Two More Blogger Awards!

How lucky do I feel?!  I have been nominated for another 2 blogger awards by two brilliant bloggers, who both write interesting and informative posts about what it is like to live with chronic illness.  It has taken me a while to respond to the nominations, as I am trying to fit blogging around my fatigue and work, but I do appreciate the nominations so much.

First up, I was nominated for the ‘One Lovely Blog Award’ by the very lovely Rhiann from My Brain Lesion and Me.  I love reading Rhiann’s posts as she sums up exactly what it is like to live with chronic illness and she is so supportive to other bloggers.  Please check out her blog!

Rules:

• Thank the person that nominated you and leave a link to their blog
• Post about the award
• Share seven facts about yourself
• Nominate at most 15 other people
• Tell your nominees the good news

Seven Facts about Me:

1. I like nothing better than chilling out on the sofa, a glass of red wine in one hand, fire on, watching really good films.  The most recent one I watched was ‘A Monster Calls’ – an amazing, emotional film.  But not one to watch if you don’t want to spend most of the film sobbing!
2. I love reading but don’t do enough of it.  I have most recently enjoyed books by the author Maggie O’Farrell.  I also recently read Margaret Atwood’s ‘A Handmaids’s Tale’ – it was so good and I can’t believe I waited so long to read it!  We are going on holiday in March and I plan to read loads of books whilst there.
3. I moved from Canada to the UK when I was 12 years old.
4. My favourite season is autumn (especially in Canada -‘fall’)  I love the crisp, bright air, wrapping up warmly, the beautiful colours and the crunchy leaves
5. I am definitely a ‘glass half full’ person, though this has been tested a lot over the past few years
6. My celebrity crush is Michael Fassbender <swoon>
7. I love Pinterest and have used a lot of inspiration from there to style my home.  I would love to say that I am naturally creative but I am greatly helped by pictures!

Heather from Dinosaurs, Donkeys and MS has nominated me for the ‘Valiant Blogger Award’.  Thank you so much for the nomination!  Heather’s blog covers what it is like living day to day with MS and she shares some pretty awesome recipes too.

Liz of Daily Warriors created this amazing award.  Please have a look at the Hall of Valor to see who else has been nominated and find links to their inspirational blogs.

RULES:
1. Post the award on your blog.
2. Provide a link to the Hall of Valor .
3. In 200 words or less, share about the greatest challenge in your life and HOW you got through it.
4. Give one piece of advice to people who are struggling with something in their life.
5. Thank the person who nominated you, and nominate a new blogger for the award

My Greatest Challenge

My greatest challenge is without a doubt living with MS.  I was diagnosed almost 25 years ago at the age of 15 and, although it didn’t affect me massively at first – bar for a few relapses – it was when it progressed to Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) that the challenges really began.  By this time, I had had my two children and had led a relatively ‘normal’ and very active life, so suddenly having limitations was very challenging.

In terms of how I (try) to get through it, I just aim to get by day to day; I do this by trying to help myself as much as possible:

* Eating an OMS-friendly diet makes me feel like I am doing everything I can to help myself

* Meditation helps me feel calmer and yoga makes me feel better physically

* Spending time every day doing things that I love – cuddling my family, reading, crocheting

One Piece of Advice

My one piece of advice would be to TALK.  I spent a long time not really feeling able to talk to others about what I was going through, but once I did (through the mediums of Facebook groups and blogging, initially) it made me feel so much better! Everyone goes through times of struggle.  I have really found who my true friends are – just today I received a lovely random message from an old school friend, who now lives in Indonesia, telling me that he often thinks of how I am getting on.  Talking and self-love  are so important- put your needs first and don’t be afraid to rely on others if needed.  Those that are truly special will not mind at all if you do.

Thank you so much again to Heather from Dinosaurs, Donkeys and MS  and Rhiann from My Brain Lesion and Me for my nominations.  I am so lucky to have ‘met’ so many lovely people through the blogging world 🙂

My nominees for one or both awards go to:

Dinosaurs, Donkeys and MS, My Brain Lesion and Me, A Lion Sleeps in the Heart of the Brave, Matt With MS, Ill With a Hint of Chronic, Meet My MS, Letters from Me, to You, Spoonfuls of Glitter, Skillfully Well & Painfully Aware, Sparkle with UC, Invisible Illnesses, The Purple Almond, Fearless, Smiling Dreamer

Thanks for reading 🙂