gratitude

The twentieth of May 2020

goats, kindness

One way to share kindness is to reach out and share something that you enjoy with another person. Sharing these experiences can bring you closer together and really let the other person know that you care about them.

After two months of social distancing, we are feeling the quarantine fatigue. However, this week my son and I have been sharing the experience of painting. I am no Michelangelo by any means, but using some scrap cardboard and acrylic paint I am passing it forward by sharing with you my creation for today’s goat of the day!

The eighteenth of May 2020

goats, kindness

Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. For my family, it also marks two full months of COVID lockdown. It has not been easy to say the least. The theme of this year’s mental health awareness week is kindness. The organisation picked kindness specifically because:

We have chosen kindness because of its singular ability to unlock our shared humanity. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. It is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health. Wisdom from every culture across history recognises that kindness is something that all human beings need to experience and practise to be fully alive.

Mental Health Foundation 2020

This is so important, especially now, to practice kindness to others and especially to ourselves. I hope y’all stick with me this week, as I will also adopt the theme of kindness for goat of the day.

The third of May 2020

goats

Anyone else Zooming these days? Of course I don’t mean down the road and off to a destination, I am referring to digital meetings! I always freshen up, put on a nice (ish) top, set up my lighting just right so the top half of me looks like I would at the office. However, unlike at the office, I am usually in yoga pants or sweat pants on the bottom. Although meetings are exhausting, it is wonderful that there are so many ways we can stay in touch and carry on through this crisis.

The second of May 2020

goats

I am happy to share a photograph I saw yesterday on View from My Window. Taken from a colourful vintage airstream, Cate in California shared this amazing view of a goat! Many thanks, Cate!

One of the things that has been hardest for myself and my family about lockdown is not being able to take full advantage of the glorious spring weather the past month. It can be cruel to think that you have to hibernate as the world comes back to life after a cold and windy winter, but here we are. My heart is filled with gratitude though for our home and our digital windows to the rest of the world.

The twenty eighth of April 2020

goats

Sometimes staying inside with the same people can be really challenging. Make sure to find ways to get some time to yourself, especially if you are responsible for caring for others. It is not selfish – you able to better care for those who need it when you are coming from a stable foundation yourself.

The fourteenth of April 2020

goats

If you find it hard to stay positive take a moment and think of something in your life that brings you joy – whether that is your hour of sunshine, your family, or binge watching junk television. Always keep an eye out for silver linings even in the most difficult of times.

The thirtieth of March 2020

pigs

Pigs have feelings too! Perhaps after a few weeks of March of Pigs you may have noticed that pigs are actually quite expressive. That’s because they feel a wide range of emotions, just like humans. Pigs can feel joy and happiness as well as suffer from negative emotions like sadness and grief. Pigs are not only emotional creatures, but have been observed to show compassion for others, and feel distress at seeing their animal and human friends suffering. They have distinctive personalities, some are shy and some are gregarious just like us. In addition to having excellent memories, it is very likely that pigs have complex feelings and thoughts, and are even able to understand symbolic languages similar to higher primates and dolphins. Amazing!

The sixteenth of March 2020

goats, pigs

It seems strange to keep writing little things and posting pictures of pigs and then goats, but here we are. I assure you, I fully intend to carry on; however, at some point, I may run out of photographs. So, please send me your goat photographs, pig photographs, and whatever else you got to goat.of.the.day.blog@gmail.com

That said, I have been told to limit all non-essential social contact for at least three months. It is really hard to have to stop going to work and doing a lot of things I love to do out and about and in the community, BUT maybe something wonderful will come out of all of that. Maybe, with all of the time I will create something beautiful, or develop a new skill, or read and learn about fantastic things. And most importantly, I will be doing my part to stop the spread of the coronavirus. What a time to be alive.

The twenty third of February 2020

goats

Continuing our tribute to Tao Porchon-Lynch, legendary yogi, the second wisdom she shared on longevity is also quite simple.

Be grateful – and optimistic

Tao Porchon-Lynch

Maybe each morning and night think of one thing to be hopeful about and one thing you are grateful for to help you live a long and full life like Tao.