I was recently sent this beautiful necklace from Daisy Jewellery which is from their new Chakra Collection, you can shop it here. They are really beautiful circular pendants, all with intricate designs unique to each Chakra. I chose the Solar Plexus necklace in rose gold (naturally!) as this Chakra seemed to have the most qualities that I’m looking to improve on in myself. It’s all about confidence, self esteem and direction.
“VITALITY. DIRECTION. SELF-ESTEEM. The Solar Plexus Chakra is emotionally connected with personal power, self-confidence, and the ability to have self-control and strives towards self-definition. The Solar Plexus Chakra necklace in 18ct Rose Gold Plate comes in two lengths with adjustable chain length that looks just as chic on their own or layered up for an on-trend look. Who would this Chakra Symbol be a good present for? Anyone who needs an extra little power-pack of strength and confidence – perhaps during exams, starting a new job, or standing up to difficult people.” - Taken from the Daisy Jewellery Website.
I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression for many years and I think that was partly the reason I felt more drawn to this necklace over the others. I’ve really enjoyed learning more about the different Chakra’s since receiving this necklace, I find it all fascinating! It did get me thinking though, how I actually have come a long way in regards to my confidence and self esteem over the last few years. I would put some of this down to simply growing older but a lot of it I think is actually to do with having my blog.
Outfit Details
Jumpsuit | Necklace c/o Daisy London | Wedges | Bag | Sunglasses | Rings
Since I was 13 I’ve struggled with chronic health issues. Chronic pain, fatigue, multiple different infections, anxiety, depression... all sorts of things that made adolescent an exceptionally strange and confusing time for me! I was in so much pain and spending so much time in hospital that I had to come out of mainstream school and finish my education, my GCSE’s & A Levels, from home (with a great deal of support from my school I must add!). Not many of you may know that I was basically wheelchair bound for many years and still use it now on occasions when I know I’m going to have to walk or stand for a long time and there won’t be opportunities to sit down.
I spent many years in limbo waiting to be diagnosed, no one really sure what was wrong with me. Meanwhile everybody else’s lives were moving on. My life was so different to my peers and how I always imagined it would be. I questioned who I was, what my future held and I guess what my purpose in life was going to be. I mean surely I wasn’t just meant to be a chronically ill and disabled girl for the rest of my life? But for a long time that was the box I felt I was put in and it made my world very small and limited. I felt very isolated and vulnerable in this big scary world, something I still feel to a certain extent now I must say. I came to terms a long time ago that my Ehlers Danlos Syndrome & other chronic health issues are something I’m going to have to live with & manage for the rest of my life but that doesn’t have to mean it has to be my WHOLE life!
What Blogging Has Given Me:
Now, it’s not like I haven’t had anything else going on in my life since I was 13! Like I said I did my GCSE’s and A Levels from home and got good results. I then went on to do some Open University. I even had a few other blogs over the years including one solely dedicated to my health and a particular treatment I was going through. It all started getting a bit much for me though talking about my health, writing about it as well as living it 24/7. However since creating this blog just over 3 years ago I feel like I’ve not only found something I’m passionate about doing, am actually good at but something that, maybe one day if I'm well enough, I could even turn into a career for myself.
Opportunities | As a blogger the kinds of opportunities that land in my inbox is quite incredible! From working with brands I love to exclusive events & exciting press trips to meeting all sorts of new people. Things I never thought lil old me would get the opportunity to do in my wildest dreams! Sadly the majority of the fabulous events I get invited to are in London and I’m unable to go anywhere independently or use public transport which makes things really tricky, but not impossible. I’m lucky that my Dad is willing to drive me into London when it’s a special event that I really want to go to and if he can get the time off work! Unfortunately though I do have to turn down a lot of amazing events due to the fact I can’t physically manage them (especially alone) or I simply cannot get there. Which is a source of continued frustration for me. Fingers crossed we’ll figure out some kind of creative solution though!
New Friends | I have been really lucky in that I’ve got friends who I’ve known since primary & high school that have stuck by and supported me though all the hard times. I think that’s a test of a true friend. When I’m too poorly to go out or do anything exciting (for literally years on end) but they’re just happy sitting in my bedroom wanting to know about what happened at my latest hospital appointment that’s a friend you don’t want to loose! However since having my blog and going to all sorts of local events and blogger meet ups I have been making a bunch of lovely new friends. Even though I find it quite physically exhausting sometimes, I love socialising and think it’s an important thing. It’s been so nice for me to socialise more with new people as I haven’t really had that opportunity since school. I kind of thought at one point I might have lost the ability to make new friends but it turns out that’s not the case!
Combining All Things I Love | With blogging there are no limits. It’s my platform I can basically write about what I want when I want. I decided I wanted to use my blog as a bit of escapism where I focused on all the things I loved and what I CAN do rather than worry about what I can’t. I love being about to combine my passions for fashion, beauty, photography and writing all in one place! It’s also given me a place to process my thoughts, vent about life as well as of course try out the latest beauty products!
