Welcome back to this week’s Karen’s Corner! Join me here each week to catch up with what I’ve been up to both in and out of work and what I’ve been loving and connect with me on Instagram www.instagram.com/karen.anderson.fossoway
Karen xx
WHAT I’VE BEEN UP TO THIS WEEK
Does anyone else feel the end of summer rapidly approaching? Like there’s only a few weeks of it left and soon we’ll be embracing knitwear and fires and pumpkins? I can’t quite shift this feeling of running out of time this summer, and just when the sunshine and warmth has finally arrived … oh, the irony!
Now that we’re in August I’m very conscious of the kids going back to school and both the chaos and routine that that brings. I really love having them here at home and a more relaxed rhythm to our days so I’m sad that that’s ending and want to enjoy every second left of that but at the same time, the end of summer marks lots of changes here at Fossoway Stables and I’m readying myself for them.
Our paired-down equestrian vision has started to manifest with handing over some of the paddocks to the development of a new golf facility. Calling and Dad have started work on that with the hope that it’ll be ready to use come the spring. I’m so excited that they now get space to build something they’ve dreamt about for so long. I’ve also started moving things around on the yard - consolidating the two barns into one, meaning we should, very soon, have another space to play with. Everything is a little half-finished at the moment which I’m not normally hugely comfortable with, but just now, after what’s felt like an extended period of uncertainty and inaction, the messiness of change is very welcome. There’s something about physically moving things that shifts the energy and makes room to create.
Ok … The Potting Shed … I finally have an opening date!! Our plan is to open on Monday the 9th September and I’m relieved and excited to have set the date. Truth be told, I could have, and flirted with the idea of opening it before now but with so much else going on, parties to host and John and I taking a holiday at the end of the month, it makes sense to wait and hit the road running so to speak. If you follow us on Instagram, lookout for lots of content around the opening and what’s available and of course, please come and visit - the most exciting part of this project is creating and space where we can meet and interact.
It was my birthday recently and I always find it's nicely placed in the year to kind of have a midyear reflection - what's going well, what needs work, what could I be doing to help achieve my goals for the year? This past week or so, I’ve been trying to optimise my life and build good routines in my days - ensuring the stuff I know works for me, makes me feel good and helps me perform at my best are prioritised. For me that means lots of good quality sleep, drinking a lot more water, cutting out the sugary snacks and eating a plant-based diet, starting my day with a big walk and getting the tasks on my daily to do list ticked off. It’s amazing how when life gets a bit busy, these are the things that slip first when in reality, these are exactly the things required to cope with the busy.
It felt hard at the start of this recent commitment to prioritising the important stuff to fit it all in and to not pick up the can of diet coke (I know, awful stuff but so addictive) but I was just thinking to myself today while out on my walk, it’s become so much easier as the days and weeks have passed and I’m really feeling the benefits which helps keep it going. I guess it’s like a muscle … when you first pick up a weight it feels heavy and hard, until the muscle gets stronger, then what used to feel hard, one day feels easy. Apparently it takes on average 66 days to for a new habit that will stick so I guess until then, commitment and discipline are the key drivers.
Another new thing I’m embracing is a digital diary! Forever late to the party but anyone who knows me will know how vehemently I’ve resisted giving up my pen and paper diary but with life getting so complicated both in and out of work, I’m experimenting and so far, I’m kind liking it! I’ve always liked the physicality of writing things down, like it helps me remember what’s going on but at this point my current paper diary is so full of tipex and post it notes, it’s really not helping me. I’ve still got my paper daily to do list book (a page a day diary) and really can’t imagine ever giving that up the dopamine hit of scoring off completed tasks but who knows, I’ve surprised myself with the diary!
Today I’m having a proper day off - the kids are with their dad this weekend and John has been away on tour for the last week or so but I’m heading to the airport now to pick him up and am looking forward to a 5 star day with him.
Until next week …
K xx
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