Finding Strength Through Ritual
This May we celebrate mothers. This post was written by a mother and friend of MV, Eloise, whom you might have seen in a photo with Sharon on our International Women’s Day Instagram post. This is her story on finding strength after trauma, in her own words. You can read more from Eloise on her substack.
One Step At A Time
Finding strength through ritual
We’re rarely prepared for the moment when everything is about to change, for when life as we know it unravels. These moments often start like any other ordinary day. But they lead us to find a strength we never knew we had.
For me, it was a Tuesday in 2024.
I was on my usual morning walk—a grounding moment to myself before getting my three-year old and I ready for the day. The next thing I knew, I woke up from a coma in ICU two weeks later. I had been hit by a car (through no fault of my own) and I was told it was a miracle I was alive. But I was paralysed down one side and may never walk or talk again.
Hospital days blurred. Every day felt like an eternity. The first two weeks after the coma were filled with confusion and grief as I agonisingly—and unsuccessfully—tried to make sense of what happened. I mourned the life I had, and I was haunted by the anguish and uncertainty of life ahead.
But gradually, a quiet strength and determination surfaced. I religiously practiced speech exercises. First I whispered, then I spoke. I’ll never forget the smile on my son’s face when he heard my voice again.
Then I asked for my sneakers.
Though I was still paralysed, I was determined to walk. And eventually I did. One step at a time, one day at a time. I learnt to stand, take one step, then two steps, then more. Each attempt exhausted me. But I kept going. And going. And going. Four weeks later, I no longer needed a wheelchair. Today, I’m jogging. Soon, I’ll be running.
Those milestones were miracles. But it was the small, daily rituals from my old life that
helped me start to feel like me again, or at least, a new version of me.
Each morning once I could stand, I made my favourite matcha with my milk frother and powder from home. That small act meant everything. It reminded me I was still capable of moments of normality and joy. When my son visited and we made it together, just like we would at home, that matcha was even sweeter.
In the evenings, I used the only skincare I had asked for from home: the MV Daily Soother Booster. I knew it would nourish my skin, but it gave something even more meaningful. The subtle scent of camomile and calendula reminded me of home, of simpler times. Inhaling that scent and breathing out, was like a loud exhale signalling I had made it through another hard day.
These rituals became my anchor,
they were constant when everything else felt uncertain. Until then my focus had been on my physical recovery. But through these rituals, I came to understand that healing is also about finding moments of stillness and strength to allow the mind and the soul to catch up.
Now, seven months into what will be a lifetime journey, these rituals are still with me. More than habits or even routine, they’re reminders of my strength, my resilience, and the quiet power that lives in all of us.
Thank you to MV for holding space for me to share my story, and to you, for reading it. If you’re on your own healing journey—or walking beside someone who is—trust in your rituals. They can reconnect you to who you are when everything else feels lost.
And if you don’t have any rituals yet, now is a beautiful time to begin.
You can read more of Eloise's musings on style, self-growth, career and culture - and how they fit together, on her Substack 'Speaking Of' 👉🏼 here.
Guided Skin Ritual Meditations
Here, skincare artisan and selfcare advocate Sharon McGlinchey, guides you through spoken meditations of ritualistic self care.
The Beauty Of Selfcare
Through at-home rituals
Here at MV, we firmly believe in the power of skincare reimagined as self-care. That's why we never talk about a skincare routine; instead, we encourage you to embrace the art of ritual when it comes to your skincare.
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