Christmas 2020 was never going to be normal, was it? But I suspect I am not alone in feeling a little sad that we’re approaching the end of the year and all that ‘it’ll be over by summer!’ optimism now feels like a far-away fever dream. Many people are facing a stressful, complicated Christmas – […]
Tag Archives: mental health
Another revisited post, yes – but one that feels really necessary right now. Lots of people in the creative industries are struggling with lost income and having to get jobs to supplement their losses – jobs which are often both low paid and time consuming, so leave little time to do anything else. Many will […]
Yes, I am shamelessly recycling some of my older posts at the moment. In part because I have zero focus and concentration, in part because (yes, admit this) am trying to keep myself visible and in the market for work, and in part because I feel like so many of us are going through so […]
God, the world seems a harsh and depressing place so often these days. Even if what most of us directly face are generally first world problems, the unremittingly grim nature of the news can make it feel like we’re on a fast train to hell and there’s no getting off. I’ve been trying to counter […]
I rediscovered this old piece the other day: I wrote it for the Strictly Writing Blog and although, thankfully, my life has moved on a lot since then I think it still stands up so thought I would share it here, also. I hope it helps someone. What happens to your writing when your life […]
I am reading Brené Brown at the moment – rereading, to be honest – and it has got me thinking a lot about her key topics of shame, fear and the ‘hustle of worthiness’. How they apply to freelance and creative lives in general, and to my own experiences, as a working-class woman with a […]
2018 has been a funny old year – for most of us, I think. The world has felt more than a little nuts (remember when we were all just sad lots of famous people were dying – ah, good times) and it’s impossible not to let that bleed into your everyday life. If you, like […]
[Note – this is an edited update of an earlier post from a couple of years ago] The festive season is just around the corner – or fully in swing, if the TV adverts are to be believed – and once again, it’s worth remembering this isn’t an easy time for everyone. So, while I […]
One of the things I am trying to use moving house for is to facilitate is healthier habits. A change of scene, I hope, will break me of some of my worse sins, and allow me to start afresh on creating a more balanced lifestyle. One of these bad habits was an excess of social […]
It’s probably a surprise to most of my friends – who routinely mock me for my extended birthday, which I drag out as best I can for as long as possible, and my habit of posting a steady stream of pictures of cards and presents on social media – but birthdays and Christmas always make […]
Dark Dates 