God knows why today. But here we are.

A bit of background to start perhaps?

A few years ago, my life looked a lot different to how it does today.

I was in my mid-twenties at the time, in a complicated long-term relationship, working full time (and then some) in demanding jobs, trying to stay on top of a intimidating mortgage and expensive home repairs, and struggling with a host of chronic health issues. Life then did its usual of deciding to apply a little more pressure, throwing a litany of extra problems our way in quick succession - family illness and loss, more unexpected costs, XXXX.

The stress was relentless, and everything felt completely out of my control.

It continued that way for years.

Until it didn’t.

The 2nd of May 2023 was the beginning of the end for that particular phase of my life. Something felt different on my 3 hour drive to the office that morning, although I’m not even sure I knew what I was going to do when I arrived. That was the day I quit my job. Nothing lined up, no prospects, no Plan B.

In a single moment of impulse, I made a decision that ushered in Change, and boy, did he then outstay his welcome.

Fast forward 12 months and meet me in May 2024, and you’d have found a girl

the life I’d spent my early adulthood building for myself had all but dissolved. In that time

Over the course of the next 12 months, the life I’d built for myself gradually dissolved around me. My first and only relationship ended after 8 years, with a man who had long been my best friend and the person I was convinced I’d grow old with. I had to say goodbye to my home, our little cottage in the countryside that we’d renovated together, and get it ready to sell to complete strangers, all the while dealing with the usual drama and politics of a breakup. At different times, I had to condense my adult life into my brother’s old bedroom at my parents’ house, settle into a new job, deal with the aftermath of some young lad ploughing his car into mine on the motorway,

I found myself living through one of my biggest fears when my 8 year relationship ended, with a man who was not only my first long-term partner but had been, since I’d known him, my best friend, and someone I was convinced I’d spend the rest of my life with. I had to leave my home, our little cottage in the countryside, and list it for sale while dealing with the usual drama and politics of a breakup. I found myself having to condense my adult life into my brother’s old bedroom at my parents’ house, having to settle into a new job, deal with the aftermath of a car ploughing into mine on a drive home,

STARTING A NEW JOB, DEALING WITH CAR ACCIDENT, MORE ILLNESS AND LOSS IN THE FAMILY?

CONDENSE MY LIFE INTO MY BROTHER’S OLD BEDROOM

became unrecognisable from 8 year relationship broke down twice, I had to leave my cottage in the countryside

From that point on, everything