Last night we had our follow up session with Cara to see how we are all getting on, six weeks after finishing the course to Untether Our Voices. I had planned to arrive at this October session with a proud announcement of my first draft of my story I’ve been working on for years, but instead I watched my face in the zoom screen grinning from ear to ear as I explained that writing it was triggering such a bizarre and fascinating world of anxiety that I would be pausing the big writing project and taking some time to look after myself. They all smiled and nodded in approval at this necessary part of the story telling process which added to my huge relief to be able to just let go. How lovely.

The other thing I did yesterday, instead of fretting over the laptop in my afternoon ‘writing time’, I went for a three hour walk. Not being a driver, I’m limited to what’s in walking distance of central Melksham, and I discovered that about an hour towards Semington and along the canal is a cute little piece of woodland that actually made me cry in its unexpected afternoon sunshine full of dappled beauty.

Having made the requisite heart out of acorns, I simply grinned at the sunshine – and the few other walkers – all the way home.

So happy to take the pressure off, so grateful for full afternoons of freedom, and so determined to just enjoy this month, instead of being stressed or scared of it, and to fill my lungs and legs with the good healthy exercise of a rambly muddy wander through our beautiful Wiltshire Countryside.

By November I’ll need to make some decisions, but for now let me enjoy the gentle flow of these autumn days, and the unusually peaceful state of my pressure-free mind.

Thank you.