Joining in today with Emily P Freeman’s What I Learned Link Up which encourages a simple practice of looking back and paying attention before moving forward. Lessons range from the totally trivial and fun to those more close to the heart meaningful. It all counts, it all has a place.

I LEARNED

1. The power of one good YES

I’m still surprised at the ripple effect one simple but heartfelt yes has had in the rest of my life.

Take a look here and here

2. How much I like a random scalloped border.

See I was tempted to say that trying new things is scary. But I have three friends who are facing real life truly scary circumstances in their lives right now which means that I don’t get to describe my phaffing about and trying new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone as scary. There’s no comparison. Not even close.

If you’d like to have a read you can find my friend Helens blog My Best Breast Forward  here and you can cheer her on on Instagram here . Helen writes with insight and honesty and a good ol dash of British humour about her journey through breast cancer.

So now to that book launch thingy.

Fun yes

But intimidating also

Most new things are.

But they’re still worth doing.

I joined a launch team for one of my very favourite writers Christie Purifoy.

A launch team is basically a bunch of people who sign up to spread the word about a new book before and after it comes out. Christie is on my gobsmackingly good writers list and she has written a new book called Placemaker.

I almost didn’t apply because I  was worried there would be some test I’d have to pass, or hoops I’d have to jump through or some level of success that I’d have to prove and I was bound to be not up to snuff.

Nope none of that. No tests, no hoops, just a willingness to share my honest thoughts about the book.

Oh I can do that.

And cheering people on is just my thing.

BUT in doing anything new – apart from feeling like the newbie who knows nothing, I can often feel this pressure to keep up with what more experienced people are doing and saying.

So – – – if your navigating new waters at the moment please just take the pressure off yourself to be handling everything with aplomb (who ever does? not me) then go ahead and serve your self up a great big helping of grace.

Grace to do things your own way and

Grace to do things in your own time.

Read more about this beautiful book Placemaker here and you can pre order it too if you want.

 

4. I was reminded how much I love word art

This happened when I heard a decorator on a TV makeover show comment recently that words/slogans/quotes on walls and in frames etc are totally unnecessary.

What!?!

I have no idea what she was talking about because for me words are a total necessity and I love them plastered about in all those very places. At the very least they are a bit of fun and/or a touch of whimsy and at best they’re like having your own personal cheer squad and instant morale booster.

Heres a few favs that I’ve found on Instagram lately.

And from around here

Kitchen

Bathroom

Christmas bathroom

Livvy inspired

And this one because Olivia went to school camp shaking in her boots afraid BUT she went anyway and had a marvellous time. Thanks Aunty Jen for the prayers and the inspo.

So that’s the short and skinny of a few things I learned this Summer.

So now your turn. I’d love to here what you’ve learned or done or found these last few months.

I’ll leave you with this gem