Rediscovering Your Happy Places

It feels somewhat overwhelming to think how much has changed since I last wrote on here a mere 3 weeks ago but such is 2020 life. As Manchester finds itself in tier 3 as of last Friday, there is a real sense that nothing is ever really that certain right now and making plans for the future (or simply next week) is stress inducing work. Luckily and completely unintentionally we'd planned quite a lot of "normal"-ish activities into the last two weeks prior to heading into tier 3 including a trip to Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and a very fleeting stay in Cornwall, our only holiday of the year for which I've never felt so grateful (holiday photos and blog post to follow soon). But that's just it with every plan you chance to make this year, it feels almost risky to set your heart on it actually happening! In fact for my own piece of mind I've found it better to look on plans as "yet to be confirmed" until the day before and as pessimistic as this may seem, its probably the most logical way of thinking. If there's one thing we've all learnt from 2020 is that plans don't just change, they can very easily be cancelled all together. Weddings, festivals, holidays, no matter how big the event may be nothing is set in stone and if you let it, this can send you a touch stir crazy. By October on a "normal" year I would have made numerous trips to London, had a few little weekend UK breaks with Joe and Pep, as well as possibly a overseas holiday. I realise in hindsight how much of luxury this was and the idea of a casual staycation away in the UK now seems like dreaming big (Cornwall actually felt like a completely different country)! But as much as I miss the travel and the excitement of somewhere new, it's not all doom and gloom in staying in one spot. One thing I have to thank this year for is it's ability to make me appreciate home much more, whether I wanted to or not. I've found a new lease of enthusiasm for my home town, a much stronger love for my happy places and a whole new understanding of what "home" actually means. 

Snap Happy and Find Joy


Hello me again. You know you've not been posting nearly enough when you feel the need to introduce yourself on your own blog! But in a year when life has thrown us all a case load of lemons, I found it really difficult to read the room and understand what feels relevant to talk about on here for both myself and those reading it (if there's any of you still out there). Uncertainty seems like the hot word to describe most people's feelings towards the current situation and believe me, I'm definitely not the anomaly on that front. Without sounding a touch melodramatic I started to feel like I'd lost my voice for discussing anything on here with true enthusiasm, speaking as candidly as I can I was just sort of coasting by on autopilot. Much like many others out there I feel like I've had a year of extreme low's teamed with a few weeks of nothingness and a couple of not too high, highs thrown in. But that's just it, maybe quite a few of this year's highs aren't exactly what I would deem highlights on any other "normal" year (whatever normal means) but it's important to recognise them all the same. I guess one solid lesson I have taken from the horror show that is 2020 is that you really do have to seek out the little things that bring you joy where you can. Granted "seeking" might on some weeks feel more like “extensively hunting down” but I promise from trying my hardest over the last few weeks, there really is happiness to be found in the smallest of achievements.