Hello, hello, hello!

After nearly four years, we’re back, baby! Remind me to focus less on procrastination and more on writing, but to be honest, you know when they say “timing is key” (or have I just made that up?). Anyway, it feels more than right to restart my blog now and update you on all the chaos! Lol, jokes—just a little bit of chaos, a few tears, an abundance of happiness, and a sprinkle of unhinged moments .

In this post, I’ll reflect on the highs and lows of the past few years, my journey to rediscover happiness, and the valuable lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Before I dive in, it only makes sense to give you an insight—or more like a catch-up—on what’s happened over the past few years. When I brainstormed this on paper, I was honestly surprised at how much I’ve done but also at how little has changed. So, to make things simpler and less boring to read, I’ve drafted some highlights and lowlights from 2021 to 2024. Eek, it’s nearly 2025!

Highlights and Lowlights:

• Lockdown ended, which meant life naturally got busy again.
• I FINALLY PASSED MY DRIVING TEST! I think I’ll celebrate this until my grave. For those who know me, this was the most anxiety-inducing thing I’ve ever done. The tears, sweat, and bloody money that went into this… But it all paid off. Big up to Jat, my driving instructor, who got me through it. (I know if he’s reading this, he’s probably missing the entertainment I provided him.)
• Found a love for Zumba and walking/hiking.
• Got my first ever tattoo. I now have three.
• Tried some fun and cool activities: rage room, pottery painting, boozy bottomless brunches, puppy yoga, lots of pub trips, and Winter Wonderland with my mum.
• Had so many wholesome, good-for-the-soul moments with my besties. (I love each and every one of you so much—thank you for the endless support.)
• Also had a looooot of emotional moments with my besties.
• Worked a few different jobs. My last one was as a teaching assistant/one-to-one support for children with special needs. I thought, “Since I’m good with kids and love them, maybe I should be a teacher.” Yeah… that confirmed I definitely don’t want to be a teacher. (Hats off to all you teachers out there—you’re not just educators, but also counselors, doctors, parents, and punching bags.)
• Raised money for the Mind charity.
• Went to my first-ever Ascot race.
• Watched my friends tie the knot and was forever grateful to be asked to be a bridesmaid.
• Did my first solo trip! I traveled around Europe, visiting Berlin, Budapest, Prague, Italy, and Slovenia.
• Enjoyed lovely holidays to places like Krakow with school friends, Tenerife with my friend Hayley, Lanzarote with my mum, Bordeaux with the uni gang, and Croatia with my friend Sarah.
• Navigated some challenging times: a breakup, supporting friends going through heartbreak, feeling lost, and dealing with rejection. What about you? Have you experienced some of these challenges, too? How did you navigate through them?
• Hosted a special, intimate event for my 27th birthday.
• Visited the Peak District for the first time.
• Reconnected with my dad. After years, we went to the pub, had some quality time, and called it a day after two pints.

And there you have it—a few updates from the last few years. I’m sure I’ve missed loads, but Rens Rambles needs some structure.

Hold on actually, let me post more pictures – otherwise did it even happen?

Transitioning to career struggles:

While these moments brought me joy, I also faced challenges in other areas of my life—especially when it came to my job. From January 2023 to July 2024, I worked in a primary school. Honestly, I became a shell of a human being. While I adored the kids and formed amazing bonds with them, I realised after six months that I didn’t want to be a teacher. I wouldn’t want to work in a school again, full stop.

The shift from joyful memories to struggles can be tough, right? I’d love to know – what’s been your biggest challenge over the past year?

I hated nearly every job I was in. I lost my spark, felt mentally and physically exhausted, and faced constant rejection. Honestly, there’s only so much a counsellor can help with.

I feel like a job is such a huge part of life since we’ll be working for most of it. I don’t want to be stuck in something that makes me unhappy or bored. At the same time, I understand that not every job will be my dream job.

Exploring personal happiness

Maybe I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I trust that I’ll find my path eventually. Then, one windy day, as I sat sipping peppermint tea, I thought: F* it – I’m going to quit my job and go travelling.

I’m incredibly lucky to have two supportive, caring people in my life—my ma and pa. They’ve always wanted my happiness, and living at home helped me save money (which has now all gone, but it was so worth it).

When I told my dad I wanted to travel in Asia, his response was: “Go, Reni, see the world.” That moment changed everything.

I was desperate: for a decent job, for a relationship, for a change. I was desperate for joy again. I know it sounds ridiculous—reading my highlights above, you’d think, Why does this girl feel sorry for herself? Trust me, I get it. I try to practice gratitude every day, but life isn’t linear.

In 2018, I traveled around India with my friend Hayley and had a blast! Ever since, I’ve wanted to continue exploring—on my own.

So, after getting my parents’ blessing (not that I needed it, but it was nice), I told my friends I’d booked a flight to Bangkok. They knew I was using travel as a form of escapism, but they supported me wholeheartedly.

The Details

• Dates: 1st September 2024 – 1st November 2024
• Flight: London Heathrow to Bangkok (return ticket, 30kg luggage)
• Cost: Just over £500

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I’ll write about my travels in my next post. If I start now, this one will turn into five pages, and we can’t have our brains overstimulated! That said, I’m so excited to share my travel stories with you soon.

Thank you for checking my blog out again (after all this time), and a huge thank you to my amazing friends for giving me the motivation to restart this.