Rediscovering Things I Enjoyed & Finding New Passions | I always loved fashion and styling but when I was in hospital all the time I did basically live in my comfy clothes and pyjamas as the only places I went to was hospital or physio! Even though that changed long before my blog came along it’s been nice really having an excuse to experiment with fashion and my personal style and discovering new smaller brands has been great as well. Similarly I enjoy playing around with beauty products, especially make up looks and trying out new skincare. I say on Instagram all the time how I’m a self confessed skincare geek now! I have also discovered my passion for photography which is one of my most FAVOURITE things about blogging! love getting creative with my photos, particularly for Instagram. I really look forward to my ‘photography mornings’ and take great joy in setting up my product shots! I find finding a passions & hobbies are so good for both mental & physical health. They create a great, positive distraction.
Going To New Places | One thing with my blog is that it’s very visual, I like to include lots of photographs and that has given me an excuse to explore my local area a bit more and discover all sorts of hidden photogenic gems! Like these shots here taken a Parham Gardens. A beautiful garden with the most stunning boarders, it’s really local to me but I hadn’t been there until a year or 2 ago! I’d been there about a week before these pictures and decided to go back to this spot because I remembered the colours in the background and realised it would go really well with this outfit! I think blogging has made me see places in a different way now, maybe more like I’m looking through the lens of a camera I guess. I’ve definitely found myself willing to travel further a field these days for a great photography spot and I really enjoy it! I’m lucky that my Mum is my photographer or my Insta Mama as I like to call her. She’s developing a good eye for finding photography spots and checking them out for me before we go! Places that we perhaps thought weren’t accessible for me in the past without my chair we’re finding new creative ways for me to manage too.
New Goals | I think setting yourself goals, both big and small, is really important. Think of a variety of things you want to achieve, then write them down including the small steps you need to do to achieve them. I felt like a lot of years of mine were spent on goals that were set by other people: doctors, physios, physiologists. Things that weren’t necessarily my own goals so I didn’t have that passionate driven to achieve them, something that I only really realised in the last 5 or so years since I’ve been managing my health more by myself. Now I enjoy setting my own goals, big and small, in all areas of my life. A lot of them have and still are blog related though as I see it as my career now. I actually write my Goals in the notes section on my phone, I don’t look at them all the time maybe just once or twice a month but it’s pretty satisfying ticking things off! I’ve learnt it’s important not to get disheartened if you aren’t reaching all or any of your goals though, a big dollop of patience is key. As long as you're trying to work towards things, it’ll all happen in time.
Pushing Me Out Of My Comfort Zone | Not only do I feel like my blog is giving me a focus and a purpose in my daily life but it’s really helped to push me out of my comfort zone! For one thing I’m going out and about a lot more than I used to - for photography, events and meeting new people. Occasions that would’ve brought me a lot of anxiety in the past I find don’t so much as I’m getting used to doing them. Serious progress!
Confidence | I feel so much more confident within myself these days, I think having a drive and purpose as well as al the things I’ve listed above will do that. I’m more confident meeting strangers now and knowing what to say when they ask what I do. Which always used to lead to an awkward pause and then I’d have to explain that I have chronic health problems and I can’t work full time. Or what I actually used to say was “I have chronic health issues and managing them is my full time job!”. At least now I can say “I’m a blogger” ...which to be fair 9 times out of 10 still leads to an awkward pause where the other person asks “what is that?!”.
Travel | Travelling abroad was always something that seemed really unattainable for me considering my pain and all my other difficulties. I always thought it would be super stressful for whoever was accompanying me as well because I need so much day-to-day help and I’m quite limited to the amount I can do activity wise! However most of you will probably know that in the last year I have been away with my Mum to Jersey twice!! On a plane! The first time was for 3 nights the second time was for a whole week. See my Jersey posts here. It wasn't easy but we managed it and I LOVED it! I hadn’t had a holiday since I was 13 and hadn’t been on a plane since 4 so a long time. I’m not saying that it is entirely down to my blog. It was definitely the right time for me to try and I’d finished some treatment not long before so was feeling stronger. However I feel like the drive and confidence I had in myself really helped me to take the leap and I got that from blogging. I am so keen to travel more now and see all the beautiful places that are out there in the world! I’d love to build up gradually on the flight lengths I can manage. There are so many places in Europe I’d like to explore so hopefully I can start there. It may be difficult but I’ve proved to myself that it’s not impossible and it is SO worth it once I get there!
An Independent Future? | At the age of 29 I’m still heavily reliant on my parents for support in every area of my daily life. My Mum is my carer and I’m incredibly lucky to have her but being so reliant also means I feel super vulnerable. I’m happy with all the progress I’ve made during my twenties but I’m hopeful that I am working towards a more independent future. My blog is giving me opportunities I never thought would be possible for me. I can actually see a possibility of me carving out a career for myself and even if I’m still physically reliant on my family I feel like I’m on the way to seeing a time where I can at least be a little more financially independent.
All of these things definitely help my with my confidence, self esteem and self worth and although the future still scares me I’m feeling a lot more positive about it in many ways!
*This post contains PR samples & was created in collaboration with Daisy Jewellery however all opinions as always are my own, please see my Disclaimer for details.
