As 2015 comes to a close I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the year previous which has gone, whatever you're planning to do, I hope you have a very happy new year full of happiness and calm.
This year has seemed a bit of a whirlwind for me, but I feel very grateful to have been given so many opportunities and platforms to do what I'm most passionate about which is helping make a difference and raise awarness. Through the various conferences, blogs, charity fundraisers I have discovered how many people there are like me who have been through similar situations, have struggled with acceptance and getting the right help and support in life and experienced some of the same day to day challenges living with dyspraxia presents.
For many years of my life I thought it was just me being me, I thought I was stupid, worthless and that I would never amount to much in my life, which was fuelled with ignorance, bullying and a lack of undertanding of dyspraxia is. It was after then I decided to make a change and help others. Although day to day tasks can be a struggle, chaotic and overwhelming and there's some things which will never be my forte in life I decided to focus on my strengths which has been my emotional sensitivity. My emotional sensitivity means I deeply care about the issues which I'm passionate about and have a lot of empathy and undertanding for others either human beings or animals.
I am very grateful to the people who have read my blogs, given me supportive messages about my speeches or in general just given me a little boost. The flip side of my emotional sensitivity means I struggle a lot with anxiety and feel emotion quite deeply and have really struggled over the years with self esteem and confidence. Which is why a lot of the blogs I write link a lot to the emotional and social side of dyspraxia and dyslexia, something which is often poorly understood.
I am also very grateful to charities who have supported my blogs and given me a platform to raise awareness. Especially to a group of ladies who work at the Dyspraxia Foundation who's words of positivity and encouragement got a very anxious Rosie up to do speeches and present me with the Mary Colley award earlier on in the year.
My thanks also go to the various dyslexia charities, Scope and Anxiety UK for also helping me raise awarness of hidden differences and mental health, I'm very grateful for all the opportunities.
This year has also been a year where I decided to make a difference to myself and seek help myself. Seeking help is a very brave step and it took me many years to have the courage and confidence to realise to help other people the first step was to help myself. If you are struggling please seek help, I know how crippling anxiey and mental illness can make day to day a real struggle. It's nothing to be ashamed of.
To the lady who inspires me to not let dyspraxia and dyslexia hold me back in life and uses her own experiences of dyslexia in the public eye to raise awarness of so many issues close to her heart and make a differnce. I am very lucky to have an incredible inspiration in life Mollie King ( I had to bring her in somewhere!)
You don't need a reason to help someone or make a difference, making a difference doesn't have to be something major, helping someone who is struggling, showing someone a smile if they don't have one, offering a little bit of kindness. Your words and actions can have such an impact on someone's life and can help or hinder someone. A little bit of encouragement can make someone's day in a postive way.
This blog is reaching 80,000 views, if it's helped one person feel less alone or understand themselves better it has all been worthwhile.
Finally to my incredible boyfriend and best friend who I am about to see the new year in with. Thank you for your acceptance, encouragement and everything you do constantly, it is always appreciated.
Thank you and here's to another year of awarness raising.
Rosie
Xxx
