Stepping Gently into 2023 with Donna Ashworth...

Written by Lisa Cadman, 18/01/2023

So – another New Year is upon us. I am thrilled to say that I have kindly been given permission by one of my favourite authors to share with you a couple of her poems this month. Donna Ashworth is the Sunday Times Bestselling Author of several wonderful poetry books and has a million followers across social media.

I have personally found Donnas work to be hugely comforting, and as we start a new year, with all the pressures and expectations that can bring, I thought some of you may like to be introduced to her work too.

Donnas lovely new collection – ‘Life’, ‘Loss’ and ‘Love’ – are three books that aim to provide inspiration and comfort. They cover marriage, parenting, self-love, ageing, body image, grief, loss and so very much more.

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The first poem I would like to share with you is this one:

No, 2023 won’t be the best year yet.
Nor will it be the worst.
You see, a year is a mosaic of absolutely everything.
Joy, fear, heartache, loss, beauty, pain, love.
Failure, learning, friendship, misery, exhilaration.
Each day, each moment even, is a tiny shard of glass in this beautiful, confusing creation.
2023 will be another mosaic to add to your wall of art.
A wall that shows the life, you are continuously gifted.
A wall that shows you are human.
A wall of survival.
I wish you many broken pieces of glass this year, my friends.
Because this is living.
And before you march on in to another year of ‘everything’, pause to look back, at the work you have created thus far.
It is quite something.
You are quite something.
Now onwards we go, my friends.
Onwards we go.

The second of Donnas works that I would like to share with you this month is:

For many, January is a hard, cold month...
When everyone is setting new goals, laying down righteous ground rules and striving to become a better version of themselves, some of us are fighting to find ourselves each day...
You see, December is a month of giving, and some of us, come January, are completely and utterly spent.
A month of remembering everyone, and remembering absolutely everything.
A month of including everyone and of reaching out to each and every person we have ever known.
A month of reaching breaking point every day trying to have fun, to be the ultimate hostess, to be the perfect guest.
A month of stretching ourselves financially, emotionally and of letting our boundaries be breached by many… in the spirit of the season.
And then January hits and bam… before we can even begin the arduous task of clearing away the festivities, we are expected to jump on the ‘new year, new you’ bandwagon and transform ourselves entirely.
For some of us this is just too much.
January is the darkest and most depressing month of the year and for many sensitive souls, the barrage of ‘advice’ on how we ‘should’ be living, is just too much.
So perhaps this is a safe space to say that maybe it’s okay to take a week or two to recover and to just be kind to ourselves before demanding better.
And for those of us who really do fall low in the darkest month of the year. For those of us who have given too much and to whom the future looks bleak – perhaps this is the right place to say – you are absolutely fine the way you are. Just stay.
Take some time to breathe.
Take some time to not think about anything much at all except breathing in and breathing out.
Take some time to build back up, not tear yourself down.
For many, this month is a mountain that looks unclimbable.
Be kind, my friends. Always.

- Donna Ashworth.

There are four other books by Donna that I have also read, and can highly recommend:

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‘I Wish I Knew’

This book is a lovely collection of poems to guide us through the wilderness of life, navigating body image, emotions, mental health and personal growth. Donnas writing helps us to find courage in chaos and rise to every challenge, sparking joy, surprise and gratitude on every page.

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‘To The Women’

This is the second book from Donna. This collection contains 48 poems and beautiful quotes to inspire, comfort and motivate. A perfect gift from one woman to another. You always feel that Donna is ‘one of us’ and that she understands and supports us with all the challenges we face.

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‘The Right Words’

This is the third collection of words to live by from Donna. Jam-packed full of prose to bring comfort, inspiration and joy. Donnas work brings people together, as she shares our collective struggles with just the right words, when you need them most. This one is really heart-warming and uplifting.

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‘History Will Remember When the World Stopped...’

This is a wonderful collection of beautiful poems and letters written by Donna throughout the lockdown period during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her words are, as always, a source of comfort, hope and inspiration. This is a perfect keepsake for an unprecedented time.

If you would like to learn more about Donna, you can go to her website at: www.donnaashworth.com. Here you can subscribe to her newsletters, search for her poems and keep up to date with all her news, as well as purchase her books – or alternatively you can find them all on Amazon, Waterstones and other bookstores.

Please note - I had already purchased and read all seven of the fabulous poetry books mentioned above, before contacting Donna this month, to ask if I could share a couple of her poems with you all. I have not been paid or gifted anything to talk about her on this months blog – I just simply wanted to share her words, in the hope others may take comfort from them as I have. I really hope you enjoy them.

Other News this Month!

My wonderful receptionist (otherwise known as our cat Colin) turned 20 on New Years Day! That’s about 97-98 in human years, so it was definitely worth celebrating with a special balloon and some gourmet cat food! All my clients just adore him and he loves them too. We feel very blessed to still have him in our lives.

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Remember that at Soul Space, as well as massage therapy, I also offer handmade and handblended products that you may enjoy too. I offer face creams, hand creams, foot creams, body creams, shower gels and obviously a variety of Essential Oil Blends (made to order with Essential Oils of your choice). The oil blends can be provided in plastic or glass bottles as preferred, or as small roll-on bottles – these are perfect for popping in a handbag or pocket. If you are interested in any of my products – do have a look at the ‘Products’ page on my website for more information and prices.

If you would like to discuss any ways in which my treatments or products might be able to help you, please do not hesitate to contact me on: 07710 173354 or email me at: lisa@soulspace.biz. I would really love to hear from you.

Wishing you and all your loved ones the very best for 2023.

With all my love and hugs. See you next month!

Lisa
xXx

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