tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48017302414296921802024-02-21T05:14:04.927+00:00Life In RecoveryLife In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-72048032289769868922018-12-31T11:44:00.001+00:002018-12-31T11:44:55.168+00:00Goodbye from Life In Recovery<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yPcVCclf-bw" width="459"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A video to say goodbye to you all. Now seems the right time, as a new year dawns, to move forward in my own recovery and completely leave behind my ill self. This site, and you, have made such a difference to my life and my recovery in the last five years and for that I thank you. To everyone who has sent a message, left a comment or followed along - it's been wonderful to see that this little corner of the internet has helped you regain hope, find some health and discover your own road to life in recovery. Now here's to the future...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*No new content will be uploaded on here or the blog, but the old videos and articles will all remain accessible.*</span><br />
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<a href="https://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com/2018/08/anniversary-five-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Five years on from hospital </span></a><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a></div>
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-22382743876515538502018-08-05T17:30:00.000+01:002018-08-05T17:30:11.616+01:00Anniversary: five years on from hospital...I will start this post with the same preface as the last three years<span style="font-family: inherit;"> "<i style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">I have just written a 'status update' on my personal Facebook page to my friends and it occurred to me that I also want to say thank you to all of YOU. So I'm going to paste in what I wrote word-for-word on here.</span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"> </span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">This isn't something I thought I would ever feel comfortable doing. I try to keep Life In Recovery and my personal life reasonably separate. Not because I am ashamed of the blog but because I think it works better if I don't use this as a platform to air my private life and that I use my past and present experiences in a constructive way to help others who may be struggling. That won't be changing.</span></span></span></i></span><span style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Keeping this blog, creating videos and posting little (or a lotta) bits on Twitter has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I hope to continue the work I have only just started and love interacting and discovering all of you 'out there.' This is why I felt it was relevant to post the message I sent to my friends and family to you all as well."</span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></i></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">For the full effect (and for the new readers amongst you) you can read my <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/anniversary-one-year-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">first year anniversary post here</a>, my<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/anniversary-two-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank"> second here</a>, my <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com/2016/08/anniversary-three-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">third year here</a> and <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com/2017/08/anniversary-four-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">my fourth year here</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s that time of year again – my unedited-stream-of-consciousness-brain-heart-soul-dump-thing
to mark the anniversary of me leaving hospital. Yes, it’s 5<sup>th</sup> August
and FIVE YEARS since being discharged. This anniversary post will probably be
my last – those of you who have been subjected to five years of these will no
doubt be relieved! I just feel that now is a good time to stop. I will always
mark today in a small way, but I don’t feel the need to publicly prove how far
I’ve come or keep a running reminder of so many years unwell now that I have
moved so far forward in life. However, I do reserve the right to resurrect
these in the future!! So…here goes…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I recently found some videos taken while in my last hospital.
Two of me on a treadmill in a harness with my physiotherapist – getting used to
walking and re-training my body. And a few from five years ago exactly: my discharge
day – removing my name from my hospital room door and wiping down the
whiteboard of my schedule of ward rounds, drug rounds and therapy appointments.
I sat and watched myself grin, gurn, grimace and gnash my teeth. I watched me
hobble and limp, hurt and labour, be happy and laugh, reach new heights
(literally and figuratively) and achieve life goals. And if that’s not an
accurate summary of those videos and also the last five years I don’t know what
is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t think I’ve ever watched those videos before. And the
overriding feeling was that I knew I was watching me; I remember being in the
harness and I remember the day I was discharged, but that person is not the ‘me’
I am today. I barely recognise her – and that can be no bad thing. In last year’s
post (or was it the one before..?) I wrote about now being me. Being myself
fully. And moving so far from my unwell years that they had become a hazy and distant
memory. Those twelve years are now like the mist in the early morning that gets
burned off so easily by the first rays of the sun. And the last five years have
been so full of sunshine that the mist has all but disappeared – leaving behind
the memories, but not having an effect on the enjoyment of the day(s) to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In these posts, I like to look back and reflect on the past
year and how far I have come. I like to take the opportunity to thank all those
who have been with me; by my side, on the phone, in letters, in voice notes, in
spirit, in laughter and in tears. Those thanks can never be put into words –
and this measly post will never sum up how grateful and lucky I am to have had so
much care, support and expertise over the past umpteen years. This year was the
year I finally stopped going to hospital appointments, and that was a massive
deal. <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com/2018/01/life-in-recovery-no-more-hospital.html" target="_blank">I wrote a little something on Instagram about it</a> – so I won’t repeat
myself here. Safe to say it was an emotional day – one that I thought would
never come; one that I wasn’t sure I wanted to come; but one that I worked so hard
to reach. It meant saying goodbye to the doctor who had spent the last five
years with me since my discharge – helping me find my feet (factually and
figuratively) and being such an inexhaustible source of support. That was a
bittersweet moment. And this year has been full of both the bitter and the
sweet. Just as life – a ‘normal’ life, a full life ought to be. I wrote about
that last year too I think; that when you live a full life, like a heartbeat –
there are ups and downs – but that just shows you are alive. Not flatlining.
Not like I had been. Not like I almost did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year I could talk about all the mind-blowing things I
have done, the achievements that bizarrely keep coming and the over-eager excitement
I have for the future. But for me, the most important part of this year – and the
one that marks out this year especially – are the people who I have lived my
life alongside. The people who I have let in, and who have let me in in return.
These people – my friends and family – have made this year lovelier than I
could have expected. And lovely is the word. Love-ly. Full of love in all its
forms. And as I reach the point in this post where I talk about the thing that
means the most – <i>you</i> – this is the point where the tears have come! So,
as I sit here, with an old episode of Bake Off to keep me company – with tears
streaming down my face – I want to say thank you. This year, despite all the
incredible milestones and giant leaps forward in my work/uni/inner and outer life,
things have not always been the easiest. There have been hard choices,
heartbreak, headaches, hellos and hasta la vistas. I have moved on, moved
forward and moved house. There have been tears, triumphs and tests. But through
all the ups and downs, the times I thought I was falling to pieces, the “you’re
not going to believe this…” and the “I did it” moments, the stresses and the
successes - there was always someone to share those times with and always someone
who wanted to share their moments with me too. Always someone to call, always someone
to come over or visit, always someone to toast with/toast to/hug/laugh with/cry
with/cry for. This last year I made a concerted effort to open up, share the bad
and not just the good, say “this is me”, say “I like you”, carefully choose who
I surround myself with and put a lot of time into my friends – and that has
meant that my world has grown and ballooned, rather than narrowed and shrunk. I
always thought I would be someone who valued ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’, meaning
that I would have a smaller group of people to go through life with – but the quantity
of quality I now have amazes me. If you are reading this, it is because you
have added some quality to my life. And for that I am blessed. I am excited for
the times to come and the lives we will lead. Even if our paths cross or diverge,
lead away from each and then back – know that you make a difference to those
around you. Know that you can have a positive impact on someone’s life so much
more easily and effortlessly than you realise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I look back – on five years of healthy life, and twelve
years of ill-health – I get flashes of faces, snippets of memories and twinges
of pain. I know that there will be things that sometimes ache, things that will
never completely heal but that will throb and tingle like old scars are wont to
do, but I also know that I will never be beaten, never be alone, never be empty.
I will always have the good memories as well as the bad. I will never unlearn
the lessons that were taught to me in times of pain and darkness. I will live
my life in the light – having known the blackness and never be afraid of the
dark. And I will be me. Whether that is me being sad, being silly, being soppy,
being sarcastic or being sensationally ecstatic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ronan Keating – that poet – sung, “Life is a rollercoaster –
just gotta ride it”. But it’s not just about passively riding it. It’s about queuing
to get in (waiting patiently or impatiently), measuring yourself up to make
sure that this is the ride for you and you won’t fall out of the contraption, strapping
yourself in, having your crew sitting beside you and in front of you and behind
you – while you all scream and laugh, be afraid and be excited, get nervous and
get sick. That’s what life is. It’s about living it out loud; in all it’s
stomach-crunching, white-knuckle-inducing, when-will-it-begin, hair-flying,
stop-start, loop-de-loop, “I want to get off” moments; it’s “Ooh, look at the
view”, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Actually, this is quite fun” and
“Let’s do it again” times. That’s how life is a rollercoaster, and that’s how
to ride it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With love, thanks and countless other emotions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a></div>
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<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-55834577664145181632018-06-03T14:36:00.001+01:002018-06-03T19:50:13.247+01:00Month In Review: MAY 2018<div style="text-align: justify;">
This Month In Review will be a shorter one, as I am not in a head/body/soul-space where I can really sum up May, but I also don't want to miss a post. Sitting on the balcony of my new flat - surrounded by trees and with a cuppa, I felt I would regret not writing at least <i>something</i> to mark May. A month that was more emotional and significant than I could have predicted.</div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Word/quote of the month:</u> "Black Holes and Revelations"</div>
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This may mean more to some than others, being a song lyric from Starlight by Muse and also the title of an album of theirs. It has always meant a lot to me - but in May it became painfully apt for many reasons.</div>
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May was a month of exams - marking the end of my second year at university. And while they were stressful and I definitely had moments where I struggled - other happenings almost eclipsed them. And that is saying something. </div>
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Some of my favourite people went through a lot of difficulties in May (and still are), and I was there to support them. And when my time came to need support - I found I had plenty of shoulders on which to cry (both metaphorically and literally). And while it is never a happy moment, it is an honour to be the one people go to to lean on, and a wonderful thing to have people you yourself can rely on too.</div>
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While April was a whirlwind, and a month where tissues and issues were in force, May was similar. And although only some of the April issues were still 'active' during May - there were a few more to complicate matters. And add some bumps in the road.<br />
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Sometimes an inner truth or truths can be revealed to you, slowly at first - growing bigger gradually. Coming more into focus as time goes on. Getting stronger and stronger. Being pointed out by too many people, or being brought into sharper focus too often. Until suddenly you have a moment of 'Revelation' and then your world seems a different place. And you can't go back to how things were, and you can't pretend you didn't have that moment. And you can't close the floodgates, or paper over the cracks, or try and repaint the lines; because the lines have been blurred for too long, you have been drawing, re-drawing and holding the line for too long and you can't keep it up, and the cracks have become too big to fill and the gates just won't stay shut on their own.<br />
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And then you have to decide what to do. And you have to make decisions you may not want to make. You have to be deeply honest with yourself (and with a carefully selected few confidantes). And you have to do things that don't feel right (in fact they can feel downright wrong), but they are things that protect you, and put you first, and will help you in the long run. And however difficult they feel to do - you know that you must.</div>
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But you also have to feel. Feel all the feelings. The proper stuff. The stuff that makes you want to curl up in a ball and never uncurl. The stuff that feels like it's killing you, or crushing you, or choking you. The stuff that makes you literally double over in pain and grief, and countless other emotions. But this is the stuff that makes you human; that makes you an emotional person; that makes you empathetic; that makes you wise; that makes you real; that makes you honest and true; that means you are brave; that means you are alive and living. And that is who I am. That is me. And that is what I have done. I have not been in denial. I have not buried my thoughts and feelings. I have not retreated to a safe place and repressed everything. Because, boy, that would have been easier in the short-term! And I will be glad - eventually - that I have done and felt all these things and that I will have come out the other side. I will be glad that I was congruent, integrated and honest. I will be glad that, despite feeling all that and struggling, I have managed to be present and enjoy certain things in May. I will be glad that I have not let everything be in shadows, and that I have done what I have absolutely had to, and needed to do, for my future. And I will be glad that I have protected myself, and put myself first.</div>
