Welcome back to Wellbeing Wednesday! As the Christmas lights go up and the festive carolling starts in earnest, we are entering one of the most exciting (and potentially exhausting…. especially for those musicians among us!) times of the year.

Christmas is a beautiful time of connection, but it is also a relentless period of sensory overload. From flashing lights and loud music to crowded shops and non-stop social demands, our nervous systems begin working overtime.

If you find yourself feeling frazzled, snappy, or inexplicably exhausted by mid-December, you’re not failing at “festive cheer”, you may be experiencing sensory burnout.

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The Anatomy of Holiday Overload

Our brains are designed to process sensory information, but during the holidays, the sheer volume, frequency, and intensity of stimuli spike dramatically:

• Visual Overload: Thousands of twinkling lights, bright store displays, metallic wrapping paper, fast-moving crowds……..
• Auditory Overload: Non-stop, often aggressive and loud Christmas music; crowded party chatter; loud children; sirens and traffic……
• Olfactory Overload: The constant presence of strong scents (pine, cinnamon, baking, heavy perfumes) can be overwhelming……
• Social Overload: Back-to-back gatherings and events, forced small talk, and the pressure to perform or bring “joy” can leave our mental battery completely drained.

When our system is constantly bombarded, it can enter a state of perpetual high alert, leading to anxiety, exhaustion, and less capacity to handle even minor stresses. True wellbeing during this time may mean actively managing all of this external noise.

🛑 Finding Your Quiet Corner: Practical Sensory Hacks

Your most important self-care routine in December is creating and enforcing barriers between yourself and the demands of the season.

1. Tips to Manage the Visual Chaos

• Designated “Dark Time”: Schedule at least 30 minutes every evening with the main lights off. Use soft, indirect lighting (lamps, candles) to allow your eyes and brain to rest from the intense visual stimuli.
• Unplug and Look Away: When standing in line at a store, instead of staring at your phone or the chaotic displays, focus on something simple, like the pattern on the floor or the palm of your hand. Grounding your vision calms your central nervous system.
• Curate Your Space: If your home decor is starting to feel overwhelming, put away one cluster of decorations. Less visual clutter equals less cognitive processing.

2. Tips on Taming the Auditory Assault

• The Headphone Shield: Try keeping a pair of noise-cancelling headphones (or even earplugs) in your bag at all times. Use them unapologetically on crowded transport, while shopping, or even when wrapping gifts at home.
• Control Your Soundscape: If you are home, try listening to instrumental music, nature sounds, or simple binaural beats. Give your ears a break from lyrics and sudden noise changes.
• Schedule Silence: Book “Silence Appointments” in your calendar. Whether it’s 15 minutes in your car before heading into work or locking yourself in a quiet room, make silence a non-negotiable part of your day.

3. Try to Prioritize Your Mental Energy (Social Boundaries)

The pressure to say yes to every invitation/event contributes significantly to sensory overload.

• The “One Event” Rule: Limit yourself to one major social event per weekend. If you have two, ensure the second one is extremely low-key (like a quiet coffee, not a massive party).
• The Early Exit Strategy: If you must attend a large event, commit to a strict departure time before you arrive. Tell the host you can only stay for the first hour and then leave when your pre-determined time is up; no guilt necessary.
• Avoid Small Talk Purgatory: When feeling depleted, stick to conversations with people you genuinely like. Deep, meaningful connection is less draining than superficial pleasantries with dozens of strangers.

This Christmas, try to remember that joy and peace are not found in the volume of lights and gifts or the length of your to-do list. They are found in the intentional spaces you create for yourself and your loved ones. Giving yourself and your family the gift of connection is the greatest wellbeing boost you can offer. Simply sitting together listening to gentle, calming music will refuel your connection and help to co-regulate your system.

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How are you fighting sensory overload this week? Share your best survival hacks in the comments!

Welcome back to Wellbeing Wednesday. This week, the theme hits incredibly close to home, as I (and I’m sure many of you) have been completely flattened by the flu.

When you’re a freelancer and a parent, getting sick isn’t just an inconvenience; it feels like a very real crisis. The three main roles (Mum, Freelancer, and Patient) are constantly fighting for energy, and when your system is wiped out, that juggling act becomes impossible.

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The Unbreakable Rules of the Triple Threat

When the flu or any illness hits, you quickly realize your usual coping mechanisms are useless. You can’t just call in sick because often there is a big event approaching which requires your focus, or only your skill set. And the small people….. well they don’t take a day off either.

Here’s some tips on potential ways to navigate this difficult terrain, focusing on survival, not perfection.

1. Redefine “Productive” (Freelancer Hat Off)

The biggest hurdle for freelancers is the guilt of stopping. When you’re ill, your definition of “productive” must shrink radically:

• Before: Productive means finishing a large project and scheduling five meetings.
• During Flu: Productive means getting fluids down, taking medication on time, and resting for 30 minutes without interruption. That is a win.

