جيهان حسنى

AD |  This post is written in partnership with M&S as part of an on going collaboration.  Bar the fact I like to look stylish, well put together and quite frankly cool as fuck, my number one priority when it comes to how I dress is, to be comfortable. Having a chronic pain condition, well it sucks. I am always in pain, always trying to best deal with my many symptoms and continually trying to make my life/body as comfortable as possible. Without making this blog post a list of Fibromyalgia side effects, I thought I'd share some of the things that I find keep me as comfy as possible when I am out and about doing my thing. So, it's January, and I'm going to start with the obvious issue that can make this month/time of year pretty uncomfortable when you have chronic pain... it's cold and wet, and this can play havoc with your joints/muscles! I wrote a tweet last week that basically said I am half in the mindset that I want to smash 2019 and make it the most productive ...

City life can be exhausting. Heck, life, in general, can be exhausting. It can be stressful, hectic and the weeks can speed past. Before you know it, you're worn out, feeling frazzled, and the only thing you seem to do is work, commute, sleep, repeat. Now, that's not how life should be. Life is for living and obviously work is a vital part of existing, BUT it's so important to get a balance, so we don't burn out. As I have gotten older and I've learnt how to pace myself (because of my chronic pain condition), I've mastered the art of taking time out to just 'be'. Taking time out for yourself is so important. You need time to recharge, reset and relax! When was the last time you did something for yourself? More importantly, when was the last time you did something for yourself and felt no guilt? If you're a busy Mum or Dad or carer for someone, for example, you might find it hard to take time out for yourself. If you can - I highly recommend booking...

On a recent Instagram post, I asked you, my readers for a little bit of help. I asked for some blog post ideas as I lacked in inspiration. Boy oh, boy did you guys come through! The post had hundreds of fantastic, inventive ideas below it and it ignited something inside of me. I have mentioned before that I worry about my writing capabilities, but it's time I just shut up and got on with the task at hand. I CAN write, I CAN articulate myself and let's not forget, I am in charge of what goes on this blog, so I need to suck it up and get typing! One of the ideas shared, was for me to write about my career prior to blogging as well as how I got into blogging. This idea stuck out to me because it was something personal and it meant me sharing a side of me that I haven't touched on before. I am an oversharer, and I find it very easy to do this face to face with people, why not bring that over to my blog more? As I have progressed with my blogging career, it has dawned on me that...

Over the Christmas period and more recently, because of the freezing cold weather, my chronic pain (Fibromyalgia) and chronic fatigue (CFS) were off the charts. I struggled SO badly and it really, really affected me physically as well as mentally. In order for me to preserve any energy/sanity, I kept myself to myself for a lot of the time. I had to leave my brother's house on Christmas Day to crawl into bed as the pain was so bad. I had to spend Boxing Day by myself instead of going to Winter Wonderland with my family and I spent the days after Christmas up until New Year's Eve, on my own. Who else hides themselves away when their chronic pain or mental health is in pieces? I find that when it's all too much for me; I recoil and shut myself in. The reasons for me doing this are varied, but mostly it's so that I feel less of a burden on those I'm with. I get fed up of lying and saying I'm fine when really I'm not. It is easier not having to explain myself/my...