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Black holes ar<span style="font-family: inherit;">e described as: <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">a region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape. I think we all can feel like there are black holes for us. Things that pull us in. Things that require a lot, or all, of our energy and time. Things that we can't escape from - much as we may try. Whether it is a career, a pursuit, a person, a degree, a hobby - they may feel like black holes. Something so powerful that obliterates other aspects of our lives, or something that we let have power over us. But good news fellas, recent research shows that the stuff that goes into black holes may not be lost forever. So just remember that when you feel you are being pulled towards something, or when you are giving all your energy to something - it is going somewhere - it still exists - it isn't a hopeless outpouring. </span></span></div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Healthy meal/food of the month:</u> Wedding cake</div>
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Because I don't want May 2018 to be remembered as a doom-and-gloom-filled month, my food has to be wedding cake. I had two weddings (in the space of two days) this month and they were so lovely and significant in their own ways. These weddings marked a step-change in lives, a public outpouring of love, a statement of togetherness and a joining of families. And what could be more beautiful than that. There were tears, late-night bacon sandwiches eaten on dance-floors, best man speeches, signing of registers with shaking hands (mine in one case - not the bride or grooms!), fruit cake galore, champagne sprayed and love shared.<br />
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<b><u>Healthy thing to do</u></b>: be me, take some time off and away, and remember <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com/2018/05/month-in-review-april-2018.html" target="_blank">April's healthy thing</a><br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Lesson of the month:</u> School may be out, but I'm still learning</div>
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I learned far too much this month, both in and out of school. And I can't really sum that up. So that is my lesson. We keep on learning. We never stop. And it's never an inappropriate moment to revise, relearn, teach yourself, be taught and remember.</div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Goal for the next month:</u> Re-gain my sparkle, and happily reflect on year two of university and all that I accomplished in that year.</div>
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<b><b><i>How was your May?</i></b></b></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-56459346313501871622018-05-03T18:09:00.001+01:002018-05-03T18:20:00.100+01:00Month In Review: APRIL 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Word/quote of the month:</u> Sometimes there are no words...<br />
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This month has been hard to sum up in a quote - so that is my quote! As you may know by now, I tend not to share too much on here, and like to keep specifics limited and private. The aim of this blog is to share hope, short-cuts, recovery lessons and provide information to anyone struggling or suffering. With all that in mind I think this month has shown that when aspects of your life are imploding and/or exploding you can still carry on and get the essentials done despite feeling like giving up or wanting to regress back to childhood.<br />
<br />
April was a month full of stuff. Fun stuff, tough stuff, work stuff and personal life stuff. It is hard to convey just how messy and demanding this month has been across many fronts. I have had to face things I would have rather not, I have had to deal with uncertainty in significant areas of my life, I have made decisions that will change the shape of my future life and I have had to do this with a background of university deadlines and exams. And I have made it through. And I have done that by myself, but also with the support and love of those around me; and for that I count my blessings.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
In many ways, this has been a torrid month, but looking back I am almost glad of the tough times - for they are what makes life what it is. They are the very problems that I always wished I could deal with when I was unwell - the real life stuff that gets thrown in your way to deal with. I have always said that I never want to live a flat-line kind of life - that the way I want to live will always be like a heart-beat; with ups and downs. This month definitely had all the highs and lows of a very healthy heart-beat! And while I would never wish for troubles, it does make the good times all the more sweeter and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel as we move into a new month.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Healthy meal/food of the month:</u> Salad.<br />
<br />
Nothing beats a decent salad. And with warmer weather comes my craving for salads. Give me a bowl of mixed leaves, some extras like green beans/grated carrot/avocado or all of these and then top that with tuna, falafel, chicken or salmon and I will be a very happy girl. You can see evidence of my love over on <a href="http://instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_" target="_blank">Instagram</a> - which features photos and simple recipes to sate any salad lover. My body has also been craving fresh and colourful foods lately, so I have been making sure to listen to my body and give it what it wants and needs. Don't assume that a bowl of salad can't fill you up and is merely rabbit food!<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Lesson of the month:</u> Realising your worth.<br />
<br />
Yes, this is another 'not new lesson'. But another that was brought home again this month.<br />
I think we can often devalue ourselves, and accept things into our lives based on that lower valuation. But then sometimes things happen that make us realise that we may be able to do better in an aspect, or aspects, of our lives. Whether this is attracting a more supportive/fun-loving/kind/*insert appropriate synonym* group of friends, finding a new job or a myriad other things.<br />
<br />
This month I was reminded that I can sometimes pursue things that aren't the best for me, accept things into my life that devalue me or put my energy into things that aren't 'worth' it. I am my number one biggest enemy and critic, and that has been brought into sharp focus in recent years, when speaking to others and getting comments that 'jar' with how I really feel about myself. I think this is very common. However, there comes a time when you sit up and realise that you *can* do better or that there is no need to 'settle' or put your energy into something (or someone) that isn't giving that back. It isn't about having overblown or bloated standards, it's more just about HAVING standards.<br />
<br />
This month has also reminded me that there are many people and many things worth investing in - myself among them. Moving forward, I will not be accepting anything less than I feel I deserve, and I will not be putting my energy into anything that doesn't make me feel good or move me closer to a happy, healthy and fulfilled life. *BIG STATEMENT THERE* I am sure I will falter and stumble, but I know that the people in whom I have confided and shared my issues with will be there to place an arm under my elbow to help me up if I need them to. And that is a wonderful feeling. And leads me up onto my next category...<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Healthy thing to do:</u> Opening up.<br />
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<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/month-in-review-march-2018.html" target="_blank">Last month I wrote about communication</a>, and this month features communication again. People who are reading this who know me will no doubt not be surprised that this has been a big thing this month. People who don't know me offline will no doubt have had their own problems with opening up - as so many of us do. The saying, "a problem shared, is a problem halved" may not always feel true, but it can certainly lessen the burden and provide support. I, like so many, am not a natural sharer of my innermost problems. In recent months I have been making a conscious effort to reach out to people when I need it, and ask for help or support. Something that comes far from naturally to me. I think people who are the natural carers or go-to people of others tend to be the worst at sharing their own stuff and asking for help - and that can be damaging. I have discussed this many times, for example <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxybxiLWg&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0&index=6&t=292s" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxybxiLWg&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0&index=6&t=292s" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
This month I have (again) been reminded that I have some of the most wonderful friends. But this month I have (entirely unplanned) shared some of my deepest, darkest things with people who I would have never expected to. These organic 'dumps' all happened in the space of less than a week with three different people, all about the same thing. While it caught me off-guard and proved a little de-stabilising at the time - looking back I am so pleased that it happened the way it did. Clearly the things going on my life at the time had raked up things and I needed to share that, but didn't know how, as other parts of my life were going a bit crazy and my usual 'go to' people were not around. But through a series of weird happenings and conspiracies of coincidence the issues were brought up and out, but in a way that I could just about manage. And while I have not addressed the underlying 'stuff' I now know that there are a few more people in the world who can take the darker, more traumatised parts of me and still see me the same way after - a big concern when dealing with tough topics.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
So a problem shared may not be a problem halved, but it is a problem <i>shared</i> - and that is a start to coming to terms with issues in your life and seeking peace or a resolution. I highly recommend being a little more open with those around you who you trust.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Goal for the next month:</u> Settle, sun-bathe and celebrate (didn't quite manage that alliteration...)<br />
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This May is going to be another mammoth one. I have exams, weddings and am moving house. So I am hoping to be all settled in my new home by the end of the month, having got some sun and rest (come on English weather!!), while having said goodbye to my second year of university.<br />
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<b><i>How was your April?</i></b><br />
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-9090883182322822092018-04-13T10:42:00.000+01:002018-04-13T10:42:54.280+01:00Wellbeing Basics: Laughing<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Laughter
is the best medicine” – one of life’s essential mottos, and more true than you
might realise. Laughter boosts your immune system, helps your mood, diminishes
your perception of pain and, when shared, can strengthen and create bonds
between us: and that’s just the tip of the iceberg…</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">So here’s a piece explaining
why we should value our ability to laugh, and why it’s one of life’s most vital
(and healing) ‘basics’.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why <u>is</u> laughter the best
medicine?</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we
laugh, we release ‘feel good’ endorphins, our ‘happy chemical’ serotonin and
also increase the oxygen supply to our vital organs. This creates a general
sense of wellbeing, not only in our brains, but throughout our body. Having
a proper laugh can affect blood pressure, raise our heart-rate and generally
ease tension and stress. Laughing also boosts our immune system – studies have
shown that ‘happy thoughts’ can release neuropeptides which help fight stress
and illness. I made a video (a long time ago) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgE03RuV1_I&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEnVwyTPwnS3xcIER1KIn0M&index=2&t=48s" target="_blank">talking about some of the other health benefits of laughter</a>, including helping combat pain and boosting your (and
others’) mood. I also talk about how sharing humour and laughter creates a
sense of community and strengthens relationships with others. All in all, there are truly miraculous benefits to laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">…but I don’t feel like
laughing…</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a
hard one to crack. If you don’t feel happy or relaxed, then the chances are,
you’re less likely to want to have a chuckle. However, I would make sure to
have some tools on standby for when you need a good giggle, but aren’t in the
mood. Does a particular film get you laughing? Do you have a friend who can
always, always, always make you roar? Now’s the time to put that DVD in, or call up that
friend. You’ll find that once you start laughing, it’s very hard to stop! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>(caveat: obviously, if you are experiencing symptoms of depression or really
struggling to summon the desire to laugh – you should speak to a medical
professional and/or consider some sort of therapy. I am by no means suggesting
that laughter is a cure-all, just a great and natural mood-booster)<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Okay,
okay – I get it…I should laugh more. But how do I add more laughter to my
day-to-day? </i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s five ways:<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Films/TV Shows:</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you
think a particular comedian or actor is comedy gold? Does one particular TV
show tickle your funny bone? Keep a stack of DVDs nearby or record them on TV, so that you can guarantee you’re laughing within minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Other people:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finding
someone who shares your sense of humour, who you can be silly with and share a laugh is so important. Spend time with your favourite people and you’ll find
that you all benefit from shared humour. Laughter is infectious – use that fact
to your advantage!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">YouTube videos:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are
millions and millions of funny YouTube videos, perfectly designed to make you laugh. Does slapstick humour get you going? Does a cat ‘talking’ make you
giggle? Do you find video ‘pranks’ that go wrong make you laugh? A fan of innuendo bingo..? The world is
your oyster online, so get googling and you’ll be sure to find a video that you
can watch during your lunch-break that makes you laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Go to a comedy club:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of
the times I’ve laughed the most (that “I-can’t-breathe-my-face-is-going-to-crack-my-stomach hurts-I-think-I-broke-a-rib” feeling) is when I went to the <a href="http://thecomedystore.co.uk/" target="_blank">Comedy Store</a> in London.
I highly, highly recommend a night of stand-up or improv to inject some
laughter into your life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spend time with children
or pets:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I find
I’m always laughing or smiling when I’m around little ones and furry things.
