- Getting into university despite those close to me saying I shouldn't and being homeless when taking my A Levels. I tanked my A Levels which my parents said they were happy about as it would ‘show me’ but the uni let me in anyway!
- Moving to London from Yorkshire (yes it was to follow a boy but I still made the move ‘down south’ which I’d been warned about)
- I completed my Masters in my 20s when working full-time, suffering PTSD and severe depression while also being a carer for the boy (now husband).
- Being awarded an all-expenses paid trip to a conference in Chicago because of my work achievements. I found out on the same day I was offered a new job.
- Being named a Lis-Network Rising Star
- Being nominated for a student-led teaching award despite not being a year into my new role
- Presenting at two conferences on compassion and customer service while suffering morning sickness
- Presenting a talk about compassion for our colleagues and students on the big stage at Internet Librarian International while heavily pregnant – I teetered a bit too close to the edge
- Passing my driving test at the third attempt when eight month’s pregnant (it was a busy year)
- Breastfeeding my two little ones, despite working full-time
- Starting a new job two weeks before going on maternity leave
- Receiving my coaching qualification
These all required bravery and resilience yet I’d forgotten some of them. So I’m partly writing this post as a reminder to myself that I am enough, but also to you. When you’re going through a tough patch it can be helpful to look back and think how you’ve done it all before.
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| Chicago! |
What are you proud of?
