May Musings.....
- The Clean Cook
- May 22
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 12
I love writing the blog piece at the start of my weekly email but as with everything email, once it's sent it's gone, read or missed in the busyness of life.
A fleeting passing message but often the things I think about have way more longevity and use than weekly words, lost to the data overload .
So, I thought I'd pop this months blogs all together and really see where my heads been at, where my thoughts have been and where the focus has had to be to make this one precious life, one of thriving not surviving.
Enjoy.....
May Musings
Friday 2nd May 2025 Faith, Family, Friends & Frolicking Fun |
"I learned a new word this week 'Agnostic' (A person who believes that nothing is known or can be known with regards to the existence or nature of God) and whilst I'm not sure what I believe, religion wise, I do whole heartedly have an 'Earth Religion' and respect for the amazing resilience, power and beauty of all things nature and there lies my Faith. Going out every day and oohing and arrrring at Nature at the mo is pretty much a daily norm and I was even caught talking to cows on Sunday- well we're all Nature after all! The same guy who introduced me to the concept of living by the 4 Fs (Faith, Family, Friends and Frolicking and taking time to have Fun), is also a huge advocate of nature awe walks, just heading out for a walk, no agenda, just with the one question- "What can I learn from you today nature?...." an open ended Tardis of hope, joy, wonder and inner strength. Family and Friends are the corner stone but taking more time to really connect and show appreciation is certainly a challenge, so we're on a little mission to do mini kindnesses every day to show we care. Likewise, frolicking fun, bet most of us see it as a luxury but again the key is in the micro, more mini moments of laughter, dancing like no one is watching, getting caught talking to the animals ... you name it, lighten life a little, that's our mission too. Jon and Dylan make me laugh all the time and I'm totally grateful. I honestly wish everyone I know and don't a life full to the brim of these 4 Fs. There's no limit to how much happier it would make us. So I'm going right there. Big Love Michelle"
And weekend listen recommendation is definitely the modern day elder himself Chip Conley with Rich Roll, the originator of this wise philosophy. I just think there's gold in here for everyone at any stage of life. Chip helped transform AirBnB from a start up to a global phenomenon and is the founder of the Modern Elder Academy but above all else he is a joy to listen to and full of wisdom. His primary goal is redefining middle age and opening you up to potential, possibility and all the richness they bring. Thoroughly recommend |
Friday 9th May 2025 'Let Them- Let Me' and saying 'YES' to frolicking |
"Last week's blog was titled 'Faith, Family, Friends, Frolicking Fun'. Randomly I added Fun because I was a bit unsure how frolicking would be interpreted but actually when you read the dictionary definition of frolicking- play or move about in a cheerful and lively way- I'm like -YES! The world wholeheartedly needs so much more of that! Anyway, we prioritised all those Fs last weekend with a surprise trip back to Lincolnshire where our family live and thankfully, didn't give them heart attacks, just had fun and QT. I'm not going to lie, I find 'going back' hard and stressful in many ways and I don't just mean the journey but this time I'm so happy to say it was lovely and I attribute that to something I've been working at all year- my ability to breath out and 'Let Them'. It's from Mel Robbins' new book where she shares the pretty simple but immensely powerful philosophy of the 'Let Them' Theory. Implementing it can honestly positively transform relationships as I witnessed this weekend. If you 'Let them' be who they are and love them for who they are, you can then focus on step two- Let Me- Give up control on what I can't control to feel more in control of the only 3 things I really have any control over - what I think, what I do or don't do and how I process my emotions. The more I 'Let Them' the more I can say 'Let Me' and focus on my response and take more responsibility for my life through my chosen responses. So, here's to more 'Let Them' to enable more 'Let Me'. Big Love Michelle"
Here's a little interview where Mel headlines her theory https://youtu.be/XoMMLLtDVJY?si=su9uaUiHaCvW1NX2
And if you want a deeper dive, she was on with Dr Rangan Chattergee here
Book wise, plenty for sale on eBay second hand The Let Them Theory: The Life-Changing Paperback Transforming Millions | eBay UK
Powerful, bang for your buck stuff, certainly worthy of the weekend listen Enjoy |
Friday 16th May 2025 'Look how far you have come.' |
