Thanksgiving isn’t really something that is officially celebrated here in the UK but I absolutely love the idea of giving thanks for your survival of the journey of the year.
2015 has certainly been a journey for me, and since you are reading this I am going to assume that you have realised I have survived it. It has given me the opportunity to correct the wrong doing of 2012/13. I have largely pushed aside my anxieties, have re-built burnt bridges with people and have been given the opportunities to do things I did not think I was strong enough (any more) to do in 2014.
One of the more major things I didn’t think I could do any more was eat out. Since 2013 I had sort of built myself a prison; I would go out to places but it would have to be at night after dinner or, if during the day, I would have to go home to get something to eat at my self appointed meal times.
The first step really to me getting through that was on the approach to the Drift Allstars event at Arena Essex. Jay, who runs Essex Drifters, had asked if I would be able to help him distribute leaflets and posters for the event. We were supposed to go during the afternoon but in typical motorsport fashion we were a couple of hours behind schedule. This meant that we would have to get some dinner from McDonalds whilst we were out. I didn’t eat much that evening, but it was a massive psychological step that I could eat away from the house. Eating away is something I try to do at least once a week now, just until it becomes routine. So thanks Jay for throwing me in the deep end and giving me the opportunity to push myself.
Having places to go and an excuse to eat away from the house obviously helps. My friends Chris and Mel at Rayleigh RC and Ron and Dal at Rayleigh Tyres have both given me a place to hang out and make a nuisance of myself that is far enough away for me to not to be able to justify falling all the way back to Billericay every time I need to eat.
The good folks at Rayleigh Tyres have really gone out of their way to help me go drifting, from preparing cars, transporting cars and giving me lots of technical and driving advice. Sounds silly but it feels really great to be learning a new skill, and a skill I have been wanting to learn for far too many years now! Thanks again guys 🙂
At the start of the year I joined a couple of mental health/eating disorder groups on Facebook in search of some answers and to find people with a similiar mindset. One of the first people I began talking to was a young Greek lady by the name of Natassa. We sort of adopted each other and she managed to teach me that helping others in a similar situation is one of the most rewarding things that a person with difficulties can do. She hasn’t managed to teach me much Greek, but thats beside the point XD We run our own little group of about 2300 members and I’ve found that being able to help this people, even through a screen, has been hugely rewarding! Thank you for opening my eyes Turnip! In 2016 I will try to make much more time for Voluntary work away from the internet.
I could ramble on. I am surrounded by so many wonderful, patient and caring people. There are really too many to list. I am blessed and thankful to be able to call all of you my friends.
Thanks for reading
