Good Vibes Only: Hey June

Outfit Details: Dungarees via Esprit (old) | Adidas T-shirt via Adidas | Converse Trainers 

Take a chill pill, 2018. Seriously, my brain cannot fathom that we are in the month of June already (I know I say this each month). My last blog post was a month ago, which I actually didn’t realise (due to reasons below), so it feels nice to check-in and have a chat.

It’s been a funny old month.  Alongside a busy work month I’ve been trying to manage my anxiety disorder, which has been keeping me entertained for a few weeks now. I had it bad in my late twenties and have been managing it ever since but the last couple of months have been a tad scary, in terms of my physical symptoms. I couldn’t be happier with the life that I’m living; work, relationships and my lifestyle are all good, so I think I’ve found it difficult to understand why I’m feeling overwhelmed by the smallest of things.

I have a super support network around me though including the OH, Polly, friends and work (who, I would like to add, have been a breath of fresh air) and I’ve booked myself an appointment with the GP to chat things over before ‘it’ takes over. So I’m taking things one day at a time and trying to not put too much pressure on myself. Other things that I’m holding onto are:

Booking holidays We’re going to Florence later in the year, just for a few days, and I’m silly excited. We’ve spent the last couple of years happily spending any spare cash on the house, festivals and UK trips but this year we both felt we wanted a little treat  – to go abroad. So Italy it is! Let me know your Florence recommendations in the comments or on Instagram.

Gigs I needn’t have worried about not going to a festival this year as there so many local (and affordable) gigs right on my doorstep in Hebden Bridge. We’ve got three events lined up so far; Adam Buxton’s BUG show, Ash and Gruff Rhys – all 5 minutes from our home (which suits my introvert ways).

Yorkshire Three Peaks I’m a tad nervous that my training for this over the past month has been a tad lacklustre. I’ve been at Roller Derby training and have walked Polly as usual but I haven’t done any walks over 13 miles for months (I’m doing 26 miles in 3 weeks!). I’m gonna stay calm about it though, train some more, and trust that I have the strength on the day. I think my recovery is good nowadays but I reckon Ingleborough is going to be a bigger test than last year. It’s all for my dad though, and all funds raised will go to the Alzheimer’s Society. If you would like to sponsor us, I’d be forever thankful. The link to the Just Giving page is here.

Taking things slow My blog post on Tips on Slowing Down in a Modern World  has been my go-to post recently when I’ve felt under pressure and overwhelmed (I rarely take my own advice). I’m not comfortable at making plans with others right now as I don’t want to let anyone down if I have to back out. But even I surprised myself over the last week. I managed a trip to Wales to see my friends and I was so worried I’d wake up and not be able to physically manage the trip but I was fine. Small victories. I’m really trying my best to take things one day at a time. And talking about it is good too.

Early summer  I don’t mind winter (I loved this year’s snow) but I absolutely LOVED the month of May. Feeling the sunshine on my face, having the windows open wide and watching the valley turn from brown to lush green has been a much-needed tonic. Plus having time off to enjoy the sunshine (hello Bank Holidays) was an absolute treat. I could get used to summers like this.

The blog I’ve got some blog posts lined up over the coming weeks and that makes me happy. Blogging is a very different place nowadays but this blog, 8 years on almost, still feels like coming home. Thank you for checking-in still, and as always, you can find me on Instagram and Twitter too. P.S If there’s anything specific you’d like to read more about on this space, let me know!