Author: Ruth Ibbotson

Writer living in London

Glossybox Beauty Products – June

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

 

So it’ s time for my monthly glossy box beauty post! When I opened this months box I fell in love with it straight away. I was so impressed with the products I received and couldn’t wait to start trying them all.

My favourite from this box and the first product I tried out was Beauty Pro black Diamond Black Peel Off Mask. I’ve seen other people use them and I’ve heard pretty good things about them so I was super excited that it came with this months box. It was a little messy when I started to apply it because its not a mask you just place on, it’s a really gooey liquid that turns into one. I left it on for a bout 15-20 minutes and once it started to harden I then peeled it off. Now peeling it off was so painful. I’m not even joking I thought I started to peel some of my skin off at the same time, I had to stop and take a breather at one point. Once I had peeled it off my skin felt amazing! It was so smooth and  clean, and I felt so refreshed! This is a great buy if you want to have a girly night in or just a chilled out weekend.

Buy it here! 

 

Next up is 111Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel. Now I’ve never really purchased a product like this, I never saw the point, but since it was in this months box I went and tried it out. It basically does what it says on the product, it’s a lifting gel. So it reduces dark circles, puffiness and fine lines. Really soothes the eyes and where it’s most sensitive. Good for wrinkles! (Luckily I’m 24 so that’s not a huge issue at the moment) But if I start young maybe when I’m 70 I’ll look 25.

Buy it here! 

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Next is Noughty Intensive Care Leave in Conditioner. When I first saw this I was a little bit unsure because when you apply conditioner your first instinct is to then wash it out. But in fact it’s made my hair so much healthier! I was worried leaving a cream like this in your hair would make it go greasy and not look that great, but it’s made it shinier and it’s so smooth. This leave in conditioner is for people with frizzy or damaged hair, and because I curl or straighten my hair a lot of the time it’s really helped. Once you’ve finished washing your hair as usual, just apply this to the mid section to the tips (avoid the roots) and style as normal. Straight away you can feel the difference! It’s at a really affordable price and you can get it in super drug. I really recommend it!

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Next is Sleek Lip Power Plump Pencils (in the shade Notorious Nude) In last months glossy box I received a sleek product so I was super happy when I got one this time. Now I LOVE lipstick. That is the one thing I will always buy, whether its lipgloss, matte or pencils I can’t help it. I was also happy that it was a nude colour, I like bright colours on the lips but you can’t go wrong with a nude or a light pink. This lip pencil is lovely, it’s such a nice colour and stays on really well. It’s a matte texture which I love and it isn’t sticky or anything like that. It’s at a cracking price and you an easily find it in super drug or boots!

Buy it here! 

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Next is Manna Kadar Glo Illuminator. This basically is a liquid that you can either mix in with your foundation or just wear it on it’s own to give you a glowing look. This product is great because you can use it on your face or anywhere else on your body, so you’re glowing all over! It gives off a really subtle luminous glow, and it’s in a lovely light pink shade. Now we’re coming into summer this would be the perfect buy! (It’s also at a really affordable price!)

Buy it here!

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Last but not least is one of my favourites, and is a pretty popular product on its own anyway! It’s the XXL Volume spray from Batiste! I’m not a huge hairspray wearer, I don’t really like a lot of ‘oomph’ in my hair (pretty boring, I know) but this spray is still great even if you’re just curling your hair, spray a little of this and it just gives it that extra volume instead of it being pretty flat. If you’re really into backcombing or having HUGE hair then this will be perfect for you! Batiste is a great brand with an even better price so you can’t really go wrong!

Buy it here!

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These are all the beauty products for this month! Can’t wait for July’s box already. If you want to sign up for your monthly subscription then click here!  

Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and I’ll see you soon with another blog.

Lots of Love,

R x

Love wins. It always will.

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

Love wins. It always will.

