What I learned about self belief from ProBlogger

Every month I focus on a different topic. Things that are important to me. Things I think are important to other mothers of young children. This month is a biggie: Self Belief. 

self belief

I feel okay with my self esteem and self confidence. After a shaky start during my teenage years, I think I have those covered. But self belief is a whole other ball game. It’s a bit wobbly. My inner cynic is practically screaming as I write, telling me to stay clear of this topic – that it’s all a bit woo-woo and not for me.

But self belief remains the defining characteristic of so many people I hold in high esteem. Heroes and role models. The people that have an unwavering and tenacious belief in themselves and their dreams.

ProBlogger had its share of heroes and role models as key speakers. I tried to search for the common thread that held very disparate people together, and I found it in self belief.  Read more

Getting it Sorted – August’s Challenge

getting it sortedIt’s a whole new month and a whole new challenge. The past few months of my life have been taken over by a school craft stall. When a huge project consumes your life SO many things are left undone. The project wraps up and you are left with the fall out of all that has been ignored. That’s exactly where I am at.

Time to step back, see what needs to be done and get stuck in. (But I don’t think I can face cleaning my sewing/craft room just yet).

This month I am going to focus on getting it sorted.

The big things and the little things. I need to re-group and re-organise my life. Maybe you’d like to join me?

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Finding Creativity in Motherhood: The Challenge

Creativity and MotherhoodEvery month I focus on a different theme, and this month is very close to my heart: CREATIVITY. 

The inspiration for this month come from a few different corners of my life. Firstly, Rachel Power’s amazing book, Motherhood and Creativity, which collates the experiences of mothers who are successful creatives. It was recently updated and reprinted. It is an honest and wonderful account of how motherhood shapes, aids and changes creative practice. I devoured every word, finding inspiration and resonance in equal measure. Read more

The Challenge: Regaining Intimacy

Regaining the intimacy challenge

This month I am focussing on something that can be a bit hard to talk about, but I think is really important: regaining intimacy after having children.

For those of us who have recently (or not so recently) had children, romance and intimacy may feel like a thing of the past. This month I want to explore rekindling the home fires. If you are at that stage, I’d love you to explore this with me.  I will be talking kindness (to yourself and your partner), feeling sexy again and intimacy after babies (gulp!) Read more

Healthy Social Media Habits + a Plan + Free Printables

This month I am focussing on the thing I spend a lot of time worrying about and not enough time doing something about: my social media and phone use. I love social media but I need to introduce healthy social media habits. My favourite social media is Instagram and my friend recently told me that you can buy real Instagram likes so I might check that out!!

Do you remember when mobile phones were just phones? And that was amazing? I remember those early models, big as shoe, clunky as hell and more status symbol than anything else. I remember when we used to regard those early adopters with suspicion – wanker phones we used to call them. Then we all got our own: indestructible brightly coloured Nokia bricks, with nothing more than a primitive game of snake to keep us entertained at bus stops. Smart phones happened and within a few short years the mobile phone that could access the internet became ubiquitous. Every man, woman and increasingly younger child has one. We are always on, always available, always plugged in. And I have to wonder if that’s such a great thing. Read more

Value, Identity, Motherhood, Career: This months focus

Value, Identity, Motherhood, Career

This month I want to focus on value, identity, motherhood and career. It’s something I have been turning around in my mind quite a bit lately. Puzzling out this particular rubics cube. What is my worth when it’s not measured by a predictable pay cheque at the end of each fortnight? What is my identity when I can’t quite articulate the answer to the inevitable “What do you do?”  What is my value to a society that views success exclusively in career terms?  Read more