Thursday, 10 July 2014
The Health Benefits and Power of Laughter
A video about the powerful health benefits of laughing and sharing laughter with others.
'Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.' Victor Hugo
'Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.' Mark Twain
I really hope you enjoy watching the videos and that they can help you or someone you know. I would love to hear from you if you have anything you would like to say.
How to get in touch:
YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - yourlifeinrecovery@gmail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life
Saturday, 5 July 2014
Bitchy women: crescendo in catty culture
Near where I live there’s a very nice organic, home-made,
yoga lifestyle sort of café. In essence it should be the kind of place I’d be
naturally drawn to and want to frequent.
However, I don’t.
In fact when I pass it, as I do almost daily, I scuttle by and try to ignore its siren call. Why? Is the coffee awful? Or are the owners rude? Is it dirty/smelly/noisy? No.
The issue isn’t with the café itself it’s with the people who choose to eat and drink there. It’s a yummy-mummy hangout which is fine in itself but the problem is that all these women seem to talk about is how, "Mrs F looked rough this morning", "Miss B is having trouble with the boyfriend" or that, "Mr and Mrs T are struggling financially". You can’t escape the conversations, however hard you try not to hear them.
The first time I visited the café I very nearly walked over to the circle of gossiping women to point out that maybe their ‘friend’ was having so much trouble because, instead of trying to be there for her, they were choosing to spend their time ripping her life to pieces instead. The phrase “With friends like these, who needs enemies” hits the nail on the head.
Did so-and-so wear it better? Is what’s-her-face the new ‘it’ girl? Ms X dethrones Ms Z as the new princess of pop/queen of our hearts/fashionista/media darling.
It’s a human version of cock fighting.
Yet instead of realising how barbaric, demeaning and destructive this trend for setting women against each other is we, as a society and a sex, are in the thick of the crowd egging the fight on!
I’m not asking that all women should link arms and
walk off into the sunset together; that’s not realistic. We will have our
differences and disagreements - that’s part of being individuals. All I ask is
that we stop perpetuating a hate and vitriol-filled society where we seem to
take pleasure from other people’s pain. Where we revel and crow over our
neighbour’s failings and misfortunes.
My wish is that we can accept other, respect choices, support our friends in rough times and not judge a book by its cover. My wish is that we can enjoy each others successes, not view people as a threat, or someone to 'take down' and that we can be confident enough in ourselves to build up and boost those around us.
Someone once said “When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself”.
Do you feel the same way (as a man or as a woman)? Have you been on the receiving end of one of those 'stink eyes'? Do you feel that the media pit women against each other one minute and then berate the women who do "compete"?
How to get in touch:
YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life
However, I don’t.
In fact when I pass it, as I do almost daily, I scuttle by and try to ignore its siren call. Why? Is the coffee awful? Or are the owners rude? Is it dirty/smelly/noisy? No.
The issue isn’t with the café itself it’s with the people who choose to eat and drink there. It’s a yummy-mummy hangout which is fine in itself but the problem is that all these women seem to talk about is how, "Mrs F looked rough this morning", "Miss B is having trouble with the boyfriend" or that, "Mr and Mrs T are struggling financially". You can’t escape the conversations, however hard you try not to hear them.
The first time I visited the café I very nearly walked over to the circle of gossiping women to point out that maybe their ‘friend’ was having so much trouble because, instead of trying to be there for her, they were choosing to spend their time ripping her life to pieces instead. The phrase “With friends like these, who needs enemies” hits the nail on the head.
I have stood on tube platforms, been in a queue or looked up
from chatting with friends and received one of those up-and-down looks from
another woman where you’re made to feel about as small and welcome as a
cockroach. The American’s call it giving someone the ‘stink eye.’ This sums it
up nicely. It’s hugely rude, disrespectful and hurtful to be judged purely on the way you look or just because you happen to be a fellow woman who might be
competition.
However, it’s not just us as individuals who seem to enjoy
bitching and sniping about other women; the media adds fuel to the already
blazing fire by publishing articles that pit one woman against another. Did so-and-so wear it better? Is what’s-her-face the new ‘it’ girl? Ms X dethrones Ms Z as the new princess of pop/queen of our hearts/fashionista/media darling.
It’s a human version of cock fighting.
Yet instead of realising how barbaric, demeaning and destructive this trend for setting women against each other is we, as a society and a sex, are in the thick of the crowd egging the fight on!
My wish is that we can accept other, respect choices, support our friends in rough times and not judge a book by its cover. My wish is that we can enjoy each others successes, not view people as a threat, or someone to 'take down' and that we can be confident enough in ourselves to build up and boost those around us.
Someone once said “When you judge others, you do not define them, you define yourself”.