The cute and adorable things they do never fail to amuse me. If you don’t have
a pet or a child to hand – borrow one! You’ll do your friends a massive favour
by offering to walk their dogs or babysit their children, and you gain a lot
too!<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you make time to
laugh? What do you find really funny? Has your sense of humour changed? Are you
struggling to find things to laugh at right now? Let us know…<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
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<br />Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-72305740075207686802018-04-01T20:14:00.000+01:002018-04-01T22:12:21.835+01:00Month In Review: MARCH 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ouDAL8tgPF_SOaH5HXnqLTERkFGJH_7dgw2masUsSCWyypOcAv12rYVtvUx_gE0BvuW_T1eBwbrNxH2RzWVO3rnuv0ue14dtiqf91rtujRg3m-edpD96J_dgdu8f79Tjp67_PdWhXDYq/s1600/March+2018.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ouDAL8tgPF_SOaH5HXnqLTERkFGJH_7dgw2masUsSCWyypOcAv12rYVtvUx_gE0BvuW_T1eBwbrNxH2RzWVO3rnuv0ue14dtiqf91rtujRg3m-edpD96J_dgdu8f79Tjp67_PdWhXDYq/s320/March+2018.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Word/quote of the month:</u> "Work hard, play hard"<br />
<br />
This has been the month that was.<br />
That was full of work, full of fun, full of friends and just plain full-on. The last three March-es have been similar in that they have had potentially a little bit too much going on in them. Last year I spoke about burning the candle at both ends - which you can watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxQljpbtB-k&index=5&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">here</a>, and the year before that I spoke about balance which can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ8YHmA7zmE&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">here</a>. Leaving aside the fact that I don't seem to learn lessons very quickly (!) I think this is a problem with the modern world where we try and cram too much into our days and nights. We can often feel guilty for not constantly working or moving forward, we can often feel that we need to stay busy to cover up insecurities, we can often feel like we 'need' to be doing 'stuff' so that we aren't left with our own company and we can often feel like we just can't say no, or are too tempted so we say yes. Whatever the reason, I think it's worth remembering that it's just as important to take some time out as to be busy. It's important to be able to switch off and just be.<br />
If we are relentlessly pursuing something, always reaching, always planning the next five activities, then we can forget to enjoy the now. Plus, it is very easy to burn out. I decided to take a couple of evenings off this week, and feel so much the better for it. Having had something on every night for weeks and weeks, and my days filled with studying and work, something had to give. And I didn't want it to be my health or my sanity. So kids, the phrase of the month may be: work hard, play hard - and boy is it fun to live by that...but maybe we should also add rest and relax to that, so that we can enjoy the work and the play for longer.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Healthy meal/food of the month:</u> SOUP<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
It's been cold - bitterly so. We have had blizzards in London and the weather has made us all want to hibernate. That means one thing, and one thing only, is the perfect lunch: soup.<br />
Nothing beats a bowl or mug full of hot soup with a hunk of bread to dip in. I always like to have a home-made and good quality veg or <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/tis-season-to-catch-cold-tips-for-cold.html" target="_blank">chicken stock</a> on hand to make my own soup; but shop-bought is equally pleasing and comforting (and more convenient at times).<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Lesson of the month:</u> Communication is key<br />
<br />
Not a new lesson, but one that keeps cropping up lately, so I think it is worth noting down. This month (and the last couple) have continued to test my communication skills, and show the importance of them. Whether you are struggling with family issues, arguing with a friend, trying to keep in touch long-distance, giving a speech at work, doing an interview or trying to get to know someone or something...communication is key. Obviously communication goes both ways - it's awful when just one party is making all the effort or you're banging your head against a brick wall, but I think it is so important to be able to say what you feel and think and tackle issues head on.<br />
<br />
Bite the bullet and say you don't agree with someone. Swallow your pride and admit you don't know what is going on. Tamp down your fear and ask that burning question.<br />
See something silly that reminds you of a friend? Send them a voice note or a picture. Miss someone? Tell them! Want to see someone more? Ask them to hang out! Intrigued about an opportunity? Ask someone who knows! Worried about something? Try and get to the bottom of it! Avoiding an issue? Think about how to solve it!<br />
<br />
They say your vibe attracts your tribe, and this month I have been reminded again just how awesome my tribe is - and I've been spending a lot of time with my friends. I want to keep them in my life. And to do that you have to put in effort, even when things are a bit tough, or when you're busy, or stressed. As I said earlier, communication needs to be mutual - so, having said all of that, sometimes it is important to know when you're flogging a dead horse - sometimes it is the wiser, healthier and better choice to let things lie. Reserve your energy for the people who, and the things that, reflect your energy back; and are positive influences in your life that make you feel good. Don't pour your energy and time into something or someone that won't do the same for you. It's a hard lesson, but an important one to learn, and something I've spoken about a lot - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxybxiLWg" target="_blank">here in May 2017</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4kki9t8tlE&t=0s&index=10&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">here in October 2017</a>.<br />
<br />
I think the ultimate lesson is: however scared or worried or bored or complacent or angry you are - making yourself communicate and connect with those around you is really important. It can be healing and enlivening, it can shift and change your world for the better. You are in charge; you pick who and what you want in your life; say what that is, and I think you'll be happily surprised by the result. And don't accept less than you deserve or less than you want from life. Communicate what that is - and the chances are, you will get it, or attract it, or make it happen.<br />
<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Healthy thing to do:</u> RELAX<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
As I have intimated - it has been a whirlwind of a month, and I am in desperate need of some relaxation time - I think a lot of us are. I even wrote a blog post on it in March. So if you're interested in reading more about the art of relaxation and how important it is to have time out then<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/wellbeing-basics-relaxing.html" target="_blank"> read it here</a>.<br />
March can often be a month where people get run down, ill and depleted. Taking time to relax, and prioritising some 'down time' can help re-centre an re-balance you and send yourself the right messages.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Goal for the next month:</u> Revision, rest and regaining the gym<br />
<br />
April is revision season, so I can't escape the fact that I'm going to be chained to my computer/desk/revision notes. However, I learned a lot last year about factoring in breaks and getting some exercise too, so that is the goal.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><i>What has March held for you? Any lessons learned?</i></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<br />
<div style="color: black;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-6233473179499325682018-03-17T14:40:00.002+00:002018-03-17T14:40:44.867+00:00Wellbeing Basics: Relaxing<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As
Frankie says, “Relax” – not only a choooon, but a great piece of advice.
Relaxing and taking time ‘out’ is one of life’s necessities. One which often
gets overlooked, especially in our modern, 24/7 lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why is feeling relaxed
so important?</span></span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However
you might describe your own personal state of ‘relaxation’, it’s a very
important feeling to nurture. Feeling stressed and anxious is not good for you
and fuelling this by pushing yourself to extremes and maintaining a hectic, chaotic
lifestyle will do you no favours in the long run. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now for the science bit...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The ‘stress hormone’
cortisol, which our bodies produce as a response to physically or emotionally
stressful situations, shuts down ‘unnecessary’ bodily functions to help us
manage those stresses. This can be a really great thing, but also could lead to
your body going a little haywire. Some of those ‘unnecessary’ functions which
are messed with are our reproduction and immune systems. Both of which are, I
hope you’ll agree, pretty important! Chronic stress (and cortisol production)
can create a vicious circle and be hard to reverse. This is just one of the
many reasons why cultivating relaxation time is so vital and should be
considered one of life’s basics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdbipb7AfIYzKFM8dsLRATE9eBFp2rWdCPdTfiC8QvSA-lgW-natN4J5Pqeu1POOy74wwU3ICp-TG0CiYu9Ba3JCJ4TRf5T1UuvqDv1L6zEGlb1ovT3RJdWRKkcm2LLqYVT_hHHIpVyUe/s1600/Relax+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1050" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdbipb7AfIYzKFM8dsLRATE9eBFp2rWdCPdTfiC8QvSA-lgW-natN4J5Pqeu1POOy74wwU3ICp-TG0CiYu9Ba3JCJ4TRf5T1UuvqDv1L6zEGlb1ovT3RJdWRKkcm2LLqYVT_hHHIpVyUe/s400/Relax+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m too busy to spend
time relaxing…</span></span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Possibly
true, but there are often times in the day when you can snatch 5-10 minutes and
re-centre. You don’t have to spend a whole day relaxing to benefit. I think the key, especially when we feel we are just too busy,
is to prioritise relaxation and <span style="font-style: italic;">make</span> the time. We can often feel guilty putting
ourselves first or by not having a jam-packed weekend. But the impact of you not carving out a little ‘me’ time can be profound. We
shouldn’t see relaxation time as a luxury – but as an essential. Value yourself
enough to create a little time in your day or week when you can relax. Think
about your energy as a battery which needs recharging regularly. Along with <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/wellbeing-basics-sleeping.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">sleep</span></a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuodephCpeM&t=535s" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">food</span></a>,
relaxation helps charge that battery and means you can feel better, do more,
stay healthy and remain happy. Who wouldn’t want to make time for that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t know how to
relax…</span></span></i></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">A very
common problem actually! Some people can feel so hyped-up and full of adrenalin
that it’s hard to just ‘be’. A lot of people think that relaxing means you have
to lie still in a darkened room doing nothing; not true. You might feel
fidgety, frustrated, bad-tempered or upset if you are battling to relax. In
these situations, I would suggest doing an activity which you find relaxing, or
allows another part of your ‘self’ to be expressed. So, if you enjoy cooking –
cook. If you lead a very sedentary life, why not try and go for a jog. If you
rarely take baths, but love a good soak – run yourself a bath. If you feel
starved of culture – pay a visit to a museum. If you find a particular friend
soothing – go and have a cup of tea with them. The list is endless! </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ioMeKGPd6U&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEnVwyTPwnS3xcIER1KIn0M&index=1"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">I made a video about how to self-soothe using different
senses here</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">, which may help with ideas and inspiration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RCzk_X29ioW7wmM0Evi0i7pjPI3JxI3TW8u3_jsf3qndN7g2x6c9HgCRlUKI1NIVV-OsIJN2mKha69PoL9SM4Fvz6EB-fze7jcQo37KhcFWFRDc01Hg0WmiObfxmDVmYfXEJYvC2ELTX/s1600/Relax+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1050" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RCzk_X29ioW7wmM0Evi0i7pjPI3JxI3TW8u3_jsf3qndN7g2x6c9HgCRlUKI1NIVV-OsIJN2mKha69PoL9SM4Fvz6EB-fze7jcQo37KhcFWFRDc01Hg0WmiObfxmDVmYfXEJYvC2ELTX/s400/Relax+2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Five short-cut ways to
feel relaxed:</span></i></b></h3>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Meditation
and Mindfulness</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> – a lot of people find the art of meditating or practicing
mindfulness very calming. </span><a href="https://www.headspace.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Headspace</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> have created a great app, which allows you
to learn how to be mindful on the go in short sessions.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Breathe</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> –
easier said than done right, and something which I've written about </span><a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/wellbeing-basics-breathing.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. A
very potent (and often un-tapped) tool to help you relax and unwind.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Laugh</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> –
watching something funny on TV or chatting to a friend with a similar sense of
humour is a great way to get some LOLs in your life. Laughing releases endorphins – our
happy chemical and can help us to relax and de-stress. I filmed a video on the power of laughing </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgE03RuV1_I&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEnVwyTPwnS3xcIER1KIn0M&index=2&t=0s" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Exercise</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">
– doing some gentle exercise can, again like laughing, release feel-good
chemicals and also keeps you fit and healthy. I have made lots of videos on exercise </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfz9mtQuJthHGzuKom9znTzPLK5N_nZ0Z" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: inherit;">Music</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> –
another powerful tool to de-stress. Whether you find comfort from head-banging
hard rock or the dulcet tones of a whale singing, listening to music can really
help aid relaxation, lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What do you do to relax?
