Hello Dear One,
It’s early morning and the shadow of tree branches pattern on my neighbour's pebble-dashed wall. It reminds me of wallpaper: a living room; hotel bathroom; DIY store with rag-end rolls. The shapes stay for an hour or so, when the sun’s at a certain spot; I look up it’s gone.
I mention this as I’ve tried to build a meditation habit many times, but am yet to make it stick. Journaling is meditative for me, but looking at the wall brings something different: a stillness. Presence. Calm. I notice other small things: three daffodils blooming in the garden; cloud obscuring snowy mountains in the distance; birdsong; the beauty of a poem; how good coffee tastes in the morning.
Calm is defined as a lack of strong or challenging emotions and as a state in itself – of tranquillity. Breathing in small moments like these lets the beauty of the world seep in, changing the way I feel.
I hope it helps. My calm memories are almost always about place, this time I wrote about swimming in the sea, the way water sparkled around me, cliffs in the distance, families building sandcastles on the shore. Even thinking about it relaxes me.
As an additional prompt - it’s always beneficial to have a why – think about the impact calm moments have, for you and those around you. And remember, a little goes a long way. If prompts themselves feel overwhelming, or you need to express big feelings, let your pen wander on paper, spilling out thoughts. Writing freely can cultivate calm too.
Thanks for being here and being you.
All love,
Jo
Writing for Self-Care Drop-In - Thursday 17th March 7.30 pm GMT via Zoom
Join me on Thursday for ninety minutes of nurturing guided writing - all you need is a cosy, quiet space, notebook and pen.
This month we’ll move through grounding, calming sequences before working with our inner critic and moving forward with confidence. Optional instrumental playlist provided. Free for ME Members.
Me Membership – The ME Membership is a space for you, including recorded rituals, prompt books and two live workshops a month. Find out more here.
AND if this letter made a difference share it with a friend, leave a comment, or buy me a coffee on Kofi.