Red and Orange Life: The Final Chapter

Okay, so at the end of 2021, I decided I wanted to embark on the important and challenging career of being a firefighter. Shortly after applying, I fell unwell and had to put my career on hold to recover. Then, when I finally got better, I had my assessment day. Honestly, I was nervous, but I was still going to give it everything I had.

I was doing well until the fitness course took place, and it was much more challenging than I had anticipated. I mean, I knew it was going to be tough, but think of something challenging and then multiply that by 1000, add another 1000 to it, and then multiply that by a billion! I kept going with everything I had, but sadly, I didn’t finish in time.

I'm not a quitter, just to be clear, but I had to make some serious decisions regarding my health set-back. It took so long to finally do my assessment, and I just feel like life is too short for me to invest another 6 months to a year in training only to then retake the test and potentially pass. And if I'm being honest, my motivation and enthusiasm levels weren't anywhere near what they were when I first decided I wanted to pursue this career.

I have kept this chapter brief and have come to the decision not to continue down this career path. Am I gutted? Yeah, a little, but I do feel if it was meant to be, then it would have been. I felt with all the obstacles getting in my way, it was a sign that I wasn't meant to do the job of a firefighter.

But hey, I tried. I gave it a shot, and yeah, I didn't make it, but I don't call it a fail. I call it an experience. I threw myself into the deep end and challenged myself in a whole different way. Don't be afraid to fail because it doesn't make you a failure. It makes you someone who's not afraid to swim in the deep end. It makes you someone who's not afraid to say, "I tried and gave it everything I had, but I'm only human.”

But as this chapter of my life closes, another one opens, I will embrace whatever happens next head on.