HOW STAYING PRODUCTIVE WITH THE SHAKE MY HAND CAMPAIGN IS SAVING MY LIFE | WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY 2024

You may remember that a number of months ago (June) I wrote a blog post launching my new media Campaign; Shake My Hand (you can read the post here: MY JOURNEY TO CREATE A MEDIA CAMPAIGN | CELEBRATING THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF SHAKE MY HAND’S WEBSITE | ad | I'm NOT Disordered (imnotdisordered.co.uk)) so in addition to writing the content for World Suicide Prevention Day 2024 (WSPD) over on the Shake My Hand website (www.shakemyhandcampaign.com), I thought ‘how could I not write something for my own blog?!’ I also recognised that my news article for the Campaign was of a completely different angle than I would write for I’m NOT Disordered, but at the same time, I still wanted to incorporate Shake My Hand in this post. So, I’ve decided to talk about how staying productive with the Campaign is saving my life…

WHY I BLOG

Today, I wanted to talk a bit about why I blog. When I was speaking with the Team Lead for RichmondFellowship Tyneside yesterday she asked what motivated me to do everything I do, and it made me wonder if other people might also want to know the answer to that question. At the time, my answer was ‘there’s a ton of reasons but I think the main one is to help others.’ So, I thought this would be a nice opportunity to think a bit more about my rationale for doing what I have for six years now.

I feel like I’ve told the story of starting I’m NOT Disordered hundreds of times, but I recognize how many new readers I’ve had recently and it’s safe to assume that not many people will scroll back through the archives and read all 752 posts since January 2013.

FIVE TIPS FOR ORIGINAL CONTENT

I’ve basically just wrote over six hundred words about forgiveness and the act of apologizing to find that I’d already posted something along very similar lines only three months ago! And the way I finally made that discovery inspired me to come up with some tips for other Bloggers to avoid making the same mistake:

1.       Use ‘labels’ or ‘tags’

On Blogger (I’m unsure if it’s the same on other Blogging sites) it allows you the option to choose keywords around the subject of each of your blog posts. You can make this list as extensive or as limited as you like but it allows for your post to show in Google searches on the words you’ve included. The other bonus of this (which I’ve just discovered) is that you can search for all posts featuring a particular label which means that you can ensure that your content is actually original to anything you’ve ever posted.

HOW TO STOP SELF-SABOTAGING | WITH A FUTURE LEARN DISCOUNT CODE!! | AD

So I was having a ‘Bloggers Day Out’ with Marty from gumonmyshoe.com in the Life Science Centre and he mentioned that he’d taken some online courses with one being about self-sabotaging and it got me thinking about the topic…

As someone who has been known to regularly mess up good things in her life, I think I might be qualified in giving you all my own two top tips that’ve helped me to stop the behavior of self-sabotaging.

I learnt these skills after reaching the lowest point in my mental health; in the years after being admitted to Intensive Care following an overdose. Spending two and a half years in Cygnet Hospital Bierley meant that I had professional support in learning these skills so in writing this post, my hope is that it’ll avoid others having to reach that point too before they can learn these:

TOP FIVE NOTEBOOKS THAT MAKE FOR WRITING INSPIRATION | FUTURE LEARN DISCOUNT CODE | AD

So I recently had a massive overhaul of my wardrobe and it spurred me on to sort through everything on the shelf under the coffee table. That shelf is like the ‘bottom drawer’ people talk about where you find random things and they just all go in that one place. Anyway! There was a ton of notebooks and organizers under there that weren’t being used and – I believed – weren’t going to be used. So of course, I threw out the lot and promptly started an online course with Future Learn! Going notebook shopping for taking notes on this new course inspired this post… I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk about my favourite five notebooks, and the writing inspiration they bring:

‘MAKE TODAY GREAT’

https://www.paperchase.com/en_gb/gifts/gifts-for/stationery-lovers/moglea-make-today-great-lined-notebook.html

RICHMOND FELLOWSHIP WORKING TOGETHER FORUM | EVENT POST | AD

I was so proud to be asked to join the planning Committee for the Working Together Forum this year and when the position came up to Chair the entire event, I jumped at the chance!

