Collaborative / Partnered Post - Easy Ways To Reduce Stress And Improve Both Your Body And Your Mind *

I don't think that there is a person out there that hasn't experienced at least some level of stress or anxiety, and with the world the way it is, it's no wonder that mental health issues are the rise. Take little old me - I had it all planned out, on Sunday afternoon, I was going to open up my laptop, and get my blog on, as I always say though the plans of mice and men, and my Macbook had other ideas, it restarted itself a couple of times, and when I eventually got it going, it was only going at a snails pace - argh!. So new Macbook ordered we then realised that the heating wasn't working, yes we've had the heating on July, please don't judge lol - a new wireless thermostat is now on its way to us and that should hopefully fix the problem and even though it's only Wednesday, it's already been a pretty stressful and expensive week!

It doesn't need to be anything major or tragic, just living and dealing with the day to day can cause us no end of stress and anxiety and too much of it as I've recently discovered can be pretty detrimental to not only our mental health, but also our physical health. 

Whilst it pretty hard to stop stressful things happening to us, there are things that you can do, and small lifestyle changes that you can make, to help you alleviate and deal better with some of the symptoms of stress and anxiety, and to improve your over all wellbeing - nothing hard I promise, just little things that you can easily integrate into your everyday routine.

Unplug & Spend Time in Nature

Like most people of a certain age (Ahem;) one of the best memories of my childhood is the amount of times I spent playing outside, I rode my bike, went to the park, played games with my friends, I made rose petal perfume in the garden and went for walks with my parents. There are plenty of children where I live but they just don't seem to play outside as much as I did. I know times have changed and there is the whole safety issue, but tv, social media and gaming really has changed not only childhood but also society in general.

I know I'm guilty of this I spend way too much time on my iPad, my phone is always close by, and the TV is always on. There is no denying that technology is vital, brilliant and helpful, but for a lot of people it's also a bit of an addiction. If you're trying to cut down on stress, and anxiety then try and keep an eye on just how long your spending on social media, or on your phone, and even watching tv - even spending a few minutes on social media or watching the news lately seems to send my blood pressure soaring, so know when to switch off, and if something makes you anxious then don't do it - I very rarely watch the news now, and whilst I still keep track of what's going on in the world I feel better for avoiding those few minutes of doom and gloom.

If you're finding it hard to avoid the lure of 24 hour tv channels, or the latest drama on Tik Tok, then unplug yourself and go for a walk - Walking along a beach is my ultimate switch off but it doesn't even have to be far, just round the block if that's all you can manage, if you can't leave your phone behind listen to some music, or even a guided meditation, and instead of smoking a cigarette which so many people still do when they're stressed, take a tip from your favourite professional footballer and try nic pouches uk. If you need that slight ahhh moment that you get from smoking then these may do the trick without a lot of the chemicals. Whether it's bright and sunny, or more likely in the UK pouring with rain, a bit of fresh air wakes you up a bit and makes you feel a little bit more alive.

Exercise & Move More

I think it goes without saying that a lot of us now lead quite sedentary lifestyles, whether that's because of health or personal circumstance, or maybe because you're stuck behind a desk all day, the plain and simple fact is that as a society we just don't move enough anymore, and that ultimately plays a part in both our mental and physical health.

One effective way to reduce and manage your stress to improve wellness is to exercise and move more. Now I know that there are people out there that love the gym, and yes I did used to be one of those people, working out to some of my favourite tunes, was at one point, a part of my life, and if you can do that great, good for you, but if the idea of leggings, and sports bras fills you full of horror then that's fine too. Do something you enjoy, if that's riding a bike with the kids, doing yoga to a You Tube video, swimming lengths at the local pool, walking the dog in the park, or blasting out your favourite tunes, and counting your steps, and the calories your burning whilst pushing a vacuum around the house, and whatever you do you'll feel a huge sense of achievement, even if that's just ticking something off your to do list.

Keep A Gratitude Journal

For someone that loves stationary and buying stickers and notebooks as much as I do I'm pretty embarrassed to say that I've never ever tried journaling, scrapbooking yet but proper journalling? no!

One good way of dealing with life stresses and strains is to put something down on paper, in the olden days it would be just a diary or maybe if you're creatively inclined a poem but nowadays it's more likely to be a journal, filled with thoughts, dreams, colour and stickers. Journals can be a great way to maintain a positive mindset, and deal with stress. One idea is a gratitude journal , where you can keep your mind focused on everything that's good in your life, and everything that's going well for you - keeping on theme will give you less room to concentrate on the negative, and what's missing or going wrong in your life. Making a point at the end of every day to write a list of good things that have happened that day and things that your thankful for will end the day on a positive and happy note, and put you in good stead for the next day.

