Optimus Prime. That’s quite a name isn’t it? What if we were all named Optimus Prime? In the prime of our lives and in optimum health. Many of us settle for less than is available or less than we deserve OR we are impatient and don’t want to wait for better things. It is such an instant yet also disposable world we live in. We settle for being able to function and just get on with things. I think it was Meghan Markle who referred to wanting to thrive and not just survive.
When we are young we have so much energy and feel strong. As we get older, this can diminish and most of us accept it. We think getting old means there are things we can no longer do or things we cannot do as well. It is seen as a part of life. It doesn’t have to be like that. We can still live our best life and have the wisdom that comes with age and experience. Why settle for functional when we can be optimal and in our prime?
There will be many decisions we have made that have led us to our current state of health and happiness. We need to own that. Could we also own the decision to make changes (can be scary I know)? What can we do to enable us to lead our very best life? What does that look like to you? What are you prepared to do?
This is the last letter from the editor and the last of the collaborative blog. It was an enjoyable 2020 project but I’m leaving it in 2020. My fellow bloggers and collaborators have been amazing and I’m so grateful for their time and their contributions. Some of them are independent business owners so please give them a follow on social media. We could all do with support.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this collaborative blog site and thank you for taking the time out to do so. The site will stay live so please feel free to share with others.
On to new horizons for all of us. After all, “tomorrow is another day.”

Well we are certainly in autumn now! Changes abound - which tier and which restrictions - it can be hard to keep up. Head on over to Caroline's page for tips to deal with change. Caroline has plenty of inspired tips on her web page and Instagram account - check her out. Which tip will you incorporate into your life first? 

On a separate note, a first for me was finding out that 18th October marked World Menopause Day! We are very fortunate to have women's health coach Pamela Windle write a blog for us this month. Head over to Feature of the Month for more details...

​More from me below...

Decisions, decisions.
 
What is the first decision of the day that you make? What to wear? What to do first? If you’re a planner like me, you’ll be ruminating about the order in which to do things; prioritising; scheduling; ticking off; clock watching.
 
Where do you go for help when you have a big decision to make like a life changing one or one that will have a major influence on someone’s life? The ancients used oracles whether that be cards, turtle shells, sticks, cowrie shells or coins. Some of you may still use these or you may go to trusted ones for guidance. When we make a decision, it’s not unusual for us to then almost second guess ourselves and wonder, did I make the right choice?
 
Maybe we need to consider where the decision came from and what influenced it. Influence. A word for this decade – there are so many ‘influencers’ out there now and we are bombarded with advertising, social media and marketing campaigns. We make a purchase based on who has been using that product and how much they have raved about it. Or how popular it is. Some influences are subtle and we don’t even know we have been influenced – a bit like a Jedi mind trick.
 
If we want to go deeper, we could explore early influences way back to childhood. The influences of our early emotions and reactions. Some of the decisions we made in our younger years and reactions to events may have served us at that time and may have indeed been protective. But they may not serve us now. Some people talk about repeating patterns of behaviours and that they just can’t break them. Well, we need to be aware of them first. If we don’t know they are there, how can we change them?
 
Let’s take stress for example; many people are familiar with the freeze, flight or fight concept and the increase of the hormone cortisol in a stressful situation. Yes that might have been useful when our life was in physical danger and we needed our heart to beat faster and work harder, but it’s not too often we are in that same kind of physical danger now so those stress hormones are running rife around our body and making us ill because we’re not running for our lives – we’re often just sitting at a desk. Times have changed and our choices and reactions need to change alongside that.
 
As a child, you might have grown up in an environment where it was safer for you to stay quiet all the time, to anticipate the needs and moods of those around you. This may result in you being a people pleaser, and always putting your needs before others, never speaking your mind. It may seem unselfish and polite but is it healthy for you now? It might have kept you safe then but is it in your best interests at this stage in your life?
 
Autumn is a time when the leaves change and fall. They decay and become part of the cycle of rebirth. It’s a good time to pause and reflect. Slow down and take time to cultivate awareness.
 
Is it really you in the here and now making the decisions or is it the you of the past? Or is it someone else? Are you holding back from making a decision for fear of the outcome? This can range from choosing a starter at a meal (fear you won’t like it or you may get food envy from the what your dining partner has chosen) to applying for a new job (what if I don’t get it or worse they don’t want me or what if I don’t like it). We don’t always have time to whip out a notebook and write a list of pros and cons. Next time you are faced with a decision, stop for a moment and breathe. Consider what may be influencing you. Who is making the decision?
 
 

Hello readers

I do not know where summer went! It was over in the blink of an eye and now we are thinking about autumn. Keep checking back to our site as new blogs from all of our wonderful contributors will come rolling in during this month.  The theme for this issue is FREEDOM.

Enjoy, share and thank you for reading!

A while back one of my cousins said to me that she couldn’t wait to get to the age where she can say what she wants, whenever she liked without being reprimanded.
 