I don’t even know how to begin this post, but I felt drawn to writing something. Last nights events in Manchester were unbelievably tragic. Manchester was my home for 3 years whilst I was a student last year and in my third year I worked at the MEN arena. This time last year that was my place of work, I made friends there I still keep in contact with now and I was heartbroken to see what had happened. Forever thankful that my friends who were working that night made it out safely.

Manchester was my home away from home. I was comfortable there, safe, I knew the city and I loved the people. What happened last night is something that will remain in everyones hearts, but Manchester will not be defeated. It never will.

The compassion and kindness that the people of Manchester have shown for each other, the way they have rallied together in their time of need, the way they have expressed their love for each other and done everything they could possibly do shows what an incredible city Manchester is.

We can’t be afraid or scared, we have to be strong and stand together.

FEAR and LOVE. Whilst right now it feels that fear is winning, love will conquer all.

Let us not have fear control us, let us love as much as we did yesterday and let us continue to love passionately from these days moving forward. Let us be the light in this time of tragic darkness. We can’t and we won’t let the darkness win.

Let us have hope as we unite not just as a city but as country. Continue to spread kindness and peace, nothing is more powerful then love. The love for each other. The love for our city. The love for our country. Let us be a team.

When we come together as a community, the terrorists fall. When we open our arms and hearts to each other they despair. They want to take all they can from us, but we as human beings, as a united front will never let them.

 

My heart breaks for the victims of this tragedy and their friends and family. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected during this tragic time. 

 

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Glossybox Beauty Products – May

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So recently I’ve signed up for a monthly delivery of beauty products from Glossy box. My sister got me into it as she’s been with them for over a year and the stuff you receive are amazing! I’ll put all the info in how to sign up at the end of this post. You answer questions about your skin and make up prefrences and each month they will send you a box full of goodies matched to your answers. So I thought as something different to what I usually write I would write a post on each monthly box, I’ll try them out and you let you all know what I think!

First off, which is probably my favourite from this months box is the avocado and aloe vera scrub. So last week I decided to have some quality time with myself and run a hot bath, pour myself some proscecco and try out this body scrub. I learnt during this experience that it’s probably best to apply when you’re in the shower, or at the very end of the bath. When I was applying it, it felt like and looked like I had been rubbing soil all over myself, so it wasn’t the prettiest sight. But it smelled amazing. After soaking for a little bit and listening to some old Maroon 5 hits I washed it off and my skin has honestly never felt so smooth. It was almost like a silk texture. I smelt great and felt great, so if anyone is needing a little pampering session this scrub is right up your street.

Buy it here! 

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Next is Ruby blush powder, I love trying out different blushers so I was really excited to try this new one out when I received it with the box. I was going out for some drinks so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. I absolutely love the colour of this blush, if anyone loves nice rosy cheeks then this is perfect, you only need a little bit on your face as its very bright and strong, but it’s very summery! I will definitely be using this again!

Buy it here! 

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Another one of my favourites is the Sleek make up eye and cheek palette. I’ve purchased quite a few things from sleek before and I’m a huge fan. It’s great quality but really affordable, so at uni this was my go to make up! It has lots of different sections with different colours so you can change up your look, it has a highlighter and contour section with different colours of blush and eyeshadows. It’s a nice size so it can easily fit in your bag so you can top up on the go! I’ve used this on nights out and during the day so it can work anytime, highly recommend this!

Buy it here!

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Next up is PAWPAW original balm, which I have never heard of before and when I saw it in the box I was wondering what it was, but I absolutely love it now. It’s basically a soothing balm for lips, skin and nails. So it pretty much works everywhere! I’m a huge lover of vaseline (as I’m sure everyone knows already) but this works wonders on your lips, it has a really nice smooth texture and doesn’t leave you feeling all sticky, if you have dry, irritated or cracked skin this really soothes it and is great to take with you on your travels as it also helps with insect bites!

Buy it here!

