“Coffee is a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to your older self.” Terry Pratchett

What helps you to keep going? Coffee? Exercise? Rest? A chat with a friend? How do you cope when you can’t get these things?

Sometimes it feels as though we are stuck on the treadmill. We just have to keep going, that doesn’t seem to be anywhere to get off. As always, the storm will pass. But often we need to find a way to help us through.

For me, sleep is probably the most important factor in maintaining peace of mind and a feeling of contentment. As soon as I start losing sleep, I start losing patience and understanding and acceptance.

This hasn’t always been the case. I can remember, when I was younger, going to work on just an hour or two’s sleep. More than once! Now, I notice the difference with just one night of poor sleep. Sometimes this leads to me worrying, about plans for an evening out with friends for example, or going camping, or an early morning. I worry because I know that I’ll feel the effects of a lack of sleep. In turn, of course, the worry leads to poor sleep. A vicious cycle!

I’m lucky in that most of the time, I can plan around this, with an early night the night after an evening out, for example. And herbal sleeping tablets help me to get a better nights rest, which is useful when I’m worrying.

What helps you to keep going, and what can you do to plan for the times when this isn’t available?

© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2021

Treating your horse with care, connection, curiosity and compassion