Vishi's Views

The pandemic has changed our lives and brought many challenges. The way we learn, work and live everyday is so different now because of the restrictions and rules set in place and, understandably, the need for emotional and mental health support has increased.  World Mental Health Day is on the 10th October every year and the purpose is to raise awareness about mental health around the world. I am two days late but in this post, I want to share some thoughts on mental health and how to take care of yourself and each other.  Finding ways to be productive in lock down can be difficult. It definitely must have been challenging when it all started back in March. You have probably been told that now is the time to learn and start something new like do a course online and re-train yourself, learn a new language or start a business and that is true but if you haven't done anything like that, don't feel bad. We are all working and doing school online, keeping up with chores around the...

With everything going on in our lives and around the world right now, we are all facing our own fears, challenges, uncertainty and experience a range of emotions and at times like this we need to somehow be able to get our thoughts and feelings out. It is not good to keep things bottled up inside so we should talk about it with someone we trust or find a healthy way to do it. Keeping a journal is great and in this post, I am sharing the different types of journals, some benefits of having one and how to keep your private.  Photo found on google images Types of journals There are many different types of journals to satisfy your various needs.  Daily journal - Used to write about how your day has been, what you did and any memorable moments. Expressive journal - Gives you space to pour out your thoughts, feelings, emotions, vent frustrations and anything else you want to get off your chest. Dream journal - Put all your dreams onto paper.  Travel Journal - Document your tr...

Are there times when you really want to go out and do something fun but your friends, family or partners would rather stay in or do something else? If yes, that's okay, you can still go enjoy yourself. We all are so busy with work, school, taking care of children and other things in our lives, sometimes we forget to make time for ourselves and it can take it's toll on our bodies and minds. After working hard all week, we all deserve to have fun, de-stress and treat ourselves once in a while and not being able to convince people to join you for outings and activities doesn't have to stop you. You can actually have fun and enjoy your own company. Going out alone can be a daunting experience, especially for people who have social anxiety, but it feels good and sometimes you feel more relaxed. Here I'm going to share some Solo date ideas. Solo dates at home - If you have an afternoon or evening home alone Sit on a couch or lay in bed and watch a movie. To make i...

Hello! Welcome to my first blog post for 2020! In this post, I am giving you some ideas for what you can put into an anxiety or stress relief kit, which is a collection of items used to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety. These items can be put into a small pouch, purse, your handbag or backpack to take with you when you go out or in a box at home. The items listed here engage all five of your senses. Sight - Photos of your family, friends and pets are good to have in the kit to show you all the people who love and support you and pets that make you happy.. Also, if you are going to a concert or special event and you are feeling anxious, having a photo or keepsake from previous events help remind you that you were fine and had a great time. Smell - Aromatherapy is helpful for people living with anxiety so include mini perfumes, essential oils, hand sanitizes and creams in your favorite scents.  Sound - Your phone or an iPod with headphones because music is very the...

Concerts are always so much fun but they can be hard for panic attack and anxiety sufferers. Here, I am sharing some tips for going to concerts with anxiety. Photo: Sweatpants & Coffee 1. Where comfortable clothing and footwear. As it is winter here and the nights are particularly cold, you will need a jacket but when you are inside with the crowd of people, jumping up and down and dancing, it will get hot and your anxiety can cause you to sweat so wear short sleeves or light clothes and flat and comfortable shoes. High heels are not a good idea as you will be standing for a long time, you do't want your feet to hurt, 2. Choose the right bag Take a bag small enough to hold the essentials such as your ticket, phone, money and keys. One you can carry on your shoulder is best so there's no weight on your arms and your hands are free. 3. Don't forget a phone charger You will be using it to take photos and videos all night which drains your battery and if i...

Hello, It's been raining and with a lot of people being on school holidays right now, I thought I would share some ideas of things you could do on a rainy day. How many times have you woken up, seen the rain and said, Oh no, I can't go anywhere. What am I going to do today? There's actually a lot you can do. You can still have fun in our own home.  Here are some ideas. Read a book: This is my favourite thing to do. Lay in bed or wrap yourself in a blanket on the couch and read. You can take a break from your busy life and transport yourself to the world of the characters for a while. If you're not really a fan of books, grab a magazine. Watch movies and TV Shows: Have a movie marathon and/or binge watch your favourite TV shows. I like having film series marathons like watching all the Harry Potter or Twilight Saga films. Exercise: Rain is no excuse not to exercise. Grab a mat and do some stretches, yoga, sit-ups, push-ups or whatever. If you have an exe...

Hello! In this post, I am going to share some ways to relax and handle any stress and anxiety you may have.      1. Light a candle - This is something I have recently started doing. You can get beautiful scented candles at so many different stores, my favourite is Bath & Body Works. I don't light them all the time, just when I'm feeling very stressed or whenever I'm in the mood. 2. Take a hot bath or shower - Put a bath bomb or bubble bath in your tub, get in there or your shower and soak all your troubles away. While you're taking a bath or shower, light a candle or play some music. it will create a more relaxing atmosphere. 3. Read - Reading is very important. Of course you have to read at work and school, like prescribed texts for English but you should make time to read when you're not doing anything else. It doesn't have to be a book. Read an article, newspaper or magazine. It doesn't matter what it is, just read. You will learn...