Emily said: 'I was working for a distribution company and if I’m honest it was not something I could see myself doing long-term.  I started to feel lost and pressured at the same time. I was starting to feel unhappy, unsettled in myself.

Then I was put on furlough from April to July 2020 due to the pandemic. Being at home all the time felt unnatural. But after a few weeks it actually gave me a lot of time and space to re-evaluate what was important to me and time to decide what changes I needed to make.  

‘I knew I couldn’t go back to my old job, so resigned. I knew I had to do something that I was passionate about. It was a profound time of self-discovery and exploration and something I could control amongst all the uncertainty around me.

‘I did a lot of research online and discovered crystals. Exploring a holistic approach to how I was feeling felt right. I vowed to buy myself a rose quartz necklace for its healing properties and after further research found Sophie’s crystal shop – High Vibe Alignment, which was nearby.

‘I later discovered, after following Sophie on Instagram that she was running a Prince’s Trust Get Started with Mindset and Mindfulness programme with Jenna Hyde, who also started her media training company with Prince’s Trust support.

‘The programme was over a week, it was incredible! It helped me to start believing in myself and what I could achieve and how to set goals and visualise what I wanted to do. I’d always had an interest in digital content creation so I started to focus on that in my spare time, building my skills. I created a Youtube channel and a podcast that focusses on self-development.

‘At the same time, Sophie was looking for a member of staff for her crystal shop, someone who could manage her social media, while also supporting her in her shop and meditation business. I was interested, as it aligned with my new focus. It would give me time to work on my content creation business, while developing my skills. I started the job in October 2021.

‘The pandemic changed everything for me – who I was, what was important to me, what I wanted to do with my life. It was scary and turned my world upside down for a while. It was unnerving, not knowing how long it would last

Now I’m on the other side and feel like I’ve found the real me, and a role where I can develop my skills and grow personally. I’m now living the life I’ve always wanted. The Prince’s Trust helped me to find my path. I could never have imagined going on a  programme would make such a difference. The Trust is a gateway to opportunities. I now feel more positive about myself and my future.