Sorry I have been AWOL for a couple of weeks, new blog posts will be up ASAP. I hope everyone had a lovely Easter and in the meantime...

A Thought for Thursday #7...

Think.

Things to do when your having a rubbish day!

Everyone has down days or 'wobble' days as I like to call them. This includes every single person whether they have been diagnosed with some kind of mental illness or not. If like me you are very self critical when you do have a 'wobble' day you will blame yourself and in turn make yourself feel 10 times worse about not feeling 100% OK.

But we have to remember its normal to have these kind of days, its just part of life and ladies in particular you will all understand what I mean when it comes to our monthly occurrences.
So I think it is important that instead of making yourself feel worse you should make an effort to do little things you enjoy and treat yourself.

I have made a list of a few things to do when you happen to have one of those kind of days.

1. Listen to your favourite songs/music, maybe even make a playlist with all those random songs (make it as cheesy as you want to).
2. Put on said playlist and dance like an idiot. (Preferably Now That's what I Call 90's)
3. Actually have a cry, let it all out. 
4. Read, a great book or magazine
5. Get in touch with someone you haven't spoken to for ages. (use wisely)
6. Be selfless, think about other people instead of your own situation, put things into perspective. 
7. Wear your favourite outfit. 
8. Have a duvet day.
9. Have a nap. 
10. Make your own list like this one.
11. Watch a film, again as cheesy as possible. 
12. Be organised, sort out your wardrobe, make sure your diary/Filofax is up to date. 
13. Set yourself goals, then reflect on them after a certain amount of time, see how well you are doing.
14. Wear your favourite bright lipstick, just because. 
15. Eat comfort food. 
16. Meet a friend for tea & cake = the best pick me up! (Rebecca Dilks, you know who you are!) 
17. Just drink tea in general. 
18. Have a bath
19. Catch up on your favourite TV programmes. 
20. Indulge in your guilty pleasures, = more cheesy films.
21. Look at old pictures. 
22. Go to the cinema and have pop corn. 
23. Get some fresh air, go for a run or a walk. (Weather permitting)
24. Have a pamper sessions, face mask, nails etc. (You too boys)
25. Have a take away. 
26. Do 100 happy days challenge. (Not everyday is always good, but there is something good in everyday)
27. Make a list of all the things you are grateful for. 
28. Go on Pinterest!
29. Do some exercise. 
30. Have a make up free day. 
31. Wear your comfiest clothes. 
32. Have a rant. 
33. Do something childish. 
34. Eat Jelly. 
35. Have a hot choc, with cream, marsh mellows, all the works. 
36. Do something creative. 
37. Do someone a favour. 
38. Hug your pet. 
39. Make notes about your worries/problems, share them with someone else. 
40. Get a Pick 'n' Mix with all your fav sweets. 

So there are just a few random things, but I am sure the list can go on and on and is probably different for every one of us. What do you like to do when you are having a rubbish day? 

Monthly Goals - April!

Without sounding cliche, 'I cannot believe it is April already'! It really feels like I have only just got back from Cornwall after New Year. 

Just like at the beginning of March I am going to give myself some monthly goals whilst at the same time reviewing the ones from last month. Spring is one of my Fav times of year, I love that it is staying lighter for longer, I love Easter and hopefully the weather will start to become nicer very soon! Happy April Everyone!

Keeping Fit
I have started back at circuit training and have kept up once or twice a week for 5 weeks now. I am already feeling better and seeing positive results. Whilst we were training for the 10K race last year we stopped with any core strength training and I definitely felt the strain on my lower back. I prefer combining cardio, weights and core strength exercises for an all round effect. I haven't actually got back into running but now the evenings are getting lighter I will hopefully fit in a couple each week. So my goal for April is to just make sure I keep up my fitness because it helps me mentally as well as physically. 

