The End of Blogtober/ A Recap

Blogtober 2017

Here you will find all of the links to my Blogtober posts!

I know it’s only been two days since my last master list post but I thought I would recap the entirety of Blogtober for you in case you missed any or want a single post where you can find all the individual ones. I’ll list all the links to the weekly recaps which were published on Sundays and then I will list all of the individual posts by type/day below it.
Some artices may have the links missing (from around week 4) as I have been without a secure internet connection this week and as I'm writing this, these posts are still currently listed as "scheduled" so I don't have the published link to be able to set them up now. 

Each individual post can either be accessed by clicking on its title or through any words that are in bold and are underlined.

Week One (1^st – 8^th)

Week Two (9^th – 15^th)

Week Three (16^th – 22^nd)

Week Four (23^rd – 29^th)

30^th October

31^st October (This post)

Mondays – Personal Experience With…

Bullying
Depression
Agoraphobia
Coping/Distraction Techniques
Paranoia

Tuesdays – Posts You’d Usually See on Mondays

Social Media Cleanses
Why I Started Blogging
Art
Little Known Facts

Wednesdays – Mental Health Information

The Circle of Avoidance
10 Rules for Coping with Anxiety
Avoiding Situations
OCD

Thursdays – Self-Care Q&A Responses

Jen
Bunnie
Kerry
Lola

Fridays – Favourites

Songs
Bands & Artists
Products
YouTubers

Saturdays – Super Bloggers

Courtney (Unfiltered Mama)
Bunnie (HappyBunnyBlog)
Cairon (Travel Bear 92)
Jordanne (Of a Glasgow Girl)

Again, please let me know what you think of these posts; I always look forward to reading your comment and I will reply to all of them.

I’m going to take a week or so off from blogging but my next question is: should I do Blogmas? You can either let me know in the comment section below or by the poll I will be posting on Twitter.

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
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My Experience with... Paranoia

Paranoia

*Before you read this I would like you to remember that what I am discussing affects me daily and whilst it is an entirely irrational series of thoughts, it is very real to me and is to be taken seriously should any comments be made. I am aware that I sound insane when making the points you’re about to read.*

Out of all the things I haven’t talked about, paranoia is one of them. Not because I don’t want to talk about it but because there’s not really much to say about it. I am extremely paranoid whenever I go out and, at the risk of sounding completely insane, it got so bad when I was 15/16 that I had to take down all of my posters.
I know this started back when I was in school just like a lot of my disorders/illnesses but I can’t quite pinpoint when it started. I know I was at least 15/16 when it got really bad, as pointed out previously, but it’s one of those things that I’ve always felt. I know it started because when I was in Primary School people used to laugh and point at me, and they would make up rumours (childish ones like “she’s so weird”). When I got to high school the pointing, staring, laughing and whispering got even worse that even now I’m convinced that anytime someone is looking at me or when a conversation stops when I walk into a room/past others it’s because of something negative about me – my hair is a mess, I’m too ugly, too fat etc. etc. This is why I had to remove the posters because, no matter where you were in the room, eyes were on you (even though they couldn’t actually see you). I can’t even have my favourite bands/artists as a background on my laptop as it would be there on start-up and shut down and all dvd and CD cases are either in cupboards or boxes because I find them disturbing – and that’s just because the person on the cover was looking directly at the camera.

I’m aware that I sound completely bat-shit crazy but that is how insane paranoia makes you. It’s not rational – as I said I know whoever is on a magazine or CD cover isn’t actually looking at me because there is no way a two-dimensional object can possess the power of sight – but it is something that takes over my daily life. I don’t even like getting changed in front of the Netflix or YouTube home screens because of it, I have every camera (web cams, phone cameras) in my room at is covered and my curtains either don’t get opened or are drawn most of the day when I’m feeling at my worst. Thankfully my paranoia doesn’t extend to other people’s belongings but I do hide when the cameras come out.
I can’t eat in front of others as it makes me extremely uncomfortable. This began in Primary School as I was either being teased about what I had (tuna pasta isn’t “cool”, apparently) or shamed for eating at all because I’m “big enough as it is”. Often this would result in me finding my snack had been stolen and my lunch tampered with. In high school this developed into people throwing their lunch or home economics (cookery class) creations at me. Thanks, peers. You really saved me from those pre-existing medical conditions and medications that made me gain weight and made it impossible for me to lose weight. It was clearly what I ate that brought it on. *insert eye roll emoticon”.
Paranoia also controls whether or not I go out or do certain things in front of others (for example: eating as mentioned above or going to the gym). And I find that I need my distraction techniques whenever I dare to venture outside to stop me from completely breaking down in public.

