125 Comments
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Alicja Kawecka's avatar

Loved this! And yes please to the married vs divorced lifestyle list, I have my own recent insights and am so curious to hear other women’s perspectives

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

so pleased you enjoyed it! The married vs divorced lifestyle is one I'll write for sure. Soon, now you've given me the support. Thank you!

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Amanda Bainbridge's avatar

I’d also love to hear more about this!

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Sophy Elena's avatar

This is exactly what I’d like to read about please 🙏🏻

I’ve just invested in a she-cabin for the garden so I can escape and avoid getting sucked into watching so much tv with my husband who simply loves it! Before we got together I lived in a cabin and hardly watched my primitive, no Netflix or Sky TV! X

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Lorraine's avatar

I say that my husband getting an iPad and headphones has saved our marriage- that way he can watch whatever he wants and I don’t have to hear it!

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Sophy Elena's avatar

That sounds ideal! Though I don’t think my husband would go for that 😂 I think the shed will do the trick, I’ll probably end up living in it….😁 x

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stravaiging_quine's avatar

Yes this is the life I am now living/attempting to live. Thank you.

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Kelly Joanne Allen's avatar

Just started a 4 day week this year. Love it so much. Would love to hear more on married v divorced too.

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Kelly Joanne Allen's avatar

Just started a 4 day week this year. Love it so much. Would love to hear more on married v divorced too.

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Kelly Joanne Allen's avatar

Just started a 4 day week this year. Love it so much. Would love to hear more on married v divorced too.

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Kelly Joanne Allen's avatar

Just started a 4 day week this year. Love it so much. Would love to hear more on married v divorced too.

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Kelly Joanne Allen's avatar

Just started a 4 day week this year. Love it so much. Would love to hear more on married v divorced too.

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Holly Bailie (she/her)'s avatar

So much resonates here! I haven’t had a TV since uni, no car, I have a tiny flat in London and I’m looking to scale back my hours/work more flexibly. Time and mental space is more important to me than money or a big home.

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Aniwalk's avatar

Absolutely! I went to a 4 day week and scaled back expenses- you cannot buy time! I get 52 (approx)

Fridays a year to use however I want to 🤗

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

oh yes, I know the feeling so well. Cheering you on lovely!

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Jenny Cooke's avatar

Yes, I went a decade without a TV licence (to watch BBC programmes) but decided to invest in that during the pandemic so I could watch Wimbledon and the Olympics, and because I really valued the BBC’s radio and news output and want to support public service broadcasting

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Tiffany Writes's avatar

Oh how I loved this list!!

I am currently shape shifting my life & no longer reacting or responding to everything like it is an emergency is one of the things I have taken on board - and yes this also means client ‘emergencies’. So often, given a bit of space they work things out. There’s absolutely no reason for me to launch into rescue mode.

Bonus - my nervous system is relaxing & life is feeling easier.

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

music to my ears! I'm so happy for you love xx

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Vicky Gould's avatar

What a timely article as I sit here on a Sunday hoping nothing important will take me away from my intentional peace and quiet. I loved what you wrote and appreciate your wise words.

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

cheering you on to protect what is yours x

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Jennifer Sask's avatar

Love this. I'm curious what your go-to meals are that you eat the same of, every day?

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Courtney's avatar

Always such a treat to see one of your letters pop up in my notifications! Love all of these tips - I am a fulltime lawyer and a slower life is constantly tugging at my soul. I hope to make it a reality someday!

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

I'm sure you will. If you can pull and Elle Woods you can definitely slow things down a little too. I'll be hearing 'I object' all day now lol x

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The Linen Yogi's avatar

Simply fabulous! I love this piece. 💫

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

so pleased you liked it x

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Scattered Seeds's avatar

I love this so much 🩷

10 years ago I cut back to a 4 day week and it was the best thing I ever did. After losing my partner to cancer and my mum to Alzheimer’s I realised that time was the one thing I could never get back and money is no substitution.

6 years ago I moved out of London to the seaside. I stopped rushing everywhere and take long, slow walks by the sea or in the countryside. Restaurants and pubs close much earlier, so a very occasional late night is 11-12pm for me now.

For 5 years I’d worked remotely with only occasional days in the London office. Recently we’ve been told we need to be in the office 4 days a week, so I am walking away from my high status, very well paid job because it’s simply not worth it to me.

I don’t know what’s next but I started to write poetry again, within a couple of days of joining

Life is for living and rest is an act of resistance 🩷💪🏻.

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Halsey Home's avatar

This is wonderful - so many good suggestions here. I especially loved the last one about affirming to yourself that you are a person who doesn’t rush. This has always been a big one for me and I finally realized it sets the tone of being stressed, harried and stretched too thin. No thank you!! Looking forward to reading more 🙂

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Pamela Clapp's avatar

Thank you for this!

I used to be that person rushing and walking fast in the metro but realized how much less it costs to leave 10 minutes earlier and take my time. If the first metro is packed, I’ll just wait for the next one. Changed my life :)

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

doesn't it! Right there with you

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Bethany's avatar

This whole piece was absolutely fabulous! Thank you!

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

so pleased you enjoyed it! x

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Olivia Bossert's avatar

I love this and relate to so many of them - I’m working on not rushing though. I’m so anxious about being on time for things to my own detriment a lot of the time!

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Jessica Rose Williams's avatar

I have exactly the same programming lovely so totally understand

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Nicole Boehrig's avatar

As a parent of active kids, I monitor our time at home. I’ve stopped having something every evening or more than 3 nights a week! We love to socialize, but too much is too much.

I’ve also stopped rushing in the morning. I wake early, take my time, linger, read to the children, and if the day always feel better this way!

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Dr Natalie Barre's avatar

So good, I think it's so important to intentionally look at what you're doing and how you're doing it, rather than just living on autopilot.

For me, decluttering is a big one - less stuff means less stuff to spend time managing!

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Olga's avatar

Amazing list! The part "For me, freedom will always be real wealth" really stuck with me as I feel exactly the same - freedom is the biggest wealth. Thank you, always a pleasure reading your entries <3

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Jennie's avatar

Same! This one hit me just a few weeks ago. Been exploring ways to have more freedom ever since and feeling so abundant as I uncover ways to have more time to “wander and wonder”

Thanks for a great list!

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Lisa's avatar

I wish I’d learned this valuable lesson about debt when I was in my 20’s. Having freedom is the greatest thing you can do for yourself.

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