For most of this year, I have felt as though I’ve been a flame burning in a cage. So much energy and fire has been in my psyche but so I’ve had little or no ability to break free from the cage or to put my energy and passion to good use.

Now I am free from the cage and my flame will no longer be curtailed by a metal mesh, holding me back.

How do I feel about this at this moment? Tired! My energy levels are so low I’m going to need a while before I’m back on a par with the Linda that set foot into this year so full of inspiration and hope for the year.

One of the things that this photo diary has done for me is to give me a really good record of how I was feeling on any given day – all I have to do is look back, see the pic and the text and I know exactly where I was.

Looking back to the beginning of this year, it all started to go horribly wrong for me when I walked into a trap at our corporate conference at the end of January and ended up being manoeuvred into a job that I always knew I’d hate. So the first month was full of fire and light and then it all started to go wrong.

BUT – the problem galvanised me into the biggest and most daring action I have ever willingly undertaken and here I am in December, having been through the mill but never losing sight of the dream.

I wonder what’s around the next corner – what will next year bring? Will our dream bring us the happiness we have been seeking through this move and this huge change to our lives? Will we have the energy to make the transition into a different kind of life work for us? Will we realise our potential?

Who knows! I guess it’s a case of ‘watch this space’ though I must admit to being a little bothered by a ‘guest’ who seemed to be sending me a veiled threat about Christmas so, if I don’t post on Christmas Day, you can assume I’ve been ‘got’ by some nutcase with a grudge because of something I said.

Actually, I’ve just gone back and looked at my pic – is it me or is it really quite erotic-looking, despite being basically an inanimate object, some wax and a bit of string?

Two years ago, I was sooooo happy to hear from my ex-boss and last year, I was being entertained by my guitar-wielding axe-man lover playing the Strokes!