Painfully Honest

I was actually happy in the photo above  but all I could think was oh no this isn't sitting right on me. I look awful. That was swiftly followed by Am I too old to be going to K-pop concert? What if I look out of place? I knew it wasn't anxiety talking, it was years of having zero confidence and low self-esteem.

Happy New Year

 

Happy new year everyone.  Sorry I haven't posted in a while, the last few months have been hellish but I am getting back on track and should hopefully be back posting soon.

Finding Me

 

Look at me posing for a photo at Tebay services at 2am like I have not a care in the world. At that point I didn't but when we got home from that London trip, reality hit hard.

Stray Kids - London 2025

 

Yes, that is a photo of me posing at Tebay services at 2am, and yes I am in fact wearing a T-Shirt of BangChan and that pineapple meme. Let me take you back to the beginning.

Dance: A Dream Came True

 

When I was 9/10, I found New Kids On The Block and absolutely loved their music. I would play the VHS (yes I am that old haha) of their concert over and over.  It was during one of these many viewing moments that I decided to try and learn some of the choreography.  I would perform it for family any time they came to visit.  That was the day my love of dance was born.

My parents enrolled me in dance classes, disco and majorettes.  I loved every second of my classes and soaked it all up.  There was just something so amazing about learning new choreography and just letting go and having fun.  I picked the routines up quickly and not only did I know the dance for my level, I knew the dances for the levels above me too.  Dancing came naturally to me but that doesn't mean I didn't work hard.  My high school journey started and I stopped dance class to focus on my education but my love for dance certainly remained.

Fast forward to college and after years of dancing in my room and learning the latest Spice Girls or Steps dance with friends, a new and very exciting opportunity and there was no chance I was letting that slip through my fingers. A family friend put together a small group to perform a show for charity,  It was meant to be a one off but as we all had so much fun, we went on to perform again at a night club, again for charity.  I was having the best time.  The we had the chance of one last show and this was going to be the biggest performance and I was most certainly going to be involved.

At the time I was still in my first year at college, so I would attend college Monday to Friday 0am to 4pm.  On a Wednesday evening, we would have 3 hours of rehearsals and the same on a Saturday at the venue.  At first it was hard as I would be tired from college but I loved every single second of those rehearsals.  To make sure I was fully dance fit, I went to a dance class with my former dance teacher on a Friday night for 90 minutes.  So every week I was dancing for 7 and a half hours. I went from a size 16 to a size 12 quickly. A Sunday would be spent with family.  A Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night would be for doing course work and seeing family and friends.  How I managed to do all that I will never know. There is no way I could do that now!!

It wasn't long before the day of the show arrived.  We had one last full run through of the show that afternoon and then it was showtime.  I was a nervous wreck but so excited.  The large dance floor was in the centre of the room and on three sides of the "stage" was the seating area.  We had a crowd of two hundred people.  There were no empty seats and it was amazing to see such a great turn out for a great cause.  We raised money for the Rottenrow Maternity hospital, the hospital where me and my sister were born.  They saved our lives.

For the show we were split into groups.  My group performed B*Witched, Steps and Spice Girls numbers and the whole group performed to the Thank ABBA for the music medley and the females all performed to Madonna Like a Prayer.  We were nuns - good girls gone bad.  The whole evening was magical.  The nerves and all our hard work paid off.  The show was a massive success,

I will never forget that feeling of the lights hitting me, the music starting and the feeling of being free of any worries.  When I dance I am a completely different person.  I become confident and the happiness I feel when I dance is evident to those watching.  I remember when we were performing Tragedy and I had a second to take in the audience, the smiles on their faces, seeing them dance and sing along was just incredible.   It was one of the best nights ever and a dream came true that night - performing on that stage and making people happy. I will never forget it. 

From Limiting Beliefs to New Realities: The Power of Reframing

Kevin became an accredited Solution Focused Hypnotherapist in 2021 after training with the prestigious Clifton Practice. Since then, he has been helping adults across the globe manage issues rooted in anxiety – issues as diverse as hair pulling, stress induced eczema outbursts and binge eating/drinking. But Hypnotherapy is not only for the things we don’t want in our lives, Kevin is ideally placed to support your strategic personal development with his customisable Hypnotherapy for Wellbeing / Personal Development programs. Kevin can be found here: Perma hypnotherapy Edinburgh. Ready to be your best self? . Ready to be your best self? and welcomes your enquiries.