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
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Blogtober Weekly Recap #4

Weekly Recap #4

Wow. This month has really flown by. Here I am writing the final master list for a week’s worth of posts. There’s only two days left of Blogtober after this and then I think I’m going to take a well-deserved break from blogging for a week or two whilst I consider doing Blogmas or not. What do you think? Should I do Blogmas? Let me know in the comments below. Also; apologies in advance if this post is missing some links. I'm writing this in advance as I most likely won't have access to a compute/secure wifi and the links aren't available to me right now as they are still set as "scheduled". By the time you read this, however, they will be live. I will try my best to get them set up before I end up with no internet but if I am unable to I will update this page next week.
As always; anything in bold and underlined can be clicked to take you to the blog post I am referring to.

Coping and distraction techniques are a key part to me keeping from having complete meltdowns when I’m out and about so I shared mine with you on Monday.

On Tuesday I shared some more little known facts about me. I previously shared some when I did the requirements for the Versatile Blogger Award.

Wednesday brought some more information in regards to mental health. This week’s informational post was about OCD.

The lovely Lola sent in her answers to my self-care Q & A for Thursday’s post which you can find here.

You can learn all about who my favouriteYouTubers are and why via Friday’s instalment of favourites and who my super blogger of the week is over on Saturday’s post here.

Thanks for coming back for another master list; I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you.

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
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Super Blogger - Jordanne

Super Blogger Saturday

My final Super Blogger of Blogtober is … Jordanne of The Life of a Glasgow Girl! Jordanne is also the creator of @Bloggerstribe on Twitter and she is an Ambassador of Magnitone.

How we met: When I was asking around the blogging community for help over which hashtags to use, the most common one that came up time and time again was the one for bloggerstribe (#bloggerstribe) so I followed the account and, as the creator of the account, Jordanne’s own account was recommended for me to follow. Our first correspondence through her Twitter account was just me replying to a Tweet of hers with a simple hug gif and her thanking me for it. Sometimes all you need is a hug (gif).

Her personality: She is one of the most hardworking bloggers that I have come across during my short time blogging on here. She is another all-round good human who is so lovely, sweet and caring. She is also so helpful and supportive which shines through not only on her personal blog/Twitter but through her Bloggerstribe account too. She is forever rt’ing everyone who uses the hashtag – she must be sick of seeing my name by now!

What she writes about: Jordanne’s blog is full of posts about beauty products, reviews, life stories and parenting tidbits. She is a very “no holds barred” blogger which means that, as long as she is happy to talk about it, no subject is taboo and there are no restrictions as to what she writes about.

Her writing style: When I read Jordanne’s blog posts I feel a connection to her writing and to who she is as her posts are very relatable. I’m not a parent nor have an interest in the beauty genre but every single one of her posts makes for an interesting read. You don’t have to be into that she writes about to enjoy reading her content.
Reading her most recent piece (at the time of writing this) “That’s Life” hit me hard. I understood the inner struggles she talked about and my heart went out to her; not out of pity but because I got it. I get the whole feeling of “bleh” and just having this fog come down around you seemingly out of nowhere when you think you’re getting on great in life. I was glad to hear that she is gradually exposing herself to the things she loves again as it shows how resilient she is. I really admire that quality in her.

Why you should follow her/read her blog: Aside from the fact that she possesses all of the traits I have listed about under “Her Personality” and being a tremendous help hashtag-wise, she also offers packages for advertising with her. These packages start from as little as £1 (rate will vary depending on which currency you use) which includes your blog being listed in her Advertisers post and being included in her #ff (follow Friday) every Friday and her most expensive is the Unicorn Package at £10 which is still a bargain for the amount that she offers within it. You can find all of her package deals here (http://www.thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk/p/advertise.html).

Where you can find her: You can find Jordanne on her personal blog’s Twitter, her blog and through Bloggerstribe on Twitter. You can also follow/like her on Facebook, Pinterest and Bloglovin.

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
This blog
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Self-Care Q&A Response #14 ft Lola

Self-Care Q&A Response #14

The final contributor for this this round of responses is Lola of Don’t Dream Do (formally Jittery Jetsetter). You can find her on Twitter here if you want to check her out or give her a follow.

