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Sílim go bhfuil muid uilig ag mothú thíos an tseachtain seo, cé go bhfuil cúiseanna éagsula ag cuid againn ‘sé dianghlasáil a dó atá ag déanamh buaireamh agus imní don chuid is mó den tír. Tá mé féin buartha faoi chúrsaí meabhairshláinte. D’imigh cara amháin liom de bharr an ruda ar fad go dtí seo agus níl mé ag iarraidh éinne eile a chailliúint.
A lot of us are feeling a bit down this week, although some of us have other reasons then others the general feeling is a feeling of fear, concern and worry as we are told to sit in Lockdown Round 2. I am personally worried about my and other people’s mental health. I have lost one friend as a result of all of this and I really don’t want to lose anyone else. Chonaic mé rud éigin ar na meáin shóisialta inné faoi smaointe dearfacha nó positive thinking mar a deirtear i mBéarla. Tá mé féin i ndiaidh an-chuid a fheiceáil faoi sin, daoine ag iarraidh orainn a bheith dearfach faoi rud éigin nach bhfuil go maith. I saw something yesterday on social media about all of this positive thinking that we’re fed. This post was talking about how unnecessary and not good for us it is to talk about only the positives and ignore the bad things, especially at a time that things are pretty grim. Tuigim go bhfuil go leor rudaí maithe i gceist leis an dianghlasáil; níos mó ama ag daoine, níos lú tráchta, tá an-chuid daoine i ndiaidh aithne níos fearr a chur ar a gceantar féin agus an nádúr thart orthu. Ach anuas ar sin, tá an-chuid drochrudaí ann faoi freisin; ní cead againn buaileadh le daoine nach bhfuil cónaí orainn leo, tá gnólachtaí ar fud na tíre dúnta, níl cead againn spórt a imirt, tá daoine uaigneach agus braon de ranganna Zoom agus an t-am ar fad a chaitheamh os comhair scáileáin. Níl sé go maith don chorp nó don intinn. I do understand and know that there are a lot of good aspects to the lockdown; people have more free time, there is less traffic on the roads, it is a chance to get to know your area better and to spend time in the nature surrounding you (if there is nature around you...). But I also know that lockdown sucks! Staring at a screen all day is really tiring, I’m not allowed to play sport anymore, businesses all across the country have had to close their doors. It isn’t good for our physical body or our mental state. Tá daoine uaigneach agus muna thugann muid deis go daoine admháil nach bhfuil rudaí go maith mothóidh siad níos uaigní. Bíonn nasc agus cairdeas níos fearr agam le daoine nuair is féidir liom admháil leo nach bhfuil rudaí rómhaith. Tuigeann daoine an streachailt, chomh maith leis na rudaí maithe agus mar a deirim le daoine muna mothaíonn muid na mothúcháin nach maith linn i gceart ní bheidh muid in ann na mothúcháin gur maith linn a mhothú mar is ceart ach an oiread. People are lonely and if we don’t give them a chance to admit the negative things and feelings they are having, they’re going to feel even more lonely. I find that I have a better relationship with people when I can tell them that things aren’t going so well for me. People understand and can relate to the struggle even more so sometimes then they can relate to the positive things happening for you. Le linn ranganna le daoine fásta agus daoine óga, iarraim orthu rudaí maithe a tharla an lá sin a insint dom. Labhraíonn muid faoi na rudaí gur maith linn a bheith ag déanamh agus na rudaí a thugann ardú croí dúinn. Ag na hamanna seo, níl mé ag iarraidh neamhairde a dhéanamh ar na drochrudaí ach tá mé ag iarraidh níos mó spáis a thabhairt do na rudaí maithe. Is rud nádúrtha é don duine daonna a bheith ag smaoineamh ar na drochrudaí an t-am ar fad, sin an fáth gur mhair muid chomh fada seo, coinnigh sin slán muid ach anois ní gá dúinn a bheith chomh imníoch agus buartha, bhuel ní ag an leibhéal céanna is a bhí orainn nuair a bhí muid buartha faoi ainmhí dár ithe agus mar sin. During my adult and my children’s classes I aske them to tell me about something good that happened for them that day. It is not that I am ignoring the negative things that are happening but we spend so much time focused on the negatives that I want to give some airtime to the positives as well. As human beings we have a negativity bias, we are more likely to focus on what went wrong then what went right because that is how we have survived. If something good happened to us way back when we were cavepeople we survived and it was fine but if something bad happened we more the likely died therefore it was important to be wary of the bad. Now however, our brains have stayed in that ‘look out for danger’ mode and we worry and stress about things that aren’t physically going to kill us. So it is perfectly natural for you to focus on that stupid thing you said in that meeting instead of all of the not-stupid things you said but during my classes I want people to acknowledge that amongst the negative is good too. Mar sin nuair a labhraíonn muid ar na rudaí gur maith linn bíonn duine nó beirt i gcónaí ag iarraidh drochrud a insint dom (go háirithe sna ranganna do na páistí) ach ag an am sin níl mé ag iarraidh díriú isteach ar drochrudaí, tá spás ann do sin. Le linn an cuid luigh síos sna ranganna do theaghlaigh iarraim ar na rannpháirtithe smaoineamh ar an mbealach atá siad ag mothú agus iarraim orthu gan aon rud a dhéanamh len é a athrú, díreach smaoineamh air mar níl aon rud mícheart le haon mhothúcháin, fiú muna maith linn féin é. Mar sin, an tseachain seo, an féidir leat ligint de na drochsmaointe, drochmhothúcháin agus na rudaí diúltacha faoin dianghlasáil seo a bheith ann. Ní gá duit stop a chur leo, ní gá duit aon rud a athrú fúthu, díreach aithin go bhfuil siad ann agus feicfimid céard a tharlaíonn. During the relaxing, lying down part of my family classes, I ask the participants to notice how they are feeling. I name some nice feeling emotions and some not so nice feeling emotions and I ask them to just be aware of it, they don’t need to change it or do anything about it, just notice it. This week, see if you can just notice how you’re feeling or what you’re thinking. Just notice it, whatever it is; good, bad, indifferent and see if you can just let it be there. Let whatever is there to be there without judgement and just see what happens. Tá tuilleadh eolais ar fáil faoi mo ranganna agus cúrsaí ar fáil ar an leathanach seo don suíomh. There is more information on all of my courses and classes on this page of my site.
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Shíl mé go raibh seachtain olc agam an uair dheireanach go raibh mé ag scríobh anseo agus ansin d’éirigh rudaí níos measa. Ghlaoigh mo mháthair orm agus mé ag freastail ar shochraid cara liom le hinsint dom go bhfuil m’uncail ar shlí na firinne. Mhínigh sí dom céard a tharla ó gur d’fhág mé Baile Átha Cliath le dul go Béal Feirste cúpla uair an chloig roimhe. Ní dóigh liom gur chuala mé mórán.