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Last but not least is Ocean 417 foot nourishing cream, now this has to be my favourite foot cream EVER. I can’t even begin to describe the smell because its amazing, it’s a mix of fruit and summer and happiness. It’s beautiful. It leaves your feet feeling so smooth that you could glide round your house, I’ve started applying it at night time so it can work it’s magic when I’m asleep. If you suffer from cracked or dry feet then this will be perfect for you as it really soothes the skin and doesn’t leave it feeling irritated. It’s great to apply when you’ve just had a pedicure and now sandal weather is approaching it’s the perfect time to buy some!

Buy it here! 

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If you’re wanting to sign up to Glossybox for your monthly goody box then click here! All you need to do is sign up and create an account, answer some questions and then you’re all ready.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, it’s something very different to what I usually write but it’s been so much fun trying out these different beauty products. This will be a monthly post from now on so I’m already excited for next month!

Lots of love,

R x

Frances Ivy – Dear Moon

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This weeks blog post is something really special, I had the amazing opportunity to interview the beautiful and incredibly talented Frances Ivy. Her book ‘Dear Moon’ is a favourite of mine and after this blog post I’m sure it will be yours too.

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1. When did you first get into writing?

‘I used to write short stories ever since I knew how to write, maybe I was inspired by my big sister who was always writing or reading books but honestly I don’t remember.’

2. What is the inspiration behind your writing?

‘Everything I write is from my own experiences and emotions, so the inspiration really comes from within. I use myself as my muse really but mostly I’m inspired by self reflection and the idea of finding out why I feel or do certain things.’

3. Do you have any favourite quotes/passages?

‘If you have my book then page 3 and 56 are two poems that I feel very strongly about, otherwise one of my favourite short poems/quotes is “Almost winter, but inside of me summer is thriving” because that was written on a day when I felt at peace with everything, it was a beautiful day.’

4. What advice would you give a young aspiring writer?

‘Write from your soul and be true to yourself, don’t think about how others will think or perceive your writing but focus solely on how you like it yourself. When I let go of the worry of not being accepted or liked or understood, that’s when I felt like my writing started flowing more freely and I was able to express myself in the way I wanted to. Of course I still struggle with self doubt sometimes, but I’ve learned how to use it in a way that is beneficial for my writing, in a way that makes me grow as a person and a poet. I believe it shines through if you aren’t authentic in what you do, and then less people will be able to relate.’

5. What other writers/poets do you look up to?

‘I adore Sylvia Plath and she was the first contact I had with poetry. Other poets I admire (among many) are Charles Bukowski and Margaret Atwood.’

6. If you didn’t write, what would your career path be?

‘I started college in fashion design so either that or something else where I could be creative. I’ve tried so many things but all of that has in some way been an attempt to fulfill the need for creativity, but I haven’t been truly happy doing any of it. I liked fashion design but I didn’t like the competitive nature of the industry, that just wasn’t me.’

7. What is your favourite childhood book and why?

‘My all time favourite book from my childhood is ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ by Katherine Paterson. When I read it, it was like it opened up the world not only to fantasy, but in a way the secret world of adulthood that I was in so many ways sheltered from. It made me think more about life and death and love and failure, all those things which kids know about, but adults don’t think they do. It was an escape from the real world as much as it was the gate to the real world, if that makes any sense. I reread it a few years ago and loved it even more.’

8. What are you currently reading now?

‘Dandelion Wine’ by Ray Bradbury. I’ve intended to read this for a long time and I finally came to it, and it is written in such a beautiful language and the characters are so pure and real and it makes you reflect on a lot of things. I like to read books that makes me think, that challenge my perception. This book is also like an ode to childhood and it makes me remember what a beautiful time that was.’

9. What is your writing process? Do you have a certain routine?

‘In my mind I’m always writing. I observe everything around me and I am constantly writing things down on my phone or in my notebook, but usually it all comes together when I’m alone, listening to music. My favorite “routine” is being by myself, laying on the floor, having some of my favorite music on and just listen to the sound of instruments. It sounds cliché but when I’m laying there with my notebook in front of me and let go of everything and everyone, words start pouring out and poems are formed. It’s usually a very emotional process and that’s why I like being alone, it’s easier to be vulnerable when no one is watching.’

