relationships

Queer Me!

How do we commemorate Tim, our resident guest writer, sharing his family history, relationships and feelings for the last five years? By asking him to share more with us.

Actually, I prefer the sub-title, Halfway Between Flying and Crying, because that is how I have felt all my life, that I have been halfway between the exhilaration of flying and being in tears of despair. I don’t mean the flying to be inside a plane. I think of it as just me, flying, as in a dream. What am I talking about? Don’t worry, I’ll get to it. I’m working up to it in my head. You don’t seriously think these pieces are planned, do you?

That ‘flying’ thing – you know I’m weird already, if you’ve read the pieces I’ve penned for Bob before.

No, not weird. Angry. Somehow unfulfilled. Seeking the thing that is just around the corner, the thing I can’t see, the thing that, if I catch a glimpse of it, runs away on silent feet. [Read more…]

There is NO shame! #JustTalk

It just so happens, this joint campaign coincides with various other events worldwide as many organisations are raising awareness about suicide prevention. My aim here, is to reach out to individuals to stop and think before deciding upon any action. As you will see, or already know, this is an area close to my heart – it affects us all – myself, my peers, colleagues and friends – and yours.

 

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About those sticks and stones…

Another wonderful piece from our resident guest writer, Tim, sharing some family history and touching on how being mindful has played a part when encountering and revisiting events. Sit back, read and enjoy.

The names, you know, they can hurt me, hurt you. And that hurt is harder to heal than a broken bone.

At work yesterday I had to listen to a man who declared himself to be 70 years old. He was opining that the UK needed to leave the EU because, in his words, “It is full of East Germans and Jews!”. Because my work is 100% customer service, I chose to listen to his bigotry rather than challenge him on it. In my own time I can challenge folk, but in the firm’s time I work to uphold their interests. [Read more…]

Ten Minutes for Me

We welcome back Caroline who is a health and wellness enthusiast, and an avid blogger. When she’s not writing about solutions for better wellbeing, she’s reading the latest studies about mental health, or catching up with her own fitness regime at the gym. Caroline also enjoys spending some time by herself each day to meditate, relax, and sip on a nice cup of coffee!

The Power of Me Time

In the fast-paced world that we live in today, it’s tempting to feel as though we all have to be moving forward at break-neck speed. We convince ourselves that if we’re not working, or putting our energy into personal projects, then we’re simply “wasting” time. However, there’s nothing wasteful about taking a little time out of your schedule to care for yourself. [Read more…]

Are you beset by anniversaries?

Another brilliant read by Tim about anniversaries and the effect they can have upon our thoughts and emotions.

I sometimes wonder why we have anniversaries. A friend of mine always goes away at Christmas because her mother died on Christmas Day and she and her family do not want to celebrate in case it reminds them of her death.

 

I have a surprise for her. She remembers it anyway on that day and every so often when she mentions it to other people.

 

My father died on the 6th of August, in 1982. I was on a business trip to the USA and was flying home on that day. My mother was glad he had waited until the 6th because the 5th is my birthday. I was wholly ambivalent. ‘When you dead, you dead” is a thought that came to me through reading one of Guy Martin’s autobiographies. It was what I was thinking then and his Grandpa Kidals encapsulated it perfectly. [Read more…]

Key Signs to Know if Your Casual Drinking is Turning Into an Addiction

We are, once again, approaching that time of year when partaking in the festivities allows us to enjoy special food and drink and provides us with a much needed change in routine. However, are we mindful of our activities or do we find ourselves mindlessly ‘following the crowd’? Also, consider the rest of the year, not just the festive times. Are we mindful of our habits and behaviours?

Joel Curtis, a registered Psychologists with Endeavour Wellness has over 17 years of experience. Joel also holds a Masters’ Degree in Psychology and owns a number of private practices in Sydney and provides expert content for several national TV and Radio programmes. Here, Joel looks at the subject of casual drinking and addiction. [Read more…]

Understanding the Narcissist

The subject of narcissism regularly emerges when discussing abuse, childhood emotional neglect (CEN) and negative relationships both domestically and outside the home. I find it also emerges in casual conversations I have with others – and many are not aware of the term ‘narcissism’ and how it relates to them personally.

Of course, not all narcissism is unhealthy, but there is definitely more awareness now than in previous years, and you have likely seen many articles posted on social media about narcissism as an unhealthy personality trait. But how does this relate to us personally? Are these articles just talking about domestic and emotional abusers? [Read more…]

Recognising Depression in Older People

Even though depression can be part of the ageing process, the physical and mental health of our older loved one’s is of paramount importance. Keeping communication, and contact, open can help an older person immensely with their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. This lovely infographic, provided by Be Independent Home Care – an Irish home care company 100% owned and managed by nurses, and helps us identify any signs of depression in our older loved ones and looks at the differences between depression and dementia. [Read more…]

Some China Dolls are Not Smashed

Resident guest author, Tim, continues on from his last post This China Doll Failed Quality Control and Must be Smashed. Read, digest and take something away.

I could quite possibly make a series about the collection and care of the China Doll. Some people seek out dolls that they deface, somehow, in order to create rejects out of perfection. Or, rather, they create their debased perfection out of true perfection.

If you’ve read This China Doll Failed Quality Control and Must be Smashed, which will open in a new tab for you, and, while not required reading, is a piece I suggest to you, you’ll learn more about me, and you’ll learn more about China Dolls; how parents can be terrifying, how some children (well, me) were afraid of their parents. Since I wasn’t smashed because I refused to show imperfection until I escaped you may have worked out that I am not writing about me this time. [Read more…]