Don't Let Stress Stop You From Being Happy

Stress is one of those things that can be caused by literally anything. There range of things that cause stress are that vast that everyone gets stressed by something different depending on the situation. Sometimes there isn't even an obvious cause.

Although stress sends out negative vibes it does have some positives because it causes us to be more alert so if we were put in a situation that is out of our comfort zones, we will perform better a the task. Even in some cases people with anxiety can overcome the stress with positive outcomes. Although public speaking in my case is not something I wish to do however I know that there is no choice but not to talk in front of a small crowd due to my university course.  Stress is only healthy if its short lived, long lived amount of stress can have emotional and physical effects on the body.

To help calm your stress quickly you need to relax your mind and body. Now this doesn't mean that you have to take the extremes of meditating and doing yoga every time you get stressed but it does mean that you need to relax your muscles and breathe. By breathing slowly the oxygen will get into your bloodstream causing your muscles to relieve some tension.

If things get too much, don't be afraid to seek professional help from your GP. Most people are reluctant to get help as they believe that they are a failure but this is definitely not the case. Leaving your stress to get progressively worse can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression so it is better to seek help when things get too much because the sooner it's dealt with the happier you will be.

Websites to visit to see tips and information about how to cope with stress:
- www.mind.org.uk
- www.nhs.uk
- www.mentalhealthamerica.net
- www.helpguide.org

Love,

Emily xxx

When things just get too much

So naturally, everyone experiences different things in their lives and we all face different hardships. The issue we often face is that these problems go unseen by most, no matter how much we may be 'crying out for help' or even really trying to hide it. throughout my life, I have had a few setbacks, and a few issues (just like everyone else!).

Something that I have learned is that when things just all seem to be going really stupendously wrong, I have to stop. I have to stop freaking out, stop crying, stop overthinking things, just stop reacting. I have a tendency to overreact to most situations, whether they are good or bad which obviously isn't going to end well. recently I was in a situation and I literally though it was the end of the world. I thought everyone was against me, everyone hated me, I even cried myself to sleep that night and it took someone telling me that I need to "grow up" to snap me out of it. it was literally like a slap in the face but it was strangely what I needed. It was a kick up the bum to get my act together and start being more productive and use my time better.

Prioritise
During my time in Sixth form, I was introduced to something called 'eating the frog' which is where when deciding what you're going to do that day, you begin the day with the thing that you are dreading the most. Once you have done it, its a huge weight off your shoulders, you feel so much more positive and its thoroughly motivating because you feel as though you have accomplished a lot. When choosing my frog, I take into consideration the timing of each thing and when the deadlines (if there is one) are. My tip to you overall is to not do the easy things that have no real rush to them. It causes the huge things to get more time consuming because there's so little time left.

Take time out for yourself
When everything seems to be piling on top of you, everyone tends to just try to get through as much of the issue as they can at once. One prime example of this is work. whenever I have a lot of work to do, I always began the task with doing little bits thinking that it was enough and I would "do more the next day"...Obviously this didn't happen half the time. Then when deadlines start to creep up, I panic. I try to do all of the work in one huge chunk, which causes my insomnia to rear its ugly head. In turn this actually makes it harder to concentrate and therefore frustrates me and makes me emotional because although I realistically know that I am able to do something, I physically and intellectually cannot due to the circumstances. I have to do work in small chunks, taking time out just to stretch my legs, go for a walk, pet an animal, have a conversation for someone, or even something as simple as going to make yourself a hot drink. I like to follow the idea that until the drink has cooled enough for me to drink it (and has been drunk) I do not touch one single textbook, notepad, keyboard etc. This would give me the time that I needed to keep calm and not essentially fry my brain.

Overall, whenever you're having a tough time, don't be hard on yourself, be open to asking for and accepting help and lastly, have hope. everything will be okay.

Stay strong,
Louise x

Deadpool

Must make it aware that i the UK this film was given a 15 age rating.

The story is of a man who meets his true love, discovers that he is dying from a terminal illness and does what he considered the best thing to do when keeping his true love happy. However he signed up to what he thought was a programme to be turned into a superhero. What I would consider my worst nightmare is being dragged through a dark dingy place to have people run tests on me. He had these tests done  and was then technically a "Super hero". 

He is not the typical superhero. 

I would give this film a 10/10 because  it hilarious, it was gory and a little bit romantic. There are a few sexually explicit scenes and a lot of violence in which several people get injured in horrific ways.  Overall it is a fantastic film and I would recommend to anyone who is of age to see this film. I went to see it the Friday before Valentine's Day as a date night with my boyfriend and we loved it. It wasn't a complete boys superhero film for you girls that are not necessarily a big fan of those kinds of films. 

I really enjoyed it so I think you should all go and check it out at your nearest Cinema or Movie Theatre before it stops showing. 

Love you all.

Emily xx 

Valentines Day: Best Friend Edition

Happy Valentines Day everyone! We hope everyone is having a fantastic day.

No matter what your relationship status,  Valentine's day is a day of love so whether you spend the day with your significant other is your choice. Alternative options are just spending the day showing your loved one's how much you care; this can be family members, friends etc.

You don’t have to spend Valentine’s Day alone. You can always meet up with friends or enjoy a good old movie night in. I recommend Deadpool. (Which we will be doing a review on Next week). However although I am in a relationship, I spent my Valentine’s without him and with my best friend instead. Last night we had the great pleasure of seeing All Time Low Live on The Back To The Future Hearts Tour in Birmingham, UK which I must say after seeing them 5 times was the best show by far.

These memorable moments were made up with people that mean a lot to us but without breaking the bank, or being too extravagant. Sometimes the simpler things are the most meaningful ways to show someone you care. Just seeing a smile can make a whole day brighter for someone. For me going to see my favourite band with my best friend was enough to make me happy for the whole day but after seeing her smile I realised that some of the emotional pain that she had been through had been taken away temporarily in that moment and for me things like that are priceless.

