I posted the original version of this article on my professional LinkedIn account at the beginning of last year, and although I don’t usually post the same material on here, I really felt it held an important message that wanted to share. So here is an updated personal reflection on the truth to the expression (attributed to the Dalai Lama) that ‘sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck’.
Now this concept at first seems counter-intuitive, but I have found throughout my life that it really does hold true, perhaps not at the moment of disappointment, but once I have had the time to reflect back and realise that one closed door led to a new opportunity or more enriching experience. And as we (hopefully) start to come out of this unprecedented time in human history, I think its even more important to keep perspective and look for the positives, as difficult as they may be to find at first.
I have also had time to really reflect and make sense during this time of enforced isolation about this strange about-turn I experienced in my professional life. As many of you know I posted on my Instagram back in Autumn 2019, that I had accepted a job working in Marketing for an offshore law firm in the Cayman Islands, and was incredibly excited about this opportunity. Indeed it was the realisation of a long-held (20 year) dream to relocate to the Caribbean (which has always held an attraction for me with its laid-back vibe, warmth and community spirit and of course the glorious scenery and indeed chose the island of Jamaica for my own wedding).
Now, as many of you also know I came back much earlier than expected (within a month), and although island life was just what I had dreamt it would be (full blogpost on the splendour that is the Cayman Islands and the concept of ‘Caymankind’ to follow), the role transpired to not be what I had expected it to be, or aligned with my long-term professional goals.
As you can imagine at the time I didn’t see this as a positive and indeed I went through a lot of soul-searching as I returned home in the middle of a bitterly cold winter wondering what had happened and trying to decide what I did next. I certainly didn’t see this as a wonderful stroke of luck as I do now.
By coming back to the UK, I ended up being offered a (much better and indeed dream) role working towards the Climate Conference (COP26) which will be held in Glasgow this November. During the course of this role I have really been able to develop my own skill set, as well as working on incredibly impactful projects and being at the heart of the climate crisis conversations and green finance solutions, including co-leading on producing the very high profile Green Horizon Summit last November at Mansion House in London, and developing the series of Green Horizon Perspective magazine style shows that followed.
I have also met some incredible people from all walks of life and finally felt I was combining both passion and purpose, something I have been trying to attain for many years.
I have also realised that the time and effort I had dedicated, in the lead up to the big move to Grand Cayman, in order to foster local knowledge and connections, would not go wasted. Indeed I have made some incredible connections on both a professional and personal level, who I am still in touch with two years later.
With Forbes Writer Daphne Ewing-ChowAt The Ritz Carlton with new friend made on island LucyWith Joey Hew (Former Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure for The Cayman Islands)
And my commitment to the Cayman Islands and my personal passion to supporting island states more broadly in their quest for climate solutions and raising awareness of the issues they face, has not wavered. The consequences of global warming and plastic pollution is increasingly being experienced by all of us, however small island states are often at the forefront of the impact of this crisis and this is exacerbated because of their size and exposure. And have been delighted in my spare time to be an Ambassador representing the Cayman Islands and the UK for Island Innovation supporting on their virtual island summit three years in a row.
And whilst I haven’t given up on my island dream forever, I have realised that right now, accepting that what seemed initially to be a big disappointment actually was a huge blessing, and that I am exactly where I need to be right now, but carrying the Caribbean island vibes within me wherever I am, and wherever I go.
At the beginning of this year, I set myself targets in relation to my blog writing, and other personal goals, and was feeling proud two months in that I was keeping to these, but as news of the global pandemic emerged and lockdown took over, not to mention the challenges of a new job, my writing and inspiration dried up.
When the core concept of my blog is to showcase experiences and places, I struggled to see the point in featuring some of the places which I had visited previously. I felt huge concern for my friends in the hospitality industry and others who were not able to work from home as I and many others have been fortunate to do so. There was a sense of bleakness, a feeling of not knowing what the new world order would look like when we emerged from our homes, and it left me feeling at odds with the purpose of my blog.
And although we are not out of the woods yet, I have been uplifted by the spirit of human resilience and solidarity during these period. It goes without saying that the real heroes though it all have been the frontline workers and the amazing NHS.
But I have also been constantly impressed at the ingenuity and creativity of businesses and ways people have adapted in order to keep our collective spirits up. From one of my favourite restaurant chains Cote Brasserie within a number of weeks creating Cote at Home, to the Executive Chef of another of my London hangouts, Hotel Cafe Royal, Laurent Tourondel, posting pictures on Instagram of his amazing creations made at home and sharing his recipes.
