When life gets in the way

So it’s true, my blog has taken a backseat while I’ve been travelling and I haven’t written in far longer than is acceptable if I’m expecting my writing to be taken seriously. Shame on you, Hols. That’s not to say there aren’t tons of half-written posts stashed away on my laptop which didn’t make the cut. Half of said posts are full of exclamations like ‘WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY???’, ‘THIS ISN’T FUNNY’, ‘FGS GET IT TOGETHER’. Evidently, giving in to writers' block and turning to a glass of red is way more fulfilling. If you’re reading this, this post has finally made it further than the ones left to die on my desktop and we’ve experienced a bloody miracle. 

The reality is, life gets in the way and has a habit of distracting us. It has this powerful tendency to pull us here there and everywhere, and as a result we just go with it, very seldom taking a back seat and questioning whether the direction we’re being pulled is the right one. Of course, in many instances, a distraction may be just what we need. For me, travelling to Australia was a distraction from the tedious and menial stresses that a hard-working 23 year old faces. I stuck a middle finger up to those unnecessary stresses and let the distraction of travelling lead the way. And what a marvellous decision it was. However, and this is a big however which certainly doesn’t outweigh all those Aus mems, the distraction from 'normal' life meant I temporarily misplaced my passion for writing. As a result, upon returning home from travelling, I’ve felt dumb AF, because all I’ve been doing over the past few months is frolic in bikinis, get sand all up in my grill and drink wayyyy too much (CRY ME A RIVER PLS).  So dumb in fact that I dug out my final year degree dissertations (yes, plural) in an attempt to remind myself that at one point in my life I was actually quite clever and knew more than just how many litres there are in a box of goon. I’ve got lots of stories, but I feel like my brain is now the size of a pea and day to day life feels like a game of University Challenge which I’m well and truly losing. (I did however manage to blow up an empty goon bag and use it as a pillow while camping so there’s obviously still some entrepreneurial sense left in there). *Cue multiple readers googling 'goon'*

Ya see, it’s easy to lose focus on things you actually give a shit about when that sassy controlling thing we call life takes over. That bitch needs to be whipped into action otherwise she’s gon’ walk all over you. In this instance, life got in the way of my writing which is of course a very trivial example and I wouldn’t change the past 7 months for anything, but ask yourself this: has life got you wrapped round it’s lil finger or are you doing what you want to do? 

Writing is my example, but what about you? Do you want to go back to University to study? Or change your career path? Or maybe you want to drop everything, grow dreadlocks and become a camper van bum? No? Just me then. Or maybe you don’t want to change anything at all, in which case, FANTASTIC, YOU GO BOO. 

Of course, it’s a million times easier to accept than to challenge. Because it’s safe. Easier to accept what you’re doing with your life right now than to challenge whether you’re actually fulfilled. And sure, sometimes that’s the right thing. It takes up too much energy to question every single aspect of life, but it sure as hell switches things up when you do ask yourself those questions. After all, the worst kind of person is the one who continuously sits back and complains but doesn't do. Do me a favour and bore someone else pls. If you do decide to shake things up and not let life distract you, it's not going to happen instantly. But if you work hard and set yourself goals then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are at least trying to take life by the reigns and stay in control. Apparently I think I'm a life coach now so that's new. 

In all seriousness, I’m hoping this post gives me a kick up the bum to write more and I also hope that it encourages you to challenge the cards you’ve been dealt and not let day to day life lead you astray. Some might call me an idealist, and that might be true, but rather smooshy romanticised bullshit than negativity and pessimism. There’s enough of that in the world already. Life is certainly very good at getting in the way and it's easier to wait around for someone to give you what you want on a plate, but here's a news flash for you, it's not going to happen. It’s difficult to have it all when life throws you it’s various curveballs, but we can sure as hell try. And even though life can be a distracting little bitch, remember what it is you want, make it count and make it your bitch.