What a difference 8 years makes ...

What a difference 8 years make, so many magical hours, so much change and I feel so lucky to lead the life that I do.

8 years ago, today (2nd June 2025), was my last day at work in the corporate world, every year I spend this week celebrating. Celebrating taking the bold life leap, and leaving a secure job to go self employed, celebrating on 4th June 2025 8 years of being self employed. And then the 7th June is my birthday.

I'd love to go back and tell that Haulwen that everything works out, as I know she was feeling excited and terrified at the prospect of being self employed. But it did all work out, but not quite as I had expected.

So what exactly would I tell her:

• I'd tell her not to jump into consultancy roles out of panic, but instead take 3-6 months off just to heal.

• I'd tell her to declutter her home, do some gardening, do some reading, do some writing, but most of all to not rush.

• I'd tell her to start walking daily, exploring the local area.

• I'd tell her to go on some mini adventures just for her, just for her soul.

• I'd tell her to believe and trust in her own abilities.

• I'd tell her to still do the Myers Briggs course, the facilitation course and the NLP courses because she would love them.

• I'd tell her to not believe the coaches who told her that her ideas about doing a membership to help people with overwhelm and fatigue, were a bad idea. To ignore them and go with what she believed.

• I'd tell her to be wary of promises from people - I made a lot of mistakes where I didn't get paid for hours of work that I did.

• I'd tell her to give less away for free. I soon found that when you give stuff for free people do not value the time and effort you put into it and can be down right nasty when you don't then give everything away for free. ( I also found this in my voluntary work as well)

• I'd tell her to listen more to her inner wise woman about health, wealth and happiness.

• I'd remind her she has all the answers within.

• I'd encourage her to focus more on her writing.

• I'd encourage her to give more to what she loves and less to what she thinks she "should do"

• I'd probably encourage her to take bigger leaps.

• but most of all, I'd say whatever happens you still end up where you are today. Self employed for 8 years, happy, comfortable and grateful.

The things i really didn't expect to happen in these 8 years;

• That I'd write a book on personality tests.

• That I'd be an ambassador for Psychologies magazine.

• That I'd chair a voluntary organisation.

• That I'd predominately work in packaging consultancy.

• That I'd make friends with so many wonderful entrepreneurs and authors across the world.

• That I'd gain two fabulous cats in my life.

• That I'd become a fan of cricket and go and watch a local team in the summer. (It's incredibly relaxing).

• That I'd go on holiday with my cats!

• That my husband would almost die, but we'd get through it and come out stronger.

• That my stepson would move away and marry the love of his life.

• That I'd have a wonderful literary agent.

• That I'd be writing a second book, with a Welsh theme.

These dates and anniversaries make me pause, and remind myself of what I am truly grateful for and how far I have come. So what do I wish for in the next 12 months:

• To get a publishing deal for my new book about how to replenish in exhausting times.

• To release my podcast, which I have started recording.

• To have financial freedom.

• To own my own home.

• To start writing fiction books again.

• To get lots of wonderful new members in my membership and make it sustainable for the future.

• To declutter my home.

• To start going on my Wendy and the witch mini adventures to reconnect with my soul.

• To rest more.

• To have lots of fun.

• To garden, read, cook and enjoy the magic and wonder of life.

So as I celebrate, I'd like you to think about important anniversaries in your life that you could celebrate. It could be something like a birthday, or even something small like the date you changed something in your life.

It's always good to reflect and be really grateful of the things in life that have got you here today. it's also ok to mourn your old self.

I mourn the healthy me that could climb mountains, I mourn the me that could go out for a social engagements and not have to rest for a week afterwards. I mourn some of the opportunities I sometimes feel I have missed, but in hindsight remind myself I am here today because of this.

So this month of June, as we head into the warm heady days of summer, pause, rest when you need and reflect on how far you have come.

Sunshine Wishes

Haulwen x