Mind over matter - week 4

My first week back. All very strange, for so many reasons. New bag, new coat, new pass. Familiar faces, unfamiliar situation. Same me, but stronger. Different priorities have made life simpler. As has finding someone to talk to about life and all the curveballs it throws you.

My confidence has benefited from doing the AllBright Academy's 'Smashing the Glass Ceiling' course - a free 10 week digital course which has been brilliantly insightful - full of common sense and guided activities that make you rethink you and your career and how to make things better. I haven't quite finished it yet - I'm five weeks over, but I'm taking it at my own pace, and it's quite liberating not feeling cross with myself for having 'failed' to complete it within the timeframe.

I don't have a list of resolutions this year, instead I wrote a bucket list in November - it's got six things on it. Five of them are measurable, the sixth is just a reminder. And it's permanently on my screen as a sticky note, together with a top ten list of my strengths (thanks to a personality survey I did for the AllBright course).

I've also finally accepted that I'm a happy little introvert. I've read a few articles and blog posts recently which have really struck a chord. Maz Hawes wrote a post which was instantly relatable - it's here if you're interested.

Ultimately, for me, it's mind over matter. I've always known that it was, but sometimes it was just a little too much to reach behind, hold the button down and reboot. I just got a bit stuck with the wanting, getting and coping. But now we've got the family we've always wanted, and we're starting to get the hang of it, life is simply much merrier.