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Dark Times, Towards the Light: A Healing Journey Update
I was discharged from hospital on Thursday, and am so happy to be home. I am okay. I had “not-a-stroke,” but we aren’t entirely sure what it is. I was admitted on Wednesday afternoon, because my right side suddenly went numb and felt like it had collapsed. I had weakness, loss of sensation and numbness in my right side from head to foot. I still have these symptoms, but they’re better than they were. I’ve had All Of The Tests from heart trace to CT scan, everything is clear so that’s good news. The doctors think perhaps it’s related to my pre-existing conditions. I’m home and safe and in the best position to…
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Dear Grace Q & A: 7 Steps To Your Business Comeback After Chronic Illness
How do you move forward when you’ve had to take a break from business because of illness? I’m so happy to answer this! Let’s break it down, shall we? 1. Listen to what’s underlying. Ask yourself questions to really dig into how you’re feeling and what your greatest fears are. Are you worried people have forgotten you? Think you are unreliable, unprofessional? Do you feel guilty about needing a break in the first place? Where is your fear coming from? Whose voice is it? When you pinpoint your underlying worries, it’s far easier to acknowledge them and then, take the actions necessary to alleviate them. 2. “Turn your setback into…
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Non-Hippy Happy: Building the Happiness Habit
Firstly, full disclosure, I am pretty hippy. Not in a tie-dyed, groovy maaaan, recreational drugs, ‘drop in any time it’s an open house’ way. Not at all. I can’t stand tie-dye. I certainly don’t speak like that. I’m as square about drugs as its possible to be without actually being law enforcement personnel and if you try and come to my house without an invitation I won’t answer the door. I like block colours, received pronunciation, virgin drinks, appointments, and actually being dressed when you arrive. But in terms of happiness, wellness and emotional health – I’m a meditating, affirmation reciting, mantra chanting, mandala wearing, yoga class attending, flower-crown loving and therapy advocating hippy. But I was…
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On Usefulness: Underneath It All, We Want to Be of Worth
What’s it worth? It’s a common question, perhaps a common-place one. We ask what a potential purchase is worth, what an object of perceived value is worth, and if we are ill then we often ask what an event is worth in terms of the time and energy we will spend there. It’s a fair question: is it good enough to justify what I am giving? Does it have a value equal to that which you gave? But when did we begin asking what humans were worth? I mean, darling just look at you… You are worth everything. EVERYTHING. (Click to Tweet!) The problem as I see it, is this:…
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Space to Grow…into JOY
A few weeks ago a repairman stood in our drawing room, looked around and asked, “So, my love, when are you moving in?” I was shocked. We’ve lived here nearly 7 years. Looking back, I can see why he was confused. The floor was covered in cardboard boxes full of things to donate, sell or recycle. All our paintings were down from the walls, and we’d removed nearly all the furniture. All that remained was a table, two chairs, and an earthenware jug of sunflowers on the chimney piece. I loved it. A blank slate, a clear space to grow into. The story behind all this, of course, is much…
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