 About 20 years ago, I was invited to a Women's Circle. It was a very tricky time in my life and I was in need of friendship, a non-judgemental space and some love. It was a lonely, scary time. That event was the beginning of a journey that continues to this day. In that special space, I began to find my feet again and I am now part of the Core Circle of that same Circle, welcoming women to our gatherings regularly throughout the year, providing that safe, non-judgemental space I needed all those years ago.
That first Circle met in a yurt, so I link yurts with a feeling of being looked after, a safe, non-judgemental space where people can begin to heal. For many years, I have dreamed of having my own yurt but couldn't see how it could ever happen. Earlier this year, I took some time for a bit of selfcare and development. During this time, any doubts I had about my path in life began to melt away and an inner confidence began to grow. I contacted the 'Yurt Man' at Highland Yurts and asked if I could visit. We went up to Strathdon and on my way home began to plan how I could make it happen. What had changed? Only my self belief... I had already been drawn to 'The Dam' at the farm, an old dam that had dried up long ago and was now completely overgrown. I had been imagining how I could create a place for people to come and benefit from nature. With the possible addition of the yurt, my dreams began to blossom, explode might be a better word! My partner/best friend spent hours and hours clearing the area and with a bit of help we are nearly there. The yurt is arriving in a few weeks time and by then I will have sown wildflower, woodland flower and grass seeds, planted a couple of small trees and parking spaces will have been created. The Yurt or 'The Sanctuary at Logie Newton' will be where I plan to work from, offering 1-2-1 sessions for all my clients, as well as small group sessions. I will continue to work a few hours from the Therapy Barn at the Thainstone Business Centre, Inverurie but the focus of my work with humans will be at 'The Sanctuary at Logie Newton'. I can't wait to welcome you there! PS Yes, the Women's Circle (Wo'Moon Circle) will also be back meeting in a yurt!
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 This summer I have had the pleasure of looking after grandkids. One of our days together was a trip to Aberdeen in the train (that alone would have been exciting enough!) and a visit to the cinema to see 'Inside Out 2'. 'Inside Out' (2015) was such a wonderful way of introducing young people to their emotions, so I was looking forward to the sequel. I had heard that the new movie focused on the main character entering puberty and beginning to experience more complex emotions, so wondered if it would be 'beyond' the grandsons watching with me, but it is a movie that you can watch on many levels. I highly recommend it for people of ALL ages. It is a fantastic way of exploring how our emotions and thoughts can become intertwined and get us into all sorts of trouble. My grandsons laughed out loud many times but, equally, I also appreciated the vulnerability depicted and reflected on how we all have a tug of war with ourselves and our emotions when dealing with tricky situations.
A particularly poignant observation for me was how the characters Joy and Sadness are always seen together. Wherever Joy is, Sadness is close by and vice versa. It is something I have reflected on a great deal in recent weeks. I visited someone very special last week. We shared such wonderful memories together. Memories from different chapters of our lives where there was much joy and laughter. However, our visit was tinged with deep sadness, as it was possibly our last time together, but, if we hadn't had had those shared experiences we would have had neither Joy nor Sadness. Far better to have experienced both. We need one to fully appreciate the other, as Queen Elizabeth said on the passing of her husband, "Grief is the price we pay for love." It's something that has remained with me.  We can get hung up on what's not going well in our lives. Our job isn't exactly what we imagined we would be doing at this point in our lives. Our relationship isn't quite what we dreamt of all those years ago. We aren't even in the relationship we imagined we would have. We're not as fit, svelte, patient, rich as we would like. Summer doesn't feel like summer.
