February Newsletter

Hello amazing Mothers & Mothers-to-be!

So you may have noticed that it’s February! My January newsletter slipped into February, ah so it is. I’m learned to let these things go, and my word of the year for 2023 is slower. So there we go!

I hope this newsletter will give you a little break from the busyness, and provide some things to help you pause, and take a little pocket of time for yourself.

Thanks for your lovely comments and feedback on the last couple of my new newsletter. I genuinely love to hear from you. Again I hope this little newsletter inspires you, informs you and supports you.

Scroll down for my monthly recipe, simple self-care practices, breathing practice & a simple ritual to try and some inspiration - a book, nature and seasonal inspiration, art to visit & things to think about perhaps, plus my monthly mixtape. Also I’ll share some exciting brand NEW upcoming opportunities for us to come together too - a seasonal Womens Circle called Gather, and a weekly outdoor movement class.

I’m sending this newsletter the day after Imbolc, which is what’s know as a ‘cross-quarter’ day - marking the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, and so the mid point of Winter. It’s therefore an in-betweeny time in energetic feel. We can feel a disbelief that Winter's already half over, yet simultaneously feel surely we must be nearly at Spring. These two opposing feelings are a perfect representation of the conflicting energies at play here in mid-Winter at Imbolc. So your spirit may be feeling so ready to move into Spring yet we can also feel like we really want more winter nourishment and restful ans cosy days.

I think it’s the perfect time to remind ourselves to keep enjoying rest and stillness. Tap into the wisdom of nature, and know that the light of the equinox is now coming and longer days are ahead. Shoots of Spring will be here soon enough - just knowing that is something to celebrate!

And wishing you a lovely February, and looking forward to seeing you soon!

Susan x

Don’t forget you can also join me on my Instagram and Facebook pages too:

A simple monthly recipe

☀️Golden sunshine Exilir ☀️

for colds & anyone needed an immune boost

This turmeric and ginger jar of sunshine is liquid gold! Making a beautiful warming drink with it to start my day is just perfect at this time of year. It's zingy with ginger, lemon and raw apple cider vinegar, fragrant with cinnamon and cardamon, deep with musky turmeric, sweet with local honey, and with a spicy kick from black pepper and turkish chilli (optional).
Great for boosting your immunity and keeping colds at bay. There are so many colds around right now 🤧
The main ingredient is Turmeric, which gives it its sunshine hue. This Indian spice has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years with its main active ingredient being curcumin, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
I use a mix of fresh turmeric and fresh ginger, black pepper as it aids absorption of the turmerics active ingredient. Plus I add these optional extra to my recipe - cinnamon (anti inflammatory and full of antioxidants), cardamon because I love it, and Turkish chilli (ditto).

How to make it :
4 tbsp of honey
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
50 grams fresh turmeric root - grated (I get this in Waitrose if you’re struggling to find it)
50 grams fresh ginger - grated

Simply mix all the ingredients together in a food small processor, with a little water to loosen if required. (Using a stick blender will also work.) It should be a loose paste consistency. Then store in a glass jar in the fridge (makes a jam jar full).

To make each cup of sunshine:

Simply mix 2 tablespoons of the paste with hot (not boiling) water in a cup, option to add 1 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar (the one with with the 'mother' in, appropriately enough…). Stir, taste and add more honey or lemon juice to taste.

PS Turmeric STAINS - so be careful. Do not get it on worktops or clothes. I have very orange fingers for days afterwards!!

Some things I’m loving right now & you might like too…

This month my inspiration to click on, comes to you in the form of mainly nature, art and inspiring women - some of my favourite things.

An inspiring podcast

If you want to connect more to the seasons & nature I LOVE this super inspiring book
A great way to simply notice nature in your immediate surroundings, even at this time of year. Lovely for kids too. You’ve got until mid-Feb to feed back what you see.
Get outside a little further afield, and get inspired by Art too. I loved this exhibition
This is a 5 minute good read, and so true!
A spotlight on employment rights for women

2 minute self-care.

A simple practice to end the day

In my last newsletter (way back in December!) I shared a practice to start the day. So this time I wanted to share a simple, short practice to end the day. Taking just a couple of minutes for yourself to really take some care and show yourself some kindness and love. It can make a big difference, and of course these 2-minute self-care practices are short, sweet and simple to do.

