Healing through autumn: my heartfelt plans to flourish
It’s my birthday this week which is always a bit of a prompt for some self-reflection. My word for this year is flourish. I have to say that although relieved to finally have my bilateral mastectomy in February, the months of recovery were hard. Going back to work, as much as I was looking forward to it, made me realise my energy levels still aren’t back to pre-surgery levels. Everything has felt like such an effort the last few weeks that I realised I’d even forgotten that my word for this year is flourish!
All that said though, when I reflect on the last few months I’ve said yes to life and done some fabulous things. I applied to run a workshop at Womanifest this time last year hoping that I’d be recovered enough to go. I also volunteered to be a model in the inclusive fashion show. It was a fabulous weekend.
Modelling turned out to be fun and emotional as I chose to model one of the three outfits without wearing my prosthetic breasts. I cried as everyone clapped and cheered. I expressed surprise at how emotional I was and the stylist hosting the show commented, “But this only happened in February. It’s so recent.” And she was absolutely right. It was less than five months since my surgery and I was surprised how emotional a room full of women cheering me on made me!
Running the workshop the following day was also so much fun. Thirty women in a marquee on a chilly, wet July Sunday morning all ready to meet their inner mentor. It was a huge privilege to hear what message their inner wise woman had given them to remember.
I also had a mini photo shoot during the workshop which produced some great action shots, my favourite being the one I’ve used above. The reaction of my friend who was at the workshop was, “I must have missed the bit when you burst into song!”
The weekend wiped me out energy wise but I’m so glad I did it. So glad I said yes to life. And yes to the jumpsuit that everyone said looked fabulous on me!
And now that I have remembered my word for the year is flourish I’m heading into autumn thinking of all the ways I can flourish. As I’ve shared numerous times before one of the best ways to ensure that you get around to doing the things that you don’t want to miss but that could be done at any time is to make a list. Then make sure you keep looking at it and working through it. So here’s the beginnings of my flourishing autumn list that I’ll enjoy adding to, as well as crossing things off as I do them.
Trip to the theatre with a friend to hear Lucy Worsley speak.
Make plans for an occasion when I can wear the fabulous jumpsuit!
Plenty of walks in the woods to enjoy the autumn colour.
Get my watercolours out to capture some of the autumn colour.
Finish knitting the poncho I started in May!
Enjoy the fireworks on Bonfire night.
Visit somewhere new.
Wrap up warm for a walk on the beach.
Put my autumn decorations out in my house.
Have a friend to stay for the weekend.
Take a hot drink outside on a cold frosty day.
Every time I look at my list it’s a reminder to me that I can and will enjoy the autumn months and flourish in the process. There are things that will happen without any effort on my part – the trees will produce spectacular colour and there will be blue skies and frosty mornings. All I have to do is be present in the moment and enjoy them. None of it is very time consuming, none of it is expensive, but it will all bring warmth, mindfulness and joy to my autumn and help me to continue to heal and build my strength.
How will you be mindful and enjoy the coming weeks as the nights draw in?