BUT! We can completely change the way we are feeling about all of the above! It is up to us to choose what we think and what we focus on. I'm not saying it is easy or straightforward but I AM saying it is possible to train ourselves to become more positive and optimistic. Once we start noticing the positives and taking time to appreciate what we do have, we begin to notice more and so the momentum gathers. For the next few weeks, I invite you to write down TEN things you are grateful for every night, or positive moments to remember, and celebrate. It's important to write ten things down because the first few may come easily but the last few are a struggle. That's when we have to dig deep. It's when we dig deep in any situation that we notice meaningful change. On the days you struggled to get out of bed, celebrate the fact you did get out of bed! If you didn't get out of bed, be grateful that you have a bed to lie in, many don't. On the days the sun remains hidden and you feel the gloom, remind yourself that everything changes and the sun will return. The fact we don't see the sun all the time makes it even more special when we do have a sunny day! Notice all the different flowers growing just now and the variety of colour. Listen to all the different birds when you go for a walk. Smile at someone on the street and notice how they respond with the gift of a smile back to you. Talk time to get in touch with someone you haven't seen for a while. At mealtime, take time to eat mindfully for a few mouthfuls, noticing the colours on the plate, the texture of the food, the smell and the taste as you slowly enjoy what you are eating. I could go on but I hope this has given you a list to start with. Do this for a few weeks and begin to notice the change. I look forward to hearing from you!  Spring is here, along with the usual tease of warm, sunny weather, followed by hail, sleet, wind and rain! I love Spring! New lambs jumping around in the fields, new calves walking closely beside their mums, buds ready to burst open and a sense that we have the opportunity to celebrate new beginnings once more. Before anyone says anything, I do think it's possible to celebrate new beginnings at any time of the year, but Spring seems to help me celebrate it more.
There have been very positive changes in my personal AND professional life in recent months. Firstly, I have moved house to live with my partner in life. That in itself deserves a blog! I didn't think I would ever meet someone again that I would feel I could make that commitment to, but I hope that by sharing this, it brings hope to anyone who thinks it might never happen. This relationship is a completely different experience. I do think everything I have learned up to this point in my life has helped and continues to help me navigate the last couple of years, as we have built our relationship. Living on a family farm is something I have embraced wholeheartedly and I look forward to what the future will bring. I currently don't have space to work from the farm (but watch this space!) so I am working out of two new venues; Therapy Barn, Thainstone Business Centre, Inverurie and The Haven, 3 Market Square, Stonehaven, in addition to working online and making home/stable vsits to my four legged clients. New opportunities are coming my way and that includes creating retreats and events with my two dear friends and colleagues, Judith Stephen - Transormational Coach and GaWell Holistic Therapies - Gaelle Conjaud. After a successful Women's Wellness Weekend at Knockburn Sports Loch in early March, we have booked the first weekend in March, at the same venue for next year! We are also currently planning a weekend retreat in September at a stunning venue near Edzell. AND, I am also looking forward to collaborating with other equine focussed practitioners to offer workshops across the North East of Scotland, as well as the Reiki and EMMETT 4 Horses workshops and courses I offer across Scotland. Personally, I am currently working with my Reiki Master, always learning more and deepening my connection with all beings. I have also just signed up with Suz McDonald - Holistic Wellbeing Coach to delve deeper on a personal level. It's so important to continue to do 'The Work', especially when we work with others on an energetic level. Yes, lots of new beginnings and much growth, both personally and professionally. It's taken a few years and a global pandemic but life is coming together and creating something pretty amazing! PS The alpacas have recently arrived at the farm. I will share more of their journey and the farm's plans for the future, because it very much aligns with my work as Gillian Watt - Wellbeing/Animal Practitioner.  As I sit here, I realise it is already half way through January 2024! January is often seen as a time to make resolutions, set goals, re-evaluate where our path is leading and seize the opportunity to create 'new beginnings'. In recent years I haven't made resolutions but I do take time to contemplate lessons learned from the previous year and begin to look at the year ahead.
