As Frocktober (and a very busy October) draws to a close, I am reflective.

This October was a challenging month – I house-sat multiple times, had two sitting weeks at work, organised a birthday party. Not particularly condusive conditions to be consistently fundraising(!) Sadly, I was unable to wear dresses during sitting weeks, and moving my wardrobe around house sitting, then getting my party together – I developed other priorities. Which is perfectly okay!

But my biggest challenge was continually comparing my efforts this year to those last year. That was the biggest challenge! I set high standards for myself regularly in everyday life, and it is good to be ambitious. It shows strength of character and determination.

I raised over $500 in the end, and I am stoked! ($876.60 to be exact) I am really happy. I would have previously thought that I would simply be accepting defeat by not raising my goal of $3000. Honestly, I would have hated myself for not achieving what I aimed for.

But what was I actually aiming for?

Awareness. For women to know the symptoms of Ovraian Cancer, and for my friends and social media followers to comprehend the impact of this gynecological disease that kills so many women unknowingly, because the symptoms are so general. I am confident I achieved that goal. Money is a bonus.

Since October, I have decided to go to my GP to have a full health check. I encourage women, and all partners of women to remember and remind your loved ones to make sure they have the right checks (Pap Smears etc.). There is no stigma in asking – the media will talk openly about celebrity exploits (of all kinds), but yet they cannot say the word “vagina” or even “tampon” – or discuss something like a Pap Smear (a routine medical check for females)?

At the end of the day it’s not up to the media, it’s up to us to make women’s health a comfortable topic.

To clean out my wardrobe. By delving regularly into my cupboard for a dress, I was exploring the numerous items in my collection. I saw items I had not worn in awhile, and I found items that I might pass on to an Op shop/Consignment Store, or sell to raise money for my Frocktober efforts. Honestly, I’d give it all up if I, or any one I knew was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. Every dollar helps, and now I have raised (over two years) more than $3,600!
So in that way, I did make it over $3000 🙂

To try something new. Whether it was reviving an old dress, or wearing a dress I’d been loaned or given, I enjoyed the challenge. Researching statistics of Ovarian Cancer and posting them with my photos proved effective.

I learned to be gentler with myself. I stopped beating myself up about not raising as much as last year. When I started being gracious for what I had, it made a huge difference! Just more motivated to raise more money in different and creative ways in 2015 🙂

Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!

A x