The more work I do with a particular organization, the more eager I am to take on more responsibilities and bigger opportunities.  I guess I see it almost like most work where there’s a promotion in sight and like many things in my blogging career, I’ve had to discover and sort of, decide for myself, what this means. What a ‘promotion’ means to me. What I’d class as a ‘step up;’ and chairing an entire event for such a wonderful, supportive, and inspirational organization like Richmond Fellowship (RF), seemed like the right role to do just that. And as I did last year, I also agreed to co-facilitate a workshop with the awesome Emily Dell from the RF Communications team (more on that later!).

THREE REASONS WHY WE SHOULD ALL KEEP GOING | TW: DISCUSSION OF SUICIDE

We are search lights, we can see in the dark

We are rockets, pointed up at the stars

We are billions of beautiful heats

- P!NK - What About Us

For obvious (I think) reasons, there have been times in my relapse where I’ve felt reluctant to go on with life and have become determined to end it. And yes, sometimes; I’ve tried to. More recently (like literally the last four days) I’ve begun to see some changes in my mental health from the medication getting back in my system and one of these has been finding – and then clinging onto – all the reasons why I shouldn’t die. All the reasons I deserve life. Deserve my recovery.

And now that I’ve learnt these three important reasons, I thought it was time to share them with all my lovely readers in the hope that it inspires others to find their own reasons. Their own rationale to fight back against all of those feelings of depression and all of those suicidal thoughts…

24HRS WITH... EMMA THOMAS, GENERAL MANAGER OF NATIONAL TRUST SITE: SEATON DELAVAL HALL | NATIONAL TRUST

24 hours with... Emma Thomas, General Manager, Seaton Delaval Hall

Date: 7 August

Why have you chosen to write about today?

It’s the Seaton Delaval Hall staff and volunteer Bake Off today and hopefully a busy day with lots of visitors enjoying the hall and gardens and taking part in our illusion themed week of family activities.



The Bake Off today is the return match, when staff bake, and volunteers judge. At the start of the summer, volunteers baked and staff judged. It’s organised by 1 of our volunteers and always good fun.


Good morning!

24HRS WITH... NORTH EAST AMBULANCE SERVICE CEO; YVONNE ORMSTON

24 hours with... North East Ambulance Service CEO; Yvonne Ormston

Why have you chosen to write about today?

_{Ok here goes. This is the day that I have chosen to blog about after being asked to by Aimee. Why me? I can’t think people would be particularly interested in the day in the life of an NHS CEO, especially this one, but who knows? If there is something useful then hopefully it will inspire someone, somewhere about something!!}


Good morning!



What time did you wake up?

_{Alarm goes off at 5.45 am}


Why did you wake up at that time?

_{A little earlier than my usual 6.30. Today I’m off to London}

24HRS WITH... CHIEF INSPECTOR STEVE HAILS | NORTHUMBRIA POLICE

.

24 hours with... Chief Inspector Steve Hails, Northumbria Police

Date: Monday 30th July 2018

Why have you chosen to write about today? Today is my first day back to work following a week on leave.

Good morning!

What time did you wake up? 

05:00

Why did you wake up at that time? 

I always wake up early but at the moment seem to be waking up earlier.  

24HRS WITH... EM SHELDON | EMTALKS.CO.UK

Good morning!

What time did you wake up? 

7.30am 

Why did you wake up at that time? 

I always set an alarm so that I can do a morning Instagram post and head to the gym plus get some emails done before the world starts 

Did you have a dream? 

I can’t remember! I can never remember my dreams! 

Do you think today will be 'good' or 'bad' day? (use your own definition of these words to answer the question)

I always try and wake up assuming it’s gonna be a good day. There is good in every day and rainy days make flowers. Sometimes I wake up and external factors mean my day could be bad, but I try and see the positives in every day now. I read a book that said, ‘most of us focus on what’s wrong, and what we don’t have, rather than on what’s right and what we do have’ and I’m trying to wake up with that mind set

LAUNCHING NTW'S ADULT MENTAL HEALTH NETWORK | AD

Another Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW) event!

The run up to this one was a little bit… well the staff called it ‘woolly.’ Apparently, that was on purpose because the entire event was to launch the brand-new Adult Mental Health Network and with it being such a unique and one-of-a-kind venture, there’s no real model or guide on what it should look like.

The launch event centred around bringing together a huge variety of people from a selection of charities and organisations what ranged from Age UK to Carers Northumberland to representatives of the RESPOND training. Immediately, the atmosphere was incredible – you get so many events where people are there because their manager has asked them to be and you can feel a reluctance and pressure there… At this event though, there was a clear feeling of everyone being there because they wanted to and that they actually wanted to learn.

