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Do you currently have forgotten leftovers at the back of the fridge? If the answer is yes, this post is for you! I am going to show you exactly how to make cheap meals, using your leftovers.
I’ve been consciously using leftovers over the last few weeks and creating another meal with them. This is especially helpful when you have a fussy toddler, who also wants food on demand. How amazing is it that previously cooked food could be stored and then literally be produced on demand? With the assistance of a microwave of course.
The benefits
We all know money is tight for most households at the moment and people also don’t have a lot of free time.
Having access to quick, easy and cheap food to feed the family can be beneficial.
Let’s take a look at the food waste statistics for the UK
Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of good food is wasted by the UK food industry every year. At the same time, millions of people are struggling to afford to eat. Our work addresses these two issues by redistributing food industry surplus, which would otherwise go to waste, to the people who need it most. Find facts and figures on food waste and hunger in the UK below.
I already meal plan and count the cost at the supermarket. I also ditch any items we don’t need that week and add them to next week’s shopping list. Being strict with the food shop has helped us massively. It also allows me to identify any potential for food waste before we make purchases that week. If an ingredient isn’t needed for any of the meals I have planned, I simply don’t buy it.
Using leftovers for the next meal, or lunch the next day helps us make use of leftovers. And make cheap meals.
Some of the examples of meals we use more than once
Sunday night chicken dinner
I use the chicken for several purposes in the days following this meal. Including, my lunch the next day (chicken sandwich or chicken pasta), and then it’s added to a summer stew the following night. All slow cooked, which makes it simple for me.
This week, I even saved the chicken juice and vegetable water and added this to my slow cooker recipes throughout the week. Which adds goodness and also plenty of flavours.
Lasagne
When you make lasagne in a large dish, unless you are having all the family around, there are likely to be leftovers. I box up portions for the next day and have this for lunch when I work from home. I also then freeze any surplus.
Pies or anything with pastry
I sometimes make my own cornish pasties. these days it is so easy to buy roll-out pastry and add whatever flavour you want to. These can be used as snacks throughout the week, or as a treat for lunch. In the summer, you might want to add some salad. Yum, Yum.
Meal planning
Meal planning in general, allows you to plan ahead. You are reducing your food bill and making it easier to cook during the day. We make use of our slow cooker most days. As a busy mum, I need food to be cooking in the background and not have to worry about it.
Because I’ve changed my family meal plan to incorporate snacks and leftovers, I have also created one for you all to download and use.
My mental breakdown happened in May 2021. A culmination of a difficult pregnancy, work stress, birth trauma, no self-care whatsoever, lack of sleep for a prolonged period and caring for a small child. I found the whole period overwhelming and there were not enough hours in a day to juggle the unmanageable load. The breaking point seemed to come when my workplace started adding too much pressure on everyone. Up until this point I was keeping my head above water, even though hindsight tells me it wasn’t a healthy way of living.
You have some pretty random thoughts when you’re in the midst of a mental breakdown and you cannot decipher fiction from reality. All the thoughts passing through your mind become your reality and you rely on the people closest to you to tell you which ones you should listen to.
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Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I know some people are dubious about awareness days. I totally agree with the point that mental health should be spoken about every. single. day. However, I will use awareness days to talk about my own personal experience. If one person who wasn’t aware of my situation, learns something new, I am happy. For me, it is all about raising awareness. In the hope that one day in the future, these small actions will amount to huge systematic changes.
Today I want to talk to you about where I am with my mental health journey and how long it took to be well again
Full system reboot
In previous blog posts, I discussed the feeling of my brain switching off and it couldn’t be restarted again. Throughout the aftermath of my mental breakdown, I spent my days pretty much switched off completely. Sitting on the sofa for hours on end, watching TV, but not really paying attention to anything. There was no sense of time. Depression made my cheeks hurt. I never thought you could get a cheek ache from a sad face, but you can.