1. How do you know when you are in need of some self-care?

It’s a feeling that I get in my chest, almost like very mild anxiety. It can either just come over me randomly or I can wake up with it and i feel down or sad.

2. Once you are aware that you need to take care of yourself, do you usually do so alone or do you have someone you can go to when you need some TLC?

It depends on the severity of it, if I’m feeling really down I need to be alone but if its not as bad I would definitely seek out my partner, one of my friends, my sister or my niece.


3. Do you find it hard to make time for yourself?

Yes for sure! Life is so hectic, I work full time, visit my Dad who’s in a care home with dementia 2 hours every day, walk the dog twice a day so there’s barely time cook meals never mind time to relax.


4. Is there anything that gets in the way of your “me” time/disrupts it (for me: noises outside can put me on edge or if other people are home I need to be mindful of how long I take, say, in the shower)?

Yep just everyday life lol, I feel like I shouldn’t be chilling out or something fun when there are things that need doing like housework or errands.


5. Do you ever feel guilty for having “me” time?

As I rarely have ‘me’ time not really no.


6. Do you schedule in “me” time or do you “go with the flow”/only take “me” time when you feel you need it?

I would say I only have ‘me’ time when I’m feeling really low. I should try to ‘treat’ myself when I’m feeling good too and hoping to try yoga and meditation if I ever get the time:)

7. Is there a self-care routine that you try to follow?

Once I’ve woken up in the morning i need to lie for 5 minutes just to take in the day, during which I’m usually complaining in my head about having to get up and walk the dog, however having to go out in the fresh air really clears my head and then I enjoy a nice hot bath before starting work.


8. When you feel down/not like your usual self; what do you do to cheer yourself up (hobbies, being with loved ones etc)?

A bath always helps, a face mask and I always feel better after washing my hair. If I’m feeling down I usually have to get out the house and into a different space. I love swimming and used to go every day but I don’t have a car anymore so can’t fit it it.

9. Do you have any mantras that you say to yourself as a pick me up or on a daily basis?

I don’t really, but if I’m feeling down I always try to remind myself of times when life has been worse, like when I had to go to a job I hated or didn’t live in the nicest of houses to make myself see how much better things are now.

10. Finally; do you have any self-care tips for anyone who might be reading this?

Do what you love! Theres no set rules as everyone enjoys different things so whatever makes you feel good - do it!!

~ That is it for this round of responses. I know that whenever I do a poll with this as an option no one ever picks it but numbers don’t lie and people do actually read them so I’m going to be keeping it open for this section to make a comeback at some point. Plus, I’m actually really proud of the Q&A. It was my first attempt at something of its sort and I feel like it did really well.

See you tomorrow for the instalment of favourites!

Anxiously,
Me

If you decide to use this, please let me know first and give credit. There’s nothing worse than finding out something that you worked really hard on has been taken and uncredited, sometimes even plagiarised.

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

The main features of obsessive compulsive disorder are:
obsessive thoughts; a person may notice upsetting or even anxious thoughts continuously popping into their heads time and time again. These can ended up going around in their heads for a a very long time.
and compulsive behaviours  (usually occurring with said thoughts).
These can not only be very upsetting but scary as well and the person may try to avoid the situations that trigger these thoughts to prevent them from happening in the first place or will feel compelled to go along with them to prevent harm (say one of these thoughts is presented as “I must do x this amount of times to prevent x from happening”).
They may carry out rituals such as repeating a particular prayer or word/phrase to make these thoughts go away/decrease in intensity or to keep someone safe.
They may also do certain activities to stop harmful consequences such as checking locks and switches.

A lot of people notice that is it a particular behaviour that they have to carry out in order to feel “right” such as excessively cleaning a room or even their hands.

Many of these things are, when not overcome by compulsion, are completely rational (checking locks before leaving the house). However, with OCD, these rational actions/behaviours/thoughts become excessive and the person ends up repetitively going through the same actions/behaviours/thoughts until their mind tells them that it is safe to, for example, leave the house or even go to bed. 