Get Enough Sleep & Rest

I've talked so many times on this blog about the importance of a good nights sleep and it really can't be overstated just how important it really is for both our physical and mental health. If you're well rested and you've had a good nights sleep, you feel so much brighter and ready to take on whatever the world throws at you. I know it can be a double edged sword and stress and anxiety can really affect your sleep but if you try and develop a good sleep routine, it really can make all of the difference. Investing in a good mattress and comfortable pillow can make all the difference, remember you spend or you should spend more time in bed than anywhere else so don't scrimp on comfort . Try and cut down on electronic use before you go to bed, try to avoid arguments and confrontation, and then either have a bath or shower, and then have a warm drink whilst you read or listen to something calming, or fill in your journal.

Different things work for different people, so it might take you a while to find that off switch, but whether it going to a fitness class, stroking a pet, having a long soak in the bath, building a lego set, or having a jog round the block, it's so important to switch off, and try and destress and if you can't then don't be frightened or embarrassed to get professional or medical help, life doesn't have to be that hard x 

*Collaborative / Partnered Post

Collaborative / Partnered Post - Small Changes You Can Make To Have A Positive Impact On Both Your Physical And Mental Health*

I don't know about you, but the last twelve months or so have been a bit of struggle mental health wise. I don't whether it's totally been down to Covid, and lockdown, after lockdown, or just life stresses mounting up and getting the better of me, but at times I've really struggled. The key thing when you're struggling with anything but especially mental health is to talk, be it to a friend or a family member, or even seek some professional or unbiased help.

When your struggling with your mental health every problem can seem so huge but when you look at it even the biggest problem is just a series of tiny little ones, and when you break it down, the majority of times it isn't quite as scary as what you thought it was, and the same thing applies when it comes to making changes that benefit both your mental, and physical health

As a species, humans tend to be very good at thinking big, and setting huge goals for themselves, that to be honest aren't always achievable in the one go. I know it isn't always possible but if you want to truly benefit your mental health then you need to start out with something more manageable, and more achievable. The first thing you need to do before you start focusing on some of your problems is to think about self care, and the tiny changes that you can make on a daily basis, that can help you get your mind and body into focus, and prepare yourself for the task

Exercise for 20 Minutes

It’s important to know that your version of working out doesn’t have to be anything like someone else’s, and believe me mine isn't! It doesn’t matter at all if you want to build up so you can eventually run marathons or whether you just want to try and get a little bit fitter, and get some much needed fresh air to boot, if it makes you feel better, it all matters and it all counts. Now I just do as and when, but what you need to do is make sure that you schedule it into your calendar, like you would a coffee date, or a zoom meeting, and make it part of your day and your week. You don’t have to go running either, or do anything strenuous, just spend 20 minutes or so a day being more active, you can save on the stresses, cost and self esteem issues of going to the gym by doing an online class, following a You Tube video, by buying a bit of exercise equipment (I've recently bought a seated exercise bike) or even going for a 20 minute walk. Whatever the form, exercise really gets those endorphins going, and it can really help with stress, depression and self esteem issues.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Eat More Fruit And Vegetable

When I'm feeling a bit down, or stressed, I turn to food, and in particular things like chocolate, crisps, and junk food and I'm not alone in that - so many of us turn to food and comfort eat in times of stress, and that's fine, don’t restrict yourself , no food should ever be forbidden, instead though, instead of reaching for the biscuits try and introduce more fruit and vegetables into your diet. Consider how to add more vegetables into your daily meals so that you can increase your nutrient intake, add some salad vegetables to a sandwich, snack on some carrot sticks, and hummus, instead of using crisps or bread for dipping, and if you love bananas, then why not add more of them to your diet, pop them into your porridge, yogurt or cereal or even pop them in a sandwich. As I said in my last post if you hate Brussel sprouts, change how you cook them, but if you still aren't a fan then don't force yourself to eat them there are plenty of other vegetables out there to eat. It maybe because I'm a vegetarian but I do love vegetables and eating more fruit and veg is such a tiny change that can make a huge impact on both your mental and physical health.

Drink One More Glass of Water a Day

It sounds strange but just drinking one extra glass of water a day can play a huge role in helping both your physical and mental health. The average adult needs to drink around 8 glasses of water, and a few more alongside, if you're drinking a lot of caffeine. If you don't drink enough water your body and your mind will suffer, you won't be able to concentrate, you may get a headache, and it can effect your skin. It can look dull, and you can get more breakouts. and suffer from more blotchiness and skin damage. If you are struggling with your skin, it may be an idea for you to look into hyperpigmentation treatment.

