Quick note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links; if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only recommend products I use myself and think would be useful for other people.
AD – own products. If you haven’t already heard, we launched our family T-Shirt business today! roaringpumpkintees is born. We’ve worked hard over the last six months – drawing, editing images and creating the look and feel of the website.
I’m so proud of my achievements with the launch of this blog, then the second and third blogs. In addition to a new family endeavour, which allows us to get our little one involved in the whole process. She even helps me click buttons to create designs for my blogs. And it’s teaching her great lessons, about working hard, managing money and following your dreams.
I wanted to go into a bit more detail on why I chose this name for the first business I set up
My toddler is full of sass, definitely has a fierce spirit and is exactly like her mummy in this respect. We are both stubborn and when we put our minds to something, we will not be stopped. Under any circumstances! I am proud of my toddler and I want to always nurture her roaring pumpkin spirit. Even if she can be frustrating at times (as I’m sure all toddlers are). I’ve spent my life being misunderstood by many people around me. But I am now at a point where I value the people who make time to understand me. We are all unique and it should be celebrated.
Following a difficult pregnancy, mental health problems throughout early pregnancy. A traumatic birth, returning to a high-pressure job just as covid hit, and then work pressure whilst working from home. This perfect storm would be enough to push anyone to breaking point. For me, it inevitably resulted in a mental breakdown. And it would be a full 18 months before I felt anything like myself again. During this time, I felt compelled to set up my first mental health blog. And subsequently set up another twoblogs. I completely changed careers, twice, and worked on my self-development through a hypnotherapy course – with a great therapist.
Here are some reasons you should start your own, online business
Low Start Up Costs
The only cost to you is setting up a website. The actual printing is facilitated by another company, meaning the risk to you is minimal.
Everyone loves T-Shirts
Who doesn’t love a quirky design on a T-Shirt? I’ve always loved them and as a family, we own loads of them. Why not put your own creative ideas out there, for other people to buy?
Add another income stream to your life
It’s no secret that I would love to run my blogs full-time. However, anyone in the blogging industry understands these things take time. And in the meantime, I have bills to pay. It’s also wonderful that I’ve finally found a day job I love so much!
Adding another income stream to your existing side hustles can allow you more financial freedom, to make decisions about your future. Or address anything you need to pay off before you start meeting your future financial goals.
The ability to work from home
The world has changed dramatically since 2019. Working from home is now the norm for a lot of people. Setting up any online business will allow you to work from home, on your own terms.
You get to do something you’re passionate about
We are all creatives in our house. It’s something I want to nurture in my toddler. Staring your own online T-Shirt business can allow you to show off your creative side. And basque in the excitement of coming up with new designs. Sharing your passion with everyone else.
If you’re ready to start your own T-Shirt business, sign up to Teemill with my referral link
Some of our designs – click on the image to purchase…
Final Thoughts
I’m so happy we now have a family-run business. With designs, we have created together and that means something to us. Hopefully, they will also mean something to you.
Check out my Guest Post from Jasmine Fitze. I am accepting guest posts on all of my blogs – you can find more details here.
Introduction
Hi, I’m Jas! I feel so grateful to be writing a guest post for Mummy Conquering Anxiety. Especially around this time of year. Autumn is my favourite season of all. And I enjoy writing plenty of blog posts around this season too. And candles are a great topic!
I am a digital creator who loves creating content around architecture, travel, food and drink, coffee, and lifestyle. In addition, I love to see the little things every day. Learning to love my own company by venturing out of my comforts. And providing the life that I deserve. I hope you can feel inspired by the life I live. Realising life’s happiness starts off with small and simple joys.
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 think would be useful for other people
Candle Talk
I love it when autumn arrives, purely because of the overload of candles. Candles are up there as one of my favourite things to buy in shops. Especially when the seasons are changing and you get into the cold, crisp, autumnal weather. When it gets to that point, there’s nothing better than cosying up at home. Surrounding yourself with warm aromatic fragrances, and sipping on some luxurious hot chocolates.
I would say that my candle preferences are more towards scents that are rich, sweet, vibrant, and spiced. This is why I get excited when autumn comes around because I feel in my element. I could get lost for hours in the home fragrances selection trying to find the ones that I vibe with.
A collection showing some of my favourite scents:
Pumpkin Spice: Takes me into a world of pumpkin patches, spiced lattes, pumpkin everything basically!
Cinnamon: Forever love the warm spices of cinnamon that remind me of autumnal bakes and hot chocolates.
Coffee: With me being that much into coffee I just can’t get enough of the coffee scents, especially as each one has its own richness and character to the flavours with the creaminess bringing it all together.
Spiced apple: Sweet but juicy scents that I get from this fragrance. Definitely makes me think of toffee apples or apple pie/ apple crumble, and even apple cider of many kinds.
Coconut: I’ve always been into coconut-scented things. I love the creaminess and subtlety of the scent, I think it’s an ideal all-round candle, but especially ideal for having next to a box of chocolates, particularly bounty’s to compliment the atmosphere.
