Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

2020! Wow what a year so far!

 Hi everyone, 

Well today I have decided to do an update on all things of the CRAZYNESS of 2020.

not too sure why but here goes.

This year as for many has truly been a rollercoaster, 

With being Furloughed, then my contract terminating, to having a second Hernia surgery in July and only just getting back to full strength when everything closes down again. My partner being a way for the majority of the year due to being an essential worker in other country's. And recently loosing my Gran to Dementia.

As for many this roller-coaster has taken its toll on me, both mentally and physically.

I as always have been trying to eat well and healthily with my food, but due to the surgery and gym closures I struggled with the exercise to maintain my weight, only now nearly 6 months on am i back to "pre op fitness". Which is something I struggle with. As i like to "zone out" and get on with a long dog walk or even a run with my tunes on. 

As well as the lack of focus and structure to my days its just all been merging into one.

Recently from my counselling sessions I have found a little more clarity, in the form of a tick list, meaning I am making time to have the bubble bath at 1pm just because I can, but also get out and walk the dog and have the exercise I need.

This week my main goal has been Christmas, I have gotten quite organised, some presents are here and wrapped, and others are in a wish list awaiting payday. I find that getting organised and planning really does help.

Im just waiting now to see what Boris says about reopening on 2nd Dec, and what Christmas is going to look like this year for myself and my family .

Hope your keeping well, and fingers crossed I get the urge to post again soon.



Nicola  x




Thursday, 9 August 2018

Life updates, Why have I been so quiet? Whats Been going on?

Hi all,

Well, I'm back after a very long time away, There has been a lot going on here in the last 6 months and I simply feel like I haven't had time to sit and write.

I have a new job
I have had Hernia Surgery
I have got hair extensions
I have a new car

I now work for the national trust in the catering team at Clumber Park. I LOVE it! I feel like I finally belong, and have found a job I love to go to and get up in a morning and look forward to it. Yes, I have taken a pay drop and had to rearrange and reassess my spending. But its well worth it for actually feeling and being truly happy. My family have all commented on how I seem genuinely settled and happy.



I around easter found a lump in my stomach that was very painful, which ended up being a "paraumbilical hernia". I was signed off work and was operated on within 3 weeks. It was a painful recovery, and now 4 months on I am still not 100% strong in my core and stomach, but it has made me concentrate on eating well, and gentler forms of exercise and the process of building back up.



My hair never grows, and if you have been here for a while I have documented this. I have tried biotin and millions of different products. So finally I have taken the plunge and got tape in extensions, (I am now on my second install). They have lasted me about 8 weeks before needing to come out and be retaped and reinstalled. I have been truly amazed at how much my hair is growing while I have them in. I think its a mixture of the extra heat on my head and the sulphate etc free shampoo I am using to maintain them. I know it is growing as I am needing my roots doing every 8 weeks, and I can usually manage 12 weeks. I think they will be installed 2 more times and then my hair should have grown to my desired length.


I had a big life change last year when my sister died, and one thing I have learnt is that life is true too short and if you want something go out and do it. Well, I have always wanted a convertible "Sunday car". And I worked hard and saved hard and thankfully I went and bought it just before the summer weather started. I have been very thankful and happy to be driving around with the top down and tunes on over the last few weeks. Whenever I have felt low this has been a sure way to very quickly pick me up.









Tuesday, 25 April 2017

25.04.2017 Why do I feel anxious?

25.04.2017

Why do I feel anxious?

Control … that’s it, I am surrounded by situations where I am helpless and cannot change the outcome. I fear the potential that something may go wrong, even when usually nothing has happened.
Such as the repeated and recurrence of my grandma and her illness, the illness of other family members and the cropping up of new illness / situations of others. Even my logical brain can understand that people get older, and they get ill … or if someone is ill the hospital or the doctor is the best place for them, but all I focus on is the what ifs and the potential problematic outcome.

Or the what if I do something wrong at work, I am aware of the workload I have to complete, my boss has even told me that the things I do at work are not “life or death”, we have even increased the number of hours I work so that I can manage my workload a little better, and complete the jobs at hand quicker / easier. But that does not affect the complete feeling of dread I get when I receive a phone call etc. I just get myself in the mindset that I have done something wrong and I am going to get told off. Then my brain goes into overdrive .. what if the thing I have done wrong gets me sacked … how will we cope for money .. etc etc. All this and the phone call may just be to say hi, or what did I want from the coffee shop.

I do understand how irrational this may seem, however to me it’s a constant feeling of worry and dread. From waking up in a morning, throughout the day, to trying to get to sleep at night. It is constant and some days are worse than others.
I am not good for turning my mind off, and when I start to get “the feeling” my stomach turns, I feel / be sick, get very tearful, sometimes just get inside my head and fully burst into tears and usually start to breath funny.

I recently had a situation where I was on holiday with my partner, and had stuff on my mind regards family and illness, and some worry about work. I couldn’t even switch off walking up a mountain in the lake district. However .. I sadly on this occasion could not physically manage to reach the summit, and I totally got in my head that I was a failure, and what is the point anyway, and burst into tears, not a good thing when trying to walk down the side of a mountain and watch your footing. But everything just swimming around gets on top of me and one last thing can tip me over the edge.

Today has not been the best day, home alone whilst my partner is at work and I have the power of google at my hands (well until the internet went offline). I can read and read and research ideas of what to do for anxiety and look to practice mindfulness. But I feel like I have been there, and already done that and I am not getting further forwards. I have done the usual trick, analysed my meals and food (I naturally eat very healthily so nothing really needs to change) but I try and analyse it and “take back control” of my body. I tried talking to others today (I am not a talker) but I just feel like I am burdening them with my issues, and that I should be able to find a way to “fix myself”.

I don’t know what to do, I feel like I will never feel “better” and this dark cloud is going to be hovering over me. I want to feel like myself again. Right now I don’t know what to do or how to approach feeling better.
I just want to wake up and be able to take each day as it comes, and if there are a few bumps in the road along the way just deal with them like a “normal person”.

What am I scared of:
·        Family dying
·         Loosing my job
·         Stressing tom out with always being sad and anxious and then as a result loosing him
·         Being lonely and isolated
·         Making myself physically sick and “worse”

·         becoming a burden to others and causing more stress

Monday, 16 May 2016

Positive thoughts are making positive changes in my life!


I am so thankful for all chances and opportunities in my life, Some may not have worked out, and be upsetting along the way, however “everything happens for a reason” must be true! I have in the last 2 weeks felt the happiest, most relaxed and optimistic person.

I know some people may not think my life is perfect, & some people are criticizing my choices & current situation. However I am thankful for the opportunity to get myself back into a positive place, work hard for myself, and now have a plan & very achievable goals.

Thanks to all who have supported me and given me the chance to grow, develop, be happy & mostly be myself again.

Nicola



#positiveoutlook #icandoit #iwilldoit