A Zen Start to March

Posted on by Miriam

I can’t believe two months of the year have already flown by. With the beginning of March, Autumn has officially started in Australia, although it’s been the hottest start to the season on record.

Last weekend the allure of the coast beckoned. Hubby had been away for the week, working long hours in Adelaide, and I’d had an equally busy week, so it was a great excuse to head away on Saturday night. Not that we ever need an excuse to go camping!

Cape Paterson, right on the foreshore reserve, about two hours from home, fit the bill perfectly.

Relaxing at Cape Paterson

Long walks on the beach, languid swims in the warm water, floating in the rock pools and enjoying delicious meals made up our day.

Falling asleep to the sound of the waves and waking up to birdsong and a golden sunrise was sublime. It’s the little things that I savour when we camp.

Doug in his bliss
Loving the moment
The ultimate outdoor bath

It wasn’t long before we were on the road again, our brief interlude having worked it’s magic. However worries are never far away with smoke in the air and fires on the horizon.

March has started off with devastating bushfires in Victoria, caused by lightning strikes and extreme temperatures. Many are still burning and my thoughts are with firefighters and those who’ve lost so much.

As for me, my aim is to make each day meaningful. Making daily lists and ticking off tasks keeps me accountable. Staying appreciative of the small things, learning to let go of bigger issues I have little control over.

Noticing the little things
Being mindful of the bigger picture with bushfires and a threatening sky

Ways we can be more Zen in March:

Write it down

Journal your thoughts, either first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. For me, it’s my Gratitude Diary before I go to bed. Even when times are tough I find there’s always something in my day to be grateful for.

Use your Breath to calm yourself

Do nothing. Be nothing. Except breath. Become at one with your breath, in and out, in and out. You shhhh and ignore the shhhhh-t.

In the rock pools last weekend, as I floated in warm sea water, I felt totally zen. But we don’t need the ocean to reach that state of bliss.

Take a Ten Minute Holiday for the brain

It’s proven that visualising and meditation, even ten minutes a day, can slow down our thoughts and bring about clarity and calm. Give your brain a holiday and watch how you become more focused and effective.

Always find time for the things that make you happy to be alive. Whether it’s watching the ocean dance in to kiss the shoreline, hugging someone you love, walking your pooch or simply taking time to enjoy alone time, make every day of this month count.

Remember that happiness is yours for the taking. It’s in the car trips, the place you call home, the smile from your child, being in nature, savouring the sun on your back. Be aware of all the little moments and embrace them.

That’s what I’ll be doing.

Stay safe and enjoy the journey.

In light and love

Inhale, exhale. Happiness is here and now. Thích Nhất Hạnh

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123 thoughts on “A Zen Start to March”

  5. “For me, it’s my Gratitude Diary before I go to bed. Even when times are tough I find there’s always something in my day to be grateful for.”

    So much packed into a relatively short post! I especially liked hearing of your Gratitude Diary. It seems to me gratitude is among the keys to living passionately. Perhaps too often we feel it only for the larger things.

    Down a completely different road now. It has just occurred to me to ask if you’ve ever had a chance to read “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” by Tom Robbins? Not the train wreck that is the movie, the scenic coastal road that is the novel. There’s a shallow connection to you. Sissy, the protagonist, is almost always traveling through-out the novel. There’s a deeper connection to you. The core theme is authenticity, being true to ourselves, and one of the lesser themes is how authenticity makes possible living passionately.

    Oh! I almost forgot, Miriam. “Cowgirls” is the one and only novel so thick with humor that I actually rolled off a couch from laughing too hard and too long while reading it. Someone else’s mileage may vary, but I think of it as world class literature, and the funniest book I have ever read in that category.

    Thank you for a fascinating post

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    1. I’ll be honest Paul, I’ve not heard of the book but after your intriguing (and very flattering) comments I simply had to google it. Seems I may have to download it to my kindle now as it sounds like a fabulous and funny read. Thanks so much for reading so much into my post.
      As for my Gratitude Journal, well it’s almost become like a best friend. I’ve kept one now for the past seven years and I’d say it’s definitely a game changer. And yes perhaps, as you say, the key to living passionately.

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  8. lovely post, very glad you are safe from the fires and congrats on your nomination!
    What a blessing that you both enjoy camping so much and are close to so many scenic spots :0
    Keen to hear more about the magazine idea, is it viable?

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  12. I love Cape Paterson. I lived there for many years. The golden light in your photos must come from the fires but it does the photos a dream like qualiy. Looking at them is like wandering through memory for me

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  15. Miriam, I’ve just come back from a brief break by the sea and felt totally rejuvenated afterwards. Just the sound of the ocean waves, the taste of the salty air is soothing, healing and in such peace and harmony one meditates easily. It’s less easy to find such stillness in everyday life alas. You look in absolute bliss in the rock pool and I always love the look of your dinner photos! I hope the fires soon cease and that the countryside can breathe easier … along with you all. Have a lovely start to Autumn, my friend! ❤️

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    1. Thanks so much Annika. Glad to hear you’ve also enjoyed a relaxing break by the sea, there’s nothing quite like it and as soothing in my books. Happy month ahead my friend. xx

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  16. Hi Miriam,
    A lot of zen thoughts out in the blogging world this past couple of weeks. It even worked its way into my Science of Happiness course…and the idea of a 10 minute brain break is totally connected to mindfulness and the power of meditation to recenter and reenergize us.
    I admire your dedication to daily journaling – I can’t seem to settle in to that routine, although I know it can be beneficial.

