A leap of faith.

I have taken it upon myself to quit my job without having another to go to. I have 2 months to find a new job! Let the journey begin.

Okay, it really isn't that dramatic, but I have in fact handed my notice in at my current job as a support worker for children and young adults with severe autism and learning difficulties with challenging behaviour (yes that's a mouth full). My current job was supposed to fill the gap between my previous job and going back to university. However, I decided to put university off for another year making it two! Although I love my current job as a support worker I know that it is time for me to move on and pursue the career I really want. Which in the long run will be an end of life care nurse. Many people with I am morbid because I want to work with those who are dying but for me the job is much more than that.

5 reasons why I want to be an end of life care nurse:

1. I was born to care for people. Caring for people is in my nature
2. Knowing that the person is dying with dignity and the best care they can possibly receive makes the job worthwhile
3. Knowing that I am making that person comfortable and reassuring them they are safe is very important. Dying is a scary thing, but I want to make the process easier on them and their families.
4. Dying is a personal and very private thing. I want to be with them to ensure they are happy and have everything they could need to pass away peacefully.
5. And finally, because I know that I would be good at the job. I am passionate, caring and loyal, and have the best interests of the person at heart.

Many people think I am crazy for handing in my notice without having a job to go to first. But I believe it is the right decision. I have had two interviews so far, and I have been offered 1 job and awaiting to hear back from the other (the one I really want). The jobs I have gone for a care assistant jobs in care homes for the elderly. Both jobs offer opportunities to develop as senior health care assistants, nurses etc. Whilst writing this I have had a phone call with an interview for a slightly different job. Still as a care assistant but for adults with learning difficulties. Something else for me to think about.

A bit of a different post for you all, I will let you know what happens. Fingers crossed and all that.

Here's to next time.

Love yah

IsThataRedHerring 

I'm finally doing it!

For ages now I have thought about writing a book. I have had many ideas but none of them developed into anything I wanted to actually pursue. I kept coming up with excuse after excuse why I couldn't write my book. But then something clicked. I love writing and this idea came to me just before I went to bed. I wrote a note to myself on my phone then went to sleep. I forgot I had written myself this note until 2/3 weeks after; and I still really liked the idea for a book. So, I got researching and writing bits and developing my characters.

Researching is the hardest part. I found that I got distracted way to easily when I was at home so would often venture to the library, where I was restricted by 2 hour computer slots which meant I got more done in the time. But when researching for a book you end up searching and googling the most randomist and weirdest things. For instance today I was in my local library which is small as I live in a small town. Away I was printing 10 pages worth of research on breast cancer then followed by asking if they had any baby name books (which they didn't). The librarian gave me such a weird look as she handed me my printing and unsure what to say. I laughed and said I'm doing research for a book I am hoping to write and we got talking about it and how she has written a children's book for her children which they love. It went from an awkward interactions to something quite rewarding and interesting to hear about.

I haven't been working on my book for long, an hour here and there. However I am able to concentrate on it more now that I am between jobs. I finished my job as a carer last Friday and do not start my next job until October. So I am using this time to research for my book, catch up on books I want to read and generally having some me time.

If you have any writing tips I would love to hear them. All advice is welcome.

Love Yah

IsThataRedHerring

Sunday 26th July 2015 - She believed she could so she did.

Sunday 26^th July 2015

Its 17:19 and I’ve been sat on my bed for two hours looking at this blank screen. I haven’t written anything meaningful in a couple of months. Every time I try I just delete what I’ve written, not knowing how to proceed or even start.

Tired of work, running around for 12 hours straight, my first full time job as a carer is really taking its toll on me. But I love it. I’ve learnt so much. But I feel like its stopping me from writing, I start work at 7pm and finish at 7am and I rarely get a day off, and when I do I am too tired to do anything other than sleep.

Last night I finished work at 10pm, went to bed at 11pm and woke up at 10 am. I had a full night’s sleep, went shopping with my brother and sat in front of my laptop, wanting, willing to write something but for 2 hours nothing came. I gave up, loaded up Sims and proceeded to waste my day.

To the right of me were two new books I had recently purchased. One book in particular stood out to me. The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan. I shut my laptop down and picked up the book, got comfy in my bed and began to read.

I didn’t even get passed the third page before having to stop, and contemplate my life and my choices, I sat there in my pyjamas crying my eyes out. How stupid was I being, this young girl who worked her arse off died three days after graduating from Yale University and I’m sat here moping about because my job consists of a lot of hard work and long days/nights.

Marina Keegan was just 22 when she died in a car crash of no fault of her own. She was an inspiring writer and did everything in her power to improve herself and prove to the world that the art of writing and literature was not dead.

The way in which this young 22 year old women wrote was inspiration enough to get me motivated again. But I still felt unsure of what to write… and then I picked up my birthday present from one of my closest friend Jenny. She had given me a personalised notebook, and wrote a beautiful paragraph in there for me. And on the front a simple little quote that I adore; She believed she could so she did.

If Jenny believed in me then it was time to prove it, time to prove that I could. I needed to believe in myself, and here I am. It’s now 17:45, after 2 months of being absent I am back. And I do not plan going anywhere.

I am going to chase my goals. Life is too short not to chase the things we want and love. So here goes… here’s to my future, the struggles, heart ache but most importantly achieving my goals. Not dreams because my goals are real and I will achieve them.

Love yah

IsThataRedHerring