Retraining - Ideas A Plenty

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Once the seed has been sown to change career it is hard to ignore.  Ideas spin around your head at the possibilities.  It is important at this early stage to not ignore even the craziest of ideas.  Maybe joining the circus isn't realistic but training to teach people to ride ponies is possible.  Having brainstormed your ideas the next step is to consider which are viable.  Take time to research your ideas, which will involve taking new qualifications or gaining experience in a chosen field?  Before the reality of cost takes over take the time to explore your ideas.  Armed with the facts it maybe easier to climb any financial obstacles.  

Narrowing down your ideas can be hard, but the more research you do the easier it will be.  Suddenly the appeal of some careers will lose their shine as you realise that actually there are parts of it that you would really hate.  Or maybe you really don't want to spend three, four or more years studying then trying to work your way up a career ladder in a world that tends to favour people in their twenties.  I know that when I researched my ideas there were some that were dismissed at an early stage, as I felt I would be too close to forty once qualified.  Many will disagree that we shouldn't consider our age when looking to retrain, but let's be realistic, there are simply some careers meant for the younger generation.

Having narrowed down your ideas it is now time to gain a realistic insight of your shortlisted careers.  Perhaps arrange a day in the relevant department, this is easily done with nursing and healthcare careers.  Modern internships are a possibility and some seem to be part time so you could maybe reduce your normal working hours whilst experiencing your new career idea.  Grown up work experience is quite a scary concept but could be invaluable in your decision making.  Remember if you don't ask, you don't get, so take the plunge, contact your local architects, law firm, design studio to see if they would accomadate you whilst you consider if this could be the new start you desire.  

Be sure to share with me your ideas and I would love to know if any of you have tried 'grown up work experience'.

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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Words to Live By

Todays post is inspired by Write Alm's writing prompts for February.  Words have always been a big part of my life, I read with fervour as a child, loved the written word so much that I studied English Literature as part of my first degree, then became a writer as I grew through my twenties and thirties.  Now as I head towards a new decade words are as important now as they were in the past.  I still love to write and read, indulging in journeys beyond my budget in the pages of books, blogs and magazines.  The printed word should never be taken for granted, almost always adored and reguarly indulged in.  Quotes have become a big part of my life over the years aswell. From scribbling the words of Martin Luther King Jr and song lyrics onto my school folder to collecting inspiring quotes on Pinterest, my life is full of favourite quotes.  One of my favourites being 'Be yourself as everybody else is already taken'.  This is the quote I teach my children, inspiring and encouraging them to not necessarily follow the crowds.  Another of my favourites is 'Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.' Probably not the best one at the moment for those suffering in flood stricken parts of the uk, including my heavily pregnant sister.  But words that hold huge meaning to me, when things aren't so great, life isn't so easy, this quote has got me through.  When I was younger it was the prayer of serenity that helped me, but I guess this quote is a modern day version of my favourite prayer.

What words do you live by? Are inspiring quotes pinned to your fridge, above your desk? I would really love to know.

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
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Lovely Links

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Over the past few weeks I have been immersed in Pinterest and blogland, finding inspiration for our garden, our home and for my life in general.  So today I though it might be fun to share a few links with you.

In a mission to be more organised this year I am loving Viv's weekly filofax decorating posts.

Every week I love to read Rona's interviews with florists on her gorgeous blog, Flowerona. Horticulture was on my list of new directions when I started considering changing careers! Click here to read the latest one.

I was thrilled to see Holly of Decor 8 and her husband welcomed into the world their beautiful son this past week. Congratulations!  Decor 8 has been a favourite blog of mine for several years. 

As a mother of an almost teenage daughter and two teenage sons I found this post about sexism in schools very poignant and probably has made me worry a little more.

Even though storms have continued to batter our country I have been starting to think about our garden this year.  I am really hoping to finish clearing old shrubs and opening up the space even more.  So of course I have been pinning inspiration on my garden board!

With spring hopefully not too far away I have also been thinking about my style.  The older I get the more comfortable I feel in my own skin, although I will be aiming to tone up properly this year! I know what I like to wear and hopefully what suits me, so I've been adding some style ideas to my style board.

Meanwhile I am lusting after these Orla Kiely shoes from Clarks!

And I have finally started using Bloglovin which means I can read all of my favourite blogs in one place.

So what have you been reading and pinning so far this month? Please do share as I love to find new things.

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
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The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Last night and throughout the morning I have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly side of social media.  As those of you have known me, worked with me and supported me over the past few years you will know that I am completely against design copycats.  I have written about this, about ACID, about intellectual copyright.  I have used my public profile as a blogger and through social media to support small creative businesses when people have stolen their designs.  So now I find myself caught up in an issue and feel the need to use my blog as a platform to make a statement, without trying to compact it into a 140 characters on Twitter or in an email that maybe misconstrued.

