Since leaving Spotlight to work from home as a writer, I've been stunned at how much more I'm finding every month to enjoy about this beautiful county we live in. Now that I'm writing occasionally for Devon Life, I'd love to hear from others who, like me, have made a change to their work/life balance. Are you also "living the dream" at last? Perhaps you've downsized or set up a business which allows you to work from home? If you have a story for Devon Life readers, do share it here. I may be able to follow some of them up for the magazine.
Kind regards and wishing you all a happy and healthy 2007!
Teresa Driscoll
Devon Life contributor
HI THERESA I am thrilled that you are enjoying being a full time mum. Don't you wonder if this will be enough for you as time goes on and yourchildren become older and more independent?? Of course you do have the creative strand as acolumnist,occasional or not with DEVON LIFE which should help your professional personna which must be hard to give up???? Your great fan GRANDE DAME!!
Hello Teresa,
I was interested in your post as I have been thinking about a major life change, maybe giving up salaried work to spend more time exploring our lovely county, writing and sketching. I have a number of friends who have retired and since come back to work because they had got the quiet life out of their system. Conversely, there are a couple of others who swear by a relaxed approach where you can appreciate life rather than see it rush past you. It is hard to know what one's individual response might be until you try I guess.
Any advice for someone like me? Shall I give it a go? I would love your opinion or the opinion of anyone else who is grappling with a similar dilemma.
My husband and I are living the dream in Devon. We opened our own shop in Totnes. We came to Devon for our holidays when the kids were small and fell in love with the countryside. Every year we came back and after 20 years (now we are both in our fourties) we dicided to give up our jobs and move from Holland to the UK. It is a struggle but we both love it. Every time I drive or walk through the countryside I know why we made the big step. My daughter is still in Holland for her studie. My son is in his last year at Kevics. I realise it is a huge step but if was worth it.
Although I miss my family and friends in Holland and my work as a medical secretary I know that this has been a good step. If you want to change your life, do it before it is to late. Life is to short. I knew that if we didn't do it now we would regret it. It is hard sometimes but we know why we did it and it still feels good.
Regards
Corine
Dear Anna,
How nice to hear from you. Yes - it is a dilemma, isn't it, getting the balance right in our lives but I think it's such an important debate, especially for we mums.
You're right when you say everyone is different and this, I think , is the key. The way I see it life needs balance and " purpose" - and yes, some people do seem to lose their way when they retire or leave the workplace. The question really is what rings your bell! For myself I am lucky in that writing was always my FIRST love and so I feel I am returning to what I love the most. It is always there - a blank page to be filled - to give me a goal.
Television was a wonderful career but if I'm honest I would have preferred not to work on a five-day-a-week programme. It was difficult to balance with the family. That said, I loved my years on Spotlight and considered myself very, very lucky. It was just rather hectic with two children!
Now I have the opposite contrast - needing to find my creative space to balance with the washing, shopping and cooking! This I achieve by writing for a variety of magazines - work which I can juggle quite well around family life. I am also writing fiction these days with a wonderful literary agent .......though no book deal signed just yet. " Watch this space!"
Whatever you decide, here's wishing the very best of luck and happiness.
TERESA
Dear Teresa,
How kind of you to explain all this to me. I can see that one has to have a definite purpose and I guess that creativity can flourish in a less structured and pressured environment. They say that everyone has a book in them and I have already drafted out the chapters for mine. This is a piece of work that has been hovering at the back of my mind for many years and I think that I have a fantastic story if only I can get it into shape. Your words have inspired me so thanks again and I look forward to reading more about your ups and downs in Devon Life.
Hi Teresa. It really is amazing how many other people I find would agree with your your sentiments regarding living in Devon. I should know, I find homes for people wishing to live the dream! Most want to downsize and live in this part of the world. A few of course want holiday homes to bring their families to. They invariably end up living as permenant residents. Yesterday we were on the moors, wonderful. This morning on the beach, stunning. I hope you are enjoying working from home as a writer - I often give a copy of Devon Life to people who are thinking of moving here to give them a flavour of this great county.
All the best
Jacqui
Hi Teresa,
I must say I agree with you about the beauty of Devon. I recently moved here from Yorkshire to start a business and my main motivation in making it succeed is so that I can stay in this beautiful part of the world - so there may be a story in that for you?!
The work/life balance can be tough at times. I do have to check myself from becoming obsessed with thoughts about the business and learn to switch off and relax. I wouldn't change or go back though - all of a sudden life seems full of possibilities.
Best wishes,
Julian
Hi all on the forum,
Just signed on to Devon Life as ros & I are trying to live the Devon Dream, we have had our house on the market since last October 2006! I have a job to got to go to which I have been doing since 1988 they wanted a someone in north devon & I jumped at the chance, worked in the area for two weeks in February 2007 loved very second of it, WE WANT TO BE LIVING THE DREAM!
I have put on a devon blog on my web site to keep my company informed it looks like I might have to rent in the area rather than lose the dream of living by the sea.
www.fenham-villa.com
You are such lucky peolple living in a lovely area.
Phil & Ros Oakley Great Malvern Worcestershire