*Note: Pieces about Mental Health Information are based off of what I have been taught and the "homework" books that were given are used as a guideline for these posts. Whilst I may have been taught these things by health care professionals, I am not one and information may change or be inaccurate. If you feel at risk by your thoughts and feelings or have concerns about you health; please seek help from loved ones and health care professionals. This information is not to be used to self-diagnose. If you know you have hypochondriac tendencies, are sensitive to subjects like bullying, depression and anxiety, and are easily triggered then information and experiences shared in this blog may cause distress. I have tried my best to provide trigger warnings and warnings about sensitive subjects but please read at your own discretion.

Little Known Facts About Me

Little Known Facts About Me

I thought I would take it easy for this post and do a little list of 10 little known facts about me. Then I  realised that I’m probably one of the most boring people to ever have existed and discovered that it was actually really quite difficult coming up with even 3 facts but I. DID. IT. So here are “10 Little Known Facts About Me”.

1. I did Judo. Once. I was the only girl and when it came to pairing up, much like with every time we were asked to pick partners in school, I was the odd one out. I think I was about 10 at the time but isn’t it funny how when you’re a kid you can just suss out right from the start whether someone or a group of people are right for you? I just couldn’t shake the feeling that if I went back I would yet again be left out so I quit. It wasn’t a big loss to me; I had no interest in sports of any kind and had no tolerance for martial arts. I don’t regret it either.

2. When I was a kid I used to fantasise about being a popstar and living in a mansion somewhere hot. It wasn’t so much the fame, money or the luxury that drew me in; it was the need to be recognised in a positive way (or just seen at all) and being able to live a life where I could escape from my past by moving as far away as possible.  If I’m completely honest; I still want that. I want people to see me for me and I want to be able to provide for myself despite being unwell.

3. I am double jointed. I only discovered this when I got my fingers jammed in a door and my fingers came out of it looking not unlike E.T’s. Turns out the joints had locked and because they were injured they were taking a little while to release and go back to normal.

4. I can also turn my tongue onto its side (both sides). How I discovered that is beyond me.

5. I can’t sleep if there is a mess. I have been known to tidy up friends’ bedrooms (or wherever we ended up sleeping) just to be able to sleep. I would ask permission first and they would be fine with it – it was freeing cleaning after all. They didn’t understand my need, this compulsion, to do so and neither did I until I started going to group sessions for anxiety and found out it was one of the traits that belongs to the OCD side of one of the forms of anxiety that I have.

6. Just over two years ago I won tickets to see Little Mix and One Direction at the Apple Music Festival in London. Aside from the anxiety and travel side of things (over 9 hours by coach and then another hour or so navigating the tube), it was an amazing experience.

7. That trip was also my first time away without my parents.

8. I have met Westlife, two of my favourite YouTubers/Vloggers (Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita) follow my personal Twitter and Lilly Singh (iisuperwomanii on YT) has mentioned me by name in one of her vlogsprobably about 2 years ago now. If you’re wondering why there is no link to said vlog; I don’t want my personal account to be associated with this blog as it takes away the whole “being anonymous” thing I have going on.

9. In school I chose to learn both French and Spanish. I learned how to speak French when I was 3 from educational TV shows and songs but no longer speak it or Spanish fluently. I loved being in those classes. Myself and one other girl ended up confusing the teacher we had as she taught both of the classes and we sat in the same seats for both lessons. It also didn’t help that one day a week she taught us French 2^nd period and then Spanish 3^rd after a break. I also know Portuguese and Italian through songs and translating Tweets on an account for my other website.

10. I don’t speak about it but I have PCoS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). It’s an absolute pain in the ass (well, ovaries and uterus). I was told at 14 after tests that I had it and it was a relief to know that the extremely horrendous pain I was feeling, the breaks in between periods and the amount of blood loss I was experiencing was actually down to a medical condition and not something being seriously wrong. I was on medication for about 7 years for it until they had to change it because it was deemed a health risk (links to causing cancer and , oh, death) and also would have been a lethal combination with the antidepressants I was prescribed at the time too. Fun.

I hope you enjoyed those facts and learned something about me that you didn’t before. Have you had similar experiences?

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on
This mental health and lifestyle blog
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Coping & Distraction Techniques

Coping/Distraction Techniques

My need for distractions began, like with my disorders, at a very young age. I would come home and the first thing I would do was go to my room and listen to music to escape the torment of bullies and to stop their vicious words from going around in my head on a continuous loop, completely destroying me and driving me insane. Here is a small list of distraction techniques that I use when I’m going into situations that cause me distress like travelling and when I begin to feel run down my by depression and anxiety:

Music/iPod – I like to listen to a lot of the artists featured on my favourite bands & artists list from week one of Blogtober. If I’m at home I will have them on whilst I write up posts that make me incredibly sad to rehash or they will be on whilst I take some time to just lay on my bed and breathe. If I’m out and about I will charge up my iPod the night before to make sure it has enough battery to last the length of my travel time or for however long I may be in a particular shop.

