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<p>Intrusive thoughts, past hurts, current hurts, insecurities, trauma, shame. We don&#8217;t tend to polish this stuff off and pop it proudly on the mantlepiece. Nope. We shove it in the cupboard. </p>

<p>Brain fog (I liken it more to someone opening up my head and using a whisk to mash it all up)</p>

<p> wasn’t going to get Covid. I remember thinking that this will likely blow over and that if I did get it I’d likely experience mild symptoms as I generally keep myself fit, I wouldn’t be one of those who really suffered with this.<br /> Wrong.</p>

<p>Well I can&#8217;t quite believe it&#8217;s Easter Day and that this challenge is at it&#8217;s end. Firstly, a massive thank you to everyone who has contributed to this blog by sharing your story around mental health or wellbeing. You have been both courageous and generous with what you have shared  and a real blessing to [&hellip;]</p>

<p>&nbsp; Day 36 of my 40 Day Blog Challenge. Someone asked me what I thought about mindfulness, in fact they asked if it was just hot air and deep breathing?! It&#8217;s true that over the last 20 years, but particularly the last 10 years, mindfulness has become increasingly popular and seems to have found an [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Seeking help for our emotional wellbeing can be difficult. What good can it do anyway? It’s not as if it’s going to change anything. What’s done and all that…</p>

<p>Day 34 of my 40 Day Blog Challenge. Still more space for contributions, please please do get in touch. Remember to &#8220;share&#8221; or &#8220;re-post&#8221; if you have been moved or encouraged by anything you read here. We need lots more hits on the blog to reach 5000 before Easter! We know that postnatal depression is [&hellip;]</p>

<p>I had to stop listening to the voices of doubt and keep going, even though the fear of failure and self doubt were screaming at me like a raging banshee.</p>

<p>&#8220;Is forgiveness as close to a panacea as one can get in counselling&#8221;?</p>

<p>Be under no illusions. Mental health problems can cause severe debt, and severe debt can cause mental health problems.</p>

<p>Today, Mother’s Day, hasn’t always been a great day. It’s been a day I wished didn’t exist because of unfulfilled dreams. </p>

<p>Day 25 of my 40 Day Blog Challenge. If I thought Id&#8217;d set myself a challenge doing this blog for 40 days, then Josiah Skeats is a challenge legend! I have been following his blog as he cycles around the world, from the UK toward Australia. As a keen cyclist myself, I know how disheartening [&hellip;]</p>

<p>I thought I needed fixing; counselling helped me to see that I wasn&#8217;t as broken as I first thought. I needed listening to &#8211; not a ten step plan, but to figure it out as I went along and not to be prescribed a one size fits all remedy.</p>

<p>I got the 17.06 back to Sussex and the safety of my home and family, for which it feels I have never been more grateful. </p>

<p>I reconciled that if I was dying, I had made peace with God and knew that I would be OK post-death. I felt bad for my beloved family though; what would happen to them? </p>

<p>I read a fantastic article on mental health first aid so have decided to share it today. I really love the points about genuinely listening and being slow to offer advice; we must not underestimate the power of simply being heard. </p>

<p>In October that year I felt I was drowning in pain and I went out to kill myself. For some reason survival mode kicked in…&#8230;I began to run</p>

<p>Around the time that I was born, he had a severe breakdown. My mum spent a week in hospital with me and all the time had no idea where my father was.</p>

<p>For a long time I blamed myself for my Dad&#8217;s drinking. I felt like I should have been enough to stop him.</p>

<p>&#8220;Why are you wearing make up? Who are you trying to impress? Why are you running late if your train gets in at xyz.” This was my daily routine up until 4 years ago. </p>