It’s been a challenging week and one where I’ve questioned everything I do! After yet another failed job interview in social prescribing it was time to face some home truths.

I was given some feedback which made me do some serious soul searching but it has given me real focus and made me wonder if I was just a little misunderstood.

Now looking from the outside in I’m sure it was a case of ‘Who is this woman with her big ideas who seems to be on a mission to change the world.’ I can hear the sigh now as I say I just want to “help” people. Misguided perhaps but it’s just passion coming out all the wrong way. I am aware of my naive tendency at times to want to ‘make everything OK’ and fix things, and never has that come back to bite me as much as it has this week. It has been a very hard lesson to learn.

However, I have picked myself back up and dusted myself down, because we all know full well that not everyone will like us/ ‘get us’ and some people will find us downright irritating. However, I am clear now more than ever that this has never been my intention and can assure you my work comes from a place of pure passion. Everything I have done this past year has not been about “helping” people. It’s been about sharing knowledge and ideas and bringing people together to share their ideas and support each other. I have never said I have all the answers. In fact, I have low self- confidence and am always saying’ that ‘The aim of the Supper club is to share ideas and get everyone involved.” I am fully aware that very often it can be something someone else in the room says that might resonate with people the most. That is the power of the getting people together.

However, I am confident in my views and I have passion for what I believe in. I will continue to share the message that we do have more influence over our health and wellbeing than we might think. I will continue to try and empower people. I was told “You can’t help people that don’t want to be helped, and you have to let people come to you.” This is all sound advice and has made me much more focused. People are coming to me, and some are inspired to make changes. These people are ready to change.

I felt so frustrated to have missed another opportunity to get involved in social prescribing. I see it as representing everything I believe in; bringing communities together to support each other, and empowering people to take more control over their health and wellbeing.

I just wanted to get involved!

However, I realise now my role in all of this is perhaps a bit further down the line when people are ready to make that ‘change’ for themselves…

So, I am going to continue to do what I do, to educate, & hopefully inspire people, and bring people together to support each other in making their own personal changes, whatever they may be.

If you would like to meet other like- minded people, please do come along and join us at our monthly Supper Clubs.

I will also continue to collaborate with other professionals because we can achieve so much more when we work together. If you would like to collaborate on any future events, please do get in touch.

The other bit of advice that I was given by family and friends, which was much easier to take was. “Don’t give up.”

I can assure you I’m certainly not ready to do that just yet!