BEING GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE THINGS TAKEN FOR GRANTED...
I’ve been absent from my blog for just over a week, which is pants. About 9 days ago I managed to end up in hospital following a pretty bad fall from a horse. It has been horrific, but I say pretty bad as it could have been a lot worse. Moral of the story: wear a body protector!
Being in so much pain, damaged, immobile and TOTALLY reliant on others has made me really think about how much I take for granted and how grateful and thankful I really should be. In our lives it’s so easy to moan and grumble about all the ‘if onlys’ and the ‘I don’t have the time’ or ‘if I worked harder/had more money/was curvier/thinner…’ etc etc , we forget about all the good things we have.
Being injured made me realise all the little things I normally take for granted. The freedom to drive, go where ever I want, change a pillow case without crying in pain, walk up and down stairs, run, or even brush the nest that is my hair without hurting. It also made me realise how amazing people are, family and friends, and my dearest Bear.
Moving away from beauty and food, this post is all about my reasons to be happy and the things I am most grateful for :) So I challenge you all today to think beyond the doom and gloom and appreciate the little things in life that, without which, you would be as miserable as Dot Cotton during a tomato juice strike. You might have a the mother of all bitchy resting faces, but there’s ALWAYS a reason to smile!
Whether you’re single or not the people we love the most need telling. Friends, family, housemates (I class mine as close friends), your partner, that girl/boy you’ve fancied since time began. Tell them. When I lay in hospital freaking out it was my Dad and my boyfriend who made me feel safe and realise that, even though I detest hospitals almost as much as funerals, I was in good hands and I was ok.
We rely on our friends to be there for us and I don’t think we realise how much until we need them the most. Heartbreak, death, birth, change. The people we are closest to are the ones that get us through life’s highs and lows, yet are probably the people we take for granted the most. They’ll always be there, right? After Mum died I now always make a point of telling Dad I love him whenever we speak. I wish I’d told Mum every day. I’d have been lost this week without the Bear, my family, and my friends. Nothing brings your relationship closer than your boyfriend stepping up to be your carer let me tell you!
I’d have been lost without all the lovely texts, notes, food parcels and little gifts from my chums. They made me feel loved when I felt really low and I hope that I can always be there for them when they need a friend in return.
If you can drive then you will know how amazing you felt when you first passed your test. Over time that joy fades into rush-hour frustration but for me this week I realised how much I rely on little Hugo (my car) to go everywhere I need to. This week also made me so grateful for all the holidays I’ve had, especially my skiing trip recently. I wouldn’t have been able to do that in my current state! We are so lucky in our society that we can just book a flight and get out of here, we can even move to another town or country whenever we fancy. Visiting new places not only widens your horizons but you learn so much and meet so many amazing people, and I’m so grateful for all the holidays and experiences I have had. Here’s to many more!!!
This week I got lovely email from a company I’d written about in a previous post and it made me feel so happy! I don’t work for myself (that’s my dream one day…) but my blog is the one thing I create alone, I make time for it and I know it’s all my work. When I get a nice comment, or email it feels amazing because I know I’ve achieved that- all on my tod. I love the blogging community, there are so many inspirational, interesting people out there, and even though sometimes it’s easy to just look at other people on social media and compare myself I also know there’s a tonne of support and wonderful things going on and I’m grateful to be a part of that.
Some people may scream at their screens, or laugh in disbelief, at my next sentence but it’s true so sorry.
There I’ve said it. I totally hold my hands up though, I’m one of those people that when it’s cold and wet will have to force myself and argue in my head to run or do anything energetic but when the choice is taken away from you, it sucks. I miss horse riding, I miss being able to sprint up the stairs, pick up my ridiculously heavy camera at work, and run until I can barely breathe. When I came back from my skiing trip I was on such a healthy eating/exercise kick I was feeling so good about myself, and then my stupid accident happened.
Getting up early at the weekend to go to the yard does suck, but once I’m riding I’m in my happy place. I am nervous about how I’ll feel when a horse starts tanking off with me again, but I miss being in the saddle and I miss riding my bomb-proof old pony Oslo.
Exercise makes you feel SO good about yourself afterwards. The endorphin hype is real and even though it can be tough the sense of achievement afterwards can’t be matched. If you can move, just do it! This time last year I was training for the London Marathon, this year I’m training myself to pick things up with crutches…
What a wonderful animal Oslo is. My pride and joy (see above, photo credit: Lee Wallis) I love him more than words. Not being able to drive to see him, stroke his velvety, moleskin-soft nose, and sit on top of the old boy is killing me. He wasn’t the horse I fell off (I love that horse too) but he is my special boy and I’ve owned him for over half my life. He’s amazing. Everyone that meets him agrees and he’s taught me, and so many others an awful lot.
He’s the gentlest sole but a real character and I’d be lost without him. Sometimes being at the yard, especially in winter, when everyone else is busy doing something else makes me question why I do it but then as soon as I’m at the yard I’m so happy and as soon as I cuddle Oslo I know I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Having a horse is a massive commitment but I’m lucky enough to have a situation where other people look after him too. It took eight long years to persuade my parents that having a horse would be a good idea, and I’ve never looked back. Being away from him makes me realise how fortunate I am to have a horse, and the special bond that comes with it.
Recovering from an accident is a long process and it was good to know from my scans that, other than my current damage, I’m a healthy person. This isn’t something anyone should take for granted. My sight, smell, touch, ability to move, I’m thankful for it all and I’ve realised how important it is to look after myself. Diet and exercise is cruicial, and even though I’m enjoying boxsets and chocolate, it’s made me realise how much I need to stay healthy- not just for my skin but for my insides too. I love creating healthy meals and food can be so much fun, when you’re a child like me and can even turn your own breakfast into a bear! Health isn’t just about the physical though, good mental health is vital and I really hit a low point last week and it’s easy to just fill your mind with sorrow and self-pity. This is where staying active, surrounding yourself with positive people, experiencing new and exciting things, and travelling will keep you healthy in mind and body!
Anyone who knows me knows I live my life at 100mph. I am always in a rush (usually late), and I’m always the ‘I don’t have enough time’ person. I would never spend a full day in bed, or lounging on the sofa, ever. I don’t have enough time.
These injuries have forced me to do pretty much sod all, and I’m (sort of) grateful for this. I also don’t want to waste it. I think we waste so much time doing stupid pointless things, that we could actually spend doing useful things to help us achieve our dreams and goals. I am 100% guilty of this.
My problem now is that I’m always saying how much I dream of time off work but now I have it I’m so immobile I can’t get anything done! So when I am back up and running I intend to spend less time procrastinating about what I want to do and actually get on and do it! Well, here’s hoping anyway… In the mean time I need to be grateful and thankful that I’ve been given time to think- about what I want to do with myself, my career, where I’d like to be and what I’d like to do. Time is precious and it’s nice to spend time on your own, getting happy in your own skin.
These are just a few things I’m grateful for, I could go on all day but no one wants to read that amount of shizzle and this is long enough as it is!
So get thinking about what you’re grateful for and what you probably take for granted, and don’t forget to tell the people you love that you do!
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