I though I had had a bad week when I was last writing here and then things got worse. My mother rang me to tell me my uncle had died while I was between my friend’s wake and her funeral. She told me what had happened since I had left Dublin for Belfast a few hours beforehand but I didn’t hear much of the story. Tá mé ar ais i nGaillimh anois le seachtain anuas, bhuel le beagnach seachtain. Dúirt cara liom go raibh sé de ceart agam rudaí a thógáil go réidh toisc go ndeachaidh mé trí go leor. Níor thuig mé go dtí go bhfaca mé an teachtaireacht sin nach raibh mé ag iarraidh rudaí a thógáil go réidh. Bhí mé agus tá mé ag iarraidh a bheith an-ghnóthach le nach mbeidh orm smaoineamh ar an méid a tharla le cúpla seachtain anuas. I’m back in Galway now. I’ve been back for almost a week after a week away. My friend told me that I should take it easy because I’ve been through a lot. It wasn’t until after I saw her message that I realised that I had been avoiding resting; filling my days and evenings with work and badminton and teaching. Without realising I was doing it I was avoiding resting because if I rest then what has actually just happened might hit me. I don’t want it to hit me. I want to pretend like it never happened in the first place. Mar mhúinteoir aireachais bím ag iarraidh ar dhaoine suigh leis an méid atá ag dul ar aghaidh dóibh, fiú muna bhfuil sé go deas agus mar chomhairleoir faoi oiliúint bím agus beidh mé ag rá an rud céanna. Ach níl mé ag iarraidh sin a dhéanamh anois. Níl mé in ann b’fhéidir. Mar mhúinteoir aireachais agus comhairleoir faoi oiliúint tuigim nach bhfuil muid in ann dul i ngleic le gach rud ag aon am amháin. Tuigim go bhfuil spás uainn agus go bhfuil orainn sos a thógáil uaireanta. As a mindfulness teacher I teach people to sit with whatever is going on for them in the present moment. As a trainee counsellor I will be and I am doing the same thing but right now, I don’t want to take my own advice. Maybe I’m not able to take it right now. As a mindfulness teacher and a trainee counsellor I understand that we can only deal with what we can deal with. I understand that when things get overwhelming we just need to step away from them for a while. Tá mé ag tógáil sosa ón méid a tharla le podchraoltaí, closleabhar, Netflix rud ar bith a thabharfaidh sos dom ó mo smaointe féin. Tá mé airdeallach ar an méid atá mé ag seachaint agus tá mé airdeallach go bhfuil mé ag seachaint rudaí agus mar sin tá sé ceart go leor na rudaí seo a sheachaint...nach bhfuil....? Podcasts, audiobooks and Netflix are all providing me with thoughts and ideas that are not my own and that is exactly what I need right now. I am consciously avoiding the fact that two people I love are now gone. I am aware that I’m doing it so that makes it OK...right...? Tá an aireachas deacair dom féin faoi láthair. Tá sé doiligh dom fanacht san am i láthair agus díriú isteach ar an rud atá mé ag mothú mar níl mé ag mothú go maith. Fuair mé drochscéal an tseachtain seo agus de réir mar a leanann na laethanta ar aghaidh tá mé ag dul i dtaithí ar an smaoineamh agus níl sé deas.
I am struggling with my mindfulness practice at the minute. It is hard for me to stay in the present and sit with what I am feeling because I’m not feeling good. I got bad news during the week and as it sinks in more and more each day my not pleasant emotions are getting bigger and bigger and it’s not nice to sit in the here and now. Seo chugaibh cúpla rud beag a dhéanaim féin nuair nach bhfuil mé in ann suigh leis an méid atá mé ag mothú nó ag smaoineamh Here are a few ideas for things to try when you just don’t want to sit with what is
Céard a dhéanann tusa leis an saol a sheachaint? What do you do to avoid? Sílim go gcreideann daoine uaireanta gur olc an rud é an seachaint ach níl muid in ann dul i ngleic agus deileáil ach leis an méid gur féidir linn dul i ngleic leis. Nuair atá rudaí doiligh, ná bíodh drogall ort rud éigin a dhéanamh le nach mbeidh tú ag smaoineamh air ar feadh tamaillín fiú. I think people think that we shouldn’t avoid our feelings and what is happening but sometimes the only way through it is to avoid feeling it. We can only deal with what we can deal with so if what is happening for you is a little bit too much feel free to tune out and focus on something else for as long as you need to! Tabhair aire duit féin agus do na daoine atá thart ort. Níl an tréimhse seo éasca d’éinne againn! Look after yourself and those around you. This isn’t an easy time for any one of us! Bhí mo chéad rang aireachais ar líne ar siúl agam do dhaoine fásta aréir agus bhí sé go hálainn! Bhí rannpháirtithe againn i mBaile Átha Cliath, sa Fhrainc agus i dTír Chonaill agus chruthaigh muid atmaisféar álainn tríd an scáileán ón ár áitanna éagasúla. Sula dtosaigh an cúrsa fuair mé scéal as bean ag rá nach raibh sí cinnte an bhfeilfeadh cúrsa ar líne di agus thuig mise go hiomlán! Bhí mé díreach mar an gcéanna! Ach chuir sé agus cuireann sé go fóill iontas orm an méid gur féidir leat a dhéanamh ar líne!