Honey & chocolate: This scent I’m particularly talking about is the Glade candle. When I came across it I knew I had to pick it up. Smells Devine and I thought of it like a crunchie chocolate bar and this candle delivered those sensational aromas.
Are any of these scents your favourite too? Comment below
There’s something quite magical about walking around the city in your warm and thick coat, with a coffee in one hand, and seasonal shopping bags in the other. What I love about this home decor piece is that they make for an ideal gift for someone or for even yourself. On any special or random occasion, there’s a candle for everyone at any time!
Shopping for Candles
A few shops that I recommend browsing for autumn candles & diffusers are TK MAXX, B&M, and Wilko.
I am forever heading to TK MAXX for their library load of candles and diffusers of all different aesthetics, scents, and personalities. I highly recommend making a visit to have a smell through them. You’ll likely end up walking out with a great collection.
In Wilko, you will find plenty of autumn-scented fragrances such as pumpkin spice, apple cosy cider, and marshmallow Irish cream. Great prices if you are looking for a unique scent at a low price. And with the sizes, they have a good burning time. B&M have a selection of basic and characteristic candles. Ones that are ideal for repurposing other household decor pieces.
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One shop that I haven’t mentioned yet but have to put out there is M&S with their distinctive candles. They are pricey but the jar has battery-operated lights, within the jar of the candle, so it serves multiple purposes. It would for sure make an excellent centrepiece to a dining table or coffee table. Bringing a glowing atmosphere to the room.
Alternatively, there are plenty of wonderful small businesses on Etsy, such as @dolewickscandleco (check her out on Instagram). DW Home is also a great place for endless seasonal scents with distinctive jars. Perfect for repurposing, check out their Instagram and website for more. On Instagram, there is @illumine_candle_co which is a small business in Exeter, with beautiful hand-poured vegan-friendly soy candles.
Candles are up there as one of my favourite pieces of decor to buy purely because they light up the room so well and the stunning aromas each one has. I also love repurposing them, giving them an extra life through using them as drinking glasses or desk organisers, they come in handy for many things.
And That’s a Wrap…
We have now come to the end of this blog post. I hope you have enjoyed reading through my candle preferences and suggestions. Here’s to many more cosy days at home as well as shopping adventures.
If you would like to learn more about me and my content, see the details below.
I’ll leave some links below, I hope to connect with some of you!
Want to book an advertising spot? I am taking bookings for the rest of 2022; you can find more details here. There will be increased prices from 2023.
Welcome to my October 2022 advertisers
Please show my October 2022 advertisers some love, by commenting, sharing their posts, and interacting with one another. I regularly post on Twitter about the blogging community and how it is great to be part of such a supportive group.
Look out for updates on these Alarmingly Amazing bloggers and their amazing work, throughout the month on Twitter.
Time to check out the Alarmingly Amazing advertisers
I started Lifeofmorag after a life-changing accident as a way to fill my time and give me focus. That was back in 2018. Now four years on I write about a range of topics from travel (I have visited 39 countries) to books to social issues. I also write a lot about chronic illness and mental health, both from my own experiences and coping strategies.
Having owned a successful service-based bookkeeping business and started as a small business owner. I’m an intelligent savvy business owner with a creative edge. I can help you with your product creation through launch, list building and marketing your new products. If you’re service-based I can help you set up systems to attract the right clients.
Blog posts you should check out
Collaborations Can Make Hobby-Based Businesses Money!
We are The Grumpy Olive, a team of three sisters blogging from London. On our blog, we write about all the things we love and including food, coffee, beauty and books among many things. You can expect to find easy but tasty recipes, the latest in books and also some talk on beauty and travel because we may fancy that here and there. But most of all, The Grumpy Olive is a little corner of the internet where everything is just fun, new and upbeat – just what the doctor ordered!
Please show my September 2022 advertisers some love, by commenting, sharing their posts, and interacting with one another. I regularly post on Twitter about the blogging community and how it is great to be part of such a supportive group of people.
Look out for updates on these bloggers and their amazing work, throughout the month on Twitter.
Time to check out the advertisers
Lady Boss Nomad
A little bit about the blog
Having owned a successful service-based bookkeeping business and started as a small business owner. I’m an intelligent savvy business owner with a creative edge. I can help you with your product creation through launch, list building and marketing your new products. If you’re service-based I can help you set up systems to attract the right clients.
Please also check out:
‘DFY Social media kits’ – this kit includes 90 inspirational social media quotes for Instagram Twitter and Facebook for businesses to use as their own. At a special price of $5.00.
We are The Grumpy Olive, a team of three sisters blogging from London. On our blog, we write about all the things we love and including food, coffee, beauty and books among many things. You can expect to find easy but tasty recipes, the latest in books and also some talk on beauty and travel because we may fancy that here and there. But most of all, The Grumpy Olive is a little corner of the internet where everything is just fun, new and upbeat – just what the doctor ordered!
Sign up for my monthly newsletter, to gain access to exclusive offers & updates
Sign up for my freebie library. With new freebies added to help organise your life and take away some stress!
Want to book an advertising spot?
I am taking bookings for the rest of 2022 and you can find more details here.
