Tag: thursday real talk

Thursday Real Talk: Being in the moment 🌱

~ melreviewsherbooks ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes, I think we have moments where we need to be present and let our body and brain catch up from the experiences you may have just rushed through or placed at the forefront of your brain, leaving behind the other not as important things.

I guess that’s prioritising, but sometimes prioritising quickly and in the moment can jolt your body and brain unexpectedly.

I think it’s important to have patience when the come down happens. The come down from the rush. The come down from the quick thinking and immediate decision making.

‘be where your feet are’ is certainly a good idea when you’re resetting into the calm, the present and your routines. Being present is one of the most valuable perspectives for me this week – it may just be for you too 💫

Thursday Real Talk: A Gentle Week

~ melreviewsherbooks ~ 4 Comments

The last two weeks, I came across some challenges I was not expecting to face and then some other regular ones. Let’s just say the past fortnight has been hard on my brain, body and ability to get up and enjoy something in each day.

But that’s okay, we’re over the hill now because on the one day that I had 3 relatively unhappy things happen, 1 good thing happened and I just needed to focus on that. Because it was majorly good and I have the internal belief that everything happens for a reason.

So that lands us at this week. This week has been a gentle week.

This week I’ve only said ‘Yes’ to the things that bring me joy.

I’ve cooked a homemade meal every night for dinner. I’ve had meetings with local creatives for the Riverina Readers Festival. I filmed a piece for local tv about our Book Festival and a book event we have coming up. I took myself to get a much deserved massage. I’ve made appointments to help improve my future self. And this weekend, I’m spending time with friends in a happy and celebratory environment.

This may still come across as a lot, but this is considered a slow week for me at the moment 🙈 And for that, I’m very grateful 💫

Tell me – what’s an activity you like to do on a slow week?

Xx Mel

🎨 @holliestartup

Thursday Real Talk: Are Opportunities Really That Scary?

~ melreviewsherbooks ~ 2 Comments

I’ve always been one of those people who thought that opportunities were scary because opportunities change things. They can alter your path and most of the time, opportunities bring change that you may not have planned for. I was fearful of this for a very long time until I realised something quite significant.

Opportunities do not have to be BIG! They don’t have to be so large that your whole life upheaves for them.

Opportunities can be; choosing to take that spare 10 minutes to go grab a coffee for yourself instead of making one; rather than spending the evening alone, text a friend and see what they’re up too; or if you’re in a new environment with new people, it’s an opportunity to make a new friend.

Saying yes to these opportunities could help to build your self-care routines, connections with those you love and care for, and find new people to love and care for in your circle. By no means are these opportunities not life changing, they are but they just look a little different to what the typic ‘life changing opportunity may be’. And they are still quite significant!

What I’m coming to learn is that if you don’t say yes to these types of self-building opportunities, they cannot lead you onto finding the confidence and circle of encouragement to say yes to some bigger opportunities, such as; changing your job; showing someone your worth through action; or building something new from scratch.

All of these ‘big’ opportunities still require those initial, un-life heaving opportunities of; self care; consideration; connection; and self-worth.

So maybe we need to change our perspective of opportunities as we move into 2024 this weekend.

If we were to scale it back, the flow on effect of saying ‘yes’ to a daily opportunities, could in fact be more effective and enhance more stability and strength for when that big opportunity shows itself. And at that point, the big opportunity may not look so scary anymore x

Thursday Real Talk: Don’t look back, you’re not going that way

~ melreviewsherbooks ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday, I had a day. My brain was saying “go, go, go – you’ve got a busy day ahead and we need to get moving”, but my body was telling me otherwise and I didn’t want to listen, but eventually, it made me.

I started to feel as if I was going backwards, when in reality – I’d just filled my plate too much that it was not possible for my body to process the high speed in which we needed to function for the day/week.

I wasn’t going backwards, in fact I was moving forward. This was just another experience that leads me to understand why listening to your body is important. Listening to the signs of exhaustion, busy-ness and the need to be your best self at every facet of your life isn’t practical – and it’s also not realistic.

So today, I’m saying “thank you body, for telling me I was overloaded yesterday” and “I understand that I need to take things a bit slower today”.

I hope you also find a snippet of time in your day in which you can reflect on how you can be kind to your body x

Thursday Real Talk: It’s OK to Have a Wobble

~ melreviewsherbooks ~ Leave a comment

It’s ok to have a wobble 🍮

Sometimes, life doesn’t go to plan. People don’t always act in the kindest way you know that they can because they themselves are having a rough trot of things at the moment.

Sometimes, life gives you lemons.

I have these days, everyone does. They are days when you wish you could just jump back into your pjs by the time lunch rolls around and soak up some cozy time reading, back in bed, maybe with a cup of tea or slice of chocolate cake.

I mean, I don’t know what these days look like for you but what I do know is … sometimes if you don’t let your body, brain and heart have these wobble days, the wobble days can last longer than they need too.

So I guess I’m telling you that, if you need a mental health day once and a while, tell the people around you that that is what you need.

Try to explain to them what it is that’s going to help you and why you think you need a wobble day.

Then ask them to check in on you in a day or two.

If your wobble day has turned into longer than just a day or two, maybe you can try explaining a little bit more to that trusted person. They may be able to help you find a new perspective you couldn’t see from under your cozy bed sheets x