Movies/Programmes/YouTube – Sometimes music isn’t enough and I need a visual distraction. This is when my favourite movies come out and I watch some of my favourite programmes on Netflix or I watch some of favourite YouTubers listed here.

Tapping – We had a session where the facilitator taught us about tapping pressure points. You start at the top of your body and you use two or more fingers to tap parts of your body to a particular beat. You make your way down, tapping various pressure points and repeat until you feel calm. You can even say positive affirmation with it for something like “I am not afraid of x, I am in a safe place” as long as they follow the same beat – like when making up a rhyme.

My phone/Kindle – As with movies/programmes and YouTube, sometimes you need more than background noise to feel calm or, in cases like mine, safe. My phone allows me to have a physical distraction if I’m waiting for someone and they are late (I’m always early too due to my anxiety issues which doesn’t help in this case). I also always have it on me so I can keep in contact with my parents as I rely on that contact to keep me from driving myself sick.  Along with my phone, my Kindle allows me to talk to my friends who are available about how I’m feeling and it also provides other forms of distraction such as access to YouTube, games and music.

Breathing techniques – Again, this was something were taught in one of our group sessions. There are a few but the one that seems to be working for me when I’m coming down from having a panic attack is the one where you breathe in for a count of, say 8, and then out again for a little bit longer. It helps to steady my breathing and allows me to get enough oxygen if I have been hyperventilating.

Continuing on this list but as coping methods, these are some of the signs that I am getting more anxious than usual.

Bouncing my leg – I could be sitting down or on my bed and my knee will bounce up and down. I also have a habit of tapping the sides of my feet against each other or the soles of my feet.

Rocking – I’ve has a habit of doing this since I was a kid. According to my mum I used to rock back and forth in a corner if there was a thunder storm outside. This still happens but when I’m feeling like I can’t cope.

Thumb twiddling – I do this a lot when I’m watching TV. I’ve found that it happens if I’m watching a distressing scene or if I feel myself getting emotionally involved with a movie or programme. 

Nail biting – This is a habit that, fortunately, I have been able to kick. It used to be that during term time at Primary School, High School and even college I would be constantly biting my nails because I was constantly worrying about what my peers were going to do or say to me.

A lot of the techniques described above for distraction only help me in the short term or when I’m coming down from a particularly bad episode and have no energy to even move. Oftentimes I have to get to a point where I’m relaxed enough to even think about doing them mindfully – something I will touch on at a later date. To further relax myself I will take a hot shower with some of the products I listed last week.

I think that is is for now; nothing else is coming to mind… Oh! Writing. I do a lot of writing too. Not because I want to have content for my blog or for my website but because it helps to take my mind off of whatever is causing me distress.

I’d best let you go for now, this post is long enough hahaha. See you tomorrow for another post!

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
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Blogtober Weekly Recap #3

Weekly Recap #3

Welcome to another weekly recap! Here you will find a master list all of this week’s Blogtober posts and where you can find them.
As always; anything in bold and underlined can be clicked on to take you to said post.

On Monday I talked about living with agoraphobia and the likes of when it started, when I was diagnosed with it and the on-going treatment which I receive for it.

Tuesday brought along something that I have never shared with this blog; my wish to share my art work with you and what led me to stop doing it. 

As I’m no stranger to avoidingsituations, I thought I would share some information about it on Wednesday and why it is unhealthy over on my mental health page.

My new friend Kerry sent in her response to my self-care Q &A on Thursday and on Friday I discussed what some of my favourite products are that I use in my day-to-day life and what products I gravitate towards when I need to take care of myself.

Finally, on Saturday I revealed that my Super Blogger of the week is Cairon (TravelBear92). All of my reasons why are here.

Thanks again for checking out my blog! If you liked a post; let me know. If you have thoughts on one of them; let me know. I look forward to hearing from you!

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
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Self-Care Response #13 ft Kerry

Self-Care Q&A

This week it’s the wonderful Kerry at Don’t Drop the Baby’s turn to write a response! Find out what she had to say below. You can find her on Twitter as well!

