Slug Weekend.

So this weekend my mental health took a dip. I turned into a slug and everything I had originally planned to do with my weekend, went out the window.
I have depression and anxiety. I am medicated for both but some days the medication just doesn't do it and you know something, that is okay! It can happen for a day or two and even three days in a row. I allow myself these days! I allow myself to not get out of bed and just drink tea all day, binge watch netflix and sometimes even cry all day. It helps. The only way it would get worse is trying to force myself to do something that will only make me sore physically and mentally. Trying to force myself out the house or do housework or even crocheting, can hurt me more than just being a slug for a day. I allow myself one "slug day" to just let myself relax and chill out. Don't get me wrong, it is hard doing these "slug days" with a child about and now a teenager, as they tend to make more work for me and seeing the mess they create happening around me, tends to lower my mood more. (Typical teenager, doesn't help unless rewarded. *sighs*)
If my mood continues on to the next day, I don't tend to "slug it" as much. I get up and do basic housework: Hoovering, Laundry, Tidying up any mess the little and teenager have left. This is normally the day I tell the teenager to do his chores or the wifi password is being changed. That normally gets him shifting into gear.
I will also go in a shower. I feel that it tends to wash away my mood. I don't normally take a shower longer that 10-15 minutes because if I do, I get the little one or the teenager chapping the door asking me for something or just wanting a general chat to get out of doing chores. Yet the teenager can take a 45m-1hour shower and we have all to wait. (this has made me realise what my parents were talking about me taking long showers as a teen, so I shouldn't really moan.) But the shower does help. After that is normally when I either jump into my comfy clothes or pj's and have a cup of tea and scroll through Pinterest/YouTube.
Day three, normally this is when I'm starting to be more myself. Things will start to become "normal" again. Routines and daily things will begin to happen and I will probably encourage myself to get out the house and get some fresh air around my face. I tend to maybe pop down and see family or go to the nearest supermarket.

Anyways, this weekend. I think it has stemmed from a week of having a sick bug and mother nature tagging along. Friday, I went out and got shopping. Took the little one with me, as she had been sick as well. I love spending time with just me and her. It's been that way since the day she was born. Days out with my little human, tend to make me really happy, even more now since she is 4 and is becoming more and more her little person. So on Friday, we went to visit Gran, mini humans choice, then went for some shopping. She is still small enough to sit in the seat in the shopping trolley and we whizzed around the store. Couple things picked out by the little one. Got home and then had something to eat.
The rest of the weekend ended up me feeling pretty down for no reason at all but I put it down to recovering from the bug and mother nature, so I slumped into it. Scrolled through facebook/twitter/instagram/youtube and found a couple things I was glad to find. I also ending up creating a new private board on pinterest for the new house. Deciding I was to DECLUTTER all my house and get rid of most things and start a fresh. New items for each room. Leaving most things bought for this house here, or soon to be dumped. This has really lifted my spirits this weekend. Deciding this and colour schemes for the house.

This weekend, I am determined to De-Clutter all my clothes and the little humans clothes. Really clamping down on my own clothes and only having so many items of clothing. Creating more space for myself just now, as I only live in a two bed flat. The teenager currently occupying the little humans room and the little human sharing my room. So looking around everything seems to be piling up. I think this will help so much with how I have been feeling. Getting rid of things I don't wear/use/want/make me happy/need.

Wish me luck with that, I normally find this kind of thing difficult but I think I will feel alot better after doing it!
I think I will post a blog about it and maybe post a before and after picture ( THE HORROR!! )

-N

Self Care.

I have only started taking the time to give myself a little break from daily life and give myself a little self loving. I thought I would write a blog about what I do and what I like to do during my little "self care" time. Hopefully something on my list might help someone out there, relax, clear their head and chill out.

So here is what I like to do:

A long hot shower - This normally happens when I don't have my four year old daughter running about and my brother is glued to his x-box or out. That is the only time I get to have a shower longer than 10 minutes. During the shower I love to use my FAVOURITE shower gel! Marshmallow Dreams by Treaclemoon! 

