Work: How to apply for a job if you've been chronically ill

If you've got to the stage where your health permits you to seek out work, then this video contains some helpful guidance on how to frame your ill-health.

Useful Links:

http://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/disclosing-illness-to-employer

http://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/blog/2013/march/how-to-explain-a-gap-in-your-cv

http://www.irishjobs.ie/careeradvice/writing-a-cv-if-you-have-been-long-term-unemployed-or-on-long-term-sick-leave/

http://www.michaelpage.co.uk/career-centre/cover-letter-and-cv-advice/how-to-explain-gaps-in-employment-on-your-cv

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, so please do leave a comment below.

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

Education: How to apply to University with Extenuating Circumstances

This video contains some guidance about how to let universities know about extenuating circumstances and the steps you can take to make things easier.

UCAS website - www.ucas.com

The Student Room threads on extenuating circumstances - www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1402531
www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1614940

Common problems (including extenuating circumstances) - www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/university-personal-statement-issues.html

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 - please do comment below!

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

How to manage Perfectionism and the Pursuit of Perfection

A video about perfectionism and how, in the extreme, it could be detrimental to health and well-being. This video contains some guidance on how to gain a more balanced outlook.

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself” - Anna Quindlen.

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

Anniversary - two years on from hospital...

This time last year I uploaded a post that I had written on my personal Facebook page to mark the one year anniversary of leaving hospital. I wrote a pre-cursor to this saying:
"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. 
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.
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."

You can read last years full post here in all it's gushy glory!

I am not going to re-word that pre-cursor for this year, as I think it sums up exactly how I feel now. Again, this is not something I would usually do (or feel comfortable with) but it does seem very appropriate and something I want to share on this platform. 

So, for a second year running, here goes...

"Some of you may know that today marks a significant anniversary for me. Today - August 5th - marks two years since I was discharged from hospital. (And no, don't worry...I'm not going to be doing this every year..!)

Last year I wrote about how thankful, amazed and appreciative I was to have a chance to live a happy and full life. Nothing about that has changed. Except maybe that I am more sure, more certain and more definite that that 'chance' is now more of a certainty - I am living, and will continue to live, that happy and full life thanks to so many people.

If I thought that first year out of hospital was an eventful and momentous one then I was unprepared for this year! I have no words left to describe how this second year has been. It has been indescribably *more* than I ever expected.

I don't want to bleat on about each individual milestone or experience...you were probably witness to a lot of those anyway! What I do want to say is that the last year was one of the best years of my life. That's not to say that it was perfect and it has had it's rocky patches, but that only makes the year all the more real and true. Those difficult times have taught me a lot, both about myself and others, and they have made the countless wonderful and overwhelmingly positive times so much more authentic. At times I have been unable to contain my excitement and happiness about everything that has happened this year. I have often had to pinch myself and I continue to be amazed and humbled by all the loveliness!

Just as I did last time, I want to thank you all for your friendship, support and for the shared experiences we have had together. I have met lots of amazing people this year who, along with the lovely people who read my post last year, have added so much to this year.

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 think the phrase 'wonderful and overwhelmingly positive' pretty much sums up the year. I'm so excited and curious to see what this next year will bring us all."

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

'Doing your bit': London Legal Walk 2015

A little bit of a more general/personal post today! But, as with the voting post I did here, it's ultimately all about helping the community and improving lives and well-being.

On Monday 18th May 2015, I, along with over 9000 other people, took part in the London Legal Walk.
The 10 kilometre walk around London is held each year to raise funds for free legal advice charities in London and the South East. Individuals, universities and law firms took part. I even saw babies and dogs tagging along! To find out more visit the London Legal Support Trust website here,
So far, with just this walk, over £600,000 has been raised!

Personally, it was an incredible experience. The weather turned out beautiful, after a very dull and wet morning! I had been a little concerned about making it round the whole 10km course, but I'm thrilled to say I managed it in just over two hours. This is a bit of a milestone for me, as two years ago I was struggling to walk 10 metres, let alone 10 kilometres!

So, overall, it was not only a brilliant opportunity to raise money for an awesome cause and meet some inspirational people, but also a personal triumph.

As you can see from the photos, we saw lots of different parts of London. It was a great opportunity to explore London, even though I've been here a while now it's still so much fun to play at being a tourist! We started and finished the walk behind the Royal Courts of Justice, just round the corner from the Law Society, in the heart of the legal district of Chancery Lane...an apt setting and one which I find both inspirational and aspirational. There was a street-party afterwards and we danced to Samba music, drank beer while the stilt-walkers weaved in between the crowds and dressed up for silly photos in the (rather cool) photo booth.

I highly recommend the event to anyone who is interested in law, justice, equality or social care. It's superbly run and organised. It's also a fantastic opportunity to network whilst getting some good exercise and raising money for a deserving cause. You'll definitely see me there next year!

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