As we enter the new year, and many of us think about what we want to achieve over the next twelve months, I am reminded of a blog I wrote about six or seven years ago to support International Women’s Day.
At the time I was tussling with many personal problems and trying to figure out what I wanted. What did I want out of life, instead of allowing others to push me around to fit what they wanted. It took a while and many glasses of wine and finally I created a mood board. I expect most people know what mood boards are nowadays, but in a nutshell its a board where you pin all your thoughts, ideas and dreams about a topic. You cut out pictures from magazines that encapsulate what you want to achieve, (and drink a bit more wine). For me, it was what do I want to do with my life?
By physically writing down, or pinning pictures of what you want to achieve makes your goal a reality, something tangible that you want to achieve, and you begin to take conscious steps to move you towards achieving it. You now have a target, and you can start planning how to reach it.
I decided life was too short to waste on things that I didn’t enjoy. I wanted to enjoy my job, and I wanted to write. I wanted to move house to the country, or maybe near the sea, preferably with my mum.
So I started looking for houses with my mum, travelling around the south of England and visiting many villages and seaside towns. I began capturing ideas for a novel, and investigated what job opportunities there were within my company. I didn’t necessarily want to leave, but I didn’t like the direction I was going in. Everything came to a grinding halt when my mum fell ill with breast cancer, underwent a mastectomy and finally passed away. The moving house impetus died with her, and although I still think of moving, I don’t know where to move to! So I haven’t.
I actually put pen to paper and started writing to fill in the extra time I suddenly had and I suppose as an escape, and found that I really enjoyed it. I started researching into how to edit and the authors journey and began to plan how to self publish my first novel. I never really considered going the traditional publishing route as I wasn’t prepared to let go of my story.
I suppose I am not the greatest example of a successful mood board! But plans change, and I think sometimes its as much about resetting goals as circumstances change around you and staying true to what makes you happy.
I am happiest when I am lost in my magical worlds writing about my wonderful characters and putting them though hell. It doesn’t really matter where I live, as I work from home. Which makes it all the more difficult to decide where in the UK to move to. I think it may be time to start searching for that writer’s nest with space for a study and a library! I need to create a mood board for my idyllic home, identify those must haves and who knows, I may even find it.
- Detached
- Cottage
- Quiet (no trains, planes, automobiles)
- Not too hilly (My knees…)
- Study
- Library
- Internet (Fast!)
- Cat friendly
- Near the sea
- Lovely view
- …
It’s a start! Who knows 2021 may be the year of the move.
Helen Garraway 