Imagine if I gave in to that voice of self doubt when it reared up?
Imagine if I let myself talk myself out of it because I was feeling a bit of resistance?
Imagine if I just thought fuck it after not many people turned up that day and decided not to do any more of these workshops?
I would never have helped ALL of these people…
I thought I’d write something for #mentalhealthawarenessweek – because I know first hand how easy it is to let any diagnosis become an identity or a new label to wear, and how it can all add to feeling broken and unable to do the things in life that you dream of doing.
Meet Laura.
She’s one of my photography clients and has also become a really good friend.
She recently did a brave and put on an event to bring a few people from the online business space together.
The usual worries were there. I’m certain she won’t mind me saying this but I think whenever anyone steps outside of their comfort zones to do something different, parts of our brains try to tell us all sorts of stuff. I get it myself – no one will come, it will be crap, am I charging the right amount, it’s a stupid idea, blah blah blah.
You are moving.
You are growing.
I know that sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.
But you are.
You don’t notice because that’s the way of the world.
We’re taught to focus on all the things we’re not doing.
We’re taught to concentrate on all that we’re not good at.
It’s not your fault.
That was how school worked.
Focus and work harder on the things you struggle with.
We’ve all taken that pattern with us unto adulthood.
I know it gets you down.
…I’M AWESOME! So if you’ve been following my blog for a bit you might be noticing a theme at […]
Dear business owner, You’re being so beige; so vanilla; so GDPR. This recent round of compliance communication has highlighted […]
When we have BS stories in our heads, like about who we are and how we are allowed to […]
I’m a step mum to three children. I call them my bonus children. Find one good man, get three […]
It’s no fun… Feeling like you’re missing out on life; days, weeks, months and years passing you by. Feeling […]
The way I felt about myself fuelled my anxiety and depression. And depression and anxiety fuelled how I felt […]
Have you ever wondered why you feel different to everyone else around you? Like you don’t quite fit in? Like […]
So last night, every speaker’s nightmare came true…
Actually, scratch that, last night, every person who fears public speaking’s nightmare came true.
My mind went blank. I froze.
I never planned to become a mentor.
Well, except for that one time at Uni when me and my friends signed up to every society meeting that had free food at the meetings.
Yes, I left pockets filled with sausage rolls and biscuits and no shame whatsoever.
Just be yourself – words we’ve heard millions of times.
Hellooooo… But how?
It’s not like anyone actually teaches us how, is it?!
Yeah, that’s right – the ‘Happiness Ninja’, on happy pills.
Surely that’s cheating, right?
No.
There’s no shame in asking for help.
I repeat.
THERE IS NO SHAME IN ASKING FOR HELP.
It’s ok to ask for help; to take a break from this madness; to press reset, pick up the pieces dust yourself off and start again.
Just as we outgrow our shoes, we outgrow our stories. This is why we start to feel uncomfortable – in pain because just life doesn’t seem to fit any more…
A long weekend of travelling across the country to stay with people I’d met on the internet… (sorry mum!) I […]
You don’t want to feel sad – but what does happy actually look like to you?
You don’t want to work at this job – but what job is it you really want?
You don’t want to be single – but what does a relationship, an ideal relationship, look like to you?
Once upon a time I had a photography business.
It was really good. I was really good.
Except I just couldn’t see it.
