My Mental Wealth™️ workshops for the second half of 2024 are set. These 45-minute sessions will be available to everyone, and each workshop will come with special paid subscriber perks. Scroll down to the bottom to see the dates from September through to December.
What was your dream as a child? What did you want to be doing, or who did you want to be? I bet you believed you could be anything you wanted. Then what happened? You grow up, life happens, and automatically, you’re pulled into the world of grown-ups where dreams are put away in favour of paying the bills and meeting everyone else's expectations. I wanted to become a world-class tennis player, a dancer, or an actor on TV – just some of my childhood hopes. Being a neurodivergent child meant my dreams changed on the regular, along with my hobbies. We can hold onto that hope of a dream and carefully shelve it along with other things we will do when we have more money or turn a certain age, whatever the life milestone is. The dream becomes covered in dust and forgotten about. Occasionally, something takes us back to the dream, appearing in our consciousness. We wistfully think, wouldn’t it be great to do that after all this time?
I had a dream of being a radio presenter. It was always there, floating about — something I loved to do as a child. My brother David and I used to play a game aptly called radio shows. We recorded them on a ghetto blaster. This was when I would record the Top 40 on a Sunday evening onto cassette tape, always missing the start of songs when I was distracted. On our radio show, we would play music – Kylie, Bros and NKOTB – if you know, you know. We had travel, we had the news, and we had a chat. As I grew up, somehow, I let go of this dream as impossible. My Dad loves to remind me about the time I went for an audition at MTV for a co-host role with Richard Blackwood. News flash: I didn’t get it. Why didn’t I keep pursuing these dreams? I was an extrovert and confident, but I was very conscious about my appearance as a young adult, and I shut the whole thing down.
Was being a performer or entertainer an actual job? Nobody ever spoke about it at school careers meetings. It didn’t come up in job searches when you visited the careers centre as a suitable job for you. So, I got a job at Rolls-Royce Aerospace at 19, which was me sucked into the corporate machine. It is a job for life, I was told. Knowing what I know now, I think the term a job for life is where dreams go to rest.
And then here we are.
On Monday, I started my new role as a radio presenter at Mix92.6, a local radio station in Hertfordshire. I GOT A JOB AS A RADIO PRESENTER! Sorry for shouting, but this is bloody exciting.
It is not Classic FM (the major dream); it is voluntary, as many radio legends start in local, hospital, or student radio. But I am on the airwaves. Well, I will be on the airwaves alone once I finish my training.
How did this happen? I hear you ask.
I asked for it. Truly, that’s what I did.
Last year, I took the dream down from the shelf. I had spent a lot of time reflecting and designing how I wanted my portfolio business to look. This is a lot like job crafting, where you proactively change the characteristics of your job to align it with your personal needs, goals, and skills. Being a radio presenter was on the list and fitted nicely into a ribbony business. This is my ADHD brain visualising many beautiful, colourful strands of work blowing in the breeze. Creative, meaningful, bright, and fun.
I signed up for a stand-up comedy course at the Groucho Club in February. It had been on my bucket list to push me out of my comfort zone – see, there is an entertainer in me! Our trainer asked us to write down our dreams or wishes and share them with our partners. Mine? Become a presenter on Classic FM and host a wellbeing programme.
Eek, I’ve now put it here for you all to read. This feels very vulnerable!!
But I think this happened; the minute I said it out loud to someone, it became real, and maybe, just maybe, it was possible.
Saying something out loud can empower us. Putting your intention and what you want out in the universe. However, you must believe it will happen. It may not look exactly like you think it will. Then you need to follow up with action—not necessarily big action, but action. I shared what happened at the training and the dream I harboured with my coach. “I never knew that about you!” she exclaims. “How are you going to make it happen?” she asked. I pondered for a minute and then said, “Well, although I love classical music, I am not a classical music expert, and I don’t have broadcast experience either. I’m going off to get some broadcast experience.”
Action
Around March, I searched for local radio jobs and found Mix was looking for a breakfast show presenter. I submitted my application. My application focused on the extensive public speaking I had done, my passion for building connections, my love for being an entertainer and someone who wanted to give back to the local community. I kept chasing as I had not heard back. I was a little annoying and, some might say, tenacious. I then sent another application. Are you cringing at this point, too? I was determined I was getting this gig. Then, I finally had an interview request for the 1st of July. I showed up late because I was so busy meditating and doing breathwork to calm myself down (I had completely zoned out). And I got the job. Monday was my first training day, and I was LIVE ON AIR for 30 minutes. I pressed the buttons, made a link, and chatted with Andy, the presenter.
This weekend, I am interviewing local businesses on wellbeing topics to improve my reporting skills. I have volunteered - insert keen newbie - to build my knowledge, experience, and connections with the rest of the team and the local community.
I am not yet seated between Dan Walker, Myleene Klass and Zeb Soanes on Classic FM, but a girl has to start somewhere. I loved how much fun I had on Monday. They said I was natural and would be brilliant –always good feedback on your first day. I messed up and forgot to turn up the mic for the person I was chatting to on air. I laughed it off, and it’s all good. It is how we learn by making mistakes. I would not have coped with something like that in my younger years. I am intensively training with an experienced presenter, which has massively helped me. Hopefully, I will have my slot on breakfast in the autumn. I am an early riser. I love the idea of virtually being with people, waking them up, getting them to work or school, being in the car with them, or helping them move from the bed to open their laptops whilst working from home. Who knows where this will lead, but I am here for the fun and the experience.
If this has stirred something in you, I want you to go to the shelf and remove that dusty dream at the back. Go on, reach for it. It might take a scramble and probably be covered in other junk.
Did you find it? Good. Ok, now I want you to share it with someone. Tell me, and I will listen. If you feel brave, put it in the comments below. I will be your cheerleader. I believe you can do it.
I want you to write it down or write a reminder somewhere you will see it daily.
Next, what small action could you take towards that dream?
Now, please go ahead and take action; go do it. Don’t overthink the negative thoughts and limits you will place on yourself. Acknowledge them if they pop up, tell those pesky thoughts that you are all good, and take radical responsibility.
Now go and bloody dream big and do it.
I BELIEVE IN YOU 💫
Coops x
Congratulations Ruth🎙✨🎧
It's amazing, isn't it, when we reach back to what we loved to do in our childhood, and it makes us realise it's what we truly want to do in life. I've had some 'rip the band-aid' off and jump in feet first
experiences, and each one has turned out to be the best thing I've ever done. Wishing you lots of good luck!
Hilarious that you were late for the interview due to meditating in preparation! 😂😂
Stand-up course at the Groucho?! I need to know more about this! 😮
Well done for following your dream, you are an inspiration! 😘