Love your mind

Disclaimer– I understand that I am a student who is also furloughed from my job so I have more time than the average person. But this can plan be implemented into a work day or can be carried out on a weekend!

Do you ever just have a few days where you can’t pinpoint what’s wrong, but you don’t feel yourself, you don’t have much motivation, and you just feel a bit stuck? Well you’re in the right place.

I’ve felt like this over the weekend, so I decided that enough is enough today. So here’s my step by step guide to getting out of a rut….

1). Get out of the house and go for a walk– but change your usual route. Being outside can really help to clear your head, but change it up a little today and take a new route, change is good for you❤️

2). Break up your routine (even if it’s just for the day)- my routine has been very productive recently, but we can’t be productive all the time, we need breaks. Today I had a day of working planned, but that’s not what I needed today, I needed a day for me. Eat a different lunch today, do a different kind of workout or go on a long drive to wherever the roads take you.

3). Do something different today– Like I said, why not eat a different diet today? Or try a new hairstyle. You have freedom to do whatever today, remember that. Step out your comfort zone and try something new.💜

4). Set some new goals- Being in a rut often means that things aren’t changing. If you’re not accomplishing what you need to, then change the goal. Maybe make it more attainable or even do the opposite and plan something crazy. You are capable of achieving any dream!

5). Work out the problem– Sometimes we have a crazy week, so busy that we just push our feelings and emotions to one side, but eventually these have to come out. I find it helpful to go on a drive and just talk rubbish to myself. I can guarantee that whatever I was confused about at the start of my journey, I have figured it out by the end.

You could also write things down if that’s helps or talk to someone you love. Sometimes it takes a bit of problem solving to work out how we’re really feeling, but that’s okay.💜

Once you’ve worked out the problem, you can begin to process where to go from there. But also remember, sometimes there isn’t a reason and that’s okay❤️

6). Get off social media today- Don’t get caught up in other peoples lives, it’s all about you today. Be there for yourself and give yourself the time you need. Also don’t look at your camera roll….sometimes when we feel a bit rubbish, it’s easy to look back at good times and think “why can’t I feel like that today”, but don’t. Don’t compare today to any other day💙

7). Remember what makes you amazing– Every single person has a purpose on this earth, remember what yours is, and try to think of all the reasons you are loved. Don’t lose yourself amongst the stresses of life❤️

I hope these few steps can help you leave your rut today. Remember that things take time, but everything will work itself out in the end. Tomorrow is a new day and it’s going to be a beautiful one. Thanks for reading guys💜

For university this week, part of my seminar task was to go on a ‘mindful walk’. My Monday morning did not go to plan this week so I thought, what better time to go for my walk. So I decided to document it for you guys.⭐️

SO WHAT IS A MINDFUL WALK?

A mindful walk is just a different type of mindfulness, it’s walking whilst being aware of the environment around you and the sensations in your body…what can you hear or feel? It helps to bring us to the present moment, helping to decrease stress and anxiety.

SO HOW DO I WALK MINDFULLY?

Walk with awareness, notice what your body feels like, just putting one foot in front of the other.💙

Listen to each and every noise. What can you hear? Notice it💙

List what you’re grateful for in nature…say thank you💙

WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR ME?

– The first thing I noticed was, noises seemed louder. Noises that I wouldn’t usually notice because I hear them everyday….birds singing, water running. I felt very insignificant, like it was nature in control, not me. Things around me became more HD!

– Not only were noises louder, but sensations felt stronger too. The sun beating down on me and the feeling of the breeze. It’s not that anything is stronger, it’s that you are simply paying attention to them. Things we usually take no notice of❤️

I understand that’s it’s important to carry out mindfulness in daily life, but honestly I find it so hard sometimes. If you’re anything like me, then your mind will wander off to all sorts of places and it’s hard to focus on one thing. But this is why mindfulness is classed as a practice….it takes time, but keep practicing amd you’ll get there!🥰

Focusing on simply putting one foot in front of the other can bring great comfort when you have things on your mind.

Also if you’re like me, you’ll say “I love being out in nature” when really your walks involve your music being on full blast and your mind being elsewhere. Try it this week, just one walk with no music, try being mindful. And don’t just say you’ll do it….actually do it!❤️

Overall, it was a great experience….so just go for it🥰

Thank you so much for reading guys, it was a short and sweet blog this week as I have a lot going on. I’m at a stressful part of my university journey now, but honestly, I will never stop writing for you guys…it’s my therapy. Have a great weekend all💜

Hey guys, so today I thought I’d try something a little different. I am absolutely no expert, but based on my own experiences, here’s my answers to your top googled questions….💙

1). Does anxiety cause chest pain?- Absolutely! Chest pains are one of the key physical symptoms that I’ve experienced with anxiety and it’s really really common. But remember…you don’t have to be “anxious” or “stressed” to experience them. Physical symptoms often come days after an anxious episode. Our minds try to protect us from stress and worry and therefore these feelings can be released physically instead, and this can happen in the moment or as an aftermath.