Yesterday a dear friend of mine discovered her designs were being used by somebody else, not once but twice.  Of course her creative community and friends rallied around, offered to help and support her.  This is what this community does, we support each other, professionally and personally.  Being part of a creative community means you have friends around the world, via social media, that are there when things go wrong or when things are amazingly good and everything in between.  I know I was not alone in my comments on this matter of design copy and we all did what we did with the best of intentions, to support our friend in her hour of need.

However I now face a barrage of tweets from somebody whose product list was questionable. Whilst my tweet of stealing a design has caused some upset it was not a stab in the dark.  There was evidence to suggest an issue and I was not alone in commentating about this.  Yet I will be more than happy to apologise, as I am sure others will be, if it is found to be untrue.

Over the years I have ensured integrity and ethics are at the centre of my public profile within the world of social media.  Every image has a link to the source, every review is my opinion and every sponsored post is stated as being exactly that.  When I have worked with creative entrepreneurs in the past years I have taught them to use caution when using social media and blogging.  Never do or say anything that can damage your brand, as one sentence can be seen by a million people within minutes.  

So now I hope that this matter can be closed and I can return to the prettier side of blogging.

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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What Would You Do?

image source - inkypots

I have been spending a little time on Pinterest these past few days and saw this quote/question.  It got me thinking back to when I was making my decision to retrain and thought it may help those of you at a crossroads in your career or life in general.  So what would you do if you weren't afraid?

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

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The Year in Books - February

Well January flew by in haze of wet and windy days.  At last February has arrived and with the second day of sunshine and blue skies here in Suffolk I can almost smell spring.  Inspired by the idea from Laura of Circle of Pines to read a book a month, I have ended most of my evenings throughout January reading Bonkers by Jennifer Saunders.  This was an adventure through the comedienes life and a thoroughly enjoyable one too.  Although Jennifers writing seemed a little erratic at times but what more would you expect from a comic genius.  In the early days writing down their sketches were not part of their work, but as soon as French & Saunders worked for auntie beeb suddenly pen and paper were required.  It is clear that Jennifers head is bursting with ideas that occasionally pour out, I imagine in the same way she has shared her life in Bonkers.  

So time to chose another book.  This months choice is a recommendation from Lucy, my eldest daughter.  I had picked this book up from the library for her having read alot about it before Christmas as it was released as a film.  Being keen to share books with my children I am really excited as Lucy gets older that we can share books, having already encouraged her to read The Help, To Kill a Mockingbird and some of Cecelia Aherns books. So for Februarys book I will be reading How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff.  

For more reading inspiration pop over to Lauras blog to see what the rest of the group are reading this month and what we read last month.

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
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It's Time to Hang Up The Guilt of Motherhood

It seems guilt should be in the job description when you fist visit your midwife.  Your new role automatically means you are guilt ridden, from day one, there is that sinking feeling that whatever you do will be wrong.  That little glass of wine when pregnant, that catnap you had whilst feeding your baby, that first day back at work.  Motherhood seems to now mean guilt ridden days.  Whether we work or stay at home we are judged by other mothers never mind politicians, journalists and anyone who thinks they have something to say on the subject.  Yesterday I sat with friends at uni and we talked about feeling guilty for studying at weekends.  All feeling that we are not doing the best as we are studying or on placement all week so our weekends should be spent entertaining our children. Yet here we are trying our hardest to retrain and give our children a better life.  They will reap the rewards of a second income, yet we feel guilty for being away from them to study.  

Well quite frankly I've had enough of feeling guilty and being made to feel it.  Yes I was a stay at home mother, I chose to do this, it was the most perfect time of my life but also the hardest years of my life.  But I do not ever feel guilty for not trying to further my career when my babies were small.  I high five any woman who can juggle a career and a baby or toddler. Sleepless nights, teething and a job, you are amazing.  Staying at home reaps rewards but can be the stuff of nightmares so I applaud anyone who has chosen to take a career break.  As for juggling children and working from home, running a business.  I have done this and it is a miracle I kept those balls in the air for so long. No job is easy, but the hardest is being a mother, no matter how many children you have.

So whether you are working, staying at home, studying, retraining or running your own business stop feeling guilty.  As long as our children have clean clothes, three meals a day, are at school on time, have practised their spellings, flute or Spanish we can smile.  Yes that's right, smile because we are doing it, juggling and actually not doing a half bad job.  Motherhood should be more like a sisterhood, less bitching about who has the hardest day or life but applauding our successes, which may just be making it through another day. Hang up that guilt and start reminding yourself that you are achieving something every day, no matter how small that thing is.  And I am sure one day our children will appreciate what we have done and not even resent us for feeding them spaghetti hoops every so often!

Until next time, take care 

Zoe

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