Seven days. Seven whole days since I opened my Macbook. I can’t believe it. It’s usually the first thing I do on waking, and closing it is the last thing I do at night. But I made it a whole seven days without truly even thinking about it all that much. It was clearly time for a break.
Ironically, the holiday I should have been looking forward came to represent something I dreaded. As a small business owner, the prospect of being away from my comfort zone for a whole week, from being able to blog and respond to customer queries was terrifying.
My husband Phil with Leanora (2 next week) and Eska…
And yet I was painstakingly aware how important it was that I took a few steps back to focus on restoring my sense of well-being. Sometimes, the blog posts, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the whole crazy social media carnival – it just needs to sit on the shelf for a little while, while you get back to basics, while you rest and allow your creative energies to restore themselves and focus on re-connecting with those you love and treasure most…
This past week has been an emotional journey for me. That might sound a little dramatic (I only went camping, right?). But the previous seven days have been so much more than a holiday, a break away from things. They have provided me with an opportunity to turn on, tune in and drop out. And in so doing, realise how horribly burnt out I was – and how much the most important personal relationships in my life had been suffering through a relentless routine of work-sleep-work-sleep-work. I’d been burning the candle at both ends and all around the sides and was beginning to neglect not only myself, but everyone and everything around me.
My lovely break at Fforest has provided me with an opportunity to sit in the sun, listening in to and being surrounded by nothing but nature (cows can either be very noisy or very quiet, I have learned, and squirrels are pesky creatures capable of knocking over whole tins of baked beans!). I’ve began the process of re-evaluating my life and what is important and give serious consideration to how I spread my precious time to ensure that both those I love, and me get a fair deal from now on. I’ve seen my husband beaming proudly as he watches his daughters play, and I’ve listened to my little girls laughing and singing together as they greet each new day as an adventure – simple life pleasures that I’ve been blinded to through a haze of to-do lists and work deadlines for months.
It is amazing, once you step back to observe and reflect, without the usually daily pressures (that you often only create for yourself anyway), how much clearer things seem. I realise the key from here on is to stick fast to a routine that will allow me a more balanced lifestyle with scheduled weekly down-time. With absolutely no compromise.
So here I am, rested and with a renewed sense of energy, loving family and friends by my side supporting me all the way and honestly? I’m absolutely raring to kick some butt and show you what wedding blogs and wedding bloggers are really made of. The next few months are going to see some changes and big news announcements made. Love My Dress might have been quiet this past week as I took a rest, and the blog schedule might have been a little unsettled for the past few weeks as I worked on a secret separate project, but I have to say, from where I’m sat right now, the future is looking wonderful, all bright and shiny and ready to take these blog pages I adore so much on to the next level.
Like the very first tin of alphabet spaghetti we warmed on the little gas stove said during our camping trip last week said, everything is gonna be absolutely, completely and utterly ‘OK’…
Via Instagram…
I just wanted to say, a huge thank you to darling Franky for holding fort whilst I was away and to all of you, the many loyal readers who have continued checking in – despite a very much reduced blogging schedule whilst I took a break. Love My Dress will back in all it’s glamorous glory as of 6am tomorrow morning, with a brand new week full of uttery beautiful wedding blog content. I can’t wait!
Annabel x
