Let's Have FUN Today!

Any of my fellow parents feeling like they need to work extra hard to make the summer holidays at least a BIT fun, despite living in the times of the Coronacoaster?

I mean sure, most kiddos have already had a huge chunk of time "off" - but it really didn't count, did it?! They couldn't see their pals, nothing was open - even the park was out of bounds!

Honestly, I think our children deserve a lot of credit for getting through pandemic life in one piece - there have definitely been days when my 11 year old handled the whole thing better than I did!

Sure, there was many a wail of "I'm boooored!!" & a few tantrums [on both sides] about home schooling, but ultimately, he dealt with it all brilliantly.

Really, kids deserve the best summer ever for getting through all the weirdness that's been thrown at them, but with everything still topsy turvy, it's easier said than done.

The Only Thing Wrong With Dogs, Is They Don't Live Forever

Disclaimer: This isn't going to be the usual happy, upbeat sort of post you might be used to from me. This week has been one of the saddest, most heart breaking I've ever been through & I'm writing this as an attempt to organise my thoughts and clear my head a bit. 
(In other words, feel free to come back another day for the positivity, cute doodles & pep talks!) 

My dog died on Monday, and I'm not okay.

I've realised that essentially, I'm grieving for her as if she were a person, and that is okay.
She's been my constant companion for almost 13 years, my furry side kick while I work from home, and in my mind, in terms of the friendship & bond we shared, she's just as important as my favourite humans, so why shouldn't I?
I know there will be people who think I'm being over emotional, a bit dramatic maybe, and that's okay too.
Maybe I am over sensitive (actually there's no question about that, I'm the very definition of HSP, which probably is magnifying everything, but doesn't make my feelings any less valid), or maybe they've never had a dog in their life, maybe they just don't get it.
That's okay.
(What's not okay is dismissing someones feelings as "silly" or an "over-reaction" because you don't get it, or telling them to "get over it", making them feel worse in the process... but that's another blog post entirely.)
For the record, I know a lot of you do get it because of all the kind words & messages I've received. Thank you so much, especially those of you who've been through it first hand, it means a lot.

Those messages are part of why I'm writing this (several of you suggested it!) My thoughts and emotions are a tangled, jumbled up mess right now; but I've decided to put them down on "paper" all the same, partly in the hope that it'll be cathartic somehow, and partly because if reading this ever helps anyone in the future feel less alone, or less like their feelings are "silly" or "over-dramatic", then that's a good thing.

So. here we go...

Let's Talk About Mental Health...

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a very good thing, designed to get people talking about all things mental health related, to educate, inform, start discussions, do away with 'taboos', and ultimately, help anyone who's struggling get the help they need.

A phrase I've seen a lot is 'Your mental health is just as important as your physical health', and the more I see it, the more it bugs me, because surely - they're both part of the same thing?
For example, I suffer with anxiety. Usually, it's low level background noise that I can manage without too much trouble. But when it gets really bad; I can experience migraines, panic attacks, insomnia, loss of appetite (or the opposite - eating everything in sight!) - all physical things that come about as a result of my mental health. I'm fairly sure other mental illnesses come with their share of physical symptoms too, so isn't it time we stopped thinking of Mental & Physical health as two different things?

Are You Taking Good Care of You?

I love a rainbow coloured, sweet smelling bath bomb bath as much as the next person (to be honest, I may as well set up some sort of monthly standing order to feed my Lush habit), but this <<< little guy is my way of saying I'm a tiny bit worried that the phrase 'self care' is becoming sort of like when people thought Hygge was just buying a cosy blanket and stringing up some fairy lights. (Those are gorgeous things too, but there's so much more to Hygge than that! - That's another post for another day!)

For me, self care means being kind to yourself in a million tiny different ways.
Sure, spoiling yourself with fancy baths and your favourite treats is part of it, but it's also all boring but important things; like making sure you get enough sleep, giving yourself time out when everything gets a bit much, drinking plenty of water, taking your makeup off before bed... (subliminal note to self there!)

Make Time For Me Time (Or Y'know - YOU Time!)

'Me Time'. Sounds lovely doesn't it? Maybe a spa style bubble bath with candles and your favourite chillout mix playing... or binge watching a boxset with all the snacks... hiking up a hill and embracing the beauty of nature... indulging your creative urges... yoga... sweating it out in the gym? (I dunno, apparently that's how some people relax, I'm not here to judge.) ANYWAY! However you choose to fill it up, I think we can all agree that 'Me Time' is pretty important, right? So then why do so many of us make so little time for it?!

I know, I know. We're busy, we have commitments, there's work to do and people to see and only so many hours in the day. Long story short, we can't find time. Which is exactly where we're going wrong. We shouldn't be finding time, we should be making it.