reflective

Male depression

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

At last there is more public interest and awareness f or support and acknowledging male depression. As discussed during ‘This Morning’ TV show phone in there are so many men who find it hard to approach friends when suffering emotional problems.

It is not a weakness but a strength to open up and ask for help, that in itself takes real courage. The old tradition of men not discussing problems needs to change to allow those in need to feel able to seek help from friends and family.

Those who are feeling troubled and having suicidal thoughts should talk to a professional if they can, seek out help from local support groups and not be afraid to admit they are not coping. Giving the option those that love you really want to know how you are feeling and have the opportunity to help.

It has always been a case of a problem shared and vocalising how one feels rather than just remaining in a dark place alone in one’s mind really helps. Changes don’t happen over night but tiny steps to a more positive place is far easier than most imagine.

 

 

Changing times

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

Today I discussed with a colleague how times had changed within education. We spoke about how previously teachers could hit children with a cane, throw black board rubbers at their heads and even wash their mouths out with soap for swearing.The latter I witnessed myself… I kid you not!

Thankfully we have come a long way and teachers are better behaved and hopefully so are the children. My colleague was in her 80’s and interested to learn about safeguarding and how staff are not meant to be ‘touching’ children -and those of us who have had safeguarding training know that even when administering first aid one has to be mindful and only act appropriately.

Equally teachers are now coping with far more stress factors than in our day at school aside of  league tables; drugs, self-harming and of course cyber-bullying not all changes are for the better and life is not easy for our teenagers. The opportunities are vast but the pressures are too.

The main advice is to keep an open communication line and take an active interest in one’s children not just their friendship groups but their well-being too. Parenting the most rewarding yet difficult assignment you will ever be given.

Feeling healthier and fighting stress

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

At the start of the year we all make various promisess to ourselves about being happier, being more successful, being fitter, slimmer etc the list is endless. The trouble is maybe we set too many challenges at once and set ourselves up to fail.

Ideally and honestly be more realistic in what you want to achieve and set yourself a realistic time frame in which to work to. Tiny steps that are easy to manage and maintain will always work better. Sometimes we are inspired by that summer holiday to eat healthier and trim down but whilst those targets are good they are too often not changes for life.

For those really wanting to make a difference to how they feel and look the diet and exercise change has to be life-long to really feel the benefits not just visually but physically. Healthy mind, healthy body … understanding why and when we eat the wrong things (comfort eating) it will be easier to then change our relationship with food for the better and, longer term, is without the best way.

Often people get into a cycle of feeling lethargic through eating all the wrong things then feeling too sluggish to exercise and so the cycle begins. We all go through periods of denial and excuse making but once we regain a healthier state we achieve more and therefore feel less stressed.The cycle we then reach and live within is one of positivity and healthy well-being.

Let’s make 2017 the year to feel healthier and happier it’s actually far easier than you fear.

Memories

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

Aside of my various writing projects wherein I often talk about keeping loved ones alive in our hearts when talking about bereavement I believe it is vital to celebrate the life of those we lose.

Whilst feeling sad at the passing of a loved one it really does help the grieving process to remember the  funny times and their personal achievements rather than focus on the way they died. As I have shared personally many times my mother’s life wasn’t cancer and I have always preferred to recall the many gifts she gave us her love, her time and her wisdom.

Many people also find comfort in preparing a memory board of photographs to look at, reflect and hold onto positive memories.

Where ever you are in your own bereavement journey remember your loved one would want you to go on living your life to the full.

Making the most of opportunities

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

January is often a time for reflecting the past year and re-examining what has worked and what appears to have been a struggle both in work and personal life. For those fellow self-employed followers, this month often is used for focused marketing activities and getting to grips with new projects and meeting new clients.

How ever, you have spent the first week of 2017 ensure you make the best of any networking opportunities and spend time with positive colleagues that inspire rather than hold you back.

Having focused my time and attention to being a mature student the past couple of years I am now spending time on some of my neglected writing projects. I am gently reminding my writing colleagues that sometimes the timing isn’t right..but now perhaps it is. So dust off those manuscripts (word docs) and either start chasing publishers or have a stab at self-publishing.

 

 

Where is your heaven?

