June was supposed to be a productive month for Zero Waste Llama. Instead, it became a complete write-off. In many ways, it felt like The Sound of Silence had taken over everything – and not in the Simon & Garfunkel way….
After being hit by a particularly nasty bug, I found myself dealing with something I hadn’t experienced before – total loss of voice. This was my experience with laryngitis and noise reduction: The Month I Lost My Voice. This truly was a lost voice, not the slightly croaky “I sound a bit rough” kind of voice loss. I mean nothing. Not even a whisper.
To make matters more challenging, the illness arrived alongside an autoimmune flare-up, creating the perfect storm of exhaustion, brain fog, and frustration. Even simple tasks felt overwhelming. Phone calls were impossible. Meetings had to be cancelled or moved to email. Content creation ground to a halt. The dogs were, of course, delighted with their new-found a freedom….
As someone who runs a business, blogs regularly, and is usually juggling several projects at once, being forced to stop was not a lesson I wanted to learn. But sometimes our bodies make the decision for us.
What surprised me most was how much we take our voice for granted until it’s gone. Simple everyday interactions became complicated, from ordering a coffee to answering a client’s question. As someone who loves writing, sharing ideas, and connecting with people, losing the ability to communicate easily felt incredibly isolating. It was a reminder that our health underpins everything we do, and when it falters, even the smallest achievements deserve to be celebrated.
The irony isn’t lost on me that “Zero Waste Llama” produced very little during June. Yet perhaps rest isn’t wasted time at all. Recovery is productive too, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
So if you’ve been wondering why things have been a little quieter than usual here, that’s the reason. June became the month of herbal teas, handwritten notes, endless naps, and communicating through email because speaking simply wasn’t an option.
Thankfully, July has arrived, my voice is gradually returning, and I’m hoping to get back to sharing practical sustainability tips, honest reflections, and all the usual Zero Waste Llama content soon…. look forward to an upcycled furniture post soon!
For now, I’m just grateful to be able to speak again.
Here’s to a healthier July. 🦙💚
