Unsticking oneself

Have you, like me, been feeling a little ‘stuck’?

Unsticking oneself is a process. I heralded 2025 as being the year of positive change (and still hope it will be). Last year largely proved to be a cesspit for me work-wise, and in other ways*. Thus, fresh from honeymoon in October 2024 (a one, true annual highlight), I sprang into action to make fresh and positive changes: now, I have a finger stuck in many proverbial pies. I made the active decision in late 2024 to transfer my skills into the humanitarian and/or arts industries. This is following four years of gruelling struggle in film, TV and media due to the pandemic and post-pandemic state of those industries. Like so many others, I concluded that I’d had enough. To admit defeat has been equivocal to a sigh of relief. 

Much of my film and creative work has concerned humanistic topics, and on making the transition to apply to work for such organisations, I’m imbued with a steadiness of conviction I have not felt for a long time. While I continue to freelance in screenwriting and art/illustration, I have begun classes in Arabic and French to bring my language skills up to professional standard. I have applied to volunteer with refugee agencies, with an interview lined up for next week. I have started a prestigious screenwriting mentorship with a group of other female screenwriters (a merry shout out to Amy Trevaskus), with a goal to complete and polish my screenwriting portfolio within the first half of 2025 and apply for long sought after agency. 

*In the process of taking some time to explore and identify my skills and professional abilities, I began to convert my weaknesses into strengths. This was done with the help of Helen Tupper and Susan Ellis’ book, ‘The Squiggly Career’, which I highly recommend. I applied a similar principle to the drudgery swamp of sh*t I waded through in 2024: gleaning the silver linings for growth. (Some of which is too personal for LinkedIn). Examples of converted weaknesses: 

- I can find it difficult to focus on one thing at a time < I am able to multi-task and manage multiple projects simultaneously through to completion.

- I have almost too much of a “portfolio career” < Passionate and able to dive deep into subjects and topics which interest me, to the point of academic and creative infatuation.

- Self-doubting; leaded to lack of faith in my own conviction < Confident in my creative abilities; Able to encourage and support other people in their endeavours. 

There’s enough of the year left for me not to yet feel defeated. No matter what position you have found yourselves to be in: know that there’s hope; sometimes it can take a little thinking and acting outside of the conventional box. Do not underestimate the value of your transferrable skills, whether you choose to transfer them or not. For those who are struggling or thriving - either way - feel free to connect with me. 

I wish you all a prosperous and successful 2025.