Hello,
I’m so bloomin’ pleased to welcome you to the first post of M.Other (working title, though I do quite like it - any thoughts?) and am excited to embark upon this journey of exploration, reflection, and connection with you. The best part for me, these pieces of writing are just for us - and not to serve the tiny tyrants (by which, I am referring to small, inquisitive children), though if by default your parenting abilities are improved by allowing yourself to escape here for a while then that’s pretty fine with me too. A quiet, cosy little space for you and me, if you will.
A little bit about myself: I’m Lou, I live in South London and I’m 37. I have two boys aged 4 and 2, and as well as having a degree in Psychology, I’ve founded two businesses - a wool shop, The Knit Club est. 2011-16, and a sustainable cashmere label called Lou Dungate that, at the its height of success, was stocked at Selfridges amongst other stores (more on this later) but now ticks along.
Over the years since becoming a parent, I’ve found myself on the most profound journey of self-discovery which has prompted a deep dive into the exploration of identity shifts, career changes and general well-being. Motherhood has knocked me for six at times, I’ve had to change and adapt in ways I could never have foreseen whilst still clinging on to who I was and delving into who I am and can become. The past five years has seen me consume countless books, articles and podcasts about motherhood, parenting and self-help. I began working with Emma, my therapist after my second child was born, and attended a workshop for anxiety through my local NHS trust.
So why start this newsletter? Well, we know that the transition into parenthood brings about mad changes in our lives, not only in terms of our roles and responsibilities, but in our sense of self - so I want to hold a space for recognising who we were, working out who we are now and how we can be happier and more successful in our normal, day to day lives. Let’s celebrate the highs, the lows and the truths. Let’s share stories, insights and reflections. Let’s revel in the chaos but harness back the control. From navigating new jobs and schedules to preserving personal passions (I’m getting into gardening), from maintaining and forging relationships to nurturing personal growth, once a week, we’ll chat about it all.
What sort of things can you expect from me? Bear with me whilst I see what works but I have outlined four topics. I’ll cover one a week, posting each Tuesday at 7am so you can read over coffee/on your commute/at lunch/in bed or wherever you can. I’ll also be aiming to drop these posts into audio so you can listen to them as podcasts on the move if you prefer.
First Week - Me After You. General musings, personal anecdotes and stories about identity shifts, balancing roles and ideas for maintaining a sense of self. How do we do stuff now?
Second Week - The TLC Edit. Self-care, relationships and wellbeing. Finding ways to manage stress, find time for yourself and create meaningful connections to ourselves and others.
Third Week - But, What Do You Do? Let’s talk about careers and creativity when you have kids, what do these things look like and what do they really mean?
Fourth Week - This Too Shall Pass. A roundup of the month, highlights and a preview of what’s to come.
Phew! Please do join me on this journey by subscribing, and find time for ourselves amidst all the other commitments that life likes to throw at us, hopefully it will be worth it. And feel free to drop a hello in the comments, I’d love to know about you and where you’re reading from.
And finally, thank you for being here.
Lou x
Looking forward to this, you are a fantastic writer. Good luck and can’t wait to read what is ahead.