February’s word has been courage
Writing a monthly review is helpful for me because it helps me zoom out and look at my life as a whole and check it’s moving in the right direction.
After I burnt out in 2022 out I became aware that I lacked balance, and so reflecting on the different areas of my life (emotional, spiritual, physical, mental, health, wealth) is helpful for me to check that I’m not neglecting one area- which can often be the case for me.
If you’ve read earlier blogs, you’ll know that historically I’ve been a bit of a workaholic and this is an area of my life I’m committed to changing, largely because I don’t want to look back at my life when I’m 70 and regret not having conversations, connections and experiences.
I journal daily, usually in a ‘checklist’ type way. But this kind of over arching reflection is useful at the end of the month because I want to check in on my life (which -like yours- moves at 100 miles per hour) and make sure I’m moving in the right direction. The days/ weeks/ months pass by so quickly and I want to make sure that I am taking ownership of the time, because it truly feels like I’ll blink and miss it!
So… February, in no particular order…. Here we go…
Half term felt less of a juggle than any previous school holiday we’ve had since I’ve been a business owner. That’s not to say it was easy and I wasn’t worn out by the end of it- I was! Letting go of my classes has definitely given me some extra freedom which I needed. It obviously helps that Kitty is getting older, but streamlining work has helped for sure..
I’ve concentrated on seeing friends which (as you’ll know if you read my blog) is something that I often let go by the way side even though I know it’s essential for my wellbeing. Had a day out in Manchester seeing Hamilton (which also included a scare that we’d lost the kittens), and got out for a few daytime walks with a few friends. These walks help so much, as I can feel disconnected and lonely if I don’t look after myself in this way. Choir has been great but hard- but actually going is no longer the big mission it once was!
My sleep is seriously up and down at the moment. There’s a few reasons for this, and to top it all perimenopuase symptoms make it so much worse. It’s definitely affecting my fat loss goal (simply because when I’m more tired I eat more) and it’s a big challenge for me just now. But I keep taking action and know that this period won’t last.
I’m still absolutely loving my training. My knee is doing well and my Somatics practice is helping me notice what feels good. I’m feeling paranoid about some muscular imbalances that have developed over the years , so working hard on self compassion around this. Operation pull up is well underway!
I’ve had the usual self employed panics this month with work and that’s why I’m choosing the word courage. Showing up for myself is still really hard, and the podcast is still hard and I still second guess myself all the time. I can feel lonely and worried at times. But on the whole I just feel so happy to be working with the women I am.This month I’ve been supporting them with building self compassion, developing routines around food, getting consistent with exercise, exercising in pregnancy and learning to keep showing up for themselves despite how they feel. The ripple effect of the work we do together is huge, and it’s exciting and inspiring to be able to help women in this way.
We’ve got some house plans happening at home and I tried working from 2 different cafes this month in preparation for thinking about what might happen in the future. Nice to be able to explore this locally, and obviously this won’t work on ‘calls’ days… but lots to think about and get excited about here.
I’m getting more confident with my podcast and am absolutely thrilled that it’s getting so many listens. Thanks for being patient and understanding with me about the quality of my presenting as I get better. I keep channeling the mantra that everyone starts somewhere!
Snowboarding is going well. I say well, I’m going every week even though it’s hard- and believe me I’ve tried not to go! Not sure if I’ve mentioned that Kev is teaching us, and he’s literally the most patient teacher ever. I’m an absolute granny as Kitty tears down the dry ski slope fearlessly! Apparently I have done a turn of some description though as it wasn’t intentional I feel like I can’t take it as a win!
We also had what would have been Jim’s 7th birthday in February, which was harder than I thought it would be. A chat with a friend this morning reminded me that that is grief… that you are constantly taken aback and surprised by how you feel. Even now.
Exciting to have an extra day this month, and delighted to be able to spend it doing lots of things I really love within my work. Always get a bit of a vulnerability hangover after doing such a personal blog so I hope it’s helpful. Ultimately, time is absolutely racing by and I’m happy to be where I am.
****I have one last 1-1 Coaching space if you’re ready to take control. Email me Beth@movemehappy.me to chat****