Write a hero post they say, tell people who you are they say. Well, it’s taken me a year writing on Substack to figure that out but at last I think I am ready to reveal myself...
Ah thanks so much Frances, I really appreciate all your support. I have often been called 'cheeky' and funnily enough I never think I am, which I take to mean I am so cheeky I can't even see it. 🤭
It has taken me decades to own my mental health battles and decades to reach this level of peace and contentment. Be a pity to keep all that to myself, I know so many people need support too. And so I own it and I share it. And I bang the drum against all oppressors, whatever form they take. What else is a midlife, British housewife going to do? With love and gratitude, Rebecca 😌✌🏻
I absolutely love this intro of you and your life. The magic of Substack is that I will probably never meet you, but after reading your beautiful description of who you are and your life, complete with photos, I feel like I am getting to know you and it gives me warm and fuzzy feelings.
Hi Ellen… so lovely to have you here with us… welcome onboard! Always great to meet our community members and find out more about them. Connection is everything… Hope you are enjoying your Substack journey too.
I really enjoyed reading your post. It felt like getting to know a friend. There’s such an ease and honesty in the way you write; it makes the whole thing feel like a conversation. Thanks for sharing it.
Oh that’s so lovely Sierra. Thanks for reading. Everyone to me is a potential friend… we just have not been introduced yet! Happy to converse anytime, connection is everything (especially in today’s disconnected and anxiety provoking world). So happy to welcome you to This Woman’s Work. ☺️
I have a lifetime story as well and also hate all Trump stands for. I’ve wrote about child loss, anxiety, living with an alcoholic, psychic abilities and the fear of a woman. Please join me too. Jennifer
I would love to Jennifer - I see you are a retired nurse too, looks like we have so much in common. I love that you write about psychic abilities - I saw a psychic once who predicted the writing journey I am on now. At the time I was working in healthcare and thought she had read me wrong. She read me so write. I’ll attach a link to the post I wrote about it if you are interested.
Love the pictures! Did it take you a year because you were nervous to write about yourself or because you had to figure out what to write and how to condense it?
That is such a good question Cat and the answer is a mixture of both. I came to Subtack originally to write about mental health, motherhood, midwifery midlife and misogyny, not particularly about myself as I live a really quiet and ordinary life now (which I love) and I am actually quite a private person (hence it took me a year to even really 'reveal' myself).
Then Trump happened (a month or so after I joined Substack) and I just could not look away. I have always been an activist. I have always wanted better for everyone (my website is actually called 'it will get better') and then that bastard comes along and brings hate, division and a real and present threat to humanity, especially women. So I started to write about that too.
At times it felt like I was writing as two different people and it has taken me a year to work out its just me, the different and yet interconnecting branches of me and my work. This post really has been a year in the making and I did have to dig deep to write it but I am out of the shadows now and I am so grateful for how warmly I have been received.
That chubby, cheeky little girl is smiling inside me. 😊💖
Thanks so much Sophie. It’s amazing isn’t it the connections we can make across the internet? I’ve only been on this (or any platform really) for a year… was never really sure the internet could help me create the kind of nurturing, supportive yet warrior community I wanted to grow. Turns out it can. And I’m so glad you are here to be part of it. I’ve read some of your work, I think we are a great match!
You bet you will M… when you make it over here I will be waiting. Kettle is always on. And as soon as that bloated orange 🍊 buffoon is hung, drawn and quartered, I’ll be crossing the pond to meet my Substack friends. Life’s too short not to! 😊
Thanks so much Joanna.. its all thanks to the wonderful Claire Venus! She made me realise that perhaps I need to put myself out there a bit more instead of relying on fate to bring my people to me, so I put my big girl pants on and wrote this piece.
It's all true, the story of how I got here and yes I never lost those chubby cheeks. I have pinned the post to my website - got to get used to putting myself out there a bit more. 🫣 X
I’m not a huge fan of ice cream (though I will eat it too !) but cake generally is a big thumbs up … really wanted to make pumpkin pie but couldn’t be bothered with the pumpkin. Might look for a tin of it but harder to come by here and I will NOT get it from Amazon !
I love this! You sound such a fantastic lady who anyone would be proud to call friend. And you're a cat lady too! (That carries a whole lot of weight with me lol).
Thank you so much Suze… my subscribers are the friends that I have just not met yet. It’s great to have you with me and I’m glad you are enjoying the posts.
