It’s been a while!

I’m not going to detail reasons why or why not as most ‘return-after-a-long-hiatus’ posts tend to do, but it is safe to say that I am alive and extremely grateful for the dawn of a new year. The tail end of 2018 proved very difficult for me in the sense that I lost the balance I always maintain is essential for working mothers to survive. I was closing the year operating on fumes, in a stasis of ‘whatever’ but clawing towards the Christmas vacation period, desperate to power down.

Now that the vacation is over and a new academic term awaits me from tomorrow, in the spirit of this reflective time of year, I have adequately prepared myself to start 2019 in a way that would restore the balance that is critical for me. I don’t think that I am alone in this regard as all over my social media the hashtag #selfcare features prominently (Ladies, how did it get so bad that we needed to hashtag it? You know one of the main rules of social media is that it bears no importance if one does not create a hashtag). I don’t know how it got to this but when I sat and did some mindful meditation of my physical, psychological, professional, emotional, spiritual, personal and professional state, my mental health was rapidly deteriorating and, in some cases, completely deteriorated.

New Year’s Resolutions are not usually a thing for me. Disappointment tends to lurk in the shadows. However, this year I don’t think I have made resolutions per se, but I have given myself specific activities/’checklist points’ to ensure that my wheel remains evenly divided so I don’t end up frazzled, frustrated and feeling like a shadow of myself, intensely dark and always behind everyone and everything. It’s a work in progress but progress Is key.

I hope this new year brings joy, favour and peace to all of you!

Blessings!

TMIDM