The Things We Don't See

In this episode, I chat to the lovely, Hollie Hawkridge, whose relationship with her partner Dan got put to the test when she started losing her sight and found out that she may one day go completely blind. Hollie shares her story of dealing with the initial reaction after being told such life-changing news, how the couple coped as a result and what had to change in order for them to make their relationship work. Hollie learnt lessons which were invaluable to her, but could also be applied to any relationship in one way or another.

What do you do when tensions start running high between you and your beloved during lockdown? in this episode, I ask the internet to find out!

This week, I took to the internet to find out what people's biggest insecurities are and whether there is any strength to be found in insecurity itself.

How do you deal with consistently broken promises in a relationship?

I am a freelancer, which can - at times - be a very inconsistent lifestyle to lead, full of ups and downs. In today's entry, I talk a little bit about how this affects me in my everyday life.

I am knee-deep in TEDx rehearsals, but finding it so hard to keep my mind on the matter at hand!!

The fun and games of exploring a Christmas market when you can't see!

When you dress up as an elf and suddenly people start reacting to you differently!

My experience looking in the Men's Department!

today, i spent HOURS working on a project which didn't really pay off for me at all. It was a long and arduous process, but i think i managed to learn some things from it along the way!

We all like to pretend that our houses are pristine - but i had NO opportunity to do that when some unexpected visitors arrived. Here is the utter chaos which ensued. How should I have handled this?

Ever copped out of doing something because you didn't know how and convinced yourself you would break things if you tried? Sure, me too. Today was a day of technological challenges OVERCOME! Sometimes small victories are the very best kind.

I have many thoughts which come up throughout my day, so I decided to brain dump them onto a fun little chatette of a podcast. Each day i record will have its own little nugget of my very own brand of wisdom for your listening consumption. This episode was inspired by the fact that when I came into record this evening, (following my brilliant lightbulb moment) the technology was very much against me and I had to push through that so I could crack on anyway. i also discuss the temptations of editing ANY imperfections out f my work and hence decreasing the authenticity. As you can hear, somehow I resisted the temptation and made the podcast happen! :)

Charlotte came home from work one day to discover her stepdad dead inside their living room. In the first of a two-part interview, I talk to Charlotte about the impact that had on her then, the emotional journey she has been on since that point and the important role which counselling has played in her life.

It is so easy to stay stagnant on a project, idea or in a part of your life you were once so excited about. Today I discuss how you can break out of this funk and how to start moving forward again. Are you the one holding yourself back?

Sometimes we are selective about the sides of people that we choose to see. We can often tell ourselves that somebody is a "great person" even when they are not treating us great at all. If we can become aware of this, we can more easily determine the kind of people who might actually be great for us. in this episode, I explore this concept and how it can be overcome.

In this episode, I discuss what it is like to go through the loss of a loved one. I tell ny own personal story of this, (regarding the recent passing of my aunty) talk about how those who succeed in life are not necessarily better than we are, explore our need for extreme bravery in certain situations where we don't have a choice but to rely on this, express some of my own personal coping strategies and some suggestions of how to help others through loss and what we must rememver of those who we are no longer able to be with.

In this episode, I talk about acceptance. I tell my own story of acceptance and about accepting my disability, I look at the psychology of acceptance and some of the negative connotation associated with the word, I discuss the experience of a lady on a cancer ward and how she views acceptance and I give you a new perspective on how you might view acceptance in your own life. Let me know your thoughts on the topic. What are you trying to accept and what helps you to come to terms with difficult situations?

In light of Halloween, I decided to make this episode all about fear. I talk about my own emotional fears involving sight loss, the psychology behind fear and where phobias come from, tools to help you start to navigate your way through situations in which you are afraid and how we can best tackle our own and others fears. I would also love to hear from you about what it is that you fear and any strategies which help you overcomes your fears. Get in touch!

The Things We Don't See is a motivational podcast designed to look at people's inner-struggles, based on their emotional and mental health, to identify ways to help improve these areas in our own lives and to learn from the experiences of others. In this episode, I talk about my own, personal experience of how my sight has impacted on my mental health, lay out the premise for the podcast and introduce the idea that there are many things in life which we don't see, both in other people, as well as in ourselves. I discuss my journey and how I have changed from when I was young, to going to university and finding indepence and acceptance as a young woman. I explain how my confidence has been shaken at times and how depression and anciety have played a part in making me who I am today. I highlight how my blindness has always been something I have wanted to hide from other people, so that it would not taint how they viewed me as a person. I also want to hear from you about what it is that you are hiding from the world. What is it which you wish nobody else could see? Get in touch!