2023 gave many opportunities to grow and learn! In many ways it was a very challenging year but, as I look back, there were so many amazing, wonderful moments. I need to take more time to savour the positives. That's something I share ALL the time with clients but often forget in my own life! In amongst the challenges a new grand daughter was born and my partner and I made a commitment to each other, which is leading to further changes in our lives! How can I look back at 2023 with anything other than joy?! With that in mind, I have begin to journal, something I have actively avoided in past years. In December, I was given a journal as a Christmas gift and I took that as a sign that it was time to once again record the highs and lows, create written affirmations and celebrate achievements, big and small. The physical activity of writing down (emptying out the mind) can be so therapeutic and I want to give myself the opportunity to feel the benefit of journalling again. This is a big step for me because I have memories of ripping up my teen diaries when I was still a teenager. I swore back then that I would never write down my innermost thoughts ever again. However, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then and, in my wisdom years, I believe it's time to embrace the change of heart. There have also been other significant changes in my personal and professional life that are impacting on life at the moment. If you have followed me for any length of time you will know that I randomly choose a 16 Guidelines card when I am making any important decision or dealing with tricky situations. Today, before randomly choosing a card, I sat for a while as I contemplated the changes currently going on in my life. I was gifted 'Courage'! Perfect timing! Courage is the last of the 16 Guidelines. 'Courage is about stretch. It's about seeing, feeling or realising that something more or different can be done, developing the determination to do it and then carrying it through despite all obstacles. We know in our bodies when we've been courageous. There is a glow of satiisfaction and relief. Something has shifted and we have grown in size. Courage is not defined by what we do, but what we overcome within ourselves. It comes in many forms. It is found in a steady approach to everyday difficulties as well as in the single spontaneous gesture. It is happening quietly all around us, as well as in the news. Courage involves acknowledging our fears but not being deterred from offering something that goes beyond our own immediate needs and comfort. Most courageous people have decided that the well-being of others is more important than their own and have allowed this decision to drive their actions and the way they live. Invariably, they seem to find their own happiness in the process.' 16G Handbook It's time to embrace change with a good sprinkling of courage! If everything is changing, anything is possible!  It's been a while since I sat down to write a blog. I asked myself why and the answer was 'change'. This year has been very tough financially and that impacted everything, including my mental wellbeing with the fear of not being able to pay bills hovering in my consciousness 24/7. My usual positive outlook on life struggled to keep afloat. It came to a head around May and I knew I would have to make significant changes in my life. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I know now that this crisis gave me an opportunity to review what I was doing.
I won't go into every decision I made but I decided to get a 'bread and butter' job so that the never ending pressure of having enough clients wouldn't be an issue. In May I began as a supply teacher with Moray Council. Teaching 2 -3 days a week gives me the security I have been missing. The constant worry of having enough clients and wellbeing work has lessened considerably. The heavy weight I had been carrying on my shoulders has gone. The difference is palpable. In addition, the Universe has rewarded me with new clients and new opportunities in my business! I have several new younger clients, more four footed clients and new online clients, as well as more schools wanting me to share my 'Building Resilience and Creating a Positive Mindset' programmes and one school has even asked me to support them as they begin to integrate learning in the outdoors into their school curriculum. Being able to combine my experience and training to support so many people is very gratifying. I share this because I know that many people are struggling with finances just now. It's not always easy to embrace change but 'when you change your thinking, you change actions, when you change your action, you change your future.' I have found this to be true. If you are struggling just now, please get in touch so that we can work together to dissolve fear and worry and embrace change.   SelfCare is not always candles, music and meditation! It can be but it will be different for all of us and different for each one of us, depending on what is going on in our lives at the time.
