Don't Hold Onto Resentment

For decades, ever since I was 16, I had an unhealthy resentment for my step-father. Why? Because he took me out of school and into a working life. 

Back then I was in the top O-Level class in my school, was doing very well and had just completed my mocks with 9 passes out of 9, all with decent grades. It would have meant me taking my A-Levels and possibly on to University where my studies would lead to either an acting career or journalism.

                                                   (Speaking before a room of Entrepreneurs)

My step-father, however, had decided that as I was now 16 I could start an apprenticeship instead and bring money into the house. I left school halfway through my final year, at Christmas, and started training as a car mechanic. I was not best pleased.

At first, though, I enjoyed the work, the City & Guilds course I was on (got a distinction in my first year) and, of course, getting paid. Sadly, that line of work came to an end when I had a run-in with the MD and was sacked. It was then when I really started to resent the fact that I, in essence, had become a school dropout, an unqualified minion in the eyes of future employers. I began to feel inferior because I didn’t have any bits of paper to say otherwise. I even lied to people, saying I had both O and A-levels just to make them think better of me. I didn’t want to admit, or accept, the truth.

Since then I have got various qualifications through my military career and work experience, have taken several courses and hold a Diploma in Freelance Journalism and am currently working on a Philosophy degree with Open University.

As for my step-father, thanks to my Reiki training I’ve been able to forgive him although sadly not in person. In hindsight, he actually did me a massive favour because I’ve learned more about life through personal experience than I would have done in any classroom. I’ve been able to ‘study’ people first hand rather than through the pages of books or through lectures.