5 things to look forward to

Okay so usually when I am looking forward it is to worry about something. I very rarely focus on the present and my mind constantly wanders to the fearful future ahh BUT not in this post it won't!

Instead here is 5 positive things to look forward to (Yay!)

1.  Bake off is back! and we have weeks of biscuits, cakes, innuendos and showstoppers left to enjoy
I can't wait to get to know the contestants, to see wonderful creations and not so wonderful creations and to cosy up watching this treat every week.

2. Autumn/Winter Menus in coffee shops
I love Costa especially in the colder months when you can have a praline latte or a white hot chocolate or one of their special seasonal cakes. I can't wait to see what's in store!

3. OneRepublic's new album Oh My My 
I have always been a big, big fan of Ryan Tedder and OneRepublic; to me they are music at its best. I'm excited to discover new favourite songs and to listen to great music.

4. Bastille on tour and coming to Cardiff
Unfortunately not many artists seem to include Cardiff in their UK tours :( which means I haven't had many opportunities to hear great music live and to enjoy the 'concert experience' but.... Bastille are and I have booked tickets to see them!

5. Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them 
Who isn't excited for this film to come to cinema? and if November 17 is too far away Bridget Jones's Baby is out September 16 apparently. They couldn't be more different films but I would love to see both in cinema.


What are you looking forward to? Let me know :)

The blues

2016 hasn't been the best. I know, it's still April but I'm feeling meh about the year already. Work has been extra hard, my Gran died and I'm just feeling scared of the future.  I'm writing this in my Easter holidays and although I should be happy to have 2 weeks off I feel like I've had no break at all. No break from worry and sadness :( I don't know if whether, I'm a terrible, ungrateful person or this is depression talking. Either way I need to make more of an effort. I need to make an effort to see the good, to go with the flow and to try to push the worry away.

Here is a reminder to myself:
I am not as bad as I think or say I am. I need to be more positive about myself and my life. Remember:

http://theloveyourselfchallenge.tumblr.com

Little boosts: why we all need them now and again...

Living with anxiety can be really hard; like a record stuck replaying the same noise over and over and over again. You want to lift the needle and to stop it from scratching but you just can't. I have had some thoughts replaying in my mind for days now and these thoughts were playing in my head over 2 years ago too. You'd think I would have learnt to shut them off or to deal with them but no.

When you've got these negative, draining and irritable thoughts playing on the record of your mind it is nice to have some nice words said to give you a little boost. To have a reminder of the power of good, sincere and uplifting words is a reaaallllyyy nice break from anxious words said to yourself. 

So, here I introduce to you:

Emotional Baggage Check
 

emotionalbaggagecheck.com

 On this website you can Check in emotional baggage and spill some of your worries and thoughts to a stranger. Another person can then choose to Carry it (it being your emotional baggage) and can send you some lovely words back in response. What I particularly love about this website is the element of sending music; when a person responds and chooses to 'carry it' they are expected to send a song along with their message. I don't think I have spoken much about my personal love for music and how much it helps me with my anxiety. I reeaaalllyyy think music is a powerful thing.

Anyway this is what the website states is their purpose:

'The purpose of Emotional Baggage check is to spread a little kindness through music and a heartfelt message. We believe that lyrics and words can lend a little comfort and be an opportunity for expression'

Isn't that lovely? I personally have checked in some of my baggage and I have also carried someone else's baggage and I think of it as a little boost when you need it or when someone else needs it.

Another website I love that certainly gives me a little boost is:
 

 The Pep Talk Generator 

Go there now!!!

This is a project by Babe Vibes and was designed by Kara Haupt and developed by Paige Lewis. If ever you need a pep talk this is the place to go. I love the idea of speaking to someone to encourage, motivate and inspire. I am definitely in need of these lovely, kind, and punchy words to make me believe in myself and what I have to offer the world. It is powerful how words sent from awesome babes can change your thinking even if it is just for a minute (but I really hope it has an everlasting effect).

Please do comment if you know of any other little boosts we all need now and again!! Thank you x

Quote of the Week!

How are you feeling lately?
I get waves of sadness now, and again. I think it's fear in disguise. I'm scared of what is ahead of me but I'm hoping that I have nothing to be fearful of. I really want to believe that good things are right around the corner and that I need to just travel along my own path without doubting my every step. We'll see where I end up!

Here is my quote of the week by the very great, Dr Seuss:

You're off to great places.

Today is your day.

Your mountain is waiting, 

so get on your way. 

-Dr Seuss 

What mountain is waiting for you?

 

Shake it off!

Sooo I struggle with anxiety, worries and my messy mind. I am an overthinker and an overanalyser. I cannot flick that switch off. Anyone feel the same way?

Well I'm not claiming that one song will solve all your problems but I am saying that sometimes singing along loudly to an upbeat song with lyrics that you make relevant to you can make you feel good! Even if it is for about 4 minutes!

That is why my Song of the Week and Quote of the Week is: Shake it off!

A couple of months ago I bought this memory board and I was excited to fill it with lots of lovely, positive and happy things.

Well I haven't really done that...yet. So I thought I would attach the message: shake it off to remind me that I need to stop thinking lots of bad, worrisome thoughts and I need to just shake them off!

Firstly, I got my paints out and divided an A4 page into 4 and painted each part a different colour. I do not claim to be an artist; I was just painting for me. Once dried, I decided I would use the bold pink card and I wrote with a black fibre tipped pen the words shake it off.