I may live on my own but my life is full of connections and commitments. Some I find easier to honour than others. When I find myself reacting to particu;ar situations (OK usually after I have reacted, if I'm honest!!), I usually recognise another part of me needs more healing.. Once we have opened the can of worms that is our past, it takes a lifetime of awareness, blood, sweat and tears to find that inner peace and tranquility we search for.! The tools I share with others are always there for my personal use but there are times when I am so caught up in the 'stuff' that's going on, I need a reminder to practise what I preach! This beautiful picture of a spiral resonates very strongly with me during the times when I have been 'hijacked' by my old stuff. Every time it happens and I use the many tools I have in my 'toolkit' I feel a little lighter. I hope it helps you too. Today was one of those days. It was going to be a slighty unexpected SelfCare day. The work planned had been postponed due to the teachers' strikes and I saw a beautiful oasis of time stretching in front of me. It started well with a slower start, followed by my physio exercises and yoga practice. but a phone call broke the tranquility and the rest of the day changed. I felt a huge surge of resentment and frustration and shared that, unfiltered, with the person at the other end of the phone! It's ok, I knew it was ok to share in that way with that person. I had planned to get back on my bike for the first time since before winter and had thought I would surprise a friend by arriving for lunch. Cycling is something I love and something I want to be including in my weekly routine more regularly again. That was not going to happen now. When I got off the phone, I took those three mindful breaths I encourage everyone to take and felt my body calming. Why didn't I manage to do that earlier?! As my mind and body settled, I began to find solutions: 1. I could still go for a bike ride, just not as long as I had planned. To be fair, that was probably a good idea, as it was my first bike ride in a while and it wasn't the best day weatherwise. 2. I could find out if what I was going to have to do could be delayed until slightly later in the day. The reply was yes, that was possible. 3. In tricky times I always go to the 16 Guidelines cards. I laughed out loud when the random card popped out and revealed 'Forgiveness'!!! When I turned to the 16G handbook, the first thing I read about 'Forgivness' was "Forgiveness is the capacity to reclaim our peace of mind when somehing has happened to disturb us." As always, the 'right' card had appeared. I will allow 'Forgiveness' to filter through the rest of my day and notice what solutions or answers it brings. I am full of gratitude for the support I receive from all my tools. What are your favourite tools when something has happened to disturb you?  "Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently."
As some of you will know, I competed in my first triathlon for eight years in September 2022. This was a massive step for me, after a long road back from Sepsis in 2015. I had thought my triathlon adventures over, but not only did I compete, I was second in my age group! I decided to enter a couple more triathlons in 2023 and started to check out dates and races. However, towards the end of the year, I began to experience severe pain in the middle of my heel, so I went to a physiotherapist who told me it was plantar fasciitis. From there, we found a few more imbalances in my body which in turn would have put some strain on other parts of my body, possibly leading to the pain I was now in. A huge kick in the rear end to return to a more consistent approach to yoga, pilates and other core exercise.. Youth is no longer on my side and I can't leave anything to chance any more! Suffice to say, I am back to regular yoga practice and I have been consistent in carrying out the physio exercises I have been given. Little by little, the pain has been lessening and I am very close to trying out the running shoes again! The importance of this consistent approach got me thinking. There is no way I could have gone for one physio appointment and expected to have a pain free foot. Equally, I couldn't have expected to improve if I hadn't been consistent in carrying out the exercises I had been given. I have chosen to continue with the physio in order to find out how I can improve some of the other issues we found, so that my longterm physical health is more secure. Consistency is also key in the work I do with humans and animals, as they work through either mentally or physically challenging times. It is very rare that one appointment or session will completely solve whatever issue has been presented. We are complex creatures! Equally, if the tools and exercises I have shared aren't consistently integrated into the lives of the animals and humans I work with, how can we expect longterm positive results? Mindfulness is being present and noticing where we are right now. If we can keep focused on the present and not worry about the things we can't change, we will bring down our stress levels considerably. This practise is not easy to adopt, but with consistency, it is possible and will lead to a clearer mind, more focus and energy, and a more positive attitude. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) aka Tapping is a wonderful tool to use in our daily lives. In between session with a practitioner, it is a good way to de-stress and work through all sorts of issues that have followed us through our lives. Again, consistent practise is the key. Reiki is such a special selfcare treat but that is just scraping the surface of the true value of integrating Reiki into your life. Regular Reiki treatments, can be life transforming, as can completing Reiki Level One, which enables you to share Reiki with yourself, as well as your family. EMMETT 4 Horses is a fantastic tool for physical and emotional ailments, but again, a one off session is not necessarily going to be the answer. Regular treatments are extremely beneficial for both your horse AND you. The horse and the human become more and more receptive to the EMMETT every time it is experienced. DoTERRA essential oils have also made a big impact in my life, and again, I couldn't expect to use a few drops for a short period of time and expect everything to change. It has been integrating the oils into my daily life that has made the greatest impact. Due to the purity of the DoTERRA oils, I can also use them with animals and am currently enjoying learning more, so that I can share more with my animal clients. Life is not a set of clear choices and decisions. It can be messy and muddy along the way, but if we can find tools to consistently use, we stand a better chance of leading a healthy life, both mentally and physically.  Nearly 30 years ago, I walked into my GP appointment and announced that I had SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)! The GP questioned my diagnosis but after listening to the symptoms, agreed with me. As it happened, the practice was expecting 3 SAD lamps (their first ever SAD lamps) to arrive imminently and I was offered the first ‘prescription’ of a 3-month trial. Within a few days of using the lamp, I could feel the fog lifting and increased energy levels. At the time I was a young mum of four very young children, so it was a huge relief when I began to feel more like the Gillian I knew in summer months. I quickly ordered my own lamp and have used one every winter ever since!
