Gum on My Shoe

May you be proud of the work you do, the person you are, and the difference you make. (Unknown) I’m a great believer in celebrating success , no matter how great or small it might seem in the grand scale of things. It’s healthy to take pride in our achievements, and to acknowledge those of our friends and loved ones. Those four little words — I’m proud of you — can mean so much. With that in mind, I’d like to share three blog posts I’m especially proud of writing. An Open Letter to My Bipolar Best Friend Read the full post here . This is the first piece that came to mind when I started thinking about which posts I’m most proud of. I love the open letter format, and have written several, including one to Fran to mark ten years of friendship , and letters to my late mother and father . This first one to Fran, though, is special. Written in May 2016, it captures the essence of what we’re about, our journey as friends, and my personal journey in the mental health arema...

Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne, England Fran and I enjoy sharing our lives as much and as richly as possible. That’s not always easy, given that we live three thousand miles apart, but few things are out of scope if you approach them with a little creativity! We often meet on video calls while we’re out and about, either locally or when we’re on vacation. The sounds of traffic and bird song. The trees and flowers, houses and gardens. Public transport and passers-by. All these and more take on a fresh vitality when shared with a friend, especially one who lives on the other side of the world. In this post I‘d like to share visits we‘ve made to the keynote art galleries in our respective cities: Portland‘s Museum of Art, and the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne. Robert Indiana's Seven outside Portland Museum of Art, Portland, Maine The Portland Museum of Art Earlier this year, Fran took me to visit the Portland Museum of Art . It wasn’t the first time we’ve...

By Paul Saunders-Priem Introduction I first met Paul and his lovely wife Fiona in July 2018 on a bench overlooking Derwentwater in the English Lake District. We hit it off immediately and exchanged details before parting company. I had the pleasure to accompany them on one of their urban rambles around my home city of Newcastle a few years later. I recently shared a link on social media to the Mental Health Foundation’s positive mental health image library . Paul commented that “Walking is a great way to manage your mind wellbeing. Been doing that most of my life!” Not one to let the opportunity of a guest post escape me, I asked if he’d consider sharing his thoughts and experiences for Mental Health Awareness Week . This brilliant piece is the result. Thank you, Paul.   Moving More for Our Mental Health By Paul Saunders-Priem From birth you are overcoming the urge to be still. Think then move is the most basic human thing to do. This comes with a catch called c...

We tend to forget that baby steps still move you forward. — Unknown On the evening of my birthday back in March I was talking with my friend and fellow mental health blogger Aimee Wilson. Amongst other things we discussed our ideas for Mental Health Awareness Week and its theme of moving more for our mental health . I found it ironic given that I’d just posted an article – The Joy of Missing Out: Not Doing Things Is a Thing I Do Now – in which I shared how I no longer had much interest in “going out and doing things.” With a few exceptions I prefer to spend my personal time sitting in my favourite coffee shop, writing. Although this wasn’t as beneficial to my physical health as the walking I used to do on a regular basis, it did allow me to think things through and explore whatever was going on for me internally. The very next day on my way into the office, I was presented with a choice. The second of my two trains was delayed. I could wait half an hour on the platform, t...

Check out our top posts for the past month. Posts are listed by the number of page views they attracted during the month, most popular first. Shhhhhhh! A Friend’s Guide to Secrets The Box on the Shelf: A Strategy for Handling Difficult Issues and Situations How to Use a Spreadsheet for Wellness and Self-Care It’s Not Enough / Never Enough I’m on My Way: Thoughts Inspired by Ed Sheeran’s ”Castle on the Hill” We Are Only Asked to Love: Celebrating 18 Years of TWLOHA I Hope We All Make It The Future Will Be Confusing Why Are You Here? Thoughts Inspired by “The Cafe on the Edge of the World” Thank You Anyway: The Gift of Ingratitude Our most visited pages were: Contact Us Our books Resources About Us News and Appearances Testimonials   Photo of Etal village, Northumberland by Martin Baker.  

Want a one size fits all solution to your mental health problems? You’re cured with The Button! This article was inspired by a brilliant spoof mental health infomercial by VLDL (Viva La Dirt League). Before reading any further, I suggest you check it out. If you don’t laugh at some point this post probably won’t interest you. If you squirm a little, you’re in good company. I don’t want to spoil the surprise if you decide to watch it later, but the basic idea is they’re selling a handy gadget — a big red button — to help when someone is struggling and comes to you for support. Why inconvenience yourself figuring out the right thing to say when a press of the button will generate exactly what your friend or loved one needs to hear? Needless to say, the button’s suggestions are hopelessly inadequate, inappropriate, or just plain daft. Have you tried being more positive? It could always be worse. Happiness is a choice. Have you tried chamomile tea? It’s all just in you...