This time a year ago I was working at a school for the academic year. I was looking to see if I could get a mortgage and took a **job. I'd like to say as a teacher but no, I was washing dishes. The hours fit around the school times - my school run is 2 hours a day as I kept my daughters school after we were rehoused...
It felt like a real learning year. Not in how to wash dishes - no. AlthoughtI have learnt more about limescale, and how salt is banned in school kitchens. I mean really .. who wants unseasoned food. The MAIN lesson felt like how to live your live in a mundane, safe way. It had no hights and no lows. It was like clockwork.
The only ways I could get any dophimene hits were stacking the childrens plastic cups to dizzying hieghts so they dried properly and pushing the table towers with a little run so you could then have a short ride.
Gradually, I began to feel more and more insignificant and insular. Its funny when you put on a cetain unifirm your given the respect that uniform denotes. Some of the teachers didn't even say hello or any pleases and thank you's. Anyway...
I think the same can happen in relationships. Not just particulaly bad abusive ones, but all relationships where you begin to be insignificant. You always get what you've always got because you've always do what you've always done.
I began to feel like I had no head space for anything else. My business suffered becasue after the school run, and the lunch period taken there was only half hour slots here and there.
It felt like a lesson in the dangers of settling for average. Creativity was dwaining. I didn't feel like I had a great deal of energy. Life was dull.
So, after the summer I knew I had to stop working there or that would be me for the next 20 years. I was capable of more. I yearned for fireworks. I gave the job up, looked for a venue and began teaching a class of 14 cake decorating, which I'd previously done ten years ago. My happines exploded when the lessons went well. The people who came were happy and wanted to re-enroll. I adore my marshmallows, and now I just love meeting new people and teaching them. It was daunting giving up the security of a job but it was so neccessary. Nothing motivates you more to get out of your comfort zone when you have children to feed.
I think as a 2025 thought for the day, for lots of areas in life - not becoming complacent and too comfortable. Taking a risk, a different path has really snapped me out of doing what I've always done, and getting what I've always got that year I was at the school. Its like the universe congratulated me and so many unexpected things have happened making a positive change. Lifes very exciting when you're not *"sitting too comfortably".
*One of Dani Wallaces phrases. Dani has a huge community and helps people use their voice and take up room in the world as they deserve. She is a lovely, super person and in the next few blogs I'll tell you all about the adventures we had, that all started with thanking the staff at refuge with some homemade marshmallows. See her facebook group/website IATQB.com it is a fantasic online community.
** A very dubious idea, as I seem to be pretty unemployable as a rule and get sacked. Not through calling in sick/ late. Just the dyslexia crops up...things get forgotten, safes get left open all night etc. Tins of condensed milk which were boiling for toffee explode after the pan runs dry in the cafe kitchen and have to close for three hours... I'd like to say I had added that for a fun story, but no, it happened and more.
***I really feel like I have left no spelling unspelled correctly. Apologies if I have. My website does not autocorrect spelling so its just dyslexia and me running blind.
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