Super Blogger

Super Blogger Saturday

For those of you who have been following along with my Blogtober posts, I have decided that on Saturdays I will be featuring some of my blogging friends that I really admire and see as “super bloggers”. This could be for a multitude of reasons from how they present themselves online to the quality of their posts or just because they are some of the kindest people I have met online. I adore the 4 people I am going to be featuring and I hope that these posts will make you at least curious enough to go check them out.

This week’s post is dedicated to the first blogger friend I made; Courtney (Unfiltered Mama). She was the first to speak to me, to include me in her nominations for the Liebster award and is just generally a great sounding board for when I’ve felt insecure about my own posts/needed help.

How we met: I believe she followed me first (I could be wrong; my memory is shot) and after I followed her back she sent me a DM letting me know that if I was looking for guest posts then she would love to contribute. I believe she was also the first person to respond to one of my Tweets asking for blog posts to read. She was also the first person to ever nominate me for a blogger award (Liebster).

Her personality: Courtney is a very kind, very maternal type of woman. I’m not sure if this (being maternal) is because she is a mother to two little ones now or if it is something that has always been a part of her (I have a feeling it is the latter) but, since I’ve known her, she’s never been anything other than the type of friend who genuinely cares about you and will check in to see how you’re doing even when she is at her busiest. 

What she writes about: Courtney writes about her life experiences on her blog. So far her posts have covered her experience with abuse in a toxic relationship, finding a love who is the complete opposite and also how she deals with the anxiety that has stuck with her from said past relationship. She also posts about any nominations she receives for blogger awards such as the “Liebster Award” and The “Versatile Blogger Award”, and has recently started posting about her journey into motherhood.

On Twitter she tweets about adjusting to life as a mum of two, whatever she is going through in that moment and rts a lot of Tweets from those that she supports.

Her writing style: I enjoy reading Courtney’s blog and I get excited every time I get an email update saying that she has posted a new one. I love how her pieces read as though you are reading a novel; her powers of description are phenomenal.

Why you should follow her/read her blog: I think you should follow/read her blog because she is one of the nicest people you will ever come across and will help you in any way that she can. If you love a more narrative story-telling style then her blog is perfect for you.

Where you can find her: You can find Courtney on Twitter as @_unfilteredmama and you can read her blog here (https://unfilteredmamasite.wordpress.com)

If you happen to check Courtney out on social media/her blog do leave her a little comment or say “hi”; I know she would really appreciate it.

Anxiously,
Me

You can find Anxiously, Me on:
The blog
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

New Segment & #ff!

Self-Care Q&A w/ Courtney from Unfiltered Mama

Welcome to the “Self-Care Q &A” and also the day that I am dedicating to contributions from the friends I make on Twitter! I (Anxiously Me) made up some questions about self-care and decided to ask some of my friends their thoughts on said topic.  To kick things off, here is the Q &A I did with my new friend Courtney (Unfiltered Mama)! She is also my recommendation for #ff & you can find all of her links below.

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

C. I can feel my anxieties coming on, as well as all of my depressing thoughts. They don't usually just hit me out of nowhere like they would when I was younger. I start segregating myself from the outside world and keep all conversations short. So when I start feeling down in the dumps, I make it my job to get myself out as soon as possible.

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 prefer to be alone. I mean, I love the cuddles and everything in between. But I like to save that for when I'm at the peak of feeling better. When the anxiety and depression first hits, it's important for me to deal with it on my own. The quiet time, when I find it, helps me deal with whatever is at hand during that moment.

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

I'm a stay at home mom so I don't really get that "me" time that I need. It's my own fault for not working harder to get it. My daughter is 17m old and my anxieties are so bad that I have not left her side yet. I can't and won't do it. To top it off, I'm currently pregnant so if I really want that time to myself.. I have to calm myself and just do it.

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 can't really put the blame on my daughter for disrupting whatever I consider "me" time right now. But when I'm writing, I have to do it when I know no one will interrupt. If something else grabs my attention, I lose focus and instantly get writers block. In a matter of seconds I'll lose all of these wonderful things I had to say and start searching for the motivation to start again.

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

As I said earlier, I've never actually taken the time to be by myself. But if I'm brave enough to write while my daughter is awake, then yes. It's hard to stop and go and keep repeating that when she wants my attention. That's why I save it for when she naps.

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

When I have my off days I know I'll need some recovery. So I take it as it goes. Some days I just snap out of whatever mood I'm in. But it takes a lot of work, most of the time, to dig myself out of the hole I created myself.

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

I consider my writing, my blog, a self-care method. So you could say it's "scheduled." I used to post every day but then I started feeling like I was overwhelming my readers with my personal story. Since then I've created a more scheduled-like week for my blogs and so far it's been going 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)?

Being around my daughter is always something that works instantly. But other than stating the obvious, I like to clean while listening to music. I dance around and sing like a lunatic, but it always picks me up high enough to feel better for the day. Writing, of course, has always been my outlet. That's always my first go-to.

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

Nothing specific but I do like reading motivational quotes and passing them on to others. They help me feel empowered and if I know someone else who's having an off day, I want them to feel that "I can survive this" feeling I get every so often.

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

There is nothing wrong or selfish with putting yourself first. Take the time you need and run with it! Your mind, body, and soul deserve the self-care you're seeking. It is so important to be aware of your mental health. I, for one, am not ashamed to put my feelings out there and let everyone know when I'm having a rough day. But doing so helps me feel better. So do what you need to get yourself to that point. Make today the day you strive to be a better you. And as always, let me know how it works out for you!

If you want to follow Courtney, you can find her on Twitter at @_UnfilteredMama and her blog is here. She would love to hear from you!

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. 

See you all on Monday for another new post!

Anxiously,

Me