In a world that often emphasises external validation and societal norms, SELF is often pushed to the end of the priority list.

Self-relationship is an unknown term to many. When you hear this term, your mind might jump to assuming it's all about self-love, but it's not.

In this blog post, we delve into the depths of what it truly means to cultivate a strong, nurturing relationship with yourself, exploring the various dimensions that contribute to this healing and transformative relationship.

Self-Relationship is the answer to EVERYTHING!

In the quest for transformation, 2024 brings a focus on redefining treats and embracing healthier choices. The journey unfolds with a conscious effort to shift the mindset around sugar, turning sweet indulgences into savoury delights. Inspired by Asian culinary experiences, the author seeks to create healthier sweet carbs and jellies infused with honey, turmeric, and ginger.

Micro habits take center stage, with a commitment to daily exercises such as push-ups and sun salutations, emphasizing consistency over duration. Silent meditation, a practice from the author's early twenties, makes a return, starting with just five minutes a day.

Digital habits undergo a significant shift as the Instagram app bids farewell, making room for Italian lesson apps. The author reflects on the desire for alternative ways for people to discover and connect with their business.

Breaking a decade-long routine of falling asleep to crime documentaries marks a major milestone. Sleep stories replace the suspense, offering a positive bedtime routine and signaling a departure from anxiety-inducing habits.

The blog anticipates a year of micro changes, promoting a deeper connection to life's essentials and emphasizing the potential for growth through consistent, small adjustments.

Embark on a transformative journey as we delve into self-discovery, growth, and overcoming challenges in the reflection of your 2023. Join us in exploring the power of conscious questioning, navigating mental health, and celebrating achievements while fostering self-love. Uncover the insights and tools to embrace self-awareness and create a more meaningful and fulfilling life. Sign up for our mailing list for thoughtful journal prompts and exploration tools. Your path to understanding, healing, and personal evolution begins here.

We fear that if we stop thinking and doing something, we will fall apart, but if we don’t stop going, doing, and pushing ourselves, we will fall.

It is not uncommon to get lost in the tangles of work and family commitments where everything feels essential, and feels like you are the only one who can do it right.

But have you ever stopped to look at why it's so challenging to prioritise yourself?

Your relationship with yourself is often overlooked and taken for granted as something that will exist naturally. But, like any other relationship, it thrives when nurtured with conscious effort and care.

Your relationship with yourself impacts every part of you and how you see yourself, how you treat yourself, and how you feel about yourself. It also influences every aspect of your life, including how you interact with the world and how you see the world, and what you believe to be possible for you in your life.

We all have an inner voice that speaks to us constantly. Sometimes it's harsh, critical, and unhelpful. The way we talk to ourselves can have a huge impact on our mental health, happiness, and self-worth. But how can we change our inner voice if it's negative and hurtful? How can we cultivate more self-love and compassion for ourselves?

In this blog post, I'm going to share with you some powerful techniques that will help you transform your inner voice from a bully to a friend. You will learn how to become more aware of your thoughts, how to rephrase them in a more positive or neutral way, how to identify where your inner voice comes from, and how to speak to your inner child with kindness and care. By the end of this post, you will have the tools to create a more loving and supportive relationship with yourself.

Are you breathing correctly? 

Did you know that some of us are reverse breathers?

I want to help you incorporate more intentional focused breathing in your days so you can slowly carve out moments of peace in your day. Moments when you are simple you, checking in with yourself, caring for yourself.

Take a moment and breathe with me.

Self-love is the foundation of a happy and fulfilling life. It is the ability to accept yourself as you are, with your strengths and perceived imperfections. It facilitates the ability to treat yourself with kindness and compassion.

Self-love is not selfish; it is a healthy realisation that you are your responsibility, your main carer, and your companion for life.

But how do you generate self-love?

First of all, daily self-love strengthens our confidence and self-worth. It enables us to value our individuality and appreciate all we are and all we are capable of in our daily lives. This positive self-image cultivates a sense of inner peace and contentment and facilitates a deeper knowing of who we really are and our value.

Secondly, celebrating oneself daily promotes a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment. Recognising our abilities and growth, no matter how minor, is a beautiful thing. Celebrating these milestones provides a sense of motivation and inspires us to strive for more. We begin to recognise our worth, and our perception of ourselves and the world around us grows in the most beautiful and profound way.

