What Sophie Said

There's one theme or phrase which has come up in so many conversations over the past week or so: JUST START. The conversations have all had different themes and the phrase was being applied to different things, but the idea of starting has appeared over and over again. I've always been a strange mixture of very organised and a master procrastinator, which is a state quite a lot of people find themselves in. I think I always had the subconscious idea that if I didn't start something, I couldn't struggle or fail, so it was probably best not to start. Recently, I've realised that starting things makes me feel so much better. Instead of just adding thing after thing to my list, I've been trying to start straight away. Whether that's sending a message, opening up the word document or properly reading a brief and jotting down my initial ideas, it's been a game-changer. When you just keep adding to your mental to-do list, it's s...

Something we've been talking about over this weekend and the last couple of weeks is that elusive concept, 'balance'. More specifically, striking a balance between pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and cutting yourself a bit of slack. I've made huge changes to my lifestyle, slowly over the last year and then dramatically over the past few months.  My days are busier than they have been for a long time, my social life is the busiest it has been in years and I'm spreading myself out over more commitments and responsibilities. This in itself is amazing. I'm enjoying life again, I'm doing new things and meeting new people and I'm proving to myself I'm capable of doing things that for a long time my anxiety told me I could not. However, there are limits. I'm not yet completely used to my new, full, happy lifestyle, and some days it's a little too much. Sometimes, I get a bit overwhelmed. Sometimes, I n...

I made myself a promise that I'd catch up  with these posts - that is, I've read far more than I've included on here in recent months and I want to make sure I'm not missing anything out. So, without further ado, here's my thoughts on four more books I've devoured recently. Sweet Caress, William Boyd Set over a period of about 70 years, beginning in the early 1900s, this book follows the life of photographer Amory Clay. From photographing socialites to spending World War Two as one of the first female war photographers, Clay's life offers a sweeping view of twentieth century Europe and America. This book blurs the boundaries between biography and fiction; you totally believe Clay is real and she's painted with such depth and detail. The inclusion of photographs throughout enriches the narrative further still. It's an impressive read and nice to have such a strong female protagonist. Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert This book is just...

It genuinely feels like I wrote my 1st November blog post a week ago. But here we are, moving into 'the most wonderful time of the year'. I'm so excited. I've always loved Christmas and the whole festive period. We're decorating the tree and the flat tonight, and there's plenty of Christmassy activities and gatherings already in the diary. This time of year often seems to go so quickly and get pretty hectic so I want to make sure I take the time to breathe and actually enjoy it. It's the final month of what has been a huge, huge year and I want to soak up and enjoy every second of it. Tomorrow holds an extended rehearsal for a Christmas show followed by a night away, and from then on it's an action-packed month. I'm looking forward to feeling festive and spending lots of time with family and friends. I also need to explore the Chester Christmas markets - I've passed through a couple of times so far but always on my way somewher...