"The Rose Grows Merry in Time"

The last week has felt like a real mental slog. Due to working seven days in a row (and not being able to see lovely visiting friends because of it), finding out about a loss in the family and receiving a rejection e-mail for a job I had really hoped to at least get an interview for, I had begun to feel really down.

At work I get a lot of time with myself. This might sound obvious as we are all ‘with ourselves’ 24/7 but now that I am no longer challenged by my job I find myself thinking a lot about what it really is that will fulfil me and how to go about achieving that.

I am no shirker; I’ve worked since I was fifteen between school, college and university and I get real satisfaction from doing a job well. However, working so many hours at a job which won’t take me anywhere in my career (unless a customer happens to be a literary agent or publishing house boss and they take a shine to me- I haven’t lost hope of that happening yet!) has recently made me feel like I’m wasting my education and skills.

Having sent an e-mail to my boss requesting that I have fewer hours I suddenly feel like a weight has been lifted. I need more free time to pursue my literary passions and, if it looks as if finding a job in that arena will never transpire (or not until I’ve had at least five years experience anyway!), to explore new avenues.

I feel very motivated to find a charity to volunteer for where my skills in literacy could actually make a difference to peoples’ lives. I remember reading an article in the Independent magazine about a woman who had never learnt to read because of some discouraging teachers when she was a child. She finally felt confident enough to begin learning when she was 60 due to an inspirational charity worker who came to her house to read aloud.

To help anyone have the ability to read would be such a powerful and inspirational motivation in my life. One of the things I most treasure is being able to open a book and be transported to a different world and into another person’s psyche. I would love to help share this magic with other people who have previously been unable to discover it.

This positive thinking comes after just one day of having time on my own and doing things which I really enjoy. I went to Anthrolopogie and activated my underused nose buds by sniffing their delectable range of perfumes; picked up four more balls of wool for my snood; bought an inspirational new note book; listened to the incredible Walk Off The Earth with D and went to the library to get a Spanish travel guide for our impending Andalucían holiday!

When I’m down in the dumps I never find other people telling me that I should do certain things to change my situation very helpful. I am lucky that I seem able to quite quickly get myself out of depressing head spaces and then start to put into action changes that I suddenly realise need to happen for me to be happy.

I’d also like to wish my darling friend and brave adventuress Megan the most wonderful time in the big ol’ US of A. She’ll be much missed but her blog posts will surely keep us all entertained and in the loop!