2024 - The Year of Authenticity

What better photo to choose for my end of year blog, me after drumming in a torrential thunderstorm in my friends' garden back in the summer, after a profound moment involving an oil drum - more on that later! In this moment, my body felt alive, unburdened and full of joy. New Year is a time of reflection. I reflect all year round and journalling continues to be a great practice, for insights, processing and often change of direction, rather than a rigid mindset of 'must do' or making things fit. 2023 has been a year focusing on my health once more, with space and energy to bring more focus to my drumming and healing work. So, here I am, to share with you the highs and lows of my year. Like many of you out there, I have been faced with some challenging times, but some wonderful moments too!

To get the dental stuff out of the way and move on to better things! The 2 year investigation into the dentist who performed my surgery in 2021 concluded in October. From June this year in the preparation to the General Dental Council Legal Hearing, I can only describe as a living hell, which negatively impacted on my life and health massively. As some of you may know who have followed me for a while, he was working without Indemnity Insurance, which meant no legal firm would help me on a No Win No Fee basis. This October, allegations were proven and the dentist erased from the Dental Register, although he chose to retire before this conclusion. He was described by the senior lawyer to me as 'deplorable'. This conclusion does not help me in the slightest, despite the hundreds of hours of administration I had done over the two years for the General Dental Council. Still no legal firm will help as a No Win No Fee, despite the outcome of the Hearing, all because he was working without insurance. I am advised he can also choose to ignore any Small Claims. There is no justice for me and I am left £10,000 out of pocket, a part of that was a small amount of pension I paid into 30 years ago for my own retirement. Injustice is something I feel strongly about in this world, so I now need to work hard at acceptance and letting go, as this is a battle that cannot be won, unless I had the money to pay legal fees, which I don't, but also, I do not want this negative and destructive energy remaining in my life. A link to my Petition calling for the General Dental Council to monitor Dentists Insurance (because they don't!) can be found in the Health Section of my website on the Dentistry page. All signatures and shares are appreciated.

Meanwhile, I have a heart bursting with gratitude to Dr Seb Lomas who took over my dental care in 2022, supporting me above and beyond. It is in times of distress, you see the hearts of others. Hopefully he will continue supporting me through proposed surgeries and the future. I really hope my blog for end of 2024 I will be able to say I have come out the other side of my surgery, I no longer have jaw bone infections and no longer need to wear dentures! I would like to take this opportunity to say congratulations on the recent opening of Dr Seb's new dental clinic in Huddersfield, may it be the first of many across the UK!

I know it feels like forever I have been saying 'My Podcast will be coming out soon"! It is now in the final editing stages and the broadcast date is getting closer! I promise! My 3 year journey of acupuncture/somatic therapy and counselling continues and what an awesome journey it is. I remain so grateful after decades of searching, to have found the right people to support me on my path. A new chapter is about to begin in under two weeks, with a short overseas trip to work with a therapist I have got to know over the last year. I am hoping this will prove to be supportive in removing some blocks I am struggling with, which will help me in my progress back in the UK. There are times we have to seek out people with certain skill sets for particular moments our healing journey, and as those that know me will be aware, I always proceed with caution and do my research! Trust and safety are key. July was an interesting month and a profound one, another time of letting go, moving on and relates to the photo at the start of this blog. Here are my You Tube vides which will explain more.

PART ONE - Closures and Letting Go

PART TWO - Closures and Letting Go

August was a mixed bag! My best birthday ever, keeping it simple, my family nurturing me all day whilst I immersed myself in things I love to do. I registered a Community Interest Company, a big step for me after running two not for profits organisations over 17 years, both of which contributed to my health challenges and caused financial lack over these years. I knew this would be different, and that story of my life was over. An unexpected hiccup at the final hour sent my body into a trauma response, I found the inner strength to carry on, staying focused on the goal, whilst processing the grief I felt for the months that followed. I was so disappointed I was unable to manifest this dream in 2023, but know the seed is planted for when the time is right. It will happen if it is meant. Another valuable lesson in flowing where we are guided, and to be prepared to step out of the rigid mindset of 'must do'.

This month I returned to Glastonbury to birth my second shamanic drum. I had felt a calling for over a year to birth a horse drum, the same feeling I had with my stag drum. To say it was challenging physically and emotionally is an understatement, but I did it and I am slowly getting to know my drum, welcoming it into my space at my drum sound baths. I have an inner knowing it will go on to do great work in the world, help others and myself on our healing journeys.

I haven't found myself in the sea as often as I did in 2022. The weather conditions have not been calm enough for me a lot of the time, or my health not strong enough. However, I discovered I could now float on my back, and that led me to attempt to swim to the end of Teignmouth Pier, my goal for 2024. It took me an hour, but I did it!

Every single one of us has something valuable to contribute to this world and I am going to repeat the words I wrote this time last year, as they mean just as much now as they did then: "For anyone who may be struggling to understand their place and purpose in the world, this quote I found by an unnamed author is for you .... "If you feel like you don't fit into this world, it is because you are here to help create a new one."

I hope that everyone who attended my drum sound baths in 2023 or booked a private healing session took something away to support them on this journey called life.

A reminder you can follow me on facebook, instagram and You Tube. Direct links to these platforms can be found on my website. For the month of January I am offering Half Price 1:1 healing sessions to say thank you. Your support is greatly valued.

It has been a tough year for so many. I know I have certainly being picking up on collective energies. Some are grieving the loss of loved ones, broken relationships or friendships, and grieving for the life that once was. But if we look hard enough, there are always beautiful moments to be found. Change is hard, but one thing is for sure, we do not remain stuck, even if we may feel we are. Every second, every breath, we are moving forwards, and one day we will look back.

On a final note, a word that keeps coming up for me this year is AUTHENTICITY. It is becoming harder and harder for people to navigate a world of information overload and clever marketing, trying to decide who or what is real and who or what is not. We all need to begin to feel our way in this world.

Walk into 2024 as your Authentic You. I hope you enjoy the closing video to my blog below. Much love. Jenny x

"Be yourself. Don't try to impress. ... there isn't anybody else quite like you. Don't try to imitate. The universe doesn't make mistakes. Authenticity is the only way to live your life freely. Be yourself. Everybody else is taken. Be yourself. Listen with your heart. Be yourself. Shine like the diamond you are. A beautiful brilliant star. The greatest work of arts. Walk for a day in someone else his shoes. You'll see that they struggle with themselves just like you. With their insecurities like am I enough, am I weaker, am I tougher, am I cool or beautiful? Be yourself. Everybody else is taken. Be yourself. Listen with your heart. Be yourself. Shine like the diamond you are. A beautiful brilliant star. The greatest work of arts. I wish my mamma could have told me what I'm telling you. But I had to learn the hard way. So when you feel the passion burn inside, don't let it slip away. Be yourself, everybody else is taken. Be yourself. Shine like the diamond you are. A beautiful brilliant star. The greatest work of arts. To rest in your beauty, to rest in your love. Look for it within yourself. You will always be enough."