Well hello there!
Yes it has been a while hasn’t it. Five months in fact, since I wrote something here. For many reasons I just wasn’t in the right place for blogging so I just didn’t. Nothing dramatic or sinister, simply that life did not afford me the pleasure of sitting in my office, at my desk, with space to be creative. I’m hopeful that this is all about to change.
On Friday I finished a job. I may well unpack how I felt about the job in a future blog, but for now let’s just say, it was challenging. And not in a good way.
I’ve given myself a month off. Because when you work freelance you can do that. And frankly I need it. My family need me to have it.
I need to pause. I need to have days slow down to a pace where there is room for thought and reflection. Our house needs to be put back in order. My body needs to be given health and vitality again. My children need me to take more than a fleeting interest in them and enjoy them. My husband could do with a wife who is at peace with life.
I have been waiting for March for a while. I’ve made plans for what I will get out of these 31 days. I want to see real change in my life by the end of the month. I’m not saying by April I will have the body of Elle Macpherson, a published book and children ready to join NASA. It’s far more subtle than that. The life changes I want to make are (hopefully) possible.
I would like to:
- start my days early and in prayer
- share a vision with Gareth of what is in the future for our family
- know my children and how best to encourage them to be the best version of themselves
- be pursuing work that I enjoy
- develop the habit of blogging/creatively writing everyday
- be relaxed at home
- be healthier than I am today
I am calling this month, ‘Make-A-Change March’. As part of the above list I am setting myself the challenge to blog every day this month. There won’t be a theme as such, only that I’m writing as I live each day of ‘Make-A-Change March’. To give myself a chance at achieving the goal, the blogs can be as long or as short as I have in me, and they can be on whatever subject I want to write about that day.
I would love you to join me on the month. Give me any suggestions or encouragement from your own life that might help me achieve my list. Or maybe share a list you have?
I’m excited.
the things not said 
Hey Sonya! Already looking forward to hearing your thoughts along the way :o) Early for me, needs to be early enough that I’m calm and organised by the time the children wake up – so I’m thinking 6am. I think it’s going to take me the 31 days to work out a way of that happening without me needing a nap in the afternoon! ha ha It’s most likely going to be more about what I do in the evenings that enables early mornings…
Lovely Claire, keep it coming – you’re amazing and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. We’ve had a month that felt like it was out of a Dr Seuss book – crazy busy and way too much emotional roller coaster-ness. Lots of deep thinking, consequent weight loss and sleep deprivation… so let’s press the slow motion button!
Ideas for your blog:
Living as an “expat” – ever truly belong?
pocket money for kids – what’s the going rate? Today’s expectation for kids and pitching in to make the “house go round”.
Learning a new skill as you get older – there are just some words or skills that my brain refuses to adopt!
Identity and belonging – a deep thought and perhaps not one you want to explore but wherever you are in the world, whatever you do with your life and whoever you do it with, there is an inherit need in everyone to belong, to be accepted, to be valued or who they are not as what you would like them to be.
Anyway a few rambles. Keep up the great work my friend!
Oh dear that doesn’t sound good, hope you are finding some equilibrium again! Thanks for the theme suggestions – I have thought about writing about being an expat again. It’s our four year anniversary at the end of March so probably will do one for then. Your last one needs some pondering on I think – I like it! X