Did you know?
Selecting the gold package for £6.50 means you get a custom link in my sidebar, as well as your logo. You ALSO get your own dedicated advertisers’ post! AND four blog posts promoted throughout the month!
Want a special offer?
I am offering a SPECIAL DISCOUNT for the remainder of 2022. Book three months on the silver package for £10.00, instead of £12.00. (this applies to existing bookings and new ones, and you can select any of the remaining months of the year as three months!)
I feel privileged to introduce you to my August 2022 advertisers
It’s now time for me to share other people’s wonderful blogs. Please go and show my August 2022 advertisers some love, by commenting, sharing their posts, and interacting with one another. I regularly post on Twitter about the blogging community and how it is great to be part of such a supportive group of people.
Look out for updates throughout the month on Twitter.
This month I have a returning blogger and someone completely new. I can’t wait to share the details with you!
Time to check out the advertisers
Lady Boss Nomad
A little bit about the blog
Having owned a successful service-based bookkeeping business and starting as a small business owner. I’m an intelligent savvy business owner with a creative edge. I can help you with your product creation through launch, list building and marketing your new products. If you’re service-based I can help you set up systems to attract the right clients.
Please also check out Amber’s other blog.
Blog posts you should check out
Please also check out her ‘DFY Social media kits’ – this kit includes 90 inspirational social media quotes for Instagram Twitter and Facebook for businesses to use as their own. At a special price of $5.00.
Hello, I’m Kelly, owner of The Kelly Diane Report. I started my blog as a way to document my life and the things I enjoy. You will find lots of tips, hacks and product reviews as well as so much more. I hope I can inspire you to try new things and enjoy the life you have.
I am taking bookings for the rest of 2022 and you can find more details here.
Did you know?
Selecting the gold package for £6.50 means you get a custom link in my sidebar, as well as your logo. You ALSO get your own dedicated advertisers post! AND four blog posts promoted throughout the month!
Want a special offer?
I am offering a SPECIAL DISCOUNT for the remainder of 2022. Book three months on the silver package for £10.00, instead of £12.00. (this applies to existing bookings and new ones, and you can select any of the remaining months of the year as three months!)
I want to say thank you to Chloe from Nyxie’s Nook for this amazing guest post. I personally found social media to be the most amazing, supportive community following my mental breakdown and I definitely needed it. This post outlines the reasons it can be helpful for mental wellbeing.
Let’s dive in
Social media has long since been branded as hazardous to our mental and physical health. For those within a certain age bracket, it’s seen as something akin to the fall of socialisation. We constantly hear about children as young as six becoming addicted to social media, or adults missing the world around them because their nose is stuck in their phones.
But what about the positive side of social media? If we look beyond the addiction and online trolls, social media has helped shape the 21st century into a more inclusive place to be.
For a long time, we’ve been under the assumption that asking for help is a weak or attention-seeking behaviour. But with the help of social media, we’re now much further forward in realising that speaking up about our issues is an act of strength.
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5 Positive aspects of social media
Social media can be a great way to raise awareness, bring communities together andhelp those less fortunate.
Before the use of the internet and social media, we all seemed so far away. America, Japan, England, Finland; We were all divided by oceans, land and borders. With the use of the internet and, in turn, social media we’re able to raise awareness for issues that would otherwise be limited by location. By using social media we can reach other, like-minded people who can help spread awareness among their own communities and so on.
We’re better able to keep in touch with our loved ones, arrange online catch-ups and even play virtual games.
With so much of the world in lockdown at different times and for various levels of COVID-19, many of us have become separated from our families and peers. And with the current state of things here in the UK, our isolation isn’t set to end any time soon. The internet and social media have become a way for us to socialize, catch up and even watch movies together while staying safely apart.
Netflix has created their Netflix party to help socially distanced subscribers to watch television shows and movies together. Zoom has become the number one go-to video chatting application for social catch-ups to business meetings. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter also deserve honourable mention for helping us keep in touch and meet like-minded people who are better able to help and support us. Some of the most trusting and inspirational people I know were found via social media!
Finally, although not specifically on social media, as an avid gamer I find the use of online resources helpful in finding gaming partners. There are various places online to connect and even chat with gamers worldwide. I’ve met so many people through my love for Animal Crossing and The Sims. I’m in various community groups online where I can chat about the games, get information, tips and advice, and even swap friend codes.
Of course, this is all done from a safe distance and, as an adult, I’m aware of the danger of meeting others online. If you have a teenager or even a child who frequently games with others online, it’s suggested that you keep an eye on their activity. Have a chat with them about online safety and take an interest in what they’re doing without being overly critical.
Social media can be a welcome distraction from the outside world or a devastating realisation of the world around us
Social media has acted as a means for me to distract myself from the goings-on around me, but it’s also been there to remind me of the harsh realities of the world around us. Without it, I doubt I would be kept as informed as I am. I avoid the news at all costs and have long since stopped trusting state-funded news reports. So various online sources, social media included, have been my direct link to COVID-19 news, election updates and even any new information being spread in regards to mental health services in my local area.
