Find your happy place

Hey how you doing……fancy a chat….I love our little catch ups …..I know I am doing all the talking but I do feel that you are there and you are listening and I am loving all the feedback from you about my little blog.

So how have you been….things in my world have been so fast paced and busy recently and I sometimes feel overwhelmed by how much is going on and I keep feeling my little life should be so simple.

My world should consist of hens, cats and painting…..but somehow my little world is growing and I have to deal with suppliers, administration and social media……now I know you can say it is all my own doing and I know that and most of the time it is fabulous and I love how things are organically growing but still sometimes I get overwhelmed.

So how do you deal with it if you ever feel that way? ……I would love to know what your techniques are.

I have a few…..some involve chocolate so probably not sure we need to discuss them….the others are probably more simple.....

….sitting with my hens is one of my favourites they are such in the moment creatures and are always so curious and I do really believe they know when you are feeling down or you have a lot on your mind. I can often be found sitting with my girls and chatting…I am sure anyone passing by our hedge must think I am talking to myself….obviously I am not, there is always one of the ladies listening.

Talking to animals has been proved to help us humans ….I think it is the grounding, the living in the moment taking your mind off things and focusing on the little sentient being that is focusing just on you.

I think I have always used animals as my go to stress buster…I have mentioned before, I was brought up on a smallholding and looking back I don’t think I really appreciated what we had….I mean you don’t as a kid, I wish I had realised how wonderful it was ….I am glad to say I am more like my mum then I thought…….my mums love of her animals the goats, hens, ducks, pigs and the odd cow was amazing and I am so glad it rubbed off......

….I am my mothers daughter….she would be so proud, its times like this when I wish she was here to enjoy my awakening to living a slower paced life …. after years of working hard in the corporate world I am now living my little dream….animals and art…and that is what I need to keep coming back to.

The other stress buster is my art, I am loving my painting so much …and combining art and animals is my HAPPY PLACE ….as you know I only found out I could paint last year….and that has been a game changer in my little life….I think one thing that gets me stressed is that I don’t paint enough….why? …..I just don’t know where the time goes.

So the best thing I can do when I am overwhelmed is to get back to basics….my animals and art….

Where is your happy place…finding what makes you truly happy is important to who you are …so think of what your happy place is and make it happen….make it your goal to be in your happy place as much as possible.

I hope you see my love and happiness for nature in my art ….please take a look at my gallery and shop whilst you are here, I would love your feedback.

What's all that about.....

So.... apparently its National Blogger Day……whats all that about…..?

Apparently blogs started in the 1990’s …..I am so behind the times…what was I doing in the 90’s??? I am very sure I wasn’t blogging or even knew what a blog was …..to be honest the 90’s are a blur don’t ask me why, I wasn't a party animal.

I purchased my first house in 1988, so I would have been very respectable I am sure….buying a house aged 20 was a big thing …not just the responsibility of a mortgage but that I had to have a cat….I know you thought I was going to ramble on about the cost of houses back then …but I will add, a 2 bedroom terrace house in a lovely little town in East Yorkshire cost me £24k….oh those were the days ….anyway new home, new cat…

I had never had my own pet really ……obviously living with an animal crazy mum it did mean I always had lots and lots of animals around me…the waifs and stays ….we actually had a dog that mum had seen advertised in a local news paper looking for a holiday home for two weeks…..his owner never came back….I remember it was mystery …..he was a gorgeous 10 year old Labrador called Twist…he used to wag his tail with his whole body and had a lovely nature…the owner turned up 3 years later, Twist went bonkers ….so did mum. Not only had he never been in touch, the dog actually thought he had come back for him ….he hadn’t…poor Twist ….he lived the rest of his life with us bless him.

Anyway back to the 90’s my first cat was a jet black boy called Peter….he was named after a story book I had once read called Peter no Tail….my Peter had a tail but I liked the name. He was the son of my mums cat Muppet who bless her only had one eye but she live until she

was around 30 so it obviously did not have any impact on her life whatsoever apart from she looked

odd….but I don’t think that ever bothered her.

Peter was so loving and loved shoes and sunbathing in the greenhouse ….funny little cat …. I then got the chance of a stray someone had found…a gorgeous tabby who had originally been called Stripy but in accordance with my human names for cats she became Susie. She was so cute…the first night home with us, Peter was not happy so I made sure when I went to bed they were separated so they wouldn’t be stressed. Susie was in the conservatory and Peter was in his usual bed in the kitchen……the next morning Pete was so pleased to see me he was extremely vocal and was telling me all about the awful cat he had met the night before,,,,,,,as I opened the conservatory door Susie popped her little head into the kitchen ….Peters face was a picture of horror…..SHE WAS STILL THERE!!!