10. Do you ever suffer from writers block? If so how do you get yourself motivated again?

‘Not really. I might not write anything of worth some days but I’m still writing. Either poems, or small lines that I might put in a poem later, or diary notes. Since I find most of the inspiration from my own life I never run out of it, I guess, there is always something.’

11. What message do you want your readers to take from your writing?

‘That it’s okay not to be strong or happy or always making the right choices. I think we must accept and highlight that sometimes life just isn’t perfect, and that we must learn to deal with that too. My writing isn’t necessarily supposed to empower or heal anything because I personally still have a lot of struggles which I don’t yet know how to deal with, but if someone can find themselves in my words then maybe that’s a sort of empowerment because it makes us realise we’re not alone in our hurting, we’re not alone making mistakes. What I have found since I started to share my work is that there are SO many people just like me, who can relate to my experiences. To me that shows that I’m not the only one who’s failed or been broken, and it gives me courage to keep going.’

12. What are your current/future projects that we can look forward too? 

‘Well, I’m constantly writing but at the moment I will focus on ‘Dear Moon’ and cherish this time in my life, I have so many ideas on how to improve and develop as a person and a writer and I hope to be able to share that in the future. Although my main priority right now is to really try to be in the moment. I am always searching for things in the future and then I forget that life is right here and right now, and I don’t want to look back and realise I was thinking about the next thing, when the last next thing was happening in that very moment. The release of ‘Dear Moon’ has been a long time dream and now it’s happening, I want to be present.’

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I hope you enjoyed this blog – If you want to check out any of Frances Ivy’s pages or a link to buy the Incredible ‘Dear Moon’ – Links are below.

To buy ‘Dear Moon’ – click here

Twitter – click here

Instagram – click here

 

Lots of Love x

Mental Health with Made In Chelsea…

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Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Made In Chelsea girls Lauren Hutton and Natalie Joel. They talked about how important getting help really is and what it did for them, why they chose The Blue Tree Clinic, experience with eating disorders and the pressures of body image with social media. I hope you enjoy these little clips, and hopefully one of these topics speaks to you.

Here the girls talk about why they chose The Blue Tree Clinic and what sort of help we offer.

The girls talk about how therapy helped them in their personal lives and what they’ve learnt from it.

The last 2 videos are my personal favourites, the topics they touch on are so important and need to be talked about more. It’s so sad to see how much social media plays a part in the downward spiral of so many people, Lauren and Natalie talk about how its affected them and how they’ve learned to deal with it.

 

 

I’m sure everyone at some point has compared themselves to someone they’ve seen on social media, whether that’s someone they know or a celebrity. It’s so important to realise that you are so beautiful and worthy just the way you are. You don’t need to change anything about yourself for other people to love you. Self-confidence isn’t something you are going to stumble upon one day , it’s created. It’s built by strong men and women who fight voices in their head everyday which tell them they aren’t good enough. It’s created by people who empower one another and not by people who bring each other down. Be kind always. You never know what someone is going through.

One last thing, don’t be afraid to talk about your problems. Don’t ever feel that your problems don’t matter because they do. Doesn’t matter if you speak to a friend, parent or a psychiatrist, talking to someone will get you on the right path to recovery. I know talking to someone is a scary and daunting thought, but believe me it’s worth it, you won’t seem so alone.

Don’t let your demons win. You are and have always been stronger than them x

 

My Favourite Books…

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I’ve always been a huge fan of reading, I find that it’s a great way to relax and for everything just to be still for a little while. In this post I wanted to show you guys some of my favourite books that I’ve read recently – these range from novels to poetry to autobiographies. I hope you take whatever inspiration you can and maybe go ahead and purchase one of them yourselves! You won’t be disappointed.