"Look how far you have come. You are a warrior and you are not yet done." This is written on our board this week, another beautiful part of a Donna Ashworth poem and playing tribute to Dylan who overcame a big fear this week and we are celebrating with him. "Shine your brave light brightly so your people will find you." There's another and relevant to us all in some way, at some point day in day out because we all know it takes bravery to change and grow and it is extremely hard and uncomfortable to start. Humans crave and move toward comfort naturally, seeking that instant gratification, rather than the lasting one that lies just on the other side of a bit of bravery and uncomfortable growth. Remember Robin Sharma's wise words "Every new thing that is truly worth it, is hard at the start, messy in the middle and glorious at the end." Also, most of us massively underestimate our ability and potential- FACT. So, whatever your fear is stopping you doing it's time to remember "Look how far you have come, You are a warrior, and you are not yet done." And trust in yourself do it. Big Love Michelle"
Here's the amazingly inspirational man himself with Davina on her podcast. He talks such sense and wisdom. There's so much gold in here for an uplifting, positive, action driven weekend listen I thoroughly recommend. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1hM8SeIeG6QucnIKkFfQyQ?si=sOPleVlHQICumVeOxPkgiQ
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Friday May 23rd 2025- ‘Everyone gets scars on their way to the stars' |
"And I have a big new scar on my back from my epic fall off the dumpy bags replanting raspberries this weekend.... Joking aside I love this saying, it depicts everything I love in a few simple words. Celebrating growth, healing, learning from mistakes, bumps in the road, sliding doors, the strength and knowledge acquired through pain, progress not perfection, loving the process not the prize, the beauty inside and out of aging even and everything having a light and dark. Honestly what beautiful conversations you could start with this statement. Try it this weekend, talk about and celebrate your scars as you continue on with your beautiful, unique, twisty turny, joyous, relentless, happy, tough, free flowing journey to the stars. Big Love Michelle"
In terms of weekend listens, here's the book I'm listening to atm and in a world that is becoming more unkind and hostile as fast as I type, there is such a need to keep talking, have our minds open and our knowledge and views broadened. It's not what we are fighting about, it's what we're fighting for. Conflict helps us really learn and understand what matters to people after all.
We have to seek to understand not to be understood.
Listen to Six Conversations We're Scared to Have by Deborah Frances-White on Audible. https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/1405551313?source_code=ASSOR150021921000V
And here's a podcast with Deborah Frances- White if you'd like a taster. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NF3y6PtlsNQzGjec4II6w?si=1bf46ef4486c40f0
She has her own Podcast too The Guilty Feminist – The comedy podcast hosted by Deborah Frances-White |
Friday May 30th 2025- 'What you expect, is what you get' |
"High expectations produce good results, low expectations produce poor ones- Fact What you expect you get and I think this is so linked to cherishing and trusting yourself. When I look after me others benefit, when I feel positive about things and myself I pass that positivity and those feelings onto others. I've spent time this month as you know working on 'letting them to let me' and it's helped me manage my emotions much better in stressful situations and I'm so grateful. My usual little chosen luxuries that calm me and always restore my faith in myself- my morning peace before the house wakes and time to exercise in the morning haven't been working and I needed a paradigm shift this week as you'll find out when you read/listen to Thursday Thoughts. After a bad patch you need to correctly pamper not punish and what I'd been doing was self-sabotage really and I'm glad I have good people in my life who I can talk 'my head' through with and the honesty with myself to see and positively act. Cherishing and trusting myself to do so. Michelle."
Weekend Listen Recommendation Neuroscientist Dr Ethan Kross is a leading expert on the science of emotion, self-talk and mental resilience and in this easy listen podcast he teaches simple science backed tools to teach us how to stop negative thoughts running our lives. There's gold in here for everyone I promise How to Stop Negative Thoughts & Reset Your Mind for Positive Thinking - Mel Robbins |
So there you have it, where my heads been at in the madness of May.
How was it for you?
I'd describe mine as 'Weathery' as they say in the mountains but really that's what make this journey called life unique in it's beauty.
These are just my thoughts.
And all the things I've had my listening and learning eyes and ears into too.
Recommendations for insight, inspiration and growth, all in one place, if time just ran away with you, they are here.
Be Brave, Be Strong, Be You, Stand on top of a Mountain and Believe you can do anything.
I believe in you.
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