This is it. Today Finding Joy Beyond Childlessness: Inspiring Stories to Guide You to a Fulfilling Life will be downloaded onto Kindles and appear through letterboxes around the world. Today I am officially a published author. It feels surreal, and bonkers! I’m not the same person who started eighteen months ago. Hundreds of hours of writing, many tears, therapy, hours on the yoga mat, and mostly fully embracing the essence of each chapter has changed me fundamentally and in the process I’ve uncovered the authentic Lesley. Sometimes I wonder if it was a dream, well maybe not a dream, but that it happened to someone else and one day I’ll wake up and be back to the old Lesley. Then I see my blue nails; an outer symbol of how much I’ve changed inside, of how different I am now. And I know that the changes will be with me always. This is me now; the Lesley who feels so much, who by letting in grief also let in a lot of joy. The Lesley whose body can do so many things it’s never done before, who has so much in life to be grateful for, and who is now a published author. Doing this work has resulted in many gifts and perhaps the biggest is the wonderful connections I now have to my body and my heart. As I write in the quote below, it feels like coming home. Over the past few weeks I’ve been thinking about why … Read moreIf you can dream it you can do it
Finding joy in unexpected places
When you first read the title of my book Finding Joy Beyond Childlessness: Inspiring Stories to Guide You to a Fulfilling Life, you might have been surprised to see the … Read moreFinding joy in unexpected places
How are you different now?
What you’ve been through in the past few years has changed you and you will have gained some qualities you didn’t know you had. You might not want them, but … Read moreHow are you different now?
Four things I learned when I showed my true colours.
You know when you commit to something, it all seems exciting and then there comes a moment when you wonder what on earth you’ve just done? This happened to me … Read moreFour things I learned when I showed my true colours.
There’s More To Life Than Having Children
What happens when you read the headline? Does your body recoil because you can’t possibly believe they could ever apply to you, or do you believe that one day they … Read moreThere’s More To Life Than Having Children
What keeps you on course
It’s all getting a bit hectic in the Pyne household as my dream of holding my book in my hand comes close to being a reality. One moment I find … Read moreWhat keeps you on course
The secret to finding peace
“Here it comes again, my daily weep. I don’t want to cry again. My chest feels so heavy with that all pervading sadness. I’ve worked SO hard over the last … Read moreThe secret to finding peace
Being infertile feels like crap.
Being infertile feels like crap. I wish I could say it more eloquently, but I really can’t. I felt like a total loser. Now I would never feel that way about … Read moreBeing infertile feels like crap.
Courage or comfort, what’s your choice?
I don’t know about you, but my year has already been a bit of a rollercoaster. In my last blog I wrote how I planned to slow down in January, … Read moreCourage or comfort, what’s your choice?
Why not to start new things in January and what do to instead
If you’re excited by all the enthusiastic emails flooding into your inbox telling you that, now it’s January you MUST set goals or intentions; give up this or start that, … Read moreWhy not to start new things in January and what do to instead
Christmas Survival Guide
It’s that time of year again and you can probably feel the tension and stress building. Maybe the idea of hiding somewhere until January sounds attractive but unfortunately that’s not … Read moreChristmas Survival Guide
Finding joy from grief
When was the last time you felt complete, unadulterated joy? Not sure? Let me guess, you’ve also been running away from grief. As Tracey Cleantis said when I interviewed her … Read moreFinding joy from grief
Feeling misunderstood (guest post by Tessa Broad)
I think one of the hardest things about being childless in a pronatalist society is feeling misunderstood and at times, feeling less than. I’m not sure I realized it at … Read moreFeeling misunderstood (guest post by Tessa Broad)
Feeling my way through grief
You’re walking down the High Street when completely out of the blue something catches your eye and immediately you feel the grip of grief tightening. It’s like a volcano in … Read moreFeeling my way through grief
The power of finding support
This post is my contribution to WorldChildlessWeek, here are my thoughts on finding support. Let me guess, you’re struggling to come to terms with not being a mother. You’ve found … Read moreThe power of finding support
What’s made you who you are today?
Here’s a question for you. What events in your life have made you who you are today? And whilst you’re thinking, here’s some help; Take blank sheet of paper; draw … Read moreWhat’s made you who you are today?
