Just breathe

It’s been a tough wee time at VB Hq lately. As someone who struggles daily with anxiety and depression, positive thinking didn’t happen naturally for me. It took a long time, about 10 years in fact to find what I was looking for. I have had depression since I was 14 but only diagnosed with anxiety last year. It’s a constant factor in my every day to day life but with positive thinking I can always see the light bursting through the other side. 

The main thing that has helped me on my journey of positivity is writing. I try to write a journal everyday but it wasn’t working for me so I took to blogging and it has made me feel empowered to say the least. I still write in my goals journal and my “write it down and make it happen” book that pushes me to achieve something from everyday. Be it little steps towards a big goal or finding a new goal altogether. 

I’ve been a bit deflated of late but I feel this is with so much change happening I’m a bit overwhelmed. When this happens it’s a perfect time to take a break and concentrate on the now rather than the future. I find meditating on the things I have achieved and I am grateful for always helps me to ground myself again. 

Meditating isn’t sat there leg crossed omming away to yourself. Meditating comes in many forms, someone might pray and someone like myself writes a list but it’s the focus that is the meditating. Contemplating and relaxation is key and let your mind wander. If your mind wonders to a “bad” thought, try not to let it grow but to visualise putting that problem in a bubble. Now focus on what is the problem, why it’s a problem and then come up with a plan as to how to fix it. For example when my problem was my anxiety I thought about what was flaring my anxiety, it was my neighbours so the solution is to speak with them or move. The bubble in my head then shrunk as I have a plan. After executing the “speak with them plan” which did not work, I knew then that my only solution was to move. Bubble is now tiny as from this problem I now have a goal and a goal that will only be positive. From that problem I could then mediate on the positive of moving home, making a change and making space for the changes I needed. 

Try to mediate everyday if you can. It can be two minutes a day just breathing and allowing your brain to rest for a moment. I usually do mines just before bed and literally count my blessings. 

Jax is currently in bed singing about raisins so I must sign off now. Please let me know if your finding meditating beneficial and your own techniques. 

Love always, Mumma VB x 

Make this house a home

It’s finally time to start doing up the VB abode. This is the part I was most excited about but I obviously forgot that I am the most indecisive person ever. We currently have 5 swatches of different colours of beige on the wall. They all look near enough the same but I still can’t decide. 

On to the other indecision is the painting/staining of all our wooden furniture. It’s currently all Mexican pine and I am torn between a white wash antique which it turns it almost grey or a dark stain that’s all sanded off and makes it look old and actually used. So many decisions! 

I managed to take the plunge and decide on a sofa that is going to be the best for us a family. The previous sofa was super comfy but huge. It also gave zero back support. We have bought the Ikea ektorp sofa which is an actual dream for anyone with kids. The slip cover and all covers are fully washable. This is perfec for someone like myself who loves to clean. The covers are also available to purchase separately so if Jax did decide to do an art piece on the sofa and ruins the thing, the sofa is still usable. 

I can finally see parts of my goal diary coming to play in the house. The shed has big plans and the garden will be transformed come spring but for now the kitchen and bathroom need a huge overhaul. The old flat didn’t have a bath and our house doesn’t either. I LOVE a bath and it’s my number one change to the house. Tomorrow I get to find out if that will happen. 

Little changes to your home can really change how you see it. Adding plants will always make you happier in your home and having less clutter clears your mind. If your feeling stressed by your home then clearing your space will do wonders. Seeing a table full of things you need to do/clear away is only going to stress your head even more. Make breathing space. 

Love always Mumma VB x  

When the going gets tough…

Today has been tough going and it’s not even 14:00 but as they say, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” and I am one very tough cookie. 

The tough times started at 12:00 am this morning as Jax has not slept through the night since we moved here. I think it may be a combination af many things creating one perfect “I’m awake” storm but I have confidence it will pass. Either that or I’m going to eBay chloroform and hope for the best. When we finally gave in and we started the morning Jax was less than impressed about everything so I knew come hell or high water that we were getting out of this house today. Clearly someone heard the “high water” bit so off we went in the rain to look about Oldmeldrum. We finally found the Dr surgery and met our neighbours from both sides at the same time. All whilst Jax screamed blue murder as he was freezing but wanted to play. 

