Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Celebrating Life, Spirituality, Creativity and Kindness!

Category: Coping Skills

A Reminder to Revisit your Guiding Word

  I’m choosing happiness over suffering, I know I am. I’m making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet-to-come surprises. ― Elizabeth Gilbert Hey, Lovelies. I work with my Journeymaker’s Planner over the year to help me, learn, grow and evolve. One of the tools I use is a Guiding Word. […]

Clarity

Isn’t it funny how everything is a mess one minute, and then suddenly it all falls together!

I Took A Mental Health Day

  The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. ~ Karen Blixen Hey, Lovelies. I did something unusual on Thursday. I took a day off. A ‘mental health’ day, to be precise. We’ve had a bit of a tough time recently behind the scenes here at the Treehouse, and on Thursday […]

Disturbed Sleep, Nightmares and Crazy Dreams?

  The moon is queen of everything. She rules the oceans, rivers, rain. When I am asked whose tears these are; I always blame the moon. ― Lucille Clifton Hey, Lovelies. Our community is one of sensitive souls, and we are often more influenced by the subtle energies of the cosmos than many of the people […]

The Reading I Did For Myself

  And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself? ― Rumi Hey, Lovelies. Every year I do two card readings for myself that guide my decisions and actions for the months ahead. One of them is the 10 Card Helpful Energies Spread that you’ll find in my Journeymaker’s Planner. The other is my […]

When You Know Something’s Wrong

  Intuition is a combination of historical (empirical) data, deep and heightened observation, and an ability to cut through the thickness of surface reality. Intuition is like a slow motion machine that captures data instantaneously and hits you like a ton of bricks. Intuition is a knowing, a sensing that is beyond the conscious understanding […]

Sleeping in, or trying to!

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. – Irish Proverb Hey, Lovelies. I had really hoped to nap yesterday, after my night of zero sleep, but it just didn’t happen. By day’s end I was so full of adrenalin that I knew it would be late before […]

Unwinding in the Twilight

  Sometimes it is okay to simply do nothing. Put down the to-do list, cancel your plans, and just sit there and relax. You deserve to be present without worrying about, “what’s next?”. Save those thoughts for another time. ― Robin S. Baker Hey, Lovelies. I had a busy day with clients yesterday, many of whom […]

Worrying. Not Worrying.

  If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever. ― Dalai Lama XIV Hey, Lovelies. The good old Dalai Lama is usually […]

If You Are Feeling Flat Or Exhausted Right Now, Read This

  It’s funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools – friendships, prayer, […]

Do You Need To Be Self-Centred This Christmas?

  Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose […]

A Really Helpful Affirmation For You

  Affirmations are our mental vitamins, providing the supplementary positive thoughts we need to balance the barrage of negative events and thoughts we experience daily. Hey, Lovelies. You may already know that one of my favourite affirmations is this: Everything I want is always on special. I know, it’s not particularly ‘spiritual’ but boy is […]

A bit shattered this morning

  There are many things in life worth getting temporarily tired for, but there is nothing in life worth getting permanently tired for. ― George Hammond Hey, Lovelies. I’m feeling a little shattered this morning – the kind of exhaustion that comes from too much adrenalin, too much stress and not enough sleep. We’re always stretched […]

Watching Your Thoughts And Choosing To Change

Change your thoughts, change your life. ―Jeanette Coron Hey, Lovelies. As we are moving through the tail end of this energetic shift I have a little advice for you. Watch your thoughts. Then pause. Don’t act. Don’t do anything! Just pause for a second. Ask yourself if these thoughts serve you, and if they are […]

Shadow Work

  The shadow is needed now more than ever. We heal the world when we heal ourselves, and hope shines brightest when it illuminates the dark. ― Sasha Graham Hey, Lovelies. November is a wonderful month for Shadow Work. Have you heard of this before? Shadow Work is any work that helps you to see the […]

