Childhood

I don't know about you, but reminiscing about TV programmes, music, toys and food that I grew up with, makes me very happy. 

It always ends in laughter when you're with a group of friends and someone starts it off with..

'Oh my God, do you remember....'

SO!

For this week's post I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane...

Top 10 Things That Remind Me Of My Childhood:

1. Atomic Kitten- I have to admit that The Tide Is High is one of my guilty pleasures. I used to listen to this album in my bedroom with my CD player for hours on end. Now if I hear any of their songs, the lyrics just come flooding back. 

2. Plastic High Heels- with these badboys on I could be the most powerful 6 year old in the world. From a housewife, to a princess, to a teacher I played every role there ever was. Although they did seem to trigger incredibly bossy behaviour?-or maybe that was just me..

3. Sandwich Bags- not just any sandwich bags, the multicoloured ones with the stickers? These made every packed lunch an adventure. Maybe I had a very sheltered childhood but I know they were definitely the hype at my primary school.

4. Beyblades- these were THE craze. One of the many toys that were banned from the playground to avoid arguments and upset. Hah. I loved my Beyblade. You could even get the arenas?! *cue the advert man's voice* LET IT RIP!

5. Alice Bands- the hight of fashion around year 3/5? There was even a phase of wearing more than 1! Simple yet stylish hairstyles for 10 year olds. Whatever happened....

6. Garath Gates- I don't know where he came from or where he went but he was definitely a thing. His hair was crazy?

7. Tamagotchi- who wouldn't want their own pixelated child? These top of the range gadgets were what started the preparation for parenthood- I'd be a terrible parent. What I must say is...if one of these ran out of battery...my god did you know about it! 

8. The Tweenies- despite their somewhat creepy giant heads, these guys were awesome. Still confuses me how their eyes and mouths move..

They taught me a lot- especially that being a stroppy madam doesn't help.. thanks to Bella! Who doesn't love Doodles?!

9.  64 Zoo Lane- I can't read or hear the number '64' without then singing the theme tune. Cbeebies was life. The step up to CBBC was a biggun! 64 Zoo Lane is still on now and I still love it. The animals are all so genuine and down to Earth..more people should aspire to be like them. 

10. Alphabetti Spaghetti- to be honest, spaghetti in any shape that wasn't spaghetti shape was fabulous. There's something about food being in the shape of something that makes it more enjoyable to consume...

These are a few things that spring to mind when I think back over the years, there are obviously many more.. 

Teletubbies, S Club, Nintendogs, Sunny-D.

I might do another post like this with a few other of my favourite things from the naughties! 

Let me know what your favourite memories are! 

'til next time..

Hannah xo

Living with Emetophobia

For those of you who don't know what this is...*cue dictionary definition*

'Emetophobia is an intense, irrational fear or anxiety pertaining to vomiting.'

For most people I'm sure this fear sounds ridiculous but for me, and many other people, this is what nightmares are made of. 

I've been living with this phobia for around 8 years now. I've tried many different treatments, counselling, medicines, remedies and even hypnotherapy and none of it has worked. *sigh* 

For me, this effects me on a day to day basis. I have good days and bad days. The level of my anxiety often depends on the people around me and what that day entails. 

E.g. 

If there is a stomach bug around, anxiety level =HIGH

If I'm feeling nervous about something (a performance/exams), anxiety level =HIGH

If I have to go somewhere on my own, anxiety level =HIGH

The trouble with having this phobia is, being nervous can cause nausea, being stressed can cause nausea, being hormonal can cause nausea, late nights can cause nausea, and nausea terrifies me. 

I get scared of being sick, of other people being sick, of seeing people being sick, of people I know going near people who have been sick in case they then get sick and then I'll get sick. 

Constantly living in fear is exhausting. 

I am very anxious person so to have butterflies and a churning tummy which anyone else would interpret as nerves, immediately sets off my phobia which then often leads to an explosion of emotions and terror unless I manage to reign it back in. 

Anything can trigger it, being too full, being hungry, knowing someone's ill, suspecting someone is ill, coughing fits, sore throats, nerves, assemblies, public transport.

I often find myself getting stuck in a vicious circle. The more I worry, the more I feel sick, the less likely I am to eat, the more I feel sick, the more I worry, the more I feel sick, the less I eat, and so on.

I am more in control of my phobia now that I have been over the last few years. I have created ways of dealing with it and on the whole they work and my phobia rarely interferes with anything I want to do. 

But there are days when the feelings just don't go away, when every method doesn't work and all you can resort to is panicking and spending a day feeling gross and wondering what might happen. 

I used to love travelling and trying new foods, but now my fear of food poisoning stops me enjoying holidays and meals out. 

I find it hard to enjoy parties when I'm surrounded by people throwing up. 

I'm not cured but I hope one day I'll overcome it.

Here is my attempt at helping anyone who is suffering with the same fears....

My Top 5 Tips on Dealing with Emetophobia:

1. Always wash your hands- if you keep your hands clean the chances of contracting anything are smaller and therefore you are largely reducing risks. If you stay away from potential threats and stay clean, there is no reason to worry. 

