Meh to Mondays hey, nobody likes them, am I right?..and after a wonderful weekend away to celebrate Mother's Day, this post-weekend slump has hit me harder than usual. Weep.
Impressionist and comedienne, Francine Lewis rose to fame and captured the nation's hearts when she appeared on on Britain’s Got Talent in 2013 impersonating Cheryl, Stacey Solomon and Katie Price amongst others. She went on to win the public vote in the semi finals, making it through to the final.
I reckon I might just be a bit of a Peter Pan ( why there isn't a female equivalent to the youth-chasing PP I don't know, but that surely requires a whole other post)- essentially my point is, I refuse to GROW UP or more so, I don't feel that different from the 21 year old girl I was erm, (Googles a calculator)-14 years ago (case in point)- despite two kids and 2 c-sections (ouch) and cement thick concealer to hide my my eye bags.
I've pondered a while whether I should write this post, air my views and explore a subject that frankly, needs more airing and exploring. A grey area I've shied away from writing. For fear of being judged, of being considered 'too white' to have experienced racism, for fear of not being taken seriously.
There's nothing I love more than looking at old photos from my childhood (bar the 10 year old school pictures that is- my eyebrows aka Carpet World samples were let's say, ahead of their time when it came to brow trends, and most of those scary shots have found their way into the bin-eek!
Recently, I've noticed a fair few people remark on how confident I am, or at least appear to be (it was mentioned several times at Blog Camp where I spoke recently, with many asking me how they could become more confident when it comes to going on camera or making their blog their business and I receive a lot of emails on the subject too.
Life can sometimes feel like a non-stop rollercoaster can't it, juggling family life, work as I/we try to be everything to everyone.
The last few months have seen me take time out more, to relax daily and prioritise on what really makes my family and I happy. I always say, happy parents, happy children.
I've worked with a Publicist for a while to help me with the load as my blogging business is rapidly expanding but I've always believed and practised promoting my own work whether that was filmmaking, my journalistic work to right now, as a full time professional blogger.
Ava Brown is an author and mother of two children, 16 year old Chardonae Elizabeth and 3 year old Mikhel Kai. As well as her focus on the writing, she also works tirelessly as a speaker, coach and trainer.
The Jamaican born author's book 'Bamboo & Fern', recounts her story of growing up in one of the poorest areas of Jamaica, going from a 'country girl to a corporate queen' from selling mangoes to an MBA and finding global success.
Here are my 5 tips for freelancers juggling work and kids. It really is a juggle too but hopefully these tips will help make you feel empowered and less alone!
So what are my hopes for 2014?....I've been mulling over this post for a while now and in fact have started implementing a lot of things I want to change in 2014, even within the last few days.
My day in London yesterday was pretty awesome. I had a fab meeting with someone I really *shouting/thinking good thoughts- REALLY hope to work with soon to serious fun and slap up lunches/dinners/pre lunch/dinners (basically eating all day) with my sister from another mister, feature filmmaker Amancay and I even got to meet very cool blogger Zaz from Mama and More for drinks at my second home in the Big Smoke, The Charlotte Street Hotel.
Being creative can be hard work. Hard to get the words onto the screen for that next draft, hard to get the confidence to write the book, launch the blog, heck even write that funny tweet. Creatives are riddled with self doubt. Fact.
Wow, it's my blog's 2 Year blogiversary (well it was on the 10th but I'm combining it with my 32nd birthday) and I can't quite believe it: two whole years since my very first post and I'm no longer 16 anymore. Shucks.