So remember to show people how much they mean to you everyday not just on Valentine’s day.

We love you all

from,

Emily and Louise xx

Fixing a broken heart

*May contain explicit language

Its that time of year again when shops are full of chocolate hearts and roses. Valentine's day can either be the best or worst day of the year so for people who have had their heartbroken over the past few months and still find the wound a bit sore. I took to Google and discovered that when you type in 'ways to mend a broken heart' its all aimed at women who have had a man break her heart but why is this. Men don't display their emotions to the outside world and keep them held back and put a mask on it. They hurt just as much as females. A break up hurts both people. So here is some advice and some tips to help get you through.

Friends

Whether your male or female you will feel the aftermath of a break up. Some can be messy, some can be mutual and some can happen just like that. Breakups are never easy because the person we thought would never leave does. The amount of emotional pain that is encountered while going through a separation can be unbearable but comfort food and alcohol is not the way through it. When I went through a messy separation I found myself suffering quite heavily from depression but I put a face on it until one day it cracked and I broke down. Talking to friends helps a lot. This is why when you get into a relationship you shouldn't push your friends away, when I found I couldn't talk to my friends I listened to either break up songs or ones that reminded me of the relationship until I found one day that I had stopped feeling anything for the songs that's when I learnt that I have to move on. 

Rebounds

Rebounds are also not a good idea and after having quite a few I can honestly say that from experience. Rebounds are awful because you get into an unwanted relationship with someone you don't really have feelings with just to feel loved. I had a boy who I got into a relationship that I really didn't want to be with because I had 0% interest in him. As awful as it sounds I did it just to feel loved by someone because I knew he had feelings for me. I got called a lot of disgusting things just because of what I had done but now I look back I regret it. So what I'm trying to say is don't go for a rebound it doesn't end well. 

Ignore

There will also be people who tell you that you shouldn't let go of the person who left you, well IGNORE them. Its Bullshit. If someone dumped you because of something so small like a little lie that doesn't really take affect on them then leave them. Find someone who's not going to be so dramatic. If someone left you for a reason like wanting to get their mental health back on the right tracks then that's fine you can wait for them to get back on the mend then try again if you still have feelings for them if not move on. There will always be different reasons for breaking up some simple like falling out of love (Mutual Break up) to Cheating (Messy Breakup).

I have had my fair share of shit breakups which hurt like hell but one day they wont matter anymore because you will find someone who can understand you and loves you for you. We all have a past that should be left behind but someone who loves you will help you find a way to leave it in the past. 

No matter how hard life gets as long as you have friends and sad Taylor swift style breakup songs you can defeat any break up. So keep your head up, smile and get out there you are free to do what you want don't wallow in pity because someone broke you. You need to find ways that kill the pain so you can start fixing yourself until you find someone to fill the missing piece.

I love you all and thanks to my amazing friends for helping me through some of the darkest times. 

Tweet us different ways you find are helpful when dealing with a broken heart or share some of your stories. There will always be someone there for you no matter what your feeling.
 All quotes can be found here: Pinterest: Quotes used in Blog Post

Emily xx

Eating Disorders

Not just eating too little....

Eating disorders, although often seen as something linked to "attention seeking" or "just in the head", are conditions that can affect someone physically, psychologically and socially. They are serious mental illnesses and include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. 

"Over 725,000 men and women in the UK are affected by eating disorders."

Although serious, eating disorders are treatable conditions and full recovery is possible. The sooner someone gets the treatment they need, the more likely they are to make a full recovery.

Eating disorder fast facts;

-Anyone can develop an eating disorder, regardless of their age, sex or cultural background.

-Eating disorders claim more lives than any other mental illness – one in five of the most seriously affected will die prematurely from the physical consequences or suicide.

-Eating disorders are complex and there is no one single reason why someone develops an eating disorder.

-The causes of eating disorders still baffle health professionals Which has lead to extensive research over the years...we'll get there!

-Eating disorders are complex and not everyone will experience the same symptoms. People will respond differently to treatment and can take different amounts of time to recover.

- Some people can be affected by more than one type of eating disorder or find their symptoms changing type as they recover.

My story 

I've suffered with eating Problems from a very young age. Starting with extreme confidence issues at just 5 years old, I began a dangerous spiral of eating issues. Health professionals constantly worried over my weight which in fact only increased my obsession in how "fat" I was. 

No one wants to believe that a little child has eating issues (especially me) and so they went undiagnosed for several years, until the age of 16. Eating only a handful of mouthfuls of food a day for over a year lead to being unable to go more than down the street before nearly passing out. I was wearing children's clothes and crying my way through every day and night. The Anorexia destroyed my relationships between my friends and family until I had no one that I felt I could turn to. I considered suicide, self harmed daily and fell into a deep rut of Depression and Anxiety. 

Finally I had scared myself enough to seek treatment. I can honestly say that it is one of the most terrifying things that I have ever done, but do you know what? It's one of the best things that I have ever done. I am no longer over exercising and struggling with my daily activities. Life is so much better that it was two years ago. Moral of the story? Things are different for everyone, but that doesn't mean anything negative. It means that we are all unique and have a different path to follow than everyone else. You will get to your place of peace with work, determination and self love. 

Advice

Her Campus is just one of the many online communities that blog about mental health awareness and have even created The Loving Me Project. The online community has countless numbers of blogs, websites, and social media accounts that can provide support from the comfort of your own home.

B-eat 
Helpline: 0345 634 1414
Youth Line: 0345 634 7650
http://www.b-eat.co.uk/support-services/helpline 

All you need to do is have the courage to try.

Stay strong
- Louise xoxo