The light at the end of the tunnel

It is nearing the end of training for my sailor. My anxiety this past two weeks has been pretty bad. But I have started a managing moods workshop, which is good to take the edge off. It gives me the tools to start the fight. My sailor has also been extremely helpful, explaining a lot to me this weekend, and I have met more of his family as well.
I dropped him off, my least favourite bit saying goodbye to him.
I've cried my tears though. I feel so much more positive about the whole situation. Now I can start to understand what they do, it makes life easier for me. Knowledge is power, and the more I know, the less my anxiety fills in the gaps. I feel so much stronger, and like I can do this.
I have also realised that my anxiety isn't my supervillain. My anxiety is my superhero, but just constantly trying to save the day when it's unnecessary.
13 days to go. And I can't wait to see him, and can't wait for him to enjoy his time away before he's back.
Let's do this!

Plymouth: The Aftermath.

I have been waiting for this weekend to see my sailor ever since before he went away on his training. Counted down the days.
Had the best weekend with him ever. Never been to Plymouth before, but enjoyed what I saw of the city. Enjoyed spending some quality time together.
Then comes the dreaded moment you have to return them to the ship. Kisses and cuddles were had. Tears were shed (once I got back into the car). That drive home, where part of you wants to turn back, and the other half desperate to get home as soon as possible.
Getting home happy you are back in your own bed, but it doesn't feel right as he's not there. I'm sure that will change soon enough 😂
But in the end you get the jist. It felt like he was going away for training all over again and I was going to have to do this all over again.
He is coming home for a weekend soon, but it just didn't feel the same.
I was in such a funk. To a certain extent, it's worse to go there for a weekend, because it makes you miss them all the more when you are back and they aren't. I wouldn't change that weekend for the world though.
Having your support around you is so essential in these times. I am very lucky to have amazing people in my life to be able to support me.
Also, I have realised, get yourself out the damn house. The housework can wait. If it gets you out of a funk, do it.
I dropped sailors stuff off round the family house, and ended up having a chat with his mum for hours. It was so nice to have someone there who can truly understand what it is like. To be able to talk about things on your mind and they understand completely. Much better than you do in fact.
I will forever be grateful he doesn't trust me to do his washing 😂

Getting used to "away time" for the first time

So my sailor and I haven't been together for very long. It feels like it is still so new because it's hard for us to see each other. Yesterday he went away for training. Communication is pretty much a bare minimum at times. He'll be away for 7 weeks. I am hoping to go visit him for a couple of weekends, which will be amazing. It's really good practice, because I would like to think we will stay together, and if so he'll be on deployment for 6 months next year.
I have had so many emotions though trying to get used to this life. Partly I have felt sad that I won't be able to see him properly for that time. Another thought is that I know the sea is his biggest passion. I would never want to stop him from pursuing a passion of his. The same way as he wouldn't want me to stop pursuing my passion for music. Another feeling is pride that he is in this profession. Another thought is it gives me a chance to sort out the house, and to truly show it off when he gets back. Another side that unfortunately comes out is my anxiety. The anxiety can play horrible tricks with your mind. It makes you think he doesn't care. I just keep reminding myself that if he didn't care, he would have ended it before he went on training. But after all these thoughts running through your head, it leaves you feeling a bit odd.
It's day two, and I am adjusting to not being able to communicate with him. It's similar to when they go out to sea. I'm checking my phone less. I'm getting on with my life. Keeping myself busy. Sorting out the house. I have joined a facebook group, so that way I can talk to people if I need to, and I can see that I am not alone in feeling like this. People who truly understand how I feel. My friends have been brilliant support, but it is a different world.
It has made me realise that the best way to deal with this for me is to keep myself busy. Start a new project. Go see my friends. Plan weekends away. Live my life. Remember why I thought it would work so well in the first place. The chance to have my freedom. But not just whilst he is away, whilst he is home too. I would like to think he'll want to see me when he's back. But he hasn't seen his family or friends either. Or had some time to himself.
My freedom doesn't begin when he is away. My freedom is a permanent fixture.
I also always thought that I was meant for a relationship that wasn't easy. It sounds weird. It sounds immodest, but I think we are picked for these relationships- because we have the strength to deal with it. I just need to look inside myself and see how I have conquered much harder battles. I have coped with horrific grief. I cope with anxiety that can cripple me. I can cope with him being away. I also need to see the plus sides as well. I think that will come after he has been away for a little while and it has settled down.
Until that point, I feel Ms Carey has got it perfectly.

What you put up with

It is funny what you put up with for so long.

As you well know, I have been dealing with these tummy problems for ages, and am doing my food diary and a tummy diary, to try and find a pattern.

Looking through the diary, ready for Monday, has made me realise what I have put up with for so long!

Virtually every morning this week I have woken up feeling ill. Two out of the four days, I have felt unwell during the day. Only today, I have woken up feeling fine, and have had no negative tummy problems so far.

