From Losing My Job and Needing Heart Surgery to Finding New Purpose and Speaking at TEDx

Andy McAleese

02 Mar 2026 — 1 min read

2 years ago today I felt my life was falling apart.

I was reeling from the news that I needed life-saving open-heart surgery.

This came just 6 weeks after losing my job.

All of a sudden the future felt very uncertain and scary.

But, through my daily journalling routine, and wider support, I started to regain control.

Firstly through acknowledging what I was feeling. Putting it onto paper rather than letting it fly around uncontrolled in my head.

Then by accepting what was happening and turning my attention to the things I could control or influence, rather than the things I couldn't.

It was hard, but gradually I could celebrate those small wins along the road to recovery, feel gratitude and start to imagine new possibilities for the future.

At the time 2 years ago, my situation felt bleak.

But as I write this today, it feels like a lifetime ago.

A strong reminder for me that things happen that aren't welcome, but that life is about change and growth.

We can find resilience we don't realise we have and we never know where things might lead us.

For me, this included a change in career and sharing my story on the TEDx St Albans stage.

You can hear more about how I reframed my thinking through journalling and thrived in the face of unwanted change in my full TEDx St Albans talk below:

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How I’ve Rekindled My Love of Walking To Boost My Mental Well-Being (and How You Can Too)

How a Jar of Awesome Could Help Keep Your Imposter Syndrome Under Control

I Was Crippled With Phone Anxiety. 3 Techniques I Use to Be More At Ease Making a Call

3 Steps That Could Help You Challenge Your Negative Thoughts and Build Confidence