Cats are the best aren’t they? Coco rules our house and we are fine with that 😸
I’ve been with you for a year I think Rebecca. I absolutely love this post to know you better and I see your readership has grown. I love the photo of 5 year old you, chubby cheeks and exuding your generous personality even then. I was born in the latter half of the 70’s and relate to you so much. Xxxx
Ooh you have Maria, you have been with me from the beginning and you don’t know how much I appreciate it. Whenever I see your name I think ‘yay, it’s Maria’… like checking in with an old friend… that’s the power of Substack, a positive way to use the internet… long may it last. Stick around for longer Maria (I know you will)… there’s so much more to come (once the kids are back from half term and I actually have time to write!). ☺️ xxx
I feel very much like you Rebecca. As a 56year old woman I am ready to take on the fight of injustice, especially towards women and girls. It’s definitely our time to unite and step up 🥰
Isn’t it just Emma? We have always been pushed to the limits of what we can tolerate as females but I really believe we have been pushed too far and that women everywhere are feeling the need to push back.
Everyone is affected by this harrowing political landscape. Division, greed, manipulation and inequality are the weapons of the tyrants and oligarchs… we have had enough, time to fight back (in only the way 50 something women can!).
Thanks so much for joining me here at This Woman’s Work… let’s do this important work together.. the time is now. ✌️
Rebecca I loved this article and the pics . It's all the things YOU are . Brave, warm, real and funny , really cheeky.
Mental Health is a often elusive and untold battle even today. It takes spine to own it. So keep writing 🌞✌️ Thats my big two cents.
Ah thanks so much Frances, I really appreciate all your support. I have often been called 'cheeky' and funnily enough I never think I am, which I take to mean I am so cheeky I can't even see it. 🤭
It has taken me decades to own my mental health battles and decades to reach this level of peace and contentment. Be a pity to keep all that to myself, I know so many people need support too. And so I own it and I share it. And I bang the drum against all oppressors, whatever form they take. What else is a midlife, British housewife going to do? With love and gratitude, Rebecca 😌✌🏻
I absolutely love this intro of you and your life. The magic of Substack is that I will probably never meet you, but after reading your beautiful description of who you are and your life, complete with photos, I feel like I am getting to know you and it gives me warm and fuzzy feelings.
Ah thank you so much Josephine… it really is the beauty of Substack isn’t it? Connection, that’s what we all need and I am here, ready and waiting.
And never say never. Once we manage to dethrone that orange clown you bet I will be right over ‘stateside’ … let’s do coffee, I mean it! 😘 ☕️
So lovely to read more about you, Rebecca. I have my feet firmly under your kitchen table ! 🩷
Maureen my love, the kettle is always on for you ☕️. Thank you so much for all your support, it means so much to me. 💕
Can I come for a brew too 🫖☕️? 😊😘
I would be offered if you didn’t Maria ☺️😘☕️🫖
Rebecca, nice to meet you! Looking forward to reading your Substack…Maureen said it so well!
Hi Ellen… so lovely to have you here with us… welcome onboard! Always great to meet our community members and find out more about them. Connection is everything… Hope you are enjoying your Substack journey too.
I really enjoyed reading your post. It felt like getting to know a friend. There’s such an ease and honesty in the way you write; it makes the whole thing feel like a conversation. Thanks for sharing it.
Oh that’s so lovely Sierra. Thanks for reading. Everyone to me is a potential friend… we just have not been introduced yet! Happy to converse anytime, connection is everything (especially in today’s disconnected and anxiety provoking world). So happy to welcome you to This Woman’s Work. ☺️
I have a lifetime story as well and also hate all Trump stands for. I’ve wrote about child loss, anxiety, living with an alcoholic, psychic abilities and the fear of a woman. Please join me too. Jennifer
Let me figure out how to chat versus writing this in this thread. A little more private. Jennifer
https://itwillgetbetter.substack.com/p/seaside-psychic?r=34uf3v
I would love to Jennifer - I see you are a retired nurse too, looks like we have so much in common. I love that you write about psychic abilities - I saw a psychic once who predicted the writing journey I am on now. At the time I was working in healthcare and thought she had read me wrong. She read me so write. I’ll attach a link to the post I wrote about it if you are interested.
Love the pictures! Did it take you a year because you were nervous to write about yourself or because you had to figure out what to write and how to condense it?
That is such a good question Cat and the answer is a mixture of both. I came to Subtack originally to write about mental health, motherhood, midwifery midlife and misogyny, not particularly about myself as I live a really quiet and ordinary life now (which I love) and I am actually quite a private person (hence it took me a year to even really 'reveal' myself).
Then Trump happened (a month or so after I joined Substack) and I just could not look away. I have always been an activist. I have always wanted better for everyone (my website is actually called 'it will get better') and then that bastard comes along and brings hate, division and a real and present threat to humanity, especially women. So I started to write about that too.
