Weeknote 2

Trying to be more positive on the outside

Life coaching

This week I started trialling a couple of life coaching sessions with two coaches. For some time, I've felt that despite trying hard to be as socially active as possible in much of my life, I've messed up numerous opportunities to form stronger friendships, and even relationships with some amazing people in my life.

The initial coaching session brought to focus some aspects for me to think about, such as communicating a more positive body language, emphasising more the personal achievements I've had and experiences travelling the world independently in my life so far. I also realise I spend rather too much of my time comparing myself to others successes and life achievements, which isn't always the best thing for my mental health.

The other coaching session took rather a different approach, focusing on my identity and how this is reflected in where I live. It came as little surprise that despite the many benefits I've enjoyed of town-based living in Kent before and through the pandemic; that I've never felt entirely happy, or really belong where I live at my current stage in life.

Everything else

TV viewing this week included The Witchfinder that I enjoyed immensely, as well as catching up on another comedy series, the second series of BBC Three's Starstruck.

Saturday I went hiking with a group near Canterbury on the North Downs Way for 22 km. The early Spring weather conditions were perfect, the scenery absolute lush, and I was joined by a lovely bunch of folks mainly from the Greater London area.

On Sunday, I met up with my Russian friend in Brighton after almost three years away from London-by-Sea. Just as I found on my recent post-pandemic trip to Germany, sometimes the longer you're away from somewhere, the more you appreciate a place!

Thursday I joined a friend for dinner at my much missed favourite Italian restaurant in Farringdon, Apulia. Thankfully it survived the pandemic, but it's sad to see almost an entire street row of restaurant I used to frequent there now empty.

HWC London online took place for the first time without Ana or myself hosting, although I did still attend. Thanks to Mark for hosting! I'm glad to see the event continue into its second year since we moved the event online at the height of the pandemic. I really hope one day we can restore an in-person event, I miss it dearly, but whilst coronavirus infections remain so high across London and the UK, the time for a return just doesn't feel right to me.

That's all for this week folks, see you next week an hour later in British Summer Time!