Hello! It's been a while since I posted so regularly... please don't expect this to be the norm ha! I just wanted to write a bit about something I think I've been experiencing recently and I'm pretty sure I won't be the only person who has felt this way. I haven't seen it mentioned before (but I also haven't specifically searched for it either so I could be wrong!) but I just want to try and normalise this feeling and also just spit out all my feelings onto paper (/blog).
So March saw the beginning of lockdown and I moved back down to Devon for a bit with my family. Lovely. As everyone was trying out new hobbies, starting businesses, writing novels and binge-watching Tiger King, I decided to try something I had never successfully done before: RUNNING!
I have been on one-off runs in my life but these were always super short and I never understood the infamous "runner's high" (to be honest I still don't!). So I decided to start the Couch to 5k programme that everyone raves on about. When I started, my brother also came along with me for the first few weeks which was nice. Then he injured himself and so it was just me. At first, I genuinely really struggled with 60-90 seconds of continuous running. I have been a regular gym-goer for a while now so I was shocked at how bad my cardio was, but it was more motivation to overcome this mini obstacle. By the end of it - supposedly 9 weeks if you are consistent, but more like 15 weeks if you are me - I was able to run 30 minutes without stopping which felt like a huge achievement.
So I completed the Couch to 5k programme about 2-3 weeks ago. And guess what? I haven't run since. I genuinely have been quite busy with work and I also moved back up to Cardiff a week ago so my routines have changed. I had all the intentions to run up in Cardiff, but I cannot bring my silly little self to do it! By nature, I am a planner. I like to know where I am going, for how long, etc etc. So I planned to go to one of the parks in the morning before I started working, maybe even grab a coffee on the way back, and set myself up for the day. However, I woke up and my mind told me no. And now, all I'm thinking about is all the "what if's" and what could go wrong and putting it further and further off. My heart races a little bit thinking about running, in a panicky sort of way. 
As a psychologist, I'm also trying to think about the underlying causes of this new anxiety about running. I think it might be a combination of things: mostly a new environment to run in (I'm used to running along the seafront or old cycle tracks with minimal people compared to city parks); and also a feeling of "what's next" now I've finished the couch to 5k programme. I would like to improve on my 5k timing and pacing so I guess that would be a good start! But it still feels a bit new and scary. 
So. Here is me, holding myself accountable, and planning for a run. There are a few things that I plan to do to help make this happen, which I'll list below because I think other people might be able to apply them too.

• Set out running gear the night before. Everything - shoes, underwear, shorts, top, arm band, headphones. This means less faffing and procrastinating in the morning!
• Set a decent alarm (maybe with enough time for one 10 minute snooze as well). I know some people hate a snooze and prefer just to get up straight away. I can go either way, so I'll leave a little time for either option.
• Have a plan for the run. I like to use an app to roughly estimate where I will run and how long it will take. This just helps me to feel prepared and lessens any anxiety.
• Have a short walk beforehand. I usually do this anyway, as a warm up, but I also feel it'll decrease my anxiety if I'm not going straight into running mode. 
• Reward yourself afterwards. For me, this will probably be in the form of a coffee on the way home! [And support local independents if you can!!]
• Lastly, don't beat yourself up if you don't go/don't do as well as usual/fuck up. Everyone does at times, and it will pass.

Do let me know in the comments below if you have ever felt the same! I know this is a very different type of post - more of a rambling than anything and I'm not normally one to share my feelings lol - but hey, maybe it will help someone in a similar situation to feel less alone!

[Disclaimer: this post contains an item that was gifted]

This month, two of my favourite things in life (Japanese food and talking about mental health) came together and I couldn't be happier. I visited Wagamama in Princesshay, Exeter a couple of weeks ago to talk about their current collaboration with the charity Mind - and of course a lot of delicious food was devoured in the process.

As a Psychology graduate and also now a Psychology PhD student, mental health is something I am and have always been interested in, and I'm aware that Mind are a fantastic charity that provide invaluable resources and advice to so many people across the UK. 

Wagamama are donating 25p from every one of their Positive juices that they sell up until 6th March - AND they're delicious! The juice is made up of pineapple, lime, spinach, apple and cucumber and is super refreshing. All the ingredients are great to cleanse the body, as well as the mind.

Wagamama are also promoting mindfulness and its benefits for improving mental health. Their paper placemats are the perfect canvas for some mindful colouring while you wait for your food. They are also supporting mindful eating - the act of being in the present and taking in and appreciating every single mouthful. 

