My Happy Place

My Happy Place

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Last week I was at one at my boxing sessions and I was in the boxing ring and the instructor said “Are you enjoying the workout?”

I said to him “This is my happy place.”

Now probably to some of you reading this you might think to yourself what does boxing training have to do with a happy place? How can you be enjoying exercise, how can exercise be anyone’s happy place?

As you know I work as a Chaplain and I love my job and what I get to do, I really do. When you are in a role where you are caring and giving you do need to look after yourself.

Self-care is really important and I don’t think that last year I was very good at looking after myself.

At the beginning of the year I made a few non-negotiables to myself. One of my non-negotiables was to commit to boxing twice a week.

I love going to boxing it is a combination of skipping, weights, push ups, sit ups, planking and then we start on the bag work.

The boxing session last for about one hour but during that hour I am just focusing on being there. I am focusing on being in the moment. I am not thinking about what I have to do after, or what I still have to do on my to do list.

For one hour I am fully focused on what I am doing.

For one hour I am full focused on working on my strength both physically and mentally.

For one hour I am looking after myself.

I have been going for the last seven weeks and I definitely notice the difference.

I have decided that this is a priority in my week and I will make the time to go.

So for me one hour of boxing is my happy place.

What is your happy place?

What do you do where you can just focus on you? It might be for 15 minutes of the day, but I would encourage you to find something or somewhere that is your happy place.

My Happy Place

traceybuckley

 

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Sundays Are For…

Sundays Are For…

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I find that Sundays are a great time to reflect on the week.

It also is a time to rest and refresh.

As you know I work as a primary school chaplain which I love. My weeks are never the same and I love it.

This week in Perth Australia we had book week, two of the schools that I work at encouraged students and teachers to dress up as their favourite book character.

So Wednesday I went to school as a fairy from Fern Gully, Friday I went to school as Fancy Nancy. I loved seeing everyone being involved and dressing up.

 

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Fancy Nancy

I have also been organising a Father’s Day school for one of the schools where I work. This weekend I have been cutting up paper for the students to wrap up the presents they purchase from the stall.

 

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I also teach dance and have been enjoying the whole experience.

This morning I went to church and the message was about being free. It was a great message and made me think about am I embracing the freedom that I have?

So for me Sundays are for-

  • Rest and reflecting
  • Going to Church
  • Blogging
  • Having candles lit
  • Sleeping in
  • Drinking coffee
  • Cleaning the house
  • Dreaming about future projects
  • Planning for the coming week
  • Embracing being in the moment.

 

What are Sunday’s for you?

Would love to hear what you do on a Sunday.

Will share more soon.

traceybuckley

 

I Am Grateful For….

I Am Grateful For….

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I found out that my iron levels where low a few weeks ago, so I had to have an iron infusion last Monday. Now I don’t know if you have had an iron infusion but there are a few things that you are not allowed to do in the next 48 hours. They advised that after having an iron infusion you are not to participate in any strenuous activity for example jogging, gym workouts and vacuuming. I love that you cannot vacuum.

So for me this meant that I was not allowed to attend any boxing session until possibly Thursday.  AAhhh!

You can also not carry anything heavy with the arm that was used for the infusion for a period of 48 hours.

It can also make you feel quite nauseated and you also have body aches. Yes, this did happen to me. Today I am still feeling a little bit unwell.

This week I still went to work and came home and had to have early nights. I also really needed to look after myself.

This made me think about what am I deeply grateful for……

  • I love my role as a primary school Chaplain
  • I love my family
  • I am so grateful for beautiful friends that I can trust and be real with
  • I love hearing about what my nieces and my nephew are doing. I love being their Aunty
  • I am so grateful that God is in my life
  • I am passionate about helping girls and women with an eating disorder
  • I am grateful for The Heart Project
  • I am grateful for the amazing people that I am able to work with
  • I am so grateful that my heart is not hardened that I am moved by injustice
  • It has made me realise that I want to make a difference
  • I also want to remain vulnerable
  • I am grateful for a second chance

What are you deeply grateful for…..?

Would love to hear from you.

traceybuckley

 

 

Heal My Heart and Make it Clean

Heal My Heart and Make it Clean

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This week I have been thinking about what happens when you mess up. It happens to us all. What happens when you feel so ashamed and feel so condemned? What happens when your expectation of yourself doesn’t measure up to what you thought it would be? What happens when you feel that you have really messed up and your cannot believe what happens? What happens when you question was that really me, what is happening? What happens when you feel ashamed? What happens if at that time you cannot forgive yourself? What happens if your tears cannot stop flowing? My thought, my prayer is this cry out to the Lord-Heal my heart and make it clean. xx

traceybuckley

Is Your Petrol Light On?

Is Your Petrol Light On?

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Last Monday I was driving home from work; I was listening to music thinking about what I had to do next when I noticed that my petrol light had come on.

I knew that I needed petrol but I thought that a least I had enough petrol to wait until tomorrow.

But on comes the light.

It made me think that how good would it be if we had a light that came on when we needed refuelling. How easy would it be to know that we needed to take time out, how easy would it be to know that we needed to fill up our tank.

I think it would be even better if we could see how we are going without having to wait for the light to come.

It is so easy to be focused on others and to see when they need rest.

How come we can find it so difficult for ourselves?

So this week I decided to commit to going to boxing twice a week, to also come home and read.

I have taken a little break from writing.

I have been reading a book at the moment by Lisa Bevere called Girls with Swords.

I have had the book for a while and I keep on beginning to read it and then put it down.

I think that the time is now to read it.

Girls with Swords is How to Carry Your Cross Like a Hero.

On the back of the book it says Take up your sword and be a hero! The sword meaning the word of God.

I love that take up your sword and stand up for what you are passionate about.

So as much as I love helping and caring for others I also know that I need to look after myself.

Do you find it difficult to take time out for yourself?

Is your tank empty?

What can you do today to fill up your tank?

I would love to hear your suggestions.

Will share more soon.

traceybuckley