1. How do you know when you are in need of some self-care?

When I start to get snappy with my family, my chest starts to get tight, and intrusive thoughts start to appear again. This also happens when I'm extremely tired or have PMT!

2. Once you are aware that you need to take care of yourself, do you usually do so alone or do you have someone you can go to when you need some TLC?

I am very much a loner, especially when I am feeling anxious or overwhelmed. I need to spend time by myself either listening to music or being mindful.

3. Do you find it hard to make time for yourself?

Yes definitely. I have a 3 year old daughter, my partner works shifts, and neither of us have any family nearby. My 'me time' is squeezed into a couple of hours every evening! Although my daughter has started nursery now so things will get easier.

4. Is there anything that gets in the way of your “me” time/disrupts it (for me: noises outside can put me on edge or if other people are home I need to be mindful of how long I take, say, in the shower)?

I'm the same with noises outside! Sometimes if I'm extremely anxious and my partner is working nights, I get very jumpy at every little noise. I suppose social media can also affect my 'me time', as sometimes it can wind me up or make me even more anxious!

5. Do you ever feel guilty for having “me” time?

I used to when my daughter was younger, but not so much anymore as I hardly ever get it!

6. Do you schedule in “me” time or do you “go with the flow”/only take “me” time when you feel you need it?

I do try to schedule in nights out with my friends as it gives me something to look forward to. Other than that I very much just go with the flow. I will always tell my partner if I need a break though and he will take my daughter out for a bit on the weekends.

7. Is there a self-care routine that you try to follow?

Yes, I do high intensity cardio workouts every other morning (at home), yoga, follow a healthy diet and use my Headspace app to practice mindfulness.

8. When you feel down/not like your usual self; what do you do to cheer yourself up (hobbies, being with loved ones etc)?

I listen to my favourite music, write my blog and have a couple of glasses of wine. This usually leads to a really good cry and I always feel better the day after.

9. Do you have any mantras that you say to yourself as a pick me up or on a daily basis?

Not on a daily basis, but I usually just say "what will be will be"

                                                                                                                                                                              

10. Finally; do you have any self-care tips for anyone who might be reading this?

I cannot recommend a regular exercise routine strongly enough, it has completely changed my life. I haven't used medication to control my anxiety for years, I do it all through exercise, diet and mindfulness.

~ Thanks again to Kerry for answering the questions! Again, you can find her at https://dontdropthebaby.co.uk/ and https://twitter.com/KerryMeeGee.

Anxiously,

Me

If you decide to use this, please let me know first and give credit. There’s nothing worse than finding out something that you worked really hard on has been taken and uncredited, sometimes even plagiarised.

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This mental health and lifestyle blog,
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Blogtober Weekly Recap #2

Weekly Recap #2

Time for another weekly recap! I really enjoy writing these lists as, not only does it help me to see how much I was able to post, it allows you – the reader – to conveniently find all of this week’s posts if you happened to miss them and want a catch up or want to do a bit of a marathon blog reading.
As with before; anything that is in bold and underlined can be clicked and will take you to the page in question.

This week my personal post was on my experience with depression; when I knew I had it, what caused it, when I was diagnosed, how I coped during my school years and the treatment I have received for it since.

I also revealed why I started blogging and why that ties in with my illnesses.

On Wednesday I posted “10 Rules forCoping with Panic”. Now these aren’t definitive and you may have your own but these are the ones that myself and a group of people that I spent quite a bit of time with were taught. Some have really helped me to put some things into perspective.

Thursday’s “Self-Care Q & A Response” was sent in by my friend Bunnie. She is a fellow blogger and just a stand up human being.

Following on with last Friday’s Favourites, this Friday’s post was dedicated to a few of the bands and artists that I really admire and love the music of.

And finally; this week’s Super Blogger is Bunnie. You can read all about why I chose her here.

Thanks for clicking for my blog; it’s really appreciated and I would love to hear from you.

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:

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Blogtober Week 1 Recap

Weekly Recap : 1^st – 7^th October 2017

Instead of throwing another new post your way, I thought that on Sundays I would do a recap of everything that has been posted over the past week.

This week on “Anxiously, Me” saw the start of Blogtober – a month-long blogging event where you post every day. You can read more about that here. As the month of October began on a Sunday, I’m now dedicating that day to doing recaps, as I mentioned above.

