A few thoughts about making an average week - a bit better…

I know it sounds so obvious but I’ve been struggling with life a bit.  I’ve felt so rubbish that common sense kind of flew off out the window recently.  But.  Eating well.  Every day.  Is so important.  I read a book a few weeks ago that changed my standard pregnancy survival MO (eating boost bars, rye krisp and marmite 24/7 as many times a day as possible to keep the chronic nausea at bay for 40 weeks).  It is written by a clever French Scientist called Jessie Inchauspé (or aka The Glucose Goddess) and it’s called 'Nine months that count forever'.  It freaked me out slightly at first, how were my three boys born healthy and with no issues?  I definitely was not getting enough choline or folic acid.  I have never eaten so many eggs and berries (not simultaneously) in my life.  And my previous pregnancy supplement (used for all boys) was definitely not doing what it should have been.

But eating Greek yoghurt, passion fruit, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries (and special K - not recommended by Ms Inchauspé) for breakfast, avocado, eggs and sourdough for lunch and steak and broccoli and sweet potato fries for supper is a game changer.  I’ve started to feel a lot less sick AND not constantly crashing from sugar peaks and dives.  It’s helped my mood.  Everything.

Last week was horribly stressful.  We lost our two whippets.  The Matriarch, my Mulberry.  She’s nine now and we are (most of the time) inseparable.  She disappeared with her daughter from home and was gone for FIVE long, torturously painful days.  It meant that I missed out on meeting Beth and Rip from Yellowstone.  I’d been invited up to London to interview them.  And then we missed the premier of Rivals.  I was gutted.  Had been so looking forward to both.  I am very excited to sit down later and watch the first few episodes though.  I was listening to the audible all week and although the woman’s voice is a bit annoying - I love Jilly’s ability to weave a story.  Her writing is so compelling even though I’ve read it time and time again and know every word, intimately.

I’m reading a new Dan Brown (well, I’m probably behind the times, but it was new to me!). It’s called 'Secret of Secrets' and it’s so clever.  Noetic science is mind blowing.  It explores bonkers concepts that suggest we are receivers for the universe and our minds are severely limited by a chemical called GABA.  By slowing down or blocking specific nerve signals, it limits the brain's stimulation and excitability.  If you can get around GABA then you can tune into specific frequencies- like a radio.  Tapping into languages or skills like playing the piano.  It’s fascinating.

I’ve found that getting my feet wet.  Preferably in the sea.  Grounds me.  So we have been gravitating towards the coast.  The sea air.  The sand.  Swimming in the clear, cold water.  It’s all so cathartic and energising.  Do it if you can.

I’m knee deep in edits for Book 2 at the moment and a couple of songs on my writing playlist make me so happy.

Fade into You - Mazzy Star

You Wish - Nightmares on Wax

Oats in the Water - Ben Howard

I’m getting really excited.  Tangled Webs - my first book - is being published in two months!!  I’ve had some lovely reviews from proofs that Penguin have sent out to people.  It makes all the hard work make sense and I’m so profoundly grateful.  My friend told me the other day,

"Channel gratitude.  If you’re in gratitude mode then you can’t be afraid.  Gratitude blocks anxiety."

And it really works.  And boy, do I have a lot to be grateful for.  We all do.