Actionable Tip: If you absolutely must do a few minutes of work, choose the most passive task (like simple email sorting or proofreading) and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, stop. Your brain needs the break more than your inbox needs clearing.

2. The Power of Radical Delegation & Solo Survival (Mum Hat On)

This is not the week for wholesome, curated activities. This is the week for survival mode parenting.

• Lower the Bar (Drastically): Dinner can be cereal. Toys can stay on the floor. Screen time limits? They are a suggestion, not a rule. The goal is safety and containment, not developmental milestones.
• The Partner/Village Power: If you have a partner, hand them the reins—completely.

If You Don’t Have a Local Village: I often struggle to accept support from cast memebers, clients, friends, even when it’s offered, something in me says, don’t be a burden, don’t ask too much. But this week has been about learning to lean in to that support and be grateful it is there, regardless of the direction that it has come from. I have been blown away by the many messages of love and support that have come from some very unexpected sources.

Some ideas that we have tried in the past, but I’ve felt too wiped out to even ask for this week have been:

* Virtual Village: Asking a relative or friend video call the kids for 20 minutes to read them a story? Even a quick virtual distraction can provide you with just enough time to take medicine or close your eyes.

* The “Sick Day Kit”: Having a designated box of low-effort, high-engagement activities ready for your children, new-to-them colouring, a forgotten puzzle, or a movie marathon with cozy blankets. This buys you time without requiring your direct involvement.

3. Prioritize the Patient (Patient Hat On)

This is the hardest part for mums and freelancers; prioritizing your own recovery. Your body is staging a small war inside, and it needs resources.

• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate: Immediately contacting clients, students, casts being truthful about the situaiton and your expected return date. This sets an expectation and helps to reduce your stress instantly, it also may have the added benefit, that I have found this week, of eliciting support when it’s most needed.
• Hydration is Your Job: Your primary task for the day is drinking water, staying hidrated. Set a reminder on your phone every 30 minutes to take a sip. Your voice and body need this to heal.
• Use Your Vitals: If your flu symptoms include fever, chills, or deep fatigue, you are not failing by lying down. Your body is demanding rest. Giving in is not laziness; it’s the quickest route back to health and, therefore, back to paid work.

Being ill when the world is depending on you is isolating. Remember: The health of the mother and the stability of the primary income source (you!) are the two most important things. Everything else can, and must, wait.

Sending love to anyone who may need it today. xx

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If you are currently sick, please know you are doing enough. What is the one thing you are giving yourself permission to skip this week?

Welcome back to Wellbeing Wednesday! If you are a freelance musician, singer, or performer, you live a life filled with passion, creativity, and the relentless hustle. You are your own CEO, marketing department, and product….. but you are also the instrument.

This week, I’ve been thinking about a concept often seen as a luxury but is, in fact, an absolute professional requirement: self-care for the freelance body and mind. Something I very much struggle to achieve, but I am trying to keep foremost in my mind.

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The Unique Hustle of the Freelance Performer

Unlike a salaried job, freelance life is cyclical: bursts of intense performance, long periods of administrative work, irregular sleep, and the constant stress of securing the next gig. For performers, this strain is amplified because your body is your capital:

• Vocalists: Need robust vocal health, managed stress, and proper rest to maintain stamina and range.
• Instrumentalists: Rely on physical endurance, finely tuned motor skills, and freedom from repetitive strain injuries.
• The Mind: Needs focus, emotional resilience to handle rejection, and creative energy to compose and adapt.

When a freelance musician neglects self-care, they aren’t just tired—they are jeopardizing their income and their career.

Why “Powering Through” Is a Failure to Plan

There is a common, toxic narrative in the creative world that “suffering for your art” is necessary. But pushing your body or voice past its limits is not dedication; it is a poor risk management strategy.

1. The Physical Cost: Protecting Your Instrument

For performers, self-care must be specific and physical. It’s about maintenance, not recovery:

• Vocal Health: Hydration, warm-ups, and cool-downs are not optional. A sore throat or laryngitis means cancelled gigs and lost wages. Self-care here is preventative medicine.
• Ergonomics and Repetitive Strain: Hours spent practicing, composing or writing at a desk, editing, marketing, or the physical load of carrying equipment can lead to muscle tension, back pain, or worse conditions. Regular, focused stretching, core work, and timely breaks are essential investments.
• Sleep is Practice: Your brain consolidates motor skills and musical memory during sleep. Pulling all-nighters might seem productive, but it actively undermines your ability to perform accurately.

