Issue #20 - This is what matters

Our move from Dubai back to the UK is now so close that I’ve gone a bit reflective …. and a lot scared. SEND HELP! ♡

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Hello lovely people,

What is 2024 looking like for you so far? This is the year that we move from Dubai back to the UK and it’s now so close that I’ve gone a bit reflective …. and a lot scared. SEND HELP!

We will have lived here for 17 years when we leave next summer. Hella had just celebrated her first birthday when we arrived; Joe was a skinny, nervous 7-year-old and Finn was a 5-year-old whirlwind of excited energy and enthusiasm. It was such an adventure and was, without doubt, a great decision but as I stood in my local supermarket last weekend, I experienced a sense of panic and a tsunami of feelings about all the things that I will miss about our life here.

If the store hadn’t been beautifully, festively decorated and the man working at the fish counter hadn’t been so helpful and guided me to the perfect selection of fish and seafood (that wouldn’t also bankrupt me) for my New Year’s Eve paella, I may have swanned through the whole experience untouched. But as it was, I became consumed by all that I love about this city that I call home and, critically, my dread around doing this big move alone and not as part of a team. I am resourceful and organised - I know this to be true, but without a partner in crime, the adventure tips into being a treacherous journey into the unknown and I can feel so exposed that I might as well be running naked through those supermarket aisles!

And breathe.

And breathe a bit more.

It’s now 3 January and I haven’t started the meditation practice that I swore I would start on the 1st. Oh, my word - maybe you really should send help.

But I made it home from the supermarket, still breathing and having bought everything on my list (thanks to the kind fishmonger). As a bonus, the celebration paella the following evening was a triumph. Shall I share the recipe?

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The thing is, I have no choice here. We have to move. Our time here has come to an end and my next chapter needs to be in the UK. Also Hella is UK-bound for university and I’d love more than anything to be living in the same country as her. Plus there is no avoiding the painful transition part of the journey (the part where we leave our home, set sail for new shores and start again); in the words of that classic text, We’re Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, “We can’t go over it. We can’t go under it. Oh, no! We’ve got to go through it”.

There will be panic; there will be drama; there will be tears but in the meantime, today here at my laptop, in this moment of relative calm, I’m reflecting on what I will miss the most from my life in Dubai because my hunch is that this will help to inform my priorities and hence an outline roadmap to get me to where I want to be. As always, take what you like, share what you love and leave behind the rest. ♡

I love a list, so here is my brain dump (in no particular order) of the Dubai things that I will miss.

• Fabulous friends - I will miss these marvellous human beings but technology is helpful and I am optimistic that I will give it my all. I do love a WhatsApp voice note and I suspect these will be at the core of my strategy. ♡

• CAFU - there is a petrol truck that will come to your house and refuel your car. It is utter genius, costs the same as petrol from the forecourt and is impressively reliable. No more getting caught short or queueing when you’re in a mad rush. ♡

  

• Positivity - Dubai seems to attract positive people and I like that. ♡

• Living under the rule of a benevolent dictator - Stuff gets done here - and quickly. Changes are identified and they are implemented with no delay. Let’s ban smoking in shopping malls. Done. Let’s change the weekend from Fri/Sat to Sat/Sun. Done. Let’s rename all the major highways (genuinely, this happened over one weekend!). Done. That last one was bonkers, but generally, this is a pacey place to live and I will miss that. ♡

• My gym - I am in love with my gym and will mourn that it is no longer in my life. I will do virtual sessions with the marvellous, Naomi, our trainer but I will miss the camaraderie of my wonderful fellow strong, fierce ladies and the jokes and banter as we lift heavy shit and then solve the world’s problems over coffee. ♡

  

• Familiarity - I know where to buy the best bread and how to re-register my car (similar to an MOT). If my car needs servicing, I know where to take it and if it unexpectedly breaks down, I know who to call. I have a great hairdresser, the best GP, a fabulous dentist and I can point you towards the quietest Post Office and where to buy the best value washing powder in Dubai. These things matter.

• My lovely house - it is not at all fancy, but it’s my perfect blend of cosy, welcoming and calm and I will be so very sad to leave it. It’s also my haven and the place where I feel safest and at peace. I value this hugely. ♡

  

• Sensational healthcare - gulp. And then gulp again. I can’t get my head around this one but let’s just say that we are very, very well cared for here.

• Early morning beach walks - to be honest, this is less about the beach setting and more the fact that it is a long, long path which provides a perfect opportunity for walks with friends, accompanied by great conversation + occasional gossiping. ♡

  

As the date of our departure gets closer (July 2024), I’m sure that there will be more existential crises in the supermarket and beyond, but for now, as deduced from reflecting on what I value in my current life, here is my list of ‘This is what matters’ -

I’m hopeful that on the bad days in the future, when I feel my most lost and vulnerable, I can consult my list of ‘This is what matters’ to cut through the chaos and to focus me on the right areas and towards a new, happy life and next chapter. ♡

And, REALITY CHECK; the enormity of moving country and to a totally new town on my own, does still keep me awake at night - even with Michael Rosen’s encouraging words in my ear ….

I wonder if we all need a ‘This is what matters’ list? Perhaps this is how we might keep ourselves on track through the craziness of life and towards a brighter future. What do you think?

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I’m grateful to have made it into your inbox and excited that you got to the end of this post! It is great to hear from you, either in the comments or replying to my emails and I always answer. I am looking forward to more conversation in 2024 where we can all share our thoughts and ideas for navigating this life of ours. ♡

Do let me know what matters to you in 2024 and beyond and please, please share this email with anyone who might be even a tiny bit interested. ♡

I hope that there has been something useful here for you today. As always, take what you like, share what you love and leave behind the rest. ♡

Sending you all the hugs,

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