Blooming again

Hello. Since my last post (which made me feel very brave and modern) I’ve gone through a few changes.

• I’ve bought some new clothes in an attempt to look less like I’m always wearing my ‘mum uniform’.
• I’ve taken on a new freelance editing job.
• I’ve been practicing using my social skills.

This last point is probably the most significant change for me. Today I went to the hairdresser. I would normally take a book or a newspaper and I was running around trying to decide what to bring when I suddenly thought, ‘why not treat this as a chance to practice making small talk?’

I’d already had a good conversation with my masseuse when I went for my sports massage this morning. It’s surprisingly easy to make small talk when your spine is being cracked and you’re trying not to swear. When I got to the hairdressers, in the back of my mind was the memory of my last job interview and the feedback I’d got about not speaking enough. Yes, talking to strangers and people I don’t know well is tough, but I can do it. I proved this again a few weeks ago on a training course.

Sitting in a room full of parents, next to my husband, ready to learn all about first aid for babies and toddlers, and the first activity is:

Introduce yourself to someone you’ve never met and talk to them about why you’re here.

My palms instantly got a lot sweatier. My mouth felt dry. My heart was booming. I turned to my right and said “Hi, my name’s…” It wasn’t the best conversation I’ve ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the worst either. If only I could do that in yoga class! Ah well, baby steps right?

So, is it the sunshine and blooming flowers that give me this extra boost? I definitely feel that spring is in the air and that always makes me feel a little better about life. I have been imagining all sorts of new beginnings, and I feel optimistic.

Is everyone else enjoying the spring bloom? I hope so.

What’s changing for you?