This time, one year ago, the words coronavirus, COVID-19 and social distancing were pretty much unheard of, even non-existent. 

Suddenly, our lives have changed significantly within a matter of weeks and months. Darkness has taken form in all of our lives, in some way or another, but I do believe that it is here to serve us, to allow us to change our journey for the better. Ultimately, darkness is the only ingredient to true light, and now we must listen to how it can help us create brighter, more beautiful lives going forwards. 

It is hard to not look at what has happened and is still happening without questioning why? Why did it happen? What is it here to teach us? Why is it so unfair? Why is it creating so much loss, despair and depression?

In our fast paced and well-adapted 21st century society, it has truly shaken us up, creating chaos in all of our lives. But something I have been turning more and more to, as the weeks go by, is the deeper meaning, the deeper messages that we are learning through our current darkness.

Of course, we cannot overlook the absolutely devastating news happening all around us everyday, but I do want to focus on the positives we can take from our current situation, with great hope that they will be imprinted in us, for when we move into our new chapter.

My belief is that the universe has sent us this darkness to show us the real light. 

I have grown up in and around London. I am 25 years old, and it is quite incredible just how much change has happened from when I used to visit London in my childhood, to teens, to early twenties. When I've been in London over the past years, I have noticed that everything has become so fast paced. Walking along the streets, the majority of passers by are looking down at their phones, in a totally different world to the one happening in from top them. We no longer speak to one another, but instead we choose to centre ourselves on our own lives. Streets are littered with foods, bins are full of takeaway packaging and lunch breaks are cut short or non existent, in place of work.

We have grown no longer appreciate nature, family, friends or good health as much, often the western way is built upon more, more, more, quick fixes, and throwaway jobs, relationships, cars or even lives (moving countries abruptly). We so often forget to listen to our inner guts, the universe, the stars and the moon - instead we choose to direct our attention onto following the social herd, terrified to be left behind and not keeping up appearances.

No longer was our way slow. In a day, someone could travel to another country and back, while forming a new relationship online through a dating app, whilst on the plane, whilst creating a business from their laptop on the flight - it is easy to see why burnout, depression and anxiety has become a secondary effect of our way of living!

Yet, this spring, coronavirus took over our lives here in the UK and the rest of the world. Through the devastation, the losses, the new way of living, we have had to face what really matters to us, adapting to a totally new way of life.

Of course, a lot of life is random, and tragedy can hit us at any time, without much meaning. But it is hard to not notice just how many lessons we are being forced to learn, are exactly what is needed to direct our lives in a more sustainable way.

The lessons we are learning have been fundamental in our collective ‘waking up’. Suddenly, we are realising just how interconnected we are, that we are all one and we are all in this together. We are showing each other kindness, non-judgement and compassion. We are choosing to open up, for once, and drop our ‘exterior persona’ for once. 

We are realising that a slower way of living is a better, more sustainable and healthy way. We are learning that our health is our wealth, and that no matter who you are and what you are on the hierarchy of society, that you are just as mortal as everyone else. Suddenly, we are becoming, quite literally grounded, allowing us to find our feet on what really matters to us in life.

Lives have been directed in a different path, through job losses, relationship break ups and altered life plans. Suddenly, we are having to face our inner darkness, to really see what we want out of life, our next chapter.

We have been forced to sit in silence, in stillness, listening to our minds and our bodies. We have replayed past mistakes, failures, and darker times over and over. Suddenly, we are alone with our grief, our losses, our guilt - along with our wishes, our hopes and our dreams.

My biggest hope for our next chapter is that we view health as our greatest wealeth, that we respect and love one another, rather than hate and judge. I sincerely hope that we can take the teachings of compassion, kindness and slowing down into our new lives, along with continuously facing our darkness, without fear, for it will always guide us to the light again.

We will all meet in light again.

Charlotte. X

"Health, happiness and life are found within the breath."

With our caveman brains adapting to a fast-paced, tech, television, and smartphone-filled life, it is now more important than ever to connect with our reality. There is no coincidence why there's been a rapid rise of meditation apps, holistic retreats and yoga studios over the past decade, with the increase in our speed of life. It seems that the world is beginning to realise just how important the fundamentals of health and wellbeing are, with the key held in our very breath.

Learning to meditate has been life-changing for me, allowing me to slow down my thoughts, accept life's ever-evolving twists, turns and challenges, along with digging into my strength - and a whole host of other benefits, both physically and mentally.

I find that making a conscious effort to turn to my breath, has enhanced my sense of presence day-to-day. Meditating may feel like something you have to force into your everyday, but I promise you that it is actually very simple and very easy!

There are a whole host of ways that you can meditate, but ones which I'm favouring lately are:

1. Flower watching - when you view a flower, really look at it in every inch and detail. Look at the light vs shade, view it's colour, it's texture, if there's any leaves or thornes, if it's covered in raindrops, dust or dashed in pure sunlight. Absorb your senses in it, taking time to really smell its scent. Imagine the flowers journey, how it began its life, and how it has grown to bloom.

