BOY is for those who've ever felt like the odd one out. It's for those who dare to dream, those who get shit done, in other words the doers; those who are often misunderstood. It's for anyone who's had to struggle and fight their way out of something. That something could be money problems, pain, health issues, bad decisions, depression or even just that nagging feeling of self-doubt.

It's also kind of like a tribute to the younger me. The Boy. The child who didn't have a clue who he was but carried a fire in his belly and a few screws loose in his head and knew he had a bigger purpose. The boy who chased girls in the playground, set traps for strangers in alleyways (don't ask, I'll explain later), and thought maggots squirming in dead animals was fun. Yeah, that boy. We've got a lot to unpack as my good friend Natalie would say, so brace yourself.

There'll be laughter, there'll be loss. Some of it might make you pause and erase me from your friendship circle! Some of it might make you feel uncomfortable. But all of it is real.

An old friend of mine, a gifted psychotherapist, helped me understand something that changed the course of my journey. I will always love her for this and owe a big part of my growth to her.

She showed me how to find and meet the little boy inside me. The scared, confused, beautiful little boy who had never really been held properly, even when surrounded by people. She taught me how to take time and sit with him. To stop rushing past him like he wasn't important. To give him what he never had, real love, attention and care.

Everyone knows how much I love my children and if I can love and protect them, why couldn’t I do the same for the child I used to be? That child deserved to be seen. To be heard. To be embraced. So, here I am… laptop on the table, cup of tea by the side, no script, no safety net and the truth balancing on my tongue, ready to go.

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