In regards to acting as a distraction, by frequently visiting social media and getting to know others online, I’ve been able to build a small support network. This support network is usually biased and helps distract me just by chatting about things other than what’s on my mind.
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Social media has helped to normalise help-seeking behaviour
For a long time, we’ve been under the assumption that asking for help is a weak or attention-seeking behaviour. But with the help of social media, we’re now much further forward in realising that speaking up about our issues is an act of strength. Many adults and young people are coming forward to encourage others to ask for help for things such as mental illness, grief, sexual assault etc. No longer are these things taboo, rather, we’re unified in our need to speak up!
Social media can offer a creative outlet
Much like writing a blog or sketching in a notebook, creating social media posts can act as a creative outlet but on a much smaller scale. The likes of Instagram are especially good for displaying things such as photography and artwork, while Tik Tok is for the videographer in all of us.Others can view your work, like, share and even become inspired. But, of course, it’s not always about the number of likes and engagement you get. So long as you’re careful about how you manage your life on social media, it can be a wonderful place to find and hone your creative voice.
What are your thoughts on social media and its impacts? Do you feel that it’s a positive, negative or a bit of both? How do you use social media and how do you protect your mental health when using it?
Final thoughts from me
I agree with all these benefits and I hope you enjoyed reading the post. All the details you need to connect with Chloe are below. Please go check out her blog, show some love, comment on posts and do what we do best in the blogging community, interact and show support.
In true Mummy Conquering Anxiety fashion, I wanted to post something real and honest for Mental Health Awareness Week this year! I want to remind you all, these posts are hard for me to write and probably, for you to hear. However, the topic is relevant and important. Creating my new beginning, in respect of my career, was the best thing I ever did. And I know other people are experiencing the same treatment at work.
I second guess myself about whether I should publish these posts and therefore, this one has been in the pipeline for a while. However, now is the right time to release this post. Because my work situation is now vastly different. I am a different person, with a different outlook. BUT I will always be a mental health advocate.
The back story
Here goes. I wrote this post a while ago, as a means of getting through one of the most stressful times in my life. As it happens, changing my situation was also the most life-changing.
Following total burnout in my job, I suffered a complete mental breakdown. Cue falling to the floor, tears, not making any sense. Like someone switched off my brain. And it wouldn’t restart. At the time, I didn’t want it to. It was the lowest point of my life. I’d suffered from low points with my mental health in the past. High anxiety levels and depression were common in times of stress, but it was never this bad.
The culture must change. We can no longer pile an unreasonable amount of pressure on employees and expect them not to eventually burn out.
My personal experience
The return to work – almost at my new beginning
Following months’ off work and pressure to return, I went back into the workplace. And eagerly awaited a redundancy date. Having an end date in sight, kept me going.
Ultimately, I was temporarily throwing myself back into a situation where miscommunication and downright rudeness in the workplace, had led me to a mental breakdown. Going back into that situation, for even a day, was going to be a mammoth task. Remember when I returned, I didn’t know how long I would stay in the role. And I don’t do very well with the unknown. It’s one of the biggest drivers of my anxiety. Knowing where I stand and having a routine helps keep it under control.
My life is different and much happier, and I now have support in my new workplace. And I am thankful for the journey because it taught me so much about my mental strength in challenging times.
Getting back into it
Upon my return, I was left alone for the first month, with everyone telling me “we want to make sure you’re okay“, “bear in mind your mental health” and I knew it was bullshit. It was a line they had to say to appear supportive. That’s what some workplaces do. In this day and age, for some businesses, it’s all talk, no action. And I think it’s despicable. I would rather the business be honest and not have a mental health policy at all, rather than provide empty words on such an important topic.
Jobless, ‘unemployed’ was soon going to be my label. All of a sudden I felt a lack of self-confidence. A lack of security. An urge to review my money situation and sort out bills that still needed paying, with one less income. But I still had not recovered fully and didn’t have the energy. A battle between wanting to prioritise myself for once, but lacking the motivation to do so.
I hope EVERYONE starts to place the same physical illness value on mental illness. Especially after we’ve all endured so much trauma lately.
Poor management
Another factor in all my previous job roles, was a lack of knowledge at the top. Yes, managers are there to manage, not necessarily understand how to do your job. But if they don’t have a clue about the work the people they are supposed to be supporting do daily, what’s the point? How will they ever recognise the stress triggers of overworked staff? How do they even know what too much work is?
From a human perspective, we should all be able to communicate appropriately with someone whos suffered a mental breakdown. But this takes training and awareness!
I’ve written previously about how I witnessed rude, biased, and bullying behaviour in workplaces I was part of, and this spans my whole working life. Although I wouldn’t relive the pandemic if I had a choice, I do hope it’s brought significant changes to the office environment in the UK. The culture must change. We can no longer pile an unreasonable amount of pressure on employees and expect them not to eventually burn out.
Where it all went wrong
My first anxiety-filled morning began a while after I returned to work. When you’re constantly having to justify yourself and the work you are completing, it is exhausting. This is what I was being asked to do on this occasion and given my mental health history, I think there was a better way of doing things.