2. Grass Grounding - stand on grass in your bare feet. Spread your toes widely, consciously stretching each one. Ground your body into your feet, closing your eyes and taking in ten juicy deep inhalations and exhalations. Feel the grass between your feet, its temperature, its energy, its texture, how long, short, wide or slim it is.

3. Raindrop Meditation - this is such a simple meditation but a great grounding exercise! Next time it's raining, focus on a raindrop falling slowly down he window. Watch it as it falls gracefully down the glass, knocking into other raindrops along the way. Deepen your breath as you repeat.

4. Light and smoke meditation - when you feel stress mounting throughout the days, imagine a bright beam of sunlight flooding through you as you inhale, and exhale smoke. Inhale light and exhale smoke 5 times. You should feel lighter within minutes...

5. Stillness - sit in stillness for a few minutes every day. Maybe this could be after lunch, in the morning after you wake or before you sleep. Make sure to switch off all gadgets and technology, pin pointing your attention onto a tree, the flowers, the stars or the moon. Deepen your breath, holding your hands over your heart. Repeat a few lovely nourishing words to yourself like 'I am loved', 'I am present', 'I am courageous', 'I am magic'.

6. Walking meditation - this is a wonderful one to do when you are walking around the house or out on a walk. When you place one foot down, really connect with where your foot is hitting the ground, travelling with it on its journey as it places and lifts itself off the ground. I like to begin my walks with this one to ground me into the moment.

7. Tea meditation - I love a good cup of tea! Not only is it a delicious, warm drink, but tea is more a ritual, a warm hug, a comfort to me in the everyday. I like to ground myself by watching the kettle's journey of boiling the water. I watch until the very end, when the steam begins to disperse. When I'm sat with my tea, I like to place both hands around the mug, take a few deep breaths and watch as it swirls around the mug.

8. Love meditation - this is a great one to feel instant love! Think about people in your life that make you feel loved, and you love! Imagine sending a little love heart into their world using your brain... it's a bit whacky but you'd be surprised just how positive this makes your feel after!

9. Fruit meditation - this is a wonderful one for connecting with your food and the natural world around you. Next time you reach for some berries, a banana or an apple, really look at the texture of it. Look at the markings, the imperfections, the size, the shape, the colour, the smell, the stem. Take a deep look and really take in its colour, scent and appearance before eating.

10. Hand to heart - I like doing this one a few times a day as it makes me feel comforted and safe. Place your hands onto your heart (skin to skin is best), taking 10 gorgeously deep breaths. Feel your heart beating and thank it for keeping you alive. Listen to the beat of your heart and see it as your source to do all of the things you want to do in life!

I hope you just love using these in your everyday!

Charlotte. X

My Morning Meditation Practice

This meditation is performed over breakfast, so make sure to have yours ready prior to starting. It is best to do seated, with your feet on the floor.

Begin by placing both feet on the floor, with your food placed on your lap or on the table in front of you. Place your hands on your lap, straightening your back. Feel your feet positioned on the ground, the surface below them, it's texture and if it is warm, cold, or room temperature. Really let yourself connect with how it feels to have your feet on the floor.

Close your eyes, before taking in 5 juicy deep inhales and exhales. As you are inhaling, imagine you are blowing up a balloon into your lungs, once they're at full capacity, exhale, drawing your stomach into your spine, opening your mouth as you do so and letting the air blow out. Make sure to count your inhale and exhale as 1 breath.

I like to do this breath work with a visualisation of inhaling sunlight, exhaling smoke.

Once you've done the breath work, open your eyes and gaze down at your breakfast. Ask yourself a few questions, where does my food come from? What is it's source?

I really like to do this practice as it really helps you to begin to see a bigger picture to how your food ends up on your plate. This in itself is really wonderful at aligning to more gratitude for what we so often take for granted.

For instance, if I have porridge with almond butter and berries, I will imagine where each ingredient has come from - the oats, I imagine the oats gliding back and forth in the field, being harvested by a hand. For the berries I imagine lined up in their rows, juicy enough to pick. For the almond butter, I visualise a harvester collecting the nuts from the tree, before crushing them to make almond butter.

Close your eyes. Repeat the breath work.

With each round of 5 breaths, count 5 things of which you are grateful for in that moment. It can be as small as having socks on your feet, to having a glass of water in front of you, for your family and friends.

Once complete, I like to raise my hands in a prayer position to my third eye chakra (between the brows), with my thumb touching this point. I chant 'let me see the truth', then moving my hands to my mouth, 'let me speak the truth', to my heart chakra 'let me know the truth', before raising my hands to my lips, 'namaste'.

It is a little whacky but I really do believe in the power of this one, which is why I have done it for mostly every day for years now!

Enjoy,

Charlotte. X

Week Five

This past week I, with awareness of my privilege to do so, switched off from watching the news, listening to or reading news relating to the current coronavirus outbreak in any form.

After many sleepless nights, and anxious and low days, I realised that my mental health had taken a great knock.

For many of us, it indeed will knock us, for we are human and it is a natural reaction to the great fear, worry and uncertainty of the current times.

