me clean out the bunnies enclosure when my Fibro was really flaring, and my partner helped clean a bit for the 2 weekends she visited.
Connection:
ix. Socialise Monthly With Friends: – Tick! After living with someone who wouldn’t like people coming over to see his mess (but wouldn’t tidy his mess up either) it’s so nice to be able to see friends every week. The freedom of being able to connect with others after years of isolation has been immense. <3
In May, I attended 4 sessions with other women and horses, met 3 new people at Archery lessons, saw my friend in May (later to become my girlfriend), and visited my local friend who I used to live with and her cat. In June, I saw my girlfriend for 3 of the weekends, saw 30 Seconds to Mars 14 years after I first saw them live (!), had my local friend over twice in the evenings, met 2 mutual friend’s other friend as she was visiting from up north, spent a night at my parents house with their cats, and attended my Druid group celebration for the Summer Solstice with my girlfriend.
Again, after being “an introvert” who was trained not to do anything that might make my ex look bad, I am really loving connecting with nature, with my friends, and if you feel disconnected, I’d recommend you connect however you can.
x. About Reinvention and Creativity: – I’ve definitely dropped off this bit – I’ve not written a newsletter, only slightly updated my Patreon, and posted one Medium post on the difficulty of change. But I feel that I can pick this up in July.
xi. Access Nature: – I have a little way still to go, but there are definite foundations being built for this one – the Druid ceremonies are outside, my partner loves the outdoors and going on mini-adventures, and I hope to get back to walking weekly once my body is a bit stronger.
Integration:
xii. Build on Skills: – I’m only a couple of days away from 365 days of Welsh on Duolingo, I’m half way through an online course I’ll talk about more in the next update, and since the last update, I’ve had another speaking part, which was fun to perform in front of my girlfriend at her first experience of a Druid ceremony.