TikTok and YouTube Faves

 

When I first came across TikTok during the pandemic, how has that been 5 years, I wasn't really sure if I liked it. I mainly watched animal videos as they were just the cutest and I certainly never posted anything myself. It was only in the last 2 year that I became more involved with TikTok and I am really glad I did because I found some amazing accounts from awesome people I could relate to. YouTube has always been my go to for videos on everything that I like and I still love that platform as its connected me with a great community too. Here are some of my fave peeps on the apps.

Petition Update - Remove need for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) blood tests before prescribing Hormone Replacement Therapy

 

In April 2023 I opened a petitoin at the Scottish Parliament asking for them to remove the need for the FSH blood test in women aged 40-45 and diagnose menopause on symptoms. I also asked them to make menopause training mandatory. Unfortunately, the petition was closed on December 11th 2024. I feel it was not handled as well as it could have been,

Return To Education

 

Back in school, I did pass my exams but I look back and wish the results were better than that I had more of an effort. A teacher told me that I would amount to nothing and all I would be good for is taking care of my future children or be a nanny. Personally I think thought that was awful as being a mother or working in childcare is hard! At that time (1998) I wanted to work in travel and I went on to gain three travel qualifications (NC, HNC and HND).  After working in travel for a few years, I realised it was not for me. I then went on to work in customer service, mainly within finance. It was in 2008 that I made the choice to return to education.

Taking Back Control

 

The last few years have been really hard on my physically and mentally. Menopause has hit me like a ton of bricks. Palpitations/increased heart rate landed me in hospital convinced I was having a heart attack but all tests were normal. Hot flushes, joint and muscle pains and a list of symptoms as long as my arm started to emerge at a frightening rate. The doctors haven't listened and said I was too young. So with all those symptoms and being dismissed it has had a massive impact on my mood. Anxiety is the worst psychological symptom. It is off the scale. Sadly, this is the norm for many women going through menopause. After almost 3 years of symptoms, its time to take back control.

Recipe: Scottish Raspberry Tarts

 

With autumn just around the corner (yay!) it is time to bring out the recipe book and make some of our favourite treats to enjoy on those darker evenings. Cake and a cuppa, all cosy on the sofa, watching your favourite movie or show. Bliss. So here is my recipe for homemade Scottish raspberry tarts

Midlife - Yikes

 

I turned 44 a few months ago and it really hit me that I am now classed as midlife.  When did that happen?! 

Why I Started Blogging - Quick Read

 

10 years ago I decided to start this blog. It wasn't something I actually gave thought to. It was a random event that led me to blog.

Five Facts About Me

Today I thought it would be fun to share five random facts about me. So here we go:

Menopause: Summer Hacks

 

The last few days have been so warm and as nice as it has been, if you are going through menopause, you may find your hot flushes increase. No-one needs that added warmth on a hot day (or at all).  So with summer well and truly on the go, I have compiled a list of what I do to get me through the sunny days.

Housework Made Easier

Housework, the word that strikes fear in our hearts and has us hiding. Well, it used to be like that for me until I found some cleaning products that made my cleaning routine quicker and easier.

How Simple Changes To Diet Can Make A Difference

 

At some point in our lives we have all wanted to make changes in our diet to help us to lose weight or to simply eat a healthy well balanced diet.  Too often we see fad diets being promoted on social media or in magazines. They are not good for you in the long run. I have always hated my weight and have embarked on some of the fad diets but now I am going through the menopause, I have a much better relationship with food and made simple changes that have been a great benefit in a healthier lifestyle.

Guest Post - I Escaped An Abusive Relationship

 

I would like to thank Sarah* for sharing her story with us.  She hopes that in sharing her experience that it will help someone else get out.of an abusive relationship.

*all names have been changed

Petition Update - Remove need for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) blood tests before prescribing Hormone Replacement Therapy

 

Last year I started a a petition at the Scottish Parliament asking them to consider removing the use of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) blood test when diagnosing perimenopause/menopause. Due to this test being so unreliable, many women have been told, wrongly, that they are not experiencing menopause and are dismissed.  Left to struggle and suffer.  

The Blog Is 10 Years Old

 

The blog is officially ten years old!! 

I want to thank everyone for all their support over the years.  It really does mean a lot to me.

This year I plan on posting a lot more than I have, so stay tune.

Angela