Whenever I feel anxious or overwhelmed, I focus on my breath. I take a few deep breaths and then I switch from the short shallow breaths of anxiety and overwhelm to take slow deep breaths instead. This helps to calm me down and makes me able to focus on what else I need to do to help me calm down and lessen my anxious feelings.

I remember what a friend says to me when I tell them I’m anxious and feel like I’m drowning, because, let's face it it can feel like we can't get our breath. She always says to think of five things I am grateful for. Only five, but I often end up thinking of many more than that.

This wasn't the post I was expecting to write next as I'm recently back from my first solo holiday in Edinburgh, and I wanted to write a review of those few days. But I felt compelled to write the following after having a few bad days last week after returning home.

When you suffer from mental health problems, it's important to remember that a bad day can just be that, a bad day. It doesn't necessarily mean you're possibly on the precipice of slipping into another hole.

It's taken me several years to learn how to appreciate things. As my health improved, as did my appreciation and the positive cycle goes on; the more you appreciate, the healthier you become. In the early days of this journey, the things I appreciated were my home, that my money was my own, that I could do what I wanted and when I wanted; I didn't need to check with anyone when I wanted to do something or go somewhere, breakfast in bed and a rejuvenating shower in the morning.

This was another prompt I was struggling with until I read the definition. Until then, I was thinking of it as of how I soothe others, but as I don't have a significant other, I was wondering if I would be able to write anything for this day. Now, I read it as the methods I've learned on my path over the last decade and more to look after myself when I've no one else to do that for me.

Eleven years ago, I thought I would have a fuller, happier life than I walked away from, within a few years. While in reality, it took so much longer than that. I now have most of that life that I envisioned all those years ago, although there are a few things I'm still working towards. But that is okay because I'm the happiest, healthiest, most confident I have ever been.

I'm a hugger. I love giving and receiving hugs. It helps to heal sickness, disease, loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress. Hugs in greeting a friend, family member, as a thank you, in celebration, in commiseration or just because.

I live in one of the wettest places in the UK. We're often talking about how much it's rained and as soon as the sun comes out to play, the summer clothing comes out of mothballs and all the arms and legs are suddenly on show as well as a lot of guys having a t-shirt shortage. Everyone you know locally has an impromptu barbecue and all the ice cream and bags of ice and are bought from the supermarkets. Is this a British thing or just a northern thing?

Music can lift you out of a slump and completely change your mood. I find it important to have different music depending on what I need. I have relaxing music, uplifting music and music that gets me up and moving.