I am a qualified Engineer and I did my Master’s Degree in Australia and then went back to my Arab country. When I came here to the UK, I came as a PhD student, but I couldn’t cope with how the employment sector worked over here in the UK. I couldn’t do anything and I found it so hard. I thought before that maybe I was the only one who had this experience. I was feeling so low. I lost my confidence and was suffering mentally.
I had also been dealing with my son being diagnosed with a serious health issue. I couldn’t carry on my PHD studies, I felt that I had to quit my study in PHD to support him. And this was really hard, it made me feel like I was failing at everything. I then started with pain in my knees, and on the upper part of my legs, so I went to the GP and they referred me to physiotherapy. They said that I have a weakness in my muscles and they advised me to do some strengthening exercises and increase my movement. They also referred me to Linking Leeds for something called Social Prescribing, something I hadn’t heard of before.
They called me and told me that there are a lot of activities happening close to my house through ‘Give a Gift’ (who provide support for disadvantaged communities, based in Harehills). It’s just five minutes from my home which is brilliant.
I started walking with the walking leader Emma (Walk it Ride it Activator). It was as simple as that.
“I was a little nervous about it beforehand, but I had to tell myself that I need to give it a go, and what have I got to lose? I have never looked back!“
I am a new person feeling happy and much more confident, it has really helped me in so many ways. Fortunately, my son is better now and doing really well and I feel more like me again.
My advice is join anything you can, get walking with a group and you can start to feel better, Maybe other things will come to you too. Look at me. I am living proof of this. I am happily working now from Monday to Thursday, but I won’t stop walking with my group on a Friday. I am grateful to have this in my life and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
