It’s been a little while since I sat down and chatted to you guys around these parts! No particular reason other than general life picking up a bit of speed again and reassessing the way I utilise my online presence in a way that I haven’t before…

The pandemic has been a rough old ride for most of us and I think it’s healthy to take a step back during certain chapters of our lives and maybe examine how we can approach things through a new lens. For the majority of this year, I’ve felt like I’ve slowly been finding a bit of a rhythm again somedays, and then other days I’ve felt like I’m treading water at best.

The thing is, If you don’t catch yourself when you’re treading water for a long period of time (on the hamster wheel if you will), it’s then very easy to discover you’re drowning and everything can start to feel a bit impossible from that point onwards. I think that’s how many of us feel at this point in the pandemic – a real collective fatigue has settled in, and sometimes it’s easy to feel like we haven’t made any progress at all.

If you’ve been feeling a similar way then I’m here to be a voice of reason and let you know that it’s A-okay. This time of year is generally a tougher time for many people, so give yourself permission to go easy on yourself and take the festive pressure off. Easier said than done (I know), but in the meantime, I hope my content can embody something warm and familiar on those days where you need a little lift… 

I did a little Q&A on Instagram a while back and one of the questions was ‘what’s the best advice you’ve received?’ – it got me thinking about the importance of words, especially during the darker hours of our lives. The right combination of words offer something for us to cling onto and I think that’s reason enough alone for people to keep writing. As much as actions are important, words keep us going, they fuel us when we often have nothing left.

I thought since we are nearing the end of 2021 it might be nice for me to share some of the words that have helped me through this last twelve months. The words that have kept me company and offered a shoulder to lean on that’s felt sturdier than my bedroom floor. The words that have been a guiding force when I’ve felt frustrated and uncertain about everything and lacked direction.

I hope they might offer you some comfort when you need it too…

“In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves, and to, in turn, feel the need to be constantly visible—for visibility, these days, seems to somehow equate to success—do not be afraid to disappear. From it, from us, for a while. And see what comes to you in the silence.” – Michaela Coel 

“If you are not in the arena getting your ass kicked on occasion, I am not interested in or open to your feedback. There are a million cheap seats in the world today filled with people who will never be brave with their own lives, but will spend every ounce of energy they have hurling advice and judgement at those of us trying to dare greatly. Their only contributions are criticism, cynicism, and fear-mongering. If you’re criticizing from a place where you’re not also putting yourself on the line, I’m not interested in your feedback.” – Brene Brown

“When people show you who they are, believe them” – Maya Angelou.

“Nothing changes if nothing changes” – I can’t remember/seem to source where I picked this up from but I heard it once and it’s stuck with me like glue ever since. It’s a difficult one to process because it encourages accountability and self discipline. It’s a reminder that complacency can sometimes be the very thing getting in our way and that’s often a tough pill to swallow if you’re a creature of habit like me. I can definitely get in my own way when it comes to growth, but repeating this to myself has become a mantra of sorts. It recenters me when I find myself frustrated and taking the easy road of blaming external forces/the world in general…

Ask yourself once a day… “Does this matter? Does this really matter?” – Mitch Albom, from a conversation on Oprahs Super Soul podcast that I listened to recently and it really made me feel peaceful. He has some really profound observations about life and death that I think a lot of you might enjoy listening to. I’ll link it here incase you’d like to listen! 

‘In the waiting, keep creating’

‘There is no need to rush. You are allowed to ease your way into new beginnings.’ 

‘I am free to seek out what is good and beautiful right here where I am.’ – Morgan Harper Nichols.

One of my greatest joys over the past couple of years has been the discovery of Morgans incredibly beautiful Instagram account! She’s both an artist and an incredible writer and the combination of both is basically sunshine on my feed. These snippets do her work no justice so definitely head over and check out her page if these struck a chord…

& last but not least… 

If you made it this far then I just want to say a huge thank you for all of your support this year! I know Instagram is very much a highlight reel and has undoubtedly been an off putting space for a lot of people throughout the difficult times of the pandemic, but I promise it’s very a compilation of ‘the best moments’ and most of the time just a very small percentage of someones life and work. Try not to let it trick you or get under your skin – remember you have the power to curate your feed and remember that you deserve to log off and disengage whenever you feel like it.

Regardless of the above, thank you for the kind words and for engaging with the things I create – it’s because of you that I get to continue this weird and sometimes wonderful job. I look forward to catching up in the new year when I’m feeling a bit more refreshed and hopefully a little more myself! I hope you have the best Christmas break possible considering the current circumstances – sending love to those who aren’t feeling festive, to those that are hurting, and to those that won’t be around the ones they love this year. 

I promise you things will get better eventually & please reach out if you need someone to talk to… 

Very best wishes,

Alice xxx

Photographs taken on film at one of my favourite places, Dovestone Reservoir