Life Lessons From A Deathbed

Dying? I’m quite looking forward to it. ~ Annie D. Hey, Lovelies. A friend of mine died. I couldn’t write about it yesterday – after she passed on Tuesday night – I was still too choked with emotion. But she wanted me to write about it, so, here it is. My friend Annie died the […]

Sometimes you just need a moment

  If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong. — Masaru Emoto Hey, Lovelies. I needed a moment yesterday. I felt […]

A Card And A Cuppa

  Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. ~ Anne Lamott Hey, Lovelies. I have a favourite way to start my day, or to give myself time for me during a busy or stressful day, or a restful pause and reflection time at day’s end. It’s pretty […]

Milestones

  My path has not been determined. I shall have more experiences and pass many more milestones. ~ Agnetha Faltskog Hey, Lovelies. It’s been a pretty crappy 14 months healthwise, between late stage Lyme, a misbehaving heart, an intractable UTI superbug and a myxedema crisis – but I am delighted to say that I am […]

The Comforting Dream

  It’s funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools – friendships, prayer, […]

The Backup Plan

  Even when God is your co-pilot, it pays to pack a parachute. ― Dean Koontz Hey, Lovelies. I am feeling proud of myself this morning. A while ago I decided to get someone to help me on a project, and we made a start. But communication wasn’t good, there were always excuses, and as the […]

Peaks and Troughs

  Life is just a series of peaks and troughs, and you don’t know whether you’re in a trough until you’re climbing out, or on a peak until you’re coming down. And that’s it you know, you never know what’s round the corner. But it’s all good.  ~ Ricky Gervais Hey, Lovelies. In chronic illness, […]

Touching The Wall

Sometimes it is the meaning we give something that makes it special. For me, it was touching the wall. A symbolic victory, a sign of progress, a reason to celebrate…

What it means to sit with a big question

  Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke Hey, Lovelies. One of the most important gifts you can give yourself is the patience and care to sit with something that forms a big or […]

The Soul-Sucking Reality Of Chronic Illness

  Having a chronic illness, Molly thought, was like being invaded. Her grandmother back in Michigan used to tell about the day one of their cows got loose and wandered into the parlor, and the awful time they had getting her out. That was exactly what Molly’s arthritis was like: as if some big old […]

I always said I was no good at art

  Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. – Pablo Picasso Hey, Lovelies. Yesterday I made art. This is something very new for me. I have always considered myself no good at art. Childhood experiences left me terrified to even make marks on a page. But recently I put together some […]

The Usefulness Of Tears

  Tears are words that need to be written. ~ Paulo Coelho Hey, Lovelies. I’ve had an unexpected companion these past few months. Tears. They sit just below the surface most days, and digging deeper rarely helps me see a cause. At first I had thought they might be illness related, but now? Now I […]

Getting to know my other neighbours

  I think the most important quality in a birdwatcher is a willingness to stand quietly and see what comes. Our everyday lives obscure a truth about existence – that at the heart of everything there lies a stillness and a light. ― Lynn Thomson Hey, Lovelies. One of the best things about living in the […]

The Slow Climb Back

  I think that little by little I’ll be able to solve my problems and survive. ~ Frida Kahlo Hey, Lovelies. I have missed you. Also, I have missed myself. These past two weeks have been hard. (Don’t know what happened? Go here.) It has taken time to get my new medication right, and we’re […]

Well, That Was Unexpected…

  She looked as if she were about to burst into tears, but she was wonderful at catching the ball of her own mood in mid-air. ~ Rebecca West Hey, Lovelies. Well, this has certainly been the year. As you know, I live with a complex bucketful of dodgy genes, autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, post-viral […]

Not Everyone Peaks Early

  So called ‘late-bloomers’ get a bad rap. Sometimes the people with the greatest potential often take the longest to find their path because their sensitivity is a double edged sword- it lives at the heart of their brilliance, but it also makes them more susceptible to life’s pains. Good thing we aren’t being penalized […]

This Quiet Moment – A Way To Cope Better With Life

“Feel your emotions, Live true your passions, Keep still your mind.” ~ Geoffrey M. Gluckman Hey, Lovelies. One of the skills I have honed (by necessity) over many years is coping. Yep. Coping. Here’s the definition according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology: coping n. the use of cognitive and behavioral strategies to manage the […]

Is It Really Too Late?

