2021

TikTok & Reels- Crypto-Contouring-Ab Thrusting

So I’m notoriously late to the party when it comes to Social Media. I actually remember swearing I wouldn’t download TikTok…May 2021 saw that promise broken.

What I’ve found most interesting is the content that I see on both Insta Reels and TikTok because they may as well be identical. I also get that the more I watch of something the more similar reels they feed me, but I am seriously stuck in a reel hole I cannot get out of. My content currently consists of Cryptocurrency, Contouring, and weird dancing/ab exercises done by an Asian Dance teacher…

Firstly: Cryptocurrency- Yes I want to find a magical way to earn millions of dollars and be financially free to not have to go back to work. However, these reels can’t be legit! I honestly can’t get though 10 reels without someone telling me to buy some unknown names Crypto with promise of fortunes. Just stop! It’s depressing enough that I have to go back to work. I don’t know how to invest, and I certainly don’t have any spare money to waste risking on Crypto currencies.

Secondly: Conturing- There’s only so many videos of ladies dotting their faces with multiple different colours then magically blending them all together you can watch. I will say though, form the ones I did watch I discovered I’ve been putting my blush AND concealer in the wrong places and should be posted back to the early 2000’s.

Lastly: Weird dancing/ab thrusting exercises- I can’t help but think that Insta reels and TikTok have been listening to me saying I want to lose weight, and I know I watched a few to many of these reels when I first saw them because WTF. But seriously, I’m not coordinated to do any of that, and where on earth did they find so many videos of this lady instructing others to move their pelvises like a revolving door.

Thankyou Insta reels & TikTok, I have had enough of that content for a lifetime, please send me something else ASAP or I will certainly be uninstalling you,

Sincerely

The Breakdown with Mumma Z

Reimagining Lockdown

Today with very little notice Perth W.A was sent into a 5 day lockdown. I watched as my Facebook feed filled with negative reactions, cursing and memes. School was due to start back tomorrow and parents who were looking forward to seeing their little darlings back into the care of the teachers found themselves with them full time for another 5 days. There were questions about child care’s being open, masks and essential workers. The headlines quickly reported mass mania at the supermarkets and in a flash it was dejavu to 2020.

One of my more spiritual friends put the whole thing down to a “Mercury Retrograde”. Apparently a few times a year the planet Mercury appears to move backwards in the sky. Astrologers claim this causes humans to experience confusion, delay, coincidences and frustration…..5 day lockdown???

But I’ve chosen a slightly different fate. I’ve been gifted five beautiful days to rethink my plans and slowdown. No I won’t be carting the kids around to swimming, gym, optometrist appointments, coffee catchups and play dates. There will be no beach going, playgrounds, or food shopping. I will be stuck at my parents house (if you’ve bene following my blog we sold our house without having found a new one yet) with my two kids under 3.

The funny thing is I was only thinking a few hours ago about how busy the week was. How many incidental things I have had to buy and how I wanted to save more money. How sometimes I just wish I could have a day where I don’t need to go anywhere.

Then bang…a 5 day lockdown.

Did you know 5 days is 120 hours. How many times in our lives are we gifted time?

We recently lost someone in my family, as we all know its in these moments that we don’t wish for money, holidays, or career progress we just with for time with our loved ones.

So the next 5 days I am going to embrace the gifts of 120 hours by doing things I love to do at home with my greatest loves.

Music: Each day I’m going to pick an artist and just listen to them for the day. I just love the thought of my boys listening to the musical voices I love whilst creating beautiful memories at home. I’m thinking really classic voices- Billy Joel, Elton Joh, Freddie Mercury, Frank Valli

Spiritual Recharge: I’m going to recharge my spirit by taking some time to myself playing the piano, reading a book or taking a bubble bath.

Cooking/Baking: I’m going to bake and cook dinners with my mum and sons. Recreating some of the things she used to make me when I was little and take lots of pictures of the mess and laughter as we do it.

Technology Disconnect: I’m going to have a day free from internet, phone, laptop and TV. I’m going to fill it with playing in the garden, painting, piano and books. I don’t want the distraction of other peoples I just want to spend a day with my little family enjoying the days I’ll never get back.

Slow Down: I’m going to practise slowing down. If that means breakfast is 15 minutes late and nap time is delayed so be it. I spend all my days racing around like a headless chook. I’m on maternity leave, I don’t need to be racing. Without the appointments and lessons there is no where we need to be, so I’m going to breath and give myself permission to slow the pace down.

