Jaycee Moon

The Emerald Isle, its landscapes!

I could not have a series of blogs about the amazing Emerald Isle without writing about its landscapes. Captivating, breath-taking and a soul haven. Relaxing, peaceful but at the same time invigorating. Colourful, majestic but dull at a times. Full of contrasts, completely different from the North to the South, from the East to the West. The sun enhances its magical beauty offering a powerful scenic view wherever you may be. The rain brings a mystical touch, and of course, a nightmare if you are outside driving or walking. The wind clears the air and blows the heads off us too, at least your hat, or your umbrella if it is also raining! Whether if it is sunny, rainy, or windy, the Emerald Isle welcomes you with plenty of hidden corners, still unspoilt and untouched by the hand of the modern world.

The two years before moving to Ireland I tried to relish as many long weekends here, summer holidays, Easter breaks, Christmas holidays, or any available breaks I had. I visited most of the spots for tourists, not ashamed of admitting this but it was the easiest way for me to rediscover some of the main attractions as well as getting my soul reconnected to Ireland. Thanks to my adventurous soul, once I was settled in, I abandoned that path to follow the road less travelled by, as Robert Frost poetically embroiders in his poem “The Road not taken”: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference. It has indeed, for me. I have driven through the narrowest of the causeways to end up in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by stunning views, all to myself. Simply priceless.

After nearly five years I have taken thousands of pictures, gathered loads of great memories, and lived unforgettable experiences while travelling around the Emerald Isle. Having said this, it is not difficult to understand my struggles to choose the best ones to feature in this blog. The list is never ending, I could say. What I have had the pleasure of visiting cannot be written down on a blog, cannot be summarized in just a few lines, cannot be described to do it justice. Simply precious.

I have seen many beautiful sunrises and sunsets, like over the top of a mountain, in a remote trá (beach) looking over the Atlantic, tainting the sky red over a field of crops, vanishing over the horizon along the river Liffey, and simply disappearing in the distance while the cows next door are mooing away. I have walked along many paths stopping every two seconds to admire the magnificence of some wildflowers, hiked strenuous trails to reach the top to take in mind-blowing views, strolled along beaches in a lovely summer day, but also on a grey and cold winter day, and felt the sea breeze embracing me. I have been brave enough to swim in the cold Atlantic waters, in summer of course, freezing but worthwhile. I have wandered around the busy streets of Dublin, Cork and Galway without feeling like a tourist. I have stood in Trinity College’s Parliament Square, in front of the Campanile, and felt peace. I have reached the top of Knocknarea, trekked to the cairns of Loughcrew, rambled in The Hill of Tara, and experienced the power of the ancient Celts holding my soul. I have sat in many piers, coffee in hand, to let my mind relax, to let my thoughts get some clarity. I have visited numerous gardens and savoured nature in a unique way, breathed in the perfumes of countless daffodils, roses and many other flowers and sat down on benches to just listen to the wind make its way through the branches. I have admired my moon reflecting on the sea, glanced at the stars in a secluded beach, woken up in a tent to absorb the sounds of the night.

I must admit that there is nothing like the west coast though. It is wilder, rarer, somehow warmer, and acts as a magnet, where one is drawn to inexplicably. The forgotten gem of County Sligo, a box full of surprises: waterfalls, mountain trails and stunning beaches usually to yourself. Belmullet Peninsula in County Mayo, I ended up there unexpectedly and I was taken away by its beauty and remoteness. The spectacular Connemara National Park with countless turquoise water and white sand. County Clare offers you the great opportunity of having an improvised homemade picnic over one of the cliffs in the Loop Head Peninsula. County Kerry, wisely called the Kingdom, has plenty of unspoilt conners to discover. And for me, the winner is West Cork with its trio of peninsulas: Mizen, Sheep’s Head and my beloved Beara. Thanks to a very good friend of my partner, I have, we have, had the chance of discovering the wilderness and the magnificence of probably one of the most remote piece of land on the Wild Atlantic Way. Beara alights my soul, lifts up my spirits and holds my heart delicately. Unfortunately, and in my mind in order to protect the uniqueness of its landscape, I have three rules about Beara:

You cannot tell anybody about Beara
You cannot talk to anybody about Beara
You cannot spread the word about Beara

I could write for Ireland about its landscapes, stunning views, and the stunning coastline, truly incredible. Luckily for you, dinner is ready. Slán anois!

