New beginnings

Consumed by stomach clenching fear and exhaustion (from way too many sleepless nights spent worrying about who I was going to talk to, be friends with, eat lunch with - very high school I know!), but with a huge strained and slightly desperate smile plastered on my face, I embarked on my new job.

After 11 years of being in the same job and knowing my colleagues and clients back to front, and inside and out, I am experiencing that awful state of constant confusion and ignorance.

Will I remember every ones name? Will I remember where everything is? How will I know what to do?

Overwhelmed is probably understating how I have been feeling. But I have been applying that wonderful piece of advice, "fake it 'til you make it", and I think that I may have fooled everyone into thinking that I know what I am doing. Maybe.

I have been enjoying some VERY interesting characters with rich (and often heart breaking) histories, and I love the company I've joined and all of the amazing charity work they do. The area I now work in is trendy and vibrant and I adore strolling down the gorgeous tree lined streets filled with old terraces and art deco heaps. And did I mention that I get to wear my own clothes (hurrah!) instead of the eeuurrgghh uniform that I was forever trying to cover up with bright flowers and crazy brooches so that I could ignore how depressing it was. And even though I am struggling with working 5 days a week again, and sorely missing that extra time with my kids and my op shopping jaunts, I do have the company op shop (yeah baby, we have an op shop!!!!) to delve in to and explore.

Do I sound like I'm trying to convince myself of how well my first week has gone and the positives of my new position? Yeah, well, I kind of am.

I'm still in that period where I remember nostalgically all the great aspects of my old job (and none of the horrible aspects like incompetent boss, cranky residents, ridiculous demands and crazy work load), and yearning for that comfortable feeling you get when you know everything about your job (comfy like wearing old slippers!). 

But that comfortable feeling often leads to complacency and stagnation, so even though I am super scared most of the time, I am revelling in the challenge of the unknown and hoping that the new beginning leads to new successes, new goals set and achieved and a sense of achievement from having the courage to jump in to this foreign situation when my brain was begging me to stay and hide.

Hurrah for new beginnings!

I have been playing it rather safe with my work wear this week, easing my new colleagues and residents into my often odd wardrobe choices. I don't want to scare them off too soon. 

But, oh, how I have been loving feeling like me at work and being able to express my personality through my clothes. Nope, never gonna get sick of that!

We have a long weekend here, so I am recharging my batteries after such a super charged week and I am looking forward to catching up on blogs, catching up with pals and sleeping in. 

Any tips on coping at a new job?