Posts

Battling through

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I used to volunteer for the largest youth organisation in the UK, I spent 17 years putting my heart and soul in to something I loved. It took up all of my free time and my diary was never empty, there was always something going on nearly every day of the week, 99% of the time it was great fun. The organisation has at its core, a set of values, I tried my best to follow them, however in the course of 17 years I made mistakes I am not proud of and regret and others that I learnt from. I didn't volunteer for the plaudits, status and thanks, I volunteered because it developed me and let me give young people experiences that shaped them and ultimately instilled values. I met and enjoyed the company of so many people, young and old, and I experienced so many amazing things, I am a huge fan of what this organisation stands for and delivers. Therefore, it came as a surprise to a lot of people when I handed in my resignation on March 5th this year, I didn't realise it at the time b...

I Don't Want to Talk About It

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Thanks Rod! I need to talk more, I don't talk enough apparently? Could have fooled me, I talk too much I have far too many stories, anecdotes and opinions, which I will gladly repeat and regale to anyone.  But I don't talk! Well not about the right things it appears and yes I'll admit that is true, I talk far too much about the wrong things to avoid talking about the stuff I should. 5 Months ago I tried to take my own life, I sat in my car in the car park of a golf club with enough pills to stop an elephant and I bottled it, yes you did read that right I didn't take them, I bottled it. Since that date I have contemplated taking my own life several more times, planned it, thought about the fall out, who would come to my funeral if at all and tried to decide the best and least painful way to do it. Thankfully, I have a good support network; my wife, family, friends, GP and work colleagues, and that, to put it in its simplest form, is the primary reason I have ...