Sleep for Half an Hour Extra A Day

Although most of the time I'm not one of them, so many of us just don't get enough sleep that it’s so important that you make this year, the one where you actually look after yourself. I know it's hard when you're feeling anxious but give your body the sleep that it has been craving and make sure that you are getting between 7 and 9 hours every night. If you don't get enough sleep you really struggle to focus during the day, and as well as altering your mental health it can ultimately also ultimately effect your physical health. I've done a few posts on sleeping better so take a look back through the blog, but if you are having trouble sleeping then spend some time winding before you go to bed, cut down on the caffeine, turn off that phone, and prepare yourself for a goodnights sleep.

Even if you try all of things I can't guarantee that your problems will disappear but if you give them a try, they might make you feel a little bit healthier and hopefully they might help you to think a little bit more clearly x Remember though it's okay not to be okay, and there is always help out there and somebody is always there to listen

*Collaborative / Partnered Post

Collaborative / Partnered Post - Self Care And Self Healing - How To Deal With Stress And Trauma*

Coping with the negative emotions that come after experiencing some kind of stress or trauma can be really difficult. Whilst physical pain can often be controlled quite quickly, dealing with your emotions takes time, and whilst some feelings, especially those you experience after bereavement, never truly go away, the first step towards any sort of healing is to properly acknowledge and deal with what's happened. If you’ve recently found yourself in a distressing or stressful situation and are looking for ways to achieve a more confident and positive outlook, here are a few tips and ideas to help you deal with what ever the world throws at you.

Image Source - Pexels

Professional Support Through Therapy

One of the biggest ways I've always found to deal with stressful and traumatic events is to talk about it -  I'm lucky to have supportive family and friend but sometimes that either isn't possible or it isn't appropriate. If the stress and emotion that you feel is getting out of hand and you feel as though you simply cannot deal with it alone, then it may be an idea to seek professional support through therapy with a counsellor or psychologist. There is so much stigma around seeking medical help for mental health issues, but there shouldn't be. Don't be frightened to consider seeking professional help - I've had CBT, and bereavement counselling in the past and for me it really was a lifesaver. Talking to a someone openly and without judgement can really help you to deal with any problems that you may have - it really helped me put things into perspective and it helped me to find way to manage and deal with my issues. Even if you do have family and peer support around you having a therapist will also add another friendly, helpful and unbiased face to your support network, and even things like attending appointments can play an important role in establishing a routine, which is something that can often go out the window after a bereavement or any other traumatic incident .

Try Your Hand At Meditation

Life is so busy now, and so stressful that it's important that we all take a bit of time out and do something to help us switch off from the world. From having a nap, to having a nice long bath, to even going to the gym there are so many ways in which individuals distress, but probably the most popular worldwide has to be the practise of meditation. Meditation can help you to pull yourself away from the past and live more in the present moment, which can improve the way you deal with your trauma and stress dramatically. It can also really help just to take your mind off things, as the main point of the experience is to clear your head of all thoughts to focus on calm and tranquillity. Though mastering the practise may be a little difficult, having something else that's so positive to focus on and put your efforts into can lift your mood noticeably. There are lots of apps and so on to help you meditate now, so it's worth having a look around to see what you can find. Many years ago now, when I was fit and healthy I used to practise yoga, and a key part of that was meditation. Meditation can be as simple as emptying your mind and staring into a candle flame (one of my favourite methods), or using your mind to take you to your happy place - control your breathing, imagine yourself on that tropical island and you can literally feel the tension melt away.

Research Alternative Ideas

When you stressed out or hurting emotionally there are lots of different methods and things that you can try, just to make life that little bit better. Depending on the kind of stress or trauma you experienced and the emotions that you feel, there are many different alternative methods that you can try. From psychic readings to guide you spiritually and to try and set your mind at rest, to special diets that are said to eliminate ‘negative’ foods that may cause more emotional pain, the possibilities are endless when it comes to seeking out something less traditional to help you deal with your troubles.  If something helps, then it’s worth doing, and that’s really the bottom line. If you find you are more stressed after reading, and shop for new glasses online, then if it works it is a good thing. Some of it might sound a little bit cranky or a bit left field but it's all about what works for you and what makes you feel better x From crystal healing, to yoga, to art therapy, and aromatherapy, whatever method you choose, just make sure that you are completely comfortable throughout the process, if you find something too distressing then try something else, the aim of whatever you do is to make you feel better not worse.