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My thoughts in hindsight
Throughout all of this, I do have some grasp of the fact that employees in the department were under daily stress because of an impending redundancy and I take on board the fact this can impact a person’s behaviour. But it still doesn’t make poor behaviour towards staff correct. And it certainly doesn’t help my already fragile anxiety levels. From a human perspective, we should all be able to communicate appropriately with someone whos suffered a mental breakdown. But this takes training and awareness!
The redundancy announcement
It is hurtful when you’ve invested so much time and energy into your career and it comes to an end in this way. My heart goes out to anyone whos been through or is currently going through a redundancy process.
On the day I found out our redundancy date, I felt numb. I thought I would feel differently. It felt just like any other announcement. Following my mental health struggles, I couldn’t be bothered sorting out the admin and conversations involved in leaving. I wouldn’t feel satisfied until I had left the company and the redundancy money was in my bank.
Jobless, ‘unemployed’ was soon going to be my label. All of a sudden I felt a lack of self-confidence. A lack of security. An urge to review my money situation and sort out bills that still needed paying, with one less income. But I still had not recovered fully and didn’t have the energy. A battle between wanting to prioritise myself for once, but lacking the motivation to do so.
10 days to go – the worst 10 days of my life
10 days to go. Then I would be unemployed. Something I never anticipated I would be happy about. Finally, done and dusted with the workplace that I once loved, but then also caused me unreasonable amounts of stress.
To deal with the anger, I started journaling my feelings. I thought, what’s the point in stressing about this when I had 10 days to go. But bear in mind, that I was now a different person. More protective of my mental health. I viewed life differently. It was great I had grown in confidence to change the situation that broke me. But I was still in the situation that broke me. And I was still facing the same daily battles that sent me to hell and back.
Other posts you may like in the mental health category
Maybe these heightened feelings are normal for anyone going through a redundancy process. It’s probably just part of the process and how your mind accepts the huge change which will be happening to you at any moment. A moment someone else chooses, usually based on money-making and not paying any attention to your life.
The current employment situation in the UK
I can tell you, from my recent experience of visiting the job centre, unstable job conditions have impacted a lot of people and the department is inundated. The knock-on effect of COVID, and greedy CEOs making reckless decisions, together with a failing economy, have created a recipe for disaster. And it’s set to get even worse!
Yes, there are jobs out there, but the game has changed. I’m hoping the shift will eventually benefit office workers and companies to start to value mental health. I hope EVERYONE starts to place the same physical illness value on mental illness. Especially after we’ve all endured so much trauma lately.
Some of you might be asking why I went back to the workplace at all. Well, I wanted and deserved the redundancy payment. I also deserved to be treated like a human being. Bear in mind, that I am an advocate for mental well-being and society ditching the stigma those with mental illnesses suffer. I couldn’t just let this situation slide, without showing up and standing up for myself. In turn, I felt like I was also standing up for other people.
I considered raising concerns, then I weighed this up against the mental exhaustion this would exert and the potential of really gaining anything. In the end, I cut my losses and decided to start putting my energy into my new life.
Work should be a complementary part of our lives, not the thing that makes it unliveable
TO clarify, I’m all for mental health training in the workplace. But it has to be great training, run by people who’ve experienced dealing with a mental health crisis first hand. It can’t just be another set of standard lines companies use to protect themselves.
Trusted training resources
Mind conducts workplace training and I would trust them as a great resource. It’s also great to see the training by Rethink Mental Illness had input from people with lived experience. There are also other smaller companies running mental health training and there is value out there.
Workplaces – please create a different process for mental health absences
Another significant issue that made me feel like my mental illness wasn’t valid, was the return to work process. Workplaces need to create different policies for mental health circumstances. As they would do a terminal illness or a bereavement. Any other unusual situation, which doesn’t fit into the category of physical health.
My hope for HR departments in the future
Whilst I don’t have personal experience of it, I hope other employers are already doing the great things I’ve suggested. I hope this blog post doesn’t need to be read by most companies, but my own experience was just a stand-alone negative one. In conducting some research for this post I found this promising article about HR awards won by a building society. I wish all businesses would adopt this approach.
It’s also important for HR to check the company ethos is being implemented in all departments. And ensure there isn’t a disconnect between individual departments.
The main point
My life is different and much happier, and I now have support in my new workplace. And I am thankful for the journey because it taught me so much about my mental strength in challenging times.
Worrying statistics
The statistics for mental health-related absences in the UK look grim. And some of the research was conducted pre-pandemic. Arguably, we are in a worse position currently. Worst still, people are sometimes dismissed as a result of their mental health struggles.
How can we continue to accept this treatment?
One final note about burnout
Whilst I am still trying to make sense of what happened to me, I faced complete burnout as a result of overdoing it. I want to take this opportunity to tell all my readers this is not the way you have to live. Yes, we all need money. Both I and my hubby have to work to pay bills and live, but it is possible to balance this with looking after your mental health.
My wish for the future is that employers become the ones who prioritise this on behalf of their employees. And they avoid creating a culture where people feel they need to do more for the same money. Employ more staff, reduce the workload, and spend money to ease pressure on your staff!
