Five years on...

5 years later and...I am back!

What have I been up to since Uni? Well.. I graduated with a 2:1, gained a Communications Internship at DanceXchange, which developed my interest in Arts Marketing. I moved to Leamington Spa for love, took a few detours of working in retail and progressed to Temporary Store Manager level, however, knowing it is not what I wanted to do with my life, reverted back to Marketing where I worked for an emerging self driving car company. This then allowed me enough experience to gain a position in Digital Communications at The Royal Academy of Dance. Alex and I bought our first home so all in all, not a bad 5 years, albeit it has not been easy! 

Why have I decided to return? So the past 3 years in the UK has been such a turbulent time with the UK voting to leave the European Union, and the stress that we, as a country, have all had to endure watching that process and to witness the decisions that were made that would ultimately affect ours and our children's futures. Things were finally settling down in January 2020...we had a deal in place for Brexit and Boris Johnson seemed somewhat capable of delivering that plan (#sorrynotsorry Theresa May!). However now, for the past 3 months since mid March 2020, we are faced with a global viral pandemic (COVID-19) where we all have literally watched the world slow down, almost to a crashing halt. 

I realise that paragraph doesn't explain why I have returned, but being furloughed from work has allowed me the time and space to stop and think about what I really want, in how I want my lifestyle to be like. It has also given me a new perspective on life, I have realised that life really is about the memories that you make, the small things that create happiness, and the experiences that you expose yourself to, that makes you who you are. I guess that you could say my perspective previously was, in a nutshell, very much goal based, and if that goal wasn't achieved, then I had simply failed. I have battled so much to get to this point..mental health issues, depression, so much self doubt. But I have finally allowed myself the carefree state of "Are you enjoying it?" If the answer is yes then you must be doing the right thing. Although I currently enjoy my job, I have never been able to shake the dream and visualisation of dancing practically again, whether that's performing, choreographing, collaborating or simply training... it really has been so long!

So now I am blogging to take you with me on my dance journey; whether it's progress on my physical/mental development, or telling you about a productive day that I had; an achievement, insight or thought. Come join me as I re-familiarise myself to the dance world, and hopefully, pursue opportunities to make those memories and experiences. I don't currently have a target or an end goal, but I am hoping it will be so much fun to find one!

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