An Update

It has been a long time since the last update. And it will probably be another good stretch of time until the next one. There have been a few reasons for this. 

For starters, a while ago, I visited the site, just as a user, and realised two things: the content was mediocre and the writing was poor. It was a painful discovery. Writing has always been very cathartic and pleasant for me. A way to process my thoughts and feelings, an opportunity to talk to my future self, and a channel to share with others, to connect. When I saw that what I had been sharing was incoherent, shallow, and often sprinkled with typos, was disappointing. Between a lack of energy and a lack of time, the writing got sloppy. You deserve better. Thus, I decided to pause for a while.

On top of that, a lot has changed. The pandemic, sure, but there is more to that. We are quite privileged and fortunate that the pandemic didn’t hit us – so far – quite as hard as we see around us. We have a house, a nice garden, and we have nature nearby. Even during a lockdown, we have space and can enjoy the fresh air – a luxury. No one we love dearly got sick. Given that we are not exactly extroverts or have high social needs, the adjustment required wasn’t too big. If anything, I enjoyed having my husband working from home and seeing more of him during the day.

There is more, however. We have decided to take a good look at our family life, our values, and aspirations and realised it was time for a change, a big one. Therefore, my husband is taking a break from work, indefinitely, and we are moving to Portugal, to live in a plot by the coast. The idea is to have a place for the kids to play, and grow up in close contact with Nature, and for us to have a healthy and active life that brings us close to our surroundings. We are very excited about it, and just starting to process what all of this means. It is tiring and thrilling.

Finally, we had to face the fact that mental health is not just a concept that is now en vogue. As a coach and a psychology aficionado, I have always known that mental hygiene and care is just as important, if not more, than the physical ones. Still, suddenly, it was there: bit by bit drops of this and that slowly corroded the mental health of someone close. And now it is time to heal, to learn new skills such as self-forgiveness, patience, appreciation for a slow pace. 

In Portugal, we are starting a new chapter in our lives, closer to our family, to Nature, and our sense of self. 

It is a new journey, and I am looking forwards to sharing more of it with you. 

Until then, I wish you a great 2021. I know 2020 was…peculiar, but do consider taking stock and making a list of all the things to be grateful for during these past 12 months.

Here is my list:

• Being healthy
• Having a healthy family
• A loving husband
• Two outstanding kids
• The birth of a new nephew
• Having the courage to start a new life with my family
• Having the financial means to start that new life
• A wonderful home to grow in, by the coast
• Connecting more with my extended family
• Getting a better sense of how to raise our children
• Discovering Permaculture and Regenerative Agriculture
• The increased awareness of my priorities and values
• A stronger sense of wanting to be healthy and strong, for a long time
• Awe at Nature, and how it will continue to evolve and adapt, way after we are extinct
• The sound of the waves, under a stormy sky.