Tuesday 28 December 2010

Life to the full

At the end of 2009 I was in a rut. I had just resigned from a job I hated, that in all honesty looking back, was making me physically ill from stress.I felt lost, useless and alone. So it was, a few nights before New Years Eve I found myself after a few glasses of wine too many on twitter. Haven't we all been there? (I think it was Phil Jupitus who said internet providers should invent a blocker for when you have had too much to drink) I've rambled on before, those who know me well will know I'm good at it, but this was a ramble with direction. I was writing a list of New Years resolutions for all the world to see, I was saying "Enough now! I want to change things!" Some of the resolutions I made that night I kept, some I didn't, but what happened that night was I reached out. You know what happens when you reach out? People tend to reach back. You know what happens when you make positive steps to change things? Things change. A friend on twitter started nagging me to sort myself out. She never gave up nagging. So I decided to do what she was telling me to.

First thing that happened to me was I won a nights B&B at @HoptonHouseBnB I never bothered entering competitions before, thinking the odds were stacked against me too much. But this was a new positive Saz, right? And it was helping Karen (who's photos of her B&B and surrounding area cheered me up when I was feeling low, beautiful scenery always does) to promote her local business. I got a DM a few days later. My name had been pulled out of the hat! I couldnt believe it, I'd never won anything before! It slowly dawned on me this is because I'd never tried to win anything before. Maybe it was time to try harder.

Here are some of the things that happened to me each month of this year 2010 :

January: Helped to organise big tweet up at local pub, huge turn out and raised money for Severn Hospice.
February: Got job at Severn Hospice as assistant manager for one of the shops. Without a doubt the most rewarding job I've ever had.
March: Helped organise a Mad hatters tweet up at Severn Hospice.
April: Finally see Les Mis and took part in Severn Hospice Spring Walk (Got to top of Wrekin a few days later!
May: Got accepted on Shrewsbury Folk Festival team and started working with Paul at Virtual Shropshire, who shoved me in front of the camera to interview as many folk as possible!
June: Helped out at Severn Hospice Midnight walk. Best fun ever!
July: More work with Virtual Shropshire (thanks Paul!)
August: Production team member for Shrewsbury Folk Festival, amazing event and thanks to the kindness of Retty and Charles made two very wonderful friends.
September: Stayed at Hopton House. My favourite place in the world, I'm not just saying that, it is simply a little piece of heaven.
October: Manic time at work but still managed trick or treating with kids at halloween (thanks to Teressa for being the best witches house in town!)
November: Finally got my own little shop with Severn Hospice!
December: Said goodbye to my dear friend Val, who nagged me into applying for the Seven Hospice job and told me to try and turn my life around in December 2009

At the end of 2010 I look back with joy. I have a job I love, done things I love and most importantly made friends I love. If you are reading this, you are probably one of them. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. x

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