2). Does anxiety cause nausea?- Once again, we often don’t realise the physical affect that anxiety can have on us. Don’t underestimate the affect that emotional stress can have on us. Remember that anxiety is actually there as a survival instinct and parts of your body shut down in a danger situation. Digestion slows down and adrenaline increases, often leaving us feeling sick and nauseous.

3). Does anxiety go away?- As a survival instinct…no, because it’s there to protect you. However, as a mental health disorder…there is nothing you can’t beat! There are so many ways in which we can control our anxieties, and with hard work, you can absolutely recover!🥰

4). Does anxiety cause weight loss?- In some cases yes, it depends on all sorts of factors though. Personally, I have experienced this myself, sometimes when anxiety lasts for long periods of time, the last thing you want to do is eat. As I’ve mentioned, high anxiety decreases digestion and supresses appetite, so weight loss is a normal effect of anxiety. No matter how hard it is though…keep eating💜

First of all….remember that the phrase ‘mental health’ is a general term. Your mental health is your health as a whole and this can be either good or bad. This is such a big misconception💙

1). Does mental health count as a disability?-MH disorders can be so debilitating, so in a way, yes. Remember to take extra care of yourself because mental health is just as important as physical health💜

2). Does mental health run in families?- Most of the time yes, disorders can be inherited. But it often takes a trigger for a disorder to develop.

3). Does mental health affect physical health?- As I’ve already mentioned, absolutely. Don’t ever underestimate the stress that bad mental health can have on our body. It’s so draining and you can feel really fatigued on some days. If you need to take a day off today because things are bad in your mind, that’s okay. We need to remember that our mental health is no different to our physical. But, although it can affect you physically, remember that exercise or a walk will still make you feel a lot better❤️

4). Does MH get better?- In life it’s important that we are always looking for ways to improve our mental health. Life can be tough at times so it’s important that we really look after our minds, because if not they can become our enemies. Whatever disorder you have or whatever you are going through, it can always get better. There is so much out there to help you, keep going, you’ve got this🥰

Anyway, that’s enough for one day! Thanks so much for reading, hope you enjoyed today’s blog. Sending positivity to you all….remember no matter how hard things might feel for you right now, I promise you it will get better, no storm lasts forever.❤️

Trigger warning- If anyone needs any advice on eating disorders, please feel free to contact me (please find my contact information in the contact part of this website).

Hey guys, I nearly didn’t pick up my laptop today….some things are tough right now. But then I remembered why I started this blog in the first place, to help people and to help myself and this week I have to keep going. It’s eating disorder awareness week this week and this is something massively close to my heart, it’s part of my battle scars. I was racking my brains for blog ideas relating to this, and honestly I have so many ideas, but here is one of them…my eating disorder (ED) survival guide for recovering.💜

1). Don’t be set back by ED thoughts- There’s often a misconception that because the thoughts are still there, you have failed. Absolutely not. These thoughts will probably consume you for a long time, but it’s how we act upon these thoughts. Don’t fear them and don’t feel set back by them, accept them but say no thank you. Always carry out the opposite action.

2). Take a break from social media- Whether you think social media affects you or not, subconsciously it does. Personally, I feel one of the key reasons for an increase in eating disorders these days is social media, especially Instagram. I find coming away from these platforms takes away pressure and anxiety. I am currently taking a break from social media, for many reasons. You can always come back to it when you’re ready again, look after yourself.

3). Try a fear food every week- In recovery, I find we can often become too comfortable with the place we are in. We take small steps to recovery instead of taking big leaps from the off. By trying a fear food every week, we are increasing exposure and always stepping out of our comfort zone. If we become too comfortable with recovery, we will take longer to overcome the bigger hurdles. Don’t wait till tomorrow to recover, start today, and eat that cake!

4). Ignorance- We have to be selfish in recovery and protect ourselves. We can never escape from triggers or others opinions, but we can ignore them. Karen next door might miss the buffet because she has to fit into a dress this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Stop comparing your life to others, they are not experiencing what you are, for them, not eating cake might be the best option for them, but for you eating the cake is the better option. Drown out the noise around you and concentrate on YOUR recovery.