I’m hoping on the other side I’ll see a healthier bank account, healthy stress level and hundred of happy snaps from a well spent week. Take care all of you out there, see you on the other side

Mumma Z xxx

Risk Taking

This year we took a risk. We sold our house without having bought a new one. We packed up all our belongings and stored them at families and friends and moved in with my parents with our 2.5 year old and 6 months old. All the while living with the unknown, how long would we be without a home of our own?

It got me thinking about risks though…

How and when do we take them?

Do all people that take risks really fail?

Do I pick the safe option over the risky option in my life?

Do we take less risks once we become parents?

Property

When we considered moving we looked at the risks vs the benefits. I wanted somewhere that would reduce my commute and make us closer to my family. The risk is that we would lose money on our property and be without a house for a while. The benefit would be living in our dream area in which our property would increase in value far beyond where we were. We took the leap and actually made a small amount of money on our house after realestate fees. But we are without our own house and that’s scary. We don’t know if we’ll be living with my parents for a month or a year. But when the right property comes up we’ll be ready to buy and our offer will be strong.

Superannuation

We recently reviewed our superannuation and insurances. The biggest questions is whether to keep the money in the superannuation company we always have or move to a lesser known one that invests more in big Australian shares and reviews our investments yearly to personalise them. How will we ever know which one would do better. We don’t have a mirror ball that allows us to see into the future. Instead we weigh up there risks and benefits. I guess if the new superannuation company has good reviews and is run by legitimate investment managers then the effort of trying to secure a larger retirement amount is a positive and worth the risk? Who knows..

Career

I work as a teacher. It’s what some may call a safe profession. But its a stressful one, in which you can only be promoted so high. The money isn’t great but the holidays are- if you aren’t working them making and prepping. I could train as something else but its very hard to match what I’m earning now straight away, it could be year before I make that kind of money again and no other career is going to offer me 12 weeks holiday and weekend off. However I might make a lot more money and one day be my own boss in which I could pick my hours. It’s a very difficult decision to make. A benefit could be reduced stress and the possibility of work independence. But in the short term the risk is high. One would suppose if the new career venture did go belly up I could fall back on teaching. Could I live with the regret of never giving something new a go? As I’m writing this I’ve almost convinced myself to try the new venture….

What are the risks you’re thinking of taking?

Are they relationship risks? financial risks?

How did you decide whether to take the risk or not?

Have you taken a risk and failed? tell me about it!

Mumma Z xxx

A New Year does not change who you are

As we approach 2021 there seems to be an alarming resolve that next year is going to be magically better than its predecessor 2020. Now 2020 was an exception for many of us, a year of unexpected, unimaginable events that brought fear, isolation and sadness to our community. But unfortunately we must be realistic in what we believe is going to change in the next 3 days when we welcome in the new year. Moving away from just Covid now we need to acknowledge that any change takes time.

One of the most common New Years resolutions is weight-loss. People jump on the bandwagon of diet and exercise programs, gym memberships and protein shakes in the hope that they will see a physical change in their body. If they stick to it long enough they just may reach their physical goal but what hasn’t changed is themselves. They are still the same person they were before, and although they may now have healthier lifestyles, and more self control its more than likely that the weightless has not brought them the happiness that they desired it would.

We must unmask the myth that a new year will improve how we feel about ourselves and improve our feelings of self worth. These things are not determined by a calendar date and although it can be healthy to reflect on self and set goals for improvement, it can be just as healthy to acknowledge that we, as we are, are enough.

After the challenges of the year just gone, maybe this year we can resolve to just be. To give ourselves the gifts of not changing anything, and just loving ourselves as we are. To not add unnecessary pressure to our already hectic plates. To not post on social media goals that we may not be able to keep. Maybe even to reduce our life load a little and remove an activity or event that is not bringing us joy.

Maybe as mums we can look at ways to outsource the help we need every once in while be it a cleaner, pre-cooked meals or an ironing service. Maybe we book the kids into daycare one extra morning a week so that we can go for that coffee, or massage. Or maybe its a babysitter in the evening so we can enjoy a movie and dinner with our partners child free. Whatever it is let us recognise that these things can be done at any time and we need not weight until January 1st every year to bring them to fruition.

Wishing you all a very happy 2021

Mumma Z xxx