Why losing my job was the best thing to happen

Written By Molly Palmer

Recently, I've had a bit of a life change

Confession time

I’ve spent most of my life feeling anxious, depleted, and inadequate.

Stuck in office jobs, I felt disconnected, overwhelmed and exhausted. I could never keep up.

I was so fatigued that I didn't have the energy to do what I loved.

Everything seemed so much harder for me than anyone else, Then I developed chronic pain.

I’m built different

It turned out I had been living all that time with undiagnosed dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, and hEDS.

Office jobs were never made for people like me, and I'd never catch up.

When my last job ended, I decided to make a change. I wanted to do things that brought me joy and do things that bring others joy. Like

  • Creating things

  • Taking things slow

  • Making a difference

  • Creating a life that works for me

Now I’m self employed, doing what I love

  • Gardening

  • Art

  • Accessibility training

  • Community building

And I finally feel like me.

Art

I've always loved art - I actually have a degree in Fine Art! It feels so good to go back to my roots and start creating again.

I've been doing workshops, commissions, art markets, and exhibitions!

Gardening

I have always loved nature. I genuinely think it has saved me when I’ve been struggling. Something about how grounding it is, and how you can be a part of something bigger than you.

I now run a queer community allotment called Fruit Patch! I'm also an assistant community gardener at Flos.

Nature also inspires my art.

Accessibility Stuff

Turning struggle into learning

Realising I was Disabled was a life changing moment. I wasn’t being difficult or not trying hard enough. I needed to do things differently. Seeing my friends and wife struggle to navigate their Disability journeys as well made me think it shouldn't be this hard.

I want to turn these painful experiences into opportunities for learning and growth. I'm using my experience to teach others how they can be more supportive to Disabled people, in the hope that other people will have better experiences in future.

Catch me teaching Accessibility and Disability workshops with T(ART) Productions CIC.

It’s all connected

All of this is about building a kinder, more creative world for people, where they can truly slow down and connect.

This looks like:

  • Creating opportunties to connect and grow

  • Creating spaces that work for everyone

  • Giving people permission to grow and create

  • Going at your own pace

So let me introduce my new self!

Hi there, I’m Molly!

I make art and gardens. I love building community and making these things accessible for everyone.

Follow me to see how you can take things slow, grow, and create.

Molly Palmer