5). Don’t compare your recovery journey to others- As good as it is to talk to others who are suffering, we have to remember each journey is different. You might take a year to recover whilst someone else may take 3 months….everyone is unique and different. These are your unique scars and no one else’s, take each day at your own pace and remember that no suffering is more superior or inferior than anyone else’s. You matter.

6). Don’t let recovery define you- This is a small part of you, but it doesn’t define you. Yes this is a big journey in your life but it doesn’t mean you can’t live a normal day to day life. Try to live as normal as possible, I always find this helps. Don’t lose your identity along the way, you are still the beautiful you!

7). Document your journey for yourself- I don’t mean document it to keep it as a memory or something you want to go and look back at, but certainly document how you feel at the time, keep a diary. I used to write throughout my recovery and from that sparked the idea for my blog site. So much beauty can come from a place of pain and I realized that writing helped me to heal and eventually, my stories became someone else’s survival guide. I also believe that as humans we tend to sugarcoat the past, we just remember the good bits, but it’s just as important to remember your darkest days too. On a day where things are tough, its important to look back and remember how far you’ve come. Be creative and find what helps you to heal.

8). Remember that you will get through this- The rain doesn’t last forever, I promise you. I still have random days, 2 years on, where I struggle, but I think about how far I’ve come. I love talking about my journey because I think it’s beautiful, I survived to tell you all and you will survive too. My journey made me strong and it made me the woman I am today, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Keep going, you’ve got this!

Thanks so much for reading guys, I could honestly write forever, but I thought 8 tips would be enough for one day. I just want you all to know that, whatever you’re going through right now, you might not think it, but there is a way out. Life is hard, that’s the honest truth, but it’s about grabbing those small moments of peace and happiness. There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy, hang on to those you love and let go of all the bad things because you never know what tomorrow will bring. Thanks again for reading. 💜

Life has its up and downs, we all know that…the ups are amazing and the downs aren’t so good. As humans on earth we are always finding out how to make the ups more frequent, and how to make the downs less painful.❤️

I’ve spent a lot of time over the years working out what helps me in my bad times. I’ve had therapy, tried meditation, changed my mindset and spent time learning about myself…but despite all that, I’ve learnt one simple thing….sometimes we have to just wait for the rain to pass.🌈

We are getting so much better in society at helping people, in fact, people don’t suffer half as much as they ever did before. But I’ve learnt over time that sometimes we can’t rush the process. If we stopped a rollercoaster from rolling down the track, it would never have enough momentum to move up.🎢

I’ve began to learn that as much as we can help ourselves, sometimes we just have to wait it out. As hard as it is to stand in the rain, it makes us braver, stronger and more patient. And next time the storm comes again, we will be more prepared. This time you will come with a sturdier umbrella and a better coat. And eventually….no matter how hard the downpour is, you will dance in the rain.💃🏻

I just want you to know that, sometimes it’s okay to not try. You don’t have to find the answer today, or even tomorrow. Sometimes with time, clarity and freedom will come. Learn to be patient and trust the process of life, you are exactly where you need to be right now, and one day, it will all make perfect sense❤️

This little message was something that came to mind when driving this week and I just thought I’d share it with you all. There’s times that I feel the downpour will never end….but eventually it does and it’s these small moments of calm that make life so beautiful. Keep strong, be patient and remember that, this too shall pass.🥰

Thanks so much for reading guys, your rainbow is coming soon💙

Hey, guys! This is a long awaited blog…I mean it’s been a year since love your mind started out and I’ve only just got a fancy logo! With it being a year anniversary last week, I thought it was the perfect timing for me to explain what this blog means to me…so here we go🥰

So why did I choose the name “LoveyourMYind?”💙

Out of all of the mental health blog names I could have picked…this was actually the first one I came up with, and right away it felt perfect. So what does it mean?

I’m sharing MY journey with you all- This blog is all about me sharing MY journey to loving MY own mind…what obstacles I’ve faced along the way, what helps me to love my mind and what doesn’t.

But I’m helping you to love your mind too- By sharing my journey, I’m helping you on yours too. It’s all about learning to love yourself, through tips, advice and by simply reading a blog…you are doing something kind for yourself.

So this is where MY comes from. It’s for you as the reader and me as the writer. It helps me and it helps you. I want this website to be a personal place. A place for you to really connect with yourself.