My friends and family were very adamant about the fact I should continue a “normal” routine. I hate that word, because what is normal? It has a different meaning for each individual and I think the word acts as an unattainable standard. This is true in my life, anyway, so I avoid using the word.
Battling with your own mind is a daily challenge
During this period of recovery, every action, movement, and the daily task was a challenge. I had to work myself up to get a bath. My hubby pretty much forced me to go on a long walk one day and it took every ounce of energy I had to get out of the house. I still look at these pictures and remember the pain and general numbness I felt.
During this period, I absolutely focused my energy on looking after my little one, on the days she didn’t attend nursery. But, sometimes I just didn’t have the resources and therefore a lot of it fell to my hubby and parents to help out.
She also knew something was wrong and would come and “look after” me. Young children have a sixth sense and they can pick up on emotions, even if you think you’re hiding them well. I still feel mum-guilt for taking time out for self-care, sometimes. Especially napping in the afternoon if I need to. I’ve come to realise there are precautions I need to take in order to maintain a good standard of mental well-being. And I will always be honest with my little one, about emotions and why self-care is needed. Parents cannot parent well if we don’t look after ourselves. It’s a constant battle.
Bringing me back to life
My family and friends surrounded me with love, but I was emotional, worn down, and temperamental. It would be months before I had my life back, my personality and gained a sense of identity again. Depression strips you of all these things. The system reboot is what it says on the tin. You are stripped back to factory settings. A blank canvas. And hitting rock bottom is a horrible experience. But there is hope. Things can get better. But I won’t lie and say it is easy. It is one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life.
The self-care routine that helped
During this period I was off work, and largely by myself, whilst everyone around me went about their daily lives. I spent my days having long baths, using all my trusted self-care products. My local park became my haven and I would sit on a particular bench, soaking up nature, thinking about life and watching the world go by. A world I wasn’t fully part of yet. In my mind, I was a bystander, invisible to everyone else.
My friends and family were very adamant about the fact I should continue a “normal” routine. I hate that word, because what is normal? It has a different meaning for each individual and I think the word acts as an unattainable standard. This is true in my life, anyway, so I avoid using the word.
I honestly never thought of the secondary impacts of being depressed. But there are so many. As the money organiser of the house, being switched off, reset, and rebooted isn’t exactly great for maintaining a household, or remembering to pay bills. I just didn’t care about organising life anymore. And it impacted our family.
I started baking to bring myself back to life and clinging onto anything I previously loved, to ignite a passion. To bring back a spark. But I still felt unhappy, and numb. I had affirmation cards and motivational quotes scattered around the house. These massively helped and I still use them to this day. I even visited the local spirit church, in the hope of finding some peace. It worked.
Toxic workplace culture
Reluctant to carry on as normal, when I was off work due to mental health problems, I was scared and filled with irrational fears. What if someone from work sees me? What would they think? Looking back, these thoughts were the negative anxiety voice in my head. And they were created from working in toxic workplace cultures for so long. Something I will never go back to!
Dichiperhing fiction and reality
My family were right. Normality, routine and self-care were all needed. A focus on my health, not the workplace which had basically sent me to this negative place in my mind. Why on earth did I still want to focus on them? But the mind does this. You have some pretty random thoughts when you’re in the midst of a mental breakdown and you cannot decipher fiction from reality. All the thoughts passing through your mind become your reality and you rely on the people closest to you to tell you which ones you should listen to.
What mental illness really looks like
I see a lot of debate on this. The answer – every single person will be impacted by mental illness differently. I hid my anxiety for years. therefore I looked fine. But I wasn’t. That said, I look back at the photos just after my mental breakdown and I remember how I felt. Going through them today actually makes me quite sad. I need to not dwell on them for too long.
The photos show bad skin, a blank look behind the eyes, and tiredness. Throughout my journey back to recovery, I sometimes compared these pictures with ones where I looked slightly happier. To me, it meant progress. When you’re in the midst of recovery, it is sometimes difficult to see any progress and look at the situation objectively.