I think partly you only realise that you are unwell when you see the evidence with your own eyes, and how it affects you as a person. I think also hindsight is a wonderful thing. The times when I thought I was fine when I wasn't show up more, because you truly feel better physically and within yourself.

Not all bad eh :P

One of the times that really sticks with me was when I went to Corfu this year on holiday.

For the first day or two I felt ok, but as the week carried on, I was feeling really ill with my tummy, and as a knock-on effect was becoming quite irritable. Thankfully, my partner understood and helped me through.

Looking back, I was very unwell, but carried on; I was just determined to have a good time on holiday.

I think sometimes we forget the problems aren't just to do with health. The knock on effects can affect your loved ones as well.

I want to be able to be better for myself obviously, but also for my partner. He has been that support for quite a while, and when it is sorted it will never be forgotten.

So here's to all those who look after their loved ones, because truly, you are amazing! x

Mother's day *groan*

It is officially Mother's day today. Not the most enjoyable days of the year for me, for obvious reasons. Weirdly enough, this year I found it harder; maybe because this will be the first year that I will be home for it. I have found that I haven't asked for help though, because I don't want to ruin other people's Mother's day by hanging out with me, when they have a Mother with them. Hopefully I won't have people come up and talk about my mum tomorrow, because I just don't like it. I have got to the end of my tether about the whole thing. I cannot try and please everyone else, whilst people don't think that they could be hurting my feelings, and/or angering me.
I have also been watching Whitney Houston's last interview: the one with Oprah in 2009, and one thing that really spoke out to me was her unwavering faith in God. There was one point in the interview, when she was talking about leaving Bobby Brown. She asked for the strength to leave him. It made me think of men. Firstly, it made me think of the man I like. Maybe instead of asking God what I shall do, even though I know the answer is to tell him how I feel (and not feeling like I have the courage or the strength to), I should really be asking God to give me strength to tell him. It also made me think of my last relationship I had. I can see now, (and I could see then too, if I'm being honest) that it wasn't a good relationship. It wasn't a relationship of equals. He didn't see me as his equal, and the balance of give and take was more me giving, him taking. I knew this fact, but I stayed with him, because I was just so happy to be in a relationship, and happy to not be alone. I know now that if something is not right, they need to go. I can't stay in a bad relationship, because it would stop me from finding a good relationship, with someone I deserve. It is just finding someone that you fit like a missing puzzle piece. You could meet the nicest man in the world, but if they don't fit, they don't fit.
I like to use this song to help me think about how I want my next relationship to be. Not that the man thinks I'm perfect, but that he can accept my faults, handle my baggage, and still think the world of me (and visa versa obviously). I also want my next relationship to be a bit like this, because I think I deserve to be loved, to have a man make the same effort for me as I would for him. I deserve it.
Whether that is another brick down from the wall, who knows? I just like the song :P x

Sober on Valentine's Day- a first?

Test running my green hair for the panto :)

On Sunday, after the panto dress rehearsal, some of us went out for what was going to be a quiet drink. I have not been so drunk since my younger teenage days (my 21st obviously doesn't count). I still feel very embarrassed about my behaviour around them- especially one of them, I will have it ripped out of me next time he sees me!- as at church (at least) I am supposed to be well behaved.
I used to be like that. When I was 17-19, I thought the most fun I could have was to drink as much as possible, and not remember the evening. It was my first year summer ball that was my turning point, and since then, I have reigned in my drinking quite a bit. I still get merry, and maybe a little bit drunk, but never to the extreme.
Lately seeing on facebook all these status's about partying heavily, made me wonder if I was just becoming a spoil sport. After the blinding performance on Sunday? I have more fun, ditto my friends, when I have less alcohol in my system.
The point of telling this slightly embarrassing story was that weirdly enough, Valentine's day was nice and sober. Mainly because I don't think I could stomach looking at alcohol, much less wine!
The slightly weirder bit of today was when I had to go into Cosham, was waiting for my Dad, and had two boys-who looked as if they were 12- check me out, look me up and down, give me the eyebrow, and carried on their conversation. I felt perved on by a 12 year old. How is that even possible?!?!
It was later in the day when the down kicked in. I knew it was going to happen at some point, it always does. At one point, I nearly told the guy I like that I liked him, but that fear just gets the better of me every time. I think what some people find hard to grasp, is that if you have issues with your self worth and self esteem, it's hard to think you are good enough for someone to like you in the first place. The fear of rejection is more deep rooted than just pride. I am angry at myself for not saying anything, but that fear feels like a wall that will always be in my way, turning me around.
I am starting to take down the wall, one brick at a time. It is going to take a while, but the wall looks less daunting than it did before.
Maybe by next year, Valentine's day will be much more fun.
Until then, I'm looking forward to pancake day! :D x

A bump in the road

For a little while, I have had such a good positive attitude, but I have found my first hurdle to get over- my behaviour towards a guy I like.