Will you ever recover from burnout? I have. Granted, I am not the same person I was before. I now take less rubbish and I know, my boundaries. I won’t ever allow a repeat of this situation.
Final thoughts
This is my journal of a tough time in my life. In keeping with the theme of this blog, I wanted to share this with you because I want to help other people in the same situation. I want other people to realise they are not alone. Thankfully, I have recently started a new chapter in my career and I am in a better place.
Let time know what you think of the post in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
Because this is such an emotive issue for me, it would be great to hear from anyone who can relate. Your comments are much appreciated and it helps me and other people know we are not alone in our struggles.
I always wanted to write a book about my life. I have storage boxes full of notebooks, diaries, poems I thought I could use to contribute to becoming a fully-fledged writer.
When the bottom of my world literally fell out from underneath me. Redundancy, a breakdown, a pandemic. Uncertainty central. I decided it was time for a change. Why not start your own blog, I thought? What’s the worst that could happen?
I felt compelled to share my story and what better way to do this than embracing the world of social media and online connections. After all, that’s where it’s at, right?
You have something to add. Your life experiences are unique and someone out there will benefit from what you have to say.
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Your own platform
Starting your own blog can get your message out there.
I’m seeing a lot of wonderful people with amazing things to say and messages which should be out in the world for others to see. But sometimes this is limited to one social media site and I would love to see more content from this person.
Having a blog, which is connected to other social media sites, allows you to gain more followers and get your message out to more people. You control the content and create everything on the site.
If you’re thinking of setting up a blog and need web hosting, Bluehost is amazing. They provided me with the best customer service I’ve ever received when I recently lost my website! I HAVE to recommend them to other people.
It’s your chance to create something of your own
How exciting? I did a lot of research before starting my own blog. I decided I needed a chic-looking theme and I wanted to spend money upfront to ensure the branding was good.
After all, this place is like your office, your space, home from home. You’ve created it and why not make it look appealing?
If you need a theme, please check out Bluchic. I’ve had a few technical questions since setting up my blog and their customer service is fantastic. I am considering setting up a second blog and they will be my first choice for a theme.
Before starting my own blog, I was unsure about whether I should do this or not. Self-doubt crept in.
I spent 15 years doubting myself. My confidence wasn’t in a great place and like all bloggers starting out, I was seriously asking myself whether anyone would listen to what I had to say.
I gained a high number of followers on my social media platforms without really putting much content out there. On Instagram, there were 7 posts saying good morning and connecting with people. Despite this, amazing things were already happening when I started interacting with other people.
You have something to add. Your life experiences are unique and someone out there will benefit from what you have to say. Imagine the feeling of helping someone, without really knowing it. Just trusting that you are making a difference.
What are you waiting for?
Gain confidence
Starting the blog has helped me gain confidence in my writing ability. The lovely comments and compliments I receive mean the world to me and confirm I’m on the right path. Just like the one below.
Making connections
I interact with such wonderful, smart, supportive bloggers on a daily basis and I genuinely love commenting on their work and making connections.
The blogging community really is the best. An amazing group of people all supporting each other and I feel lucky to be part of it.
Use is as a diary
Writing is therapeutic and it certainly helped me during a tough time.
Your blog posts can be any format: a diary entry, a rant, or an informative post. You get to choose the type of content you share.
It creates opportunities
Whatever your end goal is, starting a blog WILL create opportunities.
Some opportunities have come to me, through social media messages and emails. Others I’ve had to work hard for.
The main thing is, good things are happening now I have my voice out there in the world. And I am finally doing something I love.
What you need to begin your blogging journey…
A computer
Sounds silly doesn’t it, but it’s true. I’ve heard some people try and run a blog without a laptop. But honestly, there are only certain tasks I can do on my laptop. That said, I do use my phone for some admin tasks like social media interaction and noting down ideas, occasionally writing in google documents.
Research
I spent a lot of time researching how I would set up my blog.
Pinterest was a massive source of information for me. Other bloggers give the best advice because they have walked in your shoes and can speak from experience.
Time
Luckily, due to my situation, I had time to set up the blog. I desperately needed to occupy my mind with something to stimulate my brain but also help my mental health.
Don’t worry if you don’t have huge amounts of time. Sometimes I only manage 30 minutes a day for blogging tasks. But I look at it like that’s a few things off my to-do list and you can only tackle small chunks, which then lead to bigger goals.
Small steps really do amount to something amazing.
Patience
It is correct that it takes roughly three months to rank on Google or start seeing any results in terms of traffic to your website.
I was starting to feel deflated. I went for a weekend away. I had writer’s block and was just not feeling the blogging vibes for about a week. Then I checked my DA score and surprisingly it was at 9, EXACTLY three months after I released my first blog post.
DA is at 9! Wooooooo hooooooooooo! Can’t quite believe it. But I have worked my back side off since 12 August!! 👍
With Father’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to share some of my favourite Father’s Day Gift ideas.