And not to mention the numerous theatre performance streaming and virtual gallery tours available. Check out Time In (aka Time Out) for all the latest interesting things to do from home.
As well as finding new ways of spending free time, this period has also been an enforced time for many of us to reflect. Ats 2020 arrived, inspired by my friend Success Coach Rachel Letham Choose a Word for the year challenge, I decided upon the word “Restore” : to restore, rebuild and repair mind, body and soul after a difficult few years. By hitting pause, in this unexpected way, I have had time needed to go within and reset, and remember who my true authentic self really is.
My mission statement for the blog, indeed for life, has always been about following your bliss and that is equally applicable when sheltering in place or going about exploring the world at large. Life is what we make of it and as we reflect on how this pandemic has taken us all by surprise, it feels like we really should take stock of what truly matters to us and endeavour to make each moment count.
Stay Safe.
Sangeeta x
Main picture courtesy of my Instagram friend : @ria_jaynes_happy_snaps
We have all heard the phrase coined by The Dogs Trust that “a dog is for life, not just for Christmas” but unfortunately, the period after Christmas still tends to be the busiest for dog rescue charities, when the reality of looking after the new puppy or dog received as a gift sinks in, and hundreds of dogs in the UK are given up to rescue charities or simply abandoned on the street.
And although the dog charities work hard to make kennels as comfortable as possible, some dogs struggle in this environment, particularly older or unwell dogs. Therefore, foster carers play a vital role in helping provide the dogs with the extra attention and stability they need in this turbulent period of their lives. Foster homes also free up valuable kennel spaces so they can make room for more dogs in need and so less are are at risk of euthanasia.
Having had dogs for most of my life, when my two staffy cross dogs passed away in 2015 and 2016 respectively, I decided to be dog-free for a while, but I started to miss hearing the daily patter of paws and the general joie de vivre that comes from having a dog in the house, so when I learnt that my local dog charity All Dogs Matter needed extra foster homes, I signed up.
I took in an eight-year old staffy cross named Buster, with a chewed up tail, severe anxiety issues and nervousness around other dogs, in the summer of 2018. Twenty months later, Buster is still with me and I am starting to accept that I might end up as a ‘failed foster’ the term given when the foster parent falls in love with the dog their care, and proceeds to adopt it.
Now, as I understand it, my experience has been very unusual, as most dogs are rehomed within a month or two, and the foster arrangement is supposed to be a temporary one. But, as cute as he is, Buster is an older dog and has some behavioural issues, and that has prevented people from taking him on, and I have come to accept that fate might have brought as together.
The experience of fostering is an incredibly rewarding one and I have huge respect to the dog foster parents who have had several dogs in their care. Through my relationship with All Dogs Matter, I have come to learn about the fantastic people who support the charity, like Andrew and Katie who have fostered 12 dogs since 2017. You can read more about their experience here, but what is evident from speaking to them and others is that although it isn’t always an easy experience, it brings a lot of joy to both the dogs and their carers.
As ardent dog lovers, I am not surprised that, after caring for so many dogs in need, Andrew and Katie fell in love with the beautiful Marley, one of their previous foster dogs who had been rehomed, but then due to personal reasons had to be given up again, and so they decided to adopt him permanently. Lucky Marley!
Another fabulous family I met up with are Natascha and her mum Suzy and dad Michael who have now fostered an impressive 45 dogs for All Dogs Matter and the Mayhew Animal Home over the course of 10 years.
As Suzy says, “fostering is a wonderful and extremely rewarding experience but not always easy. Getting to know so many lovely dogs and seeing how quickly they change from being anxious and uncertain to becoming relaxed and confident is truly wonderful. In the vast majority of cases the dogs have simply been abandoned and we know very little about them when they arrive. The first thing we do is to let them run around in the garden, getting out a bit of pent up energy and nervous tension that has built up in the dog pound and then the rescue kennels. As long as they don’t have any health issues, we then take them on some long walks in Richmond park. We can assess how they react to other dogs and tire them out physically so they are then able to fully relax around the house and also begin training.
