First things first, here’s where my heads at…. Great English huh?!?

I’ve decided to go to Rome and it’s soooo last minute, I’ve created a pile of stress for myself where I could have just had a quiet weekend at home pottering.

Instead I’m flying half way across Europe to visit a city I know nothing about, in less than FOUR days.

My mind is a whirr of activity. In true Julie fashion, I want to do it right. I want to see everything in the right order at the right time, I’m not adding commas to that sentence as there are none in my inner voice.

I also want to relax and enjoy the sun. I want to avoid the crowds. So many people have warned me about pick pockets that it does worry me. I’m actually getting anxious writing all this so I need to stop giving it houseroom.

I will be fine.

I pretty much know exactly how I will feel.

I will be truly alive.

I’ll be buzzing to share it all with you. Even although I’ll be alone, I will always thinking about what photos to take and what to write to make the blog the best story of my trip.

I just love it.

I saw this first thing today…

I have been to rock bottom and as awful as it was, I am so grateful that it happened as it’s opened up a whole new world for me.

The closer I got to the heights of my career the worst I felt. My mountain top was terrifying. It wasn’t where I wanted to be. It was where society expected me to aspire to. I never realised at the time that constant promotion was only compounding my unease. It wasn’t imposter syndrome, although there was a bit of that, I was never going to be the person that the job needed me to be. I’m not political, I don’t stretch the truth, I want to be honest. I wasn’t allowed to be the best version of myself.

This really hit me today.

Today I get to be the best version of me.

I get to speak my truth and choose my own path.

Everything I do is planned last minute, based on how I might be feeling and also based on the weather. I have no plans. I’m winging it all…. But I feel proud of the way my 2024 is shaping up.

A lot of deep thinking there… so back to 5.22am.

I got out of bed to make Pad Thai for lunch… yup I am that person.

It was really lovely at the time but a bit dry by the time lunch came.

We had another busy Monday. The phone didn’t stop, I sat at my desk at 8am and felt like I blinked and it was 4pm!

I came home and made Black Bean Chilli Enchiladas Topped With Cashew Cheese Sauce & A Zingy Cherry Tomato Salsa…. Precisely!

Soooo tasty!!

I used the new mixing bowl that mum got for me, thanks Mum!

It made a huge difference not spilling everything all over the worktop. 😂

So that’s me for today. Will leave you with a Calaidh photo from this morning before work.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️