Amongst the myriad exhortations to move on from Christmas like you haven’t just survived the toughest day in the childless calendar, and throw yourself into the coming new year with gusto, we often ride roughshod over some of the less glamourous feelings that arise at this time of year. Feelings of loss, sadness, grief, wistfulness, regret and confusion which are so much a part of every life, and so often close to the surface for those of us living the life unexpected.
If this resonates with you, I thought you might find this recording of my Reflect & Renew webinar which I hosted 3 years ago during ‘twixams’ (the week between Christmas and New Year exploring the feelings that come up at this ‘in-between’ liminal moment in the year, and how to cope with them.
There are also questions from viewers on coping with difficult questions, navigating female friendships, self-care, grief work, ageing as a childless woman, childlessness in the workplace and more! I mention a lot of resources and I’ve listed them all at the end of the video and below.
Please sign up to my mailing list to know when we’ll be hosting our next free Gateway Women Masterclass and you can also download the introduction & first chapter of the new (2020) edition of my book, ‘Living the Life Unexpected’ here. I mention quite a few different sections from my book in this webinar and how they can be used to help understand or shift certain aspects of our experience as childless women. I know it can be daunting to read it, but why not just dip into the various bits I mention? You would also be welcome to join the live reading group for my book, hosted within the Childless Collective Community on MightyNetworks.
My wish for you this week is that the space created by letting go fills up with self-care, self-compassion and other lovely nourishing things.
Hugs,
Resources mentioned in this webinar:
- Gateway Women website: www.gateway-women.com
- My book “Living the Life Unexpected: 12 Weeks to Your Plan B for a Meaningful & Fulfilling Future Without Children” by Jody Day www.gateway-women.com/book Reading group for my book hosted in the GW Membership Community here
- Poem: ‘Starlings in Winter’ by childless poet Mary Oliver in (2003): Owls, And Other Fantasies: Poems and Essays
- An enlightening book of essays about being childfree by choice which busted my preconceptions about the childfree choice being an ‘easy one’: ‘Selfish, Shallow & Self Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids’, edited by Megan Daum.
- An excellent book about self-care by another childless psychotherapist, Tracey Cleantis: ‘An Invitation to Self Care’.
- My TEDx talk ‘The Lost Tribe of Childless Women’ by Jody Day www.bit.ly/jodytedtalk
- Megan Devine’s book about grief (for those in grief and those supporting someone who is grieving) ‘It’s OK that You’re Not OK’ and also a short animated clip on how to support a grieving friend at www.refugeingrief.com
- Ageing Without Children www.awwoc.org the UK organisation advocating, campaigning and supporting those ageing without children, for whatever reason. You might also like to explore my new ‘Gateway Elderwomen‘ project here.
- Childlessness in the workplace article on the Gateway Women website: www.gateway-women.com/workplace
- Meet other childless women through the Childless Collective ‘Gatherings’ – a free member-only global network of free, local social groups organised via the Childldss Collective online community. www.gateway-women.com/community
- Watch some of my many podcast interviews and our recorded video Gateway Women Masterclasses.
- Sign up to the GW mailing list to learn about future webinars & download a free chapter of my book: https://bit.ly/jody-list
What's your experience?