Santa Lucia Day In Copenhagen

January 03, 2020 by And So We Begin in travelling, wellbeing

In December I returned to Copenhagen for a few days escape. I explored some new areas including Christianshavn where I wandered down a picture perfect street called Wildersgade. I also visited the Glyptotek gallery for a second time and spent a while looking around the magnificent sculptures including the two huge lions in one of the lobbies. It’s wonderful that the word for lion in Danish is løve.

One of the main reasons I visited was to experience the Santa Lucia Day celebrations that take place each year on December 13th. In Scandinavia this date coincided with Winter Solstice and the day celebrates light coming back into the darkness. You can read more about the tradition here. I heard about a lovely, quirky custom that the kayak clubs of Copenhagen embrace. As the light fades, they cover their kayaks in fairylights and take to the canal. Hundreds of them drifting along the water. Crowds gathered and there was a lovely sense of calm as we all watched spellbound.

Cornwall

June 28, 2019 by And So We Begin in inspiration, mindfulness, nature, wellbeing

A much needed trip to see the sea. My sister took this photo of me looking out across the waves. The tide reminded me that life has a rhythm. Breathe in. Breathe out. The good always comes back around.

Beautiful Opportunity

June 11, 2018 by And So We Begin in inspiration, wellbeing

I read these words in the midst of an article online and they struck a chord. Creativity takes courage. Things happen in life that knock your confidence and test your ability to trust the good. Keep hoping. Be tenacious. Sometimes a beautiful opportunity is just that.

Humankind

April 11, 2018 by And So We Begin in illustration, kindness, wellbeing

Simple words felt like they should be inked.

Keep Your Head Up, Keep Your Heart Strong

March 25, 2018 by And So We Begin in inspiration, wellbeing

A little bit of good advice, courtesy of Ben Howard : )

Podcast - Happy Place

March 19, 2018 by And So We Begin in podcasts, wellbeing

I took my own advice today and took a break from my desk to get some fresh air. While I walked, I listened to this great new podcast from Fearne Cotton. This episode features a cosy chat with Dawn French about what makes her happy. It's a lovely, warm insight into her life. I particularly like how honest she is about her ups and downs. A lovely listen.

Podcast - Ctrl, Alt, Delete

August 07, 2017 by And So We Begin in recipes, podcasts, simple things, wellbeing

I don't know where I've been hiding but I've just discovered Emma Gannon's fabulous Ctrl, Alt, Delete podcast. On this evening's commute, I listened to #70, an interview with Melissa Hemsley, which was all about wellbeing, the joy of nutritional food and the benefits of meditation. An absolute treat. I'm excited to work my way through the other 90 episodes.

Data To Creator

August 06, 2017 by And So We Begin in art, illustration, inspiration, painting, wellbeing

I've written before about how I use abstract painting to transition my mind from spreadsheets back to illustration. This weekend I was inspired by the colour palette of Laura Horn on Instagram.

So We Must Be Kind

February 25, 2017 by And So We Begin in kindness, wellbeing

I looked up as I left a restaurant this week and saw this. In these times, it's all I want to say to everyone I meet. The full sign said, "Every day is a struggle, so we must be kind."

Sometimes You Just Have To See The Sea

February 03, 2017 by And So We Begin in #littlebitofpretty, nature, simple things, wellbeing

Every now and then I get a deep craving to see the sea. It's an inbuilt desire to be at the edge of the land, to watch the tide ebb and flow and to breathe in the salty air. I had been working all morning and decided it was time for a break. I was only going to take an hour or so but suddenly needed to get out of the city. I found myself reasoning that I could work on the train there and back and within thirty minutes I was on my way.

It was rainy, grey and misty but sometimes that's the best time to see the sea. There were hardly any people around and the colour of the sea was absolutely magical. I walked slowly along the pier and breathed in the air, listening to the tide. An hour was all I needed. A little fix. Sometimes you just have to see the sea.