It is time for me to sit down and write this post. Nothing fancy just a post that i haven't prepped and decided to rather go in with a free-flowing mindset for a more authentic and genuine read.

Where have I been? Why was I inactive on Hive? My plans moving forward?

I explain that in this post.

You might be thinking, 'Wait, I've been posting lately!' And you're right, but my recent posts haven't been my usual style. I need to get back to sharing content about my hobbies and interests. Let's begin and take it back to the beginning of 2025. I entered the new year feeling optimistic, having secured a new job after my previous workplace, Homebase, went into administration and closed. Although my job as a forklift driver, loading and unloading lorries all day, was somewhat enjoyable, I knew for some time that the company was struggling. By October, it was evident, and we were informed that Homebase would close within the next three to six months. Job hunting was challenging, and as Christmas approached, it became even tougher. Fortunately, two days before Christmas, I received the great news that I had secured a new job. Things was looking good for 2025... My optimism quickly faded, and my mental well-being took a significant hit, marking the most challenging period of my life. I started the new job, which involved customer service and theft control, but received no training or support, leaving me uncomfortable in the role. This was compounded when a relative passed away, and I felt unsupported in requesting time off to the point i had to work throughout till it was suitable for them. The constant pressure, worsened by long 10-hour shifts left me feeling deeply overwhelmed. There’s more to this, but I struggle to articulate it and hesitate to share details due to potential legal concerns, so I won’t name the company. Ultimately, the job’s pressure and being constantly blamed for issues—despite the lack of training or support—became unbearable. I considered resigning, but before I could act, they made the first move... This also impacted my weight and im now classed as obese well according to my renpho scales but i guess obese can differentiate between people i had to give up running too which was a bummer as i love parkrun but with this possible hernia injury its best i stay away till i seek medical attention. For the first time in five years, I found myself jobless, which was daunting. I had always lived paycheck to paycheck, but this was a new challenge. With bills piling up and my health to manage, the lack of income left me overwhelmed. I spent a month applying for jobs relentlessly, experiencing both good and bad days. Thankfully, I was offered a new job. Although I’m not entirely satisfied with it due to its self-employment structure and lack of guaranteed hours, it’s better than nothing, and I’m less anxious while continuing my job search. The new job is delivery/courier-based, which keeps me active—a plus—though the uncertainty of work and working in all weather conditions are downsides I’m managing. Which now brings me on to why my activity on Hive and community engagement took a dip and i thing the above explains that i don't need to really add anything else but what i will say is my ambitions to get back on track and how im going to go about doing that. One thing I noticed while trying to return to creating, curating, and engaging is that I’m spread across too many social media platforms. I’d like to give a quick shoutout to my good friend and fellow Hiver, @shmoogleosukami (please check out his blog and consider voting for his witness). Like me, he was active on multiple platforms, but after he scaled back to just a couple, it inspired me to do the same. By focusing on fewer platforms, I can be more active and authentic. I’ve made Bluesky my primary social media—though it’s smaller than X, I find it more genuine and better suited to my profile. I still use X, but less frequently, mainly to track Hive-related content. Sometimes I consider posting there, but other times I avoid it due to its toxicity. Lastly, apart from my book-tracking and book-focused social media Fable book app, I use Hive. if there are any social media that are less toxic and worth investing time into do let me know but for now im keeping it small. The next thing I need to address is my involvement in Discord Hive communities. Unfortunately, this means leaving a few, as I’m in far too many to keep up with. I hope this will allow me to engage more deeply in the ones I choose to stay active in, particularly @theterminal. Their team was incredible in helping me grow when I first started, encouraging me to be myself. I also want to highlight @thealliance, an amazing community where @saffisara, in particular, has always supported and encouraged me, not just as a creator but as a person. Lastly, the British Hive users are a fantastic group. I’m committed to doing my part to revive and strengthen that community. This brings me to my final point: diving into and sharing my passions and hobbies, including space, geocaching, photography, sports, writing, reading, and so much more. I need to build more confidence in sharing these openly, without fearing judgment, worrying about being perceived as inadequate, or dreading the creation of subpar content. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. It feels refreshing to sit down after a long time and write freely, letting the words flow. I’m incredibly grateful to the Hive community for their support and encouragement. I truly hope I can return to my former self, actively engaging and creating as I once did. I’m excited to catch up with those who helped me grow and to connect with new people in the community whose stories and contributions I’ve yet to explore.

chris-uk