We fall instantly in love with every dog that comes through our home and give them huge amounts of love and cuddles. After having fostered so many dogs we can tell quite well after just a few days what type of temperament they have, whether there are any significant behavioural or health issues and what type of family would be ideal for their forever home. This is one of the most important roles of a foster family as it allows dogs and owners to be well matched. When people come to visit the dog in our home we can also show them how the dog behaves in a family setting. Every time a dog is successfully adopted and goes off to lead a happy new life it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
I am truly in awe of this amazing family and their selfless devotion to helping animals in need and even more impressive is how they keep in touch with many of the foster dogs that were in their care for years to come in a personal, and now sometimes in a professional capacity, as Natascha has recently qualified as a Medivet veterinarian and Percy one of the family’s foster dogs from ten years ago is now one of her patients.
There are too many amazing foster carers and dogs to mention individually in this post, but I salute them all. It is not an easy endeavour, but fostering really has an important role in the rehabilitation of rescue dogs, who have suffered neglect, abuse or injury, under the supervision of experienced dog owners. Living with a foster family can help to provide the dog with one-to-one care, allowing it to build up confidence and get used to a safe and normal lifestyle.
Fostering also gives dog lovers who would normally be unable to take in an animal long term, due to other commitments, with an alternative. Foster parents are not paid to look after the dogs, however they need to ensure that the dog won’t be left for more than four hours on its own. Typically bedding, food, vet treatments and insurance is provided, and most rescue centres will take the dog back if it doesn’t settle, but as the dog is usually assessed before being placed in foster care this isn’t usually an issue. It is also worth noting that dog owners can also foster if their own dog is sociable and this can also be a great way for the rescue dog to learn to live with another dog.
Buster has brought immeasurable joy to my life, and is a totally pampered pooch and as my Instagram followers will have noted, he has taken over my feed with a lot of pictures of him lazing in various dog beds, sunbathing on the deck or sporting a Christmas jumper, and I quickly forgave him for chewing up my new hallway carpet soon after arriving. Apart from this one indiscretion, he is perfectly house trained and has been a real pleasure to look after.
For more information, check out All Dogs Matter or your local dog rescue to see how you can help foster a dog or simply donate to help provide shelter for dogs in need.
Core to the mission statement for my blog is the philosophy of Joseph Campbell and I wanted to share how this has reflected in my own life.
Over twenty years ago I started to work as a trainee for one of the magic circle law firms and I remember how I couldn’t withhold the excitement of being admitted to this exclusive world – beating the competition and working for one of the best law firms in the world. And I really enjoyed what I did, but as the years passed, I realised that there was another side of me – the creative spark which I had always had from an early age, but which I had suppressed and which refused to stay quiet. In my spare time therefore I set up a business and learnt on the job how to do PR and Marketing and the passion for this slowly, but surely, took over the desire to be a lawyer.
As mentioned previously, am a huge fan of the work of Joseph Campbell and believe one of his key messages ‘Follow your bliss’ sums up succinctly what we all should be striving for and how we are doing a disservice not just to ourselves but to others if we don’t follow our bliss.
Now that doesn’t mean we just do what we like or what makes us happy on a frivolous level, but that instead we hone in to what our deepest desires and innate talents are and we follow this path, whether its in law, medicine, the arts or teaching. You do what makes your spirit soar and where you are adding the most back to others.
Sounds like a lofty ideal? But think about it those individuals who are not happy in what they do in their daily jobs and how their misery affects not just themselves but the others around them. And then think of those who are pursuing their goals and the light that shines within them and onto others.
I might not have figured it all out yet, and am still on the journey to finding my own true bliss, but I will try, that I can promise you.
And part of this journey for me is to learn about others who have managed to do this, and so decided to dedicate a part of this blog to them, under my new Inspiring Individuals section. I hope you will enjoy hearing their stories and that they inspire you in a little way too to do the same.
I am thrilled to launch my new look blog which has been a long time in the making!
As mentioned, recent personal transitions have meant it was time for a re-brand and new direction and so am excited to welcome you to The White Diaries – a lifestyle blog with a mission statement inspired by the mantra coined by the incredible philosopher Joseph Campbell.
Life is like a blank white page and I strongly believe we create our own experiences and we can only find true happiness by following our bliss.
The White Diaries is essentially a journal documenting the amazing places I am lucky to experience and the inspiring people I meet in my day to day life. For over twenty years I have worked in the city of London, predominantly as a finance (bond) lawyer. I also set up a luxury wedding accessory label with my now ex-husband. And I now spend my days marketing the skills of incredibly talented lawyers in a city law firm.
I hope The White Diaries provides inspiration and ideas of how to make each moment truly count, and that you find the Inspiring Individuals within the blog, who I will be featuring, as fascinating as I do, and that they motivate you to keep what you are passionate about at the core of what you do!