Queue the tough gets tougher part of the day. Jax is currently sleeping (finally) so I am using this time to de stress, do some blogging, some writing and research on fun things to do around here for Jax and I. No matter how positive you make your life sometimes you have to take a deep breath and call the day for what it is. Crap. Then you analyse the day, figure out what aspects you could have changed to make it less crap and you work on getting through the next day putting those changes into effect. 

I hope everyone’s day is filled with adventures and goal kicking achievements. I also hope that I haven’t imbedded the song “going gets tough” into everyone’s heads like I have done to myself. It’s not even the good version it’s boyzone. Oh dear. 

Love Mumma VB x

Our first adventure.

Today was the start of the VB’s going on adventures. The simple pleasure of getting up in the morning and leaving for fun rather than being cooped up inside with little options is amazing. We grabbed a picnic, some cosy clothes and headed off to Macduff aquarium. 

The journey was great fun with the wee dude head banging in the back to kiss whilst munching on some raisins. That lasted about 20 mins before he was soundo and snoring away. Country air and a smooth drive makes for a very sleepy toddler. 

When we arrived at Macduff aquarium we were talking to the desk lady and who should appear but my good friend Claire, Scott and their wee munchkin Angus. They too live in Oldmeldrum and made the day extra perfect. 

The wee ones had a great day running around seeing all the fishes and Jax was super impressed with….3 steps. All the fish there and the kids were obsessed with climbing the stairs. At least they were having fun? 

The day was perfect with a wee picnic in the car in front of the sea. The simple pleasures in life really are the best. Being outside in the fresh air and making memories is more precious and beneficial to your being than any new piece of clothing or bought “thing” to live in your house will ever be. 

Start now and start an adventure. Go alone or with friends but be outside. Make memories and be happy. 

Love always Mumma VB x

Back in business.

I finally have a spare moment! Woohoo! It’s been a while with all the craziness going on that I’ve had time to sit and write but i finally have a moment to myself to update on all the positive malarkey happening here.

We had some pretty last minute news that we had to move a whole day earlier than expected which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. As much as it was a bit of a stress jamming all the last pieces that the van couldn’t take into the car, the drive in the dark was really fun. We got lost for all about 10 mins and country roads all look the same. Not helpful. 

We spent the first hours in our new home frantically building a crib and bumping up and down the stairs with Jax as this is his new favourite thing to do. Stairs are all new to the wee dude. With no where to even sit we went to bed early and started very early thanks to an overly excited Jax. 

The fact we got up and started putting things into place before even 6am meant that by 6pm the whole house was box free. Such a good feeling to get us all back into our routines.

The house is wonderful and every morning as I make breakfast I watch the birds come down and scoff all the seeds from our bird feeder. In the old flat they cut down all the trees surrounding the garden and I missed the sound of leaves and birds so much. 

We still have quite a road of decorating ahead of us but that’s the fun bit. We have already planned lots of adventures with our country living pals and have visitors all weekend. 

I shall work hard this week on writing on how we can make living here even better and start the steps to making this house our wonderful home. We have received so much in just 2 months that if no more goals were to be scored off our dream board we couldn’t complain one bit. A new house, driving license and car. We have aced this year already. 

I urge everyone to write a list of all the goals you wish to achieve and start getting them done. It’s amazing how things will fall into place just from writing and putting what you want out into the universe.

Love Mumma VB x   

Nearly there!

The move is so nearly here! We are all so excited. We were given the news yesterday that the move date has had to be moved forward due to the removal van being booked out on Saturday. This was a bit of a spanner in the works as all the VB’s have been hit with a bug and I was the last one to be hit. I am the only one able to do the packing as Daddy VB is working hard so that’s a few days of no packing having to be condensed into 1 and a half days. 