Do you always make time for yourself, or do you find it a struggle?</span></span></i></b><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></h3>
<div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<u style="background-color: transparent;">How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" style="background-color: transparent;" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div>
<br />
<div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a><br />
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-47731919897012384392018-02-28T07:30:00.000+00:002018-02-28T07:30:19.726+00:00Month In Review: FEBRUARY 2018<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ymoi2dpHNSStzwlVb8x5evYzLWQYjCJscbTzBhUcycu6h3Apy19_RdE6QleyTKigsjWsPGo9TtXo8Scr79MDFxCcMNtc0Ow9EWtc1jTFKl64t1wg81FoelT0mLcWsn8ts-8kZGDoDWXW/s1600/Feb+2018.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ymoi2dpHNSStzwlVb8x5evYzLWQYjCJscbTzBhUcycu6h3Apy19_RdE6QleyTKigsjWsPGo9TtXo8Scr79MDFxCcMNtc0Ow9EWtc1jTFKl64t1wg81FoelT0mLcWsn8ts-8kZGDoDWXW/s320/Feb+2018.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><u>Word/quote of the month:</u> </span>"Happy birthday"<br />
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This is because February is my birthday month (surprise, surprise) - so I've heard these words quite a lot. But I've also really embraced having a birthday MONTH (or a couple of weeks, which in February essentially means most of the month). I've been thoroughly spoiled, and enjoyed some quality time with my friends and family. I've never been a massive fan of my own birthdays - something about the passing of time, and how quickly it seems to go - and had embraced the song, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to" a little too enthusiastically. But the last couple of years I've really loved my birthdays - surrounded myself with as many of my favourite people as I can, celebrated getting older, marked the passing of a year and enjoyed myself. It's also the time I post my <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/filming-one-second-of-life-every-day.html" target="_blank">One Second Everyday video</a> on my private Facebook - which is always such a joyful, uplifting and reflective moment.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Healthy/meal food of the month: </b>Roast dinner<br />
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While this may not be the most healthy meal in the world, it is one of the best and the most comforting. London has been experiencing a cold snap the last few days with snow and bleak winds, and there is nothing better than firing up your oven to cook a proper roast to counteract any Winter blues. My friends and I have started 'hosting a roast' this past month; we have taken it in turns to cook a big meal for each other. I love cooking for others and a good roast chicken is a crowd-pleaser.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Lesson of the month: </b>I am still surprising myself<br />
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A few things happened this month that surprised me - in a good way. When we achieve something that we didn't expect, or had counted ourselves out for we devalue ourselves. This can often harm us, and take some of the glow away from the achievement. While I would never like to go too far towards the other end of the spectrum (and be arrogant and entitled), I do feel I could do with reflecting on why I am always convinced I won't be successful. This is true of not only work life, but also things that happen in our personal lives. When friends and family aren't surprised and believe more in you than you do, then maybe it's time to listen to them! This isn't a new problem of mine - I've talked about self-doubt a lot - including <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLJvyUye-6E&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0&t=63s&index=3" target="_blank">here</a> (at about 2 mins 20 seconds in). But this month has been a reminder that there's always improvements to be made.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Healthy thing(s) to do: </b>Going to the gym<br />
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Not everyone's favourite place - and certainly not mine. But the benefits are far too numerous to recount here, and outweigh any number of struggles in getting to the gym. I have talked about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzTjx6dY-Ko&t=137s&index=1&list=PLfz9mtQuJthHGzuKom9znTzPLK5N_nZ0Z" target="_blank">gym workouts</a>, how to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXcudW88uGM&t=135s&index=3&list=PLfz9mtQuJthHGzuKom9znTzPLK5N_nZ0Z" target="_blank">progress gym sessions</a>, and also how to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6en-DiRZQ8&t=70s&index=2&list=PLfz9mtQuJthHGzuKom9znTzPLK5N_nZ0Z" target="_blank">get back on your feet after being bedbound</a> - so I won't bore you all again with my musings. Except to say that, exercise is a key component of living a healthy and happy lifestyle - and however you get yours - just do it! This month I have been to yoga, been to the gym and gone bouldering. Variety is the spice of life!<br />
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<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Goal for the next month: </b>Focus on my university work and hit the gym more..!<br />
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<b><i>How has February gone for you? What are your goals for March?</i></b><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"></span><br />
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<o:p></o:p><a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
</div>
Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-60611271083045951862018-02-25T11:36:00.000+00:002018-02-25T15:01:20.344+00:00Book: Brain Food by Dr Lisa Mosconi and *GIVEAWAY*As you may know, I think that what we eat can really affect how we think, feel and react. Four years ago, I filmed a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuodephCpeM&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEnVwyTPwnS3xcIER1KIn0M&index=6&t=457s" target="_blank">video here about mood-boosting and body-boosting foods and practices</a>. Well worth a watch...if I am allowed to say that myself. I spent a lot of time researching the way our bodies process the nutrients and chemicals in foods, and the necessary vitamins we need to survive and thrive - and the impact of not getting enough.<br />
<br />
So, when Penguin sent me a proof copy of Dr Lisa Mosconi's new book about the neuroscience behind food, and how eating smart can sharpen your mind and improve your mental fitness - I READ IT.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dr Mosconi is a nutritionist and </span>neuroscientist<span style="font-family: inherit;">. She is also t</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">he Associate Director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic of the </span><span style="color: #333333;">Department</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"> of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College, and was the founder and director of the Nutrition and Brain Fitness Lab at New York University. She holds a dual PhD degree in Neuroscience and Nuclear Medicine from the University of Florence, and is a certified integrative nutritionist and a board-certified, holistic healthcare practitioner. So it's safe to say she knows what she's talking about...or writing about.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbBu1BNLdDevl35iF3hSVBEsle0jKZirg6mvCjsfzwKcVPkVWGRzF5YYiB8ytXjnmQxv5Hf3ljqRNu-qmQjuImNFX0IoSyqHWYh1KwKefwr7MmstHJLDF8qulYui841ULjCukVpTWsYLn/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="239" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbBu1BNLdDevl35iF3hSVBEsle0jKZirg6mvCjsfzwKcVPkVWGRzF5YYiB8ytXjnmQxv5Hf3ljqRNu-qmQjuImNFX0IoSyqHWYh1KwKefwr7MmstHJLDF8qulYui841ULjCukVpTWsYLn/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">The book is chock-full of research-based information which highlights the connection between what we eat and how our brain works. But it's not all science and acronyms - there's some fantastic advice and loads of amazing recipes; consider it a one-stop-shop for all things brain-boosting!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">You may have already heard that consuming dark chocolate and red wine is good for your health, but in </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Brain Food </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Dr Mosconi outlines further changes we should all be making, explaining how and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">why different foods are good or bad for your brain’s health</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">– covering fats, water, protein, carbs, sugar and vitamins. Many of the suggestions are easy and affordable:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><u></u>Drink plenty of water, particularly if you are older, as just a 4% decrease in water intake can cause brain fog and headaches, and can lead to brain fluids imbalance which increases your risks of developing brain diseases<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><u></u>Add coconut in all its forms to your daily diet (oil, water, sugar and milk) to increase brain hydration, reduce headaches and mental fatigue and to boost concentration<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><u></u>Reduce your intake of omega-6s fats (found in bacon, sunflower oil, mayonnaise and peanuts) and increase your intake in omega-3s (salmon, mackerel and cod, walnuts - or black caviar, if you’re feeling luxurious)<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><u></u>Consume foods which are high in tryptophan (an essential amino acid which cannot be produced by the body) such as yoghurt, sesame seeds and prunes<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><u></u>Add eggs to your regular diet to reduce the risk of choline deficiency, which in turn affects memory loss<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u>·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><u></u>Ensure you add natural sweeteners to your diet, as your brain runs on glucose (Dr Mosconi recommends raw honey, yacón syrup, maple syrup and fruits such as grapes and beetroot)</span></div>
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<b style="color: #333333;">*GIVEAWAY TIME*</b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;">Does this sound like a book you want to read? If the answer is yes - then I have just the thing - a free copy of the book to give away. Penguin very kindly sent me a finished copy of the book, so that I could spread the knowledge! To win a copy of this book, all you have to do is <b><u>follow Life In Recovery on Instagram</u> (<a href="http://instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_" target="_blank">@lifeinrecovery_</a>) and <u>like the Instagram post announcing the giveaway</u>.</b> The winner will be picked at random and contacted privately to sort out delivery - the competition closes on Sunday 4th March. Unfortunately, this giveaway is limited to the UK.</span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p><a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-24186227287451188492018-02-08T07:30:00.000+00:002018-02-08T07:30:18.924+00:00Wellbeing Basics: Breathing<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The second in my Wellbeing Basics series. The first one on sleep can be found <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/wellbeing-basics-sleeping.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a blonde joke
(disclaimer: as a blonde-ish person myself I feel I am allowed to make one…sort
of) - A blonde walks into a beauty shop with a pair of headphones on. She asks
for a haircut. The blonde is led to a chair and asked to sit down. "Make
my hair look good, but whatever you do, don't take off the headphones",
the blonde instructs. The blonde falls asleep during the haircut and the hair
stylist thinks, "It’s really hard to cut with these headphones on".