During my visit, I tried the grilled duck donburi along with numerous delicious side dishes - my favourite side had to be the ebi katsu: gorgeous crispy fried prawns with a chilli sauce. The duck was also beautiful. I wanted to try something different from my usual ramen noodles and I was recommended the donburi, which was a great choice!

I'll definitely be visiting Wagamama again soon and picking up a Positive juice to support Mind and the amazing things they do... and hopefully you will too!

Hello! Long time no post! I've been feeling a little demotivated recently with my blog, partly because of what I wanted to talk about today. I graduated with a 2:1 in Psychology from Cardiff University last summer. Having spent four years at Uni, one of which I spent on an unpaid placement in London, I thought finding a job related to Psychology would be easy. How wrong I was! I want to talk to you about what I've learnt since graduating, how I've found searching for a job and post-Uni life in general. I'm currently working in retail which is fine and gets me by but of course it's not related to my degree. I've applied for jobs, had interviews, had rejections, and even never heard back from some applications. It's tough but I guarantee you're not alone!

1. Experience is KEY. Whilst at Uni, I can't stress enough how important and useful gaining any relevant experience can be. I volunteered through my Uni's SU volunteering facilities and I also worked for a relevant student charity during my studies. Everyone who graduates from University will have a degree. Not everyone will have additional work experience. It'll help you to stand out from other graduates and will give employers the impression you're a motivated person. 
2. Living back with your parents is okay! It's not something I particularly wanted to do having lived independently for four years but it's meant that I can save on rent/bill costs (I pay my parents rent but nowhere near as much as I would if I lived elsewhere) and focus on saving up to live comfortably once I move out.

3. Keep an open mind. Don't expect too much too quickly (like I did)! You might find that you'll need experience in less desirable positions before progressing onto what you really want to do. Again, in this case, work experience really is key! Despite having a degree under your belt, the phrase "you have to work your way up" still applies. 
4. Make the most of your Uni's career services. Most (if not all) Universities offer this service and it can be really useful. I used them when I was applying for placements and I honestly don't think I would have got the placement I wanted without them. They helped with my CV, cover letter and interview skills. I think the mock interview was the most valuable thing as it's what I struggle with the most. These kind of services are a lot harder to come by once you've graduated - and you'll struggle to get them for free too!

5. Take into consideration the physical and mental transition from Uni into work. This is something I discovered when I started my work placement. Whilst Uni (for me as a Psychology student) involved fewer hours in lectures and seminars, and more hours in the library doing independent studying which also involved later nights and later starts. Getting into a work routine was difficult for the first few weeks and it can be physically and mentally draining for a while. It's definitely something you get used to though. 
Do you have any thoughts about post-Uni life? I'd love to know what you think and if you've had any different (or similar) experiences to me!

I had a request from my oldest and bestest friend Amy to do a post about how to get motivated.  It seems like a good time of year to do this kind of post because most of us have exams, or are finishing off last bits of coursework, or perhaps you just want to be motivated to get fit, start a new hobby or whatever!  Personally, I would not call myself an overly motivated person.  I leave things to the last minute and get stressed and beat myself up over it.  However, I thought I would take a subject I have become very accustomed to in the last few months while on placement - a new(ish) therapy called Compassion-Focused Therapy - and use this to inform the topic of motivation.


First things first: what is compassion-focused therapy (CFT)?  CFT, predominantly useful for those who are overly self-critical and experience high levels of shame, helps to develop genuine feelings of inner warmth and soothing through self-compassion.  It teaches one to accept and validate themselves.  However, it can be argued that the basic teachings of CFT can be useful to anyone. I, myself, would say I have benefited just from reading up on the techniques used in CFT.

How can this help me become motivated, I hear you cry. It is clear we have all, at one stage or another, tried to motivate ourselves towards something.  However, many of us may be going the wrong way about it.  Like I said, I leave things late and then I beat myself up about it. I self-critcise.  Self-criticism is a common technique people employ to motivate themselves.  This is because it is thought that by criticising your own efforts it might push you to achieve more. Tough love and all that. The more this method of motivation is used the more likely it is to become a habit.

