Monday, 30 May 2011
Bank Holiday Monday
By Marilyn Allen
There are glimpses of the sun in Crouch End this morning, in fact it is beautiful, crisp and fresh outside, just the weather for a brisk walk at Alexandra Palace. I am tempted to utilise the free parking in Central London today but I suppose most people will have the same idea and there will be very little parking spaces available. I might be wrong.
Anyway, a little spring clean for my Therapy Room I think for this week's clients. Later on, a large glass of something sparkling and some music shopping on iTunes to update my iPod. I must get the newly released Bootsy Collins and Hugh Laurie albums today. I must also start looking for a bass guitar tutor for the summer!
Do at least one thing to reward yourself today. You deserve it!
Have a good Bank Holiday whatever you choose to do today.
There are glimpses of the sun in Crouch End this morning, in fact it is beautiful, crisp and fresh outside, just the weather for a brisk walk at Alexandra Palace. I am tempted to utilise the free parking in Central London today but I suppose most people will have the same idea and there will be very little parking spaces available. I might be wrong.
Anyway, a little spring clean for my Therapy Room I think for this week's clients. Later on, a large glass of something sparkling and some music shopping on iTunes to update my iPod. I must get the newly released Bootsy Collins and Hugh Laurie albums today. I must also start looking for a bass guitar tutor for the summer!
Do at least one thing to reward yourself today. You deserve it!
Have a good Bank Holiday whatever you choose to do today.
Sunday, 29 May 2011
The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side...
By Marilyn Allen
So,... on Friday morning I neatly packed my case and started my journey to Lille for the long Bank Holiday weekend. I was terribly excited about my trip, as I had given myself permission to be spontaneous by booking a wonderful little Hotel for the weekend, determined not to spend another rainy day in London.
I should have known it was a mistake when I got to the ferry and was told I had gotten the time for boarding wrong. I thought I was on the 1.50pm, it turned out the next was 12.50 and the one after that was at 3.30. I was just in time for the former. Thinking I had a lucky escape, I checked in and headed for the duty free shop.
Approaching Calais, I started feeling a really rather stern breeze but was determined to remain positive. The looming clouds did not help disperse my fear that the sun was eluding me. "Thou shall not panic" I kept repeating to myself. An hour and a half's drive later of what I thought was excellent navigation, I arrived at the hotel. It had two medium sized restaurants next to it, The Buffalo Grill was the closest. Hmm, the hotel had been advertised as having two excellent restaurants. "No restaurants Mme, they are short walk" the rather dashing receptionist said with his (to die for) accent. Hmm, I thought, next door? I saw a little glimpse of the sun so was willing to forgive anything.
After unpacking, I put on my walking boots with the view to having a little stroll around. Not possible. The rain had started. I thought I would give it a few minutes and try again. No joy. So I turned on the TV. Interesting film selection but I did not drive all the way to Lille to be stuck indoors watching films. The odd thing was, I have been known to travel long haul just to sit by the pool and read all day but, this time I wanted to walk so brought very little reading material. I abandoned the idea of walking when it became apparent that it was going to rain all evening. I had to eat somehow so made it through the rain to the Grill.
A wonderful waiter, very well groomed (I felt scruffy in my unpolished boots) brought me a glass of wine instead of the sparkling water I had ordered. I forgave him, but halfway through my meal, I discovered that my meat was not as well cooked as I had requested. Instead of complaining again, I paid the bill and left, only to be given a right pasting by the rain during the 'short' walk to the hotel.
An English band was playing at the University of Science and Technology so I thought I would escape the flirty women on French TV adverts and indulge in some local culture. Every band over run their slot, and the last-but-one band decided to set up at the entrance of the gig to continue playing whilst the last band were supposed to be playing to the audience. Very very odd behaviour I thought, almost infantile, though it confirmed that I had made a mistake and the whole spontaneous trip was turning out to be a disaster. Just to round off a terrible day, the sat nav could not find the hotel and at one in the morning, it was pretty hairy going up one way streets etc to find my bed for the night. The die was cast! I decided I could not face another disastrous day, especially when friends got in touch to say the weather at home was not as bad as it was in Lille.
With my very groomed tail between my legs, I packed my bags and headed for Calais to catch the next ferry home.
I could not get the joke when the French Immigration Officer asked if my photo (in the passport) was of my sister (I cut off all my hair so looked different). She requested that I close my mouth so I could look like the photo at least. I made a mental note to change my photo which will cost me near enough £90 but worth it in case I lose my sense of humour again during my travels.
