One day, I was on a phone call, and I just lost it, I felt as though I had blacked out for a few seconds. I removed my headset and walked out of the office which was completely out of character for me.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that I had reached severe “burnout”.

Two days later I went back into the office, my boss and HR assured me things would be sorted out. They removed some responsibility from me but there was still an enormous workload that still fell on my lap.

Whilst I continued with my job, something had drastically changed inside me.

I no longer cared about my job at all, in fact I didn’t care about myself either.

I kept hoping the old me would come back, but inside I was just dead and not getting any better.

Then my mother-in-law and father-in-law (who had been my family for most of my life) both passed away within a few months of each other.

In this same year I was constantly ill with colds, my back was terrible and I spent a lot of time bedridden.

In the midst of this I came down with the shingles virus which was quite frankly the worst pain I’ve known!

Even the days when I often had to drag myself out of bed, I knew once I started painting, that it would be the most beneficial thing I could do.

I continued to see the burnout therapist. Each time I saw him he told me he could see an improvement.

How do I feel now?

The way I look at my artwork also has a different perspective because of this experience. I want people who collect my art to be taken to another place or world in their lives.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a look at one of my art pieces, follow the flow of the colours and the cells, what do you see?

Art is well known as a useful healer. If someone can relate to this and it makes them feel better, then I feel like I have achieved what I set out to do: convert my Burnout journey into something useful for others.