Ways to Practice Self Care in the Winter

Hey guys! So we all know that our mental health can go downhill in the winter months because of the nights drawing in and the cold, rainy days. This post gives you some insight on how to take care of yourself and your mental health during the winter. Self-care isn't just about face masks, eating chocolate and buying your favourite magazine (although I sometimes do this). There's a lot more to it! Read below for some ideas on how to practice better self-care!

Take a Bath or Shower

I personally hate having a bath because, as Chandler puts it, you are "sitting in your own filth." And that just does not relax me. However, I absolutely love showers and when I'm feeling really low I like to take longer ones and just feel the water hitting me; it keeps me grounded when I feel like I'm floating away. If you like showers like me, why not

But if you're a bath person, one way to practice self-care is to have a long bubble bath, buy some Lush bath bombs or read a book in the tub. Do whatever makes you feel more relaxed. Light a few candles and pamper yourself! You can even get a stand like this one so that you can read/watch TV in the tub.

Start a Bullet Journal

If you're having trouble with figuring out how you feel or just want to document your journey, then bullet journaling is a great idea to keep your mind active and to also be creative. You could use your journal for drawings, paintings, calendars or even a mood chart. You can even download bullet journal spreadsheets and printables for inspiration.

Journals are an excellent way to keep track of your mood for your mental health and gives you a good idea of how you're dealing with certain situations. The journal below is an example of a bullet journal (not mine). It's not only for self-care but it's also a great hobby to have and really lets your creativity shine through.

Declutter

Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed or I'm struggling, I like to sort out my wardrobe and have a clear out of things I don't need or use. It helps clear my mind and keeps me busy. I tend to feel relieved and a little less confused after I've had a clear out.

Declutter your wardrobe and get rid of clothes you don't use or items you don't want. Winter is a great time to throw out the old for the new year ahead!

Take Up Meditation or Yoga

Meditation isn't for everyone, but it can be a very relaxing technique to practice for your self-care. Take ten minutes to reflect, think or listen to some tapes. I used to listen to Paul Mckenna to help with my anxiety.

Yoga is also great for relaxing and releases endorphins. If you aren't a fan of yoga, you could take up a different sport or exercise such as running or cycling. I cycle to work each morning and it really makes a difference. Make it a routine - whether you get out of bed and do the sun salutation each morning or go for a run after work in the evening.

Read

Have you got a favourite book? One that you've read over and over again? On days where you need a bit of TLC, why not read your favourite book or pick up a new read, maybe even a winter one to take your mind off things?

If reading isn't for you, then why not watch your favourite movie? My favourite is Bridget Jones and I always watch it when I need cheering up. You could watch a Christmas movie to get you into the spirit.

Go Shopping

If the cold is getting you down, then maybe you should go out for a coffee date with yourself to try a new spiced latte or hot chocolate. You can learn to be in your own company and try something new at the same time. It's good to be by yourself sometimes and to treat yourself to something new, whether you're buying new clothes for the season or something simple such as a face mask, some chocolate or a hot drink.

Make a Quotes Jar

If you're feeling down, why not ask your friends, family or online friends if they would send you a positive quote, compliment or note for you to write down on a piece of paper and keep. You can create a jar of positivity and look at these words whenever you feel down.

Alternately, create your own quotes or happy memories and read one to yourself every day to keep a positive mind.

I hope this post has given you some self-care ideas! Until next time, love, Vee x

6 Powerful Poems from the witch doesn't burn in this one

Hey guys! In this week's blog I'm going to be sharing some of the most powerful poems from Amanda Lovelace's collection: the witch doesn't burn in this one. Please tell me in the comments some of your favourite and inspiring poems.

1. This has to be one of my favourites from the book because it's so damn unapologetic. Do not, I repeat, do not let anybody walk over you.

2. You have all the strength in you that you need; use it and empower others.

3. The simple line is, you need to look after yourself just like you would a small child. Treat yourself with respect, self care and love.

