Well, I have neglected the blogosphere a little bit recently. I’ve been neglecting a lot of my hobbies in favour of concentrating my efforts on NaNoWriMo. Naturally, I’m still behind on that too! Oh dear. My time-management skills (or lack thereof) strike again!
Anyway, this will be two weeks of #groovingmums in one so bear with me. First I’m going to talk about the setbacks, and then I’ll move onto my achievements and other positive bits.
This is taking a lot of guts for me to talk about and I hope that I can pluck up the courage to actually publish this part of the post. I’m struggling with my mental health again. Some of the time I am absolutely fine and happy, and sometimes I am feeling very low again, similar to how I was feeling when I was diagnosed with depression a year or two ago. This is making it very difficult to focus on the positive aspects of my life a lot of the time, because my mind is too busy making the worst of every situation. My partner has been hugely supportive though and really helped in taking the stress off me and letting me step back and recuperate a bit, so I am really very lucky to have him. Earlier in the week he went and stayed with his sister overnight to surprise her for her birthday, and it was very tough for me to be alone with the three children and keep my mood and self-esteem up. My admiration goes out to all the single parents out there!
Now, onto the positives!
I’ve been being sociable some more. I went to baby yoga again and really enjoyed it and had a little chat with the other ladies there, and baby L loved looking around at all the other ladies and babies in the group too. I think I will do a post about my experiences with baby yoga at the end of my course.
I’ve gone to a couple of writing meets and met some other people who are crazy enough to have a go at NaNoWriMo, and it’s been great fun chatting with them and hearing about them and their experiences with writing. It also has the added bonus of getting me to sit down and write, and enjoy it a lot rather than stressing or procrastinating. I’m off to some more meet-ups tomorrow and Saturday and really looking forward to them. I’m also considering joining in with a local writing group. So I’m really pleased with myself for becoming more sociable (and enjoying it!) and for rediscovering my passion for writing, which I had thought was all but lost.
I was chatting to the wonderful lady who has been organising all these meet ups, Elizabeth, and she has somehow managed to convince me to edit my first novel into a presentable enough state to be sent off by Easter next year. Now, I don’t think anything will come of this at all (it’s really not a very good book! haha) but I am really feeling positive about the idea of having something that I can call a finished novel, nomatter what happens after that. As she said to me, I really don’t have anything to lose by giving it a shot. I would encourage you all to take a look at her book, Into The Darkest Corner, which I am really looking forward to reading after I have finished writing this month.
Now onto Kate’s challenges for the week(s).
Embrace the spirit. I’m not a religious or even a particularly spiritual person, but I do have a great interest in learning about religion and mythology, so I’m going to do a little research on some goddesses that I relate to, and perhaps look at some modern-day women too. I shall report back with my findings sometime over the next week.
Body fun. Doing something that I wouldn’t normally do? At first my thoughts jumped immediately to a tattoo, as I have been wanting to get one to symbolise myself and my family, but as I am breastfeeding and lacking in the funds to get one anyway, I have decided instead that I will do something a little less drastic, and over the next week I will be making a real effort with my appearance each day. Next week I shall report back, and perhaps post a photo if I’m feeling confident.
Lastly I have to share something my partner came across on youtube, because I think it’s absolutely brilliant, inspirational, and it makes me want to cry. A little boy talks about learning to ride his bike and gives some advice to all those out there trying to do the same.
If you’d like to read more or get involved with this blog-hop, head over to Kate’s blog or connect with us on Twitter using the #groovingmums hashtag!
Now I’m going to press ‘publish’ before I chicken out!
Curly Mum 
Its great your getting out and enjoying the baby yoga…good luck with the book
Thank you! I’m surprised at how much I have loved going. It will definitely encourage me to try out more groups in future.
I find that video so inspiring (and cute). I find sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re in an impossible situation but when I watch that it makes me take a step back and think, “If a little boy can understand perseverance like that why can’t a grown man like me!?”. Awesome stuff :D
What a gorgeous and funny video! What a lovely wee boy!
I hope you’re doing ok. It’s great that you’re recognising the start of potentially difficult feelings. Sounds weird but maybe they won’t be so scary this time around, knowing what they are/herald?
Yes, I think you’re right. This time I know what these feelings mean so I’ll know to get help if I need it. :)
Only just came across your dm which is why I am here so late and hooray it is great to have you back grooving with us. I too struggle with mental health (I think it is the most sane who admit it by the way). You take care and keep connected with people. You are doing amazingly well on socialising, something I struggle with but am determined to overcome. Well done also on acknowledging single mums who get such rubbish talked about them when they have to handle so many things alone.
I was thinking of going down the goddess route too.
Oh and why don’t you get one of those transfer tattoos or whatever they call them (fake tattoo is what I mean) which will cost less and be a bit of fun.
Great to have you with us.
I admire you for even attempting the novel bit. I need to get my bum in gear on that one too, maybe next year …
Yeah, I’m finding the more I’m socialising, the more I’m keeping my mental health issues in check, so I’m going to do my best to get out and about even when I really don’t feel like it.
I don’t quite understand why some people speak so badly about single parents, or specifically single mums. I think it’s amazing how much the cope with alone, often without ever getting a break from it all. I honestly don’t think I could manage without the support of OH.
Unfortunately I am allergic to transfer tattoos. It comes along with my allergy to plasters too – an inconvenient allergy, that one! Somebody has mentioned to me the idea of getting henna/mendhi patterns done on my hands, which I’m going to look into as they only last a while and my daughter would be able to get some patterns done too.
You should definitely give novel-writing a go next year – it’s a hectic and crazy way to spend a month but it’s such good fun and you feel great about your achievements after :)
I think you’re doing amazingly well and it takes great guts to be so honest on here. Hope you’ve had a good week.