There was an element of ‘putting on a brave face’ for my little one. But mostly, I accepted my situation and allowed myself to feel the pain and numbness. Something I had masked for so long was finally let out! In order to heal, you have to acknowledge your situation. And I had battled with anxiety for too long.
The journey back to life
I still have gripes about the NHS and the procedures in place to help someone who has suffered a mental breakdown. Looking back, the doctors didn’t really focus on support around me and my circumstances. I didn’t feel heard, or looked after. A doctor pretty much told me they cannot be responsible for me staying off work any longer and I would have to take it up with my workplace. A workplace they knew had put me in this situation and was not helping me during the period of time I was unwell. During telephone calls with the doctor, I was distressed, and emotional, asking for help. And I felt like a burden. They made me feel like I was being dishonest to get time off work.
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Systematic change in mental health care
It is important to say, I know NHS staff are overworked, unpaid and bound by ridiculous policies. However, they are also human beings. For anyone who watched the recent Panorama documentary, when did we stop caring for other human beings, just because we have a certain job title?
I am writing this post today because there is clearly a lot of work to be done around mental health awareness. A systematic change must happen.
I’ve accepted I will never be fully healed. We are all a work in progress and life will continue to throw us challenges. Our job is to work on how we respond to adversity.
Allowing adequate time for recovery
At the time of writing this post, it has taken me a total of 18 months to consider myself fully recovered from my mental breakdown. Our financial circumstances took a hit as a result. I was expected to return to work, by both the workplace and the NHS when I wasn’t ready or well enough to. Why aren’t we looking after people who find themselves in this position? Both in the respect of health and finances. If you had a broken leg, your sick note would be issued for longer, without question and I am sure you would be entitled to some sort of financial help. Arguably, fighting a battle with your mind is worse than a physical ailment. So why as a society do we treat people with mental illness so unfairly?
Finances and mental health
I honestly never thought of the secondary impacts of being depressed. But there are so many. As the money organiser of the house, being switched off, reset, and rebooted isn’t exactly great for maintaining a household, or remembering to pay bills. I just didn’t care about organising life anymore. And it impacted our family. If you or your family are impacted by similar issues, Mind has a great section on how mental health can impact finances and vice versa.
Where am I in my life now?
At this point, I finally feel somewhat recovered. My hypnotherapy course has provided the tools I need to move forward with a weekly self-care routine. It’s a way I can look after my mind and keep myself healthy. I’ve accepted I will never be fully healed. We are all a work in progress and life will continue to throw us challenges. Our job is to work on how we respond to adversity.
I also finally feel able to take on more hours at work and look to the future. But also keep in mind that my family life is a priority as well. This being the case, I am taking steps to plan our next five years as a family. We need slightly more money to set in motion everything we want to achieve. But I still want us both to have one day per week with my little one. And of course, a family day together.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, hitting rock bottom allows you to create a blank canvas. You start afresh with brand-new building blocks. And you have the power to change things in your life that no longer serve you.
It’s strange to say this, but hitting rock bottom has transformed my life. Would I choose this experience if I could go back? No! But am I thankful for it? Yes.
AD / PR – please note – the sessions have been gifted in exchange for my honest thoughts about the process
At this point in my hypnotherapy course, I feel like I will always work on myself. The fact that our stress buckets constantly fill up with life’s challenges, means it’s ingrained in me that I have to empty it regularly. I simply cannot forget the techniques I am learning.
I will be honest and say that finding meditation time, as a busy mum, is difficult. It’s lovely to take part in the planned hypnotherapy sessions. This is time just for me. And I look forward to it.
So what’s changed since I last updated you?
The only way I can explain the confidence changes I am experiencing is by explaining the feeling that something is happening in the background. I know I’m different. A better version of me. I’ve progressed. But because I haven’t actively taken part in the change process, I sometimes wonder what is happening behind the scenes. This is the curious, controlling part of me. And I also need to work on that!