Whilst some things and emotions never truly go way, there are ways and means to make them more manageable, and to help you cope better with what lies ahead. Believe me I've been in some pretty dark places throughout my life, and I just want all of you to know that things can get better, they don't get better overnight but lots of self care, and lots of talking can certainly help you along the way. If you don’t think you can handle it all on your own don't worry, there is no shame in talking to a stranger and asking for help, there are lots of people out there who can offer you all of the support that you need, no matter what the issue x Always remember that you are not alone x

*Collaborative / Partnered Post

Life Lately - You Are Stronger Than You Think

2018 YOU SUCK! and that dear readers is an understatement - I went AWOL and yet again I have not but several good reasons!

Over the last 10 days are so things have got progressively shitter in LouLouLand, it all started off a week past Monday when my MacBook wouldn't start up, basically exactly the same problem that caused me to take into get repaired way back in January, even though they won't admit it officially High Sierra is very glitchy on certain MacBook Pro Models! Thankfully the staff at my local Genius bar managed to get going again with only minimal data loss. Lesson to self - back up, back up and keep backing your data ! I went and bought an external hard drive and ever since then if I've changed anything, I've a backup just in case, I paid less than £70 but it's not so much about the money as the peace of mind.

I've was just getting into the groove, downloading things from my Cloud and installing a few programmes and apps, then bang, one of the worst things that could probably happen did!

On the early hours of Thursday morning my amazing was taken ill, I called an ambulance and she was immediately blue lighted into our local accident and emergency unit. I'm not going to go into too much detail but she spent around 4 hours having all different types of scans and tests before she was finally admitted to award. She's feeling a little bit brighter now but as yet we don't really know when she'll be coming home.

The NHS gets a lot of criticism, and the majority of it in my eyes is very unfair, so I just want to put this out there - Every person who both myself and my mum have came into contact with since last Thursday from the initial emergency handlers, to the paramedics, to the doctors, specialists, nurse, porters, and health care assistants has been amazing and both kind, and compassionate. The NHS isn't perfect for a lot of reasons but it's something that we in the UK should be immensely proud of and we all should be fighting to maintain the whole concept of "free" health to anyone that needs it. I don't think that some people realise just how important it is until they or some they love needs medical help.

So things have been pretty stressful, I've had so much to do, and I haven't been sleeping that well, and then low and behold something else went wrong! My heating broke! which meant no hot water and no heating. I don't usually feel the cold but maybe with being slightly in shock I was absolutely freezing! Thankfully we have an electric radiator upstairs, and an electric shower so I managed to just about keep warm, but I knew I'd have to do something so I ended up having to call out the heating engineer via my mams home service plan and by Sunday afternoon heat was restored.

I now it probably sounds like a little, and maybe silly thing to some but sorting out the heating was a really big deal for me. Maybe it's because of my illness I don't really deal with that sort of stuff that's my mam's domain and always has been even when my dad was alive. It's made me realise though that sooner rather than later I need to stop relying on people quite so much, and I need to start adulting properly. 

I'm an emotional person, and I wear my heart on my sleeve, I lack self belief, and self confidence and I've spent a lot of time think that I'm useless in every sense of the world but in the last 7 days especially I'm starting to think that maybe that isn't quite the case. Sometimes you need things to really test you before you realise just how strong you actually are.

Source

My mam has always said that I'm stronger than I give myself credit for and at long last maybe I think she's on to something. It seems as though I've faced challenges and obstacles from day 1 with some health issues at birth, my facial nerve paralysis, bereavement, family illness and of course with my own current health problems, but lets be honest who hasn't had to overcome some sort of obstacles in their lives. As the saying goes what doesn't kill us makes us stronger and personally I'm coming through every test and challenge, no matter how big or small, a stronger and more resilient person.

Things are shitty and we all wobble occasionally or a lot, but we all know that Weebles wobble but they don't fall down, and after a crappy 10 days or so I'm still standing and although I've cried until I was sick, and really wobbled on occasions I'm pretty proud of myself with how I've dealt with everything that's happened. I was kicked hard but I stayed sensible and level when I needed to.

One of my biggest fears is being alone, and being an only child and a single lady heading into middle age being alone at some point could be a reality for me but lets be honest the majority of us are never completely alone. Okay, I might not have the type of relationship that you'd have with a partner, or that I currently have with my mum in the future, but from what I've found there are always people out there who have your back no matter what.

The love and support I've had from some of my closest friend, some of my online friends and from some of my family members over the last week has made all the difference in the world. Fine I'll always want a cuddle close relationship, but sometimes a simple text or a phone call can make everything just that little bit better in an instant.There will always be people who don't come through for you and whilst that hurts for a little while, from now on I'm more concerned with the people that care about me.

