Tag: London Life

Where have you been?!

I swear if one more person asked me that at the gym the other night I may have actually successfully taken them down – I ONLY TOOK ONE WEEK OFF GUYS! But ok, I have had to ditch the two-classes-per-week goal of late thanks to a sore knee and back. One class a week is still better than none, right? It just means that no one really seems to remember you still train. 😀

I am happy to report that while the BJJ training has been lacking, other aspects of London life have been full-on in mostly fantastic ways.. I’m starting a new job soon – just after Easter in fact and I am looking forward to it so, so much.  My new dream career took a bit longer to manifest in this city than I anticipated and while I have had a blast in the random occupations I have found myself in, I am definitely ready to feel back on track and placing my feet firmly on the rungs of what I feel is now the right career ladder for me.

Before the new job kicks in though I will be making a pretty special Easter trip over to Malta. Special not for the time of year, (although I will no doubt be attending multiple church services..) but because my beloved Nanna will be there, having come all the way over from Australia for what is likely to be her last visit to her home country. It has been 18 months since I last saw her so I can’t wait to give her a big hug and soak up all the family time, along with lots of sun. (*Update, apparently I’m deluded thinking there will be sun in Malta over Easter. Sooooo I suppose I pack a weatherproof jacket instead of swimmers. *sigh*)

There has also been a pretty amazing guy in my life over the past few months and I am enjoying that relationship immensely. After spending the majority of my late twenties single and dating prolifically, it’s such a joy to click with someone and be as wrapped up in them as they seem to be in you.

And he trains so, you know – bonus points!

With Nanna and Nannu at my 'leaving for London' party... golly back in 2013, how did THAT happen?!
With Nanna and Nannu at my ‘leaving for London’ party… golly back in 2013, how did THAT happen?!

London Learning

The longer I spend here in London, the more I realise how naive I was when I first started plotting my big life upheaval.

Everything will be bliss in the UK was my thought – especially BJJ. Freed from the increasingly emotional pressure I was feeling in my job, I’d have more time to focus on training, improving and really enjoying everything jiu jitsu has to offer.

In reality, mostly the opposite is true – while I have no regrets about leaving my radio career the transition into a new one in PR has been much tougher than anticipated. 

Working longer hours for less £ leaves precious little time to make classes. Factor in the extra travel time being so reliant on the tube, and I count myself lucky if I make it in to the gym twice a week!

Still plugging away on the career front, my thought for the past six months has been “work goal first, THEN you’ll be able to really focus on training!”

But a heart to heart with a teammate last night has made me realise there is no leaving it for later in this city – you just HAVE to make it work, and now .. because London life will ALWAYS be getting in the way.

I am about to begin quite a challenging work month, but one essential for my new career – and it’s going to leave me with even less free time if that’s even possible..

Dogged determination will get me through though. That and supermarket £3 meal deals.