I left school with one GCSE and a head full of doubts. People didn’t expect much from me, and if I’m honest, I didn’t expect much either. But deep down, there was always a quiet belief that I was meant for more, even if no one else could see it.
That belief grew louder over the years. Watching my grandma reach 100 and seeing the care she received, both the good and the bad, made something shift in me. Then my mum and brother were diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, and suddenly it wasn’t just something I witnessed, it was something I lived. I saw how much the system matters, how leadership in care can change lives, and how often it falls short and the impact on services.
Now I’m doing a doctorate in community and social care, looking at how leadership affects recruitment, retention, quality and growth. I’m also working full-time travelling nationally in social care and raising two boys. It’s not easy. But nothing worth doing ever is.
This journey isn’t polished or perfect. It’s real. And it’s proof that where you start doesn’t define where you go. People will tell you that you’re not qualified, not ready, not enough. Don’t listen.
Believe in yourself, especially when it feels like no one else does. Keep going. Keep showing up. Your story is yours to write, and it might just be more powerful than you ever imagined.
Anything you put your mind to!
Nichola Booth