Processes working behind the scenes
Subconsciously certain things are happening. At work, we got the opportunity to apply for additional responsibilities for a role I would love to do. Without really thinking, I just sat and typed my application. I was present and open throughout the whole process and viewed it as a learning experience.
My previous reaction to stressful situations
I mean nobody likes job interviews, do they?
If you follow my blog, you will know that in the past I have completely crumbled in situations like this. Even having my interview for this current job, I took Kalms just beforehand and I was nervous. This time it’s different.
Broadening my horizons… finally
Because we are on a fixed-term contract at work, I am also taking the same attitude about other opportunities. And instead of not believing in myself, I am thinking about whether the company and the terms are right for me. I have literally never thought like that before in my life. All I can remember is suffering from low self-confidence. And believing I should attend all interviews, and take any opportunity offered because there wouldn’t be another one.
The work must continue
Because these recent changes are so positive, I know I must continue setting aside time for myself. And during these periods of time, I must look after myself. Whether that be something I love doing, or meditation to achieve these great results. I am happier for working on myself.
Final thoughts
I have another session coming up tomorrow and after a break of three weeks, I am so looking forward to it.
May the personal development continue, long after these wonderful sessions with Kevin have ended.
I’ve talked about my love for The Body Shop on the blog before, and I’m here to tell you about it again.
From the nostalgia of buying animal shaped soaps and lip balms as a teenager. To now needing anti ageing remedies and high-quality make-up. Whatever your need, The Body Shop has something for you. They are a brand I’ve trusted throughout my life. I have never bought a product that I didn’t consider completely high quality. Not to mention their great company ethos!
Needless to say, I’m already smelling the raspberry body scrub and I’m getting my wishlist together. I am also currently on the website shopping for my wonderful mum, because she deserves something special.
Quick note: Some of the links contained on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and thinkwould be useful for you.
I am proud to be an affiliate for The Body Shop, because the reality is, I recommend them to everyone I know already. Therefore, I’m going to tell you about some of the special offers they have on at the moment.
Why I love Mother’s Day
I’m all for celebrating the mummies. We do a very difficult job, never moan and just get on with it. Women are the ultimate superheroes and therefore, Mother’s Day is one of my favourite occasions.
This post is dedicated to all the amazing mamas out there. Whatever your situation, I hope you have a brilliant mothers day. Let me know in the comments below what you have planned.
Self-care
If you follow my blog, you will also know I am all about self-care. These moments of indulgence and restoration helped me recover from a tough time last year. Therefore, I make it a priority to look after myself whenever I can. Self-care purchases are part of my routine now.
Let’s dive into the wonderful products on offer
The Body shop is currently offering the following:
FREE MOTHER’S DAY GIFT WHEN YOU SPEND £30*
Spend £30 and receive a free Mascara Gift Set (worth £15) featuring our Happy Go Lash Mascara and our Camomile Cleansing Butter – so you can nourish and love your lashes!
Use code 13025
Who doesn’t love a gift?? Or a cupboard full of products for self-care.
As a mum, let alone any parent, it feels nearly impossible to have some time to yourself, right? Not only do you have the kids, but you have work, you have a household to run (including chores), you have to tend to your spouse, and let’s not forget your friends and family. It’s a lot, and it can be overwhelming.
Being a parent is one of the toughest jobs in the world and there’s no doubt about it that it can be insanely stressful to the point of a mental breakdown. But how can you destress and unwind? While there isn’t some perfect equation, these are some ideas to help you hold on just a little longer.
Everyone, no matter what age they are, will need to have some “me time”. This includes your little ones as well, as they need to learn to find themselves as entertainment. Maybe your time can happen during your children’s nap time, or when you put them in bed for the night.
Just try to give yourself at least 30 minutes of “me time” each day. Just do whatever you want, as long as it helps you feel better. Many mums and parents, they’ll nap, read, exercise, or watch shows. Give this to yourself, you’re human, you need it.
