Bridget McNulty

Gratitude in a breath of air.

// August 17th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Decisions, Inspiration, Nature, Philosophy

Life is busy, isn’t it? And so much of the time (I realised recently) I’m so busy living it and discovering new things and figuring out how to live it better, that I don’t really take time out to appreciate where I am, right now.

We went away this past weekend, my man and I, with a group of friends, and at the end of the day on Saturday (after a delicious afternoon nap) I took a dog for a walk. This is actually quite big news: dogs and I don’t usually mix. Anyhoo, I took this very playful dog for a walk along these raised wooden walkways right next to the sea… The wind was howling, but it was a warm, friendly wind, and the waves were whipping up into froth, and there was nobody around as far as I could see. After I’d walked quite a distance I stopped and watched the sun set behind a mountain.

I only had a few minutes, because the dog was pulling to keep walking, but I had this sudden, very clear moment where I felt gratitude. For my life as it is right now: for feeling healthy almost all of the time, for having found a man I want to spend all my days with, for a job that challenges me and friends that support me and make me laugh. I suddenly felt this deep thankfulness for it all – as if I’d stepped out of the everyday run of things and could look in and see how lovely it all is.

And it’s stuck with me, this sense of lovely.

Have you had a moment like this lately? Have you given yourself a chance to?

Day 23: Fulfilling a chocolate craving

// July 23rd, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Cape Town, Reviews, food

Open-plan offices are so weird, aren’t they?

Never mind that everyone can hear your conversations, and easily deduce whether you’re working or just hanging out online, there’s also the whole hearing-other-people’s-thoughts thing. Obviously, we’re not all talking out loud as much as we would be if we had private offices (I, personally, would chat to myself all day if I had a door), but there’s still definitely an element of open thought that you don’t really get anywhere else.

So when one of my colleagues said today (in a wistful and forlorn voice), “I feel like chocolate cake”, I decided to make his dream a reality

And, okay, it was a brownie and not chocolate cake, but it’s the second-best brownie in Cape Town (from the delightful Sidewalk Cafe. The Best Brownie in Town award goes to Khayelitsha Cookies). And it tastes so many million times better than it looks!

Day 17: New pyjamas

// July 18th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // 29 Gifts, Life (and the living of it), Love

Is there any feeling as delicious as that of slipping on a pair of new pyjamas? Especially if you’ve just got out the shower and you’re about to get into a warm bed? I don’t think so.

My man, believe it or not, has never worn pyjamas, and much as t-shirts and shorts are handy, they don’t do what a pair of crisp cotton jammies will for a good night’s sleep. So yesterday, while out on a bit of a shopping spree for myself (more on that later), I decided to buy him a pair of pyjamas. Delicious.

Day 13: A day of compliments

// July 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Decisions, Inspiration

I don’t know about you, but I fairly often think compliments and don’t say them out loud. Why is that? I suppose it’s not wanting to bridge a certain ‘formal’ way of relating to people I don’t know that well… Although, having said that, I do quite often compliment people on the street with no qualms whatsoever.

So today I decided, as my gift for the day, to compliment freely and often. And what do you know! There were so many things around me to compliment. What you pay attention to clearly manifests. It’s so great to make people feel good, too, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

Day 6: Meaningful email

// July 6th, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Decisions, Life (and the living of it), Love

Life is really busy, isn’t it? I so often find the days kind of slipping into each other and things that I had meant to do – small things – just slip by the sidelines of the ‘more important’ To Do List.

One of the things I always mean to do (and sometimes never find time for) is sending heartfelt emails to friends. Just no-reason-in-particular mails, to tell them how I feel about them.

So today I did that. A friend of mine has been making a lot of life changes lately, and I wanted to let her now how proud I am of her.

Day 5: Spare change

// July 5th, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Decisions, Inspiration, Philosophy

As a South African, it’s very easy to become immune to people asking for help.

There are just so many askers – beggars, streetkids, bergies, people selling things you don’t want at the traffic lights, Big Issue salespeople. I’ve often thought that if I said yes to everyone who asked me for spare change in a day, I’d be broke by the end of that day. Which isn’t to say I don’t give at all – I generally go on gut feel and if I really think someone needs money I’ll give them when they ask.

But often, especially when I’m in a really lovely holiday town (thank you, Knysna), with a full belly and a happy heart, it’s easier just to pretend not to hear a plea for help.

Which is, let’s be honest, not cool.