Coming from a Caribbean background and upbringing, we were pretty much used to being seen (and looking very well turned out) and not heard. As we have got older, become more independent and assumed the role of taxi and delivery drivers for our elders, we are allowed to say more. However, if we step out of line we can still get shot down with a look or a comment, so yep, still having to mind what we say.
 
I wonder what it will be like when we become the elders and can say what we like, and the next generation have to be mindful of their speech in front of us? I have to admit that as I mature, my filter gets used less and less. Pretty much, I think it, I say it. Although I do have some self-control – I’m not straight up mean, you know!
 
I definitely worry less about what other people think about what I say or I do. I guess that comes with having the confidence and courage to be and live your authentic self. It takes a while in life (and many experiences) to work out who you are but when you reach that level of freedom it’s great, right?
 
You learn (often through mistakes and sometimes the VERY hard way) to put boundaries in place, to be mindful of the company you keep and to pay attention to your growing intuition (also known as inner wisdom).
 
If someone asks you to go somewhere or do something and you don’t want to, you have the courage to say no. You even get to the stage where you don’t bother to think up an excuse, you just politely decline. After all there’s no need to be cantankerous, we can all be civil and polite.
 
Food and drink get better when as it ages so why shouldn’t we?
 
Freedom that comes with maturity is great - the freedom to just be you and embrace your identity. How about the freedom to be whatever you choose to be? Being able to dream, to be ambitious, to go where no one has been before (wink to the informed). We need role models for that and examples of what we can be.
 
We lost a MASSIVE role model over this bank holiday weekend. Chadwick Boseman was a brilliant young actor. He brought to life historical greats including James Brown, Jackie Robinson and Thurgood Marshall.
 
He also brought a comic book hero to life: Black Panther.
 
This was huge to a whole generation (more than one, truth be told). He brought the pictures in comics to life, to the big screen. It’s strange to think that I referenced Black Panther in my previous post…
 
It’s hard to be what you can’t see. I know T’Challa is a fictional character and Wakanda is a fictional place but that fiction came out of someone’s imagination. Someone had a vision and a story they wanted to tell.
 
I know Black people who cried after seeing the film Black Panther. To see Black people represented so positively on the big screen in our lifetime meant something beyond words. A film with a Black director and a predominantly Black cast (Angela Bassett is still owed an Oscar for her role as Tina Turner) smashing box office records? Impact. Who would have imagined it? But someone did. A special collection of people brought this to life. They shook off the shackles of the past, stood strong, overcame barriers and had the courage and confidence to do this. It really was an inspiration. And a message.
 
Live your freedom at whatever stage of life you are in. Be courageously and authentically you. Dare to dream. Bring your vision to life. At some point you have to pass the baton on to others. What will you be passing on? Who will you be a hero to? What will be your legacy?
 
Chadwick Boseman – your legacy lives on. Thank you.

Welcome to the July issue (just)! Our blog contributors have free rein this month so no set theme. You’ll find a real variety and something for everyone. It’s worth checking back over the next few days as new blog posts will be added.
 
School is out for summer (not that it was really in this year)! Shielding officially finishes tomorrow (1st August). There’s a whole tidal wave of relief sweeping across the nation. Hmm, is it relief though? Relief with pockets or caverns of anxiety, fear and maybe apprehension.
 
At the beginning of lockdown and shielding, I remember feeling trapped and I felt like my independence had been whipped away. I remember escaping to a local supermarket after the first three weeks because I just HAD to get out. I really wasn’t missing anything. I had convinced myself that I wasn’t going to be able to stay in for 12 weeks and then they extended it! I did manage it though. Ok, more or less as I have sneaked out a couple of times over the last fortnight.
 
Why? Why not just wait it out because I had come so far? It was planned really. A part of my phased return to ‘regular’ life. I had all but convinced myself that because I had been doing the Rapunzel thing locked away (still waiting for Prince T’Challa aka Black Panther to come rescue me – I’m funny like that – I tend to really like movie characters rather than the movies stars themselves – well it’s fun to imagine). Where was I? Oh yes, locked away. I was convinced that when I was allowed to go back out into the real world, I would have an overload of social anxiety and panic attacks. What if I freaked out in line at Tesco? What if someone spoke to me and I couldn’t string a sentence together?
 
That last point is quite valid actually. Due to the reduction in conversing with others, I have been struggling to find my words – more than usual! So, this was the reasoning behind my phased return. It did go ok. I kept it simple. A trip to collect an online order from a shop, paying a visit to Sainsbury’s at a quiet time but just to pick up a few items that I knew exactly where to find in the store and getting a delicious flat white from my favourite coffee shop (Divine Coffee House, Sherwood). And not forgetting collecting an order from Clemie’s Vegan Cakes – yum!
 
Life isn’t the same as when I first went into shielding. I had to familiarise myself with the new rules (again and again). I forgot my face mask the first time and had to go back for it. I had fun choosing and buying a face mask actually. I didn’t buy a different one for every day of the week because I am not planning to go out every day of the week. Why not? After so much time inside? The COVID 19 virus has not gone away! We still need to be vigilant and sensible.
 
