Style for a Happy Home is One!

It’s finally here! Today’s the day! (Well, it’s technically tomorrow, but I don’t blog on Wednesdays – haha) This little blog of mine, Style for a Happy Home, is a year old! It’s a whole year since I published this first post on what a happy home is to me and all of it still rings true. This week is about celebrating this blog and that I found something that I love to do something and that has helped me grow much closer to the person that I want to be.

When I started out last June, I thought it would last a few months and then the passion would fade, like it did with the last blog and all the ones before. But it didn’t. This one is different. It sounds a bit woo-woo to say that it gives me energy to write and create here, but the truth is that it does. I feel better, even on the toughest days, when I put time and effort into this space. I love that I can share my little ideas with the world and that they sometimes help a lightbulb go off in someone else’s head. That’s what it’s all about for me.

The truth is that this blog is helping me to see the more lighthearted side of life. It’s helped me to slow down and not be such a stress head (my words). It’s helped me to embrace my love of bold colours and to have so much fun creating new things and repurposing old ones too. I used to think that being a grown up meant that you had to feel stern and “professional” (read: never have any fun whilst working) but I realised that when you do what you love that work is fun and that doesn’t mean you’re unprofessional at all. And what a blessing that is to have found at 28.

This isn’t to say that things are all rosy all the time. It’s not. This blog is still a baby and I’m still finding my feet with the business side of it. Some days are still tough and there’s always a lot of work that needs doing. But I do know that the more I work on it, the more fulfilled I feel. There I go being all woo-woo again ;). I’m reading this book called The Element by Ken Robinson about finding your passion, and Ken writes “I use the term the Element to describe the place where the things we love to do and the things we are good at come together.” That’s exactly how I feel when I work on this blog. My very own lightbulb moment right there!

This blog and this business has given me the chance to start to build a future that isn’t just all work and no play. In my previous ventures I let work come first every time. I filled my days with busy and let work be my excuse to not take better care of myself with the thought that one day it will allow me the space to include that. But what I realised is that you need to begin as you intend to go on. So now I make time for exercise, for off days, and meet ups for coffee and cake. I don’t say no to everything hoping that there will be a right time in the future. It almost seems stupid to mention, but I learnt the hard way that work will consume your life if you let it – and that’s not what I want.

A very clever lady by the name of Susan Petersen once said “Get clear about the life you want and run like hell at it”. I heard her say it at Alt Summit in January, 2013 and it’s something that stuck with me since. This blog has given me the focus and the drive to work towards that life I want and I’m running at it whilst I’ve got the chance. Because when you have the chance, why the hell not?! I know that I’m lucky to be in the position to do this, and whilst I’m sacrificing a lot to make it happen, I think it will be worth it. It’s about picking what’s most important to you.

So now year two is about to begin. Everything feels a bit new again. What will this year hold? What will change? It’s hard to answer those questions really. I have some things lined up and for the most part it will be business as usual. The blog will probably get a bit of a makeover in the coming months and I have class ideas and maybe some more ebooks on the horizon. This year will be about building this little community as well as keeping that lighthearted, imperfection embracing, memory making theme that runs right throughout this space.

I have a couple of conferences to attend and no doubt some lovely new faces to meet. I want to have more fun than I did this year, because fun + fun must = awesome! I have some personal goals that are on the cards too. Like running my longest race and taking a holiday (vacation) at some point. The monthly themes will continue and Pinterest Saturdays too.

The rest will appear throughout the year as opportunities often do, and I can’t wait to see what they are!

Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me through this first year. I’m so grateful for each and every one of you. You help me to do what I love and I can’t tell you what that means (well, really, it means the world to me). This first year was a blast and I can’t wait for the second one to be even better and more confetti filled!

Happy Birthday Style for a Happy Home, thank you for helping me feel like me again. xx