Spring In My Step.

April 2026.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I love spring. Of course, there’s nothing unusual about that. What’s not to like amongst daffodils, warm sunshine and longer days?

This time of year means a new start, a ‘spring clean’, an opportunity to consider what you’ve achieved in the last 12 months and what you want to do in the next. At work, this was a formal process of a new financial year, corporate plans and performance reviews by your manager. Now, it’s something different. For me, blogs like this, ticked off lists and full diaries.

When I left paid employment last March, I had many plans. Professionally, I wanted to build an author profile, write that next book, start an online writing community and offer my services as a celebrant. Personally, I aimed to do more of what was hard to find the time for in the past. To see my family and friends, travel, volunteer, read those books, watch those films and study those artworks.

A year on, I’ve been more successful at some of these goals than others. I have created and further developed my own website, Joanne Barker Author Events. I’ve sold more copies of my second chance romance, The Joy of Jars, written and edited 80,000 plus words of my second romance novel, Miss Wed, and planned the outline of my third book, title TBC.

I’ve started the first ever Keyboard to Kindle collaborate writing programme, connecting people who want to put pen to paper and see where it takes them; with an introduction to the scheme on Amazon.

Whilst the celebrancy, (conducting weddings without the legal bits), has had to take a back seat, my own son is getting married to his girlfriend of ten years in June and I’ve been busy acting as their wedding planner. I’ve taken pride in staying within a budget of **£10,000, without sacrificing the important bits, when the average 2026 nuptials cost just under £22,000.

I see my mum and adult children more than I did before, but still not as often as I’d like. I’ve discovered, (thanks for the tip, Lynne), that the way to keep in contact with friends is to never let them leave without arranging the next playdate. I’m lucky enough to enjoy regular short breaks in the UK, (often Devon, Shrewsbury, Lymington, The Ribble Valley), with my husband. I volunteer in a community café. I create and share a monthly reading list.

On the other side of the coin, I’ve been to the cinema only once in the last year and not visited a single art gallery.

Wearing my old manager hat for a moment, there’s been a lot of input, (my time and energy), and outputs, (see above); but what about the outcomes and impact of all this activity? Am I better engaged with my fellow humans as we travel this crazy road? Yes. Do I have more money? Definitely not. Am I happier? I have exceeded expectations.

*If you live in or around the Birmingham area, do come and see me at the Book Extravaganza, in Moseley, this Saturday, May 2^nd. I’ll have biscuits.

**source Hitched. Contact me to find out how I did this and what it looked like.