She takes them off, and the blonde dies. The stylist calls an ambulance and
when they take the blonde away the intrigued stylist picks up the headphones
and takes a listen. She hears a little voice saying "Breathe in, breathe
out, breathe in, breathe out..." So now you all know (if you hadn’t
guessed already) that breathing is rather important – and you can actually be
doing it wrong!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33PfWsYHnbQsPtn9TyWS5MTvdk1P2t_UJeMJpFKwpbh-UGV5TetHENDbTn886VFa03DmMyapS0rYzDGU9aNcnFtM1yMHu-oESIxwm9AFipGqV9lAPLSXB5zUun8SLw4Qbn3jXhFq7m2NZ/s1600/Breathe+In-Breathe+Out.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1050" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33PfWsYHnbQsPtn9TyWS5MTvdk1P2t_UJeMJpFKwpbh-UGV5TetHENDbTn886VFa03DmMyapS0rYzDGU9aNcnFtM1yMHu-oESIxwm9AFipGqV9lAPLSXB5zUun8SLw4Qbn3jXhFq7m2NZ/s320/Breathe+In-Breathe+Out.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Why should I care about my
breathing so much? </b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Apart from the obvious (see
above), our breathing – or more importantly </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">the way we breathe</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> – can have a big
impact on, not only our bodies, but also our emotions. Breathing is an
automatic mechanism. It’s controlled by our autonomic nervous system and we
don’t have to consciously think about breathing in and out. Because our bodies
are incredibly clever, our autonomic nervous system adjusts our breathing to
suit our body’s needs. If we are exerting ourselves, if we are anxious, if we
are ill – our breathing changes as a result. This can be very helpful. However,
it can also sometimes be unhelpful. Over-breathing (or hyperventilation) can upset our body’s chemistry and in turn result in negative
physical and emotional symptoms. The opposite problem – hypoventilation
(breathing too slowly) can result in too much carbon dioxide being in the blood
and not enough oxygen. Studies have shown that there is a high correlation
between ‘incorrect’ breathing and a number of illnesses, for example: heart
disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic inflammation, anxiety – to name
but a few.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Someone told me I’m
breathing from the wrong place – how is that possible? </b></span></h3>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We know that breathing too
quickly or too slowly can be unhelpful, but it also matters where you’re
breathing from. This may sound odd, but a lot of people breathe from the
‘wrong’ place.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s a simple test to check:
if you take a minute or so and concentrate on your breathing what part of your
body is rising and falling? Are your chest and shoulders moving, or is your
abdomen? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If your chest and shoulders are
rising and falling, this probably means you aren’t using your diaphragm (a
huge, dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of the rib cage) to breathe. The
diaphragm is the best place to breathe from. Chest breathing can mean you feel
anxious a lot of the time, that you’re over-breathing and causing potential
imbalances to your body chemistry. Disproportionate amounts of oxygen and
carbon dioxide can have a radical impact on your health – meaning you can feel
fatigued, nervy or cross; while potentially doing yourself more serious damage
in the long run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I find the most helpful way to
calm myself is to concentrate on my stomach and breathe from there. Think of
your abdomen as a balloon that’s slowly filling up with air as you inhale and
then slowly releasing the air (or deflating the balloon) as you exhale – try to
do this without your chest or shoulders rising. Another option is to lie flat
on the floor or your bed and place a book on your stomach, covering your belly
button, and try to lift the book by breathing in and out – this can help focus
your mind on exactly where you should be breathing from. Attempt to make your
stomach bigger (vanity will have to be out aside!) – this way your body will
learn to breathe from your diaphragm rather than your chest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many people can find it a
slightly uncomfortable or strange experience to change their breathing pattern
– but I would suggest you try it and keep persevering! You may feel sleepy at
first, or get some funny flutterings in your diaphragm – these are all part of
your body adapting to quite a significant change to its norm. It is, however, a
positive change. If you can practice this technique for a couple of minutes a
day, you will slowly start to breathe from your diaphragm reaping the rewards,
both physically and emotionally, as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3>
<b style="font-family: inherit;">Five tips to breathe in a
healthier way:</b></h3>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Join a choir – you will learn all
about breath control and diaphragmatic breathing, plus it can be a fun and
rewarding activity! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Try 7/11 breathing for five to
ten minutes every day – that’s inhaling for seven seconds and then exhaling for
eleven seconds, this can help regulate your breathing and re-balance your body
chemistry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Be more mindful – we can
unconsciously hold our breath when we are anxious, angry, concentrating or
exerting ourselves; try to be more aware of your breath and how you are
breathing – I talk a little about breathing in an old video of mine <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6en-DiRZQ8">here</a> (at about 9 and a
half minutes in). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Practice yoga or Tai Chi – a lot
of yoga and Tai Chi exercises include breathing techniques which may prove
beneficial, plus you’re getting some exercise at the same time; it’s a win, win
really! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Download a breathing app – it may
sound very close to the blonde joke I opened with, but they can be very useful
as a guide if you need to quickly regulate your breathing or calm down – I’ve
been using <a href="http://www.breathing.zone/">Breathing Zone</a>, but there
are lots of free options which I am sure are just as helpful. I talked a bit about Breathing Zone in this video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPn6vbcwI5s" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you breathe using your diaphragm? What are some things
you find helpful to regulate your breathing?</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"></span><br />
<div style="color: black;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<o:p></o:p><a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
</div>
Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-46726839046675851122018-01-31T16:29:00.001+00:002018-01-31T17:18:21.522+00:00Month In Review: JANUARY 2018<u><br /></u>
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<u><span style="font-weight: bold;">Word/quote of the month:</span> </u>"Just do it"<br />
<br />
So, I may have stolen this off a well-known sports brand, but it definitely feels an appropriate misappropriation for this month.<br />
<br />
There are lots of occasions in life where you feel hesitant or reticent - but sometimes (read: all the time) it can be life-enhancing to ignore the natural fear - and just do it.<br />
<br />
This month I have embraced this motto in many parts of my life - both personally and in my work/study life - and it has been working <i>for </i>me. Not every occasion where I have 'just done it' has worked out the way I thought, or been successful - but I would much rather have tried and 'just done it', than not.<br />
<br />
So, if I could make a prescription to you - try saying "just do it" to yourself a bit more than, "what if...". It's highly recommended.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Healthy/meal food of the month:</b> Homemade smoothies/juices.<br />
<br />
I have been getting back into the habit of making a quick smoothie in the morning. I pack mine with goodies like spinach, oats, bananas, a green powder and then whizz up with some orange juice and a splash of dairy-free milk. This makes sure that I never miss breakfast on days where I am up too early to eat or am rushing from place to place. I'm not one of those people who can go without food, but I struggle to eat a lot really early in the morning before leaving for uni/work. I am also hopeless without a full stomach, so I always have something mid-morning if I've only had a smoothie to start.<br />
<br />
I may do a blog-post on my favourite smoothie recipes, so if that's something you want to read - let me know.<br />
<br />
<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Lesson of the month:</b> It's never good to avoid or suppress things.<br />
<br />
Fairly obvious lesson really. And while it has been a fantastic month, it's also been a very emotional one. I've cried three times today (very unlike me) - and I think that's not going to remain just three by the end of today. But that's okay. When sadness or upset bubbles up, it's good to feel that emotion. The same goes for if you feel angry or happy. It can often happen when someone asks you how you are or says "you don't seem yourself", and suddenly you realise you've been feeling upset, or bottling up emotions and then 'boom' - you're getting a bit teary in the middle of a meeting, or by a coffee machine, or in a stairwell, or on Waterloo Bridge and having to be shown photos of puppies and kittens to cheer you up because you are hosting a lunch in less than fifteen minutes...or some other <i>entirely fictional </i>scenario...<br />
It's sometimes only when people who know you ask "how are you?" and want to know the true answer that you realise you haven't asked yourself that, or been making sure you are okay.<br />
<br />
There have been highs and lows this month - <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/life-in-recovery-no-more-hospital.html" target="_blank">my last ever hospital appointment</a> being an example of both. What I think is important is that, especially when you are going through a period of significant life change or dealing with difficulties (like I currently am) - it's important to allow yourself to process all of that. It doesn't help you or anyone to just keep going and pretending nothing is happening. Or distracting yourself with other people's problems, and ignoring your own.<br />
<br />
Confronting an issue, or an obstacle is really healthy and means that you can hopefully reach a resolution and some inner peace. Self-compassion is key - and learning to allow yourself to grieve, get angry, cry, shout, stomp your feet, laugh hysterically or all the above is vital. I also think it can send a really positive message to yourself if you recognise that your emotions matter just as much as other peoples. If you are feeling upset, it isn't silly - as I found myself saying to a couple of friends today. It's important to care for yourself and not devalue your reactions to things.<br />
<br />
<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Healthy thing(s) to do:</b> Being honest, congruent and bold.<br />
<br />
This would be one of the points, if I had been <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUEWy1NA4vURHI4qLcTGAg?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">filming the Month In Review</a> as I used to, when I would rabbit on for a solid ten minutes. Instead - I want to leave the healthy things to do simple:<br />
<br />
Being honest (to the best of your ability) with yourself and others is one of life's essentials - for me anyway. Telling the truth, and confronting the reality of life can feel scary, and sometimes you have to be brave and just be honest (see a parallel above with my quote of the month...). There's nothing worse than being lied to or lying to yourself.<br />
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Being congruent creates peace and harmony, not only within yourself, but in your relationships with others.<br />
<br />
Being bold feels freeing and empowering - feelings that are pretty magical in combination.<br />
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<b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Goal for the next month:</b> Feel more centred, do some more exercise and keep on being bold.<br />
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<b><i>How has January gone for you? What are your goals for February?</i></b><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black;">
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></span></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"></span><br />
<div style="color: black;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<o:p></o:p><a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
</div>
Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-12891295324378291452018-01-19T13:32:00.001+00:002018-01-19T13:32:47.706+00:00Life In Recovery: No More Hospital<span style="font-family: inherit;">I started Life In Recovery with the sole aim to help people find hope and help if they (or their loved ones) were struggling with a long-term illness. I have been quite careful (and conscious) that I use my own experiences to that end, while not making this corner of the internet about <u>me</u>. That is why I have never said my name, nor shared a lot of intimate detail about my past, present or future life; I have always felt that would get in the way of providing help and hope, and it isn't something I find comfortable. However, there have been times when I have shared some of my more personal moments; for example, my anniversary posts (check out <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/anniversary-one-year-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">year one</a>, <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/anniversary-two-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">year two</a>, <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/anniversary-three-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">year three</a>, and <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/anniversary-four-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">year four</a> if you've missed them). This week marked another big moment in my recovery, and I wanted to share some of the words I wrote to friends and family members on here too - as you, and this blog, have also been part of the story.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">I bet you all thought you'd got away without another of these streams of consciousness until my next anniversary post in August, but no...</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Today marks a big moment in my recovery; my last hospital appointment. I told my doctor I felt I was ready to stop attending appointments back in May, and it's taken eight months to get to this point. After years of meetings and treatment since my discharge as an inpatient in August 2013, to say that the relationship my doctor and I built </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;">during the past four years (a momentous period of my life) became a very important one, is an understatement. Finishing that chapter, and leaving that relationship, has been a big step; but one that I chose and feel ready for. Today I said goodbye to my doctor (with smiles, tears and big hugs), today I was able to try and thank my doctor, today I moved into a new phase of my life, today I reflected on how far I've come and today I was made to realise just how far that is. If you're reading this, it means you've been part of the story so far (even if it's just been in the last chapter, or the latest page), and it means you'll be part of the rest of my onward (and hospital-less) life. For that I thank you, and I'm so excited to see where life takes us all. It's been an incredibly emotional day; I've been through stacks of tissues...but now it's time to dry my eyes and look forward. Anyway, here ends the thought-vomit, it just leaves me to say how grateful I feel to be where I am in my life, and to say a very heartfelt and extra-special thank you to those of you who helped me get here - I couldn't have done it without you. "</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is how I felt on Wednesday afternoon. I do, however, want to write up how I am feeling now - a couple of days later - and also see how I feel in a couple of weeks, so there will be another blog post on that in the next month or so. </span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, keep your eyes out for a separate piece coming very soon about how I said goodbye to that doctor/patient relationship and my thoughts on how important that relationship can be...</span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Have their been therapeutic relationships you've found hard to let go?</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;"><div style="color: black;">
<u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u></div>
<div style="color: black;">
<o:p></o:p><a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" target="_blank">YouTube</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a><br />
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
</span></div>
Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-83825490797684447302018-01-11T08:00:00.000+00:002018-01-11T08:00:20.482+00:00Wellbeing Basics: Sleeping<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together” said Thomas Dekker, a writer in the Elizabethan times. And boy, was he right! Sleep (or lack thereof) is such a hot topic. Recently, the world has started waking up (pun intended) to the fact that getting good quality sleep is one of the foundations of a healthy life. This article will try to answer a few of the most common questions about sleep and hopefully help you to get a better night’s rest - one of the basics of wellbeing, and my first piece in the series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">Why is sleep so important anyway?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sleep improves not only your physical health, but your emotional health too. Studies have shown that adequate sleep can help aid memory, reduce inflammation, improve our immune system, boost our ability to learn, improve mood and so much more. Chronic sleep deprivation (regularly getting less sleep than you need) is becoming a global issue. The impact of not getting the optimum amount of sleep can be serious. One study has found that not getting enough sleep is more dangerous to your health than smoking, having high blood pressure or heart disease. While this may sound like scare-mongering, lack of sleep (or sleep debt) can seriously impact your quality of life. For example, you may find that you put on weight, are less able to focus, feel anxious or get ill more often if you are in a state of sleep debt.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">What are the different phases of sleep; what do they mean for me?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There has been a lot of research into sleep and the theories are still developing, but the general consensus is that there are a few different stages of sleep.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />One of these is REM (Rapid Eye Movement). This type of sleep is the most ‘active’ part of your sleep – this is thought to be the stage where you dream. In REM sleep, your brain can be as active as it is when you are awake. Your brain is not only processing the events of the day, but also doing a bit of ‘waste management’ by clearing away toxins and strengthening/weakening connections in our brain.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Another kind of sleep is NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement). This can be further broken down into four stages. Essentially, the last two stages of NREM are the deepest parts of your sleep. This is when your body heals and restores itself. Hormones are released which build muscle, energy is replenished, tissues are healed, blood pressure and heart rate drops.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Hopefully this shows you that, far from being a waste of time, sleep is a key component in rebuilding, renewing and maintaining a healthy and happy life.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400 !important; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Why is eight hours considered the ‘magic’ number?</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">There is a theory (much touted) that eight hours is the perfect amount of sleep to have. However, this theory is being challenged. Some people seem to need less, some more. There <i>is</i> such a thing as sleeping too much; this can actually be as harmful as not getting enough sleep.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How much sleep we need can depend on many things such as our age, life events, and illness. I think the answer to this question lies with the individual. Ask yourself if you feel at your best with five…seven…ten hours of sleep. If your answer is different from the amount you usually get, then something needs to change for you to get your optimum amount of sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LsftcgTY7kbcQdJ_MRWz99UHwIU_9z9KzACCR8Qm9nw86PzLeS9cdfZzm5GMNVfS2vq0CvgkuQxoIFlEFr3POW-qx2L6boH030C5oDevDLI3xac-0Ax4rejQQLzD5Opm5WMPuJ3D6ZpP/s1600/Eight+hours.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LsftcgTY7kbcQdJ_MRWz99UHwIU_9z9KzACCR8Qm9nw86PzLeS9cdfZzm5GMNVfS2vq0CvgkuQxoIFlEFr3POW-qx2L6boH030C5oDevDLI3xac-0Ax4rejQQLzD5Opm5WMPuJ3D6ZpP/s320/Eight+hours.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">I can’t get to sleep – how do I sort this out?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our modern day lives are not allowing us to get enough sleep, but they also are damaging our ability to ‘wind down’ and switch off. Sleep hygiene is a new-ish concept and I made a video talking about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJYmTy7VgHc" target="_blank">some simple habits to help improve sleep here</a>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With our addiction to the internet and smart phones it’s incredibly easy to remain hyper-active and alert during the hour or so before bedtime. We bring TVs and phones into our bedrooms which, I believe, are one of the main causes of not being able to get to sleep. Screens emit blue light which cause our body’s circadian rhythm (our body clock) to malfunction. Blue light can interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. If you don’t feel tired, the chances are that you’ve been late-night texting or watching your favourite series on Netflix in the wee hours. If you need to use your screens in the evening, you can <a href="https://justgetflux.com/" target="_blank">download f.lux</a> – free software that adjusts the light levels on your screen and helps reduce the impact of blue light.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Eating a sensible meal before bed can also help a lot. Avoid fatty, starchy, sugary foods and make sure you eat enough. If you feel peckish in the night – get up and eat something like a banana.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Regular exercise is important in helping you sleep. Just don’t exercise too near bedtime as this can stimulate you and interfere with your body clock. If you want to do some exercise near bedtime, I would recommend light stretching or yoga, as this isn’t too strenuous and can prove relaxing.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Worry and stress can certainly play a big role in being ready for sleep. While there are a lot of things that can help you relax, one of the best things to do is to have a pad of paper and a pen by your bed. If something is really exercising your mind, write it down, get it out of your head and address it in the morning. This way you shouldn’t have to spend all night ruminating over it, or worrying you’ll forget something.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ2vhLAx5u9cmjicjCon39wtg0HauOs4CMPBOEeB9RcUvAQ-OhE6ysi6uoiZFQuhNqng33bNL3jCrLyYBo3fSCTJfke5nX0N3SM6XvDXS9I0i4eNxMMvhVLCFCWOIjOGZqD-ZChvILUvY/s1600/Untitled+design.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ2vhLAx5u9cmjicjCon39wtg0HauOs4CMPBOEeB9RcUvAQ-OhE6ysi6uoiZFQuhNqng33bNL3jCrLyYBo3fSCTJfke5nX0N3SM6XvDXS9I0i4eNxMMvhVLCFCWOIjOGZqD-ZChvILUvY/s320/Untitled+design.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">If I only did three things to help sleep better what would they be?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Set yourself a cut-off time for electronics – e.g. "from 10pm I won’t look at my phone until the morning or watch TV."</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have a relaxing routine at the end of your day: take a bath; make a cup of herb tea; read a chapter of a book; have a chat to a loved one. This creates a lovely ritual and can help you wind down and relax, meaning it’s easier for you to settle at bedtime.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep your bedroom clutter-free, calm and cool as your bedroom has to be conducive to sleep. Having a messy and chaotic room can result in you feeling the same way!</span></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">How much sleep do you get a night? Have you got any tips that mean you get your forty winks?</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u><br />
<div>
<o:p></o:p><a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" target="_blank">YouTube</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a><br />
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
</div>
Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-88163599231759052602018-01-05T11:00:00.001+00:002018-01-05T11:00:20.472+00:002018: What to expect from Life In RecoveryI'm not normally one for making New Year's Resolutions (the reasons why can be found <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com/2014/01/are-making-new-years-resolutions.html" target="_blank">here</a> in a post I wrote in 2014) but...this year, I feel it would be good to set out some aims for this blog. Creating goals (and making them public) can help you re-focus and achieve; and I think this blog needs a little tweaking and for you, dear audience, to know what to expect from 2018 and this little corner of the internet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MVYa1_H-NJJfxLI-dOhyphenhyphenmVenVhuOR_2RkmjBql_uh7E6SLL_0CoZmOhjmf0qW0AjVOtzKyqgnhHLGIJ9llahr38DpVtFb5vVaG2tNUPfe5aB7fBi4UcMNW278diRegiRgLwN1Qvgohic/s1600/What+to+expect+from+Life+In+Recovery+in+2018.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MVYa1_H-NJJfxLI-dOhyphenhyphenmVenVhuOR_2RkmjBql_uh7E6SLL_0CoZmOhjmf0qW0AjVOtzKyqgnhHLGIJ9llahr38DpVtFb5vVaG2tNUPfe5aB7fBi4UcMNW278diRegiRgLwN1Qvgohic/s320/What+to+expect+from+Life+In+Recovery+in+2018.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<u>What you will be seeing:</u><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">Month In Review</a> pieces will be posted <b>every</b> month with the same categories. However, they will normally be word-based, unlike previous ones in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">video format</a>. Life has been getting in the way of me filming, editing and uploading!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Videos - I will be continuing to film videos and post them on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUEWy1NA4vURHI4qLcTGAg?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, as and when ideas come to me. As always video requests are very welcome.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Recipes - there were a bunch of <a href="https://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/recipe" target="_blank">new recipes</a> posted in 2017, and I want to continue that. There will be healthy, nutritious and delicious new ideas for your table and tummy throughout 2018.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Instagram - I am aiming to build more of a community on Instagram. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Come and join me</a>!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wellbeing Basics - I will be launching a new series called 'Wellbeing Basics' which provides tips and resources on how to achieve (and maintain) good health and a happy life. I think we can often neglect our most basic needs, and sometimes need a little reminder to sleep, exercise, eat and rest well.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>YOUR REQUESTS - I filmed a few request videos in 2017 and I loved doing it, knowing what you wanted to see and then providing the information. I would love to do that a little more often. So if you have any burning questions, need help on something specific, want me to research a topic or just have a general idea - please let me know. That way, I spend my time making content you really want, and that will make a difference to you and hopefully help.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My 2018 life lessons and favourites published at the end of the year - one of my favourite things to write, and you seem to love reading them. If you missed 2017's the <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/reflections-some-of-my-favourites-of.html" target="_blank">favourites are here</a>, and the <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/reflections-things-i-learned-from-2017.html" target="_blank">life lessons are here</a>. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<u>What you won't be seeing:</u><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbie8uXjrFsITuvsA0qUk7xRTsqc8CxtkihPp2Z-aWdT02xZh2NFcaU5MHhsHPLOTFo4OmhlEuzN_aXIOATHndvWTNwH_a7fen53wm919nvE18X53VN2dcMHhKbGQVZ8hgqpw8sMFGdfr/s1600/see-no-evil-monkey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbie8uXjrFsITuvsA0qUk7xRTsqc8CxtkihPp2Z-aWdT02xZh2NFcaU5MHhsHPLOTFo4OmhlEuzN_aXIOATHndvWTNwH_a7fen53wm919nvE18X53VN2dcMHhKbGQVZ8hgqpw8sMFGdfr/s1600/see-no-evil-monkey.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter use</a> - while I am not ditching Twitter for good (it's definitely one of the best ways you and I interact with each other), I have become a little disillusioned with the medium for a number of reasons - you may have noticed I've been a bit absent. So while you won't see so many streams of consciousness or random conversations, my account will be re-focused on the blog - it's original goal. Please don't stop chatting to me on Twitter though - I love hearing from you, and all 600+ of you who follow Life In Recovery on Twitter.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><i>What are some of your goals for 2018? </i></b></div>
<div>
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<br />
<u>How to get in touch (and all that social media stuff)</u><br />
<div>
<o:p></o:p><a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" target="_blank">YouTube</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blog</a><br />
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </div>
Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-59788845828763241402017-12-29T11:30:00.000+00:002017-12-29T16:06:57.879+00:00Reflections - things I learned from 2017<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is the second instalment of 2017's Reflection series. If you didn't see the first post - click <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/reflections-some-of-my-favourites-of.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
If you want to see previous posts then the links are below:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/reflections-some-of-my-favourites-of.html" target="_blank">Favourites of 2015</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/reflections-some-of-my-favourites-of.html" target="_blank">Favourites of 2016</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/reflections-things-i-learned-from-2015.html" target="_blank">Lessons of 2015</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/reflections-things-i-learned-from-2016.html" target="_blank">Lessons of 2016</a><br />
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4h7Rd_vKSHTLhD4Vjqlj8uwLEYU7RkGFrgy4UwYNb7qC6dB8MUqZRY4o_a5uTXIWpMpIh0p6gUwXBYvHxHOgDOEfNLW-wbwQzkavk-B0ecvkcqZK2Qrrkt7hDgB315b8j9O_ykQgTXFBp/s1600/what_I_have_learned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="820" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4h7Rd_vKSHTLhD4Vjqlj8uwLEYU7RkGFrgy4UwYNb7qC6dB8MUqZRY4o_a5uTXIWpMpIh0p6gUwXBYvHxHOgDOEfNLW-wbwQzkavk-B0ecvkcqZK2Qrrkt7hDgB315b8j9O_ykQgTXFBp/s320/what_I_have_learned.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Always,
always, always listen to your gut </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>It's
okay to let people go</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Tough
love actually works</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I cry at weddings</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>If
you let your guard down and people in, you can be rewarded </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Despite
the above, you do sometimes need to keep your guard up</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You
can still be empathic and a shoulder to cry on without taking on everyone's
troubles as if they are your own</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Every cloud has a silver lining, and with every difficult experience comes a lesson or a little more knowledge about life, yourself and people</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Be
honest when you need help AND ASK FOR IT </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Don't get a massage just before exam and revision period</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>First,
second and third impressions can be wrong</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You
can miss someone you don't even really know </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Imposter syndrome is pandemic </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sometimes
you just know when something has to end </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>If
you want something to happen - don't be afraid to go for it</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Working > studying </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Having
a place to call home is more important than I realised </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I'm
ready to stop going to the hospital </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I can sorta, kinda "run" a 10k</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Tea-pickled
eggs are not as enjoyable to eat as they are to make </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I'm
still making rookie mistakes </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The
idea of someone or something is often better than reality</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Reality
is sometimes better than the idea of something or someone</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>People
can disappoint you and let you down</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You
can expect too much from people so you end up feeling disappointed and let down</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Figuring
out what you don't want is as instructive as figuring out what you do want </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Puns
are a universal language</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I
could be a professional secret keeper </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Baked goods are a great ice-breaker </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I no
longer enjoy Twitter </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I
will never grow tired of life, or of living </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>There
are a lot of compliments I need to practice accepting </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Some
people don't want advice, even if they ask for it</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Some
of my favourite people think I'm one of their favourite people too</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You
can be surprised by who your favourite people end up being</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You