I ran my first online mindfulness class for adults last night and it was lovely! We were joined by people in Dublin, France and Donegal and we created a beautiful atmosphere online from our respective corners of the world. Just before we started I got a message from a woman saying that she wasn’t sure if the online class would suit here and I completely understood! I was exactly the same but it still surprises me how effective mindfulness classes and creating space can be even if we are not physically in the same place. Thosaigh muid an rang le coinneal bheag. Las muid ar fad ár gcoinneal féin agus smaoinigh muid ar an méid a bhí uainn ón rang. Smaoinigh muid faoi na mothucháin a bhí uainn le linn an ranga agus ón rang. I ndiaidh sin d’iarr mé ar gach duine labhairt ar rud éigin an ndeachaigh go maith dóibh le linn an lae, rud éicint a thaitin leo faoin lá. Dúirt fear amháin go raibh sé éasca dó smaoinigh ar drochrudaí ón lá ach doiligh smaoinigh ar na rudaí maithe. Mhínigh mé gur sin an aidhm a bhí agam. Bíonn muid i gcónaí níos dírithe ar na drochrudaí. Tá mé ag iarraidh spáis a thabhairt do na rudaí maithe a tharlaíonn dúinn nach smaoiníonn muid go leor orthu. We started the class with a candle. We each lit our own candle and we thought about how we wanted to be during the class, we thought about what feelings we wanted during the hour that we had together. After that I asked everyone to think about something that had gone well for them that day, something that had made them happy. One participant said that he could easily have told us about all the terrible things that had happened but to think of the good things was a different story! But this was exactly my point! I wanted to give some time and space to the good things because we are so naturally focused on the negative things in our lives. I ndiaidh sin thosaigh muid ar phíosa aireachais 20 nóiméad dírithe ar an gcolainn agus an anáil. Bhí beagán plé againn i ndiaidh faoin gcaoi go raibh sé dúinn agus bhí ar cúpla duine bogadh ó shuíochán amháin go suíochán eile le go mbeidh siad níos compordaí. Ansin d’iarr mé orthu íomhánna a chruthú ina gcloigne. D’iarr mé orthu a shamhlú go raibh siad ar an trá agus go raibh siad ag déanamh dianfhiosrú ar an spéir agus na réalta ar fad os a gcionn. We then started with a beautiful 20 minute meditation practice. We focused on the body and on the breath. Afterwards some people realised that they needed to find a more comfortable seat or position and they shifted around as we discussed how it had been as a practice for us. Then we moved onto a visualisation practice. We imagined that we were standing on a beautiful beach examining the stars. Bím i gcónaí ag iarraidh cineálacha éagsula cleachtais a thabhairt do dhaoine le linn na ranganna seo. Oibríonn rudaí difriúla do dhaoine difriúla. Chríochnaigh muid le píosa gairid agus dán beag agus d’fhag muid an spás fíorúla a bhí cruthaithe againn ag mothú níos suaimhní agus níos ciúine. I think it is really important do show people the different types of meditation as different things work for different people. We finished with a short, breath-led practice and a beautiful poem. We all moved out of our virtual space feeling more peaceful and more quiet. Chaith mé míonna ag seachaint cúrsaí ar líne agus anois tá mé ag baint an-suilt astu! Tá sé i gceist agam leanacht ar aghaidh leo agus mar sin, más suim leat féin i gcúrsa mar nó tuilleadh a fhoghlaim fúthu, cuir scéal chugam. Tá sé i gceist agam cúrsa 6 seachtain do dhaoine fásta eile a reáchtáil ag tosú i mí na Samhna agus bheadh fáilte mhór roimhe éinne! Ní gá go mbeadh cleachtadh déanta agat cheana agus má tá do chleachtadh féin agat déanfaidh seo an-mhaitheas duit. Mothaíonn tú fuinneamh na daoine eile fiú tríd an scáileán! For MONTHS I have avoided teaching online and now I have finally started it I am really enjoying it and I plan on continuing. So if you are interested in learning more about mindfulness, this type of course or simply how effective an online course is please send me a message. I am planning on another 6 week course for adults to begin in November. These courses are suitable for complete beginners and to seasoned practitioners and it is really beautiful to have a chance to practice in a group and feel the group energy through the screen. Bhí mé faoi strus ag an saol an tseachtain seo caite agus mar sin, bheartaigh mé cuid de mo chomhairle féin a chur i bhfeidhm i mo shaol féin agus thóg mé an tseachtain saor ón mblag! Thosaigh mé post nua ag tabhairt aire do pháiste agus thosaigh mé mo chéad chúrsa Relax Kids ar líne ar aon lá amháin! Bhí cara le teacht ar chuairt chugam ar an Aoine agus bhí liosta fada de rudaí go raibh orm a dhéanamh gan trácht ar an mblag agus mar sin bhí an sos uaim! Agus tá mé bródúil asam féin as ucht an tseachtain a thógáil saor! Chuaigh mo shaol ó gan a bheith ag déanamh mórán go bheith ag déanamh cúig rud ag aon am amháin taobh istigh de cúpla lá!
I felt like I went from zero to three hundred in the space of a few days last week so I decided to take my own advice for once and take a week off the blog. I started a new job minding children and on the same day I also started my first online Relax Kids family class. On Friday I had a list as long as my arm of things to get done, even without the blog and I had a friend coming over to visit so something had to give. Usually when I decided I’m doing something I have to do it no matter what! At one point last Friday I had a little bit of freetime so I thought that I would write a post but I had to remind myself that I had committed to not doing it and therefore I couldn’t do it! Sometimes not doing what we thought we would or said we would is better for us. I think it’s a balance, one that I struggle with but am clearly getting better at. Fiú an tseachtain seo tá mé spíonta ach tá níos mó tuisceana agam ar rudaí sílim...b’fhéidir, sure cá bhfios! Ach an tseachtain seo d’éirigh liom an blag seo a scríobh, maith mé! Tá mé ag díriú isteach ar ranganna a chur ar siúl ar líne faoi láthair agus leis sin a dhéanamh caithfidh mé an-chuid poiblíochta a dhéanamh dóibh agus ag an am céanna tá cúpla grúpa i ndiaidh teacht i dteagmháil liom ag iarraidh orm ranganna a dhéanamh leo, rud atá mé an-bhuíoch dó ach tá an-chuid i gceist leis ar fad! I am still a little bit wreaked this week! But I think I’m getting a handle on things...maybe...bhuel...sure who knows! But I have managed to write this week’s blog so that’s a good sign! I am starting to run online classes at the minute, which means that I have to advertise classes and just as I’ve decided to do that (finally!) I have had a few organisations contact me about running classes with them, which I am delighted about but it means there is a lot of work to do! Ó thús an dianghlasáil bhí mé ag smaoineamh go raibh sé de cheart agam mo ghnó a chur ar líne ach níor éirigh liom sin a dhéanamh go dtí le déanaí. Le ceathair nó cúig bhliain anois is múinteoir aireachais mé agus ‘sé an príomh-teacht isteach atá agam ná na ranganna ach níor rith sé liom, go dtí anois gur fiontraí mé. B’fhéidir go bhfuil mé beagán mall nó b’fhéidir go bhfuil m’aird iomlán ar na ranganna a mhúineadh agus ní ar an ngnó é féin. Since the beginning of lockdown I have been thinking that I should be running online classes and that I should put my business online and I finally have done it! For the past four or five years I have been teaching Relax Kids and mindfulness classes but it only occurred to me recently enough that I am a business person and an entrepreneur....maybe I’m a bit slow or maybe it’s just that I was completely taken with what I was teaching and not how I was doing it. Creidim go hiomlán sna cúrsaí, sna ranganna agus sna scileanna a bhíonn á mhúineadh agam ach bíonn sé deacair dom uaireanta glacadh leis go bhfuil daoine ag iarraidh freastail ar ranganna nó teacht go ceardlanna. Ach tá a fhios agam nach liom féin atá mé! Dúirt cara liom nach bhfuil suim dá laghad aici féin sa chuid margaíochta den a gnó féin ach an oiread! Tá sí ag iarraidh oibre a dhéanamh le daoine, tacú leo agus a saol a fheabhsú ach suim dá laghad aici dul amach ansin ag iarraidh a seirbhísí a dhíol...ach muna ndéanann sí an cuid sin dó ní bheidh gnó aici. Caithfimid teacht ar bhealach leis an dá thrá a fhreastal agus leis an domhain ag athrú chomh sciobtha seo na laethanta seo beidh orainn dul i dtaithí ar na hathraithe seo. Muna athraíonn muid ní mhairfimid! I completely believe in the courses, techniques and skills that I teach. I really believe that they help people in every aspect of their lives but sometimes I find it difficult to accept that people actually want to come to my classes. But I know that I am not alone! I have gotten to know a lot of other female entrepreneur’s online over the last few months and it is definitely something a good few of us struggle with! A friend told me this week that she was really excited to work with a new client who came to her recently but she has no interest in the marketing side of her business! But if we don’t market our businesses we won’t have a business at all so we have to find some kind of balance! With the world changing so quickly these days you would think we would be used to change by now but I’m definitely not, yet anyway! Bhuel! Thosaigh an mhí seo le pléascadh mar is ceart! Tá mé thar a bheith sásta go bhfuil fuinneamh na gealaí láin thart don tréimhse seo! Uaireanta ní chuireann an ghealach lán isteach orm mórán agus in amanna eile cuireann sí isteach go mór orm! An mhí seo chuir sé isteach orm go mór!
