Too often in my life I have undermined my achievements and put myself down because I felt that I was a worthless human being with nothing to offer anyone. Mental health issues can do this to a person. This was not just me however; others around me also poured water on my dreams and did not encourage me to reach for the stars. There was little celebration in my achievements and this reinforced my self defeatist attitude.

 

So what do I have to celebrate? Thinking about this has made me realise that I have plenty to celebrate – I’ve just chosen not to do so before. So here’s a list of what I should celebrate:

 

I passed my school exams – despite having an education that was marred by physical, verbal and emotional bullying.

 

I’m a fully qualified secretary – even though with hindsight this is not what I want to do with my life.

 

I’ve appeared on stage with the Poole Youth theatre – despite suffering from terrible stage fright and being quite shy.

 

I’ve raised a child on my own who has a strong code of ethics and is confident and assertive – sometimes too assertive!

 

I’ve survived a complete breakdown with all that entails.

 

I completely uprooted myself and my daughter to start a new life – probably one of the best decisions I ever made.

 

I went back into education and ended up with an Honours degree – something I never thought was possible.

 

Finally, I picked up the courage and joined Augment – something that kick-started my personal recovery journey big time!!!

 

How? It’s very simple. Everyone here saw me for who I am and what I could be. Not as a collection of symptoms to be sorted out. I have been supported to do so much – a list of which would probably bore you rigid and keep us here until midnight!!! However, here are few to be going on with. I have gone back to college and done a Sage Bookkeeping course and am working my way through my ECDL to update my skills. I have also attended a Training Trainers for Recovery course and a Peer Support Training course. And finally I have also become an Open Space facilitator and a See Me media volunteer. My life has changed so much since I first walked through Augment’s doors.  I used to look like wreckage. I didn’t look after myself, I didn’t care about myself, I had no confidence or self esteem – in short I looked like crap. Now, after quite a few false starts, I feel better than I have in years. Now I look after myself, I dress smartly, my confidence and self esteem have increased so much, it’s nearly off the scale. It’s even come to the point where I’m finally looking for full time work; something I thought I would not do again.  

 

But even this is not my biggest reason to celebrate. In terms of my personal achievements, the biggest reason for me to celebrate is that after 25 years of constant hair pulling I have finally managed to stop. It is a daily struggle, but I tell the urge to ‘go away’ and eventually it goes away. Even better, I sometimes don’t get the urge at all and if that’s not a reason to celebrate, then I don’t know what is.

 

We have been here today to celebrate not only Augment’s achievements – of which there are many as you can see, but also to celebrate our own personal achievements which are just as important. These could range from just getting out of bed in the morning to going back to work. Everything we achieve should be shouted from the rooftops and celebrated – even if we have to do it ourselves.