Today: the day that was...

Today was one of those busy days where I simply didn't have time to stop and think. I got to work and ran and ran and ran. People to see, emails weren't sending externally, clients were unwell and needed urgent attention, tensions were increased all around. Lunch was a sneaky half packed of raspberry flavoured m&ms I really should have shared, with a banana scoffed down as a second thought. But when life gets like this, you just get through - don't you.

Running, huffing and complaining don't help. Snapping at a colleague is unhelpful also. Stressing about emails - why bother?

What does help? What was my life line today?

Only answering the phone calls coming in if paged to do so. Or during a designated half hour time frame twice during the day.

Eating those m&ms and enjoying them.

Getting a job application in and feeling proud!

Cycling home at a leisurely pace.

Playing netball and whipping our opponents.

Having the fella make a stellar healthy dinner of chicken soft tacos.

Watering my garden, taking time to smell the tomatoes and zucchinis.

Gosh, if only all challenges were so easily solved. If only all days were fixable! But tomorrow is a new day, more work to be done, feeling calm and having space to have another dose of perspective.

Speaking of perspective - what a view? Using a super ap which knits together images to create panoramas, this phone is sunset over the beautiful country side of Scone in rural NSW. We travelled to the area for a friend's wedding, and had the absolute privilege of staying on the bride's family farm overnight. Their property looking out over the hills, the sun was setting and the sky was fluid, mesmerising and seemingly untouchable. What a beautiful end to a day.

Hope your day has ended well, perhaps with a cup of tea (or gin and tonic).

Sanity slipping though my fingers...

Lots of changes are afoot here in our place. Change, as good as a holiday. For me, I don't mind new adventures. Others though resist change, dig their heels in and won't budge. My cat is such a sort. He won't move, not if he doesn't want to. He makes his wee little body as heavy as possible and simply wont let go. One of my girlfriends has admitted to being the same. One big change at a time, and preferably followed by two years of adjusting time.

So I think I can do change. But stress, that's another matter. I worry, I am anxious. And I'm trying to have my character shaped so that this does not characterise me. Stress. Horrid stuff. Sure enough, with change has come stress for me. I'm moving to a new job in a number of weeks. Which is really exciting. But the week after I got the new job, the fella decided to quit his. Which means we have to move - as our flat is part of his employment package. And we will have half of our current income, which is fine except that I've not yet gotten a contract and I'm not the sort of person to ask how much money I will be paid to do something. All this to do in the next three weeks... STRESS. How I loath it.

Here are the strategies I'm attempting to implement to manage my stress, before I lose all of my hair...

1. Pray.

2. Tell the fella when I am stressed, so he can rub my back or make me a gin and tonic.

3. Read books I love, with stories that carry me away.

4. Limiting the time I look at real estate - too long and I become overwhelmed with the abundant options

5. Make a budget, and make financial choices that stick to the budget - e.g. no breakfast at the markets rather fresh fruit when we get home.

6. Exercise.

7. Knit up a storm.

8. Spend quality time with the kitty.

If you have any other tips, please let me know. I need to get over the habit of stressing.

On the plus side, just before I start the new job I've volunteered at the Melbourne Stitches and Craft Fair. I will be part of the knitting bar, whipping up a storm. Can't wait to be part of a few solid days of crafting with others who have a similar passion. Hurrah!