Jay Cee Moon ©

The Emerald Isle, its people!

I have finally managed to focus on my exciting blog project: my five blogs about Ireland. My humble homage to the emerald isle as I am heading to my fifth-year anniversary of moving here. It is somehow scary to realise how quickly time passes by and seems like only yesterday when I landed in Rosslare. What an exciting journey, what an amazing experience, what an incredible opportunity!

This, the first of the series will praise those who I have met along the way; probably without knowing they have helped to make me feel like I am home. I am aware that there are all sorts of people wherever you go, but most Irish are welcoming, warm, helpful, generous, talkative, funny, and of course good craic.

In one of my trips, returning from Ireland, just before moving there, I sat next to a couple on the plane. I cannot remember how we started a conversation. Five years later I have no doubt that as they were both Irish, the horrible weather we were leaving behind and the hope for some Mediterranean climate must have gotten us to chat. They were eager to listen to my plans of leaving everything behind and making my dream come true. They were so fascinated with my determination that we exchanged phone numbers so we could stay in touch. They also helped me to get in touch with a recruitment agency. I felt like I had won the lottery, as if I had got the lucky seat! Five years later, I can tell that this is what many Irish do; help others even if they are strangers.

Another memory, after I moved here, on a cold winter afternoon; I had gone for a stroll in Phoenix Park and decided to treat myself to a nice cup of tea and some cake. All the small tables in the café were taken so I took a seat at a nice big table with a bunch of fresh flowers. I felt bad for having such a big table to myself because in Catalonia we do not share tables. Imagine my surprise when a man on his late seventies and his grandson (probably on his early twenties) asked me if they could sit down? What? At my table? Really? Am I supposed to say yes? Cannot they see I am sitting here? Despite that, I smiled and agreed, at the end of the day the table was big enough, so there was no need to interact with them. Famous last words! We chatted away for a couple of hours, talking about following your dreams, enjoying many moments and being true to yourself. What had started as a shock for me ended up being an unforgettable experience!

At one stage I decided I had been to Phoenix Park too many times, and spotted Saint Anne’s Park on a map. It seemed big enough for a nice long stroll. As I was waiting for the bus, I asked the lady next to me if this was the right one, which triggered a nice chat. The usual banter, the weather! Talking about it brings you anywhere, helps you get what you need, makes you seem like a local. The bus arrived and we got on together, while still talking away. A couple of stops later, the lady announced that she was going to make sure I got to the park by getting off the bus with me and walking me to the door. She added “it is only a couple of stops away from mine, and I can do with a bit of walking”. What a nice thing to do! There we go, chatting away about life, making memories, and following your dreams all the way to the door of the park. Just before walking down the road to her house, the lady congratulated me on my bravery and wished me the best of luck.

Last summer, while on a camping outing with my partner, we decided to go for a walk and explore the countryside, as we always do. Warm evening, blue skies, taking pictures, making plans, relishing the sounds of nature in the middle of nowhere. We caught sight of house with a lovely garden, flowers, pots, unusual ornaments, and a stream. We got lost in time admiring the inspiring beauty of the place when the owner came out to greet us. After a few compliments on the beautiful display, he offered to give us a tour around his farm, so off we went. What a great opportunity! As we were about to leave, the wife came running towards us to apologise on her absence. She had been getting ready to go and collect their grandson from town, which meant unfortunately, she wasn’t able to offer us a cup tea and some cake. Just to make up for that, she had brought out a couple of ice-creams for us to enjoy. What a nice thing to do! I still remember her disappointment at not being able to invite us in, and her willingness to apologise and share a treat with us – two complete strangers!

I have lots of stories that I have collected over the years along the same lines, maybe for another blog though. I cannot thank those whom I have crossed paths with enough. The Emerald Isle, and its people, have made me feel like I am home.

Jay Cee Moon ©

Home is where the soul finds peace…

I cannot believe it; my last blog was in August last year! Time flies, doesn’t it? My 2020 blog postings were very productive with plenty of inspiration. On the contrary, my 2021 posts turned out to be a bit quieter, not as I had thought it would though. As I look back, the lack of posts is disappointing and a bit annoying and I must confess that I feel like I have let myself down over the last few months. But the thing is, despite the fact it may sound like the perfect excuse, I have been busy with my crafts. I have had to channel my creativity into that direction, as plenty of fairs were planned. 2022 is here and the push is back, words cannot wait to be released. I want to write, I need to write, I deserve to write.

