Thank you to everyone who's commented, offering me their support, advice, hugs, and shoulders to cry on over the last few days, as I've been venting my frustration and bemoaning my situation at work. Thank you, it means a lot to know that you're all there for me, sending good vibes from halfway around the world, warming my heart with your kindness. I <3 you guys. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I <3 myself as well today. And the reason why is simple: in our monthly 'yoga intensive' (the usual 2 hours workout, then a break for lunch, then another 4 hours of concentrating on just one or two asanas), I managed both the vrksasana and the niralamba sarvangasana! Okay, they're both pretty basic, but I've never really liked the latter before and have always been in favour of skipping it. I know I'm a wuss, but I'm not happy standing on my head or my shoulders. I don't like looking at my tummy; it was never meant to be seen upside down and up close, and I'm always afraid its very weight will shift down and snap my neck in two if I get into the posture completely. Also, I don't generally enjoy having my boobs plop down onto my face, and suffocate me. But today, strangely, this didn't seem to bother me, and before I knew it, I was upright in an upside down kind of way!

However, it was achieving vrksasana, the Tree Pose, that really made me feel good about myself. I've always had a bit of a problem with balancing poses as I have an injury to my right leg which means it isn't as strong as my left under normal circumstances; but for the last few months of course, my left hasn't been much use to me either because of the trauma to my ankle, and as a result, I've come to hate any pose that requires me to stand on one leg for any amount of time. So I tried and failed, and tried and failed and...bloody hell! I'm standing on one leg, and I'm not falling over or sideways! And a few minutes later, I'm still standing on that one leg, my other leg bent to the side, and I can stretch my arms up and up...It's a pity I had to switch to the left leg after a while. The ankle still isn't strong enough, and I fell flat on my face again. But you know, from small and inauspicious beginnings...I may be back on heels sooner than I previously thought.

A cheerful thought, that -- especially as on my way home, I saw a lovely pair of pink high-heeled strappy sandals...