Hi there and welcome!
I’m Min – mum to three young adults: twin boys (27) and their younger sister (25). I am also proud mum to a ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – Ava who is 8 years of age and as of February 2020 – two tabby foster fail rescue cats (I blame COVID) – Axel & Amaya. I’m married to ‘The Tennis Player’ and we all live on the beautiful Moreton Bay in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The Min story
I’m the eldest of five siblings, four girls and one boy! My real name is Marguerite with Min being my nickname. I was named after an Aunt who I never met.
I have a corporate background. I started my career in Secretarial and Personal Assistant type roles. I eventually moved on to roles in project and policy work before shifting to roles around strategic planning, corporate governance and project and program management.
I functioned for a lengthy period of time living and working with chronic stress (it had become my normal) – trying to do it all and be everything to everyone! My last workplace had an unhealthy work environment. One particular incident at work brought with it a realisation that I deserved better, so I walked away from the corporate life in the middle of a work day in May 2012, a changed person. Since then I have realised that important lessons are learned through adversity and that climbing the corporate ladder is not the be all and end all!
First Blog
I started my first blog in September 2012 as a way to help rediscover and heal myself. I knew nothing about blogging. I started out doing a 365 Grateful Project – posting a photograph a day of something I was grateful for. This helped me to reconnect to life and ignited a love of photography.
Photography
In October 2014, I graduated from The Photography Institute with a Diploma in Professional Photography and soon after launched Marguerite Louise Photography (reclaiming my full name). I thought that I would make photography my new career and business. I love photography but I realise now that I allowed myself to get swept up in the excitement with all the other students and didn’t really understand myself at all. Photography is my creative outlet, an activity that provided me with freedom from the expectations of others. It stops the busy thoughts in my mind and allows me to be present, as my focus is on my subject and capturing it in a way that pleases me. In trying to make this love of photography a business, the joy, peace and freedom went out of photography for me. So, I have shelved Marguerite Louise Photography for now and a lesson has been learned: ‘listen more closely to me and don’t allow myself to get swept away by the excitement and dreams of others’.
Write of the Middle
Feeling the need to draw a line in the sand and move forward from the past, I decided on a fresh start. On 4 November 2014, I launched my new blog – Write of the Middle – Snaps, Crackles & Zen with Min.
When my world changed
In the very early hours of 2 December 2017, my life changed forever when I lost my Dad. Though I have experienced extreme sadness at the loss of relatives, including grandmothers and uncles and my father-in-law and mother-in-law as well as acquaintances, it wasn’t until the loss of my Dad that I fully experienced what grief is. I have been truly blessed and privileged to have this wonderful gentle man as my father.
Stuff I’m passionate about
I’m passionate about:
- Health and Wellbeing – particularly for middle-aged women!
- Self Investment – ways and means to obtaining balance of mind, body and spirit
- Mindfulness – a way to live more in the present moment!
So what’s with the blog name ‘Write of the Middle’?
On 31 May 2014 – I turned 50. I figured I had finally hit middle age, so I am now on the Right side Write of the Middle … in this journey called life. There is a little play on the word Right which is switched to Write to represent my writing here on the blog yet it also signifies that I will be writing about life on the right side of middle age!
‘Snaps, Crackles and Zen with Min’ explained!
Snaps = my love of photography and the many images I am sure to share here with you.
Crackles = the ups and downs (‘cracks’) that appear during middle age and in life in general! These are often best faced with a laugh and a cackle!
Zen = my passion for living mindfully, my desire for obtaining optimum balance of mind, body and spirit and my passion to help others invest in themselves!
with Min = well I think that part is self explanatory is it not? haha!
Gems of Zen
In late January 2019, Zen Tip Tuesday (#ZTT) was born when I threw open the doors of my blog to guest posters from across the world in order to hear from a wide variety of people with various areas of expertise, experiences and perspectives on ways and means to achieve a sense of zen! Here’s where you can see all the ‘Gems of Zen‘ we have so far.
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I look forward to getting to know you. Please do make yourself at home and have a good look around. I hope you enjoy your visit!
Ciao for now,
6 Comments
I feel like I have found another “soul sister” halfway around the world! I left my very stressy career when my wonderful husband told me, “Honey, you don’t have to have a job that makes you cry!” Our Encore Voyage started several years ago, as we set about redesigning our lives into one which was more mindful, more intentional, and more in line with our values. I’m so glad I discovered your blog! (Also, I’m soooooo going to steal the concept of “taking stock,” and I will share it with my community of retirement bloggers – I’ll give you credit, of course!) Looking forward to reading more of your work! ~ Lynn
So lovely to meet you Lynn! I’m glad you’ve had the opportunity to create a better life for yourself. I look forward to getting to know you and yes go right ahead and enjoy the Taking Stock concept. It really makes you think more than you might expect!
It is so refreshing to read about your journey Min. I am at the beginning of making this journey and life does indeed change once you hit the big 50 or at least one’s concept of “Where exactly am I in life? Is this what I originally planned?” But I must admit, I am so loving this journey of discovery and being in a much better mindset to really enjoy living life to it’s fullest. I’m looking forward to seeing what else you share! ~ Jennie
Hi Jennie – lovely to ‘virtually’ meet you! The journey of discovery is wonderful isn’t it? I am loving having more time to try and understand me and look after me. Hope to see more of you! Thanks for your message! 🙂
Lovely to meet you Min. I love that you have connected with your inner self after having a successful career. We all need to create space to discover what we really want out of life, as we get older, I think. I am in a bit of a philosophicalself-discovery path stage of life as well. I look forward to discovering more of your blog.
So lovely to meet you too Amanda! It’s one of the great things about this stage of life isn’t it … more time to dig deep and get to know ourselves and to kind of do a life audit in order to get things how we need them to be in order to feel joy and contentment and live our best lives. xo