I had to pay about £50 to change my ferry ticket, but was pleased to leave the rain behind! One and a half hours later, I was ever so pleased to see Dover but first, the choppy sea meant that the anchor for the ferry was dropped to stabilise the vessel (that was what other passengers said). The ferry was shuddering and making the most frightening noise, I begun to question if we would make it to the port successfully.
Anyway, it was a relief when I got on dry land and in the comfort of my own home (rain or not). Maybe I gave up too easily but all I wanted was to have a good weekend with some sunshine. It was not that warm when I eventually made it to Crouch End but at least it was not raining!
...So, the moral is... the grass is always greener on the other side. Home sweet home!
All photos by Marilyn Allen
So,... on Friday morning I neatly packed my case and started my journey to Lille for the long Bank Holiday weekend. I was terribly excited about my trip, as I had given myself permission to be spontaneous by booking a wonderful little Hotel for the weekend, determined not to spend another rainy day in London.
I should have known it was a mistake when I got to the ferry and was told I had gotten the time for boarding wrong. I thought I was on the 1.50pm, it turned out the next was 12.50 and the one after that was at 3.30. I was just in time for the former. Thinking I had a lucky escape, I checked in and headed for the duty free shop.
A wonderful waiter, very well groomed (I felt scruffy in my unpolished boots) brought me a glass of wine instead of the sparkling water I had ordered. I forgave him, but halfway through my meal, I discovered that my meat was not as well cooked as I had requested. Instead of complaining again, I paid the bill and left, only to be given a right pasting by the rain during the 'short' walk to the hotel.
An English band was playing at the University of Science and Technology so I thought I would escape the flirty women on French TV adverts and indulge in some local culture. Every band over run their slot, and the last-but-one band decided to set up at the entrance of the gig to continue playing whilst the last band were supposed to be playing to the audience. Very very odd behaviour I thought, almost infantile, though it confirmed that I had made a mistake and the whole spontaneous trip was turning out to be a disaster. Just to round off a terrible day, the sat nav could not find the hotel and at one in the morning, it was pretty hairy going up one way streets etc to find my bed for the night. The die was cast! I decided I could not face another disastrous day, especially when friends got in touch to say the weather at home was not as bad as it was in Lille.
With my very groomed tail between my legs, I packed my bags and headed for Calais to catch the next ferry home.
Anyway, it was a relief when I got on dry land and in the comfort of my own home (rain or not). Maybe I gave up too easily but all I wanted was to have a good weekend with some sunshine. It was not that warm when I eventually made it to Crouch End but at least it was not raining!
...So, the moral is... the grass is always greener on the other side. Home sweet home!
All photos by Marilyn Allen
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Chilling Out?
by Marilyn Allen
Painting by Dagmawit Ademicheal © 2010
We never seem to have time to relax due to work, family and other commitments. We need to learn how to relax, chill out, get our selves back in tune. We also tend to follow the same routine most of the time, leaving one side of our brain unurtured. "But I thought I had only have one brain" (I hear you say). Yes we have one brain which has two sides, the left and right sides.
Working in the Art Therapy industry, I know how important it is to nurture both your left and right brain. Tapping into both sides of your brain helps to keep you balanced and invigorated.
It might help once in a while to do something totally different from your normal routine to invigorate yourself and give your slightly more active side an opportunity to recuperate whilst nourishing your other side of your brain. So after thinking, try and be creative, draw, dance, paint, keep moving, stretch, take a couple of deep breaths, yawn, open windows for more air. All this will get your brain active again. If you tend to do creative things, take a break, read an article, listen to a program, try and write something down. Worth a try!
We never seem to have time to relax due to work, family and other commitments. We need to learn how to relax, chill out, get our selves back in tune. We also tend to follow the same routine most of the time, leaving one side of our brain unurtured. "But I thought I had only have one brain" (I hear you say). Yes we have one brain which has two sides, the left and right sides.
People who are left brain dominated are said to be more analytical, logical, sequential, and objective. They tend to look at halves, whilst right brain thinkers are said to be thoughtful, random, holistic, intuitive and subjective. They tend to look at wholes.
It might help once in a while to do something totally different from your normal routine to invigorate yourself and give your slightly more active side an opportunity to recuperate whilst nourishing your other side of your brain. So after thinking, try and be creative, draw, dance, paint, keep moving, stretch, take a couple of deep breaths, yawn, open windows for more air. All this will get your brain active again. If you tend to do creative things, take a break, read an article, listen to a program, try and write something down. Worth a try!
