Hello!
I'm delighted you're here.
I'm Iris - woman, mother and wife. My husband, Andy, and I, along with our daughters, Poppy, Tallulah and Sybil, live in beautiful Somerset. We navigate our days much the way that many other families do, and amidst all of the chaos there is an abundance of love and good intentions.
You could say that writing is in my blood - my mother is a writer and one-time editor - but it wasn't until after the birth of my first baby that I began to truly understand it's power. Writing is a creative outlet, a means of communication and connection, and an effective therapeutic tool. It helped me to understand and challenge my anxiety and it continues to be my ally as I explore the intersection between motherhood and womanhood.
This site is an extension of my page on Instagram. Like many who have separate blogs, I wanted a space which I owned and could call "mine" and where I wasn't restricted by word count. Mental health and wellbeing is invariably a theme which will be strong here. Forcing myself to be vulnerable and sharing my own journey of mental health was done as much for my own wellbeing as it was an attempt to support you. It has taken me six years and three babies to accept that motherhood is a defining if not consuming part of my life right now but, significantly, this phase is finite. I'm slowly learning to give myself grace. I also always feel as though I need to provide a caveat: I don't share my life or experiences with you because I believe myself to be special and I don't 'have it all figured out', but rather I'd like you to learn from my mistakes and celebrate my successes alongside me. I'd like to get to know YOU. Oh, and you'll likely find some frivolity here too, just for balance.
Disclaimer:
While I am training to be a mental health nurse, I am not yet qualified. I cannot give personal advice, nor would it be appropriate for me to do so. All of the experiences, stories, anecdotes, etc. which you will find on this site have been shared to offer camaraderie and hope (and occasionally, entertainment). I will do my best to signpost you to the resources which I know of, however if you are worried about your mental wellbeing your first call should always be to your GP or mental health professional. You can find a link to some resources at the top of the page. If you are worried about your safety or that of someone you know, please call your GP or dial 111.