I have been a little quieter than usual on here and it’s not just because of the day job or the never-ending house renovations. The truth is, life threw me a bit of a curveball this year in the form of a bit of a health scare. I have been dealing with some health issues that forced me to stop, reflect and rethink the way I have been living. It is amazing how quickly your priorities shift when your body tells you it has had enough. I wanted to share a few of those lessons with you because if you have ever felt like you are running on empty you are not alone.
After yers of renting, we bought our first house in 2016 and sold it during the pandemic in 2020! It was such a crazy time. We purchased our renovation project and our current house in 2021 and after nearly 4 years of renovating by ourselves, it has definitely taken its toll on us. Renovations can be exciting but they are also really hard work, they take a long time to complete and are super stressful.
Shaun and I both work full time and have been renovating the house in our spare time. We’ve spent nearly all weekends, bank holidays and evenings working away on the house and it’s definitely had an impact on our lives.
Our bodies have been exposed to a lot during the last few years – mould, damp, cold, paint, a lot of dust, all the nasties coming out of the house. Working long hours on the house also meant we lived in constant state of being burnt out, stressed and living on takeaways and quick unhealthy meals..
I realised that the way I was living was also having a real impact on my health. A couple of years ago, I went to my GP with some concerns, which led to urgent scans, blood tests and eventually a referral to a specialist on the island. After nearly a year of appointments, tests, and MRIs, I was told I would need surgery. It wasn’t easy to hear, but after letting the emotions settle, I made a choice if I wanted to enjoy the life we were building, I needed to start putting my health first. I couldn’t avoid surgery, but I could make sure I was stronger and better prepared. That’s when things shifted, what once felt important suddenly wasn’t. My health became the priority and the house could wait. We also booked a holiday, 2 weeks away relaxing – something we haven’t done for years!
More waiting time to see the specialist in the UK to discuss my options and eventually I was scheduled to have specialist surgery in the UK in April 2025. After 4 days in hospital I travelled back home to recover.
It is now June and I am still in my recovery period after surgery. Although there is still a long way to go, I feel so much better already.
Here are 10 things I have taken away from this experience.
10 Things I learn from my health scare:
- Your health is the most important thing. No amount of productivity, renovation progress, or content creation worth sacrificing my health for. I’ve learned to ask: “Is this worth the stress?”
- Rest is necessary and it is not being lazy. I’ve learned to truly rest not just sleep, but unplug, slow down and allow my body to reset. Proper rest has become a non-negotiable part of healing.
- Taking time off is powerful. Time off used to feel like falling behind. Now, I see it as reconnecting with myself, my body and what actually matters.
- Balancing life, work and reno. Managing a full-time job, a home renovation and recovering taught me that pace over pressure is key. Not everything has to be done this week.
- Becoming label-savvy. I’ve started reading skincare, food and even cleaning product labels. Learning what I’m actually putting on and in my body has been eye-opening. Expect to see more on this topic!
- Simplicity is sacred. Slowing down has brought so much clarity. I am working on decluttering my routines, my calendar and my expectations.
- It’s OK to ask for help. Letting others support me was humbling and healing. You don’t have to carry it all.
- Less hustle, more healing. I’m building a life that doesn’t need escaping from. Slower mornings. More intention. Less rush. It’s easier said that done but I am definitely learning.
- Boundaries around stress. I am no longer available for everything. Saying no is saying yes to my wellbeing. I now protect my peace with the same care I protect my home.
- Quality time with loved ones above everything else. This experience reminded me that presence is the most precious gift. More time with family. More laughter. Less rushing.
Life gets noisy – between work, renovations, family and social expectations, it is easy to lose ourselves in the chaos. We all know we should slow down, rest more and take better care of ourselves, but knowing and doing are two very different things. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it does begin with one small step. Simply acknowledging that something needs to shift is powerful. It’s the first move towards living a life that feels more aligned, more peaceful and truly worth waking up to.
Are you guilty of any of these ? Do you have anything else to add to the list?
So true couldn’t agree more sorry to hear about your surgery but I’m so happy to hear you are better now take care I follow you on Instagram and was wondering where you’ve been
Must say, this one hit deep :
“8. Less hustle, more healing. I’m building a life that doesn’t need escaping from. Slower mornings. More intention. Less rush. It’s easier said that done but I am definitely learning.”
wishing you speedy recovery.