On Monday I did a personal post about school and the bullying that I endured during my time there. It was so traumatic that it still stays with me to this day and effects everything I do – or don’t, in the case of my anxiety.

Tuesdays are now filled with my thoughts on things like social media cleanses and some fun things that I like to do in my spare time.

Sometimes I have “bonus blog” days where I post some information regarding mental health matters so for the next few weeks I’ll be posting the same kind of posts on Wednesdays. This week I talked about the “Circle of Avoidance”.

As you may have already seen on my blog and as the title of one of the tabs above, I have a “Self-Care Q&A” that I like to send out to my friends/readers. For the past couple of months these were scheduled on Fridays and, whilst the first run of them recently finished, I decided that I would bring them back for the Thursday slots during Blogtober. This last Thursday saw the return of the segment, this time with answers from one of my new blogger friends, Jen.

On Friday I posted my first ever “Favourites” videos with a list of my favourite songs from over the years. You can have a nose through that here.

Finally, Saturdays are now dedicated to some of the bloggers that I really admire. Yesterday I talked about the first blogger friend I made; Courtney (Unfiltered Mama) and how her friendship has impacted what I blog about. You can read about her here.

I hope you’ll stick with me on this blogging journey – there are still loads more posts to be published!

Anxiously,
Me

You Can Find Anxiously, Me on:
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Friday Favourites: Songs

Friday Favourites - Songs

Hi everyone!

For this post I thought I’d give an insight into the things I like, so every Friday in October I will be posting all about some of my favourite things from songs & artists to products.
This week is all about my favourite songs old & new:

“Look What You Made Me Do” – Taylor Swift.  As much as I love Taylor’s music, I wasn’t sure at first about this song being the lead single from her new album. However, I was very much sold on a) how catchy it is (a classic Taylor trait) and b) how the music video actually made me want to prepare for world domination. She’s also one of those artists that I can sit through an entire album of without skipping songs and that’s rare.

“SorryNotSorry” – Demi Lovato. I’m very much a fan of songs with expletives in them and this really does it for me. I’ve loved seeing Demi grow as an artist even if I’ve not always been a fan of her “dancier” tracks (I prefer a rockier vibe). I love the “I don’t give a f***” attitude of this track as it makes me want to care less about what others think of me.

“Back To You” – Louis Tomlinson ft Bebe Rexa. I’ve been a fan of Louis’ for years now. I definitely think that now is his time to shine (even though, yes, I would love for 1D to get back together). He definitely deserves to have that solo spotlight shining on him. I, personally, think he’s come so far with his vocals and believe that he should’ve been given more lines in songs at the start of his boyband career.

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” – Whitney Houston. This is my go-to “get-up-and-dance” song. In the rare instance that I am getting ready to go to a party or event then I will put on this song to get myself into the frame of mind of “I want to go out and I want to enjoy myself”. It’s also a go-to karaoke favourite of mine.

“The End” – Little Mix. If you haven’t heard this song then you need to stop what you’re doing right now and go listen to it. The vocals are on point and they give me goosebumps every time. I’ve seen Little Mix perform this live and the entire audience fell silent; their vocals are that powerful and stunning. I nearly cried and I wanted to fall to my knees because it was so overwhelmingly intense (in a good way).

“The Good in Goodbye” – Carrie Underwood. This song is so mellow and isn’t your typical break-up song. It’s all about discovering that whilst you may be heartbroken over a relationship ending, there is always some good that comes from it. Carrie is one of my favourite vocalists and this is one of the tracks that really showcases how talented she is.

“The Irony of Choking on a Life Saver” – All Time Low. Whilst this song has been out for a while now, it is a relatively new favourite of mine. The line “you’re the snake hidden in my daffodils when I’m picking flowers” is a little reminder that there is always going to be someone who will try to ruin things for you but songs like this really get you in the mood to rise above them and say “fuck you; I’m doing it anyway”.

“Jet Black Heart” – 5SOS. As someone who suffers from depression and the severity of a lot of symptoms of anxiety, this song means a lot to me. I like to listen to it when I’m feeling down as it encapsulates exactly what I battle through on a daily basis. I also love that this was written by 2 members of 5SOS (and 2 other co-writers) as it provides an insight into how they were feeling when they wrote it. It just makes the group even more relatable and human.

