Happy New Year – The Year to Explore

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying your day.

Oh, and of course…

Happy. New. Year. Wow, literally another year already. People say the years go quicker as you get older, but these covid-19 shadowed years seem to be going quick.

Its a funny old time isn’t it. I mean, I dont feel like im doing much at all yet the years seem to be going so quick. Though I am not really big on those big and unrealistic yearly goals, I would normally write myself almost a bucket list of things I would like to do during the year. That list would usually surround travel and seeing bands which aren’t really viable in this covid world. (or not in New Zealand anyway as bands usually have to fly in)

Since my last therapy I found that I went from a ‘oh no, I couldn’t possibly do that’ to a ‘why the dickens not’ sort of gal. I found myself jumping at most opportunities after realising the benefits of facing fears and doing things that I wouldn’t normally do. Though I have achieved some great things this year with my blog and of course more magazine publishings, I sometimes just sort of feel like I’m existing.

I feel its important to share that as most people think I’m 125% all of the time. Not only is that not humanly possible, but it certainly isn’t during these times. Even those that handle life fairly well are still saying ‘what the dickens is happening?’

Despite sometimes feeling like I’m just existing, I don’t want to simply just exist and this year I do have some plans.

Upon arriving in New Zealand (around 7 years ago now!) I had to get stuck into daily life. Nursing left me working split shifts which meant there wasn’t any opportunity to travel and explore outside of that. Now, not only do I work for myself, but covid has meant I’m not really traveling for work. The plus to that means I can work from my laptop, which means I can travel.

I now have no excuse to explore New Zealand. I mean, I did come here because of all the beauty New Zealand holds, yet I’ve not really seen a lot of it. It will be a chance to take my laptop (and lola) in hand and explore the place I now call home.

I spoke a lot about connecting to the little things in my last blog post and it really is so important. Despite missing traveling further a field and even more so missing seeing bands, I do love those simple things in life. Jumping in the car, setting up camp somewhere and swimming in rivers. Those hot cups of tea after a big swim and then curling up under the stars. I mean, even saying that makes me want to jump in the car and go off exploring!

I feel despite these times being difficult, its showing people to appreciate those small and simple pleasures and practice gratitude for them. Not only that, but doing things we wouldn’t normally do. So much of our time is spent in front of screens, in malls or in restaurants. We sort of forget the pleasures in spending time in nature, swimming in rivers and packing a picnic and sitting in the sun.

Its definitely what I’m going to be doing and ill be sharing that journey with all of you through my blog and social media channels.