Week 5 — Ready Or Not......I’m Done Holding Myself Back

lindapope
Dec 10, 2025
4 min read

“Progress begins the moment courage outweighs comfort—forget the fear of failing and step forward anyway.”

This week didn’t start perfectly, that’s fine. But when Friday came and I’d achieved very little, well....that wasn’t so fine.

Something had to be done if I was to make any progress in my challenge to improve my life, and that something had to be done now.

And, on Friday night something did get done, something that I believe will alter my journey. I realised that you can’t create a better life just by adjusting what’s around you. Lasting progress happens when you transform from the inside out

I was at a crossroads: Either I take this six month challenge seriously, set proper goals and follow through… or I give up and stay where I am, moaning that I wish my life was different

I don’t want to stay where I am.

So I decided to commit — not to perfection or huge long-term goals, but to structure, consistency and habits I can actually maintain.

🗓 Saturday: The Start of Real Structure

During dialysis on Saturday, I sat with this new mindset and created something tangible — a weekly schedule.

Nothing fancy or “Pinterest perfect”, just real. A plan that covers:

Health + movement
Blog + social media
Business creation + resin work
Daily chores + household rhythm
Things I can’t change (mostly medical appointments)

The schedule is just for a week. My life is too chaotic to try planning further. What I need now isn’t a dream, it’s a workable day-to-day routine that’s designed to

get me off the couch
let me take better care of myself and
encourages me to start reconnecting with the real world.

It’s a routine designed to stop me hiding.

I’ve got no idea what will happen in the future, that’s too big a thing to think about ! So, no long-term plans yet. I’ll deal with all that later.

Right now it’s just me, moving forward..... slowly 🐌

How the Week Actually Went

Not flawlessly.Not perfectly.But honestly, better than before.

💚 Health

Early in the week, I missed my exercise goals — lack of motivation, lack of enthusiasm, and maybe still testing myself.But Sunday something clicked, and I’ve walked most days since.

Small, steady, real progress.

✔ Daily walks (since the mindset shift)

✔ Taking medication correctly again

✔ Feeling the difference in my mood + energy

✖ Struggle to go walking on dialysis days but hoping that will change. I’m not going to beat myself round the head with an old kipper (thanks for the saying Mum), it’s just the way it is at the moment

🤝 Social Connection

A mixed bag, but full of good outcomes.

✖One planned event didn’t happen — rural France + winter means cancellations are expected

✔ BUT I did attended the social group Christmas lunch and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was even invited to join the committee as the website + email tech support — looks like I need to level up my skills quicker than planned!

✔I’ve organised a family dinner for this weekend

✔I have reconnected with old friends, friends I’ve missed and want to stay in touch with.

For me social progress isn’t going to be big events, it’s going to be special times with the people I care about and doing things that make me happy.

It’s going to be me finding my place again.

📱 Social Media

This one I struggled with.

✖I missed my early-week goals because I was scared — scared of doing something wrong, scared of looking like a fool, scared of being seen before I felt ready.

But growth demands action and nothing changes until you move.

So on Sunday, I finally posted on all the main platforms. It was done, and I was pleasently surprised at the reaction. It wasn’t perfect, but it was done.

Now I have a schedule for when, what and where to post. I’m not putting pressure on myself anymore. It’s a simple schedule, nothing overwhelming but enough for me to learn from.

✔ First business posts live

✔ Posting schedule created

💼 Business & Creativity

On Friday I did a soft launch of my resin keepsake business by gifting resin tree ornaments to everyone who attended the social group christmas lunch. I didn’t market hard — I just shared. I was really encouraged by the comments and the interest that was shown, and I learned so much for future marketing initiatives.

Progress this week:

✔Decided on a business name, « Heart and Resin », and designed the logo

✔ Completed first two modules of my online web design course

✔ Began two new resin keepsakes and committed to documenting the whole proces

• one celebrating a baby boy’s birth

• one memorial piece containing a dog’s ashes.

Slowly, this is becoming something real.

🥘 Home & Cooking

✔I cooked from scratch most evenings — partially as practice for the family festive buffet I’ve organised for this weekend, partially because I actually enjoy cooking (it’s just the clean up that’s a bit off putting)

✔I made a meal-plan and shopped for the week. Hopefully this will save me time, stress and money and reduce the amount of food waste I make. (In my defense, it is hard to get a brocoli head small enough for 1 person for 1 meal 🥦)

✔My schedule includes time for basic chores so I can finally get on top of the admin, cleaning, laundry ....all the good jobs in life ! My flat is already looking better for the attention