Your kitchen: is it a place to work or relax in?

Published by Alison Wem on

A kitchen is often the centre of a home. For women, typically it is a place of work where they prepare meals, do the ironing, help children with their homework or do other domestic chores. For me I also write my blog sitting at the kitchen table. It is not a room I would think to relax in.

All of that has changed since I found Onitani at the London Mind, Body, Spirit exhibition earlier in the year. They gave a live demo of their healing music and I felt compelled to buy their CD. Now at the end of the working day I put their music on in the kitchen when I prepare dinner. It changes my work room into one for relaxation. My sometimes tired or hassled brain relaxes and then my body loses its tension. It makes me a better dinner companion.  Music can definitely change your mood and make you feel more relaxed.

Thank you Bettina and Tino Mosca-Schütz.

Bettina and Tino are from Switzerland. They met in 2001 when they both joined a choir as singer and the conductor. They both have a love of music. Since 2011 they have worked together as ONITANI, the moving soul music created in the moment which touches the hearts of their hearers. Bettina sings in the language of the soul, Tino creates the musical dimension with synthesizers and earth tone flutes.

Here is an example of their music 

For more information and CDs go to their website. It is in German but can be translated using bing or google translators. www.onitani.com

 

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Emotions

Moments of Peace: Simple Daily Rituals for Inner Calm

Life can feel so busy that it can be a challenge to find a few moments of calm, especially for women balancing full-on lives filled with work, family, and personal responsibilities. However, incorporating simple daily rituals into your routine can create pockets of peace, helping you stay centred and grounded. These practices are easy to integrate into your everyday life and can be powerful tools for cultivating inner peace and mindfulness. They include:

  • Morning mindfulness practice
  • Gratitude journaling
  • Mindful movement
  • Tea or coffee ritual
  • Evening wind-down routine.

Let’s have a look at them in a little more detail.

Morning Mindfulness Practice

Starting your day with a moment of mindfulness can set a calm, intentional tone. Begin each morning with five minutes of meditation or deep breathing. Sit quietly, focus on your breath, and allow your thoughts to settle. Some people do this at the end of their bathroom washing routine. Mindfulness helps reduce anxiety, improve focus, and encourage a peaceful mindset.

Consider using a mantra or prayer during your meditation for added spiritual depth. A simple phrase like “I am at peace” can help ground you and foster a positive mindset.

Gratitude Journaling

Gratitude journaling shifts your focus from stress to positivity. Each morning or evening, take a few moments to write down three things you’re grateful for. These can be as simple as a warm drink or as meaningful as a supportive conversation with a loved one.

Regular gratitude practice has been shown to improve mood and enhance overall well-being. Over time, this ritual fosters a positive outlook on life, increasing awareness of the small joys around you.

Mindful Movement

Physical movement connects the mind and body. Yoga or stretching can release tension while promoting mental clarity. Even a 10-minute yoga session can improve your mood.

Walking meditation is another option. Instead of rushing, take a mindful walk and focus on the sensations around you, the ground under your feet, the breeze, or the sounds of nature. This brings you into the present moment and fosters relaxation.

Tea or Coffee Ritual

Try turning your daily tea or coffee into a mindful ritual. Take time to savour your drink’s smell, taste, and warmth. Be fully present in the experience, using it as a moment of self-care and calm in your busy day. You can do this at work or home.

This simple mindfulness exercise helps slow your racing mind down and lets you find peace in ordinary moments.

Evening Wind-Down Routine

A calming evening routine helps transition from the day’s busyness to restful sleep. Create a ritual that signals your mind and body to unwind. Light a candle, diffuse essential oils, or take a warm bath to relax.

Adding a short meditation or reading a peaceful book can help quiet the mind before bed, allowing you to release the day’s stress and prepare for restful sleep.

Embrace Rituals for Peace

Daily rituals offer a powerful way to cultivate inner peace, providing moments of mindfulness and calm. You don’t have to do all of these. Choose the ones that appeal to you or fit well with your daily routine. By integrating simple practices like mindfulness, gratitude, and movement into your daily routine, you can build a foundation for spiritual well-being and balance. These rituals foster relaxation and help you connect more deeply with yourself, bringing peace into your everyday life.

Emotions

How do I show myself love and compassion?

So often in our world the emphasises is on achievements. Loving yourself can feel like a radical act. Yet, self-love is the cornerstone of mental well-being and personal growth. But,

How do you love yourself?

For me, the key things to embrace are;

  • Acknowledge your worth
  • Practice self-care
  • Set boundaries
  • Embrace imperfection
  • Celebrate your uniqueness.

