Blogging Goodbye to Butterflies

Tag: lifestyle blog

Thirty and Thriving 🙌

It’s Sunday, the sun is shining and we’ve a roast dinner cooking away – nothing makes me happier than a day like this one. We’ve got family staying, I’m one beer down and I’m feeling more chilled than I have in ages. (Besides the football nerves of course – it’s been a nervy couple of weeks for England fans across the country and tonight’s game could be a turning point. Yes, I’m remaining optimistic!)

My 30th has been and gone and it was FAB, but unfortunately it did coincide with a particularly stressful time at work and between full-on working days and celebrations I’ve barely had a moment to breathe.

It always says something when I’m feeling like writing again. It says I’m coming out of the other side, my brain is clear of fog and the butterflies are less consuming. Hooray to that and thanks for sticking with me while Chapter Seven hit pause for a short while.

Even full of brain fog and butterflies, 30 has brought with it a new confidence for me.

I confess, I had a mini-meltdown on my birthday eve. All I could think was how much I hadn’t done yet. Suddenly my biggest regret in all the world was not having run a half marathon for example, in spite of the fact I’ve never enjoyed running and I’ve never even completed Couch to 5K. BUT since then, I’ve found being 30 somehow has me feeling like I can own my space more and like I’ve earned the right to live authentically and with confidence.

Thirty has me ordering whisky neat, popping prosecco open without faffing and aiming higher at work and I’m excited to see how long I can ride this wave for.

I’m so grateful to every person who chose to celebrate with me. I felt so loved throughout my birthday celebrations and there can be no doubt that’s brought me closer to the place I’m in now.

Now, I know age is just a number. And if you’re reading this in your early twenties, please don’t let your age stop you from owning your space right now. Or if you’re way past 30 and still not feeling confident, please don’t let this make you feel you’re behind – you’re wonderful as you are and everyone is on their own timeline.

But if you’re reading this on your approach to thirty, worried about reaching the milestone without having done everything you expected, please know that it’s not an ending. It’s just the beginning and there’s so much to be excited about yet. Celebrate all that you have achieved and own your space knowing you’re going into life’s next chapter with more wisdom than you’ve ever had before. In my timeline, I’ve a feeling thirty is where I start to come into my own.

June 30, 2024
Enjoying the now

My flights to L.A are booked and there are only 52 days now until I’ll be posting from a, hopefully sunny, California. So, if you’re reading this and you have any recommendations for where to find the best food in LA, let me know!

Time is absolutely flying by and everyone keeps telling me it’ll be no time at all before Dave and I are reunited at the airport, Love Actually style. Although, me being me, you can bet I’ll trip and fall flat on my face or I’ll get lost and head to the wrong exit or I’ll mistake a total stranger for Dave from behind and embarrass myself tremendously.

But I’m not wishing the time away. If I could click my fingers and be with Dave tomorrow, I would, but seeing as I can’t, I’m determined to carry on making the best of things between now and then.

Now the days are getting longer in the UK, I’m getting out for some beautiful walks. Although I’m finding I have to pick my moments. Whilst walking every day was something I enjoyed when Dave was on home turf, I’m currently finding that on the wrong day a walk leaves me too alone with my thoughts.

But I’ve discovered some amazing podcasts, thanks to recommendations from friends, and they make me feel like I’ve got company even when I’m washing up at home. Thanks to them, I spend a lot of time laughing instead of feeling lonely.

One of my best friends recently had a beautiful, healthy baby boy and two of my best friends have hen-dos next month. One of those lovely ladies gets married in April, just before I fly.

There’s too much to be grateful for and excited about between now and my flight, for me to wish the time away.

The older we get the quicker the time flies hey? So, if I were to leave you with a pearl of wisdom, true Blog with Bron style, then it would be to think short-term. Know what your end goal is. Know what you’re aiming for. But focus most of all on the chunk of life in front of you. Make decisions in the present based on where you want to end up, but don’t let excitement about reaching that goal stop you enjoying the now.

February 26, 2023
Saying Goodbye: Family time in the Scottish Highlands

It’s been some time since my last post, it’s nearly party season and I’m still nowhere near full of beans.

I am up early today and packed for a few days away in the BEAUTIFUL Scottish Highlands with family. We’re staying in Kinlochleven – a village that’s full of special memories for us a family. My Auntie Debra lived in a lovely little flat in the village until she died in September 2020. We’re headed up to say one final goodbye to the place she called home and hand the keys over so that someone else can go on to make magical memories there.

We’ve got a long drive ahead of us and the next few days may be hard at times, but I’m in high spirits right now and looking forward to quality time with some of my nearest and dearest, whatever the circumstances. The last time I was in Kinlochleven, I ordered the scrummiest meat and potatoes in a local pub. And I enjoyed so many wonderful walks around Loch Leven itself. This time, I should be able to do all of those things again, but whilst also supporting my Mum and her younger sister and making time to remember and reflect.

It’s been a shaky few weeks already. Life’s had me permanently frazzled, wandering when I’m going to fall flat on my face and mess it all up. I keep thinking I’m going to forget something important or drop the ball on something. BUT I’m here now having survived it all and somehow kept on top of things. And I’m going to get through the next few days too.

I think the older I get, the more I’m learning that you can only be so prepared. In fact, people rarely feel fully prepared for anything. We’re all just figuring it out as we go.

November 13, 2022
For the love of autumn

I am doing my best to enjoy autumn in all its gloriousness.

And it really is glorious. Especially in Welwyn Garden City, where every road is lined with trees now turning wonderful shades of yellow, orange and red. The ground is covered with fallen leaves, which I hope are providing shelter to plenty of hedgehogs. (I tread carefully through them just in case.)

The jumper drawer is now well and truly open for business and I’m so happy to be back wearing scarves and boots. I’m still getting out for those morning walks when I can and there’s something about the air being crisp that makes them all the more rewarding.

I made some diddy changes in the flat this week, to make it feel cosier. I found a new blanket for the sofa in B&M and a new cushion for my armchair in Tesco. Then I switched our neutral sofa cushions out for red, pink and brown ones. I moved the fruit bowl to the dining table and stuck a biscuit tin in its place on the coffee table. Because summer is for fruit salads and juices, but in my book, autumn is for hot chocolate and cookies.

Note to self – buy more hot chocolate.

BUT perhaps it’s also time to accept that there are things about this time of year that are tricky. It’s getting colder. The mornings are getting gradually darker. There are flus going around left, right and centre. And I think I’m going to have to allow myself some time to just be tired.

And if you’re feeling tired lately, you should too. Because before we know it, it’ll be party season and we’ll need to be full of beans.

October 16, 2022