April 10^th 2018 – The day this blog was created.

Welcome to The Life Of Emma, if you’ve found this blog I’m guessing it’s because you’re a curious soul who wants to know more, whether it is about getting to know me, yourself, others or life as a whole, either way this blog is here for you.

I’ve always enjoyed writing and throughout school I did enjoy my English classes, I wasn’t the best writer, but every now and again my teachers would give my movie reviews/short stories/poems a shout out in class, which ya know, was a bit of a confidence boost.

I think the idea of a blog has always been in my head but I never really knew what I wanted to write about, then in January of 2018 I started to put ideas together. At this point in my life I was going through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and I was working on processing my dads death. I was beginning to realise that life could be good, I could be happy, life wasn’t supposed to be dark, lonely and sad, life was supposed to be lived and this is when I knew what I wanted to write about. I kept my blog secret from friends and family as I had posted articles about how I was and what personal struggles I had gone through, which at the time, no one in my life knew about. In June 2018 I released my blog publicly and here I am today…still going!

My blog is extremely personal to me and it means so much to me as it has not only helped me, but it has also helped others. My blog is here for you, my articles are written for you, they are here for you to relate to, to let you know that you are not on your own, that I get it, and if I don’t I will try my hardest to get it as I know how difficult and horrible life can be.

My blog is split up into different sections.

Mental Health May:
During May 2020 I dedicated the month of May to mental health. For each day an article was posted relating to the topic of mental health. Here you can find informative articles, personal stories and different ways to look after your mental well-being.

Australian Adventure:
As I am originally from a small place just outside of Manchester in the UK, being over here in Australia is a big thing. I came over here in August 2018 and I have worked, travelled and also found a home. Once I had finished CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), I needed a complete fresh new start and when the opportunity for Australia came up, I knew I just had to take it.

Worldwide:
Travel has always been a part of my life. My family would always go away to different parts of the UK for weekends away and holidays, as well as different parts of the world and I have also done some solo travelling myself. Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved adventures and exploring new places, there is a free spirit inside of me that expresses herself when travelling.

Mind:
Here you will find the tips, tricks and techniques I have used to regulate my mind and try to keep that stability. You can find articles about self-care, letting go and the everyday techniques I find therapeutic.

Body:
This section is all about understanding, accepting and loving your physical self. Whether it’s understanding where your insecurities stem from, negative self-talk, how to love your body and discovering your bodies true strength, you can find articles relating right here!

Soul:
Discover your inner zen! You will reap all the benefits once you do! The soul section is filled with articles about meditation, my experiences and how to tap into your zen because we all deserve to know how to find at least 2 minutes of peace in each day.

Equine World:
Horses have always been a big part of my life. I started horse riding when I was around 6 years old, I went on to study horse management and care at college and I have worked with them ever since. Horses have been a saving grace for me, the riding lessons gave me something to do and something to look forward to when I had nothing else, working with them has helped me discover new places, people, not only that but I have learnt so much about compassion, strength, care and sympathy since my career within the horse industry.

Mary Jane:
My friend Mary has been very supportive during some of the dark periods in my life. She has picked me up when I couldn’t do it myself, she has helped me laugh and dance even though 10 minutes before I had tears pouring down my face. She has helped motivate me to exercise, encouraged me to take a break and to just breathe. I am very thankful of her.

The Deep Stuff:
This is where you will get to know me on a personal level. The section is split into three:

PTSD:
Which stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My PTSD started when I was 6 years old, escalated when I was 12 years old and then progressively got worse till I started CBT. The PTSD affected me every day, day and night, no matter where I was, what I was doing or who I was with. Eventually I became numb to the flashbacks, nightmares, the feeling of being stuck in my childhood and everything else that comes with it. Processing the traumas was the hardest thing to do, but trust me, it is so worth it. In this section you will find my personal experiences, symptoms, informative articles and how PTSD impacted my daily life.

Depression:
The depression for me started when I was 12 years old. I have attempted suicide, self-harmed, battled with alcohol, self-destructed many times but I am still here. Depression is truly awful and it honestly breaks my heart when I remember how much my depression consumed me and prevented me from living the life that I am living today. If you think any articles here may relate to someone you care about who you think is struggling with depression, please let them know that my blog and I are here.

Anxiety:
The bitch of them all…anxiety. My anxiety started when I was 6 years old and has just never really left me. It is now nowhere near as bad as it has been in the past, however it is still here and it does still try to take over me. I guess I am now at a point where I can notice the triggers, where the anxiety starts in my body and when it progresses, which then leaves me with a choice of either giving into the fear it is trying to tell me or knowing in myself whether or not I can actually do it. This is something that I have only recently learnt but the change it has created has been crazy. I do still have my struggles, but I have also found my inner strength and voice over all the bullshit the anxiety tries to tell me.

Please feel free to explore as much or as little as you would like and if you ever need someone to talk to I am always here.

Sending my love to you,

Emma xo