Do you feel the same way (as a man or as a woman)? Have you been on the receiving end of one of those 'stink eyes'? Do you feel that the media pit women against each other one minute and then berate the women who do "compete"?
YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life
Thursday, 26 June 2014
Health Activist Twitter Talk Results
I'd just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined in on Tuesday's #hachat. We had a great mix of people and lots of interesting conversations took place.
I know there were a few people who were unable to join in and WEGO Health have put a run-down of the chat on their blog. Click here http://blog.wegohealth.com/2014/06/26/your-patient-journey-health-activist-twitter-chat/ if you want to go and see what we were talking about!
Many thanks to WEGO Health for asking me to guest host and providing a space for people to interact with like-minded individuals and share experiences.
How to get in touch:
YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life
I know there were a few people who were unable to join in and WEGO Health have put a run-down of the chat on their blog. Click here http://blog.wegohealth.com/2014/06/26/your-patient-journey-health-activist-twitter-chat/ if you want to go and see what we were talking about!
Many thanks to WEGO Health for asking me to guest host and providing a space for people to interact with like-minded individuals and share experiences.
How to get in touch:
YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life
Monday, 23 June 2014
I'm hosting a Twitter Talk for Health Activists!
I have been asked to guest host a Twitter Talk for Health Activists by WEGO Health. The Twitter Talk will tale place for an hour between 3pm-4pm EST and 8pm-9pm BST on Tuesday 24th June 2014.
I have created a list of questions that I hope everyone will find thought-provoking and will hopefully stimulate some good conversations between us all. The questions will be listed below so you can have a sneaky preview to get those 'little grey cells' and fingers ready to go this Tuesday.
If you are unsure what a Twitter Talk is then I'll try to explain what they're all about. Twitter Talks or Twitter Tweet Chats are conversations that have an allocated hashtag (HT, #) that helps link and group all the messages being sent, questions and answers. They usually take place at a prearranged time and sometimes have an agenda or list of questions to help engage and promote conversations between participants.
WEGO Health is a different kind of social network, built from the ground up for the community leaders, bloggers and tweeters who are actively involved in health online. WEGO Health is a platform for committed health advocates to foster new relationships, gain access to helpful resources, and to grow their communities.
If you'd like to read more about WEGO Health then click the following link to go to their website www.wegohealth.com which contains a whole host of exciting and interesting information and lots of opportunities to flex your health activism muscles.
I really hope you manage to join me and many others for this weeks Health Activist's Twitter Chat at 3pm EST/8pm BST.
How to get in touch:
YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life
I have created a list of questions that I hope everyone will find thought-provoking and will hopefully stimulate some good conversations between us all. The questions will be listed below so you can have a sneaky preview to get those 'little grey cells' and fingers ready to go this Tuesday.
If you are unsure what a Twitter Talk is then I'll try to explain what they're all about. Twitter Talks or Twitter Tweet Chats are conversations that have an allocated hashtag (HT, #) that helps link and group all the messages being sent, questions and answers. They usually take place at a prearranged time and sometimes have an agenda or list of questions to help engage and promote conversations between participants.
 |
| Come and join me (and many more) on Tuesday at 3pm EST/8pm BST
Questions for #HAChat Twitter Talk:
1.
What's the one thing you would like to change
most about how medics have dealt/deal with your health condition?
What do you think the most
important attribute a medic ought to possess?
What is the most
destructive/disappointing/upsetting attribute a medic can possess?
2.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been
given that has helped you cope with your illness?
What is some good/valuable advice
you might give someone with a similar condition to you?
Do you feel it is important to
you to share advice and support to other sufferer’s?
3.
Do you consider yourself 'ill'? Why/Why not?
Do people’s attitudes/opinions of and
towards your health have an impact on your overall condition?
How do you cope with stigmas or judgements
that might be made?
4.
Do you struggle with keeping hope and positivity
alive?
Do you have strategies for this?
If so, what are they?
5.
Do you make sure that you devote equal amounts
of energy on 'feeding' your 'soul/spirit' and other interests?
If not – why not?
If so does this cause
difficulties/guilt/concern that you’re not focusing on ‘trying to get better’
or ‘managing your condition’?
Who are WEGO Health? |
If you'd like to read more about WEGO Health then click the following link to go to their website www.wegohealth.com which contains a whole host of exciting and interesting information and lots of opportunities to flex your health activism muscles.
I really hope you manage to join me and many others for this weeks Health Activist's Twitter Chat at 3pm EST/8pm BST.
How to get in touch:
YouTube - http://t.co/CGZBkZnWU2
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Recovering_Life
Blog - http://yourlifeinrecovery.blogspot.co.uk/
Email - lifeinrecovery@mail.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Recovering.Life
Friday, 20 June 2014
I'm now on Bloglovin!!
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12331033/?claim=2f9gcg5vm3z">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
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