A Quiet Cup of Coffee and a Bit of Bloody Peace

Describe one habit that brings you joy. There’s a very specific moment in my day that brings me genuine, uncomplicated joy: the first brew of the morning, in complete silence. Not the half-distracted, slurp it between WhatsApp pings kind. I’m talking about the sit down, don’t speak to me, no phone, just leave me be […]

I Broke the Real Tradition: Silence

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had? They passed down a few things, sure – a roast dinner on Sundays, perfectly folded laundry, and a deep, loyal commitment to never acknowledging a single emotional need. Some people inherit heirlooms. I inherited a legacy of be quiet and get on with it. The […]

Sobriety: The Unexpected Start to Reclaiming My Life

I had a moment this week. One of those quiet moments where something just clicks without fanfare. I realised I’m no longer counting sober days. No more crosses on the calendar. No big announcements. No apps clocking milestones. Just…life. Sober, ordinary and mine. The last mark on the calendar was back in 2023, when I […]

The Real Soundtrack of My Workday: Noise, Doubt, and 80s Bangers

What do you listen to while you work? Sure, I’ve got Spotify on in the background now and then. Sometimes I stick on a playlist and pretend it’s helping, but really I’m just staring at the screen thinking about lunch. More often than not, it’s Heart 80s on the radio, safe, reliable, and occasionally interrupted […]

Trying to Heal, Be Creative and Parent All at Once, and the Algorithm Still Hates Me

The last few weeks, I’ve felt like I’ve been stuck on a hamster wheel, same loop, different day. Wake up, parent, work, perform for the algorithm, try to write, repeat. It’s a never ending cycle that’s become so ingrained I sometimes forget what I actually want from any of it. I’ve been trying to wear […]

Just Feed Me and Don’t Ask Questions

What foods would you like to make? Honestly? I’d love to make whatever the hell I don’t have to think about. As a child, I took food for granted. Meals just appeared, whether it was fish fingers and beans or a weird casserole that looked truly disgusting. It didn’t matter. It was there. I didn’t […]

The Rules I Was Never Taught

Grief doesn’t arrive politely. It doesn’t knock. It doesn’t wait until you’ve cleared your calendar or built up your resilience. It just shows up, uninvited, inconvenient, and fully expecting you to know what to do with it. But what if you were never taught? What if you grew up in a house where emotions were […]

Better. Not Bitter.

What do you think gets better with age? Me. Not my back, not my eyesight, and definitely not my tolerance for bullshit, because that’s completely vanished. But my sense of self? My standards? My ability to spot red flags without needing to see the entire parade? Elite. With age, you stop bending yourself into shapes […]

Looking Forward, Finally.

What are you most excited about for the future? It’s not about chasing some picture perfect life anymore. It’s knowing that I’m finally moving away from the things that used to keep me stuck, old patterns, old habits, the quiet ways I used to betray myself just to feel safe or accepted. I’m excited to […]

Music is my therapist. My escape. My main character moment.

What is your favorite genre of music? Might sound cliché, but music’s basically my therapist. No appointments, no awkward eye contact, just a steady companion that doesn’t judge me for crying in the car or dancing like an unmedicated lunatic while hoovering. It’s always on. When I’m working, cooking, showering, gardening, or trying to pretend […]