BBB, over and out

As many of you have noticed and commented upon, my blogging has somewhat disappeared over the last month. Let me now call it the cooling off period. I was not sure if this is where it would land, but now I am sure. I have trialed a life without blogging to see if it was possible and to see how it would feel.

As a consequence of the last month of non writing, I have now wholeheartedly decided to wrap up the bold, bald and beautiful blog and close it down. It is now time to thank you and it for all that it has done for me (and maybe the greater universe) and thank it for its many gifts. It has been a wonderful experience.

I can't promise it is the last you will hear from me as BBB, but for now the blog will be no more.

I feel both it and I have run its course. I feel the stories on alopecia and hair loss are no longer as present in my life as they were four years ago and I feel that the BBB chapter is closing. Of course this means, like with any good book, that the next chapter is opening.

I will however continue "blogging" to my colleagues in my company, and I may even write a book one day. Maybe I even come back to blogging one day, but for now I feel the need to move on to something new, with honesty,elegance and grace. The gifts have been abundant on this blogging journey and it is no coincidence that I close this down as the biggest career journey now opens up. You see I have been appointed to a role that I always dreamed of, yet never dared it would happen. I will take on a role that allows me to be bold and beautiful every day and I believe this role encourages me to spread the love and all that I stand for. I feel that maybe this blog had something to do with this promotion too.

I believe that through the kindness, generosity and care I have for the fellow human being I have been recognized and chosen to do something big.

Know that each one of you, my readers, has mattered. Know that I write my final words with each of you in mind. I know who you are.

May you find inspiration in all that you do and remember beauty is everywhere, you just have to sometimes look hard enough.

Yours forever
BBB
xxx

Real men make bread

About ten years ago my husband was faced with the modern time dilemma of considering becoming a Houseman.  It was a very difficult time, with lots of questions, doubts and concerns.

In times like this you seek out advise and support, which he also did.

At the time, I specifically recall the lack of encouragement from his closet friends. There were many fears presented about having a gap in his CV, not being able to have a career, becoming a cleaner and housekeeper etc. Of course the frame of reference was that of the early 2000's where maybe the model of the man staying at home was less common. However I remember being disappointed by the one-sided nature from his friends. He very nearly reconsidered.

Today I want to make the provocative and bold statement that "real men bake bread and make beer".

Whilst there is an edge of silliness to this, my point is that I have never seen my husband as happy as I see him now. He has found his mojo!

He bakes the most amazing sour dough bread twice a week and at least once a week he hosts the beer brewing club in his man-shed.  My Hubbie oozes man hood in a way that would make high earning, gym visiting, marathon running, shudder.

And in addition he takes the most amazing care of his family. Just for record, no the house is not always clean, the fridge is not always full, the washing still lies in baskets unwashed, and he still steps over the neat piles of laundry that I leave on the stairs, yet the car is always running, my bike always has good brakes and pumped up tires, the broken things get fixed and bookshelves and pictures are hung up.

So I would like to point out that being a houseman is nothing other than self actualizing and a redefinition of what manhood is all about!

What has blogging ever done for me?

After blogging for four years, it is a time to think about what it has done for the world.

Specifically, what has it done for me? and what has it done for you, the readers?

From the beginning I vowed my blog would not be a self serving form of therapy. I always wanted it to be of service to others. I also did not want it to be a diary of my life.

My intent was (and remains) to share the insights of alopecia and to make people smile through my reflections. If I could make people think differently that would be a bonus too.

What is has concretely done for me, is show me the power of writing. It has allowed me to access deeper thoughts and bring them to the surface and more importantly demonstrated that sharing these lines of thought can create a positive movement.

Over the past two years I have also spilled the art of writing into the work place. I write frequently to my team and colleagues, with fun corporate insights and reflections, often leaving a question at the end. It is very well received. People seem to love it and respond back frequently.

I am grateful for blogging teaching me how to spread love and optimism in the workplace.

So what has it done for you?

Well I guess that is for you to decide.

I do hope that at the very least it has entertained you, maybe even educated you about alopecia and in moments caused you to stop and think about your life choices.

Would love to hear from you........