  You say it’s too late. In my opinion, only a thimbleful of situations in life are that dire. Death begins and ends that list. Everything else is simply an obstacle that must be dealt with. ~ Kathleen Baldwin Hey, Lovelies! I had some strong responses to my post yesterday. Most of them were people […]

You Never Know…

  So have adventures. Go exploring. Drive around at midnight. Feel the wind running through your hair. Life is so short, my darling. And there’s no day like today. ~ Morgan Matson Hey Lovelies, Life is a precious gift, and one that can be all too brief. Before you came to this life, you had […]

Your Unrealised Creative Dream – What If It’s All About Timing?

  There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness. ~ Shannon L. Alder Hey, Lovelies. Have you got a dream that just isn’t happening? A problem that just isn’t fixing? A situation that just isn’t resolving? Or an idea you just can’t stop thinking about? There’s something in the air right now, with the […]

Laughing, and eating sugar!

If you don’t laugh you’ll cry. ~ everyone’s Nana, Pop or wise mentor at some stage Hey, Lovelies. I had one of those work days yesterday. I started really early. I finished really late, and we managed to jam a number of emergencies into the small gaps in my day – because so many people […]

Yesterday

Coping is non-linear, messy and ongoing. And yet, there is still so much beauty…

Two Delightful Gifts

Today is a gift. Today is all I have. I be fully awake in today. ~ Lailah Gifty Akita Hey, Lovelies. I experienced two unexpected gifts yesterday. The first one was from nature. I started work very early, and ended late in the day, but in the middle I had a gap of a couple […]

It’s Okay To Ask for Help

  Problems are not the problem; coping is the problem. ~ Virginia Satir Hey, Lovelies. I know, I know. You are great at helping others. So good at it. You are also good at advising others to seek help. Because, we all need it from time to time, right? I also know that when we […]

Don’t Be Too Quick To Judge A Messed-Up Life

  I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of […]

Do you have a TBR pile?

Books. They are friends, medicine, an escape. They are inspiration, guidance and a soothing balm. And I have a pile of them, just waiting to be read…

To Find Your Flow You Need To Rest

Have you lost your mojo, or your connection to your intuition or creativity? I have a solution that’s easy to apply in daily life, and which works very effectively as a first step back to flow…

Salt Water Is The Cure

  The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. ~ Isak Dinesen Hey, Lovelies. This is one of my favourite quotes, and I find it to be true. Everything that has been hard in my life has been helped by tears, or sweat, or the ocean. They are good coping skills […]

Things To Be Grateful For When Life Is Sh*tty And Hard

  In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer Hey, Lovelies. I was speaking with a friend yesterday who is going through a very rough, very dark patch in her life. She has […]

What Fills Your Cup? Do More Of That!

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the […]

Mental Health Breaks And Why You Need Them

  I needed some space to lay myself out, so that I could decide which pieces I wanted to pick up. ~ Fennel Hudson Hey, Lovelies! I was scrolling through my social media feed yesterday and came upon a post from one of my favourite creatives. She was posting to let us know that she […]

The Dancing Bamboo

  The seed of a bamboo tree is planted, fertilized and watered. Nothing happens for the first year. There´s no sign of growth. Not even a hint. The same thing happens – or doesn´t happen – the second year. And then the third year. The tree is carefully watered and fertilized each year, but nothing […]

The Things We Talk About In Book Club

  I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. ― Jorge Luis Borges Hey, Lovelies. We are discussing the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer in our Inner Circle Book Club right now. It’s a beautiful book that blends science, botany, Native American mythology, ancestral wisdom and natural history. In between […]

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