Welcome to this week's Newsletter!

I hope you have had a good week. Honestly, my health hasn’t been at its best, but as the week progressed I did start to get back into my normal groove … time spent with my granddaughters helped me massively this week, and it can feel exhausting but it’s really the best medicine for me. Currently Adie’s (5 years old) favourite game is Bucking Bronco — basically me on all 4s, her sitting on my back and we start off with a gentle bit of movement which then turns into me trying to throw her off. We have to be near sofas so I can aim to throw her onto a soft landing. Lots of giggles, lots of screaming, and baby Trixie watching on trying to climb on as well. 

As I have already said, it’s the best medicine, and I feel extremely grateful that we live close enough for me to get this special time with them. 

So, back into my ‘teacher’ mode, with the weather forecast to get quite warm this week, remember to keep hydrated, and covered if you're out in the sun — with either fabric, or lotion with an adequately high SPF. Even when it’s breezy, remember the sun is still strong, so get protected.

Let me introduce you to the Phantom Energy Vampires …

They come when you sit down to do something — maybe plan your week, reply to an email, check in with your messages, or even simply to enjoy a well-deserved rest — and find your brain suddenly being invaded and the host to a full on energy vampire party!

What I mean is, you are doing your task but your thoughts go as follows:

• Did I forget to reply to that text?
• When am I going to find time to sort out the car MOT?
• Why did I say yes and agree to that thing I didn’t really want to do?

These sorts of things can be very, very, small phantom energy vampires, but they can absolutely suck the life out of your focus, your joy, your peace.

So we need a method of batting them away — not ignoring them completely, because that never works, because they come back louder, potentially wearing tap shoes 😉, bigger and stronger.

So if we can learn to acknowledge the vampires, and follow this script:

Hi there stress about getting the washing done. You’re not urgent, you can wait til 10am, because right now I am doing this, so I’ll come back to you and see you later!

It takes some practice. You are building a bit of brain-boundary-setting, because your energy is precious, your time is valuable and your mind deserves some peace and by not letting those phantom energy vampires rule you will get there.

Practice for the week

Think about what energy vampires keep popping up and invading your headspace lately. Try personalising them by giving them a name or even a little character, then try focusing on how you can acknowledge them without letting them hijack your day.

Here’s a short mini-mindfulness moment to try that will help shoo the vampire away — you can do this sitting, standing, lying down, or in the middle of stirring the sauce for dinner:

1. Breathe in slowly through your nose — count to 4
2. As you breathe out through your mouth, imagine gently blowing a pesky little vampire off your shoulder (you can even picture them flapping their tiny cloak as they float off into the breeze!)
3. Repeat 3 times — each exhale is a little reset. A not now to the mind clutter
4. Say to yourself (silently or out loud) —right now, I’m here. This is what I’m doing. The rest can wait.

This is a lovely reminder that mindfulness isn’t always deep meditation. Sometimes, it’s just three breaths and a firm not now to the mind-mischief.

Our mantra this week is acknowledge and let go.

Have a fabulous week everyone, keep looking, moving and feeling good.

With love and support,

Jane xxx