So today this guy asked for money for bread, and I remembered I had to give a gift today, and actually listened to him.

Day 3: Samballoons

// July 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // 29 Gifts, Cape Town, Inspiration, Life (and the living of it), Love

(And, coincidentally, my favourite day of the year).

We went to watch the (thrilling) quarter-final at the Cape Town Fan Park, and I handed out these cool samballoons (filled with shaky stuff) to a couple of very happy kids.

I have had the BEST day! Birthdays are so wonderful, aren’t they? One day that reminds you how lucky you are to have such special people in your life, to be so loved, to get so many presents

It’s been a day of warm sunshine, abundant messages and phonecalls, chocolate cupcakes (that appeared as if by magic) and great fun. And it’s not over yet! Time to dress up to the nines and go to Madame Zingara for a Love Magic show. Yes please!

The tiny things

// May 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // Cape Town, Inspiration, Life (and the living of it)

I’ve realised that it’s the tiny things in life that make my day.

Driving to work this morning, the clouds looked like they’d been splashed across the sky with luminescent pearly paint. The outline of a cathedral against the brightest blue of the sky looked like something out of a painting. And when I pulled in to work, I saw the tiniest scrap of a rainbow lurking among the clouds. (Can you see it? A little pixellated, but it’s there!)

Lovely!

I had a very, very lazy weekend and that, too, made me so happy. Lying in bed reading with my man, lingering over a cup of tea on the verandah and looking at the mountain, feasting on a lazy lunch with my siblings… I’ve come to realise that, for me, it’s all these tiny little moments that make up a happy life.

Don’t you think?

I bought a wedding dress…

// May 13th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Decisions, Durban, Inspiration

… Last weekend. Almost on a whim. In fact, it felt a little like Liz Lemon buying her wedding dress in 30 Rock (see some classic Liz Lemon moments here).

Except I’m actually getting married. Eek! When you have a dress, you know it’s for real.

It was possibly one of the most exciting mornings of my life. No exaggeration.
I spent 5 or 6 days in Durban last week for work (which was, I would like to confess, waaay too busy – turns out photo shoots are a lot more intensive than I imagined). On Saturday morning, my mom and dad and I went to the Musgrave Bridal Centre, where I was confronted with what felt like hundreds of wedding gowns, all glittering and shining and begging for attention. I wasn’t interested in any of the dresses that you could get made to your size (imagine seeing someone else wearing your wedding dress! My worst nightmare. I get upset if I see someone else wearing the same everyday dress as me).

But then there was the Magical Rack of Once-Offs. Sent from America, one-of-a-kind, all in my size. Yup, that’s me, the luckiest girl in the world.

I tried on four, and fell in love with one. In love. As in, it is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. Fits me like it was made for me, a vintage feel, gorgeous fabric, and a long train. Amazing! I also got a traditional veil. And heart palpitations every time I think about it – I am so excited!

The pic above is from my drive to the new airport in Durban… Early morning, sugarcane fields, golden light. That’s why I love Durban. Well, one of the reasons…

PS: Don’t even ask, cause I’m not showing ANYONE my dress till the big day!

It just works.

// April 16th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Decisions, Inspiration, Life (and the living of it), Time

If you’re looking for an instant feel-good hit, check out this video.  (And this picture, how cute is that baby?)
What a pleasure!

And the perfect way to get yourself turned back downstream… Allow me to elaborate:
I had a very admin-full morning today, lots of things to do and people to chat to and meetings to co-ordinate. And by lunchtime I was starting to feel, if not grumpy, then at least a little gritchy. My To Do List for lunch involved two nasty errands: dropping off my tax forms at SARS (the South African Revenue Service) and returning a broken phone, without the original box or receipt.
Yack! What a combo.

So I made sure to get myself in the zone before I ate my lunch. I watched the video (above, again, watch it, now) and got goosebumps. I thought about what a beautiful day it is, how much I love Fridays, how lucky I am.

And then I went to the SARS offices. Where they told me I had to come back next week because the wait time was over 2 hours. I didn’t freak out, asked if I could check if I had all my forms, and spoke to a wonderful lady at Reception who took all my forms and told me I didn’t have to come back, I could just call and get my tax number next week! Amazing.
And then, as if I even need to say this, I went to Telkom and they gave me a new phone no problem…

So when I say getting in the zone makes everything go your way, I really, really mean it. Try it – and let me know how it goes.

Photo: CharlotteSpeaks