2. Trust restaurants- I tend to eat at restaurant chains, busy ones. This gives me the piece of mind that whatever they're cooking has got to be decent. I enjoy meals out with my friends and I don't want my phobia to interfere with my social life. We eat at restaurants that I'm comfortable with, (I also tend to eat the same meal as someone else I am with, its reassuring as even if you feel ill afterwards, they can tell you that its all in your head!)

3. Chewing gum- Peppermint suppresses nausea and the chewing motion helps your digestive system start up again in times of panic which often stops the horrible feeling in my stomach. Some other emetophobes I know prefer mints, as well as antacids such as Rennie and Gaviscon tablets, reducing stomach acid also often helps getting your appetite back and calming your stomach- obviously stick to dosages and only take them in times of need. Chewing gum and mints are always my go-to.

4. CAUTION: this one's a bit gross!

     Burping often helps- its easy to mistake the feeling of air coming up for a different feeling. Burping can often solve the problem quicker than you might expect. It makes you feel less full and will often remove the sick feeling you thought you had. 

5. If you're feeling panicky/'sick'/anxious- get up and walk into the next room. Go and do something to take your mind off worrying. It's easy to convince yourself that you don't feel well when you analyse everything you're feeling. Go and have a conversation with someone, get a drink, go for a walk. ANYTHING. 

Despite telling you all of these things, I still sometimes forget to do them myself. It's tricky to think logically when you're scared. 

If you want any advice or just someone to talk to then feel free to speak to me whenever. 

You'd be surprised how many people are feeling just the same as you.

I hope this was somewhat helpful!

'til next time

Hannah xoxox

Surviving Silver Duke Of Edinburgh

Last summer I went on a 5 day expedition to the Lake District

IT WAS AMAZING 

I know, I know, hours of walking, camping and carrying heavy bags does not sound amazing.

BUT honestly, it was.

It was an incredible experience, the relationships you build with people are so strong and the laughs you have are awesome. 

ALTHOUGH:

There are a few things that kept me going during D of E that I probably wouldn't have made it without...

SO!

Here are:

My Top 10 Tips to Survive D of E:

1. Don't take lots of clothes - I know it's gross to wear the same clothes 3 days in a row but, being a bit gross for three days is much better than having an even heavier bag than is necessary. Yes, the weather is unpredictable so knowing what to pack is near impossible but what ever you do- DON'T PACK LOTS. 

2. Get Compeed Blister Pads- they are a little bit more expensive but they are so much more effective. I felt a blister forming on day 2 and that blister pad lasted me a good two days (including showers). They are so worth using and save you a lot of pain! ALSO: Apply them as soon as you suspect you might be getting a blister, whatever you do, don't wait until you're in pain. 

Your group will be thankful you all stopped when you're not crying and collapsing two hours later! 

3. Take snacks- whether you're into healthy eating or not (I'm not) this is an exceptional circumstance where eating sweets all day is totally OK. I also took lots of cereal bars and brioches. I highly recommend Jelly Babies and Nutella sandwiches. As well as them being high in sugar and good for energy- they also provoke happiness and smiling. Dependant on the weather, Boost bars are also incredibly effective (and delicious). Just think- all the walking you're doing is working it off anyway!

4. Take at least 3 pairs of socks- if your feet get wet, you're finished. Keep your feet warm and dry and the walking won't be a problem. 

5. Take easy food to cook- it may be boring and bland but trust me, packet food such as Mug Shots, pasta and sauce, porridge in sachets. Mainly things that you only have to mix with hot water, prove to be the easiest and lightest foods to carry and make. When there's torrential rain and wind, you don't wanna be outside your tent for more than 10 minutes! Don't make cooking difficult for yourself.

6. Try and sleep as early as possible- if you've eaten, tidied and are tucked up by 7pm, SLEEP. Staying up late will not make the next day any easier. Getting refreshed makes the days easier to handle, emotionally and physically. 

7. Take each day as it comes- if the hike ahead of you seems daunting, don't worry about it. You have to do it whether you want to or not so you might as well just try and enjoy it. Make it a laugh, support each other and get through it. Just keep thinking of your delicious Nutella sandwiches you can have at the top of that mountain!

8. Don't rush- you set off at around 8/9am every morning, and you don't have to be done by 9/10 at night. The walks take around 5-6 hours if you are really pacing them so don't try and rush it. You have hours. Just take it slow, have a leisurely walk and enjoy being outside! Take regular breaks for food and drink and enjoy yourselves. It is what you make it. 

9. Try and keep your phone turned off until you're at the top of a mountain- don't waste battery listening to music or trying to text when there isn't any signal. There will occasionally be signal on high ground for a quick phone home but don't run your phone down- you might need it! 

10. ENJOY IT! You and your friends have 5 days to explore and make some amazing memories. Its easy to be sad about carrying your bag or being tired or missing home but you only have 5 days. Make the most of it. 

I made some memories I will never forget, with some amazing people. 

It's not easy, but its possible! 

Watch my D of E Experience : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3leT2KU4FME

Tell me some of your D of E experiences or feel free to ask any questions! 

'til next time...

Hannah xoxoxo