Say hello, wave goodbye

 



Hello 2013!

This is not going to be my New Year's resolution blog. I don't do resolutions.

This is the story of my new life.


2012 was a bit of an eventful year. It served as a trial by fire, through which I have passed to emerge, slightly singed, to begin again.

In April I said goodbye to my job of 21 years (24 if you count my training as well) and hello to a new diagnosis of Bipolar in the same week. Ouch. Let's just say that the time since then has needed a lot of adjustment.

It doesn't just affect me. My whole family has had to stop and take stock of what's really important, to learn to see me in a new light and yet simultaneously realise that I am the same person as I ever was.

Releasing myself from the prison of my job was the most difficult decision and yet it was quite straightforward when looked at logically. It was causing me huge stress and making me more unwell. I still had a big emotional response to the loss of my identity and my independence,  feeling that I was somehow diminished by the lack of purpose and wage earning capacity and belittled in the eyes of my colleagues who I had abandoned.

But enough of the past. I promised you the story of my new life.

I'm ready to start again now.

I'm on some good drugs which help keep me on a reasonably even keel and some better ones for emergencies when they don't.

I have a doctor who now takes me seriously and supportive family and friends.

Best of all, I have my self-belief starting to return.

I'm a few days off being 45. I still have 20 good years of work in me at least and I'm ready to kick ass at my next job. I don't know what it's going to be yet but that's all part of the adventure, isn't it?


It's time to let go of the past and start living again as the new me.