2. The Mental Cost: Managing the Feast or Famine

Freelance life is a roller coaster, and self-care is the safety bar:

• Handling Rejection: Auditions, grant applications, and booking inquiries often result in rejection. Having clear mental health routines (like a designated “worry time” or meditation) is necessary to keep temporary setbacks from becoming demoralising crises.
• The Isolation Factor: Practicing and composing can be solitary. Scheduling non-work related social time or creative collaborations helps prevent burnout and keeps your mental reserves full.
• Establishing “Off-Time”: Because the office is often your home, it’s vital to create boundaries. Turn off email notifications after a certain hour, or designate a “non-musical” hobby that allows your creative mind to fully unplug. My strategies are leaving my technology (phone, watch and ipad) downstairs at night, limiting my blue light and distractions over night. I also love to read! Anything and everything…. a good book can take you far!

💡 Self-Care Action Plan for the Busy Freelancer

Integrating self-care doesn’t require a whole day off; it requires intentional micro-moments. Try some of these and let me know how you get on.

• The 15-Minute Rule: Before every rehearsal or practice session, dedicate 15 minutes to physical and mental preparation: vocal exercises, focused stretching for your hands/back, or a short breathing exercise.
• The Business of Rest: Schedule rest and recovery blocks into your calendar before you schedule gigs. Treat this time with the same respect you would a paying client.
• Gear Care = Body Care: Invest in lighter cases, walking pads or ergonomic chairs or stands. You can’t perform well if you’ve thrown your back out carrying the equipment.

The most crucial lesson for a freelance musician: You are not a machine. You are a finely tuned instrument. Protecting your instrument is your job. Prioritize the maintenance, and the music will follow.

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What small act of self-care are you committing to this week to keep your instrument in tune? Let us know in the comments!

How Coffee, Flowers, and ‘Hiraeth’ Heal Your Soul

Welcome to my first Wellbeing Wednesday blog post. If you’ve been following my social media, you may have seen some weekly Wellbeing Wednesday Waffles (The www at it’s best ;))

This week I wanted to start a blog, where the waffle can be a little more controlled, and I wanted to highlight the profound impact of our environment on our wellbeing; both the tangible things around us and the landscapes of our mind.

Wellbeing isn’t just about grand gestures or massive life changes. It is often within the small, positive anchors we set in our daily lives, and in the way we perceive the memories of our past.

The Power of Positive Anchors

Look around you right now. What do you see?

Our physical surroundings have an undeniable influence on our energy and mood. Surrounding yourself with positive things isn’t a luxury; it’s a vital act of self-care. These positive anchors serve as small, regular mood boosts. This morning, I treated myself to a hot coffee with a gift card I forgot that I had and I purchased a beautiful yellow rose for my office.

• The Comfort of Connection: This warm cup of coffee bought for me by a friend is a simple gesture but it instantly fostered feelings of gratitude and belonging, connection over the miles.
• Life and Energy: My beautiful new Rose, a simple single potted flower brings positive energy and life and are non-verbal reminders of growth, beauty, and vitality.
• Sensory Delight: I also have my favourite candle lit, filling the space with one of my favourite scents.

Something to try out: Give yourself five minutes today to identify one “positive anchor” you could add to your immediate workspace or living area. A small adjustment could create a significant shift in your daily experience.

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Embracing ‘Hiraeth’: A Healing Nostalgia

It also feels prevalent at the moment to explore a deeper, more emotional aspect of well-being; the concept of Hiraeth.

Hiraeth is a beautiful, complex Welsh word that has no single direct translation in English. It’s often described as a deep, poignant longing for a home that may never have existed; a powerful nostalgia, a grief for the lost places of the past, or an intense yearning to return to a person, an era, or a place.

It’s more than just missing something; it’s a soul-deep ache that carries a sense of loss and familiarity all at once.

Finding Healing in the Longing

While Hiraeth sounds melancholic, allowing yourself to acknowledge it can be incredibly healing. This longing is not a weakness; it’s a sign of a rich inner life. This weekend I visited some dear friends in London and was very much reminded of a time when I was working in the performing arts industry, on professional stages, and I felt the nostalgia for those times. It isn’t a yearning to return to those times, but a positive reminder of all of the parts that make up me and my story.

Some possible ways to engage with your own Hiraeth:

1. Acknowledge Who You Were: Your Hiraeth often points you back to a past version of yourself, the person who lived in that time or place. By gently honoring that former self, you accept that they were part of your journey.
2. Celebrate Who You Are Now: The beautiful paradox of Hiraeth is that the longing to return highlights the journey you’ve taken and the person you have become. You are carrying the lessons and resilience from the past into your present self, for me, this all enriches my life as a parent, performer and therapist.
3. Integrate the Lessons: Use the feeling of Hiraeth not as a reason to be stuck, but as a compass. What feeling is the memory evoking? Is it safety? Freedom? Creativity? How can you cultivate that feeling right here, right now?

Embracing Hiraeth means seeing your life as a continuous, beautiful story. The past and present aren’t two separate islands: they are connected by the sturdy bridge of your own personal growth.

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This Wellbeing Wednesday, I am aiming to commit to being intentional about both the things I surround yourself with and the memories I hold close. Both are essential ingredients for a truly nurtured self.

How are you cultivating your sanctuary this week? Share your positive anchors in the comments below