When you suffer a tragedy of the loss of your loved one, the thought of rebuilding your life seems impossible. That is natural. Your life as it stands has been torn apart. However, I know this seems hard but life does go on, life is your life…not part of your life. The chapter may have come to an end but the story is still there to unfold. Here are my thoughts on rebuilding from your grief, I would love to hear your comments
R = Remain hopeful. I know that sounds strange, but hope is a natural energiser of positive steps. …read more

I found a site called undoingdepression which has these 6 steps that I thought I would share, I don’t know about you but the more I read the more it inspires me to succeed!
• Get help. Don’t be ashamed of needing medication, and don’t give up until you find something that helps.  
• Identify your feelings and moods. Depression is a self-destructive effort to avoid feeling. Accept that emotions are natural and helpful. …read more

This weekend saw another death in my extended family and this week sees mum going to the doctors for her heart condition. With losing dad over 3 years ago, it scares me that I may lose mum. When you have faced grief so vividly, you know what it feels like to lose someone. You know how empty you feel. Mum is 76 and in general looks great for her age. It is even more ironic when all my life I have not been a worrier, always thinking whattever will be, will be.
Maybe it is a sign that I am getting …read more

Easy – one step at a time. Remember when you were a baby, or last watched a baby starting to walk? They stand, they fall,   they stand, they stumble, they stand a little longer, they fall, they repeat until they can walk confidently on their own. For me grief is like that, you move forward you stumble, you get up, you drop down……and the process will always be easier if you allow people to hold your hand for support.
I think we can be too tough on ourselves, we expect to cope from Day 1 and when you think about …read more

At the start of the year I told you that I wanted to lose weight, to regain my self confidence and self esteem. I started a blog and a podcast to track my progress called Middle Age Shed and I am really pleased to report that I am on track to have lost 42lbs by this weekend.
I am feeling much more confident about going out, happier that I have taken control of my weight gain and supported through a fantastic community of people who comment regularly.
Losing weight does not take pain away, does not stop the loneliness however it do  …read more

I have decided that I want to lose weight in the New Year. I have let myself go and I know that the extra weight makes me feel more depressed. I have always been fit, healthy and even prided myself on that, but losing someone who was the centre of my world, caused me to comfort eat.
I have known for a while that I needed to stop using grief as my excuse and start getting fit again. Not because I should but because that is how I enjoy living. So I have resolved in the New Year that the fitness …read more