In no particular order 😉

  1. Reasons to Stay Alive – Matt Haig

I got reccomended this book by a friend, I had never heard of it before or heard of the author, now it has to be one of my favourite books ever. This book is a healer. The writer talks about his personal experience with depression from the very lows to coming out the other side and how even now he still faces struggles. I couldn’t put it down because I was so emotionally attached to his story, it made me want to cry, smile, laugh and scream. I think one of the most amazing things about this book is that he recognises depression and anxiety as an illness and not just some inconvenience. He see’s it from both sides, someone suffering and watching a loved one struggle. He’s not afraid to show how dark depression can actually be and I think that’s why it’s one of my favourite books, he’s brutally honest about his experience but also talks about just how amazing life can be when you finally start to heal.

2. Milk and Honey – Rupi Kaur

I am a huge fan of poetry, and this book is the reason why. I started following Rupi Kaur on Instagram as I came across a few poems she had written. When I started to fall more in love with what she was posting I had to buy her book. It’s beautiful. It may be a book full of poems but it tells a story of survival, loss, abuse and love. Each part of this book deals with a different pain, it definitely comforts a broken heart. I think every girl at some point will be able to relate to what she’s saying, and I think that’s why I fell in love with it, because at some point in my life I have felt some kind of pain which somehow she has made into beautiful poetry.

One of my favourite but simple little quotes 🙂

3. Angels Walking series – Karen Kingsbury

This isn’t just one book, it’s 3. Karen Kingsbury is my favourite authors. I’ve been a huge fan of her since I was a teenager when I first read one of her books when I was on holiday. From them on I have fallen in love with her work, I own a lot of her books so it was hard to narrow it down, but these 3 are the most recent. The first book is Angels Walking and I got it for Christmas 2015, and I think I read it in about a week. The thing with Karen Kingsbury is she has a way of connecting with her audience that you can’t physically put the book down. I’m a huge fan of the lovey dovey novels where there is always a happy ending and the two people in the story always end up together. I love crying when reading, you know it’s a good book when it makes you cry. Angels Walking is a beautifully crafted story of love and loss, you root for the main characters and find yourself in the story. Just like the next two books of the series ‘Chasing Sunsets’ and ‘Brush of Wings’ you experience more heartache, she focuses on new characters and intertwines all the stories together. She’s an incredible writer that has you hooked from the beginning. If you’re wanting a book that you can’t put down then I recommend Karen Kingsbury.

4. Broken Flowers – R.M Drake

R.M Drake is another author that I first started following on Instagram, just like Rupi Kaur he has a good way of putting what you’re feeling into words that are beyond beautiful. Not only is he an American author but he is also a self-acclaimed street artist. His work is seen across all the major cities in the US. In this book instead of focusing on longing and loving he writes more about friendship, memories and honesty. The way you can relate to his work is what makes it stand out, there is a poem in there for everyone. It brings comfort to you when you need it most in the smallest of passages. His work is simple but beautiful.

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5. Spaceship – R.M Drake

Another R.M Drake book, this is one of his older books and I love the way he describes it as ‘A collection of words for the misunderstood.’ I think that in itself makes you want to buy it. This book is less ‘wordy’, but there is art and design attached to the quotes. It’s very short and sweet and wouldn’t take you long at all to read it, but I would find myself re-reading certain quotes over and over again. Again, R.M Drake never fails to disappoint.

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5. Her – Pierre Alex Jeanty

Jeanty is a American author and poet, ‘Her’ is my most recent purchase after yet again falling in love with his quotes through Instagram. (Great place to find some amazing poets!) One of the most beautiful things about this book is that he writes about the beauty and strength of women, it is a beautiful expression of heartfelt emotion which he portrays perfectly. Every girl should pick up this book, you’ll come away from it feeling empowered and inspired, and I can’t stop reading it over and over again. It’s one of my favourite purchases and I’m so happy that I stumbled across his writing. – ‘If there is a lover in you, you will not get enough of Her.’

