👋 A little update from me
and how are you?
Hello!
It is just under a year since I last sent you an email - how are you? I hope you are doing really well. There is quite a bit going on for me at the moment and I thought I would drop back into your inbox with a little update.
The kids
In the middle of the year our eldest moved out to a share house in the inner city. I am still getting used to not having him around. He seems to be loving his new digs and I love it when he comes back for dinner 😊. Our second eldest started his first job post uni and he has definitely chosen a career that is perfect for him. He is in the process of looking for a share house too 🫣. Our daughter has finished the third year of her four year double degree. She has a couple of part time jobs, one of which is in her field of study and she also has chosen a career that she loves which is excellent. She is super independent and will be even busier next year so the dynamics of our house will be changing significantly in 2025.
This morning the fourth child went off to his last year 12 exam. He has been very calm throughout the exam period and has applied himself really well over the whole year. He will be off to schoolies soon and will definitely love the increased independence he will have now as he has completed his secondary education. The youngest is in year 10 and he has his first exam for semester two tomorrow. He towers over me and is often leading the banter in the house. My challenge next year will be to ensure that I allow him the same space I gave the others in year 11. 2025 will be a huge period of readjustment for me and I am mindful that in adjusting I could smother the youngest child! I am sure he will push back in his own polite way though.
The drinks business
About a month or so ago, I announced that I am closing Adapt Drinks. As I wrote in the Adapt Drinks newsletter I absolutely adored working on this drink and seeing the difference it has made to the lives of many has filled me with immense joy.
I wholeheartedly believe in the power and goodness of Adapt Drinks and with 4000+ cartons sold and over $200,000 in sales many others do too. But for the time I was putting into it, it was largely a labour of love.
With only a small amount of stock left and the end of 2024 nearing, it seemed like the right time to make a change and wind things down. To clear the remaining stock I have as quickly as possible, all cartons have been reduced by 25% (best before date is 25/04/25). If you are keen to pick up a carton you can do so by clicking here. (Lemon myrtly is already sold out.)
Me currently
Early in September I had a fall when running and did quite a bit of damage to my knee. An MRI showed I had a:
Moderate to high grade tear of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
Low grade partial tear of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL)
To fix this, last Thursday I had a PCL reconstruction. The surgeon said the LCL was healing well and was not causing instability like the PCL so he left that alone. I am currently on crutches and not super mobile but getting around a bit. I have been doing my rehab exercises three times a day. They are super simple exercises but I am finding them utterly exhausting! The best guess at this stage for a date when I can return to running is 4-6 months. I am reminding myself often that 6 months over a period of 20 years is not a long time. I want to be one of those crazy 70 year olds still running marathons!
Prior to surgery I had been dutifully doing all the prehab exercises recommended to strengthen the glutes, quads and calves so as to give me the best results possible post surgery. I actually don't think my quads had ever been as strong as they were prior to surgery and their strength has definitely helped with my ability to get up, down and around. Keep your fingers crossed for me that recovery continues to go well.
Phil has been amazing at doing all of the things around the house over the last week and getting lots of things for me! Very grateful for his support and encouragement.
Me in the future
I am now working out what I am going to do with myself in 2025. I shared some links in this week’s Adapt Drink’s newsletter of some content I have been reading, listening and watching around careers and jobs which you might like to check out if you are thinking of a change or feeling a bit meh about your job.
I am working through this process via a spreadsheet (yep, I still adore spreadsheets!). A key tab is one that lists the following:
What strengths can I bring to a job
My interests
My weaknesses
What I want from a job
What I don't want job
What someone will pay me to do
Potential jobs that are a cross section of the above - as illustrated in my little venn diagram!
Lots to think about and to be honest, lots to worry about. I am cognisant of my age, my unconventional CV and how it may be seen by recruiters. Letting go of Adapt Drinks was hard but I did learn so much over the last few years growing the brand. As I have moved into acceptance, I am beginning to feel a bit excited about trying something new and seeing it as the start of a new stage of life for me.
How are you?
How has your year been? Any career changes? Any kids move out of home? Any unexpected surgeries? I would love to hear about you and what you have been up to. Please let me know in the comments below or hit reply!
Nic
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Hey Nic,
Great to hear from you and thanks so much for sharing this with me.
I'm sorry to hear about your injury and that surgery . I hope you're not in too much discomfort and pain. You've had your fair share of injuries over the years but this one seems like a doozy! Best wishes for a swift recovery. I tore my calf a few months ago playing netball. A grade 2 tear, so nothing as dramatic as yours, but I commiserate on the lack of mobility and pain and inconvenience, and being unable to be as active as you're used to. I hope its not driving you bonkers and your family has rallied to help you. Big hugs.
Congratulations on Adapt Drinks and all that you have achieved with the business. It was so brave of you to start the venture, and you have taken on so many new things and achieved so many firsts for yourself. It's wonderful to have an idea, decide to go for it and follow it through. You are in such a small cadre of people who take those steps, and I hope you now fully own your entrepreneurial identity!
It's an equally hard decision to decide to stop. It's disappointing when the money isn't what you want or need it to be to sustain it, but its wise to make the call now. I have made a similar decision to stop working on life admin hacks. No more podcast, no more Art of Adulting. ! I can't wait to do nothing for a bit.
I'd love to catch up for lunch or a coffee when you're able to get out and about.
x Mia
Hi Nicole, it's so lovely to hear from you! I'm so sorry to hear about your knee, that sounds really painful, but I'm glad you're on the road to recovery! I also am a long time follower (since 2010 or thereabouts!:). I found Planning with Kids when I had just moved to the US with 2 young children and it saved my life in so many ways! I still use some of your recipes (I just made Mexibake recently :). Thank you for the inspiration, insight and wisdom that you always provided, along with compassion, humour and practical advice. My girls are now 18 and 17, one is in her first year of university and one in her last year of high school. They are doing well, and so independent now! We went to see Taylor Swift in Melbourne this year and I thought of you, as we had never been to Melbourne before. I wish you all the very best with your future endeavours and I know you will be successful at whatever you choose to do next! :)