I have been trying to make my mind up on what I should be writing about on my first 2022 blog. It hasn’t been as easy I thought. Leaving my blog aside for so long has made me a bit rusty. Nothing that a cup of tea cannot cure. There we go, the smell of freshly brewed tea has awakened my inspiration. It is pretty overcast out there, hence my good friend the candle twinkling away embracing the hustle and bustle of my words.

We have heard it so many times, we have read it countless times, we have said it in numerous occasions: home is where the heart is. Somehow, I could agree to disagree. I do prefer my own version though: home is where your soul finds peace. How often we do forget to look after our soul. Life is a busy madness of never-ending useless commitments, life is full of ridiculous chores which require immediate attention, life is a fast-paced race towards what society claims to be needed. How often we do make emphasis on the matters of the heart. Love is all you need. Love brings you happiness. Love will keep you going. How often we do ignore the fact that our soul is restless, is troublesome, is simply unattended. Once one fully understands the importance of having a happy healthy peaceful soul there is no way back.

Not that long ago, as I was unpacking some of my belongings, I came across some old photos of me. Having a look at them, I realised how abandoned my soul had been. It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul, I couldn’t agree more. Those pictures highlighted a sad soul, an empty soul, a very unhappy soul. My aura was nothing but dull, lifeless, gloomy. The focus of my life had stuck to trying to find the dream job, the perfect partner, the right path to follow. I had lost sight of where my soul was heading to. I had overlooked what was important to my soul. I had disregarded the peace my soul was crying out for. I had been wandering on the path of my existence as a mere soulless being. If it had not been for those images, I would not probably have been aware of the importance of my soul being at peace.

On my first trip back to Catalonia after having moved to Ireland, one of my aunts pointed out to my mum that I look different, that my eyes had a special sparkling shine, that my aura was full of life. Her words made me smile, however I did not pay much attention to that. In fact, I had completely forgotten about it until the day a few boxes with my stuff arrived, which my parents had stored for me. I could not believe my eyes, the words of my aunt rushed to my mind: my soul had changed! As if a gigantic bucket of shiny sparkling twinkling glitter had been poured over me. My soul had finally found peace.

Pictures are great to determine if our soul is well looked after. They capture the essence of the aura so we can have a glimpse. In my case, they made me realise how much I had ignored the call of my soul. Life has its ups and downs, days can be tough sometimes, nights may awake those old gremlins of mine, but my soul has eventually been able to treasure moments of peace.

As I am heading to my five years anniversary in Ireland, my next blogs will be a tribute to the Emerald Isle and its uniqueness where my soul has found those moments of peace.

Jay Cee Moon ©

Downtime…

The storm seems to be over; puddles are now a pool for the birds. The sun is shinning again, petrichor is still around. The courtyard lushness enhances the view from the kitchen. Inspiration is definitely here and so is my cup of tea.

A while ago I was talking to one of my students and she said something that piqued my curiosity. We were chatting about plans for the weekend when she told me that Sunday was her “nothing to do time”. What? Nothing? How come? I was shocked but at the same time eager to figure out how to teach myself how to do nothing without feeling guilty about it. I am always on the go, keeping myself as busy as possible, having never ending “to do” lists. In other words, I find it difficult to just sit down and do absolutely nothing. When I am not doing “this” I am doing “that”. If I manage to sit down, it is just to think what to do next. Do I really need to be busy all the time? Does it make sense to be always doing something without a break? Do I really need to push myself that far? Her words stuck in my mind.

We are always running, trying to get thinks done, just because this is the way we were brought up. We are always far too busy, aiming to finish all our chores, just because we think this is how life is supposed to be. We are always worried we will not have enough time for all our tasks, just because we are constantly reminded of the importance of accomplishments. We are always overloading ourselves with meaningless responsibilities, just because the focus remains on what it has been achieved. We are always thinking tomorrow will be too late, just because postponing is not the right thing to do. We are often forgetting that booking some downtime is vital. We are often ignoring that rest is essential. We are often overlooking the need of doing nothing. The power of guilt is so strong. The power of shame is so cruel. The power of failure is so devastating. But in fact, we should not feel guilty for having nothing to do. We should not be ashamed of not being busy. We should not feel like failing for not getting things done. It is simply ok not to be doing anything.