Sometimes, stepping back, putting up boundaries and allowing ourselves to go into our own bubble is the very thing we need to keep ourselves sane in an insane world.

Some things I have noticed this week are that I, and we, have a need to control when life feels out of control. So this week I have focused on controlling what I can to feel more positive, and controlling what and how much I absorb which may impact that. I have been balancing go with slow and really soaking up on the self care.

Something I've been distancing from is comparing myself too much to others in this time and trying to remain in my own lane. Whilst social media can be amazing at connecting us together, it can be a really overwhelming and toxic place at times. Ultimately, the landscape of social media, I am finding, is becoming far more real and true in light of the current circumstances, which I am really loving, but I have been aware that some online creators have a tendency to make others feel like they're not doing or being enough.

I think it's important to remind you that if anyone makes you feel this way, to unfollow them for the time being and make that online space nourishing for you with content you love to see in the place you're at in your life. Being mindful of how much you soak up of everyones feeds each day is something to be conscious of too - as everything you absorb certainly has an impact.

For the first time in a long time, I have been posting far more personal content on the Charlotte Elizabeth Instagram account, which has felt really lovely after a long period of more professional content. It is reminding me of the old days, when I was just starting Charlotte Elizabeth and used to share pretty much anything in my day! I have especially loved the feedback received from this, which has opened a gateway to learning more about our customers and community, who have shared their stories with me which has felt so special.

In the good realm of social media, I have loved seeing Laura Jackson's great #makeamealofit hashtag, which is all about making really special dinners to savour and enjoy at home and seeing how many people have joined in to this beautiful evening ritual. The lovely Joely Walker has created a 5 minute for £5 plank challenge, which I have really admired keeping up with as so many people have taken part for the NHS. I have also really appreciated my friend Scar Curtis for sharing a beautifully honest post on depression during these times, which made me feel so comforted.

We have been so very lucky here in the UK, it is mid-April and we have had such delightfully warm, sunny weather. I am grateful, as I moved back in with my parents when I had my health knock-up last year, so I have been greatly enjoying their garden, our family dog, and the green woodland surrounding the house. I lived in London, in a flat before this which barely had much light, so I am really soaking up the sunshine, counting my blessings and being thankful that I am in the countryside with my family.

Each morning, I have been doing yoga/pilates in the garden for the past weeks, and it has been so wonderful for my health. It is an absolute luxury and joy to be able to physically, and to have the time and space to do so. I just love that part of the day, as it helps me switch off and tune in to a more calm world. I adore yoga and feel it has massively helped me physically, mentally and spiritually.

I love how each time I practice, I learn something new about my body, myself, my mind and where I'm at in life. Yoga is not competitive, and it is a great reminder of this when some days my body has been unable to get into poses I can usually do. It is simply a tuning in, a re-connect with your mind, body, soul - and it feels really amazing for it.

Pilates especially helps my anxiety, I have noticed, as your brain has to be on the repetitive counting cycles and breath - a tip for any fear-roaming minds! This week, I have been focusing a lot on building and maintaining my core strength and leg resistance training. I tend to use my memory of pilates and yoga classes, however I did do a class from Lululemon's Youtube Video which was so uplifting and energising, and have loved Lottie Murphy, the incredible pilates teacher's youtube classes to top up on resistance-training poses.

Exercise every morning really helps me have something to wake up for, something to look forward to and something to build me up each day. I really recommend doing as little as you can if you can. Plus, exercise can be anything that challenges your body. So don't be too hard on yourself and do whatever feels enough for you.

My sister and I took over some essentials to our Grandmother's this week. She is the Elizabeth to our brand name Charlotte Elizabeth, and really is such a greatly loved part of all of our lives. We haven't seen her for 6 weeks, which has been challenging as personally, we are such great friends and enjoy our sleepovers, cakes and tea together with a good old natter about current affairs!

We arrived, with gloves, hand sanitiser and food. We sat in the garden, shielded behind her thick door glass, and began our half an hour of catching up over 'tea', my portable cup! It was totally bittersweet and I felt both very happy and very sad. It is hard to see your much loved nanny behind the glass and not being able to hug her. But I know that it is the absolute best way of keeping us both safe during these times, and a sacrifice I am more than happy to make for that!

Her garden was blooming compared to the last time I saw it, with camellias in abundance. The air was muggy and stormy when we arrived, turning from hot to cool as a storm started. I just love when the spring days turn like this, there is nothing more enchanting about nature's incredibly intense smell when a storm brews!

Ultimately, life has changed for all of us in some way, and we are all no-doubt beginning to feel the effects of it. This week, I'm ending it feeling very grateful for your support to us as a brand at this time, and am using this time to turn CE into something even more meaningful and connective - whilst also allowing myself to not be too hard on myself on days where it all feels too much. That is all we can do, to both balance this time to pause, reflect and refocus, be wherever we are and re-tune in alongside considering and slowly building towards our future - ready to emerge when life returns to a different kind of normal.

Be gentle with yourself, stay safe and well,

Charlotte. X