Here comes the sun
A time to reflect before Bloom and Grow turns one
I can’t quite believe that I am nearly approaching one year of Bloom and Grow. It seems a very surreal, exciting, reflective and emotional milestone. It’s something that I am going to explore further in a few weeks time when I get closer to the date, as at the moment I can’t quite collect my thoughts on how this writing journey has truly impacted me. In the meantime I thought I would reflect over a few of my favourite pieces, the ones that have meant the most to me and I feel represent the full spectrum of my writing.
I feel that I am on the cusp of new possibilities and these pieces are a part of that journey, I hope you enjoy this little trip down memory lane and if you are new and haven’t read some of these yet, welcome!
The sea
The sea holds a special place in my heart, being by the sea completely takes me out of my head, it is my place of sanctuary and this is why I’ve picked this piece of writing as going to the sea inspires me, brings me peace and makes me feel better.
Australia
I have been lucky enough to travel to Australia a few times now, and it always makes me happy to think I have had the opportunity to experience this place throughout different times of my life. As each time I return I feel like I’m being welcomed back by a familiar friend.
Last year was particularly memorable as it was the first time I had travelled solo and got on a plane for the first time in four years. Being in Australia during December and Christmas was a magical experience, and I one I won’t easily forget. It made me remember that I love travel, meeting new people and have wonderful experiences when I step out of my comfort zone.
Two week acting course
In July 2023 I attended something extraordinary, something I never thought I would do in a million years… a two-week summer acting school at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. It was an experience I will never forget, and it opened me up to new possibilities, gave me back my confidence and ignited my creative spirit. The experience profoundly changed me and caused me to be more open, brave and truthful in what I wanted, and it altered my view of myself and what I wanted my life to look like. It brought me back to life.
The delight of books
I’ve recently gone through a book reading renaissance, as my creative life has amplified so has my appetite for reading. Over the past year I have read more books than I have for a long time, and it has been a delightful journey. In this piece, I explore my reading journey from a child to now. It's a deep dive that goes through many twists and turns.
Music brings us together
I simply adore music and strongly feel that any song can be reflective of where you are in your life. A song can enter your life at exactly the right time when you need it, and it can convey emotions and sentiments that are sometimes hard to express. In this piece, I explore 10 songs and what they mean to me. Music is so important to me, I can relate my experiences to different songs, and they hold powerful emotions and memories for me. (I’ve now added links to all of the songs and oh man the Johnny Cash song gets me every time 😭)
Feeling Thankful
In November last year I attended a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner, it was a beautiful evening, everyone was so lovely, and we went around the table before we ate and said what we were thankful for. The answers were so open and free, and it was a wonderful experience. It led me to write Twenty Three Things, as the evening made me feel reflective on what the year had taught me.
Standing tall and taking back my space
For a long time I had felt like I had squeezed myself into the smallest shape possible, feeling invisible, and it was only undergoing an exercise at a movement class that I realised I no longer wanted to be small. I wanted to reach out and reclaim my space and power. Standing tall and proud took time, but I am so glad I went through this transformative experience. I am no longer hiding in the shadows.
Riding the creative wave
I’ve decided to end this series of reflections with this piece, as it was one of the first things I published at the beginning of my journey. I was fighting with myself on how I wanted to be creative but couldn’t find the correct path. Not only that, but I talk about things I’ve tried and failed and how imposter syndrome got in the way. And I was pondering whether to do the two-week acting course, it's so interesting to look back at this and see how far I have come.
Are there any pieces that speak to you? Do you have any favourite places, books, pieces of music or countries you have visited? Have you experienced a time of change in your life?
Thank you so much Emma! 🤗
Hi Emma, I just wanted you to know that the reason I found you was because I have been wanting to start my own substack for a while (and still haven’t!) and one of the names I thought of was ‘bloom and grow’! Every time I think of a Substack name, I check to see if anyone else has thought of it and more often than not, someone has and sometimes I end up following them.
Anyway, it’s weird that although I’m probably twice your age, I feel like we have a few things in common and I always enjoy your pieces. I think I will go back to the beginning of your posts and get a feel for this journey of yours and maybe it will help me feel braver about posting my own thing one day soon!
One of the many stumbling blocks is thinking of a name that reflects what I ‘might’ write about haha.
I have enjoyed all your posts I’ve read so, thank you for inspiring me and keep going! I look forward to what the next year will bring 😊