things to do when your'e feeling groggy

I've been wondering what an earth to write, I'm still very new with this blogging jobby, so I've researched things and basically got the impression that you write about what you know, what you want to write about, stuff you've got up to and I thought what have it done this week? 

Truth of it is, I've spent my week being a human burrito, wrapped in my duvet, with my trust sick bucket by my side.t here's a lovely image for you, so there you go, I've been ill this week, how exciting!

So I've decided to write about what to do when you're ill, because it gets very boring and you need to do things to either cheer you up or just make the time go by faster.

Here's a list of things I do to:

1.watch a movie

It requires no energy whatsoever. I literally always do this when I'm ill and it's one of my favourite things to do, just sit and watch a film.

2.Paint your nails.

I do this a little too much. But it's something that doesn't take any thought process, it's quite therapeutic and your nails look good by the end if it. Unless like me you instantly end up falling asleep on your hand and mess up all the nail varnish, and your bedsheets straight away. So maybe not the most sensible suggestion but oh well! 

3.Read a magazine.

Yes that's right not a book, a magazine. Because who actually has a fully functioning brain when they're ill? Reading a book would mean too much concentration and when you're ill you just need to do things that don't require any thought process. So just get a trashy mag, and indulge in all the delights of the magazine world whether it's some new celeb who's got a botch boob job or the good old problem page where you can, let's face it, have a good old nose over other peoples problems. May I say go for one of the really cheap ones, they are usually the funniest. Real Jeremy Kyle worthy stories in those, and who doesn't love a bit of jezza when your home all day.

4.Drink hot chocolate!

You might not be able to handle solid foods when you're ill, so iw would normally sugest chocolate, but hot chocolate is the next best thing. It's delicious, it warms you up, it's just a nice little pick me up if you're having a rubbish day. 

 
5.Take a bath.

Get out all your best bubble baths and bath bombs. Light a load of candles. Put on some music and have a nice long bath. Not only will it be the most relaxing thing ever but it will probably make you feel a teeny bit better and you will definitley be smelling squeeky clean afterwards

6.Listen to music.

Maybe make a chilled out playlist or music that make you feel sleepy so you can catch up on extra sleep whilst you're at it. Nothing too loud because it's not good for you when you're ill. 

(all photos from pinterest)

                                                  

tips to help you and your friends with homesickness

One of the hardest things I find is seeing my friends upset. Especially those who are closest to me. I know for me, my closest friends have been there for me nonstop. At times of need it has really been the hugest help when a friend has really taken notice, seen things weren’t ok and offered to lend a helping hand. Friends should be there for each other and something has happened recently that really inspired me to write this blog. So one of my best friends is off at uni and the other has gone on a gap year to India. Both of them are doing things that are completely out of there comfort zone and are experiencing things they’ve never done before. They’ve moved away from home for the first time and it’s such a huge step.

 

I want to write about homesickness and how to help out a friend who is experiencing homesickness. I’ve done a lot of research and have found that actually there’s not much advice out of there that’s really genuine and helpful, so I want to give it a go. This can be generalised to many things for any friends that are experiencing homesickness.

I've come up with a list of things you can do to help with homesickness:

1. Stay in touch

For me, I find skype has been a real life saver this year! So im not actually the one whos away from home but all my friends are far away from me. I skype my best friends as much as possible! Make time for your friends. Make a real effort to push yourself and make sure you continually stay in touch.  Effort has to come from both sides so don’t sit there and expect everyone to keep in touch with you if you’ve made no effort yourself. Technology is such a great thing to keep in touch with people. Inbox your friends, message them, text them, phone them, and if you can’t get access to any technology, write a good old fashioned letter. Never underestimate the hand written letter! You can’t beat the feeling of getting a hand written letter through the post, so this is sure to cheer up the friend that’s feeling homesick.

2. ‘don’t make a permanent decision for your temporary emotion’.

This is really important. If you’re feeling homesick, push through it! Allow yourself to cry and have your down moments but don’t quit anything because of the homesickness. For instance if you’re on a gap year and you’re feeling overwhelmed with how homesick you are, do not leave and go home! I promise you, you will regret it. I found a quote on Pinterest (of course) that really says it all. ‘Don’t make a permanent decision for your temporary emotion’. Push past the feeling. Once you’re feeling ok again you will feel so grateful you stuck with it. It will get better just hang in there!

3.  Reach out to people around you

Talk to the people you are with. If you’re at uni talk to your uni friends about it. Chances are they’re feeling the exact same way. You can support each other and have someone physically close to you to go to for support. Never feel like you can’t talk about it. Don’t keep it in!

4.Think about the good times you’ve had whilst being away.

Remind yourself of all the fun times you’ve had whilst you’ve been away. It will remind you that it hasn’t all been bad and that more of these times are to come. It will reassure you that you’re decision of moving away from home was a good one.

5.write it down!

Whether its in a blog or a diary I recommend writing down what youre feeling. It will let you get out all your issues and lift a weight off your shoulders. Also seeing youre issues and thoughts visually in front of you will allow yourself to read through it and work out the route of the issue. It will also help you to see the positives.

6. Take a walk

While this may seem like a simple thing to do I find that this actually works.  Allow yourself to get away from it all, take some time to yourself even if it’s just for five minutes. It will clear your mind, let yourself get some fresh air and will hopefully make you feel refreshed afterwards.

