As the wheel of the year turns, writer Nia Purslow shares her hope and optimism for the spring
It has been a long cold winter for most of us and with the pandemic continuing to loom, it has been hard to find the motivation to get up and go, to make things happen and to find inspiration in our daily lives. With many of us now working from home, self-isolating and unable to see family or friends, we have been forced to live life in a completely new way. How can we live like this with such uncertainty? I hear you ask. Well, it is all about how we choose to look at it.
Get out in nature
Now that the month of March is here, I certainly welcome the warmer weather and the lighter days of spring. There is something exhilarating about the emerging equinox that makes everything seem so much brighter, so much more promising. Nature begins to thrive, daffodils come into their full bloom and we increasingly hear birds singing their songs at the rise of dawn.
When I observe these changes around me I can feel new beginnings are on the horizon. I think that as we humans are too a part of nature, we can feel this same energy shift. Living in the countryside means I am surrounded by greenery, fresh air and birdsong, and I can even hear the wind turbines from my house on a still day.
The fact that I don’t see a soul when I am walking is not unusual for me – if anything I find it peaceful – so I suppose I could say I am not finding self-isolation too different. However, I do imagine those who are not used to the quiet life and live in a city or town are struggling. I couldn’t recommend getting out in nature highly enough. It is therapy for the mind, body and soul, even if it’s just sitting outside the house and taking some deep breaths: mindfulness is everything.
Find your Purpose and inspiration
We can’t choose what happens around us – we don’t have any control over that – but what we can control is our thoughts and actions while we are amidst the storm. If you choose to look at it in a positive way, there will be many great opportunities available to you. Lean towards whatever you put your energy into and are passionate about, and manifestation will happen. My energy goes into my degree, my painting, my writing and my exercise. These give me purpose. Without them, I wouldn’t be me. I couldn’t imagine my life with no creativity – with it, it is filled with possibilities, inspiration and endless expression. Find your purpose and you will come out the other side with so many new doors open.
The same things happen if you think negatively. You will attract negativity into your life, and you will find that nothing comes from that but unnecessary worry and misery. Trust me, I have been that person. It was absolutely draining speaking to myself so unkindly, and this habit had to stop so that I could leave room for things that added value to my life, such as acts of self-love, meditation and taking a candlelit bath. By meditating, I could notice these unhealthy thoughts that were no longer serving me and change them over time.
It is all about the simple things now. We have been stripped back of all material things we had so easily and now we are encouraged to live more mindfully and spiritually, to take a step back and breathe, to check in with our bodies and feel what we actually feel. It is okay to feel sad; it is okay to feel happy. Emotions are just emotions, and they pass like clouds in the sky. If we don’t stop and feel these emotions from time to time, we are not showing ourselves the love we deserve and we will eventually burn out.
Take action and make it happen
By being more self-aware we actually have the ability to choose how we react to something, or which action to take next. Those seeds you planted for yourself back in the new year, those resolutions you made – have you followed them through? Have you been watering those plants? As William Wordsworth once said:
“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds.”
March is the month of action and new beginnings, so make it happen. If not, how will you ever know about the miracles that are coming your way?
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Nia Purslow is a published author and wellness blogger from Wales. She has previous work in Wales Online, the Daily Mirror and the Ego Magazine, where she shares reviews, articles and real-life topics, including her life living with Ulcerative Colitis. Alongside studying a BA in the creative arts, she continues to write and paint with passion and purpose. This love for art, along with songwriting from a young age, sparked her creative flair and ignited her career in writing.
www.niasnarrative.com