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Change Today: Dealing With the Negative Self Talk
Change Today: Dealing With the Negative Self Talk: "It's incredible how we all have this voice in our head that frequently steals our thunder and puts us down when we might otherwise do a grea..."
Friday, 20 May 2011
Are You Angry?
A Bit of Anger Management By Marilyn Anim-Addo-Allen
We seem to have lost the art of relaxing due to pressures of modern living, hurrying up all the time but never getting where we are supposed to be on time, because when we get there, it starts all over again! This can trigger a lot of emotions which if not processed properly, can cause anger issues.
Anger is a very powerful emotion that could stem from feelings of frustration, disappointment, hurt and similar reasons. It ranges from the lower end of the spectrum where anger is manageable, to the higher end of the spectrum which is fury or rage.
Unresolved feelings of anger can eventually result in anxiety, depression, headaches, digestive disorders and can have an effect on all your relationships. Anger could cause people to behave unsociably e.g. physical violence, crime, isolation.
Would it not be good to know what to do to manage your anger? Well, we could try!
1. Breathing exercises (breathe in, count to four and breathe out).
2. Positive thoughts or reciting a mantra e.g. 'relax' 'calm down' 'easy does it' 'not worth it' etc.
3. Try and talk about your feelings to people you trust for some support
4. Try and think about things from other people's perspectives.
5.It might be an idea to listen more and digest what you hear whilst practising your breathing exercises. This will reduce stress on your cardiovascular and nervous system.
6. If you find you are not able to control your anger, do talk to a professional who can help you learn to manage your anger.
7. Remember, it is possible to learn new patterns and unlearn old ones so ANGER CAN BE MANAGED! You must be willing to put the work in to get the benefits.
Photograph: Taken from Newspaper 2009, Original Source Unknown
We seem to have lost the art of relaxing due to pressures of modern living, hurrying up all the time but never getting where we are supposed to be on time, because when we get there, it starts all over again! This can trigger a lot of emotions which if not processed properly, can cause anger issues.
Anger is a very powerful emotion that could stem from feelings of frustration, disappointment, hurt and similar reasons. It ranges from the lower end of the spectrum where anger is manageable, to the higher end of the spectrum which is fury or rage.
Unresolved feelings of anger can eventually result in anxiety, depression, headaches, digestive disorders and can have an effect on all your relationships. Anger could cause people to behave unsociably e.g. physical violence, crime, isolation.
Would it not be good to know what to do to manage your anger? Well, we could try!
1. Breathing exercises (breathe in, count to four and breathe out).
2. Positive thoughts or reciting a mantra e.g. 'relax' 'calm down' 'easy does it' 'not worth it' etc.
3. Try and talk about your feelings to people you trust for some support
4. Try and think about things from other people's perspectives.
5.It might be an idea to listen more and digest what you hear whilst practising your breathing exercises. This will reduce stress on your cardiovascular and nervous system.
6. If you find you are not able to control your anger, do talk to a professional who can help you learn to manage your anger.
7. Remember, it is possible to learn new patterns and unlearn old ones so ANGER CAN BE MANAGED! You must be willing to put the work in to get the benefits.
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Life is a Journey
The journey of life is very long and sometimes rocky. Feeling loved is the most wonderful feeling which helps us through the rocky patches. It is true that we need to love our inner selves to be able to love another person. However, is it true that love comes to us thus we are not able to choose who we fall in love with? At what point does the power of love become the love of power? Be nice to yourself and those around you. It is rewarding and costs nothing!
Picture by Marilyn Anim-Addo-Allen Life is a Journey © 2011
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
A Flower For You!
Are you taking care of yourself and your loved ones? Are you having fun whilst at it? Are you making mistakes so you can learn from them? Are you taking care of your emotional well-being so you can see life for what it truly is? Does perfection exist? Who sets the standards for perfection? Do not try to be perfect, just be as good a person as you can be!
Friday, 6 May 2011
A Song
Photo: 'Tango Argentino' by Hermione Frankel Taken by Marilyn Allen
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
The Road Less Travelled
Do not lose the first part of your life only to spend the rest (of your life) looking for it!. Emotional well-being is the key!
Monday, 2 May 2011
Oh Happy Day...
It is rather fortunate that we have such wonderful weather on our Bank Holiday. Let us enjoy it and go back to work invigorated and ready for the week ahead.
Good luck with what ever you do today and remember to try and do at least one thing to reward yourself for making it through the first four months of this year!
Good luck with what ever you do today and remember to try and do at least one thing to reward yourself for making it through the first four months of this year!
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