I’m starting the day with gratitude today. It’s another beautiful morning though there is a cool breeze. I’m sitting outside in the garden with jammies on, having my first decaf coffee of the day.

I’m drinking out my lovely Slothy Julie mug and feeling grateful for all the lovely gifts I got for my 50th birthday, this being one from the lovely crochet hookers!

It’s just beautiful out here (could lose the breeze but let’s stick to the gratitude!)

There are no dogs at my feet…. There is no one in our house but me. The Scottish Dog Behaviourist is off out walking them this morning. I have really enjoyed our dog jogs but I am equally happy for the morning off to just sit here and just be.

I shared something on my FB page this morning which really struck a chord with me. (give Charlotte Freeman – Momentary Happiness a follow!)

I was the Queen of people pleasers! I went out of my way to make “YOU” happy…. Whoever you were, regardless of how you treated me, if I could make you happier then somehow my life would be at peace. Oh how wrong could I have been. This is what finally broke me…. Tying myself up in knots to please everyone else buy myself.

My head literally screams at me now when I agree to something I don’t want to do. It creates a whirlwind of emotion and angst (oooh what a word before 8am!) I don’t get a minutes peace from it until I say NO.

I do think that it could be perceived as selfish these days, and I get that, but I have to work very hard at preserving my mental health. I have learned over these last 4 and a half years, that I need to listen to myself now. I need to put myself first and do what is best for me.

As awful as that might sound to the person still stuck in the people pleasing loop…. I can honestly say this is one of the things I am most proud of.

Despite everything I have been through, I’m so grateful that I have been given time to learn this lesson. They say that true learning comes from adversity.

So back to today… it’s been beautifully sunny today though it was forecast to be cloudy. Sat here in the back garden at 6pm and it’s windy so cooler than it should be.

The little gift shop was lovely as usual. Always get to chat to so many lovely people. I was lucky enough to get a buttered cinnamon scone from Lindsay that works there through the week and Norma, who works in Harmony next door for me a packet of crisps!! So kind of them both. I had my usual salad for lunch. I’ve been living on salad this week. It’s been great! Long may it continue.

It’s nice to be sitting back outside where I started the day, although this time surrounded by Border Collies 🐶🐶🐶

The dogs have all just made a bee-line for the front door which means that the Scottish Dog Behaviourist just got home from his first day back at work!

I’m gonna sit just right here for a while.

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