Struck again this week how many working people feel they are in dead-end jobs and are quite depressed. I took my car for MOT this week and the middle-aged mechanic who took it through the various tests looked quite despondent. Spoke to him at the end when he gave me the keys back. In his twenty-fourth year as a mechanic and felt he could do more, the job offered no challenge anymore.

Let me encourage those who are out there in the same boat… first be thankful you’ve a wage coming in and have been able to support yourself and family all those years; look for opportunities that you could apply yourself to do something that you enjoy; if you’ve the courage, start your own business, plan in the evenings, start gradually, do your market research, there’s plenty of advice available; above all, whatever you do, do it well and smile you’re making a difference. People like me can’t do your job and are grateful when things are done right.

Needless to say, I’m very grateful that my car passed its MOT. With a warning from the mechanic, “those fiats aren’t good on snow and ice, so be careful out there”. Thank you.