PinnedMember-onlyNothing breaks your heart like the sound of your mum crying in pain!When cancer becomes her. — My mum’s got cancer. It’s not news. In fact, I barely remember a time when she didn’t. When the idea of her mortality hadn’t even grazed my mind. I was in my mid-twenties, living it up in London. I had run away from a painful break-up and a family…Cancer4 min read
Published in Of Body and Soul·PinnedMember-onlyHeard of the “Hot Girl Walk”? Here’s what it is and why you should do it.At last, a TikTok trend that we, grown-ups, can get behind! First of all, let’s not get stuck on the name “hot girl”. You can be whoever and still benefit from this practice. And I’m not going to pretend that any of this is new either — The Hot Girl…Wellness5 min read
Published in Of Heart and Mind·PinnedSome Stories Are Not Ours To TellShould white people write black characters? I came across a short story on Medium that irked me. Its author, a middle-aged white lady, stared at me from the right-hand side of my screen, as I read it. She had written the tale of a young Caribbean woman, Mai, whose dreams…Society5 min read
Published in Of Body and Soul·Jul 14Member-onlyPhoto Blog: 5 Sober Activities to do in Marseille, France.Who needs booze to have a good time? — I’m not long back from a week in Marseille. It was the opportunity to spend some time with my best friend and discover this much-talked-about city in the south of France. It was also my first official sober holiday, and I can honestly say that I didn’t miss drinking at…Travel7 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Jun 25Member-onlyMen, 5 lessons you need to learn before she walks out of your life forever.It's never too late to make positive changes. — So, you're in a relationship — You've found another human being you want to spend time with. And you've managed to trick her into believing that you are different from the rest of them. Kudos. But now the long game begins, and the odds are stacked against you. Because chances…Love And Relationships9 min read
Published in Of Heart and Mind·Jun 10Member-onlyMen?! Reflections on the place of Intersectional Feminism in Heterosexual Relationships.At the ripe young age of 41, I have accumulated more questions than answers about relationships between men and women. And, as I grow more fully into myself and my feminism, I am starting to feel at odds with my heterosexuality. Sure, I fancy men (well, some of them at…Dating And Relationships9 min read
Published in Of Body and Soul·Jun 6Member-only3 Ways to Get Rid of a Side Stitch When RunningWhether you are a seasoned runner or a newbie, you’ll have most probably experienced side stitches. They can be mild, but they can also hurt like hell and stop you in your tracks. The cause of side stitches remains unknown, but they occur during prolonged physical activity and are…Running Tips3 min read
May 28Member-only5 Audiobooks to get you From Sober-curious to Actively SoberWhen I started to wonder if I had a drinking problem ( a sure sign that I did), I discovered the wonderful world of “quit lit”! Here are the 5 audiobooks that helped me make the shift into sobriety. 1.Audiobooks5 min read
May 255 Lessons Learned in 100 Days of SobrietyI put down the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc 100 days ago, and sought to experience life alcohol-free (AF). Here’s what I’ve learned in the last three months and a bit: 1. It’s all about the mulla! The global alcohol industry is set to reach a value of $1,684 billion by 2025. Given the importance of this…Sobriety6 min read
May 2220 Things I Don’t Miss Since Quitting the BoozeI recently found out that it is common to miss an addictive substance or practice that you have previously quit, when tackling another one. This would explain why smoking has started to appeal to me again, after 5 happy smoke-free years. …Alcohol2 min read