How to be a little bit kinder to yourself

/
How to be a little bit kinder to yourself

As I was recovering after being chronically ill, I realised that in general I really wasn’t kind enough to myself. I tend to be my own worst critic and I’m usually quite hard on myself. I think so many of us are compassionate towards others but not as much to ourselves. Which is wrong. Why shouldn’t we be a little bit gentler with ourselves too? Especially when we’ve got a lot going on. So here’s some advice on how to be a little bit kinder to yourself. 

Photo by Sean Mallia

Read More

Some advice for those days when things seem to be falling apart

/
Some advice for those days when things seem to be falling apart

A year ago Dermot and I were in Italy for our first holiday in a very long time. And in that moment it really felt like everything was falling into place. But we actually received some difficult news about 6 months later which made it feel as though one long-term goal would never materialise after all. I can’t deny that for some time I felt crushed. But now things seem to be falling into place again. The path to reaching this goal might turn out to be slightly different from the way we initially thought we would get there. But the beauty is that we’re going to get there and we’re so excited about it. And here’s some advice for those days when things seem to be falling apart.

Read More

Some advice and support to stay strong in hard times

/
Some advice and support to stay strong in hard times

Sometimes things happen that completely change the direction we thought our life was taking. At first it can be hard to accept. We end up asking “why” a lot. But I really believe that in time – even if we can’t see it now – some of the most difficult and unexpected situations still end up having a beautiful silver lining. Yet some days it might be hard to even think about the silver lining. Because that’s what life is: a rollercoaster of experiences and a rollercoaster of emotions. And here’s some advice and support to stay strong in hard times.

Read More

10 ways to make overcoming obstacles easier

/
10 ways to make overcoming obstacles easier

I can still remember driving home from the first fitting for our bridesmaids’ dresses for Corinne’s wedding after having been housebound for months. I felt so free and empowered and realised in that moment that I could actually recover if I kept at it, although I knew that I still had a LONG way to go. Still, trusting the process and believing I could do it wasn’t easy. But there were 10 things which I believe really made things easier for me and which can help anyone overcome most obstacles that life might present.

Read More

How to overcome perfectionism in 9 simple steps

/
How to overcome perfectionism in 9 simple steps

Before I started this blog, I remember thinking I didn't have the right photos for my website. As a perfectionist, I must admit that sometimes I want things to be so “perfect” that I just don’t get them done.  But I finally made the decision that I’d start the blog with the photos I had and eventually try getting some proper photos taken. While my best friend Becky – an amazing photographer – travels the world, last weekend Sean Mallia, another really amazing photographer, took my photos for the blog. This photo shoot reminded me of that moment when I wanted to wait to have the right photos before starting the blog. I’m so glad I didn’t put off getting started for so long. And here are 9 simple steps which can help you overcome perfectionism too.

Photo by Sean Mallia

Read More

10 tips for tough times

/
10 tips for tough times

The past couple of months haven’t been the easiest as Dermot and I received some difficult news. Nothing we won’t get through, but quite challenging just the same. And while on the whole I feel I’ve been coping pretty well, there was actually a point this week when I thought I wouldn’t write a blog post this weekend because I just didn’t feel up to it. But then I decided it would be a good time to put down some tips for getting through tough times. I really hope my tips might help you even just a little bit if you’re going through a tough time also. Obviously all situations are different, but here are the 10 things which are really helping me get through this.

Read More

9 steps for turning New Year’s Resolutions into achievable goals

/
9 steps for turning New Year’s Resolutions into achievable goals

I started 2016 housebound, which is why this photo of me and Dermot in Italy last June means so much to me. In fact, being able to travel again was one of my recovery goals when I started DNRS in 2016.  I believe setting tangible goals is really important not only when it comes to recovery from chronic illnesses through DNRS but also for life in general. And when it comes to setting New Year’s Resolutions, I really believe that turning them into actionable and achievable goals rather than leaving them up in the air as something you hope to one day achieve is the way to go. So here are 9 steps which can help you to keep your resolutions and achieve your goals in 2017.

Read More

11 tips for coping with Christmas after losing a loved one

/
11 tips for coping with Christmas after losing a loved one

Sadly, the grandfather of one of my best friends passed away a couple of days ago. It was exactly 19 years less a day after my own grandfather had passed away so it obviously reminded me a lot of our Christmas 19 years ago. It also made me think of others who have lost a loved one at Christmas time. And of course even if they would have passed away before Christmas time, the first Christmas in their absence is never easy. I’m definitely no expert on the subject, but here are the 11 tips I would give to anyone celebrating their first Christmas after losing a loved one. 

Read More

The top 5 mistakes to avoid when things don’t go according to plan

/
The top 5 mistakes to avoid when things don’t go according to plan

The nausea I feel in Madrid alarms me at first. But it’s not long before it becomes clear that this is no reaction to the tapas, paella, sangria or anything else. This is gastric flu. So while it’s a relief that it’s just a normal bug, gastric flu obviously wasn’t part of the plan for our holiday in Madrid: our first family holiday in almost 2 years. And here are the mistakes I almost made which could have ended up ruining our holiday – mistakes which I consider to be the top 5 mistakes to avoid when things don’t go the way you would have wished them to. 

Read More

9 ways to find more time for the things that matter most

/
9 ways to find more time for the things that matter most

I think the most important lesson I learned through being chronically ill was that being too busy and living such a rushed life wasn’t beyond my control.  And as I started recovering, I decided that I was going to do things differently this time round. Most importantly, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t go back to being overly busy. It’s still something I need to work at, but with these 9 strategies, I definitely manage to find much more time than I used to previously for the things that matter most.

Read More

Are you making the most of your happy memories?

/
Are you making the most of your happy memories?

Ghar Lapsi is a magical place for me. Just thinking about being there can make me feel happier and calmer. But when I started neural retraining I realised that I hadn't been making the most of my happy memories. And that's really changed things for me. So in this blog post, I've written about what you can do to get more out of your happy memories.

Read More