They actually became wonderful friends and used to sleep together often in his little bed in the kitchen ….so my own little gang started with the two cats…..number three came along a little later but that’s enough animal talk I'm sure for one day….she was named Katie.

The funny thing was when it was my dads 60th Birthday I put birthday wishes in the local news paper….Happy Birthday Dad, lots of love, Julie, Peter, Susie & Katie…..my mum bumped into one of her friends who said she had seen the birthday message and how she was so pleased for my mum who was now obviously a Grandma to wonderful grandchildren…my poor mum had to explain ….no not children just cats….the apple never falls far from the tree, she was still very proud I had inherited her love for animals.

So the 90’s were a blur probably due to the fact I was just in my 20’s, a home and a job and my singing….oh yeah did I never tell you I can sing….I don’t sing anymore but I did once upon a time…I have met some of my best friends through singing….in choirs, in churches for weddings…oh yes I have bushel and under it are lots of things not many people know…an International Woman of Mystery….anyway that’s a whole different blog.

So how are you? ….what have you been up to?

I tell you, everything I type is like talking to an old friend….I know I ramble on but to be honest I think I get that knack from my Nana …..she used to start a story, go around the houses, and come back to the original story ….what a woman….

So here we are in 2023 and I am finally getting down with the kids and blogging….Happy National Blogger Day to you …..and don’t forget please to let me know how you are doing…..I do love feedback.

I have always got new things appearing on my website so don’t forget to have a look in my shop if you get chance …..

.....you never know, something might just catch your eye…..ciao for now.

I don't believe it!

Thank you for joining me again….its been six weeks since my first blog…..sounds like I am about to go into a confession….and maybe that’s what my blog is…. I told you before I see this as a chat, a natter, two friends just sat chewing the cud over a coffee or herbal tea…..

I think if it was a confessional I would be saying …I AM AN IMPOSTER ….I seem to have struggled with doubting myself or possibly imposter syndrome my whole life…obviously I googled it to find the true definition:

Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and

feeling like a fraud.

I am even going as far to say I think I have always doubted my abilities even as a little one ….. I am the only girl in a family of 4 children and I was the youngest…. I have 3 older brothers and I was always in competition with the youngest one ….who was mums favourite? Who could impress mum with the best gift?….all extremely stupid but I think it sowed the seed for not being good enough and doubting myself.

As time went on and I went to school, I was always the class clown, the chatty girl, the one with the report that said ‘could do better if she listened’…..but I think all this was covering up I was not particularly interested. To be honest looking back it wasn’t that I wasn’t interested or smart enough, it was that I am easily bored and need things to move at a pace so that they kept my attention.

I left school with average exam grades ….no thought or interest of going to university, I just wanted to get a job and earn some money…it was the 80’s after all and there were lots of jobs around. I did well I moved jobs every 3 or 4 years not really knowing what I wanted to be when I grew up....but enjoying what I did ….thats always been my goal ….no big plans of being a high flyer just enjoying myself.

I was once called a diamond in the rough…I had no idea what this meant but apparently its someone who has potential, a person who will achieve success with the right care and polish…..it was a compliment …I am not sure I took it that way at the time…I wish I had.

Then one day someone asked me if I had a degree…..obviously I said no …"why" they asked ….".never needed one" I replied, they were shocked… everyone around me had been to university and I hadn’t - OMG I was a fraud. I had worked my way through the business and I hadn’t been to uni…..this stayed with me, I think I have mentioned before I am an over thinker!!

Even when I became a director in the business I never ever believed it…..how is that possible. I knew I was good at what I did but I never thought I was better then anyone else…..I was an imposter!!

I always tried not to show how I really felt inside which as you can appreciate made some days exhausting ....but luckily I had stuck to my original goal from the 80's of enjoying what I did, I always made sure I loved whatever job I was doing, which I am sure made it easier to cover it up.

So here I am ….I now have left the corporate world behind me and I AM AN ARTIST…..but without any formal training and only been doing it a year how can I be an artist ….still the doubt kicks in and the imposter syndrome raises its ugly head again…I get so many compliments and I am always surprised when people buy from me …so what will it take to stop feeling like an imposter….

Apparently the feeling will never truly go away, I just have to learn to manage the feelings, stop playing down my achievements and start to celebrate success no matter how small….stay in the moment, don’t worry about what has happened or what might happen ….now is all that matters. I also think surrounding yourself with like minded people who share your passion and love you for who you are is really important....

So thank you for taking the time to read this little blog, for allowing me to share ….its very cathartic to open up and I think by sharing we can create a positive change.

I try make my life all about positivity ….its hard as life has its ups and downs but seeing the good in things is the only way …..be kind, be happy and be in the moment.

Thank you again for your time…if you get chance take a look around my website and let me know what you think….it all helps.

Take care and lets catch up real soon :-)