This week I’m posting about something slightly different to my usual. This week I want to go deeper, more personal.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been feeling less energetic, less focused and with that more fearful and the feelings of ‘I SHOULD do this, that and the other’ have grown stronger and stronger.

Part of this is what winter does to me, the grey days, less vitamin D, dark mornings, dark evenings and less time outside. Needless to say, I’m glad that winter is over. The other part is just me being human, me simply needing to take a break and my body telling me to slow down. Sometimes we just put too much pressure on ourselves, we load up our to-do lists expecting to just keep going and going.

It’s totally ok to feel like this. You’re allowed to slow down.

I tried to fight it at first, push through but you can only do that for so long before you collapse. Thank goodness it didn’t quite come to that, I have learned to listen to my body better.

Over the past few weeks I have made an effort to listen to what my body needs.

Sometimes it’s a 10 minute break with a nice hot cup of tea, sometimes it’s putting my bare feet on grass, sometimes it’s a full day of time-out and just doing what my mind and body tell me to, to take it slowly, to rest.

With our wedding date getting closer, I feel the pressure getting stronger so it’s even more important for me to look after my mind and body. A few of the things I’ve been doing regularly lately is to set an alarm in the evening to help me stop what I’m doing and get to bed at a decent time.

I used to just keep working but now that I have the alarm, I stop what I’m doing and start my bed-time ritual, which basically involves getting the dogs to bed, brushing my teeth and listen to my 5-10 minute guided meditation.

I learned this ‘trick’ from Ariana Huffington, who recommends going to bed an hour earlier than you normally do and to make sure that you do, set yourself an alarm to start your bedtime ritual. I’ve been feeling much better in the morning because I’m actually getting enough sleep. My body is thanking me for it.

The other thing that I do to look after me is listening to a guided meditation via the Calm app on my phone. I’m still learning how meditation fits into my life and day so I’m finding the Calm app very helpful.

Also, on the weekends I make sure that I start my day full of vitamins and energy by making myself a green smoothie. I only do this on the weekend as I’m not a big fan of a smoothie at 6.30am which is when I have my breakfast during the week. So on the weekend I sleep in and have my energy booster. I’m still trying out different recipes but so far my favourite is a very simple one with banana, spinach and apple juice.

The reason I posted this is because it’s totally ok to feel like this, you’re not super woman, neither am I (even though I sometimes think that I am).

It’s ok to shed the should’s, it’s ok to take a break and it’s absolutely necessary to look after YOU.

Stop doing what you’re doing right now and take a 10 minute tea break, or go outside and ground yourself by taking your shoes off and feel the earth beneath your feet. Take a minute (or ten) for YOU!