At times it felt like I was writing as two different people and it has taken me a year to work out its just me, the different and yet interconnecting branches of me and my work. This post really has been a year in the making and I did have to dig deep to write it but I am out of the shadows now and I am so grateful for how warmly I have been received.
That chubby, cheeky little girl is smiling inside me. 😊💖
This was lovely to read and made me feel so much warmth towards you. That photo of 5-year-old you is adorable!
Thanks so much Sophie. It’s amazing isn’t it the connections we can make across the internet? I’ve only been on this (or any platform really) for a year… was never really sure the internet could help me create the kind of nurturing, supportive yet warrior community I wanted to grow. Turns out it can. And I’m so glad you are here to be part of it. I’ve read some of your work, I think we are a great match!
That’s very nice to hear, thanks!
I actually feel like I know you from your writing. If I ever make it to the UK I'll look you up 🙂
You bet you will M… when you make it over here I will be waiting. Kettle is always on. And as soon as that bloated orange 🍊 buffoon is hung, drawn and quartered, I’ll be crossing the pond to meet my Substack friends. Life’s too short not to! 😊
Make Philly a stop!
It’s on the list!
You know how much I love your articles already, but this was one of the best yet!
And what a cutey you were. This needs to be pinned prominently. X
Thanks so much Joanna.. its all thanks to the wonderful Claire Venus! She made me realise that perhaps I need to put myself out there a bit more instead of relying on fate to bring my people to me, so I put my big girl pants on and wrote this piece.
It's all true, the story of how I got here and yes I never lost those chubby cheeks. I have pinned the post to my website - got to get used to putting myself out there a bit more. 🫣 X
Your cheeks are not chubby now ! But they were delectably chubby then x
I always carry my weight in my face. Actually I always carry my weight in my body. Oh f*ck it… pass the cake! 🍰 X
I’m not a huge fan of ice cream (though I will eat it too !) but cake generally is a big thumbs up … really wanted to make pumpkin pie but couldn’t be bothered with the pumpkin. Might look for a tin of it but harder to come by here and I will NOT get it from Amazon !
Ah twinning 👯♀️…. I want to make pumpkin muffins but the thought of attacking a pumpkin is putting me off. NOT turning to Amazon either.
Ice cream I can resist…cake is my weak spot. I would wrestle a bear for a slice of homemade cake! 🍰
So glad you persevered! Always a treat to read your writing.
Thank you so much Mary - yours too. 💖
I love this! You sound such a fantastic lady who anyone would be proud to call friend. And you're a cat lady too! (That carries a whole lot of weight with me lol).
I really enjoy reading your substacks.
Thank you so much Suze… my subscribers are the friends that I have just not met yet. It’s great to have you with me and I’m glad you are enjoying the posts.
Cats are the best aren’t they? Coco rules our house and we are fine with that 😸
Twinny 🤣 I’ve got 2 cats 🐈 🐈⬛xxxx
Oh I would love another cat… you are the luckier twin on the cat front! 😸😸
What a great piece, Rebecca. Really interesting to read more about you.
Also, good luck with the book! I think it will be brilliant.
Thanks Andy… a bit of a leap of faith but I seem to have landed on one piece ☺️
I’ve been with you for a year I think Rebecca. I absolutely love this post to know you better and I see your readership has grown. I love the photo of 5 year old you, chubby cheeks and exuding your generous personality even then. I was born in the latter half of the 70’s and relate to you so much. Xxxx
Ooh you have Maria, you have been with me from the beginning and you don’t know how much I appreciate it. Whenever I see your name I think ‘yay, it’s Maria’… like checking in with an old friend… that’s the power of Substack, a positive way to use the internet… long may it last. Stick around for longer Maria (I know you will)… there’s so much more to come (once the kids are back from half term and I actually have time to write!). ☺️ xxx
Wonderful intro. Thank you so much for sharing your life’s journey so far.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting Beth, great to have you here with me.
Oh Rebecca, this is beautiful. Thank you for sharing more of you with us.
Thank you so much Michelle, for this and for always being in my corner… you rock! ⭐️
I love your corner!
I feel very much like you Rebecca. As a 56year old woman I am ready to take on the fight of injustice, especially towards women and girls. It’s definitely our time to unite and step up 🥰
Isn’t it just Emma? We have always been pushed to the limits of what we can tolerate as females but I really believe we have been pushed too far and that women everywhere are feeling the need to push back.
Everyone is affected by this harrowing political landscape. Division, greed, manipulation and inequality are the weapons of the tyrants and oligarchs… we have had enough, time to fight back (in only the way 50 something women can!).
Thanks so much for joining me here at This Woman’s Work… let’s do this important work together.. the time is now. ✌️