Here’s this months mini practice:

As you go to bed, whether you slather on some rich unctuous moisturiser or use a serum or oil, could you turn this everyday action into a lovely simple relaxing face massage.

• Start at your eyebrow centre and use your fingers to
softly stroke over them towards the temples.
• Now intuitively stroke along the contours of your face,
tracing along any lines of tension you are aware of.
You can use both hands with one or two fingers, or you
may prefer to use just one hand.
• Follow your instinct and your own awareness as you
breathe and softly stroke away stress from your face,
allowing your expression to relax.
• Finish with your fingers resting just beneath your nose,
feeling the warm air of your exhalation against your
fingers as you breathe out, and the cooler air
of your inhalation as you breathe in.

A letting go ritual

Rather than setting resolutions at the start of the year in January, I like to think of things I could let go of. And around Imbolc (early February) it’s a natural and traditional time for a ‘spring clean’ so I like to do this for my mind and give myself some space. I find it a much more positive take the year starting to awaken ahead.

One way to do this that can help you take a mindful ten minutes is this little creative doodling exercise. It’s something we did in my Mindful & Creative Journaling For Mothers classes. Lots of people in the class loved it, so I thought I’d share it here too.

Heart-centred breathing practice

This is a gentle and simple but deeply effective practice that helps to unify breath, heart and mind so that we can operate from a centred place of being. It balances actions from the head and heart. And because of course it’s valentines day in February

heart-centred BREATHING

Sit comfortably in an easy and upright position. Let your chest open and shoulders relax. Soften your facial muscles and let your eyes close.
Place your right hand on your lower belly and feel it gently expanding into your palm as you inhale, and receding as you exhale.
Now rest your left hand on your heart. Feel its beat in your palm and listen to its rhythm.
Soften your breath and begin to breathe in time with the beat of your heart.
Inhale for 5-6 beats, pause for 1 beat, exhale for 5-6 beats and pause for 1 beat.
Continue for 5-10 minutes, tuned in to your natural rhythm and enjoy the synchronicity between your heart and your breath. Notice your heart's pace on the in breath and on the out breath.
When you feel ready, close the practice by resting both hands over your heart. Take a few breaths here.

February Mixtape

Here’s some music to cocoon you at the ‘inbetweeny’ time of not quiet Winter, but also not quite Spring. Imbolcy you might say. My February Mixtape for you all. Find it here

Savour the slowness, the hibernation that this time of year still feels.

Lets Come Together…

February & March

Come and connect, and find some time and space for yourself within the busyness of motherhood.

I have TWO brand new classes starting in March. Super excited for them both.

The first is a weekly outdoor energising movement class, aimed to get energy flowing, be outside in nature and feel good in your body. More info here

I also have a NEW ‘Womens Circle’ called Gather. This is all about the essence of gathering together around a campfire, to connect, listen inwards and be supported by other women. More on Gather here.

If you want to see my full schedule of classes & events then do head here

Let me know what you think. And watch out for the March Newsletter which will have some more self-care practices, and hopefully things to inspire you in supportive ways.

Remember, keep nourishing yourself and gathering energy for the growth to come for you this year - Spring is on it’s way, but not quite yet. Oh and watch out for Snowdrops - so many in my garden right now!

Love to you all. Thank you for being so magnificent.

Susan x

PS Do drop me an email with any feedback on this new Newsletter, or any suggestions. It’s always lovely to hear from you.

Other things you might find supportive…

For Modern Mothers Podcast

You can also now listen to my podcast. This is a podcast to help mothers and mothers-to-be you thrive physically, mentally and emotionally in the modern world.

You’ll find no BS talks about all aspects of modern motherhood & wellbeing - physical, mental and emotional health, self-care, mindset, pregnancy, work, relationships, birth, cyclical living. This is a podcast to support, inform and empower you to find your own unique way through motherhood. Episodes include:

~ The Truth About Baby Sleep

~ Postnatal Bodies

~ Breastfeeding Myths

~ Self-Care For Mothers

~ Reconnecting with your Menstrual Cycle

Plus there are some guided meditations on there too. Use the link below or simply search for 'for modern mothers' on your preferred podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Google, Spotify, Stitcher etc). ttps://www.formodernmothers.com/podcast