Comeback post!

Hi Guys!

I want to apologise for not posting any new articles the last few weeks.  I do want to have regular content up here for you all, and have a lot of future articles planned out, but unfortunately personal events conspired to take my focus away from this website and my social media so a lot of things have got away from me.

I'm starting to get more onto an even keel emotionally again (although the situation is still ongoing!) and am feeling mentally ready and able to get back to articles and posting on social media.  So here is my comeback post!  I have learnt a few things this past few weeks, or maybe just re-remembered them, and want to share them with you while saying "Yes I'm still here".

One thing I've learnt in my yoga teacher training, in meditation training, in self-learning and reading, is the important of mindfulness, of being fully present in the moment and of behaving consciously rather than acting on instinct.  All important beneficial stuff of course.  I have always, since I learnt this, made an effort to do this on a daily basis despite.  That's not to say it was always easy, we all have those stressful periods that can throw us off, but I always made as much of an effort as possible to do this.

Now...this all worked really well for me through the minor stresses in daily life, and even worked for my when my stepmother passed away and my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer.  It wasn't as easy to do, I won't lie, but it still kept me going, able to cope and as zen as possible under the circumstances.    So far so good, I smugly thought, I'm doing great.  Then the universe decided to throw me a curveball!

I'm not going to go into all my personal tribulations, but long story short my husband and I are separating.  The relationship had not been working for a long time but I was the one who called it quits on things.  We have been together for 10 years and I thought we would grow old together, work through any issues and come out stronger.  Obviously this is now not happening and I have been dealing with a lot of guilt for ending it, a lot of stress from the practical side of it and a lot of mourning for the future that I now won't have.
For a few weeks I was all over the place, my personal yoga practice fell down my priority list, meditation fell off my priority list and mindfulness was coming right at the bottom.

Once the initial 2 or 3 weeks passed and I started getting used to my new state...I really noticed the difference in my mental and physical health from dropping yoga, meditation and manfulness down my list.  I felt physically worse than even in terms of my fibromyalgia, my IBS was playing up from stress and mentally I felt terrible.  I didn't recognise myself!

So, I learnt of the extent of the benefits of these from the absence of them.  I knew they were beneficial don't get me wrong, but it was the absence that made me see the full extent and how much of an impact they had on my life.  Once I started back again, slowly, I noticed a huge positive difference.  
I also learnt the importance of being kind to myself.  Not beating myself up that I had let these things slip, or that I wasn't as "good" as I should be.  I just accepted that life had happened, that I had reacted in a totally understandable way, that I had done my best and that I was going to get through it.

I understand life can be heard, and implementing things like mindfulness and meditation can be hard during hard times.  Believe me though, when I say that doing your best to keep them going in a way that serves you can help you get through the hard times.  It's important to hold on to things that serve and benefit you, and that make you happy.  It's also important to be gentle with yourself in times when life is being anything but!

I have missed you all and am so glad to be back writing articles and posting for you guys.  I'm excited to hear your comments on these articles and posts, and if you have any requests get in touch!

As always, namaste.