can curl your hair with hair-straighteners</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Storage
heaters are more complicated to understand than a law degree</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I need both the City and the countryside to stay sane</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Libraries are actually a good place to study</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>I am very lucky </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Life is still an incredible, surprising and wonderful thing (and far too much has happened this year for me to neatly sum it up in these lessons)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>What life lessons did 2017 bring for you?</i></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLtwgwp4CWsb3vCCXU1suaTPsuRZ-xOsW-bJIkkMgSZp8r9UPzzhDhI5inEu1cZ64EQQ3ODPcsQUy03hvhWHAdLz5NksJwjtu-R9gpQsV8f8eDXED2KzifyAV1j4zRYOoi2T886goHb2d/s1600/happy-new-year-glitter-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="670" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLtwgwp4CWsb3vCCXU1suaTPsuRZ-xOsW-bJIkkMgSZp8r9UPzzhDhI5inEu1cZ64EQQ3ODPcsQUy03hvhWHAdLz5NksJwjtu-R9gpQsV8f8eDXED2KzifyAV1j4zRYOoi2T886goHb2d/s320/happy-new-year-glitter-1.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
How to get in touch:<br />
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YouTube - <a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2">http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2</a><br />
Twitter - <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life">http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life</a><br />
Blog - <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/</a><br />
Email - <a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com">yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com</a><br />
Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a><br />
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-56793516624905576312017-12-28T16:16:00.000+00:002017-12-29T23:43:55.626+00:00Reflections - some of my favourites of 2017<div class="MsoNormal">
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As I have taken to do at this time of year, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the past year. Two
posts will follow - this one of some of my favourite things of 2017, and
another one on things I've learned in the last year (coming soon). I will try
not repeat too many of the same things from previous years' posts, but be warned there
may be a few similar!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
If you want to see previous posts then the links are below:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/reflections-some-of-my-favourites-of.html" target="_blank">Favourites of 2015 </a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/reflections-some-of-my-favourites-of.html" target="_blank">Favourites of 2016</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/reflections-things-i-learned-from-2015.html" target="_blank">Lessons of 2015</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/reflections-things-i-learned-from-2016.html" target="_blank">Lessons of 2016</a><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I
said last year (and the year before)...without further ado, and in the immortal words of Julie
Andrews, these are a <b><u>few</u></b> of my favourite things (from 2017)...<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdodHcW6JNZM0EzC-syPcF5es2nt69lKE_Fi2CCTb4LpMf_UPzTDQO1c4hbY8vx72IT-ZbHydPycvx-0LkkF4N_v1OldvMjav_UQXMS3_QuNo-8WB8BDQA-JgyTr-_H7fnAW4ui3BENwT/s1600/10442206-bonne-annee-2017-exemples-de-message-texte-sms-et-citations-de-meilleurs-voeux-2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdodHcW6JNZM0EzC-syPcF5es2nt69lKE_Fi2CCTb4LpMf_UPzTDQO1c4hbY8vx72IT-ZbHydPycvx-0LkkF4N_v1OldvMjav_UQXMS3_QuNo-8WB8BDQA-JgyTr-_H7fnAW4ui3BENwT/s320/10442206-bonne-annee-2017-exemples-de-message-texte-sms-et-citations-de-meilleurs-voeux-2017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Red
wine</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Reunions</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Rooftop
bars in London</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Walking - both for perspective and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teWoGW3ShAA&t=49s" target="_blank">health</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>End
of exams - especially if someone else pays for a celebratory lunch</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSlOgCtuwbw&index=4&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">gut instinct</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Getting
braver, and going for what I want</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Polaroid pictures </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My friends and family </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>A
summer of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSsaYsTek9I&index=8&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0&t=22s" target="_blank">work</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>An actual cat burglar </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Re-watching my 1SecondEveryday videos </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">Month In Review videos</a> - even if I don't film them every month...</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Playing
join-the-dots with freckles</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Pimms/Beer/Cider/Picnics at the cricket</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Impromptu
plans - although I don't think you can actually plan anything that is impromptu...</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Being a pedant - see above</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Trying (and failing) to (temporarily) dye my hair purple</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Friends trekking across London to provide sustenance of more than one kind</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Texts that start with, "Do you want to come round to mine for dinner?" and end with "I'll cook".</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Perfecting my party trick of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKWO77m0Dmo&t=222s" target="_blank">pill-swallowing</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Staycations</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>FINALLY
getting free coffee(s) at Pret</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Kumquats</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Telling
stories about kumquats</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Being
teased about my stories of kumquats</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/anniversary-four-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">being-discharged-from-hospital anniversary</a> being renamed my squirrel
anniversary</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Reaching
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/anniversary-four-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">four years since I left hospital</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Puns
- forever and always one of the ways to my heart</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Well-timed, freshly-boiled kettles</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Good
grammar</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Good
manners</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>"Good
morning"s</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Good
referencing - in life, not just in essays</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Making
time for self-care</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sheet
masks</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Yoga
– especially Child’s Pose</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Early
nights</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Late
nights</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>A
dazzlingly coloured wireless speaker</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The
Eiffel Tower light show</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Being the hostess</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Being the hosted </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Being
mistaken for a Parisian</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Being
afraid of an answer, but asking anyway</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Robing
rooms and court rooms (as always)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Having
one of my idols as a mentor</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The
notification "xxxx has tagged you in a comment/post"</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Voice
notes</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Screenshots
and a flurry of messaging</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">Still having more favourites than not, despite a roller-coaster of a year</li>
</ul>
<div>
...and so much more...</div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>What are your favourite things of 2017? </i></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
How to get in touch:<br />
YouTube - <a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2">http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2</a><br />
Twitter - <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life">http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life</a><br />
Blog - <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/</a><br />
Email - <a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com">yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com</a><br />
Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a></div>
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-24316962557063192722017-11-05T11:41:00.000+00:002017-11-05T11:41:19.658+00:00Month In Review: OCTOBER 2017<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d4kki9t8tlE" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">October in review, featuring Marilyn Monroe, halloumi and lack of sleep.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxybxiLWg&t=21s&index=6&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" target="_blank">May In Review video</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxy..." target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJYmTy7VgHc&t=15s" target="_blank">Sleep hygiene and insomnia video</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<a href="http://www.theolivefox.co.uk/the-basics-sleeping/" target="_blank">Article on sleep</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
<a href="http://www.theolivefox.co.uk/wellbeing-basics-relaxing/" target="_blank">Article on relaxing</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNA_kEj1M379K-GoGnwFk8ehX20vHu7jNm5nkLsb288mrmkx22xo1I1mjMnjDO9hvWoLSyuMxkDO6OBFAtt-k0gq3sOZilPxsXwuFyDEtwm03Kxh8mgHO07vK_H4yiaeARJa_dKboQbPyZ/s1600/October+2017+-+Monthly+Favourite+Things.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNA_kEj1M379K-GoGnwFk8ehX20vHu7jNm5nkLsb288mrmkx22xo1I1mjMnjDO9hvWoLSyuMxkDO6OBFAtt-k0gq3sOZilPxsXwuFyDEtwm03Kxh8mgHO07vK_H4yiaeARJa_dKboQbPyZ/s320/October+2017+-+Monthly+Favourite+Things.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>How would you sum up your October?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
How to get in touch:<br />
YouTube - </span><a class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?v=d4kki9t8tlE&redir_token=9-c-q3SKrnFZJOvxy7Z3-u_2oxd8MTUwOTk2ODA5MUAxNTA5ODgxNjkx&event=video_description&q=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FCGZBkZnWU2" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Twitter - </span><a class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?v=d4kki9t8tlE&redir_token=9-c-q3SKrnFZJOvxy7Z3-u_2oxd8MTUwOTk2ODA5MUAxNTA5ODgxNjkx&event=video_description&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twitter.com%2FRecovering_Life" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Blog - </span><a class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?v=d4kki9t8tlE&redir_token=9-c-q3SKrnFZJOvxy7Z3-u_2oxd8MTUwOTk2ODA5MUAxNTA5ODgxNjkx&event=video_description&q=http%3A%2F%2Fyourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk%2F" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co...</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com<br />Facebook - </span><a class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?v=d4kki9t8tlE&redir_token=9-c-q3SKrnFZJOvxy7Z3-u_2oxd8MTUwOTk2ODA5MUAxNTA5ODgxNjkx&event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRecovering.Life" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-90429692753763866582017-10-30T12:38:00.001+00:002017-10-30T12:38:52.763+00:00Recipe: Homemade healthy muesliI posted a picture on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> of a jar of homemade muesli and asked you if you wanted a recipe for it; turns out you did. SO here we go...a nutty, nourishing, sugar-free, wheat-free muesli that doesn't taste of dust!<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe34r38gvP9OZrW3syHYqqzMe3JQhqiLMObJrEoK3pAd1nwn32rAu5l1rqz-4rbaouT1VWpkwc6WHGbX-ZgOJey6ypugm0Bbbk1WE29VHeXHIX1KScCRSU402bSgK9knv0EZ7yroJtPvY5/s1600/IMG_20171022_164632_881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe34r38gvP9OZrW3syHYqqzMe3JQhqiLMObJrEoK3pAd1nwn32rAu5l1rqz-4rbaouT1VWpkwc6WHGbX-ZgOJey6ypugm0Bbbk1WE29VHeXHIX1KScCRSU402bSgK9knv0EZ7yroJtPvY5/s320/IMG_20171022_164632_881.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u>Ingredients:</u></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
600g oats<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
200g mixed nuts <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
100g sesame seeds<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
50g sunflower seeds<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
50g pumpkin seeds<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
100g raisins<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
100g dried cranberries<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
100g dried ready-to-eat apricots, chopped<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Feel free to: change the types of dried fruit or seeds used according to your preference, and add some spices (cinnamon, nutmeg etc.) if you like a bit of extra warmth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<u>Method:</u></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 160C</li>
<li>Spread the oats, nuts and seeds
on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes – making sure the oats don’t
burn, but are slightly golden.</li>
<li>Take the tray out of the oven and
leave to cool</li>
<li>Once the mixture is cooled, mix
together with the dried fruit and store in a glass jar or other airtight container</li>
<li>To serve – add milk or yoghurt
and some fresh fruit if you like.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<b><i>How do you like to start your day? What recipes would you like to see next?</i></b><br />
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Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-22242717200557613222017-10-05T16:30:00.000+01:002017-10-05T16:30:00.495+01:00Comfort Food: Lamb Tagine recipeIn my <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/month-in-review-september-2017.html" target="_blank">September In Review video</a> I mentioned that I have been loving making (and eating) lamb tagines. I have written up my recipe - please see below. My apologies for the lack of photos - the many times I have made the tagine, the ravenous hordes have descended before I have had the chance to take nice photos...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55FStWnhoZdob0B5SfCxd9XTvQAwdCXW_cSYGOBjFSEa8EZiDvvuU3YZv8k7aLysBXWlzbKS7Dk5S-tjHkbAs5_mXEgIZ3rIm2xIyWpvCzbxJPtCeyt1CWskz9oFuMb2Z1SnCmEAErExi/s1600/Lamb+Tagine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55FStWnhoZdob0B5SfCxd9XTvQAwdCXW_cSYGOBjFSEa8EZiDvvuU3YZv8k7aLysBXWlzbKS7Dk5S-tjHkbAs5_mXEgIZ3rIm2xIyWpvCzbxJPtCeyt1CWskz9oFuMb2Z1SnCmEAErExi/s320/Lamb+Tagine.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This recipe serves four or five hungry people.<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
<br />
1kg lamb neck fillet<br />
1 large onion, diced<br />
2 cloves of garlic, crushed<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp ground cumin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp ground coriander<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp hot chilli powder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp ground turmeric<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a few strands of saffron<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 small cinnamon sticks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lemon, unwaxed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">500g of passata</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">150g dried apricots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">125g dried pitted dates and/or sultanas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pint of lamb stock, or the water the lemon was boiled in</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">50g shelled pistachios</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">50g flaked almonds</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<u>Method:</u><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Pre-heat the oven to
150C (for fan-assisted ovens)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">2.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span dir="LTR"></span>Boil the lemon in a
saucepan of water for 20 minutes, remove carefully and dice up the whole lemon
while </span>removing<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the seeds. Put the diced up lemon in a dish to use later. You
will also want to retain the water it was boiled in for later...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">3.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Dice the lamb neck
and fry in a large oven-proof (and lidded) casserole dish over a very hot heat.
