I was always jealous of those that knew exactly what they wanted to do with their lives. I was one of the very few in school that had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do at the end of year 11. I turn 30 this year and I still felt envious of those that had their careers planned out and are now fully qualified lawyers, doctors or social workers… because that is what they wanted to do for as long as they could remember. I initially applied for cruise lines, just to get away from my hometown. That then led me to start applying for airlines.
I honestly thought there was no way I’d ever be able to work as a cabin crew. I was delighted to be accepted. I didn’t think I would last more than one season as the struggle of trying to get used to early four sector days made me feel the exhaustion that you can only relate to having been through it. This June marks my seven-year anniversary with the airline and I can honestly say, it was the best decision I have ever made. I have met the most amazing people and been blessed to see things that others dream of. And then came Covid.
My aviation family has been savagely ripped apart and left in ruins, and there is absolutely nothing any of us can do about it. Every few weeks there seems to be another massive blow to the industry and it’s utterly heart-breaking.
The Spring of 2019 I decided to start a side hustle selling biodegradable glitter. The amount of plastic waste we get through onboard terrifies me and dealing with the issue has obviously taken a back seat as airlines fight for survival. So, I have decided to use the furlough time to grow my eco baby as much as I can as it is extremely unlikely we’ll ever get this much time off again. I just can’t face sitting in front of Netflix so I try and be as productive as I can. I battle with anxiety and have learnt to keep busy to avoid the over thinking that often leads to a pit of depression. I keep busy with online courses in social media marketing and my business has grown more in lockdown due to being able to put the time in, than it would have in 2-3 years.
My advice to anybody struggling through the pandemic would be to set yourself goals. No matter how insignificant you think they may be. Eventually you’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve come. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and life will take you exactly where you are meant to be when the time is right. Also, just take that chance. Life is far too short not to.