It’s before 8am on a bright but chilly Thursday morning. I’ve been awake since early as a thought I have been toying with for far too long now has bubbled up to the surface. Something inside me tells me it’s time to stop thinking and start doing. So here goes, Blog One!

This coincides perfectly with the new website we’ve created. In fairness, I have over-seen and been involved in many builds over the years but this time I wanted to lead it myself so that’s just what I have done, with a lot of help from Coralie of course. We are independent people but also perfectly two halves of the whole. I feel a yearning to start something that I believe to be very needed currently. It’s still being moulded around to see how it sits best but basically the dream is to create a space where 'we' can all be together metaphorically. A space to be honest and caring for each other and ourselves. There is so much fear all around and we're seeing so many friends and family falling.

I can’t sit back any longer.

It’s time to find our people and start planting tomorrow's dreams. I have a strong drive and feeling for how this should feel but the actual look and function is something that is going to be more fluid to start while we breathe life into it and let it grow. 

So firstly, what’s changed? What’s created this feeling of uncertainty?

Coralie and I have had our fair share of challenges over our years together, just as you have to. We are a blended family with 5 amazing children. Perfect cherubs? Crumbs no. They are beautiful strong minded individuals who will grow into independent humans and have a great life. That’s everyones dreams for their children, right? I have always believed this and enjoyed watching their personalities develop and blossom. What an incredible trip it is to watch a tiny human grow into their ever changing bodies. 

Then everything changed.

It started with a shortage of loo roll, a rumour that we were in for a bit of flue, a couple of weeks of work to flatten some curve, quiet roads and a cracking summer. It was quite a novelty to be honest. We had plenty of food, a large south facing garden and a strong online business growing. I recall chatting to friends and family about some of our friends who were hold up in tiny apartments with children, pulling their hair out looking for ideas to keep each other and the kids entertained. Whilst we were fortunate enough to have what felt like a little slice of eden. 

We shopped on our own then as a team disinfected our gathered treasures before storing in the house, made face coverings from old t-shirts, sanitised hands at every opportunity, convinced the children that going out for exercise once a day was necessary but meeting friends was absolutely not. The sun shone, the bbq was lit, we clapped at 8 and we got through it. Or so we thought…..

I’m not going to research exact timelines for accuracy as I am sure we all remember the rough outline of it all. 

At some point it shifted from a summer break to something more concerning. This was not stopping and when it did we soon started feeling that it would be back to the previous measures that were directed but you have to do you bit for the greater good right…

Somewhere in all of this little things started to not make sense. Some of the new habits we were forming were not sitting well. Why were the people making the rules not as concerned as we were and still mixing, how were these numbers that were driving it all being created? I have a strong research gene in me. My super power is finding details. Before I buy something I research the nuts out of it. I’m sure I enjoy the pre purchase more then the actual item a lot of the time… So I started reading and challenging certain things that I had taken for granted and just like when you pull on a lose three on a jumper, I felt that so much started to unravel in front of me. 

My drive to keep looking was fuelled by the cracks appearing in our own family. The mental side effects of not seeing facial expressions, separation from friends, normal interactions and emotions, constant conversations of fear and all the uncertainty. Then we hear of acquaintances or people who we perhaps follow on social media who have taken drastic measures to end their mental health fight. All this just doesn’t sit well. 

I’m not going to make this a conversation on the rights or wrongs on how this has all been handled by the powers that be. That is a completely different and very emotional conversation for all of mankind and not for this initial blog. History will hopefully be written accurately and the truths will be known. 

My drive, passion, calling now is to do whatever I can to help heal these wounds. We are living in a time of immense pain. Mental health and physical health is in tatters. There are options and these do not come in the shape of a pill and definitely not in the form of ‘manning up’. I’m a traditional guy and I believe we have inherent roles as man and woman but I do also believe that feelings are not just for ladies, ‘real men do cry too’. We can’t just keep pushing in the vain hope that it will all be ok. We all, men and women, need to look after ourselves first. It’s the proverbial ‘place your own facemark on first’ or ‘You can’t pour from an empty cup’. These statements and sayings are around because they are true. If you don’t take care of yourself you will be less able or unable to take care of your loved ones. Self Care is not Selfish. It’s imperative! 

So what can we do?

I’m not really a fan of popping pills. I never have been. I lost my mum when I was young to a very unnecessary eagerness of a gp to hand out tablets to fix a bump in the road. Addiction is an ugly word but it’s not just for the stereotypical junkie in a dark corner of a squat heating crystals over a disposable lighter. I have met many very professional people who have found themselves relying on over the counter of prescription medication to ‘take the edge off’ and function as normal. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a complete tree hugging delusionist who doesn’t believe western medicine should be used. Absolutely not. I am eternally grateful to all that western medicine has to offer as it saved our daughters life when she was involved in a horrific hit and run accident in Ibiza. I just don’t believe that we are helping our minds and bodies by constantly using tablets and toxins to suppress symptoms. We need to look at and address the root cause of our pain points. Whether that be a physical problem like pain, sleep and hormones or mental issues like anxiety, stress and depression. We do not need to mask the symptom that our bodies are producing to highlight the fact that something is out of balance inside. Not to mention the plethora of side effects that come from this artificial meddling. We have forgotten how to use real traditional medicine. Natural products and therapies that a dozen years ago would sound utterly bonkers to me. I now know the power and convenience of these various modalities. I have deep dived into meditation, EFT, plant medicine, essential oils, yoga, and a lot of reading to unlock the lost secrets of slowing down and witnessing the thoughts that we let drive our every waking moment. To be able to take a position where we understand that we are witnessing these thoughts, we are not these thoughts. It’s just our overactive, over stimulated minds that we have learnt to trust. 

It’s time to trust our gut feelings now and not listen to the chatter of our minds. This chatter is just fuelled by the constant propaganda that is all around. 

Do you want to simplify life, slow it down, be in control and most importantly enjoy the ride? I certainly do and I want to share all that I can to start to grow this community of like minded curious souls. We are not here to get through this life, we are here to enjoy every beautiful second of it. 

Let me know what you think and what your world would look like if you had your life by design. You hold the paint brush so start dreaming.

Much love my friend.

Sean xx