When you take the old man’s advice and seize the day!

It has taken me a while to decide to publish my inner ramblings. I’ve always loved to write, but never thought about putting it out there in the big wide world. I find it therapeutic. A break from parenting a three year old, trying to develop a career and stay married. Be a sister, a daughter and a friend. As well as have some me time. All of those things combined are a challenge, but I do love a challenge!

Many of you might be thinking, why? For me it’s just an outlet. A place to share things I have learnt, perspectives on topics I’m passionate about and, why not? Some people might even enjoy ‘my musings’, we shall see. Ultimately I just love talking so this is a way of capturing it all.

Open to the public

But it’s an interesting concept isn’t it, sharing your thoughts with complete strangers. I have found out a lot from other blogs I read and it got me thinking, what do I want this blog to be about? What could others get out of reading my ‘stuff’? There is social media for that too I guess (I’m a big fan of the ‘Gram) but sometimes a perspective, or point of view on top of an instastory, or a facebook post is what I need. I’m a thinker by nature. I like research, I research everything. I like to be informed.

So here are three things that I get out of reading other people’s ‘stuff’ and others might get out of reading mine.

• ‘That’s totally normal’ – often as a Mum, I worry about how I’m doing it and what I’m doing, will he be scarred for life if I shout at him, or if I work another late night? Is it just a phase when he tells me he prefers Daddy to me?! Yes that one, probably linked to the former point. Is it ok to want a career and to be a parent, in equal measure. Just knowing that I am not alone in the joy and pain of parenting has helped me enormously.
• ‘Yes I do really need that’ – I would be a liar if I said that I haven’t spent a lot of money on things I would never have discovered if I didn’t read blogs or use social media. I go looking for – “best way to paint tiles” – to discover via blog number three, why paint tiles when you can buy tile stickers?! I mean that was the best discovery in while for me. I’ve loved finding small brands that I may not have otherwise discovered, to compliment more traditional brands that I love.
• ‘Honesty is the best policy’ – I’m often told at work that I am firm but fair, honest but caring and that I “tell it how it is”. I used to worry about that phrase. Did that mean that I lacked empathy, or didn’t care about others? Actually what I have realised is that is a bit of a super power. Getting to the point, cutting through the noise, just being transparent. You can still wrap a massive hug around that. I love reading people’s honest accounts of life. No rubbish. Straightforwardness at its best. I will always aim to be honest, but will occasionally wrap a hug around that too (or pour a gin, and have a hug, but then there will likely be tears, and that’s for another post!).

So that is blog post number one. I hope to share my ‘stuff’, my ‘musings’ with you often. I don’t really mind if no-one reads, but for me this is my ‘therapy’, my ‘me time’. I once read an article about ‘writing a good blog’ and it did say that your first post will probably be rubbish, but my Dad often used to say ‘Carpe Diem’ – so here you go, I am seizing the day.