My logo-💙

1). The Lotus flower– “Even when its roots are in the dirtiest waters, the Lotus produces the most beautiful flower”…..my darkest times found me my brightest light. Without my dark times, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Lotus’ present rebirth, a new chapter…and whatever happens, it always grows beautiful eventually. On love your mind, it’s all about growth, some of us just take longer than others but eventually…you will grow your petels🥰

2). The colour- I really wanted a baby pink logo, just because it looked so aesthetically pleasing but…I didn’t want stereotypes to come with this. This blog is for everyone, not just for females. This year I really hope to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health…I just want to make sure it comes across perfectly. Baby blue is perfect for anyone and everyone, and it looks great!🦋

3). The simplicity– I kept it simple because I like simple. One day I hope to have this logo on more than just my website. I have big hopes and dreams for my website and who knows, you could see this logo on all sorts. It’s good to dream big!🥰

Also, big shoutout to my boyfriend for making me my logo! You’re the best💙

This weeks blog was short and simple, but I think it’s important that you understand my website. Thanks so much to every single one of you who continues to read my blogs, it’s means the world. Keep smiling, keep positive and keep shining!🥰

I’m using today’s blog as a tool for anyone who’s loved one suffers with OCD. Sometimes the hardest thing is just knowing what to say. From an OCD sufferer myself…here’s my advice❤️

1). Sometimes we are distant– There’s so much going in our minds ALL the time. Some of us may be overthinking or worrying about a scenario, some may be going over patterns in their mind or some may be obsessively counting the calories they had today, whilst at the same time, we’re trying to stop it ALL. So don’t be too upset if we’re a bit distant or lose concentration🥰there’s a lot going on in our little minds🧠

2). Sometimes we overthink situations– Well, a lot of the time! This is something we hate but struggle to shake off sometimes. Our minds tell us things are more serious than they are…they are exaggerated in our heads and we might get upset over things that you might not. It’s doesn’t mean we are any different to you…we just think things a lot more times over🌟

3). You haven’t made me sad- Everyday is a battle and sometimes it gets too much. We might be a little sad or emotional from time to time but it’s nothing you have done…in fact, you just being here is making everything better. We need your support and we appreciate it. I often let my tears out in front on my most loved ones, not because I’m sad, but because it’s a release🙌🏻

4). Its harder for us to forgive ourselves- We feel guilty about everything! Even the littlest thing we might have done, it’s sometimes hard to forgive ourselves. So give us time and help us to understand how to move on❤️

5). We just want to have fun and enjoy life- As much as things are hard sometimes, we just want to lead a happy life, full of love and laughter. Although it’s important that you understand how we may feel or act, just be normal with us. We just want to be as relaxed and care free as we can. 🥰

6). You don’t need to be our therapist– You don’t need to be anything apart from a friend/partner/family member. All we need is your hand to hold and shoulder to cry on…you don’t need to change anything. You don’t have to try and fix us, we just want you to be yourself, then it helps us feel like we can be ourselves too. OCD doesn’t define us or our lives, someone’s we just need an extra hug. There’s no pressure on you at all….Just having you there is enough!❤️

This weeks blog means a lot to me and with it being a very confusing disorder, I hope some of you can really find comfort in this. I like to mention the challenges of having a disorder but just as importantly on love your mind, I like to address peoples support networks too. Sometimes we don’t know how we can support a loved one when all we want to do is take the bad bits away for them. I hope these blogs can appeal to everyone and not just those suffering.🤞🏻🙌🏻

Thanks so much for reading guys and I’ll be back with another blog soon! Keep smiling, keep shining, and most importantly…keep being YOU.🥰

1). Having a purpose– This is something that as a world we are struggling with right now. For some, we can’t work, we can’t do our normal things and so we feel as if we have lost a purpose. But one thing I want you all to know is we all have a purpose on this earth, even when we think we don’t. Some peoples purpose is to be a famous footballer, whilst another’s is to be a charity worker in Africa. But what people forget is….what if your purpose in life is not having a purpose?

It’s okay to just lead a pretty normal life. You don’t need to be make an extravagant status to make a mark on the world. Every human has the same right to be here and the same right to lead a happy life.❤️

2). Reaching set goals– Again, it’s so hard right now to reach goals when we can’t really go anywhere. The most important thing about setting goals is 1). Not setting them too high and 2). Not setting too little. It’s all about balance. My anxieties in life only came about when I failed at reaching my self created “perfectionism”. But I’ve learnt that my goals are far higher than most people and that’s why I constantly feel like I’m failing.