I can't say what the next few weeks, months or years hold for me but as I head towards a big birthday in a couple of weeks, I'm going to try and deal with whatever comes my way with a different mindset. Yes, I might be hurting, I might feel pain, I might laugh and I might cry but I KNOW that I'm a strong person underneath and I'll deal with whatever happens, when it happens, in the best way that I can.

Source 

I want to thank you for all the messages that I've had on my other social media channels, I really do appreciate all of your good wishes and I'm sure that my mam will as well x I was going to take a blogging break till all of this goes away but I've decided not to, I need something to take my mind of things so I'll still be posting as and when, and hopefully I should get at least one post by the weekend x Thanks again x  

Merry Christmas And Remember You Are Not Alone

Well the big day is nearly here, it's Christmas Eve, the presents are all wrapped, I'm watching Muppets Christmas Carol and the mulled wine is going down a treat.

No epic post from me tonight I'm afraid, I just want to take this opportunity to wish all of my followers that celebrate it, a very Merry Christmas x

As much as I love Christmas, this year it will tinged with sadness, as we remember those that we've lost this year. Just because it's a special day it doesn't mean that life's troubles and problems miraculously disappear. Christmas can be very hard for some people but myself and numerous other bloggers are here to remind you that you are not alone. If you need help, advice or even if you just want to some to talk to, there will always be someone there to listen x

MIND

Website www.mind.org.uk

Tel No   0300 123 3393

Samaritans

Website  www.samaritans.org

Tel No      116 123 

Alcoholics Anonymous

Website   www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk 

Tel No     0800 9177650 

Stonewall

Website    www.stonewall.org.uk

Info line 08000 50 20 20 

London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard

Tel No    0207 837 7324

SANELine

Website   www.sane.org.uk

Tel No     0300 304 7000

Papyrus, Prevention of young suicide

Website  www.papyrus-uk.org 

National self-help body for the Transgender community

Beaumont Society

Website http://www.beaumontsociety.org.uk

Information Line 01582 412220

Childline

www.childline.org.uk 

0800 1111

Depression Alliance

Website   www.depressionalliance.org

Refuge

Website   www.refuge.org.uk

Tel No     0808 2000 247

Beat

Beating eating disorders.

Website https://www.b-eat.co.uk 

Help line 0345 634 1414

Youth Line 0345 634 7650

Shelter

Website  www.shelter.org.uk

Tel No    0808 800 4444

NHS Non-Emergency Number

111

No Panic

Website http://www.nopanic.org.uk 

Tel No  0844 967 4848

Youth helpline     01753 840393

Mens Advice Line 

Support line for male victims of Domestic Violence

0808 8010327

https://www.mensadviceline.org.uk

Thanks as per usual to Kellie aka Big Fashionista for the information x Check out her blog if you haven't already x

In the meantime though I hope that you all have a safe and joyful holiday, and I will see you next week with a post that you don't want to miss xx

March Revisited

Well today sees the start of another month and yet again I'm glad ! March was a very stressful month for me what with my mum being in hospital and all that it entailed. Stress means I spend and last months spending diet flew out of the window virtually as soon as it had begun - I'm not happy about it but as I said I at the time I am not going to beat myself up over it, it was my response to something that I wasn't in control of it - so as per usual I must do better this month - It should be a bit easier with no MAC collections to buy from my Mam is buying me the Liberty of London collection bits for my birthday - which means a wait till May for it but I am grateful for that x
As to trimming my stash well March as been quite a successful month I have used 17 items this month

Avon Foot Works Winter Spice Exfoliating Foot Scrub 75ml
The Body Shop Divine Calm Heavenly Shower Gel 200ml
Avon Skin So Soft Targeted Firming Treatment 200ml
Beautilicious Candy Apple Body Wash 140ml
The Body Shop Shea Body Scrub 200ml
The Body Shop Peppermint Foot Fizzes 3 Tablets
Lush Tea Tree Water 100g
Avon Footworks Pedi Peel Pads
Generic Daily Facial Wash With Soft Beads 200ml
Johnsons Baby Shampoo 200ml
Arran Aromatics Lavender Hand and Body Lotion 50ml
Lacura Face Care 3 in 1 Facial Cleansing Wipes
Molton Brown Instant Hair Conditioner 50ml
Titania Hardie Beauty Spells Tranquil Spirit Body Balm - Peace - 200ml
OPI Avoplex Nail and Cuticle Replenishing Oil 15ml
The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask 100ml
MAC Cleansing Tips

Obviously I am going to continue this in April but with a little twist just for next month I am going to save all my empties so you can actually see what I've finished :) So the moto for next month like every other month is must try harder xx