on substack
Navigating The Festive Period When It Can Feel Overwhelming
For so, so many of us the upcoming festive period isn’t a time of joy infact it’s the complete opposite and it can be incredibly difficult time to navigate mentally as it's a season that comes with its own different set of stresses. The online world can feel particularly overwhelming at this time of year…
Why Exploring Nature is Important For My Wellness| AD
-paid collaboration with FitFlop-
My love for getting outside is well documented on this little corner of the internet as it’s such a big part of my life. It’s a running joke in our household that I’m just like our dogs Josie and Edie as much like them I have to get outside every day to feel better mentally as well as physically. When it comes to getting outside in the colder months I have to confess the urge to explore drops a little for me as it’s cold, more than likely raining and it’s not as appealing as it is in spring and summer when you can bask in the warmth of the sun and appreciate everything coming into bloom. But, there is a different kind of beauty to embrace when it comes to A/W and I think it’s even more important to make sure you’re still getting outside and seeing somewhere new, you’ve just got to be well prepared.
Why I'm Avoiding Burn Out As Much As Possible & Time Management Lessons
Burnout is something that I’ve experienced so many times and every single time I tell myself that is the last time that it will happen. Inevitably it always happens again and more often than not it’s down to how I’ve managed my time and disregarded my boundaries over anything else. Whether you work for yourself or you work in more of a traditional job setting I think it’s something that we all deal with as there is always so much to do. Lately, I’ve been super busy but for once I’ve managed to avoid the burnout that I would typically face and this is how I’ve done it.
My Favourite Books That Have Helped My Mental Health
For me, when it comes to learning more about not only my own mental health struggles with the subject as a whole I like to take my comfort from books. The online space is of course, wonderful and there are so many awesome people sharing their story which has been incredibly helpful in raising awareness and I know I wouldn’t feel so safe talking about my struggles online if it weren't for those people. But I take so much solace in books and these are all the books that I’ve learnt so much from in the past few years.
Why It's So Important To Protect Your Mental Health Online
When I began my blogging journey 8 years ago I never imagined that it would have a negative effect on my mental health. It was such a positive and joyous place to share my thoughts on whatever I was loving at the time and it’s not until recent years have I realised how important it is to protect your mental health online whether you’re a content creator or someone who consumes online content. You can’t move for posts and articles all about how the online world is so damaging for our self-esteem but what those posts always forget to mention is how much good the internet can do for people. I know there are certainly things that I struggle with but there are plenty more that I have to be grateful for and this is how I protect my mental health online.
5 Things I Find Comforting When My Mental Health Is Low
I don’t know what it is about the end of April that I find so hard but just like clockwork, my mental health feels pretty low. We’re only just coming out winter in the UK and I imagine there are still plenty of chilly days ahead as I don’t find it truly warms up until about June, and the lack of sunny days certainly take their toll after a while that’s for sure. Over the years, I’ve developed a mental health tool kit when I notice things are slipping and these are all the things that I find to be a huge comfort when I might not be feeling my finest.
How I'm Dealing With My Mental Health Right Now
A few weeks ago I wrote a post all about how I take care of my mental health in the colder months and when I wrote that post I said that I for once, wasn’t finding this time of year as difficult as I have done in the past. Granted, we are only just starting to get the cold weather so time will tell but something that I’ve not done in a while is done a general mental health update. For so long I believed mental health was something that was linear but it’s not at all and there are highs and lows and that’s ok, even though at the time it can feel devastating like you’ve lost all your progress it’s not the case. So here is how I’m currently dealing with my mental health at a time that I typically find incredibly hard.
Coping Mentally With The Colder Months
Anybody who has happened across this part of the internet might know that for a long time, I seriously hated A/W and it was a time of year where my mental health plummeted. But for the first time, I think maybe ever I’ve somewhat looked forward to the colder months. Last year I started to make a serious change and there are so many factors to take into account when it comes to how you feel in a certain season and here is how I try and keep on top of my mind when the colder months roll around.
Why I'm Glad My 5-Year Plan Didn't Work Out
Hands up who has had a 5-year plan and it not go to plan? Well, my 5-year plan could not have been any more different to how my life is today and now I can look back at it and feel grateful that things didn’t work out. But at the time where I felt like my life was falling apart then I can’t say I was exactly thrilled. Hindsight really is the most wonderful thing! Anyway, here are all the positives that have come from a change of plans and ditching anything that remotely looks like a 5-year plan because life just doesn't work that way.