The video shows my body today, and out of respect for it and as someone who wants to change her relationship with the aesthetics of the physical form, I am sharing all of my shape in this reel.

It's not an easy thing to do because I grew up in a world where a body like this was unacceptable, undesirable, and something that should be hidden.

I have spent so many years trying to hide my perceived physical imperfections. I look back on pictures I didn't share because I thought my stomach looked too big, and I envy that body now. I feel sad that I couldn't see it for how healthy, strong, and beautiful it was.

As someone who lives with illness and has a father who has lost both legs, I want to show gratitude and celebrate what my body can still do for me

I use mantras to override my dysfunctional thinking.

I grew up in a dysfunctional home.

The reality is when you grow up in a dysfunctional environment your brain wires dysfunctionally because you learn from the adults around you and if they're dysfunctional your little brain doesn't know any different. It learns for the ones you love, it trust them completely to show them how to live and love.

And so my job as an adult is to rewire the different parts of my brain so that instead of falling into dysfunctional patterns of thinking, behaving and over exaggerated feelings, I am consciously and actively teaching it healthy ways of being and functioning.

I use mantras as a tool to help rewire my brain.

the LONGEST relationship of your life. No one else is with you from the moment you are born until your last breath. Know one can know you as deeply as you know yourself and that is why you have to build a relationship with yourself that is supportive, kind and encouraging.

Your relationship with yourself has the BIGGEST impact on you and your happiness.

And the best news is that you have full choice and power over your relationship with yourself.

You are your lifelong companion.

You can have others but you can't get away from the reality that you are in a relationship with yourself forever. Every day of your life. 24/7 you even dream together.

Which is why how you speak to yourself, in your head, out loud, about yourself, matters. 

Imagine walking around every day with a bully in your ear. Someone who is always telling you your crap, judging you and bitching at you. It's gonna make your days pretty unbearable and life feel a whole lot harder and less enjoyable.

If you experience five or more of these symptoms, lasting for two weeks or more, you should speak with your GP.

Feeling sad, anxious, hopeless or worthless, lonely, isolated

Low energy, feeling tired

Under or oversleeping, waking frequently during the night or having difficulty getting to sleep

Poor concentration and thinking slowed down

Loss of interest in hobbies, family or social life

Low self-esteem, and feelings of guilt

Aches and pains with no physical basis, e.g. chest, head or tummy pain associated with anxiety or stress

Loss of interest in living, thinking about death, suicidal thoughts

Sometimes symptoms of depression or anxiety may share similar symptoms to other conditions which are why speaking with your GP can be a really good first step.

Hi, I’m Solas, born and raised in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. I lived in Edinburgh, Scotland for many of my adult years, but illness forced me to move back home to my parents in 2018. 

I live with multiple chronic illnesses. 

Depression, anxiety and PTSD for decades now. 

Chronic Fatigue fi got in 2017 after catching a flu virus.  

I got diagnosed with Diabetes around my 18th Birthday. It's not type 1 or 2 but a genetic type called Mody3. 

I wanted to take this time to introduce myself to you and share a little about my story so far. I am currently writing this from my new home in italy.

When I planned this trip I expected to have 2k in my bank account but since life always brings challenges I ended up leaving with only €400 in my bank account.

I have always considered myself a lucky person, but 2 days before I was due to depart my car started acting up and one of the doors stopped locking. Not ideal when you plan to sleep in your car in unknown places, alone!

Once upon a time,

there was a princess whose anxiety was threatening to take her over so she tiptoed from her dark cocoon on the sofa to her laptop and wrote down all that she was afraid of. It was a long list and once written she read it over and wrote beside each why it was irrational and what, if any, action or solution she could take.

The next day the sun was shining so she decided to be brave and go out into the world to try and feel better. She pictured her day being spent lazing at the beach letting the sun kiss her soul better.

But before she could get to the beach her car got stuck in the sand.

Once some time passed and I felt brave enough I went down to the reception and demanded a key to lock out the room from the inside while we slept. Some minimum wage doesn't really care dude, tried to explain that there was no key and nothing bad happened just an unhappy customer. 

He tried to tell me we were safe as he was there.

This trip felt like a quiet and gentle celebration of all that I am as a unique individual as well as how far I have come in my mental and physical health recovery.

One of the days I walked 21K steps. That is epic for a recovering spoonie with tendonitis.

I was filled daily with so much love, amazement and appreciation for who I am and all the living I've done given the many hurdles I've tripped over.