By Poorna Bell Synopsis from the book cover Now a competitive amateur power-lifter who can lift twice her own bodyweight, Poorna Bell is perfectly placed to start a crucial new conversation about women’s strength and fitness, one that has nothing to do with weight loss. In Stronger, she describes how taking up weightlifting after the … Continue reading Stronger – How I changed everything I thought I knew about women’s strength
Posts
Why I write
I was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago this month. To be precise, on 22nd January 2016. I’d like to say that I started writing about my experience right from the beginning ... but I didn’t. The truth is that I was much too traumatised and shocked to think about writing it all down. … Continue reading Why I write
Isolation
Note to readers: this piece was written on April 3rd and 19th, with later additions and edits on December 5th. April 3rd 2020. Day 11 of lockdown in Rickmansworth. It’s very quiet where I live. I’m close to Heathrow airport which is great when I’m driving Liam there for him to go on one of … Continue reading Isolation
Reality
I write every day. Not on this blog, but in a notebook. I journal every morning, pouring out whatever I’m feeling and documenting my life and, as it turned out, the pandemic. I love getting everything out of my head and on to the page. It frees me up for the day. Or it used … Continue reading Reality
Nancy’s Point Summer blog hop 2020
Nancy runs her Summer blog hop every year & I'm joining in this year. It's inspired me to sit at my keyboard and write again. 1. Who are you? Tell us whatever you want about you and your blog. I'm Juliet & live in Hertfordshire. I grow cut flowers in my garden and love walking … Continue reading Nancy’s Point Summer blog hop 2020
Lupin back to Chelsea Flower Show
Today is the first day of Chelsea Flower Show 2020. Except that it’s not. Or at least it isn’t in its usual physical form. Instead the RHS have organised Virtual Chelsea. Monday is member’s day where us horticultural fans who choose to pay an annual subscription can go online ahead of the general public and … Continue reading Lupin back to Chelsea Flower Show
Bread
I've been journalling every day since January. Each morning I've been dumping my thoughts out of my head onto paper. It's been helping me control my anxious and whirling mind. Usually I write about what I'm feeling and what I did the previous day. Maybe something about my therapy and the processing of my thoughts. … Continue reading Bread
Moving Forward
It’s four years since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Actually, four years today as I sit here and write this blog. Four years ago, I was sitting in this same chair typing into a laptop and desperately searching for information about what the hell was going to happen to me over the next few … Continue reading Moving Forward
Defiance
Photo credit: Ami Barwell for Stand Up To Cancer Defiance – what does that mean to you? One dictionary definition is: proud and determined opposition against authority. To me it means challenging the norm, being brave enough to speak up for myself. Ami Barwell’s Defiance exhibition for Stand Up to Cancer shows the gritty and … Continue reading Defiance
Living my best life
I haven’t blogged in months. Not since the beginning of June to be precise. I was riding high on a wave of positivity; my image having appeared on billboards in Times Square and Piccadilly Circus. I’d been on BBC Radio London and made a repeat appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live. There were press articles … Continue reading Living my best life
Blooming Cancer 