Nothingness should be part of our daily or weekly routines. Since doing nothing is not a crime. I can assure it is a good way of looking after ourselves indeed. Downtime is not being lazy, it is not procrastinating, it is not slackness. There is not anything wrong with making sure, we have time to do nothing. We should not be judging our need for downtime, accusing ourselves of not being disciplined enough or even worse, stigmatising our behaviour as inadequate. I so often run myself down for wasting time by doing nothing. I so often tell myself off for not being productive. I so often look down on myself for not making much progress. Every now and again, I even find myself getting annoyed for just pottering around and letting my mind wander. One day, I will be able to enjoy my downtimes without guilt. One day, I will be capable of doing nothing and feeling great. One day, I will be ready to just chill out and appreciate the peace of mind by doing nothing.

The storm is back, puddles are now a pool of circles. The sun is hiding behind those dark clouds, raindrops falling symphony. The courtyard is soaked, raindrops draw a lavish picture. My cup of tea is finished but the candle is now burning. Inspiration is still here.

Downtime, still struggling with it. I do have a long journey ahead, but I am making some progress though. The other day, my partner said to me that he was going to lay down and rest, he looked at me and added “I guess you will keep buzzing around as you always do”. He was wrong, I joined him, laid down and did nothing but rest. I did not feel guilty afterwards. Improving!

Downtime, time to do nothing at all! No guilt, no shame, no failure.

Jay Cee Moon ©

The unknown path…

I cannot even think of the last time I sat in front of my laptop to write on my blog! The only thing that I am sure is that it was a dull day, I had my cup of tea, a candle trying to brighten up the room and my inspiration was on fire! It feels like a Groundhog Day as it is miserable out there, heavy rain, strong gusts of wind, my cup of coffee is here and so is the candle. I can feel that my inspiration is on its way. Let’s get those words make sense!

I though that once I had time to myself, I would be unstoppably writing on my blog. I guess my mind had other plans, I just simply got the priorities wrong. Four months ago, I quit my job. It was dragging my down and draining my energy. It did not come as an easy decision to make but I knew it was the right thing to do. Do not get me wrong, it was not definitely something that happened overnight. Plenty of hours invested in shutting up the devil gremlin which kindly kept reminding me I should not be quitting my job. But life is far too short to be stuck in a role which does not intellectually challenge you anymore. Not only was I demotivated but also wasting my time. I had no idea of what I would be doing next, I just needed to get myself out of there. Bravery and eagerness had won again! Proud for simply being true to myself.

So here I am four months later having finally found time to get down to my blog. Time flies, doesn’t it? The thing is, I have kept myself busy, doing what I had not had a chance to do for a long time. Spending hours in the garden while enlightening my soul with the sound of birds and the smell of the new blossoms; simply sitting outside soaking up with sun while relishing my morning coffee; listening to music and singing along, even daring to dance; being creative and eager to come up with new ideas for my hand painted stones; going for long walks as well as discovering hidden corners; ensuring to have time for my mind to rest; driving with no rush to the supermarket whilst that powerful song is being played; putting time aside to think and process those thoughts trapped in my mind; being aware of the importance of my wellbeing; smiling to the red sky at the sunset wondering what the next day would bring. The joy of being here and now!

Once again in my life, I stepped out of my comfort zone. It may be addictive. The power of having the reins of your life is priceless. It is like being on a rollercoaster and feeling the adrenaline running all over your body. Scary at the same time though as unexplored paths can be foggy, steep and narrow. But once you have done it, you feel you can do it again since the fears are less. The comfort of the known unknown. Being aware of my own limits as well as strengths has guided me along the journey and made it a bit easier. Being able to handle those old gremlins of mine has loosened the ties of my self-judgement. Being capable of savouring each step I have taken has been the perfect icing on my cake.

As I am moving forward along the path, the fog seems to be vanishing. I still cannot see the end but that is fine. When needed I stop, to savour the views of the path I have already walked, to appreciate where I am now, to embrace what is ahead of me. When needed I take a deep breath, to recover from those steep steps, to take in what is around me, to charge batteries for the next steps. When needed I give myself a tap on the shoulder for what I have already achieved, for me to enjoy the present moment, for me to gain strength to continue my path. Despite not knowing where I am going yet I am sure that I will end up finding that turn which is awaiting me somewhere along the way.

Four months ago, I decided to follow an unknown path… I still do not know where it will take me to, but I will keep enjoying every single second of it. As someone once said, it is not the destination but the journey!

