INSIDE: Want to get to know yourself better? An ‘A-Z of Me’ is a great way to do it! In this post, I’m sharing the A-Z of me and why I think you should do it too. Includes a FREE printable you to download. Find out how to get your hands on a copy at the bottom of the post.
Getting to know me better…
It’s been a while since I’ve done a ‘getting to know me’ post, so I thought it was about time I did another one! Why? Because I want you to feel like you really know me. I’ve said before that this blog is a blog from the heart and I truly mean that. When you’re reading my posts, I don’t want you to feel like you’re just reading another blog. I want you to feel like you’re sitting down having a chat with one of your girlfriends. That you know who I am and what makes me tick. And so, I thought I’d share a bit more about myself so that you can get to know me better!
And to make it fun, rather than do an ordinary post, I thought I’d do it as an a-z of me! Below is something about me for every letter of the alphabet. It could be something that I like to do, someone who is important to me or something about my personality. Whatever it is, by the time you get to Z, hopefully, you’ll feel like you know me a little better!
Sidenote: As much as I love this idea, I can’t take full credit for it…that goes to Clare over at Our Favourite Jar. I came across it in one of her posts and thought it was a great way of sharing more about myself, so I decided to do it too! So, to give credit where credit is due, be sure to check out Clare’s A-Z of Me here.
I’d LOVE to get to know you too!
As well as sharing more about myself, I’d LOVE to get to know you better too! And so, when you get to the end of this post, be sure to leave a comment about yourself. Pick a letter and tell me something about you so that I can get to know you too! And don’t forget to download the A-Z of Me printable so that you can do this exercise yourself because it’s a LOT of fun. It’ll really help you get to know yourself better too! Find the link to download the printable at the bottom of the post.
Okay, so are you ready to get to know me better? Here goes!
An A-Z of me…
A is for Arthur Pendoggen
Arthur is my gorgeous little fur baby and the four-legged member of our family. A French Bulldog pup who I’m pretty sure thinks he’s human, he completes our little unit. The laziest dog I know, he’s really not that fussed about going for walks – much to my disappointment. Instead, he prefers to keep me company when I’m blogging whilst snoring very loudly! He also likes to sit up at the dinner table with us, chill out on the sofa of an evening and absolutely loves his cuddles.
B is for Boston, MA
Boston is where my Hubby asked me to marry him and so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Accompanying him on a business trip back in 2005, he got down on one knee and popped the question during dinner one evening. Both in tears, the waiter delayed bringing us our dessert because she thought we’d had an argument. Having told her the good news, she came back with a bottle of Champagne on the house!
C is for Coffee
Espresso, Americano, latte or cappuccino…as long as there’s coffee in it, I’m happy! I cannot function unless I’ve had that first…and maybe second or third(!)…cup of coffee. I love to make myself a cafetière when I’m first up – mainly because it’s the only time I get to drink it hot! I enjoy taking myself off out to my local Starbucks armed with my laptop too. It’s a great way to work when I just need to get on as it stops me from being distracted by all the washing and housework. Plus, I get to have my favourite order too…an almond milk cappuccino with hazelnut syrup!
D is for Dark evenings
One of my absolute favourite things is when the nights start drawing in. There’s something so comforting and cosy about being all warm and safe indoors when it’s dark outside. I close the curtains, light the fire, turn the lights down low and light my (many) candles. Then, I put on some music and curl up in the chair with a good book and a glass of wine or cup of my favourite herbal tea for company. It’s such a great way to unwind at the end of the day.
E is for English Heritage (and National Trust)
We’ve had a family membership to both English Heritage and National Trust for the last four years now and they’re worth their weight in gold. Not only do they give us access to hundreds of historical places all over the UK all year round, we only need to visit two or three places each year to earn back our membership. After that, every day out thereafter is free – all that’s required is some fuel for the car and a picnic – oh, and money for ice creams of course!
F is for F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
It might be 25 years old now, but this series NEVER stops being funny. By far my favourite comedy, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen the episodes and can recite them word for word. I can’t resist the urge to quote a line whenever the opportunity arises too…a must when you’re a Friends fan, right?!
I have a lot of things in common with Monica too. As well as needing everything to be clean and tidy, I also have a secret messy closet. I love to plan and organise too and I have files, folders and categories for everything. Which is probably why one of my nicknames is Monica!
G is for Gluten-free
I have quite a few food allergies and intolerances so the G in my a-z of me is for gluten-free. Diagnosed with gluten-hypersensitivity five years ago, I’ve been following a celiac diet ever since. It makes eating out a real challenge because as well as being gluten-free, I’m also lactose intolerant and allergic to raw eggs and kiwi fruit. My youngest, Harrison, has gluten-hypersensitivity too so we’ve had to get very savvy about what to cook for dinner. We’ve adapted to it pretty well over the years but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I missed cinnamon swirls and Danish pastries!
