What you will find in my blog posts…

My posts cover a range of topics:  emotional and psychological growth; inspired by the events that I and others have encountered or survived. It is unique to my life: facing and living through lobular breast cancer and double mastectomy; raising two daughters to adulthood; going on a 40 day road trip, camping all along the way, through Southern Africa to Malawi and back; and crafting a vibrant marriage of 36 years (2022).

I have faced depression, social phobia and anxiety, early childhood grief, trauma and neglect.  As middle age opened doors and challenged my journey I stepped away from a fundamentalist mindset of judgemental, unloving attitudes to find LOVE and self-acceptance through learning to accept myself and see myself as worthy of respect. This long inward journey has taken the wildest turns but I believe I am better for it. I found that when you learn to love yourself you deepen the capacity to accept and love others too.

This is my story and my perspective – no doubt others who encountered  me on this story have their perspectives and stories to tell. I share my authentic truth and wisdom which I gained through these events in the hope that it will in some way help or encourage someone else on their journey too. Some of the tools I used were: self-reflection and introspection; self-expression through writing, journaling and creative art-making. I have also done much in-depth reading and supportive counseling.

Life is the best teacher and challenges me to step up and take part instead of turning away and departing from this world. It has enlivened me; taught me to love and to be loved, taught me about self-compassion and kindness as well as creating boundaries. I learned an important lesson: You can’t just dream something into being, you have to commit to it with consistent action if you want it to happen.

As I reflect on and revise this post now (2022)

I realize that one step I took then was risking the start of this blog and consistently adding to it in order to make my dream of writing alive and real. I also want to say a big thank you to all my followers for your comments, encouragement and support: without your being here for me I might not have sustained my blog for this long. So the next lesson is: You can’t do things and make them happen in a vacuum, you need a community. I appreciate you, my community. 

Feel encouraged with me! Take care,