Bhuel! This month has started with a bang! A bang that has subsided I am glad to report and I am very happy that the full moon energy has passed. Sometimes the full moon doesn’t bother me at all and then other times it completely knocks me off my feet. This month, it was definitely the latter that happened! Thosaigh sé an tseachtain seo caite nuair a thosaigh mé ag smaoineamh ar an todhchaí – drochrud le déanamh sa lá atá inniu ann! Smaoinigh mé ar na scoileanna agus an ligfidh na scoileanna isteach mé agus bíonn ranganna príobháideacha níos neamhchinnte domsa agus tá mé ag déanamh neart oibre ach an bhfuil aon fiúntas leis agus ar cheart dom fíor-phost a fháil agus ar aghaidh liom mall san oíche agus luath ar maidin. Ansin an tseachtain seo, thuig mé maidin Luain go raibh duine éigin i ndiaidh imeachta ó mo shaol, gan tada a rá liom. Bhí mé gortaithe agus ní raibh mé in ann m’aird a choinneal ar aon rud. It really started last week when I started thinking about the future – ever a good move these days! I was thinking about the schools and would I be allowed back in to teach, I was thinking about courses I am starting soon and how much less certain my own courses always end up being, I am doing a lot of work at the minute but I was wondering if there is or was any point to it all as I’m feeling a bit like I’m jogging on the spot sometimes, I was then wondering if I should just go and get a real job and throw all of this in the bin...and on my mind went late into the night and into the morning. This week then started badly with someone I was seeing deciding to disappear without a word. Great. Anuas ar sin ar fad tá an dianghlasáil ag cur isteach orm anois. Tá mé braon di anois. Tá sé in am di imeacht. Tá mé ag iarraidh a bheith in ann dul amach mar a ndeachaigh muid cheana. Tá mé ag iarraidh nach mbeidh orainn boird a chur in áirithe agus nach mbeidh orainn fanacht ar shiúil óna chéile. Níl mé ag rá nár cheart go mbeidh an dianghlasáil go fóill ann, díreach go bhfuil mé réidh di imeacht agus ag dul as mo mheabhar beagan. Being ghosted really just felt like petrol being thrown in the fire that is lockdown. It really started to get to me this week. I’m not a bit partier and I really do enjoy being on my own but we’re taking the piss now. It’s time for it to end, not that I don’t believe that it shouldn’t be there anymore and it should be lifted, just that I’m struggling and doing my best to not go completely insane... Sin ar fad ráite, d’éirigh liom rudaí beaga a dhéanamh agus uaireanta ní airím ar nós go ndearna mé aon rud le linn an lae ar fad agus bíonn orm cur i gcuimhne dom féin céard iad na rudaí a rinne mé agus mar sin; seo chugaibh iad! All of that being said, I did manage to do some things this week. I find that, all too often I berate myself for not doing things and the only solution to that is to make out a list of what exactly I have done so here is my list for this week!
Mar sin, má bhíonn éinne agaibh crua oraibh féin maidir leis an méid a ndearna tú nó a dhéanann tú, déan cinnte go ndéanann tú liosta amach de na rudaí a fad a rinne tú! Bíonn muid i gcónaí níos crua orainn féin ná gur ceart dúinn a bheith! So for anyone who is being hard on themselves, thinking that they haven’t done much or anything I challenge you to sit down and really think about what it is you have done and write out a list. In my experience we are normally a lot harder on ourselves then we need to be! Dúirt mo mháthair agus mo dheirfiúr rud éigin liom le déanaí a ghortaigh go mór mé agus bhí athmhachnamh á dhéanamh agam ar mo shaol dá bharr ach, cé go ndúirt siadsan é níl an locht orthu go bhfuil frustrachas, faitíos agus brón orm. Níl an cumhacht sin acu agus níor mhaith liom go mbeidh sé acu. Síleann muid go mion minic nach mbíonn muid ag mothú go maith de bharr iompair daoine eile, ach i ndáiríre ní féidir le daoine eile smacht a bheith acu orainn muna thugann muid an smacht sin dóibh.