4. We are strong, independent women and we've got this. When our enemies intend for us to crawl up in a ball, stand up and fight back. Not because you want to but because you have to.

5. You have no idea what you are capable of until you pick up a pen and write your heart out. Inspire others just like you and not like you to stand up for themselves, fight for what they want and live their happiest life.
















6. It is not normal to go through abuse. I've learnt this throughout the years and I'm here to tell you it isn't right. Society has altered our perceptions of what a healthy relationship is.

















I hope you feel as inspired as I did when I read Lovelace's books. Be powerful, inspire and take care of yourself. Until next time, Vee x

5 Ways Books Make You Rich

Hi guys. This week's blog is all about how books make us rich and not in the monetary sense of the word. Have a look at the 5 ways books make you rich and add some of your own in the comments if I forget anything.

Knowledge is Power

Books give us knowledge and the power to use words - either for good or bad reasons. As J.K Rowling wrote: "Words are in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it."

Comfort

We all need comfort, whether it's from family and friends or from characters in books and the stories that authors tell. Books are an invaluable source of comfort for any bookworm and they will always be there for you when you feel alone.

Strength

It may be similar to knowledge but strength is absorbed from books and the morals within them. Books give us the strength to stand up to people, to tell someone we love them; to seize the day. To me, that's what a book is all about.

Role Models

Role models are an important part of any book - every person in the world needs to look up to someone, whether that person's fictional or non fictional. Some people look up to Katniss Everdeen for courage whereas others look up to Luna Lovegood for being her authentic, quirky self.

Authors

As readers, we often read a book and don't think twice about the author unless they're well known or we want to read more of their work. However, authors are an important part of the world we live in because if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have stories to brag about on Insta or bookshelves of stories to read when we need someone to be their for us. Authors make us rich by giving us the stories we crave; the stories the world needs.


I hope you enjoyed this list but please feel free to add your own ways that books make you rich. Until next time, Vee x

Poetry Review: the witch doesn't burn in this one

Hey guys! In this week's blog I'm going to be talking about and reviewing Amanda Lovelace's second installment of poetry. I have read the princess saves herself in this one and it was one of the best collections of modern poetry I have read. I'm also open to more poetry book suggestions so please feel free to comment your recommendations!

So Amanda Lovelace's idea of poetry is different to the normal, old fashioned type but in lots of ways it's so much better in getting messages across. In this second poetry collection, Lovelace explores topics such as revenge, politics, sexual assault and feminism.

When I first read the book my first impression was that it was very anti men. I haven't been through her experiences so I can't comment on that but I feel like most of the poems attacked men - maybe it was just aimed at rapists and bad men but for me, I would feel rather uneasy about reading this as a guy.

However, Lovelace explores her inner strength in this book as well as her previous one. She writes mostly about women helping women, supporting one another; knowing that we are strong. I think it's so important that she has written about this subject because we do need to stick together and change the world through art. If even one person reads your work, that might be the sign they needed. That might be the thing that they need to hear. If your art can change or empower another person, even just one person, it's still worth writing, painting, drawing, crafting.

Lovelace also explores eating disorders and how we see ourselves. Lots of young people could feel less alone just by reading her poems. A major theme in this book is having confidence and exploring how that isn't a bad thing. As long as you don't have a massive ego but you love who you are, that's all that matters.

We need to cheer each other on and that's what I have taken away from this book. I want to stand up for myself and be the happiest version of me possible. Reading Lovelace's poetry always inspires me to follow my dreams - shouldn't all writers' work have that effect?

Have you read any of her work? If you haven't I highly recommend getting down to your local bookstore or online to buy both her works! Until next week, Vee x

Book Review: Turtles All The Way Down

Hey guys! So as you may know, I'm a huge fan of John Green and have read all his books. I've been wanting to read Turtles All The Way Down for a long time and I finally finished it! I won't lie, it was hard to get into but you can definitely tell Green has put himself into his work once again, even if it isn't the masterpiece Looking For Alaska or Papertowns was. 

