A Wonderful World

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....

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...

The Reality of Mental battles and Stigma.   Suicide is happening now.    It’s real and it’s killing. When we experience pain on the inside, it’s not always evident to others and can be hard to accept we’re really not alone. The festering or pain that the silence of one’s suffering can cause, is something we don’t have to ignore, reject or judge. We should never have to suffer in silence when no matter how challenging it may feel to reach out, with this many other humans in the world, we always can. We can and be listened to and heard without judgement. When enclosed in the cape of darkness, you believe that the only solution to the seemingly unsolvable suffering is to end it all by ending oneself. A quick ‘fix’ which in fact is a sudden ‘break’, the only thing that is unfixable. When feeling trapped it can be viewed as the only escape. But it doesn’t have to be that way when we work to remove stigma attached to reaching out when suffering, when we choose kindness....

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 ...

'Your Health is Your Wealth'  A saying that's frequently circulated, but what does it actually mean?  One particular statement that my great Nan taught me and I hold close is, ‘your health is your wealth’, without prioritising that, nothing else matters. In today's society we can often forget that and place wealth as the greatest priority, in a world and system that can be competitive, we let our value be defined by our wealth. Of course, I'm not naive to the fact that possession of money can bring a certain level of freedom to our lives, and we can still take steps to reduce unnecessary suffering or divide, but when we take a step back and view the world and ourselves for a wider perspective, it's valuing our health that will ensure we live a life of longevity and happiness.  There are external elements that may bring an aspect of opportunity, but I believe health is what brings abundance. Your health, no one else’s. As we are all different it cannot be defined...

Growing up in a world of Social Constructs.         As vulnerable, naive and open minded beings, we are brought up in a world of constructs that generations before us have created, many of which can be helpful and necessary in protecting our health, safety and perception. However, there are many constructs that aren't as necessary, yet we are still exposed to them from a young age through the media, others and the world around us, and as a result, these become ingrained without us questioning them. They can influence how we feel, think and behave, without us even being conscious of it. When information enters our brain and is categorised as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, the information sits in that bubble and stays with us as morality. It’s both intricate and individual. Opinions, cultural differences, society’s standards and upbringing, all come into play and add to what an individual may view as right or wrong.  A moral is defined in the English dictionary as ‘sta...