I’ve been to a couple of leaving do’s for former colleagues in the last couple of weeks.

It’s been nice to catch up with people and to remember stories or events from the past.

But much more importantly the last few weeks have felt like I’ve turned a corner.

The New Year has helped. I’m not normally one for resolutions and starting afresh each January but this year I do feel as though it is a new start.

It’s a New Year, a new decade, a new life.

Being made redundant and all the consequent hassles of sorting out finances, pensions and career decisions really feel as though they belong to last year. That was all in the past – it was so 2019!

I’m in a much more positive mood and talk more confidently about what I do now and my plans for the future.

Many people told me it would take time to adjust to life outside the corporate world. Many people told me it would take time to decompress (particularly after 30 years working in 24-hour news). Many people told me to take time to consider what I wanted to do.

They were all right. You can’t just step off a treadmill and move seamlessly to the next phase.

It’s taken six months. I’m sure other people will have moved on quicker – and some people will take longer.

Some ideas haven’t worked out. Some possibilities are still on the drawing board.

But overall I’ve waved goodbye to commuting to work, office life and corporate comforts. Hello to the new me.

Even my “work coach” at the Job Centre has started to show signs of humanity. Things must be looking up.