Supporting your wellbeing in winter...
Look closely - using our senses helps us ground…
If it wasn’t for Coronavirus we’d all be beginning to celebrate spring. We’ve all survived the winter and normally this would be the time for heaving a great sigh of relief and hefting off the shackles- there is so much that is lovely going on out there. Instead we’re having to dig even deeper to maintain our equilibrium and protect our mental and physical health and loved ones.
So here are my six tips for supporting your wellbeing right now.
ONE: Stay in the present moment as best you can. And when you lose it, as I do often, stop what you’re doing, get up and look for a flower, or a plant and really engage with it - touch, smell, really look. Using our senses helps us come present and out of our heads - it’s grounding and nature - well nature is healing - it just is. I’ve been in my greenhouse this morning - when my emotion welled up and threatened to over-whelm me earlier I put on my gloves, potted on some foxgloves that desperately needed it, watered some seeds that looked a bit dry and felt better. Almost instantly. For me, and maybe for you, that focus on life in the form of plants that I am nurturing soothes my soul.
If you don’t have a greenhouse or garden what do you have? A windowsill where you could sow some seeds maybe? It’s a really good time for sowing loads of annuals for cutting and also vegetables such as broad beans, peas, chillis, peppers, tomatoes - there’s lots to choose from. If you can get yourself a propagator with a lid designed for the windowsill I would as it helps keep things tidy and is easy to water without spilling and making a mess.
TWO: Limit your exposure to ‘news’, social media and well-meaning friends who want to discuss the ins and outs for too long and with too much negative emphasis for your comfort. Choose a source you trust for your information and stick with that. And restrict the number of times you check it each day.
THREE: Choose who you talk to about things carefully too - last night I was talking to a dear friend and the conversation was starting to stress me - so I told her and we changed the subject. It meant I had the pleasure of the conversation without adding to my stress levels.
FOUR: Get outside everyday for a walk - whatever the weather - this is good practice anyway in maintaining good mental health and wellbeing but especially so right now - and take the trouble to go someone attractive if you can - especially in the city. And while you are out consciously use your senses - look closely at flowers, grass - whatever is available to you, listen to the birds. If you have a background city noise focus on that for a few seconds and then deliberatively let it go - it’s amazing what a difference this makes and how much easier it is to hear the sounds you’re looking for.
FIVE: Stand on the grass barefoot.
Your garden, that space right outside the door, or your local park if you don’t have a garden, holds lots of possibilities too. Next time it all gets a bit over-whelming take off your shoes and stand on the grass barefoot and breathe. At least three breaths and try lengthening the out breath each time. Check in with yourself - what do I notice physically, emotionally and what am I thinking? And see how you feel.
I do this sometimes in the middle of the night too - I’m lucky enough to live in a spot where we have very dark skies and the stars are amazing. Standing barefoot on the grass looking up at the stars is a very effective way to clear my head I find, and I always go back to sleep once quite quickly.
SIX: Plant something lovely to look at right now - this could be a container for by your door or an indoor arrangement of plants perhaps. There are quite a few fab plants suppliers online if you’re self-isolating: Try Crocus for shrubs and perennials that will good in your pots straight away, Sarah Raven for seeds and mini plants that will get there but need a bit of time. There are also quite a few house plant specialists but they always look expensive to me - let me know where you get your house plants from! Also - now that the RHS has cancelled the flower shows it’s extra important to support individual local growers. You can check out ipng.garden to see whether your local nurseries will deliver if you’re isolating.
For an outdoor planter choose a pot big enough to hold an evergreen in the centre - this will stay there year round and then add some different textures and some seasonal interest. At the moment I’ve got planters either side of my front door with box balls, Carex - a variegated and evergreen grass, spring bulbs and hellebores all doing their thing - they make me happy each time time I pass by. Add in some scent in the form of something lovely like lavender or a scented geranium - make sure they are hardy - and you’ve got something lovely to touch and sniff as you pass by too. The key to a good planter, or collection of planters, is to create a display with different textures, shapes and colours. Imagine a black and white photo of the display - if you’d be able to see the different plants even without the colour you’ve got an effective display.