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6. Unfiltered – Lily Collins

Lastly is the only autobiography that I own, now I’m not a huge fan of autobiographies, they don’t interest me in the slightest, but this one isn’t like any other. It’s a personal story of Lily Collins where she talks about her struggles with anorexia, troubled relationships, her father, her love for baking, her struggles with body image and so much more. She reveals the most personal parts of herself and lays it completley bare for everyone to read. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful and I didn’t realise just how much I can actually relate to her. I’ve been a fan of Lily Collins for a while, I’ve always enjoyed whatever movie she has been in, but this book makes my love for her even greater. She isn’t afraid to talk about her lowest points in her relationships, how she struggled to love people with addictions, how she struggled with anorexia and bulimia from a young age and how now she has such a great love for food. She writes a heartbreaking letter to a dad, and makes you realise that loving yourself is the best thing you can do. I can’t recommend this book enough.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and maybe you might even purchase one of these.

Lots of love,

R x

Be your own Valentine…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

So Valentines Day is fast approaching and to lot of people that means celebrating it with the person you love. But to a lot of people it means spending it alone. With a bottle (or 2) of wine and the biggest box of chocolates you can find.

Don’t get me wrong it’s lovely when you have someone special and you spend the day with them, enjoying each others company, but why all the emphasis on this certain day each year? Shouldn’t we love and be loved all year round? To a lot of people spending Valentines Day by yourself can be quite a depressing thought, but before you resort to going on tinder and swiping right to the first human you see, why don’t you be your own Valentine.

SO, if this year you’re spending Valentines Day alone then I hope this makes you feel a little comfort 🙂

You don’t NEED someone else in your life to make you happy on Valentines Day or any other day of the year infact. You can do that perfectly by yourself. So before you start searching for someone to fall in love with you, start by falling in love with yourself.

Start embracing the way you look and love every part of yourself, appreciate your talents, be your own best friend and for once stop caring how other people see you. Its the way you see yourself that really matters. You’re so amazing and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. Enjoy your own company, I know for a lot of people that can be hard – but take yourself out on dates. Don’t wish and wait for someone else to do it. Take yourself to that movie you’ve been wanting to see for ages, go to an art gallery or museum and take lots of photos, go to that cute little cafe on the corner and order whatever the hell you want. You know that love you’ve been giving out to everyone else? Well for once maybe use some of that on yourself.

It’s hard to stay on track and not get distracted. We forget that we are capable of being there for ourselves, we are so much stronger than we think we are and sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom for us to realise that. Though you may not feel like it right now, you as an individual are a whole person, you are so complete on your own.

The world out there is much bigger than just this one day of the year. Valentines Day does not define you as someone who isn’t capable of being loved. You are so much more than that. So, this year embrace being your own Valentine. Be happy being on your own and don’t wish it away. Be happy with just being you, you are pretty damn great just as you are x

(If you do find it hard this time of the year, then The Blue Tree Clinic is offering discounted counselling therapy, just quote Valentines using your contact form – The Blue Tree Clinic )

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My letter to you…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

Dear you,

I’m sorry that right now, life isn’t going the way you planned, that every day seems a little worse than the last and nothing you could try to do can make it better. I’m sorry that you’re sad, that no one or nothing can numb the pain, not even for a second.

I want to say I know what it feels like because I’ve been there, that feeling of loneliness and unstoppable tears. I know what not being able to eat feels like and lying awake thinking ‘how the hell does this get any better?’ I know what it feels like to have no energy to do anything, no energy to smile or move, to just lie there, feeling nothing. I know what it feels like and in some way I hope that brings you some kind of comfort. But I know what I felt like isn’t the same as what you’re feeling or going through.

It’s impossible to control how you’re feeling, the way the darkness creeps in and just takes over your life bit by bit. I know you try to smile and try to put on this front, but you can only keep it up for so long before everything comes crashing down. Because this feeling wins. It always wins. Thats what you tell yourself anyway. Theres no hope.

