Life Lessons & Overcoming Objections

In May of 2016, I approached Swindon Borough Council with a concept that would bring together some of Swindon's charities together under one roof, to make it easier for those who were scrambling to find help and support.

I used the three months of my time while in recovery to research what other towns and cities were doing in regards to best practice in partnership working in health and social care as well as mental health, by walking all of Britain.

I was laughed out of the meeting. I believe this was due to a sense of threat to the individuality of each charity, and it also meant a threat to how they were being commissioned or funded; pots of money were more important than people.

Partnership working was not something they were interested in; they were more concerned with protecting their 'brands'.

I went away from that meeting feeling deflated.

Little did I know a seed was planted at that meeting.

Earlier this year, I made a 'Men's only mental health meet up' group, from scratch, not following somebody else's model; it was a brand new creation and concept that would give men a space to talk, it would also be a place that would give basic education and understanding on how our minds and emotions work. 

I ran this for four months before I opted to close it due to low attendance numbers.

Unbeknown to me it was being watched, from afar by those that laughed at my previous concept.

Again another seed was planted.

The lesson here was that not everything we try to create will work, or stick, only without trying we'll never know.

I've created a business from scratch two programmes over four years in Mental Health General Awareness and Wellbeing In The Workplace that do work, very well.

The time for talking just talking about mental health and storytelling is over, next year and going forward you're going to see more organisations taking action, creating change through education, and I'll be there to help.

Those ideas I shared, they're being used, but it's been made to look like it was their idea instead of mine. I care very little about this. What I care about is something is now being done.

What I couldn't make work, others will ascertain a way to.

I've learnt some extremely valuable lessons from those experiences which I would like to share with you

1) Do what is right, even if it means standing alone.

2) If at first, you don't succeed, keep trying, there's more than one way to skin the proverbial cat.

3) Things don't always turn out the way you plan them; there will be many twists, turns, ups and downs along the way

4) Gratitude changes everything, be great full for what you have right now

5) Be a good person regardless of how others are or treat you

6) Never forget where you come from or who helped you

7) Have fun, one thing you can't get back is time

8) Not everybody will appreciate your value or worth

9) Set clear boundaries for yourself

10) There is always hope

These are just a few I've learnt in a short space of time.

It demands effort to create something from nothing, and most will never know how many hours, days, months or even years it takes to bring things to life, including recreating yourself and life.

Two of the most important lessons I would like to share are this, nothing and I mean nothing is more important than your health if you have it don't neglect it.

Life isn't about doing it alone, reach out, ask for advice, help and support; people want to help.

Here's to you, your growth and wishing you every success in 2020