HELLO! Sarah – Catching up with an old friend

Today on the blog I am really excited to have Sarah over, shooting the breeze and chatting about life in general. Sarah started this blog with me last year around this time. She had to let co-authoring the blog go early in the year due to personal reasons. I often have readers ask about how Sarah is going, so it’s perfectly lovely to have here again, sharing her wisdom, humour and what life is teaching her right now.

 

hello Sarah

What have you been up to since we last heard from you?

It’s a bit more like what haven’t I been up to? Well that’s how it feels sometimes. I returned to work part time. I started three days a week but went up to four a couple of months ago. It’s a whirlwind to be honest. I spend four days working and three days getting organised so I can go back to work. We manage to fit in some fun on the weekends though, especially when my husband has his occasional weekend off – they are the best! What else… I got pregnant! Yep, expecting baby number 2, another girl, in November sometime. I also started a little blog space so I can keep writing when the desire takes me. And otherwise, just focussing on me and mine – happiness starting at home and all that! It’s a full time job in itself.

You were very open with why you needed to let go of your role at the Mummy and the Minx. How are you feeling these days? (you can read about it here)

I am really good. When I wrote my last post for The Mummy & The Minx, I referred to the retreat that I had completed. It equipped me with so many tools and learnings and I use these every day. I was really unwell for the first 16 weeks of this pregnancy and hit some very dark times during that, but I knew it was temporary and was able to get through it. To be honest, I am in a really content and happy space. Life is good and I am very mindful of enjoying it now.

How did the transition back to work treat you?

As you know, but the readers mightn’t, I moonlight as a project manager in my professional capacity. I fully thought I would be all over it, but it was really exhausting coming back. I enjoy being back in a professional space and exercising my brain in that way. But it seriously took me and my family about six months to work out what we needed to do things to make it work. So we meal plan, make dinners for the week ahead on the weekends and just to be really organised in general by having a routine. We also reward ourselves with “Family Date Night” every other Wednesday and just taking time to rest on the weekends rather than filling it with “doing”. Hubby and I are also really aware of the importance of each of us having some time out to ourselves when we can fit it in. A long shower where I can shave my legs and do a coffee scrub fills my love cup up no end! Or even just taking the dog for a walk by myself for 20 minutes. It all helps.

What skills has motherhood given you that you have been able to transfer at work?

Motherhood has definitely taught me not to sweat the small stuff. I have noticed that I am nowhere near as emotionally invested as I used to be – I let things out of my control go very easily and focus on the changes that I can make rather than dwelling on things I can’t influence.  I was always super organised and probably over rigid before having children and in the early days of motherhood. Whilst still a fan of routine, I am more fluid and have lower, more realistic expectation of everything really.

What advice do you wish someone had given you before you went back?

It’ll take time to work things out – it won’t happen overnight but it will happen. Also, I think the old adage to under promise and over deliver on what you can give work is helpful. I started three days, but for my career and when my daughter was ready chose, on my terms, to go up to four days. It’s crazy but I enjoy it. If I had over promised and started at four days from the get-go I would have been an anxious, stressed-out mess. Oh and I seriously cannot tell you how helpful meal planning is! Weekly planning is crucial to my family having a relaxed life!

Where are you channelling your creative energy these days?

I am still cooking lots! The last couple of months of my pregnancy I have really gotten into baking – I used to be terrified but now a week doesn’t go by without a cake or something being made. I have continued my love affair with nutrition and am spending a lot of time making yummy things for my family. We are trying to cut as much of the processed stuff out. It’s time consuming but I love it! I am writing over SarahGooley.com when the mood takes me, or I need to process something. I’ve also been doing some decorating at home, just small things but it takes me forever to get my vision right.

It’s not necessarily creative but I’ve been getting involved a little in some social justice stuff. Especially with regards to domestic violence and violence against women. Schooling myself up and what not. I have also been investing some time in helping a friend who has just undergone treatment for MS in Russia. He’s recovering back home here in Brisbane and is keen to understand what can be done on getting the treatment legalised here. I have offered him help with writing and social media once he’s recovered enough. There are so many people fighting the good fight, I want to be involved and I want to create a safe place for my daughters.

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Isn’t it awesome when you get to catch up with friends?

4 thoughts on “HELLO! Sarah – Catching up with an old friend

  1. Sandra Kelly says:

    It’s been lovely to catch up on all your news Sarah and hear that you are in a good space! There is something so empowering when you discover you have the tools to surf through the shadow times knowing they will pass and you will come out the other side again. Thanks so much for honesty and sharing. Congratulations on having a new bub in the family very soon. Xx

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