31 December 2019

A YEAR IN NORWAY



How has your 2019 been, lover? I have spent a lot of time cleaning dog poo out of toddler wellies, so there's that 😬. One lady I know, however, has had a million more adventures!

Interiors designer Marit, from Norway, was so inspired when she read the Norwegian edition of my book The Year of Saying Yes that she's spent the past year following in Izzy's footsteps! "My life is full of everyday duties. I needed some more adventure and excitement in my life and was up for some challenges," she tells me.

So she wrote to Kamille, a glossy Norwegian mag, and pitched the idea. If you haven't read The Year of Saying Yes, journalist Izzy spends her New Year's Eve spectacularly failing at life and trundles back to London the next day feeling super miffed. She writes a list of boring New Year's resolutions and suddenly everyone at her magazine's first editorial meeting is talking about how they, too, have vowed to say no to things. But surely a new year should be all about saying yes to fresh adventure, rather than no to muffins? Suddenly the editor asks her to try 12 new things in 12 months and so begins Izzy's journey of a lifetime.

Back to Norway, and Kamille magazine loved the idea of Marit doing something similar for them. She adds: "I was so ready to step out of my ordinary life from time to time and try something new."

Just like Izzy, Marit has spent the past year stepping out of her comfort zone with challenges like...

Slam poetry (in which she wrote and performed a deeply personal poem for her father), going vegan, caring for a poorly little girl, visiting a recycling plant, nude bathing (which made her giggle), volunteering at a soup kitchen, giving a lecture to 200 women and so much more.

Throughout 2019 Marit has kept me updated on her progress and I have absolutely LOVED hearing all about her adventures.

She says: "You don't know what might happen when you get out of your comfort zone. Maybe you'll meet new people who will mean a lot to you, or learn something new that leads you in a new direction in life, or maybe you'll grow in confidence because you dared to try something new. You never know until you try!"

I'm bowled over by these words and wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Marit for being so brave, and for dedicating an entire year to this challenge. I'm so in awe of all the things you have done!

Thanks also to Kamille magazine for loving the idea and everyone in Norway who has read the book. Tusen takk! And I hope your 2020 is just as exciting.



More book chat...

> The Year of Saying Yes
> One Hot Summer in Booksville
> Just My Type
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