Last year was another troubled year for many people, and I feel like it hit our family particularly hard. Whilst there were positives to be found in the nooks and crannies of 2021, we found ourselves saying goodbye to far too many loved ones. Covid had stopped us from getting the extended family together for…
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New Year New Goals
Happy New Year! The end of 2021 flew by, and I found myself taking my lengthiest break from writing so far! I wanted to write, but time kept disappearing. In the past, I would’ve beaten myself up about this. This time, however, I decided to be kind to myself and accept that something had to…
A Look Back At October
As I sit here on Hallows Eve, it’s time to have a look back at October. I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on my blog as well as my business. I’ll be making some changes to The Mindful Gingernut over the coming months, but I’m pleased to say that my monthly reviews will be one…
A Look Back At September
Every month throughout this year, I’ve written a blog post looking back on the month just gone. It’s been a helpful little reminder during some difficult times that amongst the shit, there have been plenty of good times and lot’s of new memories made. I have to admit, September feels like a bit of a…
2021 Goals Review – September
By the time you’ll be reading this post, we’ll be in October and heading towards some of my favourite events of the year. There’s something so magical about Autumn. I almost get as excited for Halloween and Bonfire Night as I do Christmas! With the New Year less than 13 weeks away, it’s time to…
A Look Back At August
As Summer turns to Autumn and the woolly jumpers and endless mugs of hot chocolate slowly start to reappear, it’s time to look back at the highs and lows of August. I’m not sure I mentioned it in my look back at July, but July ended on a sad note as two of our family…
Review: Thirteen Moons More by Andi Webb
One of my summer reads was by the fabulous Andi Webb. For those who are unfamiliar with Andi’s work, I first stumbled across Andi here on WordPress. He’s one of our very own! I used to love reading Andi’s blog ‘Diary of a Gay Dad’, and his tales of family life would keep me amused for hours.
What is Olio?
I have a confession to make. I’m obsessed with Olio! If you haven’t heard of Olio before, it’s an app that aims to reduce waste. It’s super easy to use and, you get to do your bit for the environment whilst you’re at it. It’s a great way to discover food and non-food items for free from people who live nearby.
The Downside To Being Freelance
Earlier this month, I wrote a blog post called ‘The Highs of Being a Freelancer‘. As promised, I’m back with another blog post, and this time, I’m aiming to balance out the highs with the things that are slightly less enjoyable about freelance life. I mulled over the title of this post for ages. Should…
Anniversaries: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
As I looked through my diary the other day, I noticed some significant anniversaries were on the horizon. Not romantic anniversaries, although we are celebrating being together for two and half years later this month, if that counts? And when I say celebrating, we’re not doing anything to mark this magnificent achievement. In fact, for…
A Look Back at July
I can’t believe we’re already halfway through the Summer! I’m sure the world has been speeding up ever since we first went into lockdown last March! I’ve even started to track my working hours because I couldn’t work out where all my time has been going, which has been a helpful exercise. I’ve been using Toggl to…
The Highs of Being a Freelancer
When I became a freelance writer, I had no idea what to expect. I wasn’t someone who had planned for years to become a freelancer. I had taken redundancy the previous summer and decided I wanted to do something which involved two of my biggest passions – writing and helping others. Since then, my freelance…
Reflecting on Racism
This time last week, there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation in the air.
The England Senior Men’s football team were due to face Italy in the final of UEFA Euro 2020 that evening. It was to be the first final in a major competition the England men’s team had played in since their World Cup win in 1966.
Is Football Really Coming Home?
As I sit here writing this post, it’s the eve of the UEFA Euro 2020 final between England and Italy. Yes, I know we’re in 2021 but, 2020 was meant to be the 60th anniversary of the Euro’s, so there was some reluctance from UEFA to change it. UEFA are also trying to ensure the football tournament is more sustainable.
A Look Back At June
If you’re new to my blog, I like to finish each month (or start the next month) with a look back at the month just gone. It allows me to reflect on the highs and the lows of the last few weeks and is a great way to remember some of the adventures I’ve had….
Mid-Year Goals Review
As we edge closer to the middle of the year, I thought it was about time I sat back and reviewed my 2021 goals to see how they are progressing. Mid-year is a good time to reflect on your goals and to check whether we need to make any significant changes to them as we…
How I Became Confident Without Realising
Thirty years ago, when I was just eight years old, I was a happy but shy kid. If anyone spoke to me in the street, I would often hide behind my mum and, I would avoid eye contact at all costs. As I progressed through my teens, I still struggled with shyness and nerves, despite…
Making New Friends and Returning to Some Kind of Normality
As I write this week’s blog post, I’m sitting outside my parent’s house in Northamptonshire, soaking up the sun, which has decided to grace us with its presence during the past week. May was a much colder, wetter month than I think any of us had hoped, although it didn’t stop me from getting out…
Receive Monthly Musings Directly To Your Inbox
Happy Sunday! I hope you’ve had a productive week and a fun weekend. It’s been a busy week at the Mindful Gingernut HQ as I’ve been beavering away writing client newsletters and social media posts, as well as working in the background creating my first Mindful Gingernut newsletter! I’ve been toying with the idea of…
The Aftermath of Redundancy
Last August, a week before I was due to move house, my boss gathered the senior management team on a call and told us we were all at risk of redundancy. Or in official terms, our jobs were at risk. I had two choices: Stay and fight for a new role or leave an organisation I’d been with for just over five years, and an industry I had been in for almost fifteen.
Family, Radio Shows, and Wellness Retreats
I was starting to think this year couldn’t get any weirder, but it did. April was a strange month in many ways. It was time to readjust as lockdown measures continued to ease here in the UK, with two households or groups of six now able to meet outdoors and restaurants, pubs and cafes with…
My Top #5 Apps for Newbie Freelance Writers
Earlier this year, I snowballed into the world of writing. As much as I knew I wanted to chase a career as a freelance writer, I was starting everything from scratch. Up until that point, I’d spent most of my adult life working in sports governance. I had a massive network in football, but I…
Has City Life Made Me Lonely?
Recently, as a guest on Shoreditch Radio, I was asked whether I thought London was a lonely place to live. I’ve suffered from great waves of loneliness over the last few years. Lockdown certainly played a big part in my loneliness, but did living in London also contribute?
Are You Having Problems Sleeping?
We all know that lockdown has played havoc with both our mental and physical health. But did you know that a key factor in maintaining a healthy mind and body is getting a good night’s sleep? Over the last year, many of us have experienced sleep problems. Whether you’ve had problems falling asleep, waking up…
Fresh Air, Photoshoots & The Mindful Gingernut
Happy Easter to you if you’re reading this over the Easter bank holiday weekend. Whether you’re celebrating Easter or not, I hope you’re having a lovely bank holiday weekend. The spring sunshine is out in full force here today, although rumour has it that winter may be returning tomorrow with the chance of snow. As…