My Hair Timeline (2003-2017)

If there is one thing you need to know about me, it is that I LOVE dying my hair. I've been dying my hair for over four years now. I started with the natural colours, branched out to dip dyes and then full on bright colours. I know I don't normally do beauty related posts if you can even call this post, that but my hair is a very important part of my identity.

Dying my hair different colours, especially the brighter colours make me super happy. I love the confidence it gives me. The first time I dyed my hair bright pink all over, I felt like an entirely new person. My mental health improved so much, and I noticed the change in myself for sure, and so did the people around me.

Dying your hair bright colours isn't going to be for everyone. Some people like tattoos or piercings. My thing is dying my hair. I know people say I shouldn't because it's going to fall out from all the damage. But I'll rather have had fun with my hair while I can before I'm restricted with how I express myself in an office job. I hope you enjoy looking through these old hairstyles. I've included some right embarrassing ones. You are definitely in for a treat.

A Beginners Guide To CBT

I feel like CBT has become quite a well known and frequently used term within society, nowadays. Lots of people know that CBT is a form of therapy for mental health problems and that NHS waiting list times are ridiculously long. You wouldn't be wrong there, but that's really as far as their knowledge goes. 

Maybe you stumbled across this post because you are planning on having CBT soon or are interested to find out more, to see if it's right for you. Maybe you haven't got a clue. You think CBT stands for something like changing brain time and believe that it involves a long black couch and a man with a long grey beard.

For whatever reason you've clicked on this post, don't worry you are in safe hands. I'm going to be taking you through the basics of CBT. Including; what it is, how it works and what problems it can be used to treat. I aim to provide an educational and informative guide for beginners to this what can seem alien concept at the beginning, a lot easier to understand. 

The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting

It's not often that I find a book which it is so creepily similar to my life I have to double check it's not a biography about me. Obviously, not every aspect of this story resembles my life, thank God for that. If you've read this book, you will know EXACTLY what I'm on about. 

Holly Bourne is YA's answer to well the best thing since white sliced bread. Holly just gets it. I don't know about you but when I think of young adult fiction, I just think of the stereotypical and very over done storyline of boy meets girl, some friend drama, but everything always works out well in the end. Holly has a knack of easing on the cheese factor of YA fiction and actually making in modern and enjoyable while still including boys, school, and friendships. The three essentials on any YA novel.

The manifesto on how to be interesting is one girl's heartbreaking but equally heartwarming journey through romance, friendship and most importantly finding yourself. I couldn't put this book down, it was that good. Which is why I needed to dedicate a whole review to it.

My Favourite Podcasts

I love myself a good podcast. I like to think of myself as some what of an educated young lady. I don't think I have ever said a more up myself statement, than that before on my blog but eh, there is always room for a first. Where was I? Oh yeah, podcasts...I bloody love the things! 

I listen to podcasts on a broad range of subjects, from mental health, books and feminism to name a few. I think podcasts are really underrated, most people just tune into to Youtube when they're bored or listen to music, but I have found listening to Podcasts a much more productive use of my time. Unlike listening to music or watching the same Jermery Kyle compilation videos on YouTube (Don't judge me) I actually learn something! 

Listening to podcasts broadens my knowledge and understanding on a wide range of different topics. I get to listen to others perspectives on issues, which I may not have thought of. I often learn new information and more importantly, they give me food for thought. They often leave me going away thinking about the topic they have discussed. More than any Jermery Kyle video will ever do. I've included a mix of well known and smaller podcasts in this list, I really hope you find one you like. Let's get amongst it. 

Not Being Ill Enough To Be Good Enough

At school, I was involved in all kinds of competitions. Skipping, sports day and reading challenges to name a few. I still have all the certificates stored away in a dusty box in my attic somewhere. The general premise of most competitions is that you had to be good enough to win. Which I'm sure most people would agree with unless you're one of those who believes that every kid should get a medal for taking part kind of person.

I generally thought I left those competition days behind me when I hung up my school blazer for the last time. Turns out, I didn't. And it seems that more and more people with mental health problems are experiencing the same. Whether that be in heated disagreements on Twitter about who has had it worse or more importantly, when trying to access fundamental life-saving support.

MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT A COMPETITION 

( Trigger warning: This post contains mentions of suicide, which some readers may find distressing)