Note: I remember been inspired many years ago by Conde Nast Traveler’s Mission Statement that it does not accept free or discounted trips and accommodations or even payment in exchange for editorial coverage. And so when I decided to launch my lifestyle blog I wanted to ensure that I brought the same ethic to the articles I wrote. The majority of the places I feature (hotels, restaurants etc.) have been paid for in the same way as you would without any special treatment or recognition. I hope this allows me report fairly on what I have experienced and provide inspiration and experiences that are affordable.
In some instances, I will write about places I have been invited to as part of a showcase or open evening, and where I do I will make full disclosure. The purpose of this blog is not to generate an income and so I won’t be accepting sponsorships or paid adverts.
As some of you have noticed, my blogging and social media activity has been sporadic over the last few years. Shortly after celebrating ten fabulous years of setting up and running accessory business Olivier Laudus with my now ex-husband, we decided to separate and the last few years have been all about the messy business of divorcing both personally and professionally as well as rebuilding our lives.
Even when on the surface a separation is amicable, it has still been one of the saddest and unsettling periods of my life, and particularly frightening being in my forties!
And having to walk away from a business I had co-founded, loved and nurtured like a child, has been heart-wrenching.
So what’s next…
Enjoying every day and appreciating the gifts life has to offer, while pursuing my passion for business development and marketing, and growing this blog, which is going to become a Luxury Lifestyle Blog and shortly be having a fantastic makeover – watch this space!
I hope to stay in touch with the amazing people I have met whilst working in the wedding industry, and look forward to showcasing lots of you wonderfully talented people in the wedding section in my new-look new blog! As well as featuring some of the fabulous new places and people I get to meet in my daily life and new job.
And last but not least, I wish my ex-husband Olivier all the very best for the future and much success for the business.
We received the Decree Absolute, the legal document that ends our marriage, this week, fairly poignant as its just a week before what would have been our 15th wedding anniversary, but also in a way perfectly timed to receive it during Easter, a time for hope, renewal and rebirth.
I am so sad to announce that our sparkly London boutique will have to relocate at the end of the month due to the salon in which we are housed closing down. Starting as an online business in 2004, one of my ambitions for the company was to have a bricks and mortar presence so it was with great excitement when we opened a pop up in the basement of Jordan Burr hair salon in 2011.
We were thrilled with the response of our clients who welcomed the opportunity to touch and try their accessories before they bought and before long we were running out of space and decided to set up a permanent space within the salon. And so we launched our gorgeous boutique last April with a dedicated space for veils.
We am sure that the next stage of the business will be just as exciting as the previous ten years and will announce where we will be based very soon. And of course its business as usual for our online boutique.
But for now do come see us before the end of September and enjoy a 20% off all pieces in the shop, and wave us goodbye…
Sangeeta x
Ps For appointments before end of September, call 020 8374 1239 or email info@olivierlaudus.com. The online boutique and more information can be found at: http://www.olivierlaudus.com/index.php
We were delighted to open our wedding accessory boutique last May and as we celebrate our first anniversary we thought we would share the Olivier Laudus consultation experience with you. Appointments are not always necessary, but recommended especially during the busy summer months, and we have found brides enjoy the personal attention and time to try on different pieces under Olivier’s guidance.
We were thrilled when one of our brides to be Michaela agreed to let us photograph her during a style consultation at the shop and even more thrilled when one of our favourite photographers John Nassari offered to take some pictures of her visit and of our new look boutique.
When a bride arrives for her consultation, we normally ask her for a picture of her dress and try to get an idea of the type of wedding she is having to help find the right style of accessories for her.
Some brides have something very specific in mind or just need the perfect wedding headband or necklace to finish off their look, while others haven’t started accessory shopping and use the visit to try on a variety of pieces. Our main drive for opening the new boutique was to be able to offer a range of accessories to our clients.
Our veils are made in Wales and and we offer both off the peg and bespoke options. We are huge fans of the cathedral veil and it has definitely come back into fashion but part of the consultation process is to help the bride decide which veil will work best with her dress and the type of venue.
And course let’s not forget the shoes.
We hope our brides enjoy their visit to our boutique as much as we love to welcome them and help them find the perfect accessories for their big day. If you would like to book an appointment you can email us at info@olivierlaudus.com or call on 020 8374 1239. Further information on the website.
The White Diaries
