I had a Sliding Doors moment recently.Thankfully, I’m not referring to my husband having an affair (well he best not be, that would very much change my positive outlook right now! Don’t you even think about it James…!) Or thank god, not getting pregnant and dying. No, I’m referring to how good-old-Gwynnie’s life took a sudden turn and how she came out a much more confident, a much stronger and arguably more attractive person out of it. It looked bad. Boyfriend in bed with another woman, a
I had a Sliding Doors moment recently.
Thankfully, I’m not referring to my husband having an affair (well he best not be, that would very much change my positive outlook right now! Don’t you even think about it James…!) Or thank god, not getting pregnant and dying. No, I’m referring to how good-old-Gwynnie’s life took a sudden turn and how she came out a much more confident, a much stronger and arguably more attractive person out of it.
It looked bad. Boyfriend in bed with another woman, a boyfriend that she had been supporting financially, a double whammy. There were some tears, there was a new haircut (THE haircut that inspired my love lusting over a blonde bob) and then there was a new job and a new life. Now THAT’S what I’m taking about! Mousy brown Gwynnie embraced the opportunity and made hugely positive changes in her life.
We can all follow Gwynnie. I know from being an eager subscriber to her Goop newsletter that I will never be able to follow her diet plans or ever afford one of her ‘basic’ outfits but as Helen, we can all take a bit of inspiration from Ms GP.
So back to my Sliding Doors moment, it had been building for a while, as these things often do. If I’m honest, it had been on my mind for at least 9 months – a change needed to come. Then it happened, I got off the train. (Ok, I appreciate that in the film it was when she got on the train that her life changed but just humour me)
It started off as a casual Monday, and then it all just kind of fell apart. Getting caught out in the rain, someone handing their notice in, a speeding fine, a forgotten packed lunch, a family argument, a train strike and tears of frustration. It was nothing dramatic, nothing film worthy but enough to throw you into a ‘why me’ type pause.
It was at that moment that the health and happiness of my he best-be-loyal husband and I needed to be put as top priority. Sounds basic, sounds obvious but it’s very easy how these things can slip down the priority list.
First things first, I needed to change my work-life, I needed to change how I work, how many hours I work, what I focus on and even who I work for. I have set up a consultancy and amongst other commitments, am going to venture into working for myself. We’ve taken the plunge and bought a puppy (yup, I cannot be more excited about this!!) The house has had more done to it in the last 3 weeks than it had in the last 6 months and I have gone back to running.
It’s a mind-set change, it’s a change in my priorities and it’s a life change that I know will absolutely be for the positive. From what could have been a day that could have thrown us into a bit of a wobble, we decided to follow Gwynnie. You don’t have to have a lightening bolt moment to change your life, I had had months of knowing in the back of my head that I needed to make some changes but when there’s been enough little electric shocks, they build up and tire you out.
I have a plan, a new plan, a plan that is really exciting me. It’s making me get up in the morning and it’s making he happy before it even truly develops. Watch this space as I share how it’s developing even more!
I am in control. I am in control of my own destiny. People say life isn’t easy but you are the one that gets to decide what you class as easy or hard and you get to decide how much effort you want to put in.
No more ifs or buts.