Jay Cee Moon ©

A place called loneliness…

Not sure what happened to my inspiration, it abandoned me on New Year’s Eve. It has been gone for several weeks, as if it has been hibernating, taking some time off. It is grand though, it is what it is. We so often do try to push things rather than going with the flow. Luckily, it seems to be around again, somehow at least, despite the gusts of freezing cold wind outside. May the title of my new blog sound a bit depressing; it surely matches the bitter winter embracing us at the moment. Needless to say, there will be plenty of positive twists.

Another difficult topic to openly write about but at the end of the day, it is part of who I am, of my uniqueness. One of those old gremlins of mine which I am still learning to live with. It has been around for so long that one would think I should be well used to hanging out with him. On the contrary, I am still struggling to cope with. It is powerful, as if it could not be defeated. Definitely one of those you would rarely welcome in for a cup of tea, not even on a cold winter evening. Years go by and there he still is, determined to pay me a visit as he pleases, obviously without notice.

Loneliness turns up unexpectedly. It hits me by surprise with the strength of a devastating tsunami. Untimely disappointing, unpredictably inconvenient, unannouncedly inopportune, out of the blue, there he goes. The coldness of solitude embraces me, the darkness of isolation imprisons me, the bewilderment of incomprehension takes over me. Tears roll down my face completely out of control. Although I do not want to be alone, no one can see me like this. Tears roll down my face unstoppably out of command. Despite desperately needing a hug, nobody can trespass my barriers. Tears roll down my face, uncontrollably out of reach. In spite of requiring the warmth of a chat, I am too embarrassed to talk. Tears roll down my face, I am in a place called loneliness.

There was a time when I desperately wanted to be capable of annihilating this old gremlin of mine. Life taught me a great lesson: he was here to stay! I have now somehow managed to educate myself in how to live with him. One cannot swim against the stream for too long. When on trouble waters you’d better off just staying as safe as possible so you do not drain your energy. Hold fast, keep swimming close to the shore, do not stop breathing. Remain calm, do not let your fears betray you, make sure panic does not conquer your mind. Stay positive, have faith, do not give up. At some point you will reach calmer waters. Whenever aloneness shows up, I avoid the old battle approach. I simply let it be to let it go.

Rather than hating myself for not being able to get rid of this horrendous, upsetting and overwhelming dark side of mine; in lieu of loathing myself for not having enough strength to avoid the unforeseen storm; instead of strongly disliking myself for surrendering to the depths of solitude… I choose to accept that this gloomy me is who I am. I do sometimes go to a place called loneliness but there is nothing wrong with it. Every now and then, I do give in to feeling miserable and misunderstood but it is ok to do so. Once in a while, I let myself down and cry a river but it is fine!

Tears roll down my face, I am in a place called loneliness… I hug myself while whispering that I will be ok… I just need to hold on, the storm will soon be over… I then smile!

Jay Cee Moon ©

I am pretty, I am sexy!

We so often become our worst critics, so inflexible, so ruthless, so harsh. We so often forget to be kind to ourselves. We so often ignore our uniqueness, our beauty, our bright aura!

It has been a while since this blog has been playing on my mind, I guess I was not ready. I could even dare to say the brave girl in me was scared. Is it such a big deal? Or am I making it such a massive ordeal? When one is used to being unkind to oneself it becomes such a deep-rooted habit that it feels weird to just be nice. I am pretty, I am sexy, I am me!

A few weeks later here I am back to what I was supposed to have published but still unfinished! It is 31^st of December, back to lockdown and it is snowing. Hopefully, the magic of the scenery outside will lead my words to my last blog of 2020!

Why am I so hard on myself? Why can I not see the beauty on me? Why do I get trapped with the stereotypes of a society that enhances the majority? We are told to be like the models on the magazines, to be what our parents think it matches the standards of the multitude, to become prisoners of a successful well-paid job? We are asked to follow the patterns, to obey the rules of normality, to not get off the beaten track, to stuck with what the rest considers acceptable, to adhere to social requirements, to get rid of what makes us unique, to give up our crazy dreams, not to quit that job we hate because it pays the bills. We are just asked to be like the crowd and by doing that we bury our individuality.

The world keeps reminding us that we are not beautiful, not sexy, not worth it; that we are too fat, too distinct, too nerd; not intelligent enough, not capable enough, not suitable enough. Sadly, we do believe we are too different to fit in. Focusing on suiting takes us to the madness of losing ourselves. But the thing is: does it really matters? We are what we are, I am what I am!