Once the meat has browned, remove it from the casserole dish and set aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>In the same casserole dish you browned the lamb in, add the
onion and garlic with some oil and start to sweat this down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">5.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Once the onion and garlic have started to soften, add all
the spices (except the cinnamon stick and saffron) and stir over the heat to
release the flavour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">6.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Add the lamb back in after a few minutes and stir the meat
into the onion and spice mix, so that everything is thoroughly coated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">7.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>You will now want to add
your chosen liquid and also the passata. If your chosen liquid is lamb stock, then add the few strands of saffron
to the stock before you pour over the meat. If you prefer, you can simply use
the leftover lemon-y water from Step 2 and add the saffron to this. Stir!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">8.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Add in the cinnamon
stick, all the fruit (including the lemon) and the nuts and turn up the heat until
the liquid is at a simmer, and let it bubble for a few minutes on the hob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">9.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span>Once the mix has bubbled
away nicely for a few minutes, put the lid on the casserole dish and pop it in
the oven for between 2 and 2.5 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;">10.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span> Serve with a scattering of fresh coriander, rice, couscous or a green salad and
watch the tagine magically disappear.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Let me know if you make this recipe - did you change anything? Are there any other recipes you make that are great comfort food meals?</i></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Facebook - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-26177735808633266612017-10-04T15:41:00.000+01:002017-10-04T15:41:32.381+01:00Month In Review: SEPTEMBER 2017<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DnrtyLfseDw" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">September 2017 in review, featuring the importance of boundaries, saying goodbye and the deliciousness of lamb tagine.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>How was your September?</i></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">How to get in touch:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YouTube - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Facebook - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-38148538440705750892017-09-27T15:04:00.000+01:002017-09-27T15:04:15.178+01:00Month In Review: AUGUST 2017<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LWnbOCFRGRQ" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">August 2017 In Review - featuring salads, <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/anniversary-four-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">anniversaries</a> and interruptions.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/anniversary-four-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">Anniversary post </a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>How would you sum up your August?</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">How to get in touch:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto", roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YouTube - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Twitter - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life</a><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Blog - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co...</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Facebook - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a></span>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-24372673735057010642017-08-26T10:29:00.001+01:002017-08-26T10:30:32.834+01:00Month In Review: JULY 2017<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sSsaYsTek9I" width="480"></iframe><br />
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July 2017 In Review - featuring Rihanna quotes, homemade muesli and the power of change.<br />
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Granola recipe - <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/a-healthy-start-to-day-breakfast.html%C2%A0" target="_blank">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/a-healthy-start-to-day-breakfast.html </a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjeC_u5Nbis3somJ01uJeVBVHipNeJx6cpsWKJKUgD4cVyArffVlnu7qHBIQ42uKgpe1BAvXcYhOHy3EV-wf8UNOiAqx1Pf9PBh9FYS0KxIg2bVV0zRfX-sUiRSkw0QwtuqspcOjyImgk/s1600/July+2017+-+Month+In+Review.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjeC_u5Nbis3somJ01uJeVBVHipNeJx6cpsWKJKUgD4cVyArffVlnu7qHBIQ42uKgpe1BAvXcYhOHy3EV-wf8UNOiAqx1Pf9PBh9FYS0KxIg2bVV0zRfX-sUiRSkw0QwtuqspcOjyImgk/s320/July+2017+-+Month+In+Review.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>How was your July?</i></b><br />
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How to get in touch:<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2%C2%A0" target="_blank">YouTube </a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" target="_blank">Twitter </a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifeinrecovery_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com" target="_blank">Email</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" target="_blank">Facebook</a>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-5989237626782571712017-08-05T18:04:00.002+01:002017-08-07T13:53:59.965+01:00Anniversary: four years on from hospital...I will start this post with the same preface as the last three years<span style="font-family: inherit;"> "<i style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">I have just written a 'status update' on my personal Facebook page to my friends and it occurred to me that I also want to say thank you to all of YOU. So I'm going to paste in what I wrote word-for-word on here.</span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"> </span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">This isn't something I thought I would ever feel comfortable doing. I try to keep Life In Recovery and my personal life reasonably separate. Not because I am ashamed of the blog but because I think it works better if I don't use this as a platform to air my private life and that I use my past and present experiences in a constructive way to help others who may be struggling. That won't be changing.</span></span></span></i></span><span style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">Keeping this blog, creating videos and posting little (or a lotta) bits on Twitter has been an absolutely wonderful experience. I hope to continue the work I have only just started and love interacting and discovering all of you 'out there.' This is why I felt it was relevant to post the message I sent to my friends and family to you all as well."</span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ad966c; line-height: 18.2px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></span></span></i></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">For the full effect (and for the new readers amongst you) you can read my <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/anniversary-one-year-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">first year anniversary post here</a> and my<a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/anniversary-two-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank"> second here</a> and my <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.com/2016/08/anniversary-three-years-on-from-hospital.html" target="_blank">third year here</a>.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNTQN8DscoFy0WXeVwwarfha9qNzg9CkZSQ4OcZm2eAi0NMdirHbqnd9xAgCp4aJEOaIZQRq1gE5WQWS9tyPcocXv7iEK4rjKYO7vMfQzVKQFonhxDAErIM1ohazO4v9XcFuPUGMD-cFN/s1600/graduation-cap-four-years-later.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNTQN8DscoFy0WXeVwwarfha9qNzg9CkZSQ4OcZm2eAi0NMdirHbqnd9xAgCp4aJEOaIZQRq1gE5WQWS9tyPcocXv7iEK4rjKYO7vMfQzVKQFonhxDAErIM1ohazO4v9XcFuPUGMD-cFN/s320/graduation-cap-four-years-later.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
"Today is 5th August - and you know what that means Facebook friends...Yes, it's time for another of my epically soppy anniversary stream of consciousness-es.<br />
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Today marks four years exactly since I was discharged from hospital. Four years. Only four. If I thought the last three of these anniversary posts were hard to write this year's is even more so. Normally I like to spend a bit of time reflecting on what the last years have held and how far I've come; I like to remember all the incredible, patient, loving and hard-working people who helped me get where I am today, and I like to try to sum it all up neatly here (which I won't do this year!)<br />
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While I won't ever forget the pain and the hard times; it's so important to remember the joy of that first walk in the park seeing a squirrel, or going out for lunch for the first time, or slicing a loaf of bread, or making someone a cup of tea.<br />
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This year I don't have the chance to devote half a day to reminiscences, like previous years. But I think that says it all really - last year's post talked about how I almost missed the anniversary - that it almost passed me by, because I was too busy living my life. And this year is the same.<br />
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The past year has been filled with new experiences, new faces and new challenges. I have done things I never dreamed I could or would do, I am doing things that seemed so far out of reach and I'm becoming the person I want to be. Even in my darkest moments, when I tried to find and cling onto the hope that I would get through things, I could never have imagined how much could happen in four years.<br />
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With a new year of challenges and lots of change can come difficulties, but the last year has had so many more highs than lows and as I've said before, bumps in the road are just part of living a full life. I want to live life like a heartbeat, with all its ups and downs; not flatlining.<br />
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I often think things will plateau and I am sure there will come a time where no massive shifts or great strides happen - and this may be the last year where I notice big progress. Yet in the last year I have grown: bolder, stronger, healthier, more unafraid, more silly, more hungry, less wary, more sure, braver. More me. And for the opportunity to do that, I can never put into words. I am incredibly lucky, incredibly grateful and incredibly hopeful.<br />
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Going into my fifth year out of hospital feels amazing. Very soon I will stop having my regular appointments, a decision I made before the summer and one that I think shows I must have confidence in both my health and my self.<br />
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So, as I try not to cry (again) and I prepare to celebrate someone else's anniversary and don my heels, I'm reminded that this time four years ago I was putting on a pair of high heels in my hospital room as I had been determined to walk out in style, having entered on a stretcher. Yes, then, I may have only just made it out of the front door before having to stop, but still...! Tonight I'll dance all night!<br />
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I will quote my post from the last two years, “To the friends and family who have seen up close the changes these past couple of years have brought and who've been there with a solid shoulder, a helping hand, a beaming smile or a thumbs up - thank you”. I couldn't have done this, or enjoyed myself so much without you.<br />
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Life. Is. Good."<br />
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<b><i>Do you mark milestones and life anniversaries?</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">How to get in touch:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto", roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YouTube - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Twitter - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life</a><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Blog - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co...</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Facebook - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a></span>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-50893246127957272322017-07-15T09:54:00.000+01:002017-07-15T09:54:48.931+01:00Month In Review: JUNE 2017<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fVdrA1fZO08" width="480"></iframe><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">J</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">une 2017 in review, featuring batch-cooking, 'going for it' and saying hello.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">May In Review : </span><a class="yt-uix-sessionlink " data-sessionlink="itct=CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxybxiLWg&index=6&t=1s&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxybxiLWg&index=6&t=1s&list=PLfz9mtQuJthEAFxcGjpahsnOjZAgjbq_0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjxy...</a><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "YouTube Noto", Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></span>
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<b><i>How would you sum up your June?</i></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">How to get in touch:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "YouTube Noto", Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">YouTube - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" href="http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Twitter - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" href="http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life</a><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Blog - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co...</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: "youtube noto" , "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Facebook - </span><a class="yt-uix-servicelink " data-servicelink="CHkQ6TgYACITCPOYwd7xitUCFc6ZHAodiW4Leyj4HQ" data-target-new-window="True" data-url="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a></span>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4801730241429692180.post-43737459869757660872017-06-11T15:43:00.000+01:002017-06-11T15:43:05.725+01:00Immune-boosting Supplement Regime<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZKWO77m0Dmo" width="480"></iframe><br />
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“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” ― Hippocrates<br />
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Supplements mentioned:<br />
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<a href="http://www.bio-kult.com/about-bio-kult/319/bio-kult" target="_blank">Bio-Kult probiotic</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.vitabiotics.com/immunace/original" target="_blank">Vitabiotics Immunace</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.fushi.co.uk/organic-spirulina-capsules.html" target="_blank">Fushi Organic Spirulina</a><br />
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<a href="http://sambucol.co.uk/sambucol-immuno-forte-capsules" target="_blank">Sambucol Black Elderberry Extract</a><br />
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Other helpful videos for immune-boosting/overall wellbeing:<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuodephCpeM&t=414s" target="_blank">Mood-boosting and body-boosting foods</a><br />
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<i><b>What do you do to boost your immune system? Have any favourite supplements?</b></i><br />
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How to get in touch:<br />
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Blog - <a href="http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/">http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/</a><br />
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Email - <a href="mailto:yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com">yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com</a><br />
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Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life">https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life</a>Life In Recoveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726746764998910570noreply@blogger.com0