REFLECTIONS ON A WEIRD YEAR

let me be real with you

A few weeks ago, on a bleak winter Wednesday morning, over a silent house breakfast, I loudly announced “CAN EVERYONE PLEASE STOP REFLECTING?” – my housemates were confused, naturally, but as I expanded on this ludicrous rhetorical question, they immediately got it. I had seen one too many yearly round up posts, swiped through yet another highlights carousel from a fashion girly I did not know, nor will I ever likely meet. I was at peak December dread, end of year burnout and emotionally hanging on by a thread. I had had enough of everyone’s reflections on this last year, one that for me has been perhaps the best professionally, and certainly the worst personally. So, let me explain why I have written this newsletter, which you would be fair in thinking is a wild contradiction on my part.

I’m sure I’m not alone in having a challenging 2024 and with social media being what it is, a highlights reel showcasing only the shiniest and most enviable moments of people’s lives, I’m sure mine has looked pretty good from the outside looking in. But let me tell you, it’s been nothing short of personal shitstorm. So, I thought I would go into it a little bit here, to hopefully make anyone else dealing with similar things, feel less alone. I’d like to be real with you for a hot sec and remove the illusion of my life being exclusively plates of glossy pasta, bustling supper clubs and endless dinners. There is all of that, but a lot of ugly stuff too, so let me share a bit of the less delicious side with you here.