Not sure if all of this leads to where I want to, I may have probably been going round in circles to avoid facing those gremlins of mine. I often look at the mirror to only see a mid forties overweight woman not pretty enough. How cruel is that! These words, these thoughts, there beliefs just darken my aura, just kill my worth, just bury my potential. Why cannot I be nice to myself? If I look at the mirror again with a smile on my face while reminding me that I am pretty, I am sexy… my own reflection changes completely. A simple smile, a kind gesture, just a wink, a tap on my shoulders… can uplift my morale so I am able to see my beauty!

2020 is coming to an end, just a few hours left, maybe time for my new year’s resolutions? Be kind to myself by looking at the mirror and being able to strongly confidently say: I am pretty, I am sexy, I am me!

For those out there struggling to see their own beauty… Despite what others say, we are all beautiful. Behind those extra pounds, that peculiar way of dressing, the weight of the years one has lived, there is always a pretty human being.

Get “I am what I am” by Gloria Gaynor ready, turn the volume up and feel the prettiness, the sexiness embracing you! You are special, you are talented, you are unique.

I am pretty, I am sexy, I am me. I am proud of myself!

Jay Cee Moon ©

Making memories!

Life is too short therefore you cannot afford to waste any chances life blesses you with. Make the most out of every instant. If we all kept in mind that “later can be too late”, we would be busy trying to seize the moment we have to relish. Sadly, we tend to postpone projects, what we really want to be doing, and far too often, those little things that make us happy. We just get stuck in that so addictive comfort zone, therefore we become prisoners of our fears. What others will say, what if I do not succeed, how long it would take me to get there, where I will end up, who I am going to leave behind, what sort of excuse I am going to come up with to break with all my ties. No wonder why we just put off our dreams! No wonder why we no longer do what provides us with happiness. No wonder why we forget to cherish those little things!

It is no surprise that one day we wake up and realise that we are living a life that does not match our values, expectations and needs. A life that no longer means anything to us, neither bring us laughter nor makes us feel alive. A life where we are mere spectators, where we feel trapped, where we do not fit anymore in. A life that unimaginably has become ours. How come? Never mind, do not lose yourself trying to figure it out. It is what it is, be brave and move forward! So easy to think it is too late to change, to do what makes us happy, to live our life to full. What a big mistake to make! Not too late, not impossible, not shameful. Still plenty of time left, still possible, still something to be proud of!

It does not have to be glamorous, extraordinary, luxurious. You do not need to spend lots of money, have lots of time, go somewhere else. It does not have to be a massive turnaround, or a life changing decision. Just open your eyes widely and enjoy what you have around you. That ray of sun coming through the window while working from home, getting home to the smell of a freshly baked cake, that nice chat with the shop assistant at the supermarket, sharing that meme that has made you laugh, that unexpected bunch of flowers being delivered to you, that song on the radio reminding you how lucky you are. Once you start being here and now, appreciating what you have, taking in every single minute… your life will become a better place for you to be in. Big changes will eventually take place, for sure, so do not worry too much.

Cherish what you have and let things be. Life is about making memories, because if you are crafting them you are definitely alive. Life is about gathering memories, because if you are collecting them you are certainly getting the most out of it. Life is about enjoying memories, because if you are savouring them you are undoubtedly having the time of your life!

Do not focus on the big life changing project, otherwise you will miss out your present. Do not concentrate on what is still yet to come, or the future will become your worst enemy. Do not centre on those things you cannot change or which are out of your control, otherwise you will feel helpless. Focus on creating lots of new memories instead! By doing so your life will be just yours, you will be able to shape your happiness and you will not feel trapped anymore. Grab all the opportunities which cross your path, carpe diem.

Remain true to your inner self, stay calm when the storms hit you, hold on to your here and now. When you feel stuck in a moment remind yourself what you do have, smile, breath and remember that there are lots of those little things to be happy for: the cat staring at you asking for some milk, the raindrops rolling down the window on a grey wintery day, the candle flicking wile the tea is being brewed, your partner’s eyes reaching yours with a smile, the excitement of sending an unexpected postcard to a friend of yours, the wind hauling outside at night whilst you are wrapped in bed, the views of a misty morning while driving to work, the autumn coloured leaves on the side of the road, a kiss being blown to you…

Moments count so make loads of memories!

Jay Cee Moon ©

The Music of life!

