A Poem For the Forest

Hello everyone,


Exams are finally finished so no more stressful nights and studying boredom. However all the built up exhaustion and tiredness did hit me over the weekend so a good rest was much needed.

A few of my friends and I decided to go on a nice relaxing stroll through a nearby forest to catch up on everything we've missed during the exam period. Walks are always such a great way to destress and get the body moving without tiring you out too much. A casual stroll was just what my body needed.

Considering it had rained all through the day before we were actually quite lucky and didn't get a single drop of rain while we walked. It was quite eery and quiet as we walked through the trees with no one around through the damp, still air. But nevertheless it was great to have the place practically to ourselves for a little while.

I snapped a photo on my phone a decided I'd try write a little poem about it. Emphasis on the word 'try', I'm by no means a writer or a poet but I was in the mood to do something new.

I took a walk in time 
To clear my mind

Leaves, branches, trees thick with moss and ivy laden trunks
Winding paths through green archways pierced by sunlight 
Water and life released 
       a clarity, serenity and presence 
From their roots

Nutrients, ancient wisdom, strength and balance
Food from the base of Earth

Feed it to your soul
Watch it grow

So yeah there's my little poem about our walk in the forest as you can see its no Plath or Yeats but it was fun to think up. Maybe I'll try jot a few more down as they come to me and see how much improvement I can make with some practice...

Thanks for stopping by,

Ciara xx

Stressed Out? Go on a Stress Walk

Hey guys!

I've been noticing that I'm getting stressed out or sort of feeling compressed recently what with college work, the daily commute and trying to stay balanced.

One thing that I've been doing to get out of the house, out of my room and away from zoning out to Netflix or YouTube is going out for a walk, or as I've been saying, a stress walk.

The weather now is not majorly cold or rainy so getting out in the fresh air really is great therapy. I prefer going out during the night after my day is over and the evening joggers, dog walkers and playing kids have retired into their homes for the night. There's something so calming about being the only one walking down a street-lamped path breathing in the cold night's air.

Sometimes I listen to music and sometimes I'll take out my earphones and listen to what's happening around me. But more often than not I'll have a podcast on the go to keep me company for an hour or so while I have some me time. As I've said before I'm obsessed with Katie Dalebout and the Wellness Wonderland podcast and I dip into You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes or Food Psych with Christy Harrison. All of these podcasts are so interesting, insightful and entertaining so it's like you're having a nice long conversation with someone while you walk. Or if you want sometimes calling up a friend to go with you can be an awesome way to catch up and put the phones away for a bit.

So yeah going on nice long walks has been my go-to tool for dealing with stress and anxiety at the moment, let me know how some of your own go-to tips and tricks for when you start feeling overwhelmed or like the world is going to come down on you full force!

Becoming A Yoga Warrior

Hey guys,

So as part of my Vision Board goals for March and efforts to make exercise less about punishing my body and more about connecting with my body I've decided to try take up yoga.

I've heard only brilliant things about the benefits of yoga for both body and mind and it seems to help a lot of people I know personally.

I did a quick Google search for a yoga studio in Dublin near enough to where I study at university and came across YogaHub right near Grafton Street. What really drew me to this place was the fact that they described themselves as friendly and welcoming and when I went there today they really were. 

I tried out the beginners 'Flow' class with Katie as the instructor and it was great. Because I come from a history of dancing I really liked the fluidity of the movements however weight training has really tightened up my hips! 

A big thing for me was that I felt comfortable and the class was really non-judgemental and Katie even took note of the newbies and asked us our names. 

They also have a cute cafe called HappyFood which is vegan and filled with delicious meals and treats. I'm definitely going to have to head back and drag my boyfriend to get some yummy brunch.

Over all I had a great experience and I think I'll be trying to get yoga into my week more often.