30 years on and my winter routine is simply a way of life, but I thought it was worth sharing. As soon as the darkness begins to creep closer to 8PM, I start using a SAD lamp in the morning/early afternoon. These lamps have become more sophisticated over the years, but the idea remains the same. It involves glancing towards the lamp over a period of time (best to follow the instructions given for each lamp). I also have a Sunrise – Sunset alarm clock which I use during the week. The ‘sun’ rises for 30 minutes before the alarm goes off and there’s a similar process for the ‘sunset’. Exercise is very helpful to combat the effects of SAD, in addition to getting outside as much as possible during daylight hours. Exercise is often a walk with Sandy but I do also run and cycle. It’s up to you what you choose to do, just get outside (even if it's cloudy)! SAD can make you crave sugar and carbs, so it’s important to be aware of that and eat a very ‘clean’ diet. Foods that can be very helpful include pumpkin & flax seeds, lentils, spinach, quinoa, Brazil nuts (I’m allergic to nuts, so don’t eat these!) and dark chocolate. Ensure that you are also taking Vitamin D and have Omega-3 in your diet. Make a plan before winter sets in, to make sure you have social engagements in the diary, activities to go to and reasons to get out as often as possible. Bergamot, Rose and Lavender essential oils are also particularly beneficial for nurturing us when we are feeling the effects of SAD. These can be diffused, added to a hot bath, or used topically. Please get in touch if you would like to learn more and order essential oils. Do I always get it right? Definitely not! However, I do try to keep the routine going. In the summer I can be out walking Sandy (my dog) until midnight, but in winter months, I am often tucked up in bed by 9PM (sometimes before!!). In times gone by, we would have hibernated in some way, so I allow myself to follow a mini-hibernation cycle. Feel free to get in touch if you would like to chat further about any of the above.  With everything that is going on in the world, I wasn't sure about writing this post. Yes, I have been through difficult, dark times but I have never had to leave my home with a backpack, not knowing if I will ever return and if I did return, that my home would still be there. However, I have decided to go ahead and share some of what I understand to be 'building resilience'.
We all have different battles, different challenges and we all have different levels of resilience. But we do all have resilience. We all have the ability but we sometimes need a bit of support and encouragement to believe that the resilience is there. There are simple steps we can take. To start with, go to the internationally recognised 5 Steps to Wellbeing.
Practising these steps regularly will begin to help build up a more positive mindset. For some people, the above 5 steps will be challenging. Celebrate each time you manage one of them! Then begin to find new, small challenges. We are all different, so our chosen small challenges will all be different. I tested my resilience last weekend by taking a dip in Knockburn Loch. The ice had to be broken in order for us to go in so it's fair to say it was cold!! I wasn't sure I could do it but I focused on my breath, took my time, didn't beat myself up about having doubts but reminded myself that I have overcome my negative mind many times before! I am NOT saying that you all have to dip in freezing water to build up your resilience but do challenge yourself in some way this week. As I have said already, we are all different. That is what makes the world a more interesting place! We have much to be grateful for. It's not always easy to practise gratitude, but today I am grateful to have a home, a bed to sleep in and a night without bombs crashing down around me. PS I am wearing the pink hat because i am currently taking part in a Cold Water Challenge in aid of Cancer Research UK. |