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    1. I honestly don’t think I could stop the night time journaling now. It’s become such a long time habit and feels so natural and normal to do. Thanks for your thoughts here Nancy. Happy March.

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        1. I’m not near any but I have friends that are. Fortunately they’re ok. And yes, sadly, many of our camping areas have been affected. We were actually supposed to be going away this weekend but the area is on a watch alert so we may need to change our plans.

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  20. nice pics as usual. and you have that young woman shown once again. who is she? is she like your lil’ sister or single cousin or some single chick from next door?

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  21. “Remember that happiness is yours for the taking. It’s in the car trips, the place you call home, the smile from your child, being in nature, savouring the sun on your back. Be aware of all the little moments and embrace them.” Love this. And what a special spot to escape to 🙂

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  29. Beautiful beach photos and I love the ten minute brain holiday. Mine may require a little longer I suspect. Cape Paterson could be just the place for my extended brain vacation.

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  30. I’m so sorry to hear about the fires! But I’m glad you got to have a nice (if quick) beach vacation, and that you are learning to take little mental breaks as well. That helps so much in dealing with stress, we all need to learn to do that! Beautiful post, Miriam! Especially those beach photos…..

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  32. Glad to hear the fires are under control now. Such a lovely scenery. And beautiful words. I am in need of at least 20 minutes Holiday for the brain! On my way to take a warm bath. Hug.

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  33. Miriam as always you bring me back to the essentials. Just been through Cape Paterson and know exactly what you mean. We’ve been on theveuad for 6-7 weeks of sheer blissful quiet albeit bloody hot quiet! I look fwd to you to posts – they nourish us all.

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        1. Oh wow, that wildlife expedition sounds fantastic. As does Canada and the train trip. Now I have a severe case of wonderlust! Enjoy.

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  35. Hello dear Miriam, such a pretty post visually and a gentle and inspiring one through your lovely words. I’m glad you were able to harness a nice night away full of peaceful moments. Much love from me 💕✨🌈

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      1. Hello dear Miriam, you’re not late, and I’m glad you had a wonderful weekend away. I’m just happy my comment appeared. Love and hugs too and wishing you a happy week 💜💜🌈🌍

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  36. Love all your suggestions…time for me to get my Zen on. The beach is such a wonderful place to go Zen…with the sound of the ocean, the constant whirr of the ebb and flow can certainly take your mind and quiet it. Sorry to hear of all the fires, such a sad loss for those affected. I hope they are put out soon. I’m looking forward to it warming up here so I can spend more time outdoors and feel the warm breeze on my skin and in my hair. Wishing you a very relaxing, refreshing weekend my lovely lady!! Big Zen Hugs…xoxo 🙂

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    1. How wonderful to hear from you Deb! I’m actually away camping right now, but a different sort of weekend with all my family, friends, horses and lots of dogs! Having a great time in the Bush though I must admit the beach is definitely my happy place. Happy weekend to you too my gorgeous friend, before you know it summer will be here for you and I’ll be the one shivering! Big hugs 😊

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      1. Sounds like lots of fun!! It’s snowing once again this morning…but that doesn’t seem to bother my critters at all…had a yard-full once again today. So love sitting and watching them. Yes you are right soon I’ll be warm and you’ll be cold…how funny. Well I’ll cool you down in the summer and you warm me up in the winter!! Enjoy my sweet friend. Big Snowy Hugs xoxo 🙂

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  38. A Zen start to March sounds wonderful…your tips are a good reminder…I live too much in my head, writing down and penciling in goals like wanting to meditate will probably be more doable! Your camping getaway looks so luxurious, proof that the simple things in life are priceless.

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  40. I remember these visuals from your Instagram posts. Beautiful and meaningful words as always. We forget to breathe and that’s what keep us alive and ticking. It’s nearly spring here and cherry blossoms are around the corner. 🙂 After a spell of bad air, things are slowly improving here. I love to the pictures of the sun! Big hugs from gloomy Seoul!xoxo

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    1. I bet you’re looking forward to those cherry blossoms. I imagine they’re quite spectacular. Well, I’m just back from another horsey camping long holiday weekend. Hope you have a great week ahead Cheryl. Hugs from a warm Monday in Melbourne. xx 😊

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  43. The sound of waves, birdsong, and a golden sunrise…that sounds ahh…mazing. I’ll be looking for many moments of zen this month. I actually began my meditation practice again this morning. I’ve definitely missed it. 🙂

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  45. Oh how I LOVED this post, Miriam. Look at you in a bikini! Good for you! I SO agree with everything you said in this post. I don’t journal however and now that you have mentioned it I’m thinking about it. I take a 10-15 minute power nap every day and oh yeah, it is wonderful! Breathing ….. due to the massive amounts of death in the last year and a half we have experienced, I started to breathe shallowly. Not cool. Right now getting those lungs open and it feels SO good. My Zen? Mother Nature and my camera. Lucky you having all that water near you. You have the ocean I have the lake. This year I am making it my GOAL to be at the Lake more this year. Water is SO soothing!!! Thank you so much for this post. Much Love to you!! 💝💝💝

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    1. I agree Amy. Water is incredibly soothing. I wish I lived closer to the beach but I’m grateful for what I have and the beautiful nature that surrounds me. Enjoy the lake. Sounds like that’s your happy place. Big hugs and lots of love from across the ocean xx 💙

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  46. A beautiful start to March dear Miriam. and fabulous photo’s and I can feel that peacefulness surrounding you, Each picture tells its own story.. I am sure you will continue to make each moment meaningful my friend.. Just Beautiful ❤

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