Embracing the blues

This has been one of those weeks. Marked by insufficient sleep (yes, it's apparently insomnia time again), a grotty bout of some bug that's been lingering for weeks (not quite flu but with flu-like symptoms) and too many hours of travel across the country (it's not all fun and frolics, I'm afraid), leaving me feeling sapped at a time when I need all the energy I'm normally capable of mustering on my best blue-sky-and calm-water day.

A major project deadline's looming and the pressure has been steadily building for the past few weeks. My team are only involved in the final phase but there was bad slippage early on in the project and unfortunately, because our role is highest in the project dependency ranks but last in the project delivery timeline, we are being both squished and left out to dry. This means that I will be working this weekend and probably next weekend as well. Not too happy about that. 

Hence the slight undertone of sting and storm you might detect seeping through.

So, what can be done to chase these unwelcome-stressy-moody-blues away and replace them with calm-sea-and-sky-beautiful-balanced-blues instead?

• Buy some outrageously happy shoes to dance to work in - check. Times two. I went back on my way home from Manchester last night and bought the other pair, still not entirely convinced about my mad moment. But then I read all the sweet and uplifting comments (thank you!) and I took those shiny blue babies out of the box and tried them on again. Oh yeah, I'm holding on to them lovely people! And I'm wearing them in to my office this weekend. They are insanely blue but they really do make me smile. And I think I'm keeping the others too - perhaps a bit greedy but they're just too yummy to return. Love them.

• Plan a seaside getaway - check. My love for the sea and its restorative powers is well known and it's been waaaaaay too long since my last visit to anywhere near it. This week I put a date in my diary and booked the leave so I can make a long weekend of it... Soon.

• Indulge in some Flickr colour and beauty therapy - check. Even a few minutes in there makes me feel better. A few mosaic meditations later and I feel the calm descend. One of two I made above - I'll share the other next week.

• Pack up a parcel of blue and send it to someone lovely - check. Battled a bit to find a proper pashmina in her chosen colour but I'm pleased with the one I settled on and hope Heather's going to enjoy it for years to come. I had fun wrapping it up and making it pretty, and will be sending it off on Saturday, with love.

• Add lovely stuff from a distinctive blue bottle to a relaxing bath and soak the cares away - check. This is one of my favourite Neal's Yard bath treats - smells luscious and soothes tired, winter-dry skin. Claims to "bring a feeling of well-being by strengthening and lifting the emotions". Works for me.

• Crank up something. not too. bluesy on the iPod and let the music tell the story - check. Three of my favourite artists. Three songs from the soundtrack of my week.
  

Aaah, that feels better already. Embracing the blues today...

And wishing you a happy Friday!

♥