Email Account Stolen

Yesterday when I tried to access my hotmail account, I was informed that I did not have the correct password. I tried re-entering the password several times, before being locked out. I am now unable to access my email, or msn messenger. I can only come to the conclusion that someone has stolen my email account. I do not know how this has happened, although it may have something to do with the fact that I have had the same one word password for ten years, but I now realise how much important stuff gets sent to my hotmail account. I created it 10 years ago and over time it has accumulated a large amount of subscriptions and is associated with such things as, Facebook, University, Trademe, and this blog. I now have no access to my email and I am left wondering what nefarious deeds my email is being used for. Could they be going through all my stuff and accessing my pages, or are they sending out copious amounts of spam. All I know is that it is highly frustrating, not being able to do anything, that involves email.