Failure isn’t actually objective, it can’t be measured, it’s just something we create ourselves. Some of my greatest failures, are to others, a greatest achievement. BUT, it’s also important to keep goals there. Without goals we become demotivated and lose our sense of purpose and growth. Keep your goals attainable, you can reach for the stars one step at a time. And don’t beat yourself up when you don’t meet your standards, life is all about trial and error.🔑🙌🏻

3). Reaching your potential in life- When we feel we are working as hard as we can and using our talents to succeed in life, we feel good. But for some people it’s not a case of that, they feel like they don’t have any talents or potential to really grow. This isn’t true. Every single person on this earth has a talent, whether you know it or not, you have one. Some peoples are just more extreme than others. But no talent is better than another. Being a world champion at 100m is just as important as being a good listener. ❤️

If you don’t think you have a talent, it’s probably because you’re unaware of it’s power. It’s like when you fall in love with someone and all of the imperfections and things you’ve hated about yourself your whole life, are things that person loves about you. Don’t hide away your imperfections because to someone else they are your perfections, and one day those “bad bits” might be the ones that make you shine.🌟

It’s short and sweet this week, but I really love this blog. I’m taking some time to really reflect on myself and my life this week. Sometimes we get so caught up in life that we forget to really take a step back and remember who we are. I haven’t been giving enough time to myself lately and I started to lose battles in my head. If you ever get like this, please know it’s okay to take a step back. Switch off your phone, spend some time relaxing and remember how amazing you are❤️

Thanks for reading guys, I’ll be back soon🙌🏻🥰

To the one who is crying on the floor, sat next to the radiator. I’ve been there. When life gets too much and you don’t think you can carry on…you know what I mean. This ones for you.

1). Nothing has changed–

I know you don’t believe in yourself, you’ve lost your confidence and you don’t think you’re capable of anything. But that’s not true. The thing that I’ve learned over the years is, when you think you’ve turned fat or your partner is going off you, you think you’re not as pretty as usual or you think someone is being funny with you. The only thing that has changed is your mindset.

Everyone loves you, you are more beautiful than ever, you are glowing and you are just as talented as you always were. Our mind just likes to tell us these things have changed, but they haven’t. Please remember that❤️

2). Every time I was about to give up, things got better–

Giving up is the easiest option, trust me I know. It’s easier to give in, cry in a corner and wait for the pain to pass. But life doesn’t work like that. Recovering from any kind of mental disorder is tiring, hard, terrifying and completely DRAINING! But every time I have fought that little bit harder, I have overcome my battles. Right now it doesn’t feel like anything is getting better, but don’t worry. It takes time. If it was easy to overcome a disorder then counsellors would be out of a job and I wouldn’t be sat writing for you today. My battles have made me who I am today and I am proud of my battle scars.🗡

3). Some of the most amazing people in the world have been through the worst battles- It’s true. The bad days make you who you are. And I know you’re tired and I know you can’t take another day. But please for me, get up tomorrow and try again. Every bad day is closer to the good ones. Stand strong in the rain…the sun is worth waiting for🥰

4). Everyday is a fresh start- I know that today was bad for you but tomorrow is a new day. Try something new tomorrow, make tomorrow different to any other day you’ve had🙌🏻

5). Stop being so hard on yourself- Whatever has happened in your life and whatever decisions you have made, you are still amazing. Stop being so self critical, take a step back and fall in love with who you are. As humans we spend too long dwelling on the past and feeling guilty for our own emotions, but don’t. No one is perfect and you deserve to be loved❤️

6). Open your heart and let people in- I know you’ve been hurt in the past, and I know you can’t trust people. But open your heart…not everyone will break it. Stop fearing the worst, there are people who love you, and you don’t even know it. Let people in, tell them you’re sad, let people give you a hug. It’s okay to break down your walls. The more we put ourselves out there, the more vulnerable we feel…but vulnerability can be a beautiful thing. It’s better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all🌟

7). Things can only get better from here- If you feel like nothing can get worse, then it probably can’t. Sometimes hitting rock bottom is what helps us to find our feet. The only way is up now, all you can do is learn, grow, improve and evolve. This battle will make you stronger! I promise you🥰🙌🏻

8). You’re not alone- There are probably millions of people feeling the exact same way as you right now. Things are tough for the world at the minute but please know that you’re not alone. We are all on this crazy journey of life together, don’t struggle on your own❤️

9). Know that you have the power within you– We might get help from a therapist at one point in our lives but let me tell you this….therapists don’t cure you, they just guide you. The real answer to all of your problems, is within you. ONLY YOU have the power to fix yourself. Believe in yourself. Trust me, you’ve got this🥰

Please if you take anything away from this, take away the fact that you are amazing and powerful. You are strong enough to fight whatever battle you are facing and I believe in you. Keep going❤️

Thanks for reading guys🥰