Normally when I like a guy, I make a really big effort for them, to show them that I am the one they want to go out with. My new self respect kinda goes against that. He should realise that already, and should feel lucky that a girl like me likes him. He needs to show that he likes me by making a big effort. If a guy truly likes you, he will go out of his way to be with you, he would make the effort to go out on dates, etc. I am really trying with this, but I have got such a urge to message him right now, it's all I can think about.

Jaymie normally snaps me out of it, but I can't get hold of her. I know it sounds very stupid, but it is a bit like a battle of wills to see who will win, except I'm fighting my old self. I have to wait it out and stay strong. 

I keep making excuses for this guy, 'oh, he's really shy' 'I have to prove I'm a woman, not a girl', the list goes on and on. He is not shy around me in any way, and if he doesn't consider me a woman rather than a girl, then hell, isn't that a big sign?!? My old insecurities are creeping in, the ones saying I'm not good enough, but this time I'm trying to fight them. This time I think I will make some progress. I am getting there, it's just going to take a bit longer than I thought.

Here's to being human x

Vivir la vida loca!

Yesterday was such a turning point, and such a positive day for me.
I was reading this book just to give a slight change from reading 'Wild swans', and it really changed my mindset when it came to men, and how I live my life.
I have always loved dancing, so this book really appealed to me. It showed me that a man should be deserving of me, as well as the other way round. I should not always accommodate men, that they have to work equally hard as I am prepared to work.
For me, it gives perspective. I deserve a man who will put me as a top priority, who will make the effort and treat me right.
I have always been the 'accommodater', the one who would sometimes make so much effort for the man, and get nothing in return. Looking back at my last relationship, I was so happy to be in a couple, ignoring all the warning signs of his bad behaviour towards me, because I was in a relationship. I have realised that it is better to be single, to be available for the right man, than put up with a bad relationship. To quote the book concerning finding the right guy:
'I walk down the street, I fall down a hole. It takes me forever to figure out how to climb out. I walk down the street, fall down a hole, this time I know how to get out. I walk down the street, I walk around the hole. Next time..I walk down a different street!'
I am walking down a different street now, one where a man has to deserve me to obtain me. Yes, I do make an effort, but I expect him to do the same. I will have a partnership of equals, not me being the submissive woman. In the same token, I will not put myself in that role. If a man tries to put me in that role, it's 'Sayōnara' and onto greener pastures.
In another way, the book has rekindled my wanting to travel. I want to see the world, I want to experience different cultures. It's not that I don't love England, I do! I think that not having a passport, (something I have also been sorting out) made me feel very constricted. I got some travel brochures for Cuba, so hopefully this will placate me until I have the money to go. My -slightly warped- thought process is that if I can save for a holiday, I won't be spending money, helping me save. It'll take me a good couple of years for me to save, which is the time I need to be the most frugal anyway.
I felt yesterday was going to be a positive day. I feel that today is going to be me putting things at rest. I'll be going to the gym, getting my last bits of lush goodies before the discount goes, and going to the tweenies meal.
In my way, I can put the lush job to rest, and keep the friends that I made in the process.
Now I've found my gorgeous shoes, (after some serious praying!) I can get ready to go out and enjoy the tweenies meal. I know that people will be moaning about something, but I have to stay out of it. I am determined to enjoy this meal!
 Time for me to do something with my day- have a good weekend! x

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

It is gradually getting closer to my most hated time of the year- Valentine's Day. This is the day when smug couples become even more smug, and force their pity over those who are single.

Thanks for that, E. E. Cummings.

I don't think it helps that being single is a taboo subject. A single's most hated question is: "So, how's your love life?"

Firstly, it's none of your damn business. Secondly, when I explain that I am very much single at the moment, the response is a sigh saying something along the lines of 'you'll find someone, don't worry!'

Great. Now I'm being pitied. Fantastic. The other phrase that will come out is- 'oh I do miss being single'. Oh sorry, I forgot that having someone there to support you, love you, whom you trust (and visa versa) is such a terrible thing.

It would help if retail generally thought of the single people during the 'loved up' month. It would certainly make shopping a better experience. Retail, and smug couples need to respect the fact that people are single. Cater for us as well this month, we single's do exist!

On the plus side, I have moved a step forward visa vi men. I have learnt this week that there is such a thing as bad attention. I always used to think any attention was good attention. It isn't. I have gained more respect in myself, and from the sounds of it, a bit of self worth. My other step forward is that the guy I like doesn't like me like that, and I've been in denial about it the whole time. It's taught me that I shouldn't have to do all the legwork. If a guy really likes you, he would/should make the effort just as much as you. 

I think Aretha explains it a bit better than I have :P x