Life is an adventure by Claudia Burnett

'Change is inevitable, growth is optional'


I'd like to share with you the latest instalment of this adventure that's called life.


Last month on my way to work I typed my letter of resignation; I had been working for Royal Mail for 18 years.


I had done many jobs within the company and was currently working as a facilitator in Rugby, it was a job I enjoyed immensely and I was well paid, it was the easiest job I ever had done within RM. However I felt I wanted to enjoy every aspect of my job, I wanted my job to be fun, playful and serve the best of who I was, it was not the case and I began to feel frustrated.


I felt the familiar feelings of wanting to move on from RM, feelings that I had first felt in 2003 when I was a delivery office manager, at the time work and home was stressful. I discussed leaving with the personnel manager and was convinced that I had skills to share within RM in other areas, so I stayed. I had a growing interest in Angels and every day I asked Archangel Jophiel for a job that would feed my soul. Six months later I got a job in training at the time it was the job of my dreams and it fed my soul.


I was unaware that my feelings of wanting to go would return, this feeling came back in 2006. RM was cutting staff and sent out a letter offering Voluntary redundancy, I applied and was accepted, my manager had other ideas and said he did not want to lose me and asked what he can do to make me stay. I told him if I could work at the 'Innovation Lab' (a creative space in Rugby) more I would stay, this happened occasionally until I was given the opportunity to do a six month secondment in January 2007. At the same time I was also told if I still wanted redundancy it would be available to me.


The chance to work at the iLab sent me flying high and I realised it was a good opportunity to assist in people development and as I had finished my Sanctuary of Angels healing course and realised I wanted to incorporate some of what I had learnt, to me it went hand in hand.


Unfortunately the iLab was under new management and the team I had worked with in the past had moved on. The iLab unfortunately was not the same, while working there I realise that it is becoming more like a training environment or a place where people just wanted to hold meetings. I did not have the experience I was expecting as I wanted to learn loads of new stuff but unfortunately that was not the case. We were really busy and ran workshops back to back with no time to review how the sessions went, so it was a case of repeating what was familiar (not what I wanted to do) I did however manage to incorporate meditation which in this environment I called 'incubation' or 'relaxation' this was received well and filled me with joy.


In April I went to a Creative conference in Italy for the second time, while I was there I walked the Labyrinth. A Labyrinth is a mystical spiral like structure with just one beginning and one end. They can be used as a form of walking meditation; they can release stress, stimulate creativity and reveal your true path.


When I came back I spoke openly to everyone (not just the chosen few) about Angels, my truth and all that I believed in. I even spoke about my renewed relationship with God. I felt I had nothing to hide; it was time I was true to myself. It's funny because it wasn't until I decided to be true to whom I truly was that I realise how I had always followed other people's truth.


On the 7.46 train to Rugby just after Italy (It may have been my first day back not sure) the familiar feeling of moving on came back, the time between when I find positive focus and wanting to leave was incredibly short this time and I thought about all the jobs that I had ever done. I remembered that in all my previous jobs, I changed what I was doing to a more fulfilling role but less money, I suddenly started to cry, the tears streamed silently down my face as I thought 'I don't want Jade and I to struggle any more' and if I left that would be a possibility.


I continued to cry silent tears in the bus that picked me up and by the time I got to work, I was extremely quiet, my colleagues knew something was not right with me but I told them I started to cry on the train and did not know why (at this time my feelings were difficult to explain)


After this messages flooded in from the Angels. Things became uninteresting for me at work. The workshops that I was involved in held no joy and the clients did not feel comfortable with me exercising my creative licence. The environment became increasingly negative as friends/colleagues complained about all the things they were unhappy with. I spent time filling my own and people's aura with the violet ray of transmutation and white light by the time I got home every day I was exhausted.


In May I received Angel guidance, the first couple of lines confirmed that it was time for me to part company with RM, the guidance I received laid bare all my fears but it also gave me hope as the Angels confirmed to me again that they will be there to assist me for my highest good.


