Last Wednesday my husband and I dropped our dog off for a haircut and took a rare walk without him. It meant we started in a different place, and took some different paths. We had time to explore, and time to pause.
Stu had an urge to sit on a bench and we stopped by a lake. It was peaceful and calm, and we sat and absorbed the beauty of the view. We spoke quietly, only to point out the things we were noticing.
And the more we looked, the more there was to see and appreciate.
I have a new pair of jeans. They caught my eye in my local shop and I picked them up on a whim. When I tried them, on I loved them instantly - so comfortable, so soft, such a nice fit!
Then second guessed myself. Were they OK? Did they look OK on me? They were a very different shape, and I didn’t look like I normally did.
I really needed a second opinion, another pair of eyes, a sense check. So, I asked the person in the shop those questions. I know, like and trust her perspective - she always let me know (very directly!) if something suits me or not.
It really helped.
On Saturday my lovely adventure buddy Penny and I did a beautiful 7 mile walk through various green bits of London, some of which were familiar to us and some not.
We’ve walked a lot together before - mini adventures finding our own way from home to Buckingham Palace, and from Battersea Park to home.
This time we followed someone else route - a section of the Capital Ring - where there was a particular way to go and markers to help us stay on track.
I started writing a weekly reflection back in October 2022. As well as sharing them here, I created a blog page on my website where they all live.
The vision to was to create a useful resource, both for me and others. A kind of library - a place to store and structure what I was writing and learning about, for the benefit of me and anyone who wanted to access it.
Except I never put a filing system in, so it became less of a library and more of a disorganised and increasingly large pile!
If only there was a way of grouping and organising them to make them searchable. Ah, Categories and Tags - the things I’d ignored since the start…
Our dog is brilliant at knowing what he needs to balance his system.
A dip to cool off on a hot day, a full body shake after a stressful experience, time on his own in an empty room when he wants space, to be right up next to you when he doesn’t.
If he’s cross, or frustrated, or scared, or overwhelmed by his surroundings, there’s generally a clear reason.
There’s a simplicity to it. Noticing when he’s out of balance and finding what he needs to come back to it.
The first half of May has mainly been about the Lake District, first on a family trip, and most recently at the Fred Whitton Challenge in Grasmere.
It’s an event that my husband has done solo for the last few years, first as a rider and most recently as an artist, but this time I went with him.
What a gift.
Time in a gorgeous location, a fun shared experience, a super friendly event with incredible community spirit, the loveliest people - plus, witnessing the true power of a support system.
Last Sunday I found my way in the Lake District.
As someone who is not renowned for their sense of direction - and has often got lost when navigating solo - this is a relatively big deal for me!
The day before we had climbed Hallin Fell as a group, then Stu and I took the long way back - a beautiful loop alongside Ullswater.
The next day it was just me and the dog.
I wasn’t 100% sure I could find my way - but I really wanted to.
It’s the week of my birthday.
The end of one annual cycle and the start of a new one. A time to pause and a moment to reflect, to celebrate, and to look ahead.
I’ll be doing just that - tucked away in a corner of the Lake District and at home.
So, in place of a reflection this Monday, here’s a birthday wish - with love from me to you.
When we’re grappling with a big decision our thoughts and feelings can go round and round, stuck in a loop that we can’t find a way to divert or direct.
It can feel exhausting, like we’re not getting anywhere, and yet… sometimes circling is an important part of our process.
In my own experience - and in coaching others - I find that we can often circle and explore the same topic or decisions over a number of sessions, days, weeks or months.
Especially if it’s a big one. One that takes us somewhere new or different in our life, work or relationships. One that impacts our lives or the people around us.
And that’s absolutely fine.
