Some months ago now, I decided that it might be a good idea to give myself a facial massage as I applied the only 'beauty' care I can be bothered with, which is a daily application of 'face' cream after my morning wash.
The cream itself is generally the body lotion I buy (Aldi's Lacura, very nice constituency and perfume and very reasonably priced) or toiletry gifts from the family.
I've taken to really massaging it in with my fingertips, on my forehead, nose, chin etc and, as I rub it into my cheeks, I've been performing facial contortions to stretch all my muscles
This includes opening my mouth very wide. (I watched a recent programme on sleep, hosted by Eamonn Holmes and his wife, which advocated this to help avoid snoring of all things!)
The process looks similar to an exercise for facial muscles which I read about many years ago. It was called 'The Lion'. The bathroom mirror reflection reminds me of the Cumbrian practice of 'gurning', ie not a pretty sight!
Honestly, I think the results may be speaking for themselves because people keep telling me I look really well (which is somewhat of a rarity and, almost certainly, a euphemism for 'slightly better than usual'!).
When you come to think about it, our faces are the most exposed parts of our bodies so every little help, maybe not to rejuvenate them, (that may well be a bridge too far for any cream and any amount of muscle stretching) but to give them a bit of a boost.
Tuesday, 12 February 2019
Friday, 4 January 2019
About parents and children - and who rules the roost
Dear Parents,
Please do not let your children rule your roosts.
Assert your life-given authority when they misbehave, as virtually all children will. When they are given firm boundaries, they will feel secure, even though they may constantly push against them.
Do not feel that you always have to 'explain' to them or 'justify' your decisions and
rules. Some, maybe most, children can't deal with a lot of 'reasons'.
They certainly don't know why they do what they do a lot (maybe, most) of the time. My mother had a phrase for that sort of behaviour, which was "naughty impulses", (not to describe me, I hasten to add!)
Sometimes (maybe, often), "...because I say so" is good enough.
Please do not let your children rule your roosts.
Assert your life-given authority when they misbehave, as virtually all children will. When they are given firm boundaries, they will feel secure, even though they may constantly push against them.
Do not feel that you always have to 'explain' to them or 'justify' your decisions and
rules. Some, maybe most, children can't deal with a lot of 'reasons'.
They certainly don't know why they do what they do a lot (maybe, most) of the time. My mother had a phrase for that sort of behaviour, which was "naughty impulses", (not to describe me, I hasten to add!)
Sometimes (maybe, often), "...because I say so" is good enough.
Friday, 23 November 2018
About using mantras to help us deal with the hurts of life
In recent months, I have made an addition to my most frequently used mantra, ie
'Nothing's perfect; no-one's perfect' and it is, 'I'm not perfect!'
This has helped me quite a lot in situations where someone has hurt or upset me. I am not a person who can easily react when hurt. My reaction goes inwards and I brood and 'go over' the injustice or 'unfairness' as I perceive it and cogitate over what I might or could or should have said in response.
I often spend hours writing letters in my head (or sometimes on my notepad) which I rarely send. (On the few occasions when I have actually sent the letters, it has been known to backfire, although sometimes, with the right person, it can be constructive. *See below.)
If, however, in the ensuing moments of a hurtful (to me) incident, I manage to walk away and whisper to myself, "Well maybe I wouldn't have done or said that particular type of thing or behaved in that particular way, but there are many ways in which I fall short of what I believe is the right way to behave.
I have found that this can help to take away the sting.
(*It once took me five years to write a letter to a very close friend to explain how I had felt about a very stinging comment she had made. I was then really scared about what her response might be.
Almost by return of post, she sent me the most lovely reply with a very sincere apology and it restored our friendship to what it was - and still is today - so it can work.)
'Nothing's perfect; no-one's perfect' and it is, 'I'm not perfect!'
This has helped me quite a lot in situations where someone has hurt or upset me. I am not a person who can easily react when hurt. My reaction goes inwards and I brood and 'go over' the injustice or 'unfairness' as I perceive it and cogitate over what I might or could or should have said in response.
I often spend hours writing letters in my head (or sometimes on my notepad) which I rarely send. (On the few occasions when I have actually sent the letters, it has been known to backfire, although sometimes, with the right person, it can be constructive. *See below.)
If, however, in the ensuing moments of a hurtful (to me) incident, I manage to walk away and whisper to myself, "Well maybe I wouldn't have done or said that particular type of thing or behaved in that particular way, but there are many ways in which I fall short of what I believe is the right way to behave.
I have found that this can help to take away the sting.
(*It once took me five years to write a letter to a very close friend to explain how I had felt about a very stinging comment she had made. I was then really scared about what her response might be.
Almost by return of post, she sent me the most lovely reply with a very sincere apology and it restored our friendship to what it was - and still is today - so it can work.)
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
About anchors
Everyone needs an anchor.
Without an anchor,
we can all so easily be swept away
in the tsunami of life.
Without an anchor,
we can all so easily be swept away
in the tsunami of life.
Friday, 16 November 2018
About men and women without each other
These two images came to mind recently.
A man without his loved one is like a coat without a body.
A woman without her loved one is like a body without a coat.
The first of the two may be based on a line in a poem I read in the magazine of the Poetry Society, many years ago, when I was a student at Liverpool University, which has always stayed with me.
"I am a coat on a hanger whose owner is never coming back."
I found that such a vivid image that I have never forgotten it.
These are very broad generalisations, but I feel that there is a certain poetic truth within them.
Some images from nature came into my mind.
Looking at fruit, in particular, an orange has a tough skin and tender fruit An apple has a 'not quite so tough' skin and a 'not quite so tough' fruit. It seems that the tenderness of the fruit complements the toughness of the skin.
The fruit without the skin is worthless, the orange dries up and the apple turns brown. The skins dry out, shrivel up and harden.
A man without his loved one is like a coat without a body.
A woman without her loved one is like a body without a coat.
The first of the two may be based on a line in a poem I read in the magazine of the Poetry Society, many years ago, when I was a student at Liverpool University, which has always stayed with me.
"I am a coat on a hanger whose owner is never coming back."
I found that such a vivid image that I have never forgotten it.
Some images from nature came into my mind.
Looking at fruit, in particular, an orange has a tough skin and tender fruit An apple has a 'not quite so tough' skin and a 'not quite so tough' fruit. It seems that the tenderness of the fruit complements the toughness of the skin.
The fruit without the skin is worthless, the orange dries up and the apple turns brown. The skins dry out, shrivel up and harden.
Maybe we could say bodies need coats and coats need bodies so maybe the corollary could be made that says men and women in general need each other.
Of course, as with all generalisations, this is never going to always be the case.
About the strengths of men and women
Women have a certain inner strength and men have a certain outer strength.
That is why we need each other.
I mean no disparagement to either
because, of course, men have inner strengths
and women have outer strengths.
I just liked the image.
That is why we need each other.
I mean no disparagement to either
because, of course, men have inner strengths
and women have outer strengths.
I just liked the image.
Wednesday, 31 October 2018
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