It’s difficult to avoid the topic, but this March for me and for most, has been an absolute wreck. I’ve been feeling quite low overall this month. It feels like everything is getting worse rather than better ☹️
With that said, for this post I’m going to try and shift my focus to what’s gone well. Because in the mist of all this, there have been some positives!
Main Highlights
Personal
- 💼 We’ve upgraded our home office in the flat. I now have a standing desk which I bought from Autonomous.
- 👗 I spent a lot of time this month decluttering, organising and doing a deep clean of our flat. Therapeutic!
- 👚 Georgie inspired me to get out of my PJs and get dressed for work even though I’m WFH. This has helped me a lot ✨
- 🙏 Overall just super grateful for what I have
- 🎟 Before everything went on a partial lockdown, Matt and I watched Onward at the cinemas and it did not disappoint.
Career
- 💜 At the start of the month, I was invited to be part of the International Women’s Day celebrations at BT in London! It was great to be part of the discussion around why we still need an IWD in 2020.
- 👩🏻💻 I’ve started my new rotation of my graduate scheme which happens to also be the final one! I learned a lot from my previous rotation, and I hope to continue growing my knowledge and skills in this new team. You can read about my past 18 months here.
- ☁️ I took my AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam earlier this month and failed 😟 I later found out that I got 70% (pass mark was 72% 😂) – this made me feel a bit better about failing. I know more than I think!
Health
- 🏋🏼♂️We’ve always had a good home gym set-up, but I’m happy that I’ve started to use it a lot more.
- 🙉 To add to the home gym set-up, we’ve installed a pull-up bar which has been fun to swing around on.
- ✨I’ve been working out at home and enjoying it! It’s been a bit different which is always great.
- 🍏I’m happy that I’ve been eating relatively well too 😊
I’m still going to get my pull up practice in. 💪🏼
— Pauline is at home 🏰 (@paulienuh) March 19, 2020
We installed this pull up bar yesterday and now it’s all I’ve been doing 😂 Hopefully I get my strength back and will be able to do my 8 pull ups again!
3 weak ones I’m fine with for now 😁 #pawgainz pic.twitter.com/5bowfTACXu
Online
- ⚡️ For Inspiring Figures this month, I spoke to Ella Botting who inspired me with her honesty around social media, setting boundaries, well-being and being a freelancer.
- 🩸 I wrote about Periods. I’m really proud of myself because this has been something I’ve been wanting to write and publish for ages, but never had the courage to.
3 Things that made me happy
For this month, I’m going to talk about one thing that really encompasses a lot of things I’m happy and grateful for…
How incredibly fortunate I am!
The coronavirus pandemic has truly made me realise how lucky I am.
I have a roof over my head, access to food, water, internet, a brilliant healthcare system if I need it and family and friends supporting me when I’m not at my best self. I also work in an industry where working remotely. The biggest challenge with work? Being able to adjust to the new way of working. But heck, I still have a job that I love and can do wherever.
There are others who aren’t so lucky, or fortunate to be in the same position like people who don’t have that work from home option or those with jobs that are keeping our society together. Compared… I’m so incredibly lucky and I’m so grateful. 🙏
Thank you to everyone in the NHS for all the hard work, they are literally holding our whole nation together right now. 👏🏼
— Pauline is at home 🏰 (@paulienuh) March 26, 2020
Especially proud of and grateful for my mum and my sister who put in the work everyday to help fight this virus 🙏🏻#clapforNHS #keyworkers
I’ve been wanting to help support others who aren’t as fortunate as me, but it’s such a confusing time where I don’t necessarily know how to help without putting others at risk. For now, I’m socially distancing, staying the f*** home and supporting my friends and family in any way that I can.
March Favourites
- Films I loved: Onward was a highlight for me this month, but I also finally watched Grease Live which for a musical-lover was fantastic!
- Shows I loved: Brooklyn 99 for always getting me through uncertainty.
- Books I loved: The Coach’s Casebook: Mastering the Twelve Traits That Trap Us by Geoff Watts, Kim Morgan – this was recommended to me by a colleague, a great book for some self-development gold.
- Services I loved: Disney+ came out in the UK this month, perfect timing to help us all get through our current situation.
- Other stuff: My new standing desk by Autonomous and overall set-up, using my home gym equipment more now that gyms have shut, my new Vaultskin phone case (more details in a blog post to follow!) and my new cordless hoover (changed my life!)
Quote of the month
Next month
- 🤞🏻Hopefully this calms down soon and that we get some good news
- 🎙 There have been lots of cancellations of events but I’m still going to do my talk with WiTNotts, remotely! You can tune in ✨ Details can be found here.
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