However, very few people realise how damaging self-criticism can actually be. Countless studies have shown that there tends to be a strong correlation between self-criticism and the development of psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety (Teasdale & Cox, 2001; Gilbert et al., 2006; Irons et al., 2006) - just to name a few.  In fact, this correlation has been recorded back to the early 80's - Blatt and Schichman (1983) found that being self-critical by personality trait led to a predisposition for depression.



So, the alternative - and more effective - way of motivating yourself is through self-compassion.  Over the last 7 years in the world of psychology, self-compassion has proven to be a powerful way of improving general wellbeing as well as being a tool for motivation.  It involves accepting things for how they are, learning that failure is sometimes inevitable and that imperfection is only human.  By understanding that failure can happen and that perfection is an unrealistic target, we can learn to improve ourselves in order to thrive, grow and enhance our lives, rather than to just avoid an intense fear of failure.  Create small, achieveable goals rather than large, unattainable ones and give yourself praise when you reach each goal.

Think of it like this: what would you say if a friend came up to you and told you they were struggling?  Would you punish them and tell them they were useless? Or would you be positive and reassure them?  Hopefully you chose the latter. Now apply that to yourself.  Treat yourself as you would treat a friend in need.

I know this may not be for everyone, but I hope it helps some of you.  Let me know what you think in the comments below! What do you do to motivate yourself?

You may have heard of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - it's the most widely used non-pharmaceutical therapy for disorders such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, OCD, etc.  However, you may not have heard of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT).  DBT is a type of CBT, but it offers futher coping strategies such as mindfulness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills that are not covered in traditional CBT. 




While I am no expert in this field, my psychology placement experiences have taught me a lot about the benefits of DBT and I feel by sharing some of the skills taught in DBT, it could be helpful to those with diagnosed mental health issues, or even for anyone wanting to improve their general well-being!


I'm going to focus on distress tolerance skills, which aim to help you deal with overwhelming emotions, thoughts and situations.  It's important to remember that these skills are not designed to help you overcome and solve your problems but they may help you to react more rationally and constructively to overwhelming thoughts and events.

Two of the ways in which DBT suggests you can overcome or tolerate distress, at least in the short term, is using distractions or self-soothing activities.  Self-soothing encourages you to use your senses to soothe yourself.  For example, you may listen to some calming music (auditory), light a scented candle (olfactory), go to a picturesque spot or look at your favourite pictures (visual), savour your favourite meal or snack (gustatory), or pamper your body with a silky moisturiser (tactile).  The idea is to focus on these activities mindfully - fully engage in the sense you're stimulating and relax in the present moment.




The second distress tolerance skill - distraction - can help you to temporarily be lifted of your worries and anxieties by engaging in a pleasurable experience.  Distractions give you time to find an appropriate coping response to a distressing situation - they allow you to calm your emotions so you're in a better place emotionally to deal with any overwhelming thoughts and situations.  Even if you're not experiencing an overwhelming thought or event, I think it's important to set yourself some time to yourself so you don't get overloaded with everyday stressors and worries!

Here are some examples of how I personally like to distract myself from life's and my own stresses and anxieties:

1. Cook or bake something yummy

2. Take a nap! Sometimes a nap can solve everything
3. Take a bath - candles, music, face mask and magazines all necessary!

4. Blogging/reading others' blogs

5. Speak to a friend/family/boyfriend - just have a chat! It can really take your mind off things

6. Retail therapy - even little things like a special treat from the supermarket or a piece of jewellery

7. Exercise/yoga - yoga is a new one for me, but it really is very relaxing and puts me in a great mood

8. Paint my nails

9. Music - be it playing, listening or writing! (Cheeky plug to my Youtube channel here)

10. Look through old photos - here are some of my favourites!




I'd love to know if this post has helped you in any way! Leave me a comment down below with your feedback.  What do you do when you're feeling stressed out?

This is going to be a slightly different and more serious (sorry!) blog post today.  This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) – a topic very close to my heart.  First things first, I myself have never suffered from an eating disorder.  I have unfortunately seen friends and peers struggle with disordered eating throughout their teenage life and that was my first real insight into the disorder.  As a psychology student, clinical psychology is a potential career path for me, and this year I have been on a work placement set on an acute inpatient eating disorders ward in London.  I thought I knew quite a lot about eating disorders before I started my placement. I was SO wrong!  I've learnt a hell of a lot in the last 5 months and I want to share some of this with you to try and debunk some of the myths surrounding eating disorders and to help others gain an understanding of what having an eating disorder might be like.