If you follow this blog, you will be aware that I regularly find it difficult to buy for the men in my family. It becomes even more difficult when they already have everything they want! I am constantly finding new and quirky gift ideas, that nobody else would think to buy. And I have some great Father’s Day Gift ideas to share with you today.
Let’s dive into the Father’s Day Gift ideas
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 think would be useful for other people.
Some items were also sent to me for review – all thoughts are my own
1. Cheerful Buddha
I was recently contacted by Cheerful Buddha who kindly sent a gift pack to try. Having tried their products before, I can confirm their coffee is amazing. And I am now a huge fan of their chocolate as well. Perfect as a Father’s Day Gift.
MUMMYCONQUERINGANXIETY_15 AT THE CHECKOUT FOR 15% OFF
2. Subbytech
Subbytech sent me their CliX Light Up Charging Cable to try out and I was not disappointed. I love the fact that it comes with several adapters, which magnetically click into place.
We also love an extra-long cable – and you can purchase it in various sizes.
Check out these other gift guides, which might be helpful if you’re purchasing for the man in your life:
I think you all know what’s coming up – who doesn’t love a box of flapjacks?
Flapjackery offers award-winning, gluten-free flapjacks in a variety of flavours. Choose between boxes of 3, 6 or 12 giant flapjack slices. Each box contains a combination of chocolatey, scrumptious flapjack flavours. And with message plaque boxes, you can now tell your Dad or father figure, how much he means to you.
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4. Buy Sheds Direct
Maybe you want to treat a deserving Father to the ultimate gift – a garden shed. I know my hubby wants a shed or garage, to restore furniture. Whatever the reason, I am sure this would make the recipient really happy.
Weird Fish currently has a sale and a great Men’s Section for you to browse and select a great Father’s Day gift.
6. Dare Motivation
Why not give a healthy gift this Father’s Day?
Dare Motivation is a Nutritionally Complete plant-based shake. An all-in-one blend of seeds, superfoods, herbs, phytonutrients, and pre-and probiotics. As well as 26 essential vitamins and minerals.
Free Delivery on all Orders Over £20 to Mainland UK
20% off with Code AWESOME20 or by signing up for the newsletter
Refer a friend & get £10
Final thoughts
I hope you found this guide useful and found some great gifts for your loved one
It is a proven fact, that the early years of our lives shape who we are and how well we cope with challenges in adult life. A traumatic experience in childhood can have lasting effects. Exploring emotions is vital.
All human beings have emotions. They start to develop at an early age, often when toddlers don’t really understand what they are yet. The common one in our house at the moment is missing other people. This involves a daily conversation filled with reassurance, that everyone misses the people they love.
Because toddler emotions are a challenge I currently face. And I know other parents definitely go through this cycle, I wanted to write a post dedicated to the best stories I could find, discussing children’s emotions.
Quick note: Mummy Conquering Anxiety is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. 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 think would be useful for other people
Let’s look at the research into why we should explore emotions
Understanding children’s emotions are critical to understanding their behaviour. Early years children feel a range of emotions, but often cannot express, interpret or process them like us.
With poor emotional skills, it could be harder for children to learn:
Children grow and develop rapidly in their first five years across the four main areas of development. These areas are motor (physical), communication and language, cognitive, social and emotional.
Social and emotional development means how children start to understand who they are, what they are feeling and what to expect when interacting with others. It is the development of being able to:
Form and sustain positive relationships.
Experience, manage and express emotions.
Explore and engage with the environment.
Positive social and emotional development is important. This development influences a child’s self-confidence, empathy, the ability to develop meaningful and lasting friendships and partnerships, and a sense of importance and value to those around them. Children’s social and emotional development also influences all other areas of development.
Parents and caregivers play the biggest role in social/emotional development because they offer the most consistent relationships for their children. Consistent experiences with family members, teachers and other adults help children learn about relationships and explore emotions in predictable interactions.
To nurture your child’s social and emotional development, it is important that you engage in quality interactions like these on a daily basis, depending on the age of your child:
Be affectionate and nurturing: hold, comfort, talk and sing with your baby, toddler and child.
Help your baby experience joy in “give-and-take” relationships by playing games like “peek-a-boo.”
Provide your toddler with responsive care, letting them practice new skills while still providing hands-on help.
Support your child’s developing skills; help him/her, but don’t do everything for your child, even if it takes longer or is messy.
Teach social and emotional skills, such as taking turns, listening and resolving conflict.
What happens if we don’t manage emotions
One of the most important ways parents or guardians can help is by listening to their children and taking their feelings seriously. They may want a hug, they may want you to help them change something or they may want practical help.
Children and young people’s negative feelings usually pass. However, it’s a good idea to get help if your child is distressed for a long time if their feelings are stopping them from getting on with their lives, if their distress is disrupting family life or if they are repeatedly behaving in ways you wouldn’t expect at their age.
What’s Troubling Tawny? The award-winning second book in the Sumatran Trilogy! Tawny longs to make friends with another rhino, but her shyness holds her back. When she meets a hornbill called Tallulah, she is surprised to learn that she has a lot in common with the beautiful bird.
