Beginning again in Bealtaine

The Bealtaine festival celebrated on May 1st heralds the start of summer in the celtic calendar.

If you feel like you haven’t even begun to find your stride this year, you are not alone.

I, for one, have found the adjustment to 'life after lock-down' challenging.

Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying our new found freedom and in no way want to go back to enforced lock-downs.

At the same time, my energy levels haven’t been 100% and I have been feeling a heightened level of anxiety. The two experiences have not been unrelated. I have been feeling like I ‘should’ be doing more and achieving more but not quite able to ‘make it’ happen.

The ‘shoulds’ and the striving implied by 'making it happen' are never helpful. I have had to remind myself of this.

I have also decided to cut myself some slack.

The fact that many of us may not be firing on all cylinders is hardly surprising when you consider the transition we have recently undergone.

For two years, we were freed up from much of the busyness and expense of socialising, kids activities, commuting, in-person meet ups and on-site work.

It will take time and a re-balancing of energy to adjust to this post-lockdown ‘hybrid’ world.

So, rather than lamenting the goals I have failed to reach or my lacklustre energy, I choose, at the beginning of Bealtaine, to simply begin again.

We have entered what the Celts called the lighter half of the year. I am taking this opportunity to reset my plans and goals for the remainder of the year. I will use the energy of the brighter days to take action towards my future vision. All the while being compassionate with myself and others.

I invite you to do the same. And as we say as gaeilge 'tóg go bog é' - be easy with yourself 💛