7. stay busy

Even if this is just by reading a book, keeping busy will help take your mind off of things. Perhaps if youre at uni join a club? Or if youre on a gap year take up a hobby such as painting? Something you enjoy. When you keep busy it distracts you from the bad things you may be experiencing.

8.build a routine

At home, we all have our routines we like to keep to. By building a new routine whilst away it will make you feel more at home. So you might not be able to have the same one as you used to? You will adjust to it. Sticking to a routine will help you move on and not get stuck on one moment or feeling.

9. look for the positives

Easier said than done! When you’re feeling extremely down sometimes it’s impossible to see the brighter side of things but I assure you there are positives in everything, even if you have to search far and wide for them. Once you’ve found them, write them down. Constantly remind yourself of them. What has this experience taught you? How have you grown stronger because of it? Things like this will help pull you away from the negativity.

I’m hoping that this will help someone out there. Whether they’re dealing with homesickness themselves or trying to help out a friend who’s dealing with homesickness. Just remember that it will pass! And when it does you will be glad you were strong enough to see yourself through the hard times.  Keep your chin up; everyone at some point will experience the feeling of being homesick so do not think any less of yourself if you are. You are not alone!

(image from Pinterest)

a fresh start

so I've never been one to write new years resolutions but since I've decided to push myself this year, why not go that extra mile and give myself some new years resolutions ( so brave of me, I know). I'm not into all this 'new year, new me' crap because I've always been the same old me and I don't think ill ever become a new person, as such. I am me, and I come with all my imperfections and that's just the way its gunna be! However I am going to make a few focus points this year in the form of new years resolutions.
I'm 80% sure I will fail in all of these but hey, its worth a try, even if just for a laugh.





1. be more organised!
thought I'd start of with something simple. well, for everyone else it may seem simple but for me, the most unorganised, forgetful person in the entire world, sticking to this resolution will quite frankly be a bloody miracle.
2. raise awareness
By this I mean, raise awareness for the chronic illnesses I have- Ehlers danlos syndrome and Gastroparesis. not because I want everyone to get out the violins and feel sorry for me, not because I want attention but because I want it to be more recognised. I want these illnesses to get the recognition they deserve. for more people to be know what they are and not  think I'm making them up or speaking complete gobaldygoop. to make the 'invisible illnesses' visible.
3. turn the negatives into positives
sounds cheesy but is far from easy! don't get me wrong, I always appreciate the positives in life and generally a happy person but when I have to face difficulty's in life I do struggle just a tad. So, to help me deal with this, I will start looking for what I have learned from the negatives, what have I gained from it? I will head problems face on and remind myself that I have probably faced worse, and have managed to get back up again. I will become stronger through any struggles in life and they will just shape me as a person and build me up to become a better person.
4. paint more!
painting or art in general is a huge passion of mine, always has been. art is my life but I haven't actually painted something since the summer holidays. I need to start sitting my bum down and getting out the old paintbrush and paints. I think this will not only make me better but will also keep me happy! why not do more of what makes me happy?
5. keep up with this blog!
I reeeeaaally want to keep up with this. I know it will be hard at time, I will not want to do it just out of pure laziness but I need to push myself to do this because I think its a good thing to do and I will benefit from it. plus it will be really cool to look back after a year and visually see my achievement right in front of me.
so there you have it. my new years resolutions in writing. there's no going back!
here we go...

Why the blog?

 

I have never ever done a blog before, I am useless with technology and only recently have I started reading others. I don't know the first thing about blogs. I don't know what's right and wrong, what's normal to blog about or even how to present my blog. So why have I started to write one myself when I am seem so incapable?

well, first of all I feel like this year I have found myself holding back from speaking my mind. A lot of times, certain things in my life have happened and I feel restricted from talking about them because I feel whatever I write/say will be judged and ridiculed or I will make people feel uncomfortable and awkward. As a result of this I have held my tongue and this has left me with a load of built up tension and feelings, and then one time or another I have ended up snapping and getting into a big old teary mess wondering what started it all.

 

I feel like by writing a blog it will enable me to just get everything off my chest, and by using this as my brain dump it will leave me with a clearer mind in person therefore a more pleasant person to be around!

another reason is because with all my friends at uni, I feel like a lot of the time I cant speak to them. especially really close friends, people who I would usually tell everything to, I would be able to say whatever I want, whenever I want. However now I feel like I have to hold back from talking to them, especially about worries, concerns or just general moans. I don't want to bring them down as I'm sure they're having the best time and a right laugh at uni so why would they want to stop everything just to say 'there, there' and tell me everything's going to be ok. I imagine them to be constantly busy and by me talking to them I always imagine I'm just getting in the way.

Because of this, it just leaves me never getting out my issues, so they're all just stuck with me constantly building up and bringing me down. by writing my issues onto this blog I imagine it will bring me that cathartic feeling of releasing my problems and dumping them elsewhere. this will not only be better for me but better for those who I constantly ask for help from, and will allow them to get a break from me!

having said all this, I want to make this blog a mainly positive place, of course I'm only human, so there will be the odd moan but I swear I'm not a depressive person! I love the way other blogs can provide a place for others to seek comfort in, get advice from and maybe just something somebody somewhere will accidently come across, read and will be able to relate to. I am definitely not doing this to get followers. I'm not even expecting to get one single follower, I'm doing this because its something I want to do, and if someone by some miracle, may decide they like what I'm writing then that's just a bonus and I will genuinely be flattered and surprised at the same time! 

I'm so bad at this already but maybe I might just gradually learn more and more and one day make it bearable for other people to read!

here goes..