Where To Start – Lady In The Lighthouse

Accessibility Aids That Can Benefit Everyone

Most products that we use everyday are made to make life easier. Accessibility aids and adaptive products are not just for disabled or people with limited mobility, they can benefit everyone! Today on the blog I am sharing a number of items that I have come across over the years that make my life easier.

Boundaries For When People Ask Questions About Your Health

It’s inevitable that when you get sick, you are going to be inundated with questions about your health. Some of these questions you won’t know how to respond to and some may make you feel uncomfortable. Here is a little pep talk and some ideas to get you started.

The Time I Lose To Managing Chronic Conditions

Chronic conditions are a full time unwanted job. There are hours each day that are dedicated to keeping me functioning – and I’m not alone in this unseen part of daily life. Today I’m shining a light on what you don’t see.

Your Medical Experiences Give You Skills Too

Why should we hire people with disabilities? What skills are they learning when they aren’t able to work? Answer: Great skills that EVERY organisation needs.

When I Am Lost, Remind Me Of What I Am Good At

Sometimes, we need someone to point us towards our north star – of what we are good at and enjoy – when we can’t see it through our own darkness. Today on the blog I’m talking about a different kind of support that got me through some hard days when I couldn’t do what I loved.

‘Recovery’ is Different For Everyone

Recovery is quite a process regardless of what you are going through, and it is something that we have to be careful to not assume what the end goal may be for the person experiencing it.
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The Opposite of Stress is Trust

This short sentence has stayed with me for years, it is stuck to my fridge as a reminder, and has become a guiding light in my stress management and decision making processes.

What We Can Do To Support Mental Health

October is Mental Health Awareness month and here are a few things we can do to support mental health.

When The Days All Start To Feel The Same

What do we do when the days all start to feel the same? How do we get ourselves out of a funk?

Take Control Of What You Can – Your Environment

In the second instalment of Take Control Of What You Can Series, I’m talking about regaining control of an environment to make you feel happier, healthier and safer.

Learning How To Describe Your Pain and Symptoms

Learning to become fluent with words that accurately describe the pain and symptoms you are feeling is one of the most helpful things you can do to create a positive working relationship and understanding between yourself and your medical professionals.

Book Therapy – There Is No Good Card For This

We have all been in that place where something awful happens to someone and we are petrified of saying the wrong thing or not sure how to help. This is where the book ‘There Is No Good Card For This: What to Say and Do When Life is Scary, Awful and Unfair to People You Love’ by Emily McDowell and Kelsey Crowe comes in to save us!

Just Because You Are Strong Enough To Carry It, Doesn’t Mean You Always Should

I hope you have people and places where you don’t have to be strong too.

Who Is On Your Team?

As soon as things get tough, you know you are going to need a few people to lean on. Who is on your team?

What Do You Do While Everyone Else Is At Work?

One thing I am constantly being asked is ‘what do I do all day if I am not working?’. Here is a little insight into my daily life and health management.

Simple Practical Ways To Help Someone With A Chronic Condition

So you might not be much of a talker or know much about the medical world, but you want to help someone close to you? Here are a few practical ways to help someone with a chronic condition!

Take Control Of What You Can – The Online World

When chronic conditions start to infiltrate every part of your life, you can feel like you are losing control or have others make all the choices for you. This series is about regaining a bit of control in areas that are manageable and make a huge difference – starting with the online world! Read about how I changed my online experience from taking me for a ride to taking the wheel!

How To Use Breathing Meditations For Pain

Most of the time we don’t even realise that we are holding our breath when we are in pain. So when we are in the moment of pain and waiting for it to pass or ease, here are some neat little breathing meditation practices to try to relax our bodies.

Find Your Anchors

We all need our little anchors to keep up grounded and uplifted when the seas and skies are stormy.

Managing Celebrations With Chronic Condition

Anyone with a chronic condition can tell you that going to celebrations or large events can be quite challenging and exhausting. With some careful planning and sensible self care, we can make the event much more enjoyable and last longer than Cinderella before the carriage turns into a pumpkin!

The Danger of Setting Completion Dates For Things We Can’t Control

I have learnt that time and expectations are two very dangerous things to try to predict and manage. Now we are all learning that with COVID-19 too.

Tips For Booking Appointments

I’ve had a lot of medical appointments over the years and I have learnt a few tips from my experiences and from the medical practitioners and their staff.

Managing Both A Chronic Condition & An External Crisis

Being in pain or managing a chronic condition while also having an external crisis play out in front of you, can really add to the stress and therefore the symptoms that you manage. From my own experiences, here are my suggestions for managing both a chronic condition and an external crisis.

The Chronic Condition Emergency Plan

We never know when something could go wrong or we need additional help, and the best way to manage this is to be prepared and have a plan. Here are my tips to cover all bases!

The Survival Kit

Nurturing ourselves with familiar and enriching activities that restore our energy is what keeps us afloat when everything around us is uncertain, rough and stormy.

Progress Is Not Linear

Once we have taken care of the immediate issues, diving into medical investigations can make it hard to work out if you are making progress.

Become A Regular At Your Local Chemist

The pharmacist is probably going to be a frequent person you’ll see when managing a medical condition, so it is reassuring to get to know them and their services.

Welcome To… The Unexpected

How do we navigate it?
How do we understand it?
How do we explain it?
How do we accept it?

How To Master The Afternoon Nap & Get Quality Rest

With a little experimenting, rituals and preparation, you can master quality rest time.

How Someone Looks May Not Be How They Feel

We all just want to be seen and heard for how we really are.

Clothes Can Change Your Mindset

Clothes help us to transition into different states of being and doing, and can transform your mindset and mood in an instant.

Rest Before You Need To

Don’t wait and miss the opportunity for a quality rest break.

My Biggest Game Changer: A Health Diary

One of the most transformative things that I have implemented in my medical journey was to start a daily diary.

Self Care Is Being A Responsible Adult

Self care that make us feel good and nurtured for our long term wellness.

Taking Care of Yourself First

As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Uncertainty & Being Uncomfortable

Hey Readers,
If you have ever experienced a crisis, a medical condition, a major change or been impacted by the current COVID-19 situation, you may probably have noticed the secondary effect of a level of uncertainty and discomfort. I wish I could wave a magic wand and help it disappear for you. Instead I have hard truths and some hard work to practice, which is well worth the effort for your mental and emotional well-being and for those around you.