Day 1
You’d be forgiven for forgetting who I am because, Woo!, it’s been a sweet minute since I was last on here, but let’s not dwell on that right now. I’m here and It’s good to be back.
Don’t think that I was carefree, skipping through meadows or sipping Mai Tai’s during this long absence. 2021 has done me a doozy (and I don’t think I’m alone in that). Looking at my life objectively, it’s all been pretty good. “Mustn’t grumble…” and all that. In fact, I’ve got a shedload to be grateful for but I feel I’ve been duffed up emotionally by 2021 and, like the effect of most bullies (Yes, 2021, I consider you a bully), I’ve been left a little fragile. But we’re not going to stay there, amen? Amen!
I had a burst of inspiration about a week ago whilst doing a rare bit of exercise (a story for another day) to finish 2021 strong and blog everyday in December. A way to give myself a kick up the jacksy, force some creativity and – let’s be real – not waste the money I’ve paid for this hosting site. (You’re good value, WordPress, no shade).
When my oxygen levels and heart rate returned to normal, I settled on the slightly more achievable idea of a blog post everyday of Advent – Blogmas, if you will. I had a week to plan this out to be ready for today so, of course, I had a schedule and even some posts written up beforehand, right? Wrong. There’s still a month left of the year of our Lord 2021 and, true to character, it’s still kicking my ass.
Who says when New Year starts anyway??
6pm came around today on the 1st of December and I had a phone conversation with my sister where we both had a good moan about life. I signed up to a course a couple of months ago which was due to start tonight at 7pm. I had an extra mighty whinge to my sister that the 1st January (give or take) would have been a far more palatable date to start something new. I was just ready to throw this whole year in the bin and start over and could really, REALLY do without this pigging course tonight.
I went and made a cup of tea from my advent gift from a friend and rather than inspire me, the message on my Day 1 teabag was a snidey reminder that I was going to fail on my intention before I even started. Shut up, teabag. (Tasty though…)
I drag myself up to my office, open my laptop and join the Zoom meeting to start my course with the (amazing) Disruptive Talent Group. The course starts with a “How are you feeling?” icebreaker. I pride myself with my honesty in choosing the image of Kanye West – sorry, Ye – that most fits my mood. Surprisingly, it seems there is a Ye for every occasion.
Christmas miracles are real!
Is that an overstatement? Listen, I wouldn’t have imagined all the fairy dust and elf magic in the world would have turned my stinky mood around, but wouldn’t you know it? 2 hours with like-minded, purposeful people could be enough to remind you of your ‘why’. Like a domino effect, it’s been an inspirational nudge to key back into the the core practices I’d abandoned to mind funk. I’d call that a miracle.
I’ll talk more about the course later in Blogmas but for now, here’s to new beginnings – at any time of the year. You never know when a shift can occur and when a decision you made months – or years – ago, will come in just the nick of time and turn things around.
Maybe the tea wasn’t being sarcastic after all.
Grace Smith Speaks 