Moving Out of My Comfort Zone

Two months working from home have left me with the social skills of a gnat. I dash out in the morning for newspapers and food and dash back home again. I am virtually a recluse, staying at home recovering from the emotional battle I’ve been through over the last year. I have been firmly embedded in my comfort zone.

Well, no longer. I miss company, chatter and being part of society. I feel strong and ready to take on the world again and I have just signed up to do something I have always wanted to do. Don’t laugh, but I will be volunteering in a charity shop once a week. I am the queen of thrift, the doyenne of upcycling, the one you always find in the middle of the jumble sale crush. I can’t wait to start.

Any new town I visit, I always find out where the charity shops are, especially If I go somewhere upmarket. There’s a great one on the King’s Road in Chelsea where I bought all my suits for work from when I lived in London. I am infamous among my friends for thrusting objects at them as soon as they walk in my door – ‘Hey! Check this out! Only £1!’ My house is filled with eclectic finds, rescued treasures and a haphazard mixture of randomly framed pictures.

I have never worked in a shop before and am looking forward to meeting new people and easing myself back into a workplace again. The manager, who’s lovely, knows about my MS and has no issue with it at all. There will be a workplace capability assessment, but that’s standard for anyone with an illness like MS.

It might sound odd, but I am over-excited about rummaging through all the donations. I can’t wait to learn how to use a till – strange I know, but doesn’t everyone want to play shop sometimes? So wish me luck, and if you see someone staggering along the road with a huge painting under one arm and a side table under the other, that’ll be me…

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8 thoughts on “Moving Out of My Comfort Zone

  1. Karina Bailey says:

    As I tweeted earlier I can so relate to this. Since MS it feels like my life is in limbo ~ Some days I feel so motivated, I want to do everything, I scribble lists (my hand writing looks like a spider has scrawled over the page these days) but then the next day my motivation has gone, my leg is very numb, my toes are cramping, my hands are really shaky and the list goes in the bin. I haven’t worked since ‘it’ happened in September ~ I was a Temp, which meant no job kept open for me. I love working and meeting new people, perhaps I should think about volunteering!

    lol and not just think about it, but do it! New Years resolution #1

    Kari

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hi Kari,

      Thank you for your comment! I know exactly what you mean – motivation seems to fly out the window since having MS. Every day is different so it puts you off making plans. Have a look in to volunteering? Keeps the CV up to date to and the shop I’m going to be working in has a proper training programme too, which is great.
      Happy Christmas!
      X

  2. Tony Cardis says:

    Whilst I fully support you getting back out there, why do I have a vision of you as the next Mrs Slocombe 🙂

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Hello Tony – You really do cheer me up!! It’s a miserable day here, rain is chucking down. I got your comment and burst out laughing. I will be channeling Mrs Slocombe on my first day….
      X

  3. Tony Cardis says:

    Our Figures are Slipping — “It’s very short notice–there’s my pussy to consider. Who’s going to let it out?”

    Cold Comfort — “You’re lucky to have me at all, Captain Peacock. I had to thaw me pussy out before I came. It had been out all night.”

    The Think Tank — “Well, if I’m not home on the stroke of six, my pussy goes mad.”

    Hoorah for the Holidays — “Oh, Mr. Rumbold, I hope this isn’t going to take long. My pussy’s been locked up for eight hours.”

    The Hand of Fate — “You know, animals are very psychic. I mean, the least sign of danger and my pussy’s hair stands on end.”

    German Week — “You know, this sort of thing just isn’t fair on my pussy. She has a go at the furniture if I’m not there prompt.”

    New Look — “It’s a wonder I’m here at all, you know. My pussy got soakin’ wet. I had to dry it out in front of the fire before I left.”

    Christmas Crackers — “I hope we’re not going to be late tonight. Because I’ve left Winston clinging to the curtain ring–he refuses to come down. The mere sight of my pussy drives him mad.”

  4. Colin says:

    Gloria! Dick Emery’s character. I’m sure Dean could give you a nice blue rinse for your first day lol xx

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