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Play with your children
Sounds odd, right? Well, depending on the age of your little ones, playing with them could be exactly what you need. Why not let them play with you, something that you love? For instance, you love to go out and do some gardening. For your child, they will consider this as a form of playtime. You get to spend time with them, they get to have fun, and you get to pretty up the garden, it’s a win! Other ideas can include puzzles or even playing video games together.
Give yourself a Spa Day
You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg just to go to a nice spa. Why not bring the whole spa day at home? This can include buying a plush Richard Haworth bathrobe and towel set. Why not play some relaxing music, take a long bath, and have some champagne? Even if you can’t afford a full spa day, at least give yourself an hour or two of being alone and enjoying the self-care you can give yourself. Even something as short as this can help your mentality out.
Look into other ways to de-stress
Being around friends can be one of the greatest ways to just really destress and unwind. So never neglect trying out this method. Usually, hanging out with friends can be a great way to have some of that “me-time” while still getting to interact with friends and keep those connections strong as well.
So, look into doing this, as this is a great way to give yourself the chance to let go. Never feel guilty for needing some time to destress, parenting is tough, and having little to no time to yourself can actually lead to burnout.
Your mental health is extremely important and should be looked after every day of your life. It’s normal for everyone to have down days and up days, which is why by looking after your mental health you will be aware of the days you are down and can make changes to help it. When it comes to helping your mental health, there are many things that you can do to help. Eating the correct foods, looking after your hygiene and making sure you exercise enough as well as other methods. Below we look into three ways you can look after your mental health.
Make sure you look after your hygiene
People don’t often speak about it, but hygiene is very important when it comes to your mental health. Just imagine living in a place that is messy, doesn’t smell great and isn’t looked after very well. Bad hygiene can make you feel down and cause others to avoid you as they don’t think you are very hygienic. If your home has bad air quality this can make you feel unwell, provide nasty smells and potentially damage your interiors. This can also extend to your work, if you are a business owner you want to make sure your workplace is clean with quality air coming through by using a company like Clean Air UK
Eat the correct foods
Have you ever analysed and paid attention to the foods you regularly eat? Are you eating the recommended five pieces of fruit a day? You are what you eat after all! By not eating well, you will not only put on weight but also start to feel lethargic. These can have knock-on effects on your mental health as well as your physical health. There are plenty of apps that you can use to track what you eat which will tell you what nutrients you are low on and what you are doing well on.
Exercise on a regular basis
Exercise is important for many aspects of your life. It helps with your overall fitness, helps reduce the chances of you getting ill, increases the strength of your heart and looks after your mental health. Exercising allows you to switch off from your everyday stresses and live in the moment. There are many different types of exercises that you can do depending on your interest. Why not take up running or swimming? If you enjoy sports, you could join your local football team or start playing some tennis whilst the weather is getting nicer. There are plenty of exercises you can do without leaving the comfort of your own home. If you have any friends who enjoy sports, why not convince them to join you and start taking part in a new sport together.
Final thoughts
What methods do you use to help with your mental health? Are there any methods that you think should be included in the list above? What point from the list above did you find most useful? Let us know in the comment box below.
Your mental health and your physical health affect each other. How you think in your mind profoundly affects how your body feels and vice versa, and having the two work in harmony is one of the best ways to stay healthy in your life. But that, of course, is easier said than done. However, we’re here to help you achieve this kind of balance. Here’s a little more information about just how interconnected your mind and body really are.
Eating ‘right’ is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy/stable thinking pattern. When you give your brain just the right nutrients it needs to work with, the way you feel tends to bounce back a lot better. You don’t fall into one mood after another, which is what can happen when you eat lots of junk and forget to include a few veggies here and there!
Of course, snack foods can make us feel good – chocolate most specifically. But when it comes to maintaining long-term emotional wellbeing, you can’t subsist off of sweets alone. You need to have a substantial diet, a packed plate that fills you up, and only then can you top it off with a yummy dessert!