I’m sorry that right now the dark is so familiar that strangely it feels like home. But please don’t get used to it, please don’t settle and believe you will never get out of this place. I know words sometimes don’t help and that nothing I can say will ever shift how you’re feeling right now but I hope you start to try, it will hurt like hell but please try.

I know you’ve been struggling for a while, and in some weird way I guess it never really does leave you. You do make it through to the light but you still have the past and the memories of what it was like. You still can remember the pain, but those demons don’t have that power anymore. You’re so much stronger than that.

I know that right now, it sucks. You have no direction, no hope, no nothing to wake up to and want to start the day. But I hope more than anything you just hang in there. Just hold on to the smallest piece of light, because it may not feel like it now but that small piece of light will soon become the sun and you’ll soon smile again.

You’ll start to laugh and hang out with friends. Breathing won’t seem like such a task and you’ll start to enjoy peoples company. You’ll look at different types of food and actually want to eat it, the smell of it doesn’t make you feel quite that sick anymore and you look forward to trying new things. You’ll wake up in the morning wanting to make yourself look nice, and when you look in the mirror you don’t flinch away. You smile. You see an unbelieveably strong person and you start to fall in love with yourself. You’ll start to appreciate the little things, like how blue the sky can actually be, or the sound of the waves when you walk along the beach. The laughter of couples that are sat in restaurants as you walk by and the way it can go from being so dry one minute to absolutely chucking it down with rain, and you’ll just stand there, taking it all in, because for the first time in a long time you can actually feel again. And it feels so good.

I know it may seem like a long way off, but I hope more than anything you just hang on to that image. Where you’ll smile again and it will be the most incredible moment.

One last thing, please talk to someone… please don’t hide away and keep it all to yourself. Yes you are incredibly strong but sometimes having people to talk to takes the weight off just a little bit. Don’t ever feel ashamed or embarrassed. You’re fighting something that sadly defeats a lot of people, but don’t let it defeat you. You are stronger than you know and having people to fight with you makes it seem a little easier.

Don’t ever feel like you’re alone. You’re not. Hang on to that. Hang on to hope.

You’ll soon breathe again, and I can’t wait for the day that you do. 

x

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A little inspiration for 2017…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

Since 2016 is drawing to a close and we’ll soon be heading into 2017 (which is a scary thought!) I wanted to do a blog on some of my favourite quotes I’ve fallen in love with this past year, which hopefully will give you some kind of comfort, guidance and inspiration for 2017.

2016 has been a crap year for a lot of people, relationships have ended, people have lost their jobs, the loss of family members and friends, and it’s hard to pick yourself back up once these things have happened. I’ve come across a lot of inspirational quotes from some amazing authors and poets which put a lot of things into perspective. Whenever you’re feeling a little down I hope you read some of these and find a little comfort 🙂

 

  1. ‘And her heart was the best part, it would always calm the storm for those who were afraid of a little rain.’ – R. M. Drake

 

2. ‘Don’t think. It complicates things. Just feel, and if it feels like home then follow it’s path.’ – R. M. Drake

 

3. ‘Never again, in this life or the next will I give someone the power to destroy me. No longer will I be reckless with my heart. I won’t force a love that isn’t meant to be, nor will be afraid of being alone, I will fall in the deepest love humanly possible. Love of self.’ – R. M. Broderick

 

4.  ‘It is supposed to hurt, my child. That is why there is water in your eyes and blood in your veins. If we knew no pain, we wouldn’t have known truth, and truth, my child, is the soul of the universe.’ – Christopher Poindexter

 

5. ‘Fairytales are more than true: not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.’ – G. K. Chesterton

 

6. ‘Every door leads somewhere. Every chance is a blessing. Every song, every movie, and every book is another world. Every person you meet will change your direction. Every person you love will strengthen your connection. (The one to yourself.) Every moment you spend looking, something breathtaking will be found. And above all, every time you feel broken, someone will be there to help you heal. You have to hope for all of these and believe in them…so you can learn to live better. This is how you will find paradise.’ – R. M. Drake

