Work - the first
Earlier this year I took a huge step away from what's been my life for 25 years and became self employed. It sounds so simple when I write that single sentence. In reality it was the culmination of seven years of preparing and working six days a week plus an evening or two.
It feels like such a simple decision now but the twelve months leading up to the change were challenging. I wasn't sure who I would be without a job. Of course I am exactly who I have always been and I have more time to be that person.
So what exactly do I do?
Firstly I write.
I had my first piece of writing published in the local newspaper when I was 14 years old and I wrote a lot until my mid twenties (coincidentally the time I became a mother). Then I started to write again nine years ago with my sporadic blogging adventures.
Last year two things happened. Early in the year 'the wheels fell off' I wasn't coping with life. I had too much to do, too little time to do it and I was unhappy. This led to the Pause - for twelve months I didn't do any workshops, courses or study days. I cut back on my work as an antenatal teacher and withdrew from volunteer commitments. This gave me time and space to connect with my passion and purpose, to recover and begin to consider what was next.
Secondly I tentatively started writing again and when I did I instantly felt better. A fog would lift and I would relax, there was therapy in those words. I was encouraged by one friend and challenged by another who told me if I wrote it she would publish it (if it was any good and she liked it - or words to that effect). How could I refuse?
And so for the past year I've been writing for The Mother Magazine.
I write articles on pregnancy, labour, birth, parenting and am currently in the middle of a series of articles on Mothers Health - how to nurture ourselves whilst nurturing others.
And this month I have an article in Starflower Living Naturally Magazine where I've written an article on Soul Mates.
Starflower Living is an online magazine published each New Moon, it is for people who want to embrace earth-based conscious living. Articles are all about natural living and lifestyle choices to support people making an effort to live a conscious, mindful life. Their ethos based on integrity, passion and right livelihood is a perfect match for me and I hope I get the opportunity to write more in the future.
But I do so much more than that.....................
It feels like such a simple decision now but the twelve months leading up to the change were challenging. I wasn't sure who I would be without a job. Of course I am exactly who I have always been and I have more time to be that person.
So what exactly do I do?
Firstly I write.
I had my first piece of writing published in the local newspaper when I was 14 years old and I wrote a lot until my mid twenties (coincidentally the time I became a mother). Then I started to write again nine years ago with my sporadic blogging adventures.
Last year two things happened. Early in the year 'the wheels fell off' I wasn't coping with life. I had too much to do, too little time to do it and I was unhappy. This led to the Pause - for twelve months I didn't do any workshops, courses or study days. I cut back on my work as an antenatal teacher and withdrew from volunteer commitments. This gave me time and space to connect with my passion and purpose, to recover and begin to consider what was next.
Secondly I tentatively started writing again and when I did I instantly felt better. A fog would lift and I would relax, there was therapy in those words. I was encouraged by one friend and challenged by another who told me if I wrote it she would publish it (if it was any good and she liked it - or words to that effect). How could I refuse?
And so for the past year I've been writing for The Mother Magazine.
I write articles on pregnancy, labour, birth, parenting and am currently in the middle of a series of articles on Mothers Health - how to nurture ourselves whilst nurturing others.
And this month I have an article in Starflower Living Naturally Magazine where I've written an article on Soul Mates.
Starflower Living is an online magazine published each New Moon, it is for people who want to embrace earth-based conscious living. Articles are all about natural living and lifestyle choices to support people making an effort to live a conscious, mindful life. Their ethos based on integrity, passion and right livelihood is a perfect match for me and I hope I get the opportunity to write more in the future.
But I do so much more than that.....................
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