Being Immune Safe Promotes Positivity
If you’re able to fight off colds and other illnesses, you’re going to feel a lot stronger in both your mind and body. And that’s something you should never underestimate. Being able to get vaccinations done, for example, is a great way to exercise your own control over your health and take back just a bit of power from the outside world.
So if you’re eligible for it, be sure to get free vaccines done whenever the time calls for it. But even if you’re not, you can still book an appointment at places like CBD medical and pay a small fee to protect yourself. After all, giving your body exactly what it needs to fight off bugs is one of the best ways to put your mind at rest, especially when the seasons change and everyone around you is getting sick.
Getting Enough Sleep Feeds Mental Health Stability
And finally, if you’re getting enough sleep, you’re going to reinforce everything we’ve said above. Being able to sleep off long and hard days, and wake up feeling refreshed and like you’re ready to face whatever the world throws at you, is one of the best feelings in the world.
But you’ll only experience it if you’re heading to bed early and getting a good 8 hours! Make sure your sleep hygiene is up to scratch, try to disconnect from the outside world through your phone, and let your mind and body let go of all the day’s little mistakes, moods, and embarrassments.
Your mental health needs a little physical stability. Keep these points in mind the next time you feel down.
Talking about mental health not only will help you with your own mental health struggles, but it also shows other people they are not alone. It can be extremely isolating when you are struggling with your mental health, especially with a stigma attached to them. According to Mind, 1 in 4 people will struggle with their mental health. There has never been a more important time to open up about mental health and have more conversations within your community.
To get started, it is important to learn more about mental health. This awareness will help you understand your own struggles better, and how to have relevant conversations. Conversations are important to show people they are not alone and provide them with hope. You can research online, speak to a specialist, or you can have a look at participating in adult MHFA courses. You can talk about mental health in your local community, within businesses, or at online conferences. You can also have conversations with friends and family. Every conversation will have a positive impact.
If you are on the fence about having a conversation about mental health, here are some of the reasons why it is important.
#1 Reduce the stigma
Unfortunately, mental health has a negative stigma attached to it. This is due to a variety of reasons, such as personal beliefs, as well as fear and a general lack of understanding. Mental health has been represented in a variety of ways that is not very accurate, which has misled the societal beliefs around certain conditions, especially for conditions that leave a person to act what is deemed outside the norm. The more people who are vulnerable, and open up about mental health, the more it can be destigmatised and accepted within society. This will make people feel a lot more comfortable.
#2 Help others feel less alone
If you are struggling with a mental health problem, it can be extremely isolating. You may feel the need to isolate yourself, or perhaps you no longer have the energy to be around your friends. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression, or exacerbate any existing conditions. When you have more conversations about mental health, you can show them that they are not alone, and support them in building confidence to live their life.
#3 More people would feel comfortable seeking help
One of the hardest things to do when you are struggling with your mental health is to seek support. This can often be because of the condition itself, or the stigma attached to it. When there are more conversations and vulnerability within society, it provides people who feel hopeless and alone, with some hope that change for them is possible. It can also help them understand their conditions better, and learn about what kind of support is available for them. It will be extremely helpful in helping people build confidence to ask for help.
Having a conversation about mental health may be hard at first as it requires you to be vulnerable. However, if you have confidence in yourself, these conversations can be extremely valuable and help many people in society who are struggling.
A hoarder is someone who saves items that they don’t need, even if they are not useful to them or their family around the home. Hoarders often feel a sense of relief when they acquire new items and have difficulty throwing anything away. They may also experience anxiety when they think about discarding their possessions. But what does it take to overcome this?
Why is the Hoarding Habit so Common?
Hoarding is a mental disorder that is characterised by the compulsive accumulation of items, regardless of their value. This can be as simple as a few clothes or as complex as an entire house full of junk. There are many reasons why people hoard and it usually stems from anxiety, depression, or trauma.
