Revisiting This Life, 30 Years On

Posted on March 22, 2026 by suzie81speaks

It’s the 30th anniversary of British TV show This Life, and the BBC has put both series and the 10 year reunion back on iPlayer. Even though I’ve had the DVD box set for years without ever watching it, I’ve recently started streaming the entire series while I work.

What started as background viewing quickly turned into something much more reflective.

Back then I was a teenager, and at the time it felt like a glimpse into a life that seemed exciting and slightly out of reach – young professionals (most of them lawyers) house sharing in London, navigating careers, relationships and everything in between. I desperately wanted to have that sort of lifestyle, being independent and fully in control of my own choices, while living in a city that felt full of possibility. It represented freedom more than anything else, building a life on your own terms and being surrounded by people who were all figuring it out with you. At that age, it wasn’t the complications or the instability that stood out, it was the sense of momentum of something always happening and the exciting feeling that life was just getting started.

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Finding Your Why (Even If You Hate the Phrase)

Posted on March 21, 2026 by suzie81speaks

I’ve never been fond of business-style buzzwords and phrases – particularly ones that get thrown around in meetings and on LinkedIn posts until they lose all meaning. They often feel incredibly hollow and are used to make something or someone sound important, rather than actually say something insightful.

However, (as much as I hate to admit it), there is one that has always stuck with me: finding your why.

Royalty free image credit: Bessi on Pixabay

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The Mystery of the Key

Posted on March 20, 2026 by suzie81speaks

The other week the letterbox on the front door suddenly went, followed by a small clinking sound as something landed on the tiles in the hallway. When I walked over to look, there was a key lying on the floor.

It was an ordinary-looking key, with nothing attached to it and nothing written on it that might suggest who it belonged to. I opened my door almost immediately to see if whoever had pushed it through was still outside, but the street was completely empty. There was nobody walking away, no neighbour nearby and no sign that anyone had been at the door just moments earlier.

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Spring Has Sprung

Posted on March 19, 2026 by suzie81speaks

Over the last few days the constant rain, wind and grey has been replaced with glorious blue skies. The sun is out, the bluebells are starting to appear, and the birds have decided it is time to make themselves heard again by yelling at each other outside of my window at silly o’clock in the morning.

And it’s made such a difference.

Royalty free image credit: Hans on Pixabay

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Grey Rocking: When the Best Response Is No Response

Posted on March 18, 2026 by suzie81speaks

The other day I was having a conversation with my friend who is becoming increasingly frustrated at work. The difficulty centres around an individual who holds a position of authority and is often wrong, yet approaches every discussion and situation with a strong sense of certainty. They’re extremely opinionated but rarely have the knowledge to support their claims, which means conversations often turn into arguments whenever a different suggestion is raised. When those suggestions from others later prove to be correct, the narrative tends to shift into backtracking and gaslighting rather than any real acknowledgment of the mistake. After listening to her describe the cycle for a while, I mentioned a concept that might help protect her energy in situations like this: grey rocking.

Royalty free image credit: ChiemSeherin on Pixabay

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Living Well Is the Best Revenge

Posted on March 17, 2026 by suzie81speaks

Yesterday’s post about living in limbo got me thinking about how the past can affect how we live in the present.

There is a quote often attributed to the 17th century poet and priest George Herbert: “Living well is the best revenge.” It’s a very simple sentence, but it carries far more truth than it first appears. The older I get, the more it feels like a concept that only fully makes sense after enough time has passed.

For a long time, resentment and anger felt more than justified.

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Living in Limbo: When Life Feels Unstable Even When Things Are Going Well

Posted on March 16, 2026 by suzie81speaks

There are periods in life where everything appears relatively stable on the surface, yet there is still a strong sense of uncertainty underneath it all. It feels like being between stages, where things are moving forward but nothing feels fully settled. I remind myself regularly to stay focused on the present while creating plans and experiences to look forward to, yet despite this, the future still feels unclear in ways that are sometimes difficult to ignore.

Recently, that feeling of being in limbo has become harder to shake.

Royalty free image credit: wal_172619 on Pixabay

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30 Life Lessons I Wish I Learned Earlier

Posted on March 15, 2026 by suzie81speaks

Life has a way of teaching lessons through experience, and many of those lessons only become clear after you’ve spent years trying to figure things out. When you are younger, it is easy to assume that everything will fall into place eventually. Over time, you start to understand that certain ideas, habits, and perspectives would have made life far easier if you had only learned them earlier.

These life lessons aren’t complicated as such, but they can have a lasting impact on how you approach work, relationships, money, and personal growth.

Why life lessons matter

Learning from experience is part of growing up, but reflecting on those experiences can help you make better decisions in the future. Many of the most valuable life lessons are simple ideas that shape how you spend your time, who you surround yourself with, and how you deal with challenges.

Understanding these lessons earlier can save a lot of unnecessary stress and help you focus on what truly matters.

Discover 30 powerful life lessons I wish I had learned earlier, from valuing your time to building better habits, improving relationships, and creating a more balanced life. — Royalty free image credit: cordallman on Pixabay

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The Holiday Bikini Plan

Posted on March 14, 2026 by suzie81speaks

Later this year I have a holiday booked that I arranged a long time ago. It has been sitting in my calendar for months as something to look forward to, and every now and then I remember that it is getting closer. With the dark and gloom of the British weather so far, I immediately feel a bit more positive about the year ahead whenever I think about it.

Alongside the excitement of the trip, I have also set myself a personal goal (and one on the list of my 45 before 45) for when I get there: I would quite like to feel comfortable enough to wear a bikini.

This isn’t a belated “new year, new me” announcement or suddenly becoming a completely different person before getting on the plane. The goal is simply to reach the point where wearing a bikini feels like a normal decision rather than something that requires several layers of strategic beachwear and a nearby towel for emotional support.

Royalty free image credit: stux on Pixabay

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The People We Once Knew

Posted on March 13, 2026 by suzie81speaks

Recently, I was stood on a train platform at silly o’clock in the morning. I absolutely hate the early starts, but getting the first train of the day usually ensures that the carriages aren’t packed and it’s a relatively smooth journey.

While I was standing there, a former colleague walked past me. We had worked together for over a year. During that time we got on perfectly well – we spoke regularly, worked on the same projects and had the sort of everyday interactions that come with sharing a working space.

Naturally, when I saw him I smiled, said his name and said hello.

The reaction I received back was one of complete confusion. It wasn’t a negative “I don’t like you” response – it immediately became clear that he had absolutely no idea who I was. And even when I said my name and who I used to work with, you could tell that there was still no familiarity. He was polite and friendly and made awkward conversation for a little while, but from the questions he was asking it was obvious he was quickly scrambling around for any snippet of information that would jog his memory.