Welcome to the second and final part of Reading Myself Back To Life, in which I share some of the books that had quite the impact on me in 2020. If any of these books have found their way into your life too, I’d love to know. Or if you intend on getting any, I’d… Continue reading Reading Myself Back To Life: Books I Read In 2020 (Part II)
One of the saddest things about depression is how it cunningly and cruelly siphons away passion. In 2019 I found that I was gradually losing grip on all the things that had once meant so much to me. There came a point where I found it impossible to enjoy the music and art that had,… Continue reading The Story So Far Of Battle Jacket #2
I feel extremely fortunate to have the friends I have. Their generous sharing of wisdom has - especially over the past year - helped me find a way forward, through the treacherous mires of depression, heartache and creative disconnection. There were times when a comment or message would have such a profound impact on me,… Continue reading Shamans Were Often Lonely Too – Words Of Wisdom From Friends On Social Media
I had the grandest of plans for the first seven days of January 2021. I was going to write and take a photo everyday and write some more and drink lots of water and consume less salt and journal and run every morning and go to bed at 10.30 and get up at 7 and… Continue reading The First Week Of January & How It Went
I had been avoiding my email inbox for ages, but yesterday, when my first poem of the year was refusing to come together, I found myself sneaking in to have a peek around and found an unread newsletter from the brilliant Austin Kleon. At the top of the newsletter was a link to Austin’s 100… Continue reading 2020 In 100 Good Things
They met above the tallest fir in the forest. The encouragement that I've received from you wonderful people who read my blog has helped to spur me on today. It's been an extremely challenging 1st of January. Emotions that I thought I'd buried, resurfaced and I didn't know how to push them back down. I… Continue reading They Met Above The Tallest Fir In The Forest
I spent most of the past two years in a depression so deep and dark I never imagined I’d be able to claw myself out. My creativity fled quietly and quickly. My mind, which was always teeming with ideas, was deserted. Days, which were once busy and beautiful and inspired, became dismal and distressing and… Continue reading I Am Healing My Life Through Photography
Bloody hell. It feels strange to be blogging. I decided to start typing before my anxiety got the better of me. Folks who have been coming here for a while will know that quite a long time ago - about 18 months - I went into a depressive episode and started to lose my ability… Continue reading The Darkest Days – A Photography Project
The other day, somebody told me that I 'suck at conversation.' Despite thinking 'that's a bit rude...' I whispered to myself, 'yeah, I know.' Since this depressive episode started over a year ago, I've struggled massively to have deep, meaningful, satisfying conversations. Depression has made me dumb, uninteresting and quiet. Very, very, very quiet. Last… Continue reading I Need To Start Over
I never used to be nervous about writing a blog post. I never used to start and stall, start and stall. I never used to fret about what people might think of how I was expressing myself. But things are different now. I am nervous. I am starting and stalling. I do worry about what… Continue reading I Am In The Strangest Place
Celebrating the strange and the shadowy, the damned and unseen 