The hoarding habit is so common because it can be difficult to get rid of things and it’s often hard for people who hoard to let go. It may also stem from the need to feel in control and the fear that if someone throws out something important, they will regret it later on.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – The Root of the Hoarding Problem
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental illness that causes the sufferer to have uncontrollable thoughts and do obsessive and compulsive behaviours. The root of the hoarding problem is the obsessive need for control. Hoarders believe that if they keep everything, they will be able to prevent or reduce their anxiety.
Hoarding disorder is a type of OCD where people are unable to discard items from their homes or workplaces, even when they have no use for them. They may feel an intense sense of responsibility for these possessions, which can cause them to experience extreme distress at the idea of getting rid of anything. Hoarding disorder can also lead to health problems due to living conditions such as mould growth, pest infestations and excessive dust.
What Is a Minimalist Lifestyle? Benefits of Living More Simply
The Minimalist Lifestyle is a lifestyle that focuses on living with less. It is the idea of living with fewer possessions, to reduce stress, clutter, and expense. A minimalist lifestyle can be beneficial in many ways. It will lead to a more organized and less cluttered environment. This can help relieve stress and make it easier to find things you need when you need them.
How to Clean Up as a Beginner Minimalist
Being a beginner minimalist can be very difficult. The reason for this is that it can be hard to know where to start and what to do. The first way is by getting rid of things you no longer need. And in the case of hoarding, doing a complete clean-out with someone like Clear It Out can help. It can be something that may need to be done over time. However, getting a clearance team in to remove physical items after the mental work is done can work well.
Tips on Decluttering Your Home and Getting Rid of Clutter Forever
Decluttering your home is a long process, but it can be done in stages. It’s important to find a way that works for you and your family. Our homes are full of things that we use on a daily basis, and some things that we don’t use at all. But the problem is that our homes are also full of things we don’t need. So how do you declutter your home?
Work with what you have and don’t buy anything new for the time being
Sort through everything and decide what needs to stay or go
One of the hardest things any of us will ever have to go through in life is losing a loved one but it is an experience we will all have. Grief is a tough process to go through. Some of the tips that can help you through this difficult time in life.
When you lose a loved one and you are already struggling with poor mental health, it can feel like it is an impossible thing to get through, but there are several things you can do to help you through your grief as well as possible.
1. Don’t do it alone
It can be tempting to retreat into yourself when you have experienced a deep loss, but right now you need support. Whether you have a friend come along with your to speak to the funeral director or you have a family member come over and keep you company in those early days, opening up to people and letting them help you will make all the difference to your journey through grief.
2. Make time for self-care
Grief can be pretty exhausting. Not only do you have to make various arrangements but you will undoubtedly be spending a lot of time crying, trying to come to terms with what has happened, being unable to sleep, etc. That is why it is more important than ever that you look after yourself. From taking some time out. To read a good book. Maybe have a hot bath that will help you relax, and self-care you can do when you are grieving will help to support you through said grief.
3. Know that it will feel better
It might not feel like it right now, but the raw grief you are feeling will start to heal in time. You will never forget the people you have lost, and you will still experience periods of sadness from time to time, but it will get easier to hold your grief and live with it. Remind yourself of this fact when things are feeling impossible.
4. Think about the good times
Remembering all of the good times you had with the person you have lost, what kind of person they were and how much fun they had in their life, is a good way to get things back on a positive note when you are overwhelmed with grief. Celebrate their life and how it enriched yours and you will immediately start to feel better.
5. Talk to a therapist
If you are really struggling with your grief, then it could be useful to talk to a therapist or grief counsellor who will be able to help you explore your feelings and find better ways of managing them so that you can live your life without being overwhelmed by your feelings. Good therapists are non-judgemental and they will work with you at a pace you can handle, so there is nothing to be scared about.
As you can see, although grief is never an easy thing to go through, there are a number of things that will help you to find the support and strength you need to get through it.
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