Celebrating 13 Years Blogging!

If you’re reading this, then firstly congratulations, hehe (!) and secondly, thank you from the bottom of my heart for returning back to my blog despite me harping on online, for a whopping thirteen years, now! I cannot believe I’ve been blogging for over a decade! WOW!

I truly appreciate you whether you’ve been here from day dot or have just discovered me today!

I was a TV director, screenwriter, filmmaker and lecturer before starting up this blog after the traumatic birth of my first baby, Oliver, which led to me building an accidental brand new, digital career- which keeps evolving, as the online world does and I do!

Over these past thirteen years, I’ve had three children, moved countless of times and to different cities to boot (we’ve just bought a house in Harrogate), written a bestellin g book, Mumboss on how to survive and thrive as a mum and digital creator (titled, The Working Mom in the US and Canada) and I’ve candidly shared my ups and downs with you, here and on social media, with a little advice thrown in (mostly picked up by those, far wiser than me).

I’ve consulted for brands and agencies, helped other creatives garner book and brand deals and I’ve overcome birth trauma twice.

I’ve surfed the turbulence of motherhood alongside building a personal brand for over two decades (sometimes feeling like I was drowning at times along the way).

I often pop up on TV and the radio, most recently guest-editing a BBC 5 Live show on what it means to be in your 40s, as well as being the Parenting Expert for Bored Panda who reach a whopping 121 million views a month. Wild!

I thought my first 200 followers on Twitter seemed a lot and in some ways, they still do.

I’ve worked with massive gloabl brands I’ve used forever, as well as small parent-owned businesses built on courage, passion and tenacity, and I’m personally deeply proud of the features I’ve created here, most so my Wonderful Women series which shines a light on the ceiling-breaking women impacting the world with their work every single day.

I’m developing some new book ideas (more news to come) whilst continuing to collaborate with brands who align with my values and pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

Most importantly, I’m able to work part time, flexibly and remotely whilst raising my trio of children which was exactly why I embraced a digital career in the first place.

I started this blog (you can read my first blog post here) not knowing it would quickly lead to a career change (right time, right place and a whole lot of work) but when that opportunity presented itself, I felt like the luckiest mum in the world, and I still feel that way today. Long may it continue. To having a voice, not requiring gatekeepers to reach an audience and being a work in progress.

Therapy IRL and therapy online, sharing my experiences has changed my life. I like who I am and what I stand for. It’s taken a long while to truly value myself so now my job is to ensure it doesn’t take until 40 ish for my kids to achieve inner peace themselves!

More of those musings to come. For now, it’s wine time and a celebration of 13 years of blogging.

Thank you to my dear friend Amancay for suggesting I start a blog. I wasn’t sure I’d last 13 days and now look at me. Everyone needs that initial push, that sisterly friend or family member who nudges you to try something new, however scary it might seem. If you take anything away from this today, please let it be that.

Go for it, mama!

Photo is a few years old as I desperately need more photos of me working on my laptop!