A Wonderful World

'Although we may not all be in the same boat, we are all in the same storm'   Although a second lockdown is no plain sailing for any of us, we are all in the same storm of what we now know to be 'Coronavirus', a 'global pandemic' or 'Covid19'. That's something to be reassured by in this chaos, you are not alone.  However, the boats we sail through this storm in, are all different. Some boats are sturdier than others, despite the storm being the same. Everyone has their own battles throughout this challenging time and it has affected us all in a variety of ways. But, the important thing to remember is a second lockdown means we made it through a first, and there is no doubt we can make it through again. There is no 'perfect' way of living through a lockdown, we all have own our coping mechanisms, circumstances and preferences, but in having experienced a lockdown back earlier in the year, we can reflect and think about what wasn't helpful ...

‘Perhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness and still become something beautiful’ – Beau Taplin.  Coronavirus and it's rising cases has brought our country to a point of a difficult decision, the thing is, unfortunately there is no 'right' or 'perfect' way to tackle this pandemic as we do not yet have the vaccine or magic powers to make it all go away. It's about managing and saving as many lives as we can. Reducing cases, yet also working to maintain the economy, stability and caring for our mental and physical health as much as possible. It's now in the known that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made the choice to enter a second lockdown of at least a month, and as overwhelming and frustrating as this is, it's the decision that has been made and we now have to stick to in order to hopefully reduce the cases. Of course without the vaccine we cannot yet remove the virus completely, but in sticking to the proposed gui...

A body is a body, just as a human is a human, although we have our differences, we have the right to all be treated the same when it comes to living on earth.   ‘Bikini body' or 'beach body ready’ should be nothing other than what it spells out. A bikini, a body, and you’re ready. Bikini, swim shorts, swimming costume, summer wear. Nobody should feel they don’t have the option to wear what they desire because of the body they are in, despite what the media may inform us, don’t spend your time preparing for summer or trying to change yourself when it’s already ready when summers here, it’s ready as you are. I’m an advocate for viewing our bodies as our home and accepting it in its neutral state with neutral response. I stand for body confidence. I stand for body positivity, although it is something I cannot be part of myself, I still agree with it. Often we incorrectly label ‘body positivity’ thinking it’s the same thing as body confidence, when they are actually different....

Your body is your home for life, let's take care of it. Let's work on accepting all bodies.  Our society has ingrained in us, ideas and beliefs surrounding image and aesthetic, instant judgement or assumptions about others as a response to how they look, rather than accepting that humans come in all shapes and sizes. I think it's important to know that everyone's version of 'health' looks different, despite our base bodily functions being the same, where we are and what we look like when our bodies are happy and functioning adequately can be very different.   By this, I mean internally, the things you cannot see. Our organs, arteries, hearts, lungs, bones, the female menstruation cycle and everything in between. It's not one size fits all, and thank goodness it isn't... how boring would that be! There are extremities that can be reached to shift ourselves of course, whether that we restricting or over consumption that can result in under nourishment and ...

We are all different. There no such human whom we can define as perfect, but instead perfectly imperfect. We all wish for what we can’t have, but in doing so, sometimes we can miss the opportunity to be grateful for what we are blessed with and what we have been given. Sometimes it's useful to consider goals or where we desire to be, but when it comes to accepting ourselves, our flaws and all, it's not about wishing for what you don't have but acknowledging what you do and who you are.   I have nothing against plastic surgery, I have read and heard many stories about how going through with it meant individuals became a lot happier and confident in their own skin, but personally I don’t think it’s what’s needed in order to experience happiness. I believe if you don’t allow yourself to love yourself as you are, then that acceptance will not be found no matter how much work you have done or things you try to change, nothing will ever be enough without believing you are enough...

You Don't Compare The Sun and The Moon.  Both the sun and moon shine and have their time. They’re both beautiful in their own right, and so are you. You don’t need to compare yourself to someone else, it’s both unhelpful and unnecessary. It’s a standard belief within our society that comparison can be used for a positive effect, many believe that at times, comparing yourself to the circumstances of someone else may in fact allow you to come to terms with all the things you do have rather than the things you do not, to be grateful due to the belief that there is always someone ‘worse off than you’. Years in the education system, yet we are never taught to love ourselves. Where could you be? Where should you be? What more could you have? How could you better yourself? What should you look like? What diet should you be on? What beliefs should you have? Questions that are constantly racing in our heads, plastered on our walls and displayed on our televisions. Those questions have some ...

Changing our view on therapy and displaying emotions?  We have a range of emotions and potential feelings we can experience as a consequence of what's happening in our lives, around us or in our minds. Displaying, sharing, or experiencing them are human, not  weak.  We are conditioned to hide our feelings from an early age, ‘be strong’, particularly men, ‘man up’, and you’re weak if you show any form of vulnerability.  We feel bad about feeling a certain way because of what we’re taught to associate with particular feelings. But all feelings are valid.  Crying is a release, vulnerability is a strength, a willingness to open yourself and truly give yourself the opportunity to feel and not block, stunt, or suppress what’s inside. As powerful as we are as individuals, we cannot do everything alone. It’s can be scary to reach out at times, especially when you don’t understand what’s going on and you can’t even explain how, why and what you’re feeling. It takes cour...

‘Only in darkness can you see the stars’ – Martin Luther King Jr.  Mental illness cannot be seen.  It’s up to us to alter our perspective on mental illness, depression or any other diagnosis for that matter. Removing judgement, acknowledging appropriate care and support and caring for ourselves and others mentally as much as we are often concerned to physically. You can’t see mental pain and emotional pain, unless it manifests itself physically. But often as humans what we struggle with internally, we mask externally. If someone has their leg in a cast or they have scars, it is proof of their pain. That they are or once struggled with turmoil. But when it comes to mental struggle, we feel we have no proof or way of articulating what’s going on. We may question whether others will believe us if we speak up, or they don’t believe us when we do. The effects may be evident but what’s really going on inside is only in the individual battling it. It’s become a taboo or has stigma ...