My mother and my sister said something recently that hurt me and I have been re-evaluating my life choices and particularly my work as a result. Despite the fact that my existential crisis is a direct result of what they said, it is not their fault that I am now stressed over what to do in life. They don’t have that power, nobody has the power to MAKE you feel anything unless we let them. Roinnt mhaith bhliain ó shin, ní raibh mé go maith. Bhí post togha agam, ní raibh sé iontach ach d’íoc sé na billí, bhí cairde agus saol sóisialta iontach agam ach ní raibh mé sásta. Ní raibh a fhios agam céard a bhí ann ach ní raibh mé sásta leis an saol. Chonaic mé fógra i gcomhair dúshláin 30 lá go sásamh ar líne, ag léamh faoi fuair mé amach go mbeadh orm pictiúr a thógáil de rud éigin a chur áthas orm gach lá ar feadh 30 lá. Éasca go maith a shíl mé. Thóg mé pictiúir de rudaí beaga aisteacha; nuair a bhí póit orm b’ea pé béile a bhí agam an rud a chuir áthas orm, na duilleoga deasa ar an talamh, an ghrian. An rud a d’fhoghlaim mé ón dúshlán seo ná go bhfuil go leor leor rudaí thart ort i gcónaí a chuirfidh miongháire ort má ligeann tú dóibh agus d’athraigh an dúshlán agus an meon seo mo shaol. Whatever amount of years ago, I was not happy. I had a job that was fine. It wasn’t great but it was in the field I thought I wanted to work in and it paid the bills, I had a great social life and I had a lot of friends but I wasn’t content. Something was wrong but I didn’t know what. I saw an ad online for a 30 days happiness challenge. I had to take a photo of something that made me happy every day for 30 days, simple enough I thought. I started taking pictures of small simple things like my burger the day I was hungover or the pretty leaves on the ground. What I learnt from the challenge is that even though things may not be going very well or you may be having a bad day there are always little things that you can look at that can change your mood, you just have to let them. Sin ráite, cuireann rudaí a deir agus a déanann daoine eile isteach orm go fóill ach le linn na feirge nó an bhróin tá mé in ann bláthanna deas a aithint, nó airím níos fearr nuair a fheicim radharc álainn trasna na farraige. That all being said, what people say still has an effect on me, especially if it is said by someone I respect or have a close relationship to me but while I am upset I can still notice beautiful flowers or a lovely view of the sea. Is scil thar a bheith tábhachtach é seo domsa sa lá atá inniu ann agus an sé mhí iontach strusmhar seo caite againn, agus níl an cuma air go laghdóidh an strus sin go luath ach más féidir leat rudaí beaga thart ort a aithint mar rudaí maithe a chuireann áthas ort cabhróidh sin go mór leat. Is mar sin gur bheartaigh mé an tseachain seo chugainn go gcuirfinn dúshlán 5 lá go sásamh ar fáil do dhaoine agus níl mé ag rá go n-athróidh sé do shaol ach beidh cúpla nod beag isteach ann go gcabhróidh le do shaol tá mé cinnte! Déanfaidh mé an dúshlán ar mo ghrúpa Facebook Cultivating Happiness Within. Gach lá beidh rud beag agam daoibh le déanamh, rud beag nach dtógfaidh níos mó ná 15 nó 20 nóiméad ach rud beag a chabhróidh go mór le do leibhéal sásaimh go ginearálta. This has been a really useful skill over the past six months of constant stress, and it doesn’t look like this stress is going to reduce anytime soon! So because of this I decided that next week I will be running a 5 day challenge of my own! It is called 5 Days to Feeling Happier and I will be running it in my Facebook group Cultivating Happiness Within. Every day next week I will give the participants a task to do, something small and simple that won’t take more then 15 or 20 minutes but will increase their happiness levels. Bheartaigh mé é a reáchtáil an tseachtain seo chugainn leis na scoileanna ag oscailt arís agus leibhéal struis dhaoine ag ardú agus tá siúl agam go gcabhróidh sé seo leis sin. Más suim leat a bheith páirteach ann ní gá duit ach a bheith mar bhall den ghrúpa Facebook agus is féidir leat sin a dhéanamh anseo. Feicfidh mé ann sibh! I decided that next week was a good week to do it as schools are now opening or are already open and I know parents, teachers and students will be feeling a little bit more worried or anxious then they may have before. If you want to be part of the challenge all you have to do is join my Facebook group here and I’ll see ye in there! Tá scoileanna, daltaí, múinteoirí agus tuismitheoirí ag ullmhú le filleadh ar an seomra ranga, cé go mbeidh cuma difriúil air ón uair dheireanach go raibh muid istigh iontu, bhuel síleann muid go mbeidh sé difriúil ach i bhfírinne níl a fhios ag éinne cén cuma a bheidh ar rudaí. Cuireann an aineolas sin ar fad faitíos ar dhaoine. Nuair a dhún na scoileanna sé mhí ó shin bhí orainn dul i dtaithí ar an saol nua agus anois, leis na scoileanna ag oscailt arís agus ‘cead’ againn dul amach beidh orainn dul i dtaithí ar sin freisin.
Schools, students, teachers and parents are all preparing for a return to the education system that we used to know. Well, that education in a new and different format but some sense of normality. At this point children have been out of school since March. That is six long months of being at home and away from the hustle and bustle of the classroom and the school yard so just as we had a transition period at the beginning of the lockdown we will have a transition period out of it. Beidh mothúcháin éagsula againn ar fad, cúpla ceann éagsúil in aghaidh na huaire in amanna. Beidh cuid againn ar bís le dul ar ais agus daoine a fheiceáil agus rud éigin normálta a aireachtáil, beidh faitíos agus buaireamh ar dhaoine eile agus don chuid is mó beidh muid ar fad ag mothú an dá rud! Seans go mbeidh muid ar bís ar maidin agus faoin tráthnóna buartha agus faoin am luigh b’fhéidir go mbeidh muid suaimhneach go leor. Bíonn mol mór mothúcháin againn an t-am ar fad, agus ní seo an t-am le dearmad a dhéanamh ar sin. Léiríonn do mhothúcháin rud éigin duit agus tá sé tábhachtach fios a bheith agat go bhfuil gach uile ceann acu ceart go leor. Níl aon rud mícheart duit os rud é go n-airíonn tú faiteach nó faoi bhrú nó aon mhothúchán eile. Children, teachers, school staff and parents will all be feeling lots of different emotions right now. Some people might be really excited to get back into some sense of normality. Some people might be feeling the complete opposite and a lot of us may not know exactly what we’re feeling. We might feel excited one minute, worried the next, angry, emotional, sad we have a huge spectrum of emotions that we could be feeling and every one of them is OK. Every emotion you could possibly feel at any given moment is OK. Le déanaí bhí mé in suíomh a scanraigh mé. Bhí beirt i ndiaidh a insint dom go raibh gach rud ceart go leor anois ach bhí a fhios agam féin nach raibh sé. Bhí eagla an domhain orm. Chuaigh mé abhaile an oíche sin agus in ionad neamhairde a dhéanamh ar an mothúchán sin mar a rinne mé iomaí uair cheana chuir mé glaoch ar bheirt chara