Poppy the porcupine has always wanted to make a friend, but her defensive nature prevents her. When a young tiger cub stumbles upon her one day in the rainforest, she reacts badly and scares him away.
Determined to change her ways, she sets out to find him, but little does she know that the tiger cub is about to have a problem of his own. In the face of danger, will Poppy find a way to save the day?
The Problem with Poppy is the award-winning debut picture book by British author Emma Sandford. Illustrated by Ukrainian artist Olena Osadcha.
If you could change something about yourself, would you do it?
When Sarah Simpkins is teased about her shadow in the school playground, she finds herself wishing she didn’t have one.
That night she has the chance to make the wish come true. But will losing her shadow really make her happy?
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Let’s Be Friends Again
Purchase the book below:
Let’s Be Friends Again
Kids World Books – Sibling fights, tantrums and subsequent bonding is the theme of this story.
The story is narrated by a boy and he narrates rather than shares his experiences with his sister. The boy and the girl play together. They spend most of their leisure time together. Just like every sibling, they fight often and bond subsequently.
The boy finds some trouble with his sister. The boy sometimes babysits for his sister and she used to trouble him! However, she was a good listener and the boy used to tell some great stories. The boy refused to share his toys with her. Yet, the smart girl used to grab all her brother’s toys. The tantrum began when the girl played with his brother’s pet turtle!
The girl thought that the tank where the pet turtle was kept was too small for the turtle. She carried it to the pond and let it free in the pond.
The boy was as angry as he lost his pet turtle. He showed his anger in many ways. He shouted at her. He threw away his toys and kept on thinking about his turtle. His parents supported his sister. He planned to avenge the loss of his pet and imagined many things. (This is definitely a fun part that everyone would die laughing).
He couldn’t sleep for hours thinking about the pet. He then saw his sister playing in the garden so happy like never before. The boy was surprised as well as very angry seeing her sister happy.
He made a decision! What was that?
Let’s be friends again, the lovable brother and sister, their cute fights, rivalry, etc are narrated beautifully. It happens very commonly in every household.
Children and young people are still developing – they don’t have adult brains or bodies, so need help to understand and manage their emotions.
You’ve probably heard your parents or grandparents say “they’re just attention seeking” or “they’re being difficult”. But there’s usually more to it than this.
We often ask people who contact Children 1st Parentline: “What is your child trying to tell you when they’re acting like that?” Looked at this way, unwanted behaviour is usually about a child needing something – or their way of trying to work out how to manage something.
From a toddler’s need for comfort to a teenager’s conflicting desires for independence and security, testing behaviour is common and is often set off by everyday experiences rather than big events.
Jodi also thinks the book will come just at the right time for children who have had to shut themselves away all year and might be scared to try something new.
She added: “It is a lovely story for 4–7-year-olds about taking yourself out of your comfort zone to try new things.
“Worley’s story is a fab way to engage children with these cute little monsters and learn how to develop their confidence.
“The book also included suggested activities for parent and adult readers.
“I’m also now writing my second story for the series about Worley and Co!
“Having suffered quite a bit as a kid – I lost my dad at 10 and my best friend at 14 – and had a lot of bullying and not nice things going on and I didn’t know how to cope,” she explained.
“That had a massive effect on me as an adult which led to a breakdown. I don’t want kids to go through what I did. The more people I can teach and I can help the better. I don’t think I would have had as big a meltdown if I already had tools to use.
“My characters are all monsters – I have a whole tribe of emotions monsters that teach children about emotions. Worley is the main one and he meets his friends with different emotions.
“The first one was teaching him to be brave and through the monster, you learn you might make a mistake but it will be fine. He realises he doesn’t need to be the best at everything.
“The second book is about anger. The book is written as a rhyme; basically, Worley gets angry and doesn’t know what it is. His friend George, the angry monster, teaches him it is ok to be angry and how to manage it.
“It is done in quite a fun way so children can understand.”
Buster Finds His Beat
Purchase the book below:
Buster Finds His Beat
A feel-good story about an autistic boy, That will capture your imagination and fill you with joy.
Buster uses ear defenders to soften sounds he hears, Find out what happens when he faces his fears…
Pick up your copy, you’ll be in for a treat, As he uses the power of sound to find his own beat.
The first book in a new rhyming picture book series from D.M. Mullan and Kirsteen Harris Jones – welcome to D.M. Mullan’s Curious Tales… Hector van Groat If something is missing, and you’re feeling blue, you could learn from Hector, who feels this way too. This little genius lives in an upside-down boat, and he grunts from his hill like a grumpy old goat. “Hector van Groat needs no one but Hector because he is a genius, a crazy inventor”.
A beautifully illustrated picture book about mental health for young readers. Where Is My Smile? is the story of a little boy who can’t find his smile anywhere. He searches and searches, but it’s nowhere to be found. Where could his smile be? This delightful picture book is perfect as a bedtime story, and to help little children understand that it’s okay to be sad sometimes, but we can always find our way through it.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading my list of books to inspire conversations with your toddler about emotions.
Do you have any of these books? Or will you be purchasing them? What techniques do you use to explore emotions?
I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
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