Embracing the Seasons: Autumn

Originally posted 24 November 2017

Dear Lovelies

Do you ever feel like you are not quite living in the present, often looking to the future rather than today for happiness and fulfilment? A heavy question to start a blog post with I know, but this is the realisation I came to at the beginning of the year. That my default setting seemed to be worry, about lots of different things and most often about what was yet to happen. My worry dial seemed to be set on ‘what if’.

I think I realised this after being exhausted and a little bit poorly over the Christmas break. I felt like I had just done too much in the lead up to the festive period, planning, making and spreading myself far too thin. I took myself off for a beautifully crisp and frosty walk on Hampstead Heath in the New Year, after the kids and my husband had gone back to school and work. I breathed deeply, looking all around me, enjoying the Winter landscape. I was so aware of the calmness of my breathing and my mind. My thoughts flowed steadily and I no longer felt overwhelmed. I felt like I was right there, in the present. I decided then that I needed to do this more, to take myself out of the everyday mundane and worry, to really see and enjoy the world around me.

My love of photography had already been growing, but I started to take my camera out with me everywhere, even into the garden, to capture everyday moments and changes. I had noticed the seasons before but not in such detail! The very beginnings of buds on the apple tree delighted me, seeing the fresh green shoots of spring bulbs bursting through the soil brought me such joy, and observing and hearing the birds nesting made my heart leap!

As you know if you have read this post, finding, experiencing and photographing this everyday magic around me has now become a big part of my life; helping to calm and centre me, making me more mindful of my thoughts, feelings and health. I haven’t stopped planning for the future, just living more in the present too. I haven’t stopped worrying about things. After all, a sense of anxiety tells us something may be wrong and we might need to take action. But my worry is more proportionate to the source of that anxiety. Of course I have my moments but yes, I do believe that I am a happier person and that is a marvellous thing, for me and my family!

Coming to that realisation earlier this year, becoming more present in the here and now, embracing the world around me, especially the seasonal shifts, set the wheels in motion and the cogs in my brain working towards me deciding to follow my dream of becoming a writer and beginning this creative journey as Lucylu dreams.

Now let’s talk about Autumn. What a beautiful season! I sometimes struggle with it at first though. The drop in temperature and the shorter, darker days come as a bit of a shock even though I am fully aware that these changes will be coming. But the unrivalled, unique splendour of Autumn eventually distracts me from the down sides and I welcome it with open arms. I also finally accept that I have to put the heating on and things immediately get cosier! My family and I have been out and about exploring our surroundings a great deal recently, and of course I have many pictures to show for it!

So I give you Autumn, through my eyes and my camera lens, with all it’s beauty, wonder, light and colour…

In Regent’s Park…

Hyde Park…

Just one from Richmond…

And Hampstead Heath, our wonderful green space not far from home, where many a Sunday has been spent walking, exploring, playing, hiding, sitting, photographing…

Are you enjoying Autumn too? Or are you somewhere far afield and enjoying a different season?

It is actually starting to feel distinctly Wintry here in the UK. There is a chill in the air and the days are so much shorter. Not long after the kids come home from school, we are closing the curtains on the darkness outside, lighting candles, turning the fairy lights on and snuggling up. Let’s see if I can embrace Winter too when it does arrive! I’ll keep you posted!

In the meantime lovelies, take care of yourselves!

So much love to you always,

Lucy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx