Wonderful Wednesday #204

{words of wisdom and beautifully 'rare too rare!' sunshine}

I'm not going to lie, i'm a little sad that this weeks post isn't going up on the 1st of February because that would make ALL of the neat and tidy parts of my heart and soul happy.  But then i thought to myself, if you don't need a great big dose of good and great and happy on this, the 31,000th 31st day of January {and what might go down in history as the l-o-n-g-e-s-t feeling January of my life to date!} then really when do you?!

These past seven days haven't been my finest.  I can't seem to shake the grey cloud above my head lately and blaming it all and SOLELY down to this everlasting month of not enough daylight and not enough green!  That said, if you follow along with me and my {often} crumpet-shaped musings over on Twitter, you'll know that i've actually been off work since last Friday.  That's right and i'm STILL feeling glum!  Less glum, if that helps.  But nonetheless glum and grey.  More than ever i've spent this time looking after Me and mostly sleeping and using it as a mini-hibernation and chance to reboot and be ready for a new month.  I'm hoping that as if by magic i'll emerge with glowing skin, a new lease of life and that i'll almost have to squint because everything will be so green and blue!  What do you mean i live in a dream world??  Leave me alone it's NICE here!

 Like the broken #wonderfulwednesday record that i am, gratitude most often comes from the darkest of places {bit dramatic, it's just the January blues y'all} and i've said it once and i'm saying it again:  I find the dig-deep type weeks and those that aren't as rose-y and pose-y and lovely are the ones where this post comes into it's own and helps me so much.  This weekly list and the little community of lovely #wonderfulwednesday -ers i've collected over the years just warms my heart and soul through and through!  Hands up if you think we should have #wonderfulwednesday tshirts!!!!!!  Okay so i digress.....

Let's get listin'...

1.  Self belief.  I mean i have glimmers of the stuff every now and then.  I sometimes squint and think, can i do this do i know what i'm doing?!  But you know what, it's a hard skill to master.  I'm good at playing the role of someone who has their stuff together on the day to day even if inside me i'm flailing a little.  Sometimes though, all it takes is an outsider looking in:  Someone who sees you in a different way.  It sometimes takes someone else's words to make you truly believe you know more and are worth more than you ever really think you are.  You know?

2.  Inspiration.  An odd point to celebrate since as i'm only at point number two and already i've done nothing but moan about the length and grey-ness that January is.  But you know, wherever you find that inspiration, whatever it is; hold onto it tight!  Put it in your pocket, the one closest to your heart and save it up for when you're having a wobble and for when you think you can't.  Because as my mum always says:  'There's no such word as can't.'  

3.  Hummus.  Because where would i be without that dreamboat in my life?!  And would you believe it i'd kind of forgotten about it lately.  THE HORROR.  Fear not, i fixed it by eating TWO kinds of hummus with Tuesday afternoons lunch by way of apology to The Hummus Gods:  Minty pea hummus {Spring in a spoonful:  All fresh and green and HEAVEN with feta or ricotta} and my trusty Yellow Split pea and Turmeric hummus {sunshine on a PLATE}.  I know what you are thinking and yes, yes i really DO know how to party....

4.  Birdsong.  Is it just me or lately, are the birds singing more loudly than usual?!  Now i'm no ornithologist but maybe they're just back from their Winter break or are maybe just maybe they're as excited about the start of Spring as you and I?! Either way, lately i've been loving lying in bed and listening along to the sweet chirrups.  I even stopped mid-a million laps of the park on Monday, just to listen to nothing but their sweet songs.  So pretty!

5.  Crumpets.  Yep that's right, off work weeks mean if you cut me open i'll pretty much be 50% crumpet and 50% tea.  I haven't eaten crumpets for breakfast in what feels like forever.  If i'm at work they just don't fill me up for long enough and so i tend to eat porridge as my breakfast.  But if i'm at home, i tend to wake later, eat later and find that they're the perfect 'too much not too much' type of breakfast.  They're mostly always piled high with nut butter {this weeks has been crunchy peanut and seeded butter} and as much sliced banana as i can precariously balance on top without feeling like it might topple off.  

6.    Sleep.  I could actually list this as one of my very favourite things to do in the whole wide world.  I'm a simple soul at heart {despite what the endless Anthropologie wish-lists would have you believe!} and really, if we're being honest; as long as i've had enough sleep and i'm not hungry and there's some kind of tea in plentiful supply, well then i'm happy.  These past few days i've slept like it's an Olympic sport:  After such a busy Christmas and New Year and then a really busy and often emotionally draining January; i just wanted to rest and recharge as much as could and i don't feel one shred of guilt because of it.  

7.  Stripes.  So what if i'm a huge great big walking and talking almost Spring cliche´?!  I mean i love stripes all year round but there is something about wearing them in Spring that feels right and proper and appropriate?!  This year i'm somehow oddly drawn to all things monochrome which; for a Liberty print-loving colour-clasher such as myself, has proven quite the U-turn and a revelation!  Don't worry.  Me and my mad colour combinations aren't going anywhere fast!  I'm not sure if it's the fact i've been wearing berets all winter long and suddenly i think i'm Parisian and minimal and chic.  Either way:  Stripes forever!

8.    Quiet. Just incase you needed any other reason to have you believe i'm the absolute heart and soul of ALL of the parties, then this really is it!  Yes there is a place in my heart for loud 'sing at the top of your lungs/dance around the house until you're all danced out' 'noise' but equally there is a very special place in my heart for the sound of nothing.  Not even birdsong!  The sound of nothing but the inhale and exhale of you breathing and the stillness of that exact moment.  Sometimes it's all you need to reset and recharge.  Now if someone could kindly teach me the art of turning off the thoughts inside my head completely i'd be very grateful!

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And it's all done and dusted for another #wonderfulwednesday list!  Don't forget to skip right on over to  Jo, Helen, Michelle, Sarah, Kate, Cat, Sam, El , Kerri's, and Peta's blogs for an extra #wonderfulwednesday fix!  Like i said, i can't think of a time you might need a dose of happy more than the very last day of January!  You can also share what's been propelling you through this week below in the comments section - or shout if you've written a similar post and we can read and share it with the rest of the world too!

I'm off to count the hours minutes and seconds until the end of this month make some supper and then i have a hot date with a shower and a face mask. I might even mix some tea and biscuits into the mix.....because you all know how much i like to party over here! 

Sending love and #wonderfulwednesday -shaped kisses!