It's been almost six months since I last posted here on my Substack Notes to Selves. In those six months, I've spent a lot of time processing all the stuff that happened over the previous three years, connecting with my family, my wife, my kids again, and taking another trip to Japan and back to the UK to see my family there. I can honestly say that I feel much better now, better enough for me to consider starting to post here again, even if on an irregular schedule.
Part of that was about just needing space to process and do just one thing. I'm wary of starting this again as a regular commitment because actually just doing one thing has been so beneficial for me.
On reflection, I've realised that the pressure to do all the things all the time has been with me for four decades. Being able to focus on one thing, in my case growing my YouTube channel, has meant that I have A) seen some excellent results in my concentrated effort to do that, and B) cleared so much more space for me to just be and to actually be in my relationships, rather than just managing them. I can enjoy the space and the joy in being in the world, rather than just juggling all the balls and trying to make sure none of them fall on the ground.
I laugh as I type this, but I'm definitely an advocate of having fewer balls.
During these six months, I've shied away from any kind of public engagement, clearing my diary and not wanting to commit to any media work. I probably won't do any media work in the next six months or the foreseeable future. I just kind of like doing YouTube, and that is my media work. I'm now considering picking up this Substack again, reflecting upon life and its challenges.
I have booked myself an author conversation, where this time I am the interviewer, and I will be interviewing someone else for a change. That someone else is Ineke Meredith, who I will be interviewing about her book 'On Call' at a lunchtime session at Unity Books in Wellington in the middle of this month. It's an excellent book, and I'm really looking forward to talking to her about it.
This is just a little post to say that I'm still around, I'm feeling better, and if you're interested, I'll be posting here a little bit more frequently, if not regularly, from here on in. I might even switch paid subscriptions back on again. If you're in a position to support me as I try to grow an income again, I would greatly appreciate it, because I have a limited runway of resources before they run out.
On that note, I'll leave it here, as I have a full day of work ahead, as I imagine you may do too.
Take care out there; it's good to be back.