Put on comfy clothes or pj's - My go to clothes are leggings, fluffy socks, baggy t-shirt or jumper. I then tend to get my comfy blanket. I wash my blanket every week so it is constantly smelling fresh and makes me happy.

Painting my nails and doing a face mask - I have a small selection of nail polishes, some I use a lot, some that haven't even been cracked open. I tend to go with peel off face masks, as I love the feeling of peeling it. I have sensitive skin on my face so I need to watch what I put on. I have found Superdrugs own masks are great and leave my face clean, soft and painless! Which is great, as some other brands have left my face sore and red for days! I can't use ones with little seeds or grains!

Either having a pot of tea or make hot chocolate, with cream and marshmallows - I normally do this after my shower and just about to get all comfy on my bed.

Crochet - This is more of a hobby but it calms me down and normally once I do the previous I tend to pick up my crochet hook and maybe try something different or continue one of my dreaded wip (work in progress) i have sooooo many!

Knitting - NO, this is not the same as crochet. I have just started knitting. I am still learning the basic stitches and cast ons, binding off etc. So yeah this can be relaxing once I know what I'm doing. So tend to just leave it mostly until days I want to knit.

Burning a candle - I go through a phase of burning certain candles. Just now it's a orchid and sweet coconut one. It's bliss. Just the right mix of both in a candle that make you melt. Honestly! I picked two small jar candles in my local Sainsbury's, during a sale. I've went back in to buy more but they only do the diffuser oil. (Yes, I bought that too!) Which I like to put in my humidifier/diffuser! (That little thing is AMAZING btw! Think I will post a blog with details and oils I use.)

Reading - I actually haven't picked up a decent book in a while! Really want to get back into reading again. I am finding more time to myself and should use this time to get through my "to read" list. I bought two books in the new year there and haven't even creased the spine. I have a kindle too, but I prefer the old fashioned paperback or hardback. Something about opening a fresh book and creasing the spine. NO DOG EARS!!!!

Binge watching a TV series or Movies - This is normally something I have found on Netflix/Amazon/NowTV, that I don't find the time to watch during the week. Recently it has been Vikings (highly recommend) and New Girl. My go to shows are normally: Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Pretty Little Liars, The Office (US), 24, Sons Of Anarchy, Grey's Anatomy (I only watch that on my self care days if I need a good cry!), Heroes, Bobs Burgers, Family Guy, The Mentalist, ANY Csi's, NCIS.. This is only to name a few.
My Movies: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Harry Potter, LotR, any Disney film, my movie list is alot shorter than my TV, as I don't really like watching films as much now.

Watching game play on YouTube - The two main YouTubers I watch are Markiplier and Jacksepticeye. I probably watch them more than I do any TV. It's a little weird but it calms me. I found that it's helped my depression and anxiety, having them on in the background makes me feel like I am less alone, in a sense. I don't know you reading this would understand but since I was shown, I think it was Mark first, I have seen a decrease in my bad days and I look forward to them posting videos. (which is great as they post maybe 1 or 2 a day, so i end up with 1-4 new videos to watch a day. Or I leave them until the weekend to binge on.)

Making or Ordering in my favourite food - My ultimate comfort food is Lasagna! Love the stuff! Actually can't get enough of it sometimes. Also love cheesy pasta, homemade or out the packet, GIMME! I tend to snack more on my self care day and then end up ordering in, normally Chinese food! Can't beat a good spicy curry to tingle the taste buds! 

I do this from the comfort of my little space of haven in my house - my bedroom. I basically live in my bedroom, always have. I don't really like sitting in my living room, only when people are in. When it's just who lives in the house that is in, then I hide away in my bedroom. Maybe that will change over time or once we move into a bigger house. The now I am sharing my bedroom with my daughter, so I don't feel like I have my own space to breathe, relax and unwind from reality. I like to "un-plug" from everything once in a while, including being a mummy! (but only for a few hours or a night, whichever one I am lucky to get now, thanks to family <3)

I will no doubt post another blog like this in a few months or that, just updating what I do. Maybe go into more detail on somethings. I want to do a product blog on what I use for make-up/removal, hair products I use, body lotions and anything else I can think of. 

- N