24HRS WITH... AUTHOR AND MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE MARTIN 'MARTY' BAKER

24 hours with... Martin Baker, Author and Mental Health Advocate

Date: Monday 4^th June 2018

Why have you chosen to write about today?

I decided to choose the first full day after you sent me the questions,/ so it would be pretty much random, rather than choose a day that seemed in some way more ‘special’ or ‘significant.’


Good morning!



What time did you wake up?

I woke briefly around 4:30am but went straight back to sleep. I woke again at 6:40am and got up twenty minutes later just before my alarm (which is set for 7:02am)


Why did you wake up at that time?

That’s just naturally when I woke.



Did you have a dream?

Possibly but not that I remember. I rarely recall my dreams.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK 2018 WITH I'M NOT DISORDERED | POST SEVEN | EVENTS | AD

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

So, I spent DAY ONE of Mental Health Awareness Week with a couple of organisations who were hosting a night of stand-up comedy, live music, and poetry. And it was such a hilarious, interesting, inspiring, and insightful night with great company, and plenty of drinks!

RICHMOND FELLOWSHIP WORKING TOGETHER FORUM | #RFWORKINGTOGETHERFORUM | AD

Not too long ago the Manager of my local Richmond Fellowship got in touch with me and asked if I’d like to Chair the upcoming WorkingTogether Forum. Having co-chaired the previous one, I was confident with the idea and agreed. They then told me that I’d again be co-chairing but when it came to the day the co-chair got ‘stage fright’ and I was left to chair the entire event! In addition to this, two days before the event, a group delivering one of the four workshops dropped out and I offered to help run the stand-in workshop which, we basically invented in 48 hours! So, I had many roles in this event and yes, it was stressful; but it was a nice-productive-lots-of-responsibilities-kind-of stress!

HOW I USED DBT AT ENGLISH HERITAGE SITE: BRINKBURN PRIORY & MANOR HOUSE | AD

I can remember when I was sectioned once whilst down south and my Mum told me about a phone call she’d had with a member of staff from the psychiatric hospital I was admitted to. During the call he’d asked whether I’d had Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and when my Mum told him she hadn’t heard of it, he explained his surprise as it is the recommended treatment for someone diagnosed with a Personality Disorder (I had been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder). After that, my Mum questioned my Community Mental Health Team as to why I hadn’t had it yet and why it hadn’t even been suggested.

WORLD BOOK DAY 2018 WITH BLYTH LIBRARY | AD

Happy World Book Day 2018 guys & girls!

To celebrate the day, I attended an event at Blyth Library: http://mylibrary.co.uk/whats-on/events/614-world-book-night-coffee-evening

[Author, Christine Melville Kenworthy was also in attendance! To find out more about her work visit: christinemelvillekenworthy.com]

And now here's the post:

The book you’re currently reading:

ThePiano by Victoria Walter. I just started reading this short story because I’ll be attending an event later in June where I’ll be meeting the Author and I thought it was only respectful and decent, to be able to make conversation about her own work.

I'M NOT DISORDERED TAKES PART IN THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD RESEARCH STUDY | AD

The University of Sheffield have developed a questionnaire called ReQoL (Recovering Quality of Life) to help understand feelings and monitor the progress of recovery and quality of life for people who have different mental health conditions.

The research is being carried out by the University of Sheffield and is funded by the Department of Health.

It involves a quick (5-10 minutes) multiple choice questionnaire that does not affect your care.

For more information on the study please contact Dr Anju Keetharuth at the University of Sheffield by email at reqol@sheffield.ac.uk or by telephone on: 0114 222 0884

You can also read about the findings of the study and more details on the website: http://www.reqol.org.uk

WEEK EIGHT | 52 LISTS FOR HAPPINESS | OLIVER BONAS | AD

You can buy this book here

Every week, for 2018 there will be post of what I’ve done in the book each week. And the eighth list?

List the things you like to do that don't involve technology:

WEEK SIX | 52 LISTS FOR HAPPINESS | OLIVER BONAS | AD

You can buy this book here

(Apologies for the delay in publishing this post!)

Every week, for 2018 there will be post of what I’ve done in the book each week. And the sixth list?

List the things (from your past and present) that feel like blockades in the way of happiness: