At the start of 2018 I decided to Yoga with Adriene’s TRUE 30 days of yoga course on YouTube. It was one of the best things I’ve done. I’ve done some of her previous 30 day but this one was just what I needed.
Photo by Dingzeyu Li on Unsplash
I’ve not been feeling myself since I returned to work. I found I was doing everything half-arsed. It was like there wasn’t enough of me to go around. I wasn’t being as attentive to my daughter as I could be. When I was at work I was thinking about her all the time. The housework was piling up and I wasn’t making any time for myself. And don’t even get me started on this blog.
For 2018 I decided I really needed to put myself first so that I felt better able to tackle everything else. Every evening I now make time for me. If Eleanor sleeps well (big IF, her sleep has been rubbish recently) I mark out some of the evening for me. I do yoga, Headspace, read some of a book and then write in my journal. And my phone is off by 9pm. I’ve even removed Twitter and Facebook from my phone as sometimes they can be quite negative, and who needs that?
After completing 30 days of TRUE, Adriene posted a February calendar and YouTube playlist to follow, which I’ve been doing every day. March’s calendar looks great too. After a bad day, yoga is exactly what I need. It really helps me clear my mind and not think about everything that’s going on. I find peace on the mat, however cringy that sounds. It really lets me relax whether it’s a breathing practice or one that gets the heart rate up.
Have you tried Yoga with Adriene?
Author: Deborah
I wasn’t planning on doing any goals or resolutions this year but in the end I decided there were a few things that I want to do. They mostly revolve about giving myself a bit more me time. I want to find a bit of myself again for me and for my daughter. Here are my 2018 goals.
What are your 2018 goals? Did you make any this year?
Author: Deborah
I adore Christmas and it’s so much more fun now we have Eleanor with us. I was tagged by Lyndsay to answer some Christmassy questions so I’m just going to get on with it.
What’s your favourite Christmas movie?
It has to be The Holiday. It’s not the most Christmassy of Christmas movies but I love a good romcom. It’s so heartwarming and I could watch it over and over again.
Have you ever had a white Christmas?
Not that I remember. It hardly ever snows where I live in Hampshire. The other week when we had snow every major town around us had snow apart from us!
Where do you usually spend your holiday?
I used to always spend the holidays with my family but now we have Eleanor we’ve spent that last couple and this year with the in laws. My husband’s family is much bigger than mine and they love seeing our little one.
What’s your favourite Christmas song?
I wish it could be Christmas everyday! And I really do. Not the presents and so much food, but the family. I wish all the family lived closer and we could spend more time together (maybe not every day, that’s a little excessive!).
Do you open any presents on Christmas eve?
I’ve never opened presents on Christmas eve, I didn’t realise it was a thing.
Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Probably not. I remember Dasher as one year I bought a hamster and named it after Dasher.
What holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?
Wrapping up warm with a flask of hot chocolate and taking Eleanor for a walk around the village to see all the Christmas lights. There’s one house that goes all out for charity.
Is your Christmas tree real or fake?
It’s a fake! We’ve always had a fake tree in my family. Although my parents have started having a real one that they keep alive throughout the year and bring it out for Christmas. I quite like that idea.
What’s your favourite holiday food/treat/sweet?
I do love a mince pie (or a mince pie pinwheel) but my absolute favourite Christmas food is pigs in blankets. Why can’t they do them all year round? I always make far too many so I can snack on them for days after.
Be honest. Do you prefer giving or receiving gifts?
Neither. I sometimes get anxiety opening presents – does anyone else get that? I find Christmas shopping so stressful if I have no idea what to buy people. I do like giving gifts if I’ve found something that really suits the person. I don’t like buying presents just for the sake of it.
What’s the best Christmas present you’ve ever received?
I have no idea, I don’t really remember presents.
What’s your dream place to visit for the holiday season?
I would love to go somewhere cold where you could wrap up warm and drink hot chocolate all day. A snowy log cabin with a roaring fire place.
Are you a pro present wrapper or do you fail miserably?
If it’s an easy shape then I love wrapping presents. When I have time I’ll go all out with decorations and DIY trimmings.
What’s your most memorable Christmas memory?
I always remember Christmas’s at the my Grandad’s house opening presents in front of the fireplace. It made me always want a fireplace and I still don’t have one. The Netflix fireplace will have to do!
What made you realise the truth about Christmas?
My mum was driving me into town one day and I remember just telling her that Santa wasn’t real. She admitted it but she still gave me a stocking until I left home.
What makes the holidays special for you?
Spending time with family makes the holidays special for me. It’s one of the only times of year when we all come around and see each other. I love that Eleanor gets to meet all her great-grandparents and aunties and uncles. I can’t wait to see Eleanor’s face when she sees all the presents under the tree.
I always love the lead up to Christmas. I hope Eleanor enjoys it as much as I do.
Author: Deborah
Does anyone else just need to get outside in the winter? I love getting out for a walk but when the darkness hits I have to spend daylight hours outside.
I have a love hate relationship with winter. I love the idea of snuggling up on the sofa relaxing in front of the tv by candlelight. But the reality is I have stuff to do. With the dark evenings I really struggle to find motivation to do anything. It is a bit easier this year when I’m only at work 3 days a week. It’s only 3 days of the week where I leave for work and arrive home from work in the dark. But those days are the hardest. I crave daylight.
The one thing that I have found really helpful is to just get outside. Whether I can sneak out for a walk during the work day or take Eleanor out wrapped up warm for a wander on a day off. I have to get outside.
I have also started using my Lumie alarm clock. It has a SAD light on it and so far I’ve only used it to wake me up in the morning. Half an hour before I need to wake up it slowly lights up to a bright light at 6:30. This week I’ve started to use the light therapy setting. I can turn the light on for a set amount of time in the evening and it’s supposed to help. I really hope it does.
Does anyone else struggle with the dark evenings?
Author: Deborah
Eleanor loves her books and I adore reading to her. Book time is one of my favourite parts of the day. She loves flicking through the pages independently and finding animals within the pages.
For Christmas I couldn’t help but buy a few books for her. Some of these are from charity shops and some from supermarkets. Charity shops are definitely my favourite place to find books for Eleanor as it means I can stock up!
I’m not waiting until Christmas Day to give her these, we’re going to spread them out throughout advent.
You can find all the Christmas themed books I bought Eleanor in this haul video. I definitely recommend checking out your local charity shops for some bargains!
Author: Deborah
I adore reading and it’s something I am trying to make more time for. Every evening before I go to sleep I try and read for 30 minutes at least. For my birthday all I asked for was some books from my Amazon wishlist. My husband delivered.
First up is Happy Mum Happy Baby by Giovanna Fletcher. I’ve been after this for ages as I follow Gi on YouTube and Instagram. She also recently has a podcast out which is fabulous and you should definitely give it a listen if you haven’t already.
I’ve already started reading Ice Cream for Breakfast by Laura Jane Williams. I couldn’t resist. The idea of being more childlike and having more fun really appeals to me. It’s not been the easiest year so I hope this helps me have a little more fun.
Scrummy Mummies by Ellie Gibson & Helen Thorn. This wasn’t on my list but my husband liked the cover. Reading the blurb I’m super excited to give this a read.
Happy by Fearne Cotton is another one that’s been on my wishlist since it was released. I think I just need all the happiness books right now.
Something a bit different is Brand Brilliance by Fiona Humberstone. As you can guess from the title it’s all about branding. I’ve recently really got into branding and I’ve been reading her other book, How to Style your Brand. I find branding absolutely fascinating so I’m looking forward to delving deeper with this book.
I was also given some book vouchers for my birthday. Do you have any book recommendations? Either nonfiction or fiction? I’m up for trying some different genres.
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Author: Deborah
Am I ready to return to work? I’m writing this the evening before my first day back after over a year off. There have been many tears over the last few days.
I feel lucky that I’m only going back to work 3 days a week, so I get another 2 days with my special girl. However I’ve spent the last 13 months with her. I’ve left her with my mum twice and she’s had a settling in session at nursery, but that’s it. She’s been by my side the entire time otherwise. She’s my shadow and now I have to let her run free.
I have no doubt that she will flourish at nursery. She is going to absolutely love being around other children and playing with lots of different toys. Her routine might take some adapting but she’ll soon settle.
Me on the other hand, I think it’s going to take a bit of getting used to. The idea of leaving her for 9 hours a day scares the hell out of me. How am I going to get any work done when she’s on my mind? Please tell me it gets easier.
It feels like my heart is being torn open. I’m possibly being over dramatic, or I quite definitely am. But it’s the night before I start work and I feel physically sick. Is this normal?
I pulled out this briefcase from it’s hiding place in the back of my wardrobe. It’s a beautiful bag that my mum bought me when I graduated. I’ve never had an opportunity to use it as all my jobs, although corporate, have always been relaxed.
I feel like now is the time to bring it out. Maybe it’s something for me to hide behind. I don’t feel particularly confident about going back to work so maybe I can look the part instead. Hey, if I dress the part I can fake it until I feel more me again.
Today I’ve packed our bags: my briefcase and Eleanor’s backpack. We’re both ready for our next adventure. I hope she has the most magical day making new friends. I hope I just manage to get through the day. I’m going to pull on my positive pants (as they’re definitely a thing) and get excited about this new chapter of our lives – and the chance of a hot cup of tea in peace.
Hi there, I’m Deborah. I live in Hampshire with my husband and spend my time baking, making and getting out in the fresh air. Find out more or get in touch.