I am staying truly positive about the situation though and trusting that the change of schedule is going to work out for the better. Sometimes things change and it can seem scary when you have organised and planned so much around it but trust that no matter what happens, you will make it through and that it is only a slight bend in a road. If anything it’s making your road more of an adventure. 

Now to start this new adventure with food. Getting over this bug has made me super hungry. 

Love Mumma VB x 

Busy being busy.

I’m super late in posting this blog piece but there has been so much going on of late I have been non stop so here’s a wee update. 

Since we got the move to the new house it’s been a bit chaotic in the VB residence with packing and clearing whilst trying to juggle keeping the wee dude entertained. Box forts and Cheerios have been the savour of late. As someone who absolutely hates clutter and mess it has been really hard and I am trying to prepare for it to get harder as we enter the very last few days of living here. 

The main saviour however is that Daddy VB has his new car. Super happy to have the freedom of driving around to get things rather than waiting days for delivery. He’s still new to the whole car thing but it’s been brilliant. The joy we will have driving away from here to our new home will be incredible. I’m so excited! It really is the simple things like being able to get a food shop on our first day in our new house that makes all the difference. 

Unfortunately there is a tummy bug in the VB house just now which seen me up at 12:20 am on my birthday with the wee dude and now has struck Daddy VB. A wee dent in the road but we always stay positive and don’t focus on the bad. 

I intend to write a big “write it down and make it happen” piece asap but for now the wee one wriggles and I have to go disinfect a bathroom. 

Sending healthy vibes to you all!

Love Mumma VB. 

He only went and passed!

Hi everyone. If you have read my previous posts it speaks about a dream board. Our dream board is a huge chalkboard painted wall with all our goals for the future written on it. One of our main goals was to move home which we do on Saturday next week! The other main one was for daddy VB to pass his driving test which he knocked out of the park today. 

Yesterday I spoke with Daddy VB and he was being a bit negative about it all in his nervousness. We went to the dream board and we changed our goal from pass driving test to pass driving test tomorrow. I then starting writing in my book about how Daddy VB had passed his test. I wrote about how amazing it felt, how I clapped a lot and how funny his post of Facebook was. 

Today as I was dressing Jax for swimming lessons I started clapping. I got all giddy and excited and I could tell he passed. So much so I was shouting at my phone “hurray up and call me!!” I just knew he passed. We left the house for swimming with still no phone call but half way there we got the best news that he passed.

This is huge for the making of the rest of the goals on the board. The VB’s are going to finally be able to go on proper adventures and it will will make the move to the country so much easier. 

The power of positivity is incredible. The start to the VB’s year has been awesome and it’s not even February yet. I send love and positivity to everyone with the biggest grin ever. 

Love mumma VB. 

Motto to live by

Recently I have found signs and quotes to be quite helpful to inspire me when I am feeling down or in need of some inspiration. I have always said my motto in life is “build a bridge and get over it”. Whether I intend to build that bridge after I cross is completely up to me but it is the crossing over and making physical or emotional steps to “get over” it that is the main focus. 

I have also noticed that I use the word “grow” a lot. Be it growth in myself as a person, my dreams and goals or actually growing real things. When we move I have great plans to be surrounded in plants and gardens. The growing of anything from cress or a super simple cactus is beneficial for everyone. 

Do you have any inspirational quotes or sayings that get you through tough times? I have always loved the famous words from Bill and Ted. “Be excellent to each other” If everyone was a bit more excellent to one another then the world would be way less bogus. 

Party on dudes! 

It’s not always roses

Today Mr VB and myself went to say our final goodbyes to his grandad who sadly passed away to lung cancer. It was a beautiful ceremony and was filled with many family and friends. Although it was hard to say goodbye, hearing about his wonderful life made today beautiful. 

He was a Gordon highlander for 22 years and went all the over the world. He brought up 5 amazing children and had a wonderful life full of amazing adventures. His story will help inspