Happy New Year!

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Hello! As it’s my first post of 2021 I should probably say ‘Happy New Year’ How are you all? Things feel quite tough right now don’t they? Never before has the ‘one day at a time’ mantra felt so apt. Trying to look ahead in a time of such uncertainty will inevitably lead to disappointment, so I’m focussing on finding pockets of joy in each day. I thought I would share some of the things that have been helping.

Daily walks with this little bundle of joy have kept us all going. I say ‘all’ – my girls have been on one walk with us during the whole of lockdown. For a while I battled with this, but I have made peace with it. I understand that they do not feel the need to spend any more time with us than they already are. Teenagers need their space and they thrive off social contact with their friends, so I am very aware of how hard these constraints are for their generation. It’s not the time to battle with them about family walks and I am trying to be sensitive to their needs and frustrations. It’s definitely a time to pick your battles…

Charlie and Nick have been playing frisbee on our dog walk which has been so lovely to watch. I have to say I am looking forward to the days when I won’t have to bathe Teddy and wash muddy boots after every walk though! The Mud Daddy I bought has made a big difference. I thought it might be a little gimmicky and start leaking after a few uses, but so far so good. If you live in a city, I would definitely recommend it.

I love having fresh flowers in the house. It makes a real difference to my mood. I’m using a mixture of supermarket flowers and a flower subscription.

I am trying to stick to four barre workouts a week. I’ve subscribed to Jen’s classes on Boon.tv for almost a year now, and I have to say they have made a huge difference. Some mornings I wake up feeling really anxious, and 30 minutes at the barre has the power to make it disappear. Jen is offering a free class every week during lockdown so do give it a try. I promise it will help!

I have been losing myself in Grey’s Anatomy. For some reason, I stopped watching after Season 6 and I had forgotten how brilliant it was. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that there were 15 seasons available! It’s become my (not so guilty) pleasure every evening. It has that magic ingredient of making me laugh, smile and cry in every episode. We have also watched Lupin, Bridgerton and The Serpent. Loved The Serpent, *quite* enjoyed Bridgerton (unpopular opinion, I know!) and thought Lupin was perfectly entertaining and worth a watch.

I had planned on getting stuck in a good book, and I have a pile of them sitting next to my bed, but all the while Grey’s has my attention, I know I will not get around to reading.

I have also been investing a lot more time in my skin recently. I have been using my Current Body LED Mask 4 times a week and I think I can really notice a difference. It does seem to be doing something. I have just checked the website and they have a deal on it currently. See here As with any form of skincare, be it drinking enough water, taking supplements or using gadgets, they only work if you are consistent. I have been thinking about treating myself to the Nuface gadget, but I do worry about whether I will actually use it or whether it will collect dust in a drawer after the novelty wears off. There’s no doubt in my mind that they work (it’s like a gym workout for the muscles in your face and they DO lift, tighten and tone) but I question my dedication to such gadgets!

When it comes to drinking water, the ONLY thing that works for me is this water bottle. I have absolutely no idea what it’s magic is, but it makes me drink the water!! More Water Bottle – Buy Here

I have also been using my facial tools and back massager while watching my Ipad in bed. If you don’t know about my back massager by now, where have you been?! I bang on about it a LOT because it has well and truly changed my life. No more shoulder pain and unlike other things I have bought, this one does not gather dust. I use it almost every day without fail!

And last but definitely not least… CHOCOLATE. I cannot get enough of this chocolate from Lidl.

What’s been keeping you going during this tricky time? I would love to hear, so please do leave a comment. Sending you all a great big illegal hug and remember, ONE DAY AT A TIME!