 

7. ‘Either no one knows what it is like to be alone because no one truly is. Or everyone knows what it is like because everyone truly is. I believe we are all in this together – more than your tired heart will ever know.’ – Christopher Poindexter

 

8. ‘If you are broken and they have left you, do not question whether you were enough. The problem was you were so enough they were not able to carry it.’ – Rupi Kaur

 

9. ‘What’s the greatest lesson a woman should learn? that since day one, she’s already had everything she needs within herself. It’s the world that convinced her she did not.’ – Rupi Kaur

 

10. ‘Give yourself time to heal. It is okay to get your heart broken. It is okay to shatter and slip through the cracks a few times. For the world wants you to believe that loving yourself is an illness but none of that is true. Take the time to love yourself. Your body isn’t broken. Your body is marvellous and you are more than what they expect you to be. You are everything they could never understand: love and light mixed together and all things that blow with the wind.’ – R. M. Drake

 

11. ‘Maybe there’s something you’re afraid to say, or someone you’re afraid to love, or somewhere you’re afraid to go. It’s gonna hurt. It’s gonna hurt because it matters.’ – John Green

 

12. ‘If you don’t imagine, nothing ever happens at all.’ – John Green

 

13.  ‘You have to allow yourself to break apart. That’s the only way you’re going to know what you’re made of. Let yourself go. Let yourself fall. Let yourself drown. Let yourself shatter. And above all, let yourself get hurt. Do all these things and know…how you have to really know your demons to defeat them. Befriend them to destroy them. Love them and walk with them. That’s the only way you’re going to bloom.’ – R. M. Drake

 

14. ‘Choose everyday to forgive yourself. You are human, flawed, and most of all worthy of love.’ – Alison Malee

 

15. ‘Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.’ – Carl Bard

 

Don’t let the thought of going into 2017 scare you, let it excite you. Get ready to start a new year being who you’ve always wanted to be, go and do things you’ve always wanted to do and believe that anything is possible.

Just know that better days are coming. x

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Mental Health Matters…

Ruth IbbotsonLeave a comment

Mental health is a very real and serious thing.

1 out of 4 people in the UK experience a mental illness, which just shows that a lot of these sufferers, suffer in silence. These people are friends, colleagues, partners, acquaintances, strangers on the street. These people have feelings, they feel sad, worthless, miserable, not good enough. They feel what it’s like to be at at the lowest point.

They feel afraid. Too afraid to admit that what they are dealing with is real. Mental health isn’t just one thing, it’s a combination of attacks on your mind and body. Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, OCD are all illnesses. These aren’t annoying habits that just appear and go away, they are life changing. They challenge you to the point where giving up seems like the only way out. That it’s the only way to make it stop. You continue to fight every day, but you just keep getting weaker and weaker. It hurts. It really hurts, but you don’t need help from anyone because it isn’t an illness. That’s what society says anyway.

But the scariest thing about it all, is admitting that you need help. It’s admitting that you are suffering. Acceptance is hard, it doesn’t happen overnight. Most often it’s not that they don’t see the signs, it’s that they don’t want to believe they are actually sick. They don’t want people to know they are sick. It’s the stigma this society burdens us with.

We need to change our perspective on mental health, and with clinics such as The Blue Tree in London, we can do just that. The Blue Tree Clinic ( London Psychiatrist ) is a small boutique clinic in central London that have the best psychiatrists, psychologists and other professionals to help you through your most difficult time. With affordable prices and a love and passion for helping people that suffer with mental illnesses, this clinic is the light at the end of a very dark tunnel for a lot of people. They look at mental illness as an illness. Not an inconvenience, not a tiny little problem, not something that will define you. But an illness. An illness that needs to be addressed.

Don’t feel like you have to suffer alone, you’re not alone.

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