liom. D’éist siad liom, thug siad tacaíocht dom agus mhothaigh mé i bhfad níos fearr. Ní hea go raibh an faitíos imithe ach thuig mé nach raibh aon rud mícheart leis agus mhothaigh mé níos fearr faoi agus fios agam go raibh tacaíocht agam. Recently I was in a situation that made me really scared. I had had two people tell me beforehand that I should be fine and that it was all over but it wasn’t. I was still terrified. I went home that night and instead of doing what I have done too often in the past and ignoring my feelings and pretending they weren’t there I acknowledged them and I cried, I called some people that I knew would be supportive and after talking to both of them I felt so much better. I wasn’t not afraid anymore but I felt more in control and I felt more supported. Neither of the people I had spoken to had judged me and I felt like I had processed what I was feeling. An t-aon rud atá le déanamh leis na mothúcháin ná iad a mhothú. Mothaigh é go dtí go bhfuil do sháith agat dó agus ansin tabhair na rudaí fisiciúla atá thart ort faoi deara. Smaoinigh ar an gcaoi go n-airíonn do lámh. Smaoinigh ar an gcaoi go n-airíonn do thóin ar an suíochán, do chosa ar an talamh. Táimid in ann dáileáil leis an méid atáimid in ann dáileáil leis agus sin a bhfuil faoi! Ní fiú dúinn brú a chur orainn féin níos mó a dhéanamh mar ní oibróidh sé. Agus tá sé sin mar an gcéanna do dhaoine óga freisin! The only way to deal with any emotion we have is to feel it. Feel into it as much as you can and when you can’t anymore gently return your attention to the physical feeling of your body, feel your bum on the seat, your feet on the floor. We can only deal with and process what we can deal with and process and there is no need and no point in forcing anything. Má tá daoine beaga agaibh sa bhaile atá neirbhíseach faoin scoil inis dóibh go dtuigeann tú, go bhfuil na mothúcháin sin againn ar fad faoi láthair agus lig dóibh na mothúcháin seo a bheith acu. Más rud é go dtuigeann siad nach bhfuil aon rud cearr leo agus go bhfuil tú ann dóibh beidh siad go breá i ndiaidh tamaill. My advice to anyone with little ones or not so little ones at home that are struggling with the unknowns of what this school year will bring is to just sit with them. Tell them you know they’re struggling and that you are there to help them in any way you can. Sna hamanna sin nuair a airíonn tú ar nós nach bhfuil tú in ann don saol cabhraíonn sé más féidir leat díriú isteach ar an anáil agus cúpla anáil mhór fhada a thógáil isteach agus amach, más féidir leat labhairt le duine éigin nó más féidir leat damhsa! Is breá liom féin a bheith ag damhsa agus mar sin, sin an chéad rud a ritheann liom ach más féidir leat aon chineál aclaíochta nó bogadh a dhéanamh cabhróidh sé sin go mór! Cuirfidh sin an fuinneamh agus an fuil ag bogadh thart ionat agus mothóidh tú níos fearr. In times of overwhelm it can be really useful to focus on your breathing, to talk to someone about what you are feeling overwhelmed about or if you’re feeling up to it to dance! Moving your body can be the perfect thing that is needed to get some of the stagnant, not-moving energy within you flowing again and if you’re not a dancer a walk or a run or kicking a ball around the garden can really help too. Tá siúl agam go gcabhróidh cuid de na rudaí atá luaite agam anseo leat agus le do theaghlach le linn na hamanna aisteacha, doiligh seo. Beidh cúrsa Relax Kids ar siúl agam ar líne do theaghlaigh agus le linn an chúrsa labhróimid faoi rudaí éagsula gur féidir leat a dhéanamh le cabhrú le strus agus buaireamh. Beidh an cúrsa seo i mBéarla ach tá mé ag siúl le cúrsa Gaeilge a chur ar fáil go luath freisin. Tá na sonraí ar fad faoin gcúrsa Béarla ar fáil anseo agus tá spásanna teoranta. Cuirigí scéal chugam má tá aon cheist agaibh. I hope that some of these things may help you and your family during these difficult times. I will be running a 4 week online Relax Kids classes for families during September to help with the transition back to school. I will be going through all of these tips and giving you and your loved one plenty more to work with as well. All of the information is here and places are limited. Send me an email with any questions. Tá mé ag dul ar saoire (in Éirinn dár ndóigh)! Ní dóigh liom go raibh mé ag siúl le seachtain saor an méid seo le tamall fada! Cé nach raibh mé ag obair an-chuid ó lár mí an Mhárta bhí mé ag déanamh beagán oibre anseo is ansiúd. Chuaigh mé i dtaithí ar an dianghlasáil agus deireadh an dianghlasála agus mar atá luaite agam cheana agus mar atá a fhios agaibh féin tá neart strus ag baint leis sin ar fad! Agus le strus tagann tuirse! Tá mé spíonta amach is amach an tseachtain seo! Agus tá mé ag tabhairt cuid den locht go dtí an ghealach lán a bhí againn ar an Luan.
I am going on holidays (in Ireland of course)! And I don’t think I have been as excited for a holiday as much as I am now! Although I haven’t been doing a lot of work since mid-March I have been doing some all the time. I have also been dealing with the lockdown and moving house and coming out of lockdown which as we have explained on this blog before, is all very stressful! Which also means that it’s very tiring! And then we also had a full moon on Monday which is getting some of the blame for my exhaustion! An Aoine seo caite chuaigh mé ar ais go dtí an suíomh ina raibh an fear sin. Bheartaigh mé go raibh orm leanúint ar aghaidh mar a bhí mé mar muna ndearna mé sin bheadh an bua aige agus NÍ BHEIDH AN BUA AIGE! Ach fós féin bhí mé neirbhíseach ag dul ann. Tháinig fearg air nuair a labhair mé leis agus ba léir go raibh faitíos ar bheirt bhean eile roimhe freisin. Chuaigh mé ann agus bhain mé sult as an tráthnóna go dtí go raibh orm deileáil leis go díreach. Chuir mé miongháire orm féin agus lig mé orm féin go raibh mé go breá ach ar an taobh istigh ní raibh. Bhí mé míchompordach agus i ndiaidh nuair nach raibh mórán daoine eile thart bhí faitíos orm go ndéanfaidh sé ionsaí orm sa charrchlós. Rith mé ó dhoras an ionaid go dtí an carr. Last Friday I went back to the place that I knew I would see that man I had had to speak to. I had decided that Ihad to keep going because if I didn’t then he won and by God HE WILL NOT WIN! But I was still nervous going. I had seen him get angry and get angry at me when I spoke to him and the two women who know what happened are clearly afraid of him themselves. But I went and I enjoyed the evening until I had to deal with him directly, but even so I painted a smile on my face and I pretended that I was fine but on the inside I was anyhng but. I was uncomfortable and as there weren’t many people around I was afraid that he would or could attack me in the carpark. I ran from the door of the centre to the car. Chuaigh mé abhaile agus chaoin mé. I ndiaidh a labhair mé leis tháinig fearg air agus d’úsáid duine eile an focal ‘volatile’ le cur síos a dhéanamh air. Níl mé ag iarraidh fáil amach céard go d’fhéadfaidh sé a dhéanamh. I ndiaidh neart smaointeoireachta a dhéanamh air