Winter walks, crashing events and learning to be a better friend.
Cold, dark mornings and the after christmas pinch on the pennies…. I have to admit that January has never been my favorite month but since it’s also a time of fresh starts, an opportunity to cozy up and drink more tea this month does have some redeeming qualities.
January bought a fresh new start in the form of a new job, so theres been alot of focus on getting to know my new teammates, getting up to speed on new ways of working and beginning to meet clients. There has also been a lot of opportunity for imposter syndrome to set in and a wave of overwhelm or two, luckily though, I have a friend in a fellow colleague who is also very new and we are finding that navigating “newbism” together is a lot less daunting than going it alone!
A brief trip to Cardiff this month to attend a women in sustainability event also led to a surprise opportunity to “crash” the Wellbeing of Future Generations 100 changemakers event, in which 100 changemakers in Wales were recognised for their contributions to a more sustainable future which included actor Michael Sheen, who dialed in to address the attendees on a giant screen in the Wales Millenium Centre.
A quiet catch up over coffee with one of my best friends revealed that life wasn’t as “sparkly” as her social media and ” I’m fine” whatsapp replies would have had us think…. leading to a realisation that I need to be more present as a friend and make time to check in in a much deeper way more regularly. I’m still working on how this looks IRL , especially with friends that live further afield but its an area I’m prioritising moving forward.
Recovering from a busy christmas, new year and a nasty virus that ensued as a result, has really highlighted the importance of sleep, something I have never done very well…. So i’ve been making a conscious effort to make sure I shower and iron clothes the night before, get to bed at a reasonable time and allow time for a slow start to the mornings (allowing time to read and drink tea before I start my day). It’s definitely a work in progress and there have been more restless “can’t switch my brain off” nights than there have good night’s sleep but i’m hopeful that in time 8 hours of restful sleep will become the norm.
January favorites…..
What I’ve been reading, watching and doing this last month:
Diary of the Evans – Crittens
A lifestyle blog written by pembrokeshire based writer Claire, Diary of the Evans Crittens is full of beautifully written, engaging posts and practical tips and advice. I love that reading Claire’s posts feel like getting sage advice from a good friend while remaining succinct enough that I can read through without my attention wondering. I have gravitated towards posts on green living, blogging, places to eat and money. You can also find Claire on Instagram here.
Recent reads…..
Project management for the unofficial project manager is a one stop shop covering all the bases for new and unofficial project managers alike. Witty and pretty raw and honest about the realities of project management , the mistakes to avoid and the importance of building great team relationships. It’s easy to digest and can be read at a decent pace without needing to stop and digest difficult language or google puzzling terminology.
Simple and quick to read but the content is nonetheless useful for it. In addition the illustrations are dreamy and the book looks beautiful. Handy easily digestible tips and thoughtful quotes are dotted throughout, it’s a book i reach for often.
Another simple and easily digestible book with tips and tricks to help calm the mind. Mostly mindfulness meditation based and handy to have at hand for worrying moments. However if you are looking to dive a little deeper this may not offer the depth and breadth of content your after.
Eating Cake….
This month I encountered one of the best lemon drizzle cakes I’ve ever devoured, and I do consider myself somewhat of an expert when it comes to cake! The Sloop Inn has long been a favourite spot, especially for food (the sea bass gets a chef’s kiss every time) but until recently I hadn’t had it on the list for cake. Nestled in Porthgain Harbour The Sloop Inn is one of Pembrokeshire’s worst kept “local secret spots!” the cake however is still relatively undiscovered and I can highly recommend it. During my visit, an attempt to be thoughtful and take my tea pot and accompanying milk pot, cup and saucer back to the bar ended in typical Bennett style mayhem when I dropped the little milk pot on the tiled bar floor the bar staff were super understanding about it and rushed right out clear the carnage.