I've had the shittiest year ever. My wonderful mum passed away suddenly at the beginning of the year, at the age of 57. Six weeks later my shitty partner left me, after months of mental and emotional abuse. He left me with debt that we'd accumulated thanks to him (he would start a new job and leave it within a month and that happened about 4-5 times, last time being 24 December). The day he left me I had nothing in my account because I'd just paid all the bills. He got paid on the day he walked out - he left me £90 on the kitchen table... I was supposed to survive on that for two weeks...with two young children! I thought I was going to die. Work, debt, children. And then in July I discovered that the childminder had been verbally abusive to my little one and had also left him on his own on a few occasions (he was 2 at the time). Police and social services got involved and it was just awful. And then in September one of my colleagues was given a responsibility in our department and became very difficult to work with. She patronises me and treats me like I'm an incompetent dimwit. I used to love going to work and now I dread it...
And then three weeks ago I became so ill, I spent a week in bed, half conscious...I'm still not 100% well, I have sinusitis and a bad cough...
So yeah, a shitty year. But I've been at home for a week now, just with my kids and I feel so calm... I wish I could feel like this more often, especially when i go back to work next week. So I guess, my question is, how can I lead a more peaceful life? How do I detach myself from all the shit at work, how do I manage kids, housework and everything else and remain at peace? I cannot have another year like this, I really want to feel calmer, not snap at my kids anymore etc. Have you got any advice, lovely people?