H is for Harry Potter
As well as loving F.R.I.E.N.D.S, I’m a MASSIVE Harry Potter fan too. I’ve read the books several times and am now reading them from the beginning with Harrison. I have a model of Dobby that sits on my desk and several quotes from the books on my office wall. I’ve been to the real world Diagon Alley in York, the Platform 9 ¾ store at Kings Cross Station, visited several of the filming locations in England and Scotland and have done the Warner Bros Studio Tour too. I’m yet to do The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida but it sits VERY high on my bucket list of places to go!
I is for Introvert
I’m a huge introvert and so I’m not great around big groups of people. Social situations totally freak me out and small talk with people I don’t know has me quaking in my boots. I never know what to say and worry that people won’t like me. I find it difficult to strike up conversations and as a result, I find it hard to make new friends. Socially awkward, shy and reserved, I definitely prefer the comfort of my own home and hiding behind my PC than being out there getting noticed!
J is for Journaling
It’s no surprise as a blogger that I love to write and so that’s why the J in my a-z of me is for journaling. Part of my morning routine, I really enjoy those first few minutes of the day where I sit with my coffee and write whatever comes to mind. Not only does it help me to get to know myself better, it’s a great excuse to have a stack of pretty notebooks too!
K is for (a thirst for) Knowledge
I said earlier that one of my nicknames was Monica. Want to know what the other is? Hermione Granger! Why? Because I have a real thirst for knowledge and LOVE to learn. I want to know EVERYTHING about everything and always have some kind of project on the go – which makes blogging the perfect career choice as there’s always something new to learn!
L is for Lists
There’s nothing more satisfying than writing a list – except perhaps ticking things off of one! I’m totally obsessed with them and so it would be wrong of me not to include them in my a-z of me. I have lists of things I need to do, books I want to read, movies I want to watch, places I want to go, craft projects I want to start and DIY projects I want to do. I even have lists for the lists I want to create! Lists destress me. They’re the only way I can think straight and so, whenever I need to figure something out or work out what I need to do, I just make a list. It works every time!
M is for Music
Music plays a huge part of the everyday in our household. It’s on most of the time but especially when we’re cooking dinner. Harrison and I regularly dance around the kitchen to our favourite tunes and one of my at-home date nights of choice is creating new playlists. My Hubby and I will stream Spotify to our TV and soundbar and pour one another a glass of wine before spending the evening finding new songs to save. I’m pretty sure we have a playlist for just about every occasion – I even have one for when I’m doing the housework!
N is for Night skies
The letter N in my a-z of me is for night skies. Why? Because it’s one of our all-time favourite family date nights. There’s something so relaxing about staring at the stars in the sky, teaching Harrison all the different constellations whilst hunting for shooting stars. Sometimes we’ll do it in the back garden camped out around the fire-pit toasting marshmallows for s’mores. Other times we’ll make a flask of hot chocolate, throw a couple of rugs in the car and drive out to our local forest where it’s pitch black so we can see the Milky Way. It’s about as good as quality family time gets!
O is for Oscar
Oscar is my eldest son. Now aged 20, I’ve been his stepmum for the last fifteen years. A quiet, dinky five-year-old when I first met him, I’m incredibly proud of the fine young man he’s grown up to be. His dream is to become a commercial pilot and having seen him fly, I have no doubt he’ll achieve it. I feel very honoured to have had the privilege of being his stepmum and be a part of his childhood. He and I are incredibly close, he treats me like a second mum and I’m happy to say that I have a great relationship with his real mum too. I’m one very lucky stepmum.
P – Parker (aka my Hubby)
Parker is my Hubby’s nickname and in return, he calls me M’Lady. Taken from the characters in Thunderbirds, we’ve had these names for each other pretty much from day one. When we were first dating, Steve would always do the driving and the true gentleman that he is, would always open the car door for me. I joked that he was my Parker and as a result, the nicknames Parker and M’Lady have stayed with us ever since.
Q – Quest
Since my cancer diagnosis in 2016, I’ve been on a mission to do what I can to make family life less stressful and more enjoyable and to help others do the same. And that’s why the Q in my a-z of me is for quest. I truly believe that whatever struggles we might be going through, whatever difficulties we might be facing, there are things we can do to make the best of what we have and create a life we love. And that’s my quest – to find out what they are and share them with those who are struggling too.
R – Reading
I’m a real bookworm and just love being surrounded by books. As a child, I would go to the library every day after school and for the first ten years of my working life, I worked in that same library. My nickname at school was “Sarah-read-a-book” and there’s nothing I love more than spending my day browsing bookstores adding books to my never-ending reading list. I also secretly fantasise about having a library at home just like the one in Beauty and the Beast!
S – Scrabble
We have a lot of board games in our house and we play them as often as we can. Our favourite though has to be Scrabble – especially the Harry Potter version. Another of our favourite date nights, my Hubby and I regularly play a game in the evening together instead of watching TV. We always take it with us whenever we go away too. Preferring to hire cottages in the UK rather than fly anywhere, the Scrabble board is always one of the first things to get packed!