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

I remain sitting on the fence as to whether or not there is a heaven. I know my mother believed there was such a place but reminded us to make our own heaven here on earth…sound advice.

After a long day of paperwork and ruthlessly clearing out lots of home office ‘stuff’. paperless society?? Not in my home.  I treated myself to a relax and came across a beautiful film on Netflix. ‘Heaven is for real’. Based on a true story of a young boy who not only had a near death experience but felt he had visited heaven.

Fot those of my followers who are fighting their chocolate addiction..that is not Thorntons or Hotel Chocoate either!

When working through a spiritual healing course I read many an emotive book on similar subjects and if your faith leads you to the conclusion that heaven does exist all well and good.

For today I am concentrating on organising my life here on earth and living it as positively and lovingly as I can.

OUR PERSONAL DREAMS

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

The dreams we have are so important to us even if at times we shelve them as life gets in the way of our personal ambitions..but they will come back to haunt us and remind us not to give up on them.

A few quotes to treasure:-

‘But I, being poor, have only my dreams, I have spread my dreams under your feet, tread softly because you tread on my dreams.’

W B Yeats.

‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’

Eleanor Roosevelt

It’s never too late to follow your dreams…

 

 

Re-focusing

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

After the long Christmas and New Year break it is very hard to get back on track and re-focus one’s mind on our careers and/or studying.

With the return to University for the January exams I wish all students well. Remember: plenty of sleep, keep well-hydrated and have regular breaks from the studying. Exercise if you have time as that is so important to well-being, and, dare I say a little sugar treat now and then.  During exams keep both of your feet firmly on the floor being grounded really helps with concentration and helps one relax. If your legs are in knots so are you!

I know a little of how you feel  I have two courses waiting my attention and focus so less of the procastinating and more action Ms M.

Part of my new year’s action plan is to be more tidier…getting there it’s a slow process and my deadline is to have made great in-roads by the weekend.

A tidier start to 2017

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

I always have a bit of a tidy up and de-clutter at the end of the year/beginning a new one but have to confess boy am I in need of it this time round!

Whilst spending my time gaining various qualifications as a mature student and researching and writing my various projects I have allowed the home office to become a sea of files and oh so useful papers.

A family member, an estate agent, stayed over xmas and suggested a de-clutter was called for. He advised me that my ‘homely’ look was in fact just untidy! So in readiness of filling all the storage boxes I have ordered I started a bit of rationalising it all today and found a book on de-cluttering under a pile of stuff! Now that one could not make up..but it certainly made my best buddy and life coach pal laugh.

Magazines are always full of tips to de-clutter and organise our lives at the strat of a new year and we all start off with good intentions..this year I am going to apply the NLP techniques I know on myself and streamline.

It doesn’t come easy to me with an approach of ‘handy if you never use it’ and I know I am not alone as a child of parents from the second world war and the time of rationing that we have a tendancy to hoard things.

It seems many of us have far too many things and not enough storage so something has to give. But I just can’t part with books, even with my own books published on Kindle one can’t beat a real book…the older the better.

True reflection of society

~ credo2014 ~ Leave a comment

I know that many of the writers for soaps will feel justified in their story lines as being a true reflection of today’s society…if this is the case for last night’s Eastenders then things have become very dark. In just one episode we saw attempted suicide, self-harming and drug abuse. Sadly these are all things which many people  are struggling to control.

I often write about suicide on my blog especially in young men which is where the large proportion of stats lay. I am not therefore criticising the soap writers but all credit to them for being brave enough to tackle these issues albeit it sad viewing.

I am a great advocate in awareness of any type rather than for the troubles facing the young remaining taboo.We ignore them at our own peril.

However, I would like to see our young feeling happier about their life and  focusing on the opportunities that present themselves rather than being dragged down by what they may feel are their failings..more often than not people in depression just need to talk and feel heard.

My blog message today is cherish those around you and if a family member needs help then encourage them to get it, don’t leave them struggling. Life is good but sometimes in the rush of life we just get lost along the way and simply forget.

I wish all my fellow bloggers and followers a very healthy and happy new year and if financial rewards come too all well and good.

For those who have had a difficult 2016 I say go all out in 2017, follow your dreams and kick some butt! Have fun and remember laughing is as good as a tonic and for those that like the occasional Gin add in a measure of that too!