“Reggaeton Lenton (Remix) - CNCO ft Little Mix.  I love this particular version of this song. It’s not a traditional remix and that is partly what sold me on the track (other than it featuring Little Mix and Spanish guitars). I’m not a fan of remixes – they’re designed for dance clubs and, to be honest, you can’t even dance to them – and I really like that this is more of mainstream pop version. I love the mix of English and Spanish vocals and it really gets me in the mood to visit Spain again.

Congratulations if you’ve made it this far! I know a lot of people don’t care for knowing things like this but you’re here so you must. It means a lot to know that people want to know the person behind the blog. If you want to learn more about me and what I like, keep your eyes peeled every Friday!

Now; what I want to know is: what is your go-to “get-up-and-dance” song? You can let me know down in the comments or via Twitter!

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
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Self-Care Q&A Response #11 ft Jen

Self –Care Q &A/Tag

Hi there!

I decided to bring back the Self-Care Q&A for Blogtober! To kick-start this short round of responses, I asked the lovely Jen (http://www.beautylifemom.com & https://twitter.com/beautlifemom) if she would like to take part and she said “yes”! If you want to know more about her, you can find her on Twitter and over on her Blog.

1. How do you know when you are in need of some self-care?

I know I need self-care when I start feeling a certain way- overworked, tired, stressed, or just haven't gotten around to my typical routines in a while. 

2. Once you are aware that you need to take care of yourself, do you usually do so alone or do you have someone you can go to when you need some TLC?

I usually like to do self-care alone, quiet time is so important to me.  

3. Do you find it hard to make time for yourself?

I make it a priority when I can, so not typically. But of course there are crazy weeks when you can't get to it when you want. 

4. Is there anything that gets in the way of your “me” time/disrupts it (for me: noises outside can put me on edge or if other people are home I need to be mindful of how long I take, say, in the shower)?

I am a mom so naturally he occupies my time and mind, or work/life responsibilities. Also if there's something bothering me I can tend to focus on that and self-care can take a back seat. 

5. Do you ever feel guilty for having “me” time?

I used to since I feel like I need so much of it! But not really anymore-it keeps me sane. I try to balance it out by making sure I do what I need to do responsibility, making sure I do my part. But it's crucial for my mental health to be able to relax. Being overly stressed and neglecting myself is something I like to avoid when possible.

6. Do you schedule in “me” time or do you “go with the flow”/only take “me” time when you feel you need it?

There seems to be a routine- like after my son goes to bed. I snatch it when I can get it though, and it's usually around my son's schedule! Weekends as well, but weekends can be busy depending. So kind of a mix! 

7. Is there a self-care routine that you try to follow?

I keep a bullet journal that has a tracker so I know what I have or haven't been doing. Some are cosmetic- having my nails done around once a week, doing a face mask, etc. But I also make sure I take my vitamins regularly, write in a journal, eat relatively OK, blog etc. I don't know if anyone else is like this but budgeting and paying bills/saving calms me as well. 

8. When you feel down/not like your usual self; what do you do to cheer yourself up (hobbies, being with loved ones etc)?

A lot of times taking a nap or laying down makes a world of difference. Energy always makes me feel better. I vent by talking it out (even if to myself) or just let myself feel my feelings. I also try to be proactive by asking myself what I can do to change the root issue. Taking showers help too.  

9. Do you have any mantras that you say to yourself as a pick me up or on a daily basis?

I always tell myself that no matter what happens, life moves on and everything will be dealt with even if something can be annoying or taxing at the time. I remind myself that it's ok if I feel down, just don't stay there if I can help it. I also created a mantra this past summer, "move with yourself"- to allow for the changes I experience within myself and the world around me. Because turns out I evolve more than I realize, as does the world. No reason to fight it.               

                                                  

10. Finally; do you have any self-care tips for anyone who might be reading this?

Invest in your hobbies and passions, no matter what they are. That could mean spending on it (not going broke of course) but also it means setting time aside for it. It will make you happier and people are happier when you are! Also, learn to say no to things if it's not necessary (which you have to decide if it is or not). Make happiness a priority when you can! 

~ Over this next month I’ll be bringing you 3 more posts packed with answers so stay tuned!

Again, you can find Jen at http://www.beautylifemom.com/ and www.twitter.com/beautlifemmom.

Anxiously,

Me

If you decide to use this, please let me know first and give credit. There’s nothing worse than finding out something that you worked really hard on has been taken and uncredited, sometimes even plagiarised.

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