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ON THE GRAM

Dec 8

This week my local pool is shut for maintenance. 🛑

I was pretty bummed about it, honestly. It's taken me a while to find the right pool in the right location and figure out the hours and when the pool is less crowded and how to get my swim in before i start the day and get into a lovely routine and then...

...nothin. No pool and no morning swims all week. 😭

At first I hoped it was just for a day or so...but now they're saying "until further notice" which is a really bad sign. ⛔

So I moped around about it a bit, and checked some other pools, but I wasn't getting the times and locations to work out for me. 😢

And then suddenly last night I was looking at a pool which is further away, and noticed they're open until 9pm. 😮

I don't tend to swim in the evenings. I prefer mornings: great way to start the day, after a swim and a shower I'm motivated and ready to go. I'd be too tired in the evenings, I figured. Or I'd swim and then be too tired after.

But I tell you what i'm tired of...not being able to go for a swim. What harm could it do to try, i figured? 🤨

So I drove over there at 8pm and swam a mile and...

...it was great. The pool wasn't crowded, and I had a lane to myself, and best of all the swimmers on both sides of me were faster than I am so that always pushes me to do better. 💪

I felt energised ...and also encouraged that I didn't let my local pool being closed hold me back. 🏊‍♂️

And I was there again at 7.30 this morning!

That's the thing when something is broken, or messed up, or disappointing.

It really does throw you at first....and yet once you've gone through that, it starts pointing you to something different and opens you up to new possibilities. You just have to look around and get creative. 👀

Make it a great Friday! 👏🎉 (And if you’ve got a shitty thing which hasn’t been resolved yet, hang in there. One day at a time and it’s ok to grieve or be pissed off for a time.)

#serendipity #justkeepgoing #justkeepswimming #perseverance #grit

Dec 4

Writing a book – for me anyway – was not the hard part.

It was understanding the whole process – what would happen when, and what percentage of the process would be used for far more than just writing.

Turns out for me, a LOT of the process happened after the writing was done.

A friend who is planning on writing his first book asked me what I wished I’d known before I started, and it is this:

Of the 100% of time spent on writing and publishing this book, for me it was split out roughly like this:

Strategy 10%
Writing 15%
Editing, reviewing, and more editing 40%
Design, distribution and publishing 20%
Marketing 15%

I’ve written more on each of these categories in the detailed blog post (link in bio), but I’d love to hear what your experience - and percentages - were!

I’m conscious everyone’s experience is different and I fully expect my second book to go differently as well.

#writing #authorsofinstagram #book #accountants #writingprocess #selfpublishing

Dec 3

A year ago today I was being helicoptered to Fort William hospital from my fall whilst out hiking.

I certainly wasn’t relaxing by a sparkly tree or fire, and when I finally did get home, it was tough going for a while.

My amazing sister flew over from America and she put up the tree for me - I even managed to hobble over and help put a few ornaments on - and I remember we had a lot of joy and laughter even during a tough time.

It’s such a strange feeling to think back to a year ago. In some ways it’s good: I’m reminded of so, so many things to be grateful for. In others it’s hard to remember: I’d like to forget some of the limping up and down stairs, the lack of sleep, the depression and discouragement.

But I think any kind of “anniversary” - whether the event was positive or negative - is an opportunity to think back. To remember. To check the flow of time for a moment. And to recognise the opportunities for joy you have right here before you now.

This weekend there’s snow and ice all around: but I’m out in it. Wearing the hiking boots and the welly boots and walking for hours and popping into the shop for foods and walking around my house and putting up the tree… all of it just the standard life and festive season things, but also so magical and such a good thing - especially when I look back.

Happy festive season, all. And may you remember both the hard and the beautiful and keep your eyes (and feet!) on the path ahead. ❤️🎄✨

#oneyearon #brokenankle #happychristmas #ochristmastree🎄 #winter

Dec 1

Happy frosty first of December!! ❄️

I’ve been taking some cold and icy walks lately, and the frost with the winter sun is always one of my faves.

Although the very short days can be tough in winter, there are compensations. This morning I got up and went for a swim, and I’d swum a mile and taken a shower and got ready and drank coffee and was setting out on a walk, all before the sun came up.

I know I’m not the only one who finds it harder to get out of bed on the frosty mornings: the pool is much less crowded when it’s this cold! And many mornings this week I too skipped a swim to get some more sleep. But I do love getting to see the sun appear as I crunch my frosty way along the walking path.

I’m still hoping for a good solid snow (I love snow), but in the meantime this glorious frost will do very well indeed!

Now for hot black coffee and a heating pad while I curl up on the sofa to read and write and sketch - it’s #restpillar day!

#frostymorning #walkswithkaren #goodmorning #happyfriday #rest #walking #scotland #jackfrost