The very first step in loving yourself is to acknowledge your value. It is not about your successes or failures but more about your inherent worth. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses no matter how small you feel they may be. Sometimes being that person in the family who notices when someone needs a helping hand has enormous worth.

Don’t underate yourself.

Practicing self-care is about taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental health. Most of this is simple and basic such as ensuring you get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, and engage in regular physical activity.

Prioritise activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

Examples might include reading, gardening and spending time with those you love.

Loving yourself means respecting your own limits so you need to define your boundaries and hold them. Learn to say no to things that drain your energy or compromise your values. Surround yourself with people who uplift and support you. Setting healthy boundaries protects your well-being and fosters better relationships.

No-one is perfect. We all have imperfections so rather than berate yourself, accept that making mistakes is a natural part of life. When you make a mistake be kind to yourself as you would for a friend. Do remember….

It is alright to be work in progress.

There are things you can do to help you with self-love such as,

  • Mindfulness
  • Don’t listen to the negative inner talk
  • Celebrate your uniqueness
  • Forgive and be kind to yourself
  • Get help if you need it.

These approaches to living your life help you to love yourself more easily.

Mindfulness helps you to feel your emotions and let them go, not to judge yourself and gives you strategies such as deep breathes to help you manage yourself. This will help you to increase your self-awareness and reduce stress.

Negative self-talk can seriously affect your self-esteem. Try to replace it with positive supportive messages. What would you say to a dear friend who is struggling? Say this to yourself. Overtime this wonderful inner kind person can help to transform your life.

You are a wonderful person so embrace what makes you unique. It is those things that make you who you are. Don’t compare yourself to others.

Your journey is yours alone and you get to decide the pace at which you want to go.

Holding onto past mistakes or regrets can hinder your ability to love yourself fully. Be kind to yourself;

Forgive your mistakes, learn and move forwards.

If all of this becomes overwhelming, know it’s alright to seek help whether it is from trusted and loving family, a friend or a professional. Talking is so good to help you gain perspective on your life, strengthen your self-love and to decide how to move forwards.

Loving yourself is a lifelong journey, not a destination.

Be patience, practice, and be persistent. You can cultivate a deeper sense of self-compassion. Know you are deserving of love, kindness, and respect—especially from yourself.

Emotions

Are you or someone you love lonely?

On the whole, other people are not very interested in what you do. Yet naturally humans are tribal. They feel happier and safer living in groups, be it family or a community.

Are you or any of your loved ones lonely?

With population movement becoming common for career opportunities and to find affordable housing, family groups are becoming scattered.

People are becoming more dependent on community or good neighbours.

It takes time and effort for a community to form and grow. Community is not only your local area but can embrace groups of likeminded people such as an interest in yoga, football, history and many other interests.

Since the pandemic volunteering has dropped by 7%.

Volunteers are often the backbone of charities and not-for-profit organisations. Yet volunteering is also beneficial to the volunteers who feel more life satisfaction. It is also an opportunity to connect with other people and feel you are making a contribution. There is no upper age limit to volunteering.

An epidemic of loneliness has generated the misguided idea that romantic love is the only solution to loneliness.

Loneliness is generated by insufficient social contact and there are many other solutions than a romantic partner. Yet I know how painful loneliness can be. Unexpectedly widowed in my 40s, I fell out of the married club. Dinner parties and outings with three can be awkward and often don’t work. As a widow, I had to find myself again and seek out communities that I could comfortably find a place in.

Remember there are many solutions to loneliness.

Smart people struggle with loneliness like all of us.

In my experience, I have seen smart young people throw so much of their energy and time into their careers that there is little left for their social life. The individual finds the invites to gatherings fall away leaving them isolated.

Of course, many of us have made mistakes in managing our own well-being and ensuring sufficient human contact each day. Recognising it is the first step to fixing it.

Loneliness can hit us at any age.

Loneliness often happens when change occurs in our lives. This can include a change in school, going to university, leaving home for the first time, new job, becoming a stay at home parent, move of home, retirement and old age.

None of us are immune to loneliness

Each of us needs to take ownership of ensuring we have friends, neighbours, community members or family to chat to.

Each of us can also consciously help someone who is lonely to feel less alone. A chat with a stranger in the street might be the only conversation they have that day. It is amazing what a smile and a friendly comment can do to break the ice. It is surprisingly powerful.

Becoming a great listener is an amazing contribution to the wellbeing of humanity