Here it is:

What should I write on the other colours? Any words that motivate you or make you feel better?

Also, have a read of this if you need more convincing why 'shaking it off' can help you feel better:  http://moodnudges.com/shake-it-off/

5 Lovely Facts About Sunflowers

Sunflowers are beautiful, beaming flowers that just make you smile once seeing them...right?

Here are some lovely things you may like to know, or may know already, about sunflowers

1) Sunflowers are a combination of individual flowers joined together
"Sunflower heads consist of 1,000 to 2,000 individual flowers joined together by a receptacle base. The large petals around the edge of a sunflower head are individual ray flowers which do not develop into seed"*

2) Sunflowers track the sun's movement
"A well-known sunflower characteristic is that the flowering heads track the sun’s movement, a phenomenon known as heliotropism" *

3) Sunflowers attract birds
If you have sunflowers in your garden the birds will be attracted to them as they love sunflower seeds*

4) Sunflowers inspired one of Van Gogh's most famous paintings
Van Gogh made seven different versions of sunflower paintings. He felt yellow was an emblem of happiness and in dutch literature, the sunflower was a symbol of devotion and loyalty.
Read more about this here

5) Sunflowers are a symbol of peace
Sunflowers are used  in a campaign for a world free of nuclear weapons and nuclear power.
When Ukraine became a nuclear-weapon-free nation in 1996, US Defense Secretary William Perry declared that “sunflowers instead of missiles in the soil would ensure peace for future generations” (Source: ICAN)

*Facts found here: amazingandweird.com

Do you know anything about sunflowers?

5 Happy Things!

This week hasn't been the easiest. With more responsibility at work it has unnerved me and made the jittery and anxious me become very scared, low and panicky. So why 5 Happy Things ? Well, simply because that's when we need to pick out the positives and remind ourselves it's not all bad. So here goes...

1. Meeting up with friends
Although, I really didn't feel like going out it was lovely to meet up with friends for some food and a chat. One of my friends and I hadn't seen each other in such a long time that we both had birthday presents to exchange to each other (they should have been given in July). It's nice knowing that someone cares about you and wants to get you something nice to show it. Thank you friends!

2. A little walk looking for the moon
I LOVE the moon! The moon makes me feel calm and it makes me feel that we are all special. We are special because we get to see the moon shining at us and lighting up our dark nights. I have many moon quotes and pictures I could share but I'll save them for another time.

3. Early morning coffee
It's not always nice to wake up early in the morning, especially when you're afraid of what the day has in store for you, but once you're up and you're organised it's nice to sit down, empty your thoughts (or try very hard to) and enjoy some early morning coffee.

4. Trying new things
In this case, it was cheese!! This week, my local town had its annual fair where stalls come from all over the place selling food, clothes, toys, sweets, jewellery and all sorts! One particular stall had some unusual cheeses and the lady invited me over to try them. There was blueberry cheese, madras cheese, caramel cheese, smoked paprika cheese, chive and onion cheese, red port wine cheese and others like red leicester and cheddar. I tried almost all of them and purchased the caramel and smoked paprika ones. Very tasty!

5.Making pizzas
Okay, so I bought the bases ready made but still I didn't buy a pizza. I had fun choosing toppings and sprinkling them on top and the end product was delicious :) I made cheese, tomato and pepperoni pizza and a barbecue, cheese and chicken pizza.

Looking at my 5 happy things it's hard to tell that I had a bad week and most people would consider this a good week but it's my head, my anxiety and my negative thoughts that turn the good into bad. I must try harder to be positive and to change these thoughts for the sake of my mental health!

How has your week been? What are your 5 happy things?

Quote of the week!

A year ago, I was in a shop when this book/album appeared to me. It wasn't the quote "People change, memories don't" that compelled me to buy it but the beautiful illustration of the camera.

At the time I wasn't in the best spirits and I thought one day this could cheer me up and I could use it to store happy memories that I've spent with people I love.

Yesterday I started doing just that. I filled a page with pictures and started sorting through my pics to see what else I would like to include in this book.

Anxiety is hard and draining and it takes all of your brain and focuses it on negativity and worry but forcing your brain to remember happy memories you have had can have such a positive effect on you. Sometimes it's hard to think of happy days but try to remember those happier times and believe that there are many more happy memories waiting for you to make.

Quote of the week!

Hi- it's summer! I have a lot of time off before I go back to work and instead of finding something 'worthwhile' to do, i.e. getting a summer job, volunteering etc., I am going to truly do something worthwhile.
 I am going to look after me.

I normally worry all over summer. I worry that I am wasting time; that I should be doing something to help my career or I worry that I will have no career and that I am doing nothing to help myself. Well, this summer, I vow to do neither. I am going to try not to worry about me, my career and my life and whether I will be okay or not, and I am going to try to be positive and happy.  

I am going to try to fight this depression that I sometimes find myself immersing in and I am going to do things that make me happy. I hope to drink more water, go for more walks, eat healthier and to enjoy the simple things.

So, here is my quote of the week which serves as a reminder of what I shall try to do each day:

Also, as I was looking for a quote this week, I came across this work of art on Pinterest (don't you just love that site?) and I thought it was a lovely, uplifting piece that I had to share on my blog. The creator Lori Portka has a page on etsy with lots more lovely pieces -Take a look!

 

(Source:  May You Wake up with Gratitude by Lori Portka )

P.s This is my first Weekly Wishes Link up! :)