The book is about Aza and her struggle with OCD and I believe other mental illnesses. The book goes really in depth into this subject so it may be triggering for some.

I sympathized with Aza but I also didn't really like her personality. Her mental illness pulls her apart from her friends and family. However, there isn't much about Aza that we know.

Green didn't really give her character much build up...it was mostly about her illness and how this was her. The book is supposed to be this way but I did struggle with just reading about her thoughts and not having much background information. 
Although I know John Green's work is very trippy and quirky, it was a little bit dull for me.

I thought the descriptions and portrayal of mental illness was well thought out. But apart from that I felt like the characters weren't fully formed and the book only became exciting near the end. This book is pretty much all about reality like all his books - but with a twist. Even if it's far fetched, that's Green. He executes his work brilliantly but for me this isn't one of my favourites.

I liked the friendship between Aza and Daisy because it's real; they have arguments which is normal. Friends stick by you but they also tell you the truth. However, I think the relationships between the characters needed to be more in depth and I expected more mystery surrounding Pickett's disappearance.  It was mostly about Aza's condition, which in the general scheme of things is what Green is trying to portray. That mental illness is all consuming. This is such a powerful book so I won't spoil it for you! I was just left a little confused and disappointed with the story line.

However, books like these are so important to have for people to understand mental illness; it gets inside the mind and I must admit I have had intrusive thoughts - everyone does - so maybe that is why I struggled with the theme.

Please let me know your thoughts about the book once you've read it; I'd love to know what other's opinions are.
Well, until next time. Love, Vee x

Living with Anxiety and Depression

I wrote a post quite a while ago about coping with anxiety but I would like to also share a post about what I'm currently going through and maybe, just maybe, someone else is going through the same situation and feelings and this can help you feel less alone.

I have a wonderful partner, a job that's going to further my career and a supportive family. But all these things don't stop the anxiety and depression that goes through me on a day to day basis. I don't always experience it - but it can be a constant feeling throughout the day or a niggling feeling I can't explain which only makes me MORE anxious.

Anxiety can occur in many different ways in lots of different situations. It could be anything from walking down the street to being in a busy shopping centre.

Going out of the house a few years ago was almost impossible until my partner encouraged me and soon I was visiting him in London and going out alone again. Since then I'm able to walk to work most days (some days I become anxious about walking in case I feel anxious - I know, anxious about being anxious) to work and I'm able to get a train and tube on my own to my partner's house.

I still can't set foot in a mall on my own and I become anxious about the smallest things such as calling someone, letting someone down or admitting how I feel.

Some days I struggle to get out of bed because I don't want to face a stressful day at work or I don't want to get up out of the safeness of my bed. Having anxiety and depression is like having two people yelling at each other. Anxious me: "Get out of bed! You can't be late! You are going to feel ill. You'll never feel better." Depressive me: "I don't want to get out of bed. It's unsafe outside. No one cares anyway."

The difference now is that I'm able to push myself further than I have before. I've just completed a journey through London I didn't think I would ever be able to do and little accomplishments such as that mean a great deal to someone like me with anxiety.

My advice to you would be to celebrate these little things - in the end they will be the start of you taking big steps. Not every day will be easy, but it's better to know there are other people going through the same thing as you.

At the moment I struggle to see when I will feel better, more confident in myself again. But it's there, in the not too distant future. Whether it's counselling that I need or just encouraging myself in general, I will get there and so will you. This journey may be hard but it's not impossible. Lots of people think anxiety is something you can't overcome, that it will be with you for the rest of your life. But that's not true; we are able to overcome great obstacles in life, including anxiety.

Believing in yourself will be a great resource to you. I know this can be hard when you have anxiety coupled with depression, but I hope one day you see you will be happy, you will overcome these obstacles. And if you can't see that yet, I can see it for you.