Day 18: In My Life

Posted by: Alison Chisnell on: December 18, 2011

• In: Advent | Reflection
• 1 Comment

What I love about these guest posts is how different they all are and how the individual personalities of the writers shine through. I love the blogs that Julia Jackson writes: they are funny, vulnerable, sometimes complex and always heart-breakingly honest. So, I’ve asked her to keep her guest blog as is and not change it to try to make it like anyone else’s…there is beauty in diversity and plenty of room for all styles, personalities, approaches and nuances. I am also grateful that Jules was the first person to respond to my (slightly random!) tweet asking if anyone would be willing to share their 2011 highlights and horrors on this blog. From that first resounding yes, many others and a whole wonderful series have followed, so thank you.

Jules writes her own blog which you can find here and you can connect with her on Twitter @JulesJ85. She won’t disappoint :).

So, for Jules, who often worries that she is somehow not as good as everybody else…may 2012 bring much happiness, joy, love and laughter…and above all, the ability to see yourself as others do. Talented, warm, funny, honest, engaging…and much much more!

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Here is my post for the lovely Alison.

She asked for highs and lows in the year that is 2011

Unsure of how to do this and the fact I wasn’t in HR for the whole of the year I am going to dabble in both personal and professional highs and lows

January

I was working as a planner for airports.

I also managed to learn how to hate someone

I learned how to do my job better

I thought I’d found someone new

I found an old friend who I’d forgotten I’d missed because it had been that long

I got to meet my friend’s little girl for the first time (she is amazing)

February

I applied for new jobs

I thought I had found someone I could be with

I got even better at my job

I chose to go back into HR

March

I got a new job as a HR Advisor

I learnt more about HR & ER combined

I went to the Yorkshire Dales

I started to write a blog

I lost the person I fell for

April

I went to my first annual conference

We had a royal wedding

I went to my first wedding alone

May

I had 7 birthdays

I soon realised I wasn’t so sure about where I was working

I did my first HR audits

I was offered a new job, but it was too far to travel

June

I went to the O2 wireless festival

I was now unhappy at work

I was no longer learning anything

I went on holiday to Spain

July

Online became Offline

I went to my first tweet up for Connecting HR

I took Hannah for my first ‘official’ Carer session

August

I experience my first BBQ banana and bacon

I had an interview for a new job

I went to the most amazing wedding in Poland

I lost my job over my blog

September

My online friends started to become my real friends

I had support from most of Connecting HR

I wrote the blog that got me into #trulondon

I went to Turkey for my friend’s birthday/holiday

I started Flamenco again

October

I went to the takeheart ball to help raise money

I did my first 3 weeks stint in recruitment (thank you)

I went to my first Art Shot at the national gallery (I learnt much)

I had an interview with a charity (they never got back to me)

I had an interview with an agency (they hired me)

I experienced my first Diwali

I had the year anniversary of my friend being killed

I had my 26^th Birthday

My friend’s Dad died

It was my sister’s birthday

I started my new job

November

I went to fireworks

I had my sisters 20 year anniversary

I went to my friend’s dad’s funeral

We had a team away day (go karting it was good)

I am still doing Flamenco

I am still in my job, still learning

I had my first thanksgiving

December

We aren’t far into it yet but I’m hoping it will finish off the year on a high note.

The end of this year hasn’t been amazing really in fact it’s been pretty rubbish.

But I will always strive to learn where I can. I will push myself where I need and try and get as much development as I can.
I hope that 2012 will see me going over to Argentina to see my family it’s been 4 years.
I hope to carry on having high and low adventures.

Above all else I will forever be amazed in the belief people have in me more so then I do in myself.

I am grateful for you all, even if I don’t show it.

I am also grateful for what I have – I know there are others with far less than me.