Here's what Lucy has to share about what living your best life means for her…

Welcome, Lucy! Can you tell us a bit about yourself, what you life is like and the path you took to get to where you are today please?
I am a 45-year-old mum to three wonderful children. Being a mum to them is a joy and their lives (and washing!) take up most of my time. I live in London with my kids and husband and I hold my city very dear. But a big part of my heart resides in the countryside, where one day I dream of being permanently, or at least more often. I have arrived at a career in blogging and crafting along a slightly higgledy piggledy path. This includes degrees in Psychology and Homeopathy and jobs in sales, administration and health care. That winding path was necessary to get me here, to this creative life and journey, which I love. I now cannot imagine doing anything else and I am the happiest and most settled in myself that I have ever been.

I think that shows in your posts online! What inspirational quotes or words hold meaning for you?
The quote that springs to mind and always brings a smile to my face is, ‘Keep on keeping on’. I lived in Kenya when I was a teenager and the Kenyan radio DJs used to sign off by saying this in their slightly cheesy Kenyan/American accents and it used to make my mum and me laugh. I feel it really sums up my aim in life, which is to keep trying and doing my best. And any mantras I have are related to this. I am constantly telling myself to keep going, that I am enough and to breathe for goodness' sake!

How do you recognise when life’s getting on top of you?
I’m really in tune with this process now. I have a sense of a feeling bubbling up from deep down, getting closer to the surface, often manifested in an anxious and panicky feeling in my tummy and chest. I find myself sighing a lot and being near to tears. Negative and anxious thoughts build up too and lead to a feeling of saturation and overwhelm.

That's a really clear picture you've painted for us, so what do you do to get back to how you want to feel?
I simplify. Usually when that anxious feeling bubbles up, it is because I have placed expectations on myself that far outweigh those that others place at my door. I look at the long list I have written of tasks that ‘have’ to be done and ideas that ‘need’ to be put into fruition. I change the message and reassess my priorities. My ambitious plans and projects can often be simplified and the outcome is always absolutely fine. Recognising and telling myself, “enough already” usually works.

When life is getting on top of me it is also usually a sign that I haven’t taken much time for me and that I need to either rest or get out and about. I will take myself off to walk and explore, usually on my lonesome (which I love!) and always with my camera. I let the beauty of the natural world and the space all around me, calm and soothe my worried mind. I always feel reinvigorated, deeply moved and inspired.

What are your plans, hopes and dreams for the future?
I plan to ‘keep on keeping on’: to continue dreaming, exploring, experimenting and making! More specifically, I am going to be designing a new website and opening up an online shop because, and this isn’t a subject I like to talk about very much, I really hope to start earning a living from doing what I love. I will continue to post free craft tutorials and recipes but I have a plan that involves offering levels of ‘inspiration’. Watch this space! I always have my long term dream in mind and that is to become an author, craft and/or otherwise.

That all sounds so exciting, Lucy! And finally, what does living your best life mean to you?
Living my best life means waking up each day and trying. It means being creative, moving forwards and it means being kind to myself and to others… every single day. I used to fear failure and judge my efforts on a deluded perception of success, so my self-worth was really low. But now I know that if I have tried, if I have loved, if I have been kind and gentle and if at all possible I have been creative in some way, life is good.

Lucy Peltier is a blogger and crafter passionate about seasonal joy and creativity. She writes about exploring the beauty of her city and beyond, and living a life closer to nature, allowing her experience of the seasons to inform and influence her creativity. She hopes to inspire others to play with their creativity too. Lucy will be opening up an online shop in 2019 to sell her creations. You can find Lucy's blog here, and connect with her on Instagram, and Pinterest.