A Wellbeing Story
A Christmas Story
Flight of the navigator
The essence of life is not in the great victories and grand failures, but in the simple joys.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie
I began my preparations for the Christmas period in November with a Wellbeing Invitation to explore our sensory experiences with mindful compassion techniques, creating sensory kits to carry around and to take three soothing breaks within the day. Ways to support ourselves for the challenges that this season can bring for ourselves.
For my part I have my own Christmas story of hope, joy, peace and love. Today is the anniversary of my father having a life changing car accident. This kind, generous, funny, reckless, critical thinking, at times selfish and ridiculously clever man. I was 16. For those of you with a window into the world of acquired brain injury you may be familiar with my story, how in recovering slowly from his coma a different man emerged. In 1995 support was limited for families and we bundled our way through it, doing what we could. He finally came home in 1997 the year I left to study, leaving my mother recovering from breast cancer and brother his open heart surgery. For many years I felt like I had abandoned them, helpless and inadequate, my grief an open wound, my anger at the injustice, sadness ruling my behaviours. I think it would be fair to say I went wild, many have done the same. I did what I could to survive, marinating in my grief and displaying it to all and sundry, burdening others with the responsibility for my happiness. With time and therapy, time and different therapies and my own occupational therapy I have matured and come to an space of peace, contentment and humility. The stories I carry are not just in the context of my mind, that my thoughts are not facts, my feelings are there to be felt and not thrown on to others. That I can support my wellbeing by paying attention to my body and listen, honouring its messages, creating flexible daily routines and rituals that nourish, revive and restore me. That suffering in life is inevitable, but that by taking responsibility for ourselves, with some discipline and love, our struggles can be held in humility and grace, moving us to hold the struggles of others with a greater level of compassion. Leading us to greater things, to flourish and thrive. We all have our cross to bear, but like me, you do not carry my burdens alone.
I’ll be continuing my wellbeing journey, to flourish and thrive into 2023 with Joy Club. A new monthly group (online or inperson see here for details and dates) supporting people to develop a life that aligns with their hopes and values. Each month we will focus on a different wellbeing topic and explore how we can implement our discoveries into our daily lives to have a more joyful time for the short time we’re here. A group for inner nurturing, connection, and inspiration that will leave you renewed and recharged to step into your daily life with a new found lease of life.
You deserve to live life well. It all begins with a desire to change. Whatever that looks like for you, you will be supported to live a more joyful life.
