IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE

If we were having coffee at my favourite coffee spot this is what I'd tell you

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE

It's time to celebrate the end of November by sharing another virtual cup of coffee with me while I update you on what's going on in my life lately. I love a good 'Taking Stock' blog post, so I hope you'll humour me and sit a while with me in a lovely little cafe I love to visit while I share my news.

3 THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT BLOGGING

After 3 years of blogging I've learned 3 important lessons

3 THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM 3 YEARS OF BLOGGING

Firstly can I just say that I can't believe I've been doing three posts a week for three years (and that doesn't include the two A-Z Challenges where twice I've blogged six days a week in April!) So much water under the bridge and I've learned so much since I first opened Google and searched how to start a blog.

That momentous day was exactly three years ago at the end of November 2014 and there have been numerous lessons along the way - blogging lessons where I've had to come to grips with all the background stuff that makes a blog work and look good, and also mental and emotional stuff as I've put my thoughts together and put them out into the internet ether. I've "met" so many fantastic people and I've grown more than I ever would have expected. So, on that note, here are three things I have learned along the way.

WHAT IS YOUR "PASSION"?

Finding your authentic self is what finding your "Passion" should be all about

THE "PASSION" HOOPLA

I sometimes feel like I am a voice crying in the wilderness when it comes to all the hoopla about "finding your Passion" and "pursuing your Passion" and about your life being incomplete unless you have found "your one true Passion". I've written about it here and here - feel free to take a look if you are struggling with this idea too. But I had a change of heart recently when I read the quote below because I liked the spin it put on what Passion may actually be.

FIRST (MIDDLE) AND LAST - MY MAN

Looking back over 35 years of marriage - beginning, middle and latest

OUR LIFE IN A FEW PICTURES

This is a short First, Middle and Last post - it's a bit of time travel through my meeting and being married to my man. Thirty five years of being together and I thought I'd do a few photos to document it - and the aging process!

A NEW 30 DAY CHALLENGE

taking up a new smaller 30 day challenge for November

A NEW CHALLENGE

Pennie from The Accidental Blogger commented on my 30 Days Of No Complaining Challenge that rather than one big one-off Challenge, she made a commitment each month to doing a little challenge. For instance her August Challenge was to drink a cup of green tea every day. I really liked the idea of extending myself a little and letting my no complaining challenge be the first of many. So for November I have given myself a new (fairly small) challenge.

WHAT IF?

What if we settled for an ordinary life? What if we were happy with being enough?

BEING ORDINARY

So much has been written recently on simplifying our lives and on minimalism. I follow a few Facebook pages that promote the idea of choosing to not accumulate and to not compete with others and I really like that concept. Recently I re-read a lovely article by Krista O'Reilly-Davi-Digui on her A Life In Progress blog that asked "What if I want a mediocre life?"

FIRST (MIDDLE) AND LAST CARS

Do you remember your first car? Was it cute like mine? How about your last car?

GETTING MY LICENCE

When I was a teenager I couldn't wait to get my licence and to have the freedom of being able to drive when and where I wanted. The thought of never having to beg a lift from my parents ever again was a huge motivator for me and within weeks of turning 17 I had finished my final exams for High School and passed my driving test. Two huge accomplishments indeed!

MY 30 DAYS OF NO COMPLAINING

What I learned from my 30 Days of No Complaining Challenge

THE CHALLENGE

You may have read my post a few weeks ago about accepting the Challenge to go 30 days without complaining. I really needed a kick in the pants in this area so I committed to the process and now it's almost finished - only a couple more days to go!

THAT MIDLIFE CRISIS

A Midlife Crisis can be a good thing - a time to put ourselves first again


THAT MIDLIFE CRISIS

There's a lot of talk about the good old Midlife Crisis. It is laughed about and mocked by most people, but despite that, we can often look back and see a distinct time in our life when we asked ourselves a few hard questions. For some reason this seems to happen around the time we hit Midlife - probably because we actually have enough headspace to start thinking about ourselves again.

FIRST (MIDDLE) AND LAST SCHOOL DAYS

Do you remember your early school days? Do you look back at class photos and smile?

SCHOOL DAY MEMORIES

A friend posted some photos of our last day in high school on my FB wall the other day, and it inspired me to do a little overview of my school days - from starting Primary School, to finishing High School and then to finishing my Tertiary training. Hopefull you can spot me in the crowd - a bit like Where's Wally (except I'm not wearing a red and white striped shirt in any of the photos!)

THE "PERFECT" JOB

Is there any such thing as the "Perfect" job? Does it only happen for a lucky few?

IS THERE A "PERFECT" JOB?

I know that there are people out there who are happily ensconsced in their perfect job, but when I've been asked if I thought there was a "perfect" job for me I would always answer "No". I would tell you that there is no such thing as the "Perfect" job and that I'd be naive to believe any such entity existed. The funny thing is that, despite my pragmatism, I still fall into the trap of imagining that each new job I start will be that elusive unicorn - perfection at last.

THE "MID" OF MIDLIFE

Friday's Thought - Reaching the Midpoint of Midlife - what lies ahead?

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW

Another year has sailed by and tomorrow I leave 55 behind me for good. I think I saw 55 as the Mid-point of Midlife. If this stage encompasses 40-70 (approximately) then 55 was the exact middle - now I'm about to become 56 and I really feel like I'm looking back at what has gone and at the same time wanting to make the most of what is yet to come.

FIRST (MIDDLE) AND LAST BIRTHDAY PARTIES

First Middle and Last Birthday Parties - from parties with school friends to work friends

BIRTHDAY PARTIES

When I was a young thing we didn't have giant birthday parties when we were toddlers. A birthday party didn't happen until we reached Primary School and asked our Mums if we could have a few friends come to our house to celebrate - no event parties, no clowns, no magicians, nothing fancy - just your friends and a birthday cake and a photo.