Staying Positive
I really feel like I have tried very hard with this goal throughout March. I feel much better for having a different perspective on things. This has been due to a combination of things but starting back working again has had an impact on how I feel and just being around lovely people has made me feel much better about life in general. I have recently decided to stop caring as much about people who don't care about me and waste time getting hung on what other people think. I believe I have met certain people for a reason recently and this month I am going to concentrate on those who want to be part of my life. I have definitely started to accept myself more and I already feel so much happier just being able to be myself. Basically I just need to keep up with this thought pattern everyday in April! 

Blogging
Throughout March I have continued to receive amazing feedback about my blog and the posts I have shared. I have had numerous messages from people including some I don't even know saying I have already helped them and they can relate to what I have written. I can't even explain how genuinely happy I feel that I can actually help and make a difference by doing something I am so passionate about. It has given me the motivation and encouragement to keep writing it and hopefully I can develop some of my further ideas to help people in April.  

Spring clear out 

I have decided I am going to sort my wardrobe out at some point very soon. I am going to donate all the clothes I don't really wear anymore to Charity Chicks in Rotherham. Not only will I be making more space in my wardrobe I will also be helping towards the fundraising for a very important charity. 

All proceeds from the Charity Chicks Boutique go to support children’s charity SAFE@LAST. SAFE@LAST works in South Yorkshire with children and young people who are sixteen and under and at risk through running away.  They provide a range of services including a helpline, one to one support for young people and their families, education and prevention project, detached street work project and the only children’s refuge in the UK.  

I have started volunteering for SAFE@LAST on their helpline and part of their preventative education programme. Their work is amazing and inspires me to continue with my passion of helping people. 

A Thought for Thursday #6

I think you should start to accept the little things which make you, you!

 If its not the same as everyone else who cares, Its OK to be different! :) 

The Benefits of Yoga

Numerous people including my doctor recommended that I starting doing Yoga or Pilates as a technique to ease the symptoms of my anxiety. 

 In all honesty again I was quite skeptical about joining a class and just like the stereotype goes I thought it would be all old ladies in leotards who trump a lot. I struggled to find a local class which I would be able to go to until I saw a leaflet for a class starting near by at the beginning of the year. A combination of doing a bit of research and having not done much in terms of exercise for a couple of months I decided I wanted to try something new. Having never done anything like yoga before except attempting a couple of poses on the Wii fit I wasn't really sure what expect. 

So we joined the class in January and have been going every week for 12 weeks. I can honestly say I cannot believe how good Yoga is both physically and mentally. It has without a doubt helped me in a variety of different ways. We have learnt so much in the short time we have been going and they are all little things you can remember and do at home as well. 

Below are a few of the never ending list of benefits Yoga can have on your body, both physically and mentally;

• Although you don't get a sweat on and you don't particularly feel like you are doing anything physical at the time, you stretch every muscle in your body during each class and it definitely feels like you've had a workout the day after. It has definitely made my muscles stronger and improved my strength. The first time I went back to my circuit training class I was dreading how I was going to feel the day after. Surprisingly I didn't ache like I used to at all and during the class I noticed I could do more reps without my muscles feeling tired as quickly. Although Yoga isn’t a direct route to weight loss I have noticed that my stomach is gradually getting more toned. So a combination of circuit training and yoga is the perfect balance for me. 

• Doing also Yoga improves your sleeping. It is never something I have ever really struggled with but I would really recommend it if you are someone who struggles with insomnia. The night after doing a Yoga class I have the best nights sleep and sleep solidly all night without waking up once. 

• Not only does Yoga make you feel relaxed and calm during the class by doing the breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and just generally helping you to clear your mind, I have already noticed a difference in myself, overall I feel much calmer, the amount of 'wobble' days I have had has got less and the extent of my panic attacks has reduced . 

I am thinking of doing a series of blog posts sharing the different poses, stretches and techniques we have learnt at Yoga and I will go into more detail about specific areas. 

Picture from Pinterest

A Thought for Thursday #5...

I just like this poem :)