My lockdown and shielding were well supported by a great group of family and friends; garden visits, shopping, video calls. I also benefitted from businesses like Sweet Vibes Baker, Veganitis and Vegan Junk who did deliveries. So much appreciated, thank you. Can you believe I only did my first Zoom quiz yesterday? I didn’t win by the way (you know who you are), but I did win my works quiz at the end of term. Admittedly it was because I doubled my points by answering the bonus question. What is the main alcoholic ingredient in a Margherita? Do you know the answer? Now I’m worried my colleagues think I’m an alcoholic! An occasional G and T doesn’t class you as an alcoholic…
 
So, to conclude, I wanted to share some pointers with you:
 
Tips for if we have to go into lockdown/shielding again:

• Drive your car! Even if it’s around the block. At the very least start the engine and release the handbrake. If you don’t you might end up with a dead battery and a stuck handbrake. Check tyre pressure too.
• Don’t stockpile – greedy!
• Maintain some kind of routine. Even if you don’t stick to regimented times for activities, try to incorporate some regularity into your weekly routine.
• Ask for help if you need it – people are exceptionally compassionate right now (you’d think it was Christmas).
• Don’t feel guilty about box set bingeing – you gotta do what you gotta do…

 
Tips for emerging from lockdown/shielding

• Remember your face mask!
• Plan your first few excursions. Know exactly where you’re going and keep it simple. A trip to your local shop for a packet of crisps is enough.
• Don’t try to kid yourself that life is back to normal. Social distancing please.
• Keep doing your lock down activities. Many of you will have benefitted from the abundance of online activities. Fitness professionals have invested a lot of time, effort and resources into providing classes. Keep supporting them if you can. Don’t forget about the small businesses either.
• You can still smile when wearing a face mask!

 
Keep safe and well!
 
In gratitude
​Wakanda forever!
Sarah

P.s.
If you read this in time Caroline Inspired will be hosting Wellness Wednesday (5th August) over on her IG live (IG Carolineinspired)
Sweet Vibes Baker will be hosting a bank holiday weekend picnic - limited spaces available. IG Sweetvibes_baker

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!
​https://vanyaland.com/2018/06/18/tchalla-returns-black-panther-at-the-mfa/

Dear readers
 
Well, I gave everyone deadlines and on the night of the deadlines, did I know what I was actually going to write? No.
 
I sat at my desk reading over what I had written, and I just wasn’t happy. It wasn’t flowing the way I wanted it to. So, off to the shower. I don’t know about anyone else but a shower always makes things seem clearer to me. I remember things and get some good ideas whenever I’m around the sound of water. Hmmm, a trip to the seaside due I think. (Socially distanced of course.)
 
I knew why the words weren’t manifesting – I was trying too hard. I needed to speak with my voice. Find my courage; blogs are personal accounts after all. Time to reflect. So, forget about worrying how my words are received. This is my voice and a platform I’ve chosen.
 
I wanted to make this first issue of our collaborative blog about change because that is the key issue at the moment; aside from the overused word ‘unprecedented’. So what has changed? What hasn’t changed? What should change? What should not? Discussions, decisions and some divisions. Or no decisions, or surprise surprise, changed ones!
 
As I write this, it is the anniversary of Grenfell. Imagine the changes those residents have had to go through? The news just seems so heavy at the moment and social media is flooded: COVID 19, George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, protests, speeches and so on. To be honest just trying to make sense of the government updates can give you whiplash.
 
Change can involve growth and in some cases I think many of us would like to stay at the ‘height’ we are, thank you very much. It’s ok if we’ve been given notice and had a chance to prepare for it but sudden change? Change you never saw coming – well that can hold you in a state of shock for a while! Stuck is an understatement. It could make Dorothy’s Tin Man look like he had mastered the electric wave. Please pass the WD 40, I want to move on!
 
I don’t know about anyone else but with this lockdown, I had all of these grand ideas about what I was going to do because I couldn’t go out (shielding, yes one of the shielded – sounds like a Marvel TV series!). You know what I’m talking about. All those things you would do if you had more time: complete a tapestry, write a book (or at least read one), learn a new language, practise on your musical instruments, extensive DIY. I’ve done none of that and I’m past the guilt stage too now! Hurray! Actually I have read a couple of books, so give myself some credit.
 
I did binge Netflix (has to be done, right?), take up Pop Pilates (awesome), do exercise and movement classes online and scroll through social media to my heart’s content. Even that got heavy though. At one stage, all I wanted to see was the latest gym outfit my friend had purchased and what another friend was planning to watch from YouTube that evening! Oh, that’s such a cute photo of your cat – thanks for sharing!
 
I don’t know what I’ll do tomorrow yet. Some exercise will be involved no doubt. Hopefully not too much video conferencing – I’m all Zoomed out! But however my day goes I will be thankful I woke up, got downstairs and made something to eat. And, I will be excited about sharing this collaborative blog with you all. Thanks to all who made it possible. I can’t wait to see where it takes us!
 
Sharing is caring.
 
In gratitude
Sarah