In June I went on a Yoga retreat the messages while I was there continued to come in loud and clear, there was constant 'talk' of letting go, moving on, living in the now and being true to yourself. I knew I was not being true to myself and at the time I choose to focus on the bills that needed to be paid. One night at the retreat we wrote our fears on paper and burnt them ceremoniously. I wrote all the ones I could think of and truly let them go.


When I came back from the retreat before my going back to work I called my manager and asked for him to look into Voluntary Redundancy as I was promised that it would still be open to me when I wanted it, he said he would look into it. On Monday 18th June I wrote my letter of resignation, I felt somehow that I was not going to get VR. I spoke to my manager on the Tuesday and this was confirmed. It was funny as this did not faze me and I was determined to go. Each day I had confirmation, by what we choose to call coincidences that leaving was the right thing for me to do and the time was now. I handed in my resignation on 20th June, as soon as it was done I felt free. I was not even concerned about my bills; my biggest concern was telling my parents.


In reality telling my parents was a piece of cake. My parents were supportive, something I have longed for. I have always done things I thought they wanted me to do, when I chose to do something completely for me, I got what I always wanted.


I feel free and things seem to be moving fast. I have no set plans and no source of income (yet) but seem quietly confident.


When considering leaving I thought about my words to Archangel Jophiel about finding a job that feeds my soul. He and all the Angels began working on my behalf from the time I asked, opportunities came to prepare me for what I asked for, lessons were learnt, I moved on -some lessons took longer, were harder and painful. As my soul grew my jobs changed, I do not mean the size of my soul grew for me the growth was in a greater understanding of me (I suppose that could be regarded as the same thing).


I did not tell many people that I was going to leave apart from my daughter and 4 people I worked closely with. There was no conscious reason for this apart from the fact that, I speak when I feel the need to, not because I want to fill the silence. Jade my daughter was supportive which surprised me, my surprise was not her support but her 'matter of fact ness' There was no question about 'how will I go to Uni' or 'what will we do for money' instead there was 'I know what you can do' when I said I did not have a job to go to. This response from my beautiful daughter was a God send as it gave me hope and filled me with encouragement.


At work there was concern from my colleagues about my bills and my future however, I was sure about how I wanted to feel at whatever job I did and this was the most important thing to me. At times this felt a little reckless but at these times words whispered in my ear 'you can make change happen or change can happen to you'.


I felt If I allowed change to happen to me, that change would have been an illness of some sort, I could feel it snapping at my heals, when we deny or ignore how we feel inside, this feeling will manifest itself in another way.


I sent out an e-mail to tell people that I was leaving the business and everyone was shocked and concerned, people called me and told me to reconsider, they told me I was making a mistake, they told me I was stupid, they told me I had to think about how I was going to pay my bills and to leave when I was in a better position. As people talked to me I realised that all the concerns they had was based on their situation not mine, I did not have anything to prove and I was happy with my decision. It is not easy to remain positive when faced with such a negative response to something you're at peace with, and I can't guarantee that I could tell someone how to do it apart from focussing on what brings you JOY.


I did not feel sad in my job as I had great people around me and the grounds I worked in were fabulous, truly idyllic. There was though a feeling in me that I could be much happier and that happiness in whatever form I required it was available to me.


I realised in life you need to be happy with who you are in order to have what you want. 'You are never given a wish with out being given the power to make it happen' Bach


I This is the first time I've I have done something solely for me, it's not selfish to do things just for you and no- one else it is self-full it's essential for your growth.


I now fill my time doing Channelled Angel readings, healing, jewellery making and paintings. I am also putting together a personal empowerment 1 to 1 session for people to guide them to what brings them joy.


I have the time to explore any possibility and each day my life takes a new turn. I have realised I am the golden eagle and not the chicken and I am ready to soar.


Examples of some of my paintings can be seen on www.myspace.com/crystalangelxxx


Much Love Claudia xxx