Nourishing Connections: Words, Nature, and Creativity

Happy April.

Well, it’s been another wild weather week here in England – and Wales as I experienced just as much rain and wind there last weekend.

Despite the lashings and blows, it’s been a wonderful couple of weeks filled with productive work and curious play. Mainly because it was my birthday last week and I still cherish the annual milestone – and the photos below evidence my joyous adventures.

‘Accept Life as it is. Then work to make it the way you want it to be.’ Cindy Francis

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Writing – Words for Wellness

When running a series of outdoor ‘walkshops’ last year with my friend and work colleague Jo, we used a strength-based model called the ‘Eight Dimensions of Wellness. This 'wellness wheel' was developed by Dr Margaret ‘Peggy’ Swarbrick, a research professor and psychologist. The model was initially used to support individuals in the recovery from mental health and substance misuse, but nowadays, is widely used in the field of wellbeing. This approach is how Jo and I applied the wellness wheel on our walks to encourage participants to curate a personal wellness blueprint.

The eight stages are social, emotional, physical (or body), spiritual (or soul), intellectual (or the mind), financial, occupational, and environmental, as seen in the image below. I would love to invite you to review the wellness wheel to plot your current state of being.

✐  Journal Prompts

• Take some time to review the Eight Dimensions of Wellbeing and give yourself a score from 1 – 10, with ten being optimal.
• Which dimensions are low and which are high? Reflect on why you think this is the case.
• Select two dimensions and brainstorm ways to increase your score. What steps can you take over the coming weeks to implement some of your ideas?
• Make a plan to do it. Use the model and review it every month by setting new intentions and goals to improve your score in each area.

‘The greatest wealth is health.’ Virgil

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Nature – Discover a Nourishing Connection

Since becoming self-employed in 2009, I’ve never worked my birthday and on Friday we visited Hawkestone Park Follies, Shropshire, exploring the Dragon trail, troll hideouts, a monument overtaken ladybirds and fascinating caves. We felt like intrepid adventurers, eager to explore what was around every new corner!

My partner and I also went to Wales, staying in Southern Snowdonia in a beautiful hidden gem of an area called Dolgellau. The National Trust’s Powis Castle provided gorgeous landscaped gardens filled with rather noisy peacocks as our lunch break stop-off.

Despite the rain, we managed to find a lovely circular path that followed the river Clywedog, called the Torrent Walk—an appropriate name given the battering rain last week. It was spectacular, with waterfalls galore, and we had our waterproofs, so the wind and rain were no bother—except for smudged glasses!

On the last day, we braved the wind in Barmouth and explored the Llanfair slate caverns on a self-guided tour through eight preserved chambers. Over 100 years ago, miners started as young as 12 and toiled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. by candlelight. Imagine that today!

At the National Slate Museum in Llanberis, we witnessed an intriguing slate-splitting demonstration. Then, we hiked up the hill around the Dinorwic Quarry to explore the Anglesey barracks ruins—two rows of eleven tiny one-up, one-down cottages from the 1870s.

The dramatic landscape spawned spectacular views of the lakes and Dolbadarn Castle beneath and snowy mountains above. The panorama was breathtaking. I discovered that the slate landscape received UNESCO World Heritage Site status in July 2021, and I felt quite proud to have hiked half of the slate trail, about 40 miles, last year.

So, why am I sharing these outdoor adventures with you?

Because I’m an advocate of the boundless inspiration to be gained from immersing ourselves in nature – and the history and culture that nature often preserves. It's hard not to be impressed by natural landscapes and even the shapes and contours left by humankind's intervention, like mining and agriculture.

I'm always in awe of the beauty of the natural world, and spending time being curious, learning about the history of an area or era, absorbing the sights, sounds, smells, and feels of a place replenishes my energy levels. It's nourishing – like food for thought when writing or journalling, and nourishment for our mind and body, which leads me to the journalling prompts for this week.

✐  Journal Prompts

• Imagine you were around 100 years ago, working in a mine, quarry, or on a farm. What do you think life would be like? Spend some time freewriting about life and the benefits such a time would bring. Remember, it would be hard work, but it would also be a simpler time, and one where connection with nature, family, and fellow workmates would be precious.
• What are you grateful for today that our ancestors played a part in making it happen? This could be legislation, inventions, products, or services.
• Research World Heritage Sites or designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty near you and set an intention to explore a few this year. Why are you drawn to certain areas over others?

‘Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.’ Gary Snyder

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Creativity – Explore Your Authentic Self

This week, I read an article in Psyche, a newsletter I subscribe to. The title, 'The achievement society is burning us out, we need more play,' caught my attention because, as you know, I'm all about creative play. The article suggests how we're addicted to work and that what we do for a living shapes our identities and gives structure and purpose to our lives… to a point. As a previous workaholic who put work before anything, even my own health in terms of sleep, socialising, and eating, I definitely believe this is something we must take seriously.

The article talks about how capitalist society has become an 'achievement society' and that ‘burnout' is a byproduct of our constant need to achieve. I also agree with this because I've been there, done that, and got the t-shirt.

Referring to humans as being a constant 'project' makes me think of us as a work-in-progress. Of course, most of us are looking to progress in some way in many aspects of life, but the danger is that we focus too much attention and time on progressing in work to the detriment of everything else.

Quoting various philosophers from the 1800s and 1900s, the article suggests the ‘true meaning of our lives can be found only in play.' Play is something we enjoy in the moment and not solely or even at all for the outcome. This is called an ‘autotelic activity’, something I've mentioned before when talking about creativity – and the concept is the same. It's the excitement we gain from the activity itself and not any sort of reward at the end.

This can be difficult for us to grasp because we can see play or creative activities as an unproductive use of time. Something that is not income-generating, chore-related or achievement-based. But what if work could become play or more playful or if we introduce more playtime into our lives? I think we can afford ourselves more space to be playful. To embrace childlike activities and engagements that are simple and enjoyable. To choose a career that embraces play. What fun!

✐  Journal Prompts

• What did play look like for you as a child? Describe an activity you remember enjoying and spending hours enthralled with.
• How did this activity make you feel?
• What do you do now, as an adult, that you could describe as play?
• Make a list of achievements. Review the list and highlight those which are work-based and those which are personal or social-based - do you need to tip the balance in any way?
• What ways can you create more play, and how can you reframe the word 'play' or 'playfulness' to remove the connotations of unproductive or wasteful time?

Play is not wasteful, by the way. We all need to rest and recharge, and often, playful or creative time can be the way to achieve this.

‘Creativity is intelligence having fun.’ Albert Einstein

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Book & Podcast Recommendations

• Article: ‘The achievement society is burning us out, we need more play’ from Psyche
• PDF: ‘The Eight Dimensions of Wellness’

Writing with Purpose Resources

• Connect: Please connect with me on your preferred platform
• PDF: Access a free April journal planner
• Podcast: Listen to the Writing with Purpose podcast
• Podcast: Listen to my collaboration podcast, Soulful Reawakening

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Until next time, be playful.

Love & energy

Anna 💚

P.S.

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