bheartaigh mé gur ceart dom labhairt le duine níos airde ná mé agus iarraidh orthu labhairt leis ach. I went home and I cried. When I had spoken to him he had become angry, someone else described him as volatile. I didn’t want to find out what he was capable of. After overthinking the whole thing again I decided that I should speak to someone in authority and ask them to speak to him. Ach tá tuirse orm. Tá easpa fuinnimh agam. Tá mé i ndiaidh mo chuid a dhéanamh agus anois caithfidh mé dul agus brú a chur ar dhaoine eile rud éigin a dhéanamh? Tuigim gur seo mar atá an saol do mhná leis na cianta agus má táimid leis sin a athrú caithfimid troid ina choinne ach tá mé scriosta agus níl fonn orm dul i mbun cainte arís faoi. Bhí mé ar ais sa suíomh céanna leis arís an tseachtain seo ach bhí mé i ndiaidh cinnte a dhéanamh nach mbeadh mé ag imirt leis agus os rud é nach raibh orm fiú breathnú air agus go raibh níos mó daoine thart mhothaigh mé i bhfad níos fearr. But I’m really tired. I have no energy and I’ve done a lot but I still have to continue fighting and demanding that someone else does something? I understand that this is what happens and that women have to fight for this all the time, especially if we want anything to change but I really don’t want to talk about it again. I just don’t want to do anything else. I have been back again this week and with more people around and me having made sure that I won’t have to directly deal with him I felt much better. Thóg sé i bhfad barraíochta spáis i mo chloigeann agus tá mé spíonta dá bharr. Má tá orm rud eile a dhéanamh amach anseo déanfaidh mé é ach faoi láthair níl mé in ann. Him and his bad behaviour has already taken up too much, enough of my mental space and I’m wreaked as a result. If I have to do something else at some point I will but right now I just don’t have the energy or the desire. Tá cuid díom ag rá gur ceart dom dul go na Gardaí le go mbeidh rud éigin oifigiúil ann agus gur ceart dom brú a chur ar dhaoine níos airde labhairt leis le cinnte a dhéanamh nach dtarlóidh sé d’éinne eile agus tuigim an cuid sin díom go hiomlán. Mar bhean sílim go bhfuil dualgas orm seasamh suas i gcoinne a leithéid d’iompar ach sheas. Chuir mé stop lena chuid cainte liomsa. Rinne mé an rud a bhí ag teastáil domsa ag an am sin agus tá mé bródúil as agus anois caithfidh mé aire a thabhairt dom féin. Má leanaim orm ag troid caillfidh mé fuinneamh agus misneach go hiomlán. Part of me is saying that I should go to the Gardaí to make sure there is an official statement about him and that I should get someone in authority to speak to him to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else, and I understand that part of me. As a woman I feel like I have a responsibility to other women to do what I can to stop this behaviour but I did. I stood up to him. I’ve told him that what he said to me isn’t acceptable and that has to be enough. I don’t have the energy o do anything else. That is enough. If I keep fighting when I have nothing left to give then I’ll lose faith and courage altogether. Rud mór a d’fhoghlaim mé ón aireachas ná a bheith airdeallach orm féin agus ar an gcaoi go n-airím agus faoi láthair tá mé spíonta amach is amach! Agus níl fonn troda orm a thuilleadh. Tá mé i ndiaidh cinnte a dhéanamh nach leanfaidh an drochiompair ar aghaidh agus anois tá sé in am dom aire a thabhairt dom féin. Tá mé i ndiaidh líne a tharraingt thíos faoi agus más gá tiocfaidh mé ar ais chuige agus muna ní thiocfaidh. One of the main things I have gotten from my mindfulness practice is the ability and importance of listening to myself. I just don’t feel like fighting anymore. I don’t feel like I can. I need to rest so that is what I am going to do – and I think I deserve a nice pat on the back for not only realising that but also doing it! Agus mar sin a chairde, tá mé ag siúl go mór le mo sheachain saor! Tá mé faoi strus ag rud amháin nó rud eile le míonna agus anois tá sos uaim ón rud ar fad! Tá mé ag siúl le cúpla lá ar a laghad gan an fón a bheith ar siúl agus le bheith go hiomlán i láthair in pé áit a bheidh mé! Agus nuair a thiocfaidh mé ar ais beidh mé réidh le tabhairt faoin saol i gceart arís! Tá siúl agam. So there you have it one of the few reasons I am wreaked and totally in need of this holiday! I am looking forward to a few days without the phone and not looking at emails and then when I get back I’ll be ready to throw myself back into work properly! Bhuel, I hope so! Bhí orm comhrá deacair a bheith agam an tseachtain seo. Bhuel, ní comhrá go díreach a bhí ann ach bhí orm iarraidh ar fhear gan labhairt liom de bharr drochrudaí a bhí ráite aige liom. Bhí faitíos an domhain orm agus mé len é a dhéanamh agus mar sin, bhí mol mór cleachtadh déanta agam i mo chloigeann ach fós féin rinne mé dearmad ar chuile rud agus mé ag seasamh os a chomhair.
I had to have a difficult conversation this week. Bhuel, it wasn’t exactly a conversation it was more me telling a man that had been inappropriate to me that that wasn’t OK. I was so nervous even thinking about it so I had rehearsed a million times in my head what I would say to him but even still, standing in front of him everything I had rehearsed went clean out of my head. Ar bhonn bitheolaíochta luíonn sin go hiomlán le ciall ach ar dtús, beagán réamheolais. Biologically this makes perfect sense, but first some context. Is fear é seo a bhím thart air ar bhonn sóisialta agus le linn an dianghlasála dúirt sé rud éigin aisteach agus sách gránna liom. Ghabh sé leithscéal nuair a dúirt mé leis nach raibh sé sách maith agus dúirt sé go raibh ábhar grinn aisteach aige. Anois feicim sa fíorshaol é agus an tseachtain seo caite dúirt sé rud éigin go hiomlán as bealach liom agus stán mé air. ‘Is maith liom an mála sin’ a dúirt sé go sciobtha. This is a man that I see in a social setting. During the lockdown he had been contacting me a lot, despite telling me that he wasn’t interested in my romantically and that he had a partner. I got at least two messages a week from him, which I answered but I never initiated it. One of the messages was really weir and a bit gross. He wrote it off as a weird sense of humour and apologised. Week 2 of being back in the social situation that I know him in and he said something completely out of order to me. When I stared at him in response he winked at me and said ‘I like the bag.’ Bhí a fhios agam ag an am go raibh mé míchompordach leis ach lean mé ar aghaidh leis an méid a bhí ar bun againn. Céard eile a bhí le déanamh...? An lá dár gcionn bhí mé ag labhairt le duine eile faoi agus nuair a chonaic mé a haghaidh i ndiaidh gur chuala sí an méid a dúirt sé thuig mé go raibh sé go hiomlán as ord agus mícheart. Bhí an darna ráitis níos measa ná an chéad cheann agus níl mé ag iarraidh smaoinimh ar an méid go d’fhéadfaidh tarlú. Bhí a fhios agam go raibh orm stop a chur leis. Ach conas? Is iomaí oíche i ndiaidh sin a chaith mé ag smaoineamh air. I knew at the time that I wasn’t comfortable with what he had said but I just went back to what we had been doing. What else was I supposed to do...? the next day I mentioned what he said to someone else and the look of disgust and horror on her face made me realise how wrong it had been for him to say that to me. This second statement from him had been worse than the first and I don’t and didn’t want to think about where it was going so I knew I had to stop it, but how? And this question rolled around my head for about four nights. Bheartaigh mé go labhróinn leis an chéad uair eile go bhfeicfinn é; Dé Luain a shíl mé ach bhí sin athraithe go dtí an Chéadaoin. Cúpla oíche eile gan chodail, a smaoinigh mé, ag oibriú amach céard go díreach go ndearfainn leis, buartha faoin bhfreagra a bheidh aige. Ansin mhol duine éigin dom labhairt le duine eile a bhíonn sa suíomh céanna leis agus liom. Bhí faitíos orm labhairt léi ach thuig sí go hiomlán. Thug sí tacaíocht dom. Phlé muid céard go d’fhéadfaidh mé a dhéanamh agus chuir sí bean eile ar an eolas freisin, bean eile a dúirt ‘ní raibh tú compordach agus mar sin ní raibh an méid a dúirt sé ceart go leor’. Ní raibh ceist ann faoi. Ar deireadh, bheartaigh muid gur ceart dom labhairt leis. Labhairt leis agus daoine thart orainn agus in áit gheal... I decided that I would confront him the next time I saw him, on Monday, I thought. But Monday was then changed to Wednesday and unable to face another night of no sleep and under the advisement of another woman I spoke to someone who is in the same group myself and this man are both in. I was nervous telling her what had happened or how I felt because you never know how someone will react to something but she gave me her full support. She never questioned what I said and between the two of us we decided that I should speak to him as I felt comfortable (bhuel, relatively comfortable) talking to him. Chomh luath is a bhí deis agam ar an gCéadaoin, tharraing mé ar leataobh é, bhreathnaigh mé sa siúl aige agus dúirt mé leis nach raibh mé compordach leis an méid a bhí ráite aige liom. ‘Céard a dúirt mé?’ a d’fhiafraigh sé. D’inis mé dó nach raibh mé len é a athrá dó ach amach anseo le cinnte a dhéanamh nach dtarlóidh sé arís níl sé le labhairt liom arís. ‘An ea an rud sin a dúirt mé mar gheall ar an mala?’ Iontas na n-iontas bhí a fhios aige. D’éirigh sé feargach ansin agus d’iarr sé orm labhairt leis níos moille. Dhiúltaigh mé agus mhínigh mé leis arís nach raibh muid ag caint a thuilleadh. Chuaigh muid ar ais go dtí an cuid eile den ghrúpa agus chuir mé miongháire ar m’aghaidh, in aithneoinn an crith i mo lámha agus mo ghuth. Bhí sé déanta agam agus ní raibh mé ach bródúil! As soon as I had the chance on Wednesday I took him to the side, looked him in the eye and told him what he had said had been inappropriate and that it had made me very uncomfortable. ‘What did I say?’ he asked. I refused to tell him and I told him that it wouldn’t happen again because he was no longer allowed to speak to me. ‘Is it that thing I said about the bag?’ Look at that. He did know what he had said. Surprise surprise. His voice changed then and he was angry. He demanded that we talk about it later. I refused and repeated that he wasn’t allowed speak to me anymore. We went back to the bigger group and I painted a smile on my face to counteract the shake in my voice and my hands. I’d done it! Agus anois an cuid bitheolaíochta. Nuair atáimid faoi strus níl an cuid dár inchinn a dhéanann an smaointeoireacht dúinn, an prefrontal cortex i bhfeidhm. Nuair a thuigeann ár gcolainn gur faoi strus atáimid síleann sé go gcaithfimid rith ar shiúil nó troid le cinnte a dhéanamh go dtiocfaimid slán sábhalta as an suíomh. Mar sin, nuair a bhí mé ag labhairt leis bhí neart fuinnimh agam, bhí go leor leor fuil i mo mhatáin agus bhí mé lán aidréanalín ach ní raibh mé in ann smaoineamh. And now for the biology. When we are stressed the part of our brain that we use to think cannot function. Our bodies go into fight, flight or freeze mode when we are stressed so when I was talking to him I had lots of adrenaline coursing through my body but my ability to remember what I wanted to say had vanished. Má smaoiníonn tú siar go dtí an uair dheireanach go raibh tú faoi strus ag déanamh scrúdaithe. Bhí staidéar déanta agat agus bhí an t-eolas agat ach os comhair an pháipéir d’imigh an t-eolas sin ar fad as do chloigeann. Is rud nádúrtha é. Agus is rud é sin a shábháil tú nuair a bhí muid amuigh ag bailiú bi siar siar siar sna blianta ach ní rud róchabhrach dúinn anois agus muid faoi strus ag rudaí eile; faoi strus ag an obair, faoi strus airgeadais, faoi strus ama. Leis an sochaí agus an domhan mar atá siad táimid ag maireachtáil faoi strus an chuid is mó den am agus is olc an rud é don sláinte. If you think about the last time you were stressed in an exam. You had studied and you had some idea what you should right but sitting in front of the paper you couldn’t remember a thing. it’s completely natural and it is the thing that saved you from bears and the like when we were hunter gatherers but it’s not so useful now. In the world today we are more likely to be stressed about money, work, a lack of time and none of these things require us to fight, run or freeze in order to survive. People nowadays are living in constant stress which is bad for our health. Nuair atáimid faoi strus déanann an colainn go leor leor aidréanailín agus cortisol agus ní rudaí maithe iad na hormóin seo má tá siad ionann an t-am ar fad. Nuair a bhíonn tú ag cleachtadh aireachais a rud a tharlaíonn ná go laghdóinn an strus agus muid dírithe isteach ar an anáil agus is féidir leis an prefrontal cortex téigh ar ais go dtí an áit a bhí sé agus oibríonn sé go maith. Mar sin, má tá tú in suíomh strusmhar, má tá cúpla cleachtadh agat leis an strus a laghdú déanfaidh siad maitheas de do shláinte fhisiciúil agus beidh tú in ann smaoineamh i gceart chomh maith. When you are stressed your body makes lots of cortisol and adrenalin which is pumped around our body. These hormones can be toxic to us when we have a constant supply of them in our blood. When you practice mindfulness we can reduce the stress we are under. When you meditate you are focusing on your physical experience in that moment in time, or you are focusing on a phrase or a mantra. Doing this lowers our stress levels and returns our prefrontal cortex back to where it is supposed to be. So when you are in a stressful situation, if you have some tools or tricks to help you lower your stress levels this is good for you physically and it will help you to think more clearly in that moment as well. Bím ag múineadh na scileanna seo le linn mo ranganna le daoine óga agus daoine fásta agus má tá suim agat iontu bígí i dteagmháil liom. It is these skills that I teach during my classes, to adults and children to send me a message if you are interested in learning more about them. |
AuthorKatie McGreal, bunaitheoir Solas Relaxation/the founder of Solas Relaxation Archives
October 2020
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