Happy New Year!

June 2018 sees me hitting my half a century! I may look it, but I don’t feel it… well some days I may!   If I think about it, it scares me because I still have so much to achieve. That’s what happens when you start late but better late than never. It drives me on even more to ensure I achieve my goals, be healthy and happy and make the boys proud of me.

This year I am going to be kinder to myself. I have not had a break in fifteen years, so I am going to pursue some of my own interests while the boys are doing their thing. The first on the list is a trip to Bletchley Park. I am a little excited… NO… I am in giddy child mode! It’s been on my list to do for a long, long time.

A good friend of mine, without them even knowing it, has really helped me to put the past to bed. No more looking backwards, only forwards. I am so grateful for their friendship and glad they are in my life. They inspire me to keep going.

One thing I do suffer from is self-doubt. I had originally set a 2018 goal to overcome it, but I am not even going to try. Self-doubt is my driver. It drives me to be the best I can be in anything I go for. It got me a first-class honours degree, a publishing deal and a Distinction in my Masters. I may tweak it a bit, but I need it to drive me forward.

Meniere’s Disease

The symptoms are getting worse as predicted but I can manage them, once I get on top of them. The stormy weather is a real problem for me, as is stress. Both are terrible triggers. The latter I can try and control but even I can’t change the weather. I live with this daily and some days just controlling the symptoms and pain takes all my energy and resolve. Even the Doctors have started to ask me for advice on managing the symptoms.

On the good days, I intend to make the most of every second. Wes laughs when I say this because even on the bad days, I force myself to do the jobs that need doing even if it results in me falling over, which is does… often.

Writing

Back to finalising Beyond the Lies. I had put it on hold during my Masters degree but now I have this, I want to crack on.  I have so many projects to look at.

Streetwise

I am revising this again! I am not releasing any work until I am 100% happy with it, however long it takes.

PhD

This is my project to start in 2018… a lifelong ambition to change a small part of the world in my own way. The boys are really excited I am doing this. I am currently working on the proposal. I am impatient to complete it but must understand Meniere’s will slow me down some days but never stop me.

Oh! Jeremy Corbyn

I have been a socialist all of my life, since helping raise funds during the miner’s strike in the 1980s. I have always believed in equality, truth and justice. For many years, it felt I was swimming against the tide especially bringing the boys up with values not shared by society. Thankfully I stuck to my principles. The fight is more important than ever. This country has never been about food banks, homeless people dying, children in poverty, NHS crises and no social care and certainly never been about persecution of the disabled! So why are we accepting it now?

It is time we joined together and stood up for true British values. I will be working to get rid of this cold, callous government. I hope you will join me too.

Right, no rest for the wicked. Back to the research. My goals won’t achieve themselves. Whatever you decide to do in 2018 – love what you do and be kind!

Much love