How are you, really?

Did this book just change my life?

‘How are you, really?’ is the title of Jenna Kutcher’s new book. And honestly, I really thought I was fine.

I enjoy Jenna’s podcast ‘Goaldigger’ and have listened to it for years so I bought the book for something to read on holiday and because I feel a bit of a connection with Jenna. She used to be a wedding photographer too and I’ve enjoyed a lot of her marketing courses. I liked the thought of the journaling prompts, so I threw it in my suitcase as we set off for sunny Spain. I wasn’t expecting what happened next.

A couple of weeks before I’d seen a house on my usual weekly, okay more like daily, interrogation of Rightmove. I’d shown it to my husband, we discussed its merits then moved on and thought nothing else of it. The week before we left we travelled to Dorset for my mother-in-law's funeral. After the service, some old family friends hosted a lunch for everyone at their beautiful old house. I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to be able to do that. To live somewhere lovely and share it with others like that. I want to be a better host. I filed that thought away under ‘things to work on someday’.

Then on holiday, I read the book and journaled a lot. Then we started talking. Now, I’ve been dead set against a renovation project since we finished the last one in 2006. Honestly, that one was so stressful and by the time it was finished I hated the house. But, there’s a whole chapter in the book about changing your mind and I realised I had made a rule for myself in my head that wasn’t serving me anymore. I want another crack at it. I want to renovate another old house and do it right this time. When I really thought about it, it’s the only thing that has me really excited.

So we talked and realised we were on the same page. There’s a whole chapter on sharing your dream in the book too. We both have concerns but we’re in the same place. It’s what we want to do. Next, we talked to the kids about a change in lifestyle. They’re onboard too although I’m not sure they really know what they’re in for!

Since then things have been going at super speed. Like it’s all just meant to be. Remember the house I’d seen before the holiday. Well, we talked about how it would make a great project and that was definitely the sort of thing we were looking for. We crunched all the numbers and James called a few people. Then we rang the estate agent to see if it was still on the market. We managed to get a viewing and went straight there after dropping our suitcases off at home. The most bizarre thing was that the chap who showed us around knew my father-in-law. Not that strange I suppose as they were both cavalry officers but as they live at opposite ends of the country I was a bit surprised. Then the house itself just felt right. The garden is amazing, it has more room than we’ll ever need and it just feels like a home. Right down to the height chart drawn on the wall in the upstairs corridor, a bigger version of one we have made here.

Still, buying houses is fraught with peril and there are a million things that could go wrong before it actually becomes ours. Maybe this won’t be the one at all. But, I know what we want now and I’m prepared to work hard to get it. Jenna’s book is about where the ‘woo meets the work’ and so now it’s time to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in. Just yesterday I sat down to dinner with some total strangers at a wedding. The guy to my left turned out to be an architect so you can bet your life I picked his brains and found out what I needed to know about hiring someone. If that’s not the woo meeting the work I don’t know what is!

So follow along as we leap headfirst into a huge renovation project. I’ll be here to share all the stress and success along the way. I also can’t wait to delve into the house history and get going in the garden. So excited to start this journey!