Lisa

How are you feeling today?

I’m feeling a mixture of emotions today (isn’t that always the case?) There’s lots going on for me but it’s all good stuff. I’m bubbling with ideas and creativity but struggling to sit down and put them into any kind of format. It’s all part of the process!

What are you most proud of?

I’m proud of how far I’ve come in my journey. There was a time; a long time; when I was completely unable to regulate my emotions. I’d blow up at the smallest thing, push people away, even engage in some pretty questionable behaviour. But in the last decade or so, I’ve faced up to my past and started to recognise the things that were underneath those behaviours. Slowly but surely, I’ve started to heal and move past the stifling self-hatred that had cast a defensive layer over my life. Cultivating the ability to take a step back, or lean in, depending on the situation, has been invaluable.

What is your biggest learning in life so far?

Thoughts aren’t facts. Things I thought were flawed parts of myself can be rewired. Healing is possible.

What are your hopes for the future?

To be able to take the rough with the smooth. Life is going to throw all sorts of crap at us and being able to navigate the choppy waters when they come along is the key to a peaceful existence (in my opinion). More specifically, I want to work for myself, on my own terms.

What would you tell your younger self.

I’d tell my child-self: It’s not your fault.

I’d tell my teenage self: Stop drinking so much.

I’d tell my 20-something self: Get therapy. Pay for it, it’s worth every penny.

When or where are you happiest?

In my garden, on a day when it’s warm enough to wear short sleeves but not so warm I’m melting. Book in hand, doggy by my side. Answering to no-one but myself.

What would you like to say to wider society?

There are a million things to do in this life, being a parent is only one of them (I stole this from somewhere but I can’t remember where, sorry!)