Feest Isolation Days – 7 August
Filled up with a ton of love and spending time with those you love makes life very special. It took longest to get to see our youngest. We’ve seen both of the other kids and their families twice. Now we’ve seen them all. It feels so good. There is little that needs to be said. All is as it should be. And on we can go again. Sometimes you just have to fill up with family and then you can deal with anything and keep going at whatever life tosses in your direction. That family circle of love is strong. Those shared memories are irreplaceable. They stretch back for so long! Love papers over all the cracks when everything else in the world is less than perfect.
And crucially turning to our friends is of equal importance. We’ve lost the travel and the concerts and the theatre and the restaurants and cafes and visits to churches abroad and art galleries. We need to keep in contact with the people we love. Fill up on family and keep topped up with the love and friendship of your pals.
Who knows what is around the next corner? No one! So we thank our lucky stars for what we have and have had and embrace the future with the gusto and verve that we always do. What else is there to do?
We planned a walk and a picnic for the day. The sandwiches are made the flask is filled…and the rain arrived. First for ages. Wouldn’t you just know it! We stall for time and wait awhile and see how we will need to adjust our plans.
While we stall I found an interesting report on the BBC that gives us four top tips that elite athletes use to achieve their goals. They are useful and interesting whatever it is that you are trying to achieve. You CAN …..!
1. When you get anxious tell yourself you’re not nervous, you’re excited! Excitement is an emotion that will help you feel positive. Go for excited over nervous every time. Your body apparently will support that subtle brain change. Better than telling it to calm down…which it won’t do.
2.Don’t do all the work yourself! (listen up ladies…!) Asking for support is a sign of strength. Who can you ask to support you in whatever it is you are trying to achieve? Nobody ever does anything on their own. Elite athletes have teams of people around them helping them constantly.
3. Visualise whatever it is that you have to prepare for. Think about what it will feel like, smell like and what you might see. Think about any challenges you might face so you can run through them before you meet them. Challenges will be less scary when and if they do come up.
4. Talk to yourself! I love this one…I am such a chatterbox and now if anyone hears me chatting to myself I can just tell them I’m preparing…as I probably am for something or the other! Let’s all be more like Mohammad Ali the greatest boxer of all time. He sold himself on being the greatest long before he was! And keep those self talks positive. No getting down on yourself…ever!
We have been marvelling at the little babies we planted in the garden and the amazing plants they have grown into. Another little tip for your continued success perhaps?
The rain has stopped! Off we go…….
With love,
Kathy x