T – Tasmanian Devil (aka Harrison)
This is how we describe our youngest to other people. Just like the cartoon character, he spins around at top speed, makes a mess wherever he goes and NEVER stops eating! He’s incredibly cheeky, has us in stitches with his jokes and like Taz, loves music and is soothed by it. We often say that living with him is like living with a mix of the Tasmanian Devil and Curious George!
U – Undressed!
By undressed I mean putting on my PJs! After all, there’s nothing more relaxing at the end of the day than getting undressed and into your pyjamas, right?! A family tradition in our house – mainly because Harrison insists that we get ready for bed when he gets ready for bed – the second dinner is finished, no matter what day of the week it is, we’ll head off upstairs and put on our PJs. It’s probably psychological but whenever those PJs are on, our evenings are far more chilled.
V – Views
There’s nothing I like more than a good view. My Hubby and I will often go for drives around the countryside seeking out good views. And whenever we go on holiday, we always plan at least one road trip that will provide us with a view or two. It’s one of the reasons why we prefer to holiday in the UK – there’s so much beautiful scenery to explore. My favourite views so far? The Yorkshire Dales and Moors, the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, The Gap of Dunloe, Ireland and Malham Cove (where they filmed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).
W – Walking
The W in my a-z of me is for walking. I absolutely hate going to the gym. And so, for me, walking is the best way for me to get some exercise. I’ll drop my youngest off at school and spend the following half an hour or so walking around the estate where we live. Not only do I get fresh air and exercise, I get to pound my stresses out on the streets and catch up on my podcasts too. A little bit of me time that I really enjoy, I come back home feeling thoroughly refreshed.
X – Xmas
I am the biggest kid when it comes to Christmas. I love everything about it. The decorations, buying presents for family and friends, the food and the festivities. All of it! The best part though is being able to spend quality time with friends and family. Last Christmas we hired two cottages in Devon and spent it with my husband’s parents, brother, his wife and my niece and nephew. Spending the entire break all ten of us together was amazing. A Christmas that’s going to be hard beat, it’s one we’ll never forget.
Y – YES! days
I’m a huge fan of YES! days. As a mum, one of my biggest mum guilts is saying no to Harrison more often than I’d like. A YES! day really helps to balance things out. For just one day of the year, Harrison gets to call the shots – and I can’t say no. If you haven’t tried a YES! day yet, I thoroughly recommend it!
Z – Zoo
To finish things up, the Z in my a-z me is for Zoo. One of my and Harrison’s absolute favourite places to visit is Colchester Zoo. The best Zoo in the UK by far, it was our go-to place for a day out when he was still at nursery. I’d pick him up at lunchtime and we’d head straight there. We’d have a picnic and spend the afternoon looking at the meerkats, elephants and giraffes. We’ve held annual passes for there ever since and whenever we have a day free, that’s where we go.
An A-Z of me – a great way to get to know yourself better…
There you have it – an a-z of me! I really enjoyed putting this list together, it was a lot of fun! I’ll admit I had to dig a little deep for a couple of the letters – and get a little creative, but in doing so, I realised something. Not only did I come up with 26 ways for you to get to know me better, I got to know me a little better too!
And that made me realise that this exercise is a great way to connect with yourself and discover what makes you tick. It would make a great bullet journal page or journaling prompts page. You could even do it for a friend and give it to them as a gift! And so, because I love creating printables, I’ve made an A-Z of Me printable for you to download so that you can get to know yourself better too!
Get the A-Z of Me printable!
With two designs to choose from, simply print it out and fill it in. Add it to your journal or planner or even put it up on your wall! As a special bonus, you’ll also find with the printable an A-Z of Me journaling prompts page. With space for each letter of the alphabet, there’s plenty of room for you to journal more about yourself – just like I have above!
How to access the A-Z of me printable…
You’ll find the A-Z of Me printable inside my FREE subscriber’s Resource Library. Available only to my email subscribers, the Resource Library is packed FULL of cheatsheets, checklists, worksheets and printables all designed to help you create a life you LOVE. To gain access simply fill in your details in the boxes below and I’ll send you the password right away!
That’s it for this post! Now it’s your turn…I’d LOVE to get to know you better. Pick a letter and tell me something about yourself in the comments below! I can’t wait to read what you share!
Until next time…
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About the Author
Hey there! In case we haven’t met, I’m Sarah, the founder of A Simple and Contented Life. The online coaching practice that helps moms and mompreneurs with an online biz create more balance so that they can thrive both at home and at work WITHOUT feeling like they have to choose between the two.
A certified master life coach, transformation coach, goal success coach and self-published author, I’m also an Executive Contributor for Brainz Magazine, a proud mum of two, a besotted wife, breast cancer survivor and your mentor for making a change for the better.
When I’m not helping my clients and club members create a great home life and business of their dreams, you’ll find me in my favourite Starbucks curled up in a chair, book in one hand, hazelnut latte in the other or attempting to walk my somewhat lazy Frenchie pup Arthur!
Here’s how I can help you thrive – both at home AND in your online biz:
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