A few months ago I was listening to a podcast called “Do The Thing”, and it stopped me in my tracks within the first few minutes, before she even got to the actual topic. She did a little intro, welcomed her guest, and then said, “Before we get into it, the first question I ask
You know that part of a film, usually in the middle or about two thirds of the way through, where a lot of hard stuff happens really fast with music playing the whole time? There is laughing and crying and falling and getting up again and working out and cutting hair and falling over and
You know what’s more dangerous than a really sharp knife? A dull one. This week I was chopping walnuts with my favourite red kitchen knife, which my sister gave me for Christmas years ago. Probably more years than I even realise, because lately it hasn’t been chopping as cleanly and I kept thinking, “I’ll need
I started this sketch with the words: “There is no normal. We are not going back to normal. We never had normal.” And then I thought about it, and realised making sweeping statements isn’t quite what I want to do here. After all, some people really do want to “go back to normal”. Maybe you’ve
On Monday, for the first time in four months I was able to go somewhere besides my local walks. Those local walking paths have served me well during lockdown. I got the fresh air, some space, daily processing of all the thoughts. But I missed the freedom to get in the car and go far
I listened to episode one of Brene Brown’s podcast, Unlocking Us, yesterday. It has taken me – literally, exactly – three months to click play. (The episode is dated 20th March.) I knew it was going to be good. I have read several of Brene’s books (and watched her TED talks and netflix documentary) and
Last weekend a friend came round and we just sat out on the back deck all afternoon. Talking, watching the breezes move the trees, eating lunch, listening to music. We were talking about things we miss, and one of my greatest ones is travel. Not the constant travel – I’m getting my eyes opened to
The comparison game. Sort of the least-fun game ever. It has become very real to me in the past few weeks and months. It’s always been real: I’ve always struggled with feeling ‘less than’ in my areas of perceived weakness. Or fear. Or confusion. But at this time all our fears and confusions and weaknesses
“I’ll do it when I have time.” Okay so we’ve all had THIS excuse blown out of the water and revealed for the excuse it always was. Because unless you’re a care worker for your country’s health service, the fact is we all have a little more time here and there (and some people have
The most significant change happens in small increments, day after day. Month after month, year after year. In the past year, I’ve lost over 52 pounds (almost 4 stone) by counting calories every single day. Walking, every single day. Cutting out sugar, and choosing not to eat it every single day. In the past 6