I am looking out of the window, just a miserable dull day. Lots of rain, windy, not too cold, pretty dark indeed. It would have been very easy to give in and feel down, to mirror the greyness of the day. It would have been effortless to let sorrow conquer my mood, feeling sorry for myself. It would have been not difficult to surrender and let my soul be wrapped with coldness. Oh yeah, all very tempting. It feels like the weather is reflecting the anger, the helplessness, the fears, the sadness, the loneliness, we are all feeling today after the announcement yesterday of another six weeks lockdown. However, I got out of bed with a smile on my face, another day to live, another chance to make memories, another 24 hours to relish. I turned the radio on so the good vibes of songs could embrace me.

The music of life! The power of songs, they can make you cry but at the same time they can uplift your spirits! If someone ask me to arrange a playlist with my fifty favourite songs, I would not be able to just sum up the songs of my life to such a low number. Music is my life, it comes with me wherever I go. Driving, washing the dishes, writing, out walking, admiring the beauty of nature, working, gardening, being creative with my crafts. Always there, offering me great comfort, great company, great energy. Definitely something I could not live without!

Music nourishes you. Music empowers you. Music lifts you up. It is more than just a mere melody, it is somehow the mirror of your soul. I once read that when someone shares their favourite songs with you, embrace them, because they are giving you a glimpse into their soul. I couldn’t agree more indeed. They hold memories, places you once visited, words that were never said, dreams ready to become true, feelings and emotions deeply hidden. They also bring peace to a restless mind as well as suffocate the anger in you.

A song can make tears roll down your face, make you laugh, make you sing along, make you dance, make you want to run, make you feel lonely, make you smile, make you dream, make you want to live life to full. A melody is capable of taking you back on time, letting you fly to enchanting places, of bringing back memories, of setting you on fire, of hugging you close on low moments, of freeing you from tight chains, of lighting the darkness of down day. So true. So worthy. So powerful!

If I were asked to choose a song today, I would go for “Good Riddance (Time of your life)” by Green Day. For what it is worth it was worth all the while! If you are not feeling great… press play, turn up the volume and let your soul soak in the moment of good vibes! Always remember: Carpe Diem as time flies!

Jay Cee Moon ©

What I can do!

Here I am again! I though it was just a few weeks since my last blog but time seems to have flown. It has actually been more than a month, which is definitely not good. Taking into account what writing means to me, I would dare to say, it is a disaster! Now that cooler days are here, now that sun sets earlier, now that life seems to have stopped again, I have set time aside so I can publish regularly.

I was listening to a radio programme one of those boring mornings working from home. Although I cannot remember much about it some words stuck on me: we are always focusing on what we cannot do, cannot have, cannot reach… rather than moving to the approach of what we can do. Those words made me think, they have been chasing me around since then, indeed. I am now smiling to myself as I admire a flock of birds migrating to a warmer land as winter is starting to emerge. What if they got trapped on the thought of “we cannot survive in this cold weather, we are going to die”? Those creatures are clever enough to see what they can do, fly somewhere else!

As simple as that: when stuck in a moment, in a situation, in a place, … just head off to somewhere else. You do not need to get yourself a plane ticket to the moon but just change your thoughts so you can see what can be done. You will be surprised as lots of different options come to you: it is just a simple click. Even in the most desperate circumstances one is capable of glimpsing some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. When you say to yourself there is nothing I can do, you are wrong… there is always something you can change, something you can plan, something you can consider doing. I have been there myself so many times. Trapped in the catch 22 of my own believes and deductions, not being able to step out and be proactive in order to reshape my path. The power of positive thinking is amazing and in the blink of an eye I have moved myself to a what I can do mode! As if a brainstorm had been arranged my mind has effortlessly set up a new scenario with enough steps to follow so success is there to come.

I have also learned that talking things through is vital since we are often blinded by our negative thinking process. Letting someone listen to us can easily dismantle our biased approach. I know, it is tough as we have to expose our inner demons but it is immensely rewarding! When our thoughts reach others, they vanish one after each other in a domino effect. What we assumed was unchangeable, changes; what we consider as unmovable, moves; what we judged as impossible, becomes possible. I have recently been told that I am the only one stopping myself to succeed, not that I did not know that! So true, because when we are caught on the lap of misbelief we forget what we are capable of. At the end of the day, we do have the power to change our thoughts so we can defeat the fear of failure.

Our minds are very powerful, they can drag you down to the well of sorrow as well as lift you up so you can touch the sky. Let them fly us to the moon!