a mid-year reset
practical habits are comforting boundaries
It’s been a week. A bedroom reshuffle somehow turned into moving a wardrobe which required patches on the wall and a new coat of paint. The bookshelf has been emptied into the hallway and the dog scoots around the paperbacks. One child has a persistent cough, another blew out candles on her cake. I hold them and their tender hearts as we talk about feelings and words that hurt and words that sound the same but are spelt differently.
Life feels pressing at the moment. It’s not one thing in particular, nothing terribly bad or unfortunate and I suppose because it’s an accumulation of little-normal-life things, it’s easy to dismiss them as part and parcel of the everyday.
But if I’ve learnt anything from all the psychologists I’ve interviewed about maternal mental health, it’s this:
acknowledgment is vital (and the biggest first step)
everyday conversation to divulge/discuss is early intervention
daily habits (walking, being outside, resting) untangle yours thoughts and offer reprieve
Clarity is something I’ve been reaching for recently so when my partner decided to start an early spring clean I thought: why not? Weeks of rain had prompted many days of rest but I was also itching to clear clutter and make space. I love our little home - it’s warmth and cosiness - but it’s also small and humble and as the kids get older, we inhabit each room differently. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m no minimalist, but sometimes letting go feels good. I think it’s just what I need at the moment; more room to move.