The Big C & How I'm Staying Sane

It's official, 2020 is going down in the history books as a cluster fuck of a year. And it's only March! Between bush fires fires and viruses (to name only two disasters), life as we once knew it suddenly feels like a distant memory.

Look, if we (us humans, mainly the westernized ones) as a collective accept the lessons that are quite forcefully making us take a long hard look at ourselves, then life as we know it could actually be substantially better. It's the not learning, the not changing, the not finding better ways to do things & treat our earth at the end of this crisis that really scares me. More so than the virus itself. (I am aware of my privilege in saying that, I am not a nurse, doctor, healthcare worker on the front line).

I, like every other person on the planet right now have been experiencing the highs and lows of practicing self-isolation. Not gonna lie, some moments I am 'handling it', and some, I'm a hot mess, hello teary outbursts. For me it's much more about who I can't spend my time with, like my grandson Noah-Francis for example, as opposed to the staying at home part. And just to really add a little #extra to the mix, my Dad went and had himself a heart attack a week ago too! 2020, you little minx you.

Despite all that we find wrong with the world at present, it is important more than ever to seek out the good. Or at least do the things that make you feel that way. Having a little control over the things in your immediate surroundings somehow eases the anxiety about the unknown and uncertainty in the outside world.

I thought I would take the time to share with you a few rituals and habits that I incorporated into my daily life some time ago, and they have been serving me particularly well of late. I am not trying to reinvent the wheel here, and none of this will be information you've not seen circulating the inter-webs already. Perhaps it will serve as a gentle reminder that's it's never too late to start any of these habits. Or maybe you already do several of these things, and are looking to mix things up a little.

A morning routine - movement, hydration & nourishment

My morning routine is not set in stone, however it does involve the same three things most days, movement, hydration and nourishment. Movement for me can be anything from a 10km run to 10 minutes of yoga stretches. I don't beat myself up if I don't break a sweat, as long as I move my body in some capacity.

I sip water during an at home sweat sesh, but my first main drink of the day is a glass of warm water with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Wild C powder, gelatin and a teaspoon of honey. Yep, sounds interesting right!? This concoction changes with the seasons but lemon and warm water is always a constant, I got it from my Nanny, she's 94 years young and I reckon she may be on to something.

Brewing a fresh pot of tea every day is one of my most favourite rituals. I get in two good size cups as I get ready for the day. Sometimes it goes with me to work, and quite often it ends up on my lap and all through my car console. I am pretty determined to get in that second cup though, no matter the consequence.

And lastly but most importantly, nourishment. I can't do a boring breakfast, I just can't. It's not to say I eat a gourmet one every day either, but if it doesn't involve either fresh fruit, yogurt and oats or something green, like a green smoothie or smashed avo (as the cool kids say) on a good quality bread...I don't want to know about it. If I want to function at my best, fueling my body and brain is imperative, even more so in iso! That has a ring to it don't you think?

Moving my body - exercise for strength, cardio for sweat and yoga for sanity

I know I touched on this already, but exercise and movement has played such an important role in my life for 7 odd years now, I honestly couldn't imagine my life without it. I want to exercise most days with little resistance from my inner critic. It's basically a non-negotiable between body and mind. I'm a morning mover and shaker, so it's up and at-em first thing, the key is to not give your thoughts to much leeway here and JUST DO! I just wish I had started in my 20's.

Gone are the days I flog my body because I believed that was the only way to be fit. Variety is the spice of life apparently, and that's how I treat my movement. Running, walking, swimming, cardio and strength workouts at home with simple or no equipment. And new to my routine, yoga (I started a couple of months ago). I get yoga now, I didn't before. I am absolutely loving it, just call me a yogi already. Do yourself a favour and check out Yoga with Adriene, I love my in-person yoga classes but for the at home type, Adriene is the best.

Cook-ups in my kitchen - nourishing foods + the odd indulgence

If you've been following me on Instagram for a while or you know me well personally, y'all know I love food. Getting down and sometimes dirty in my kitchen is an activity I get a kick out of. Does it mean I'm always motivated to cook or eat nutritiously dense foods every single meal, every single day, HELL NAH. For the most part, I'm a pretty healthy eater, and giving my body what it needs satiates my insides and my conscience.

I love me my fruit, veg and wholefoods, and I am also partial to a good raw baking recipe. The rest of my family don't seem to share that same enthusiasm, but that just means more for me. I now have the added pleasure of cooking a Sunday meal for my no-longer-living-at-home family, cooking good food for others is as nourishing for the soul as it is for ones body. I do miss our Sunday dinners but by jingo, the first meal back is going to be a very special one, something to look forward to.

Nature - fresh air and sunshine

Get it any which way you can! A walk with the dog, a run, a quiet cuppa as the sun comes up & the kids are still asleep, eat a meal outside, water the garden, have a chat with a friend over the phone while sitting in the fresh air. Get your Mumma Nature fix every day of iso, I know I am! Life giving.

Something good for the soul - craft, cooking, reading, writing, sipping

This is something I never gave enough attention to for far too many years, particularity when my kids were younger and so much of my time was spent working both outside and in the home. It's only now, in hindsight, I see (as you do) doing things for sheer pleasure is SO freaking important, and just a bloody lovely thing to do. I dabble in a few creative and activities these days and it has been essential for riding the ups and downs of the past few weeks. Getting lost in a book for a short time, knotting a new macrame creation and tuning into the task has help me switch off. Cooking has helped me feel in control of my health and wellness and sipping tea is a calming ritual for me. If you've been thinking about pursuing a craft project, reading that book, starting a blog, writing a gratitude journal, stop what you're doing and go make it happen! My friend Kim from Feather & Nest has a gorgeous letting writing project you might like to check out. How nice would it be to receive a handwritten letter in the post at this time? Check out The Lovely Letters Project here.

How have you been coping amidst the Covid chaos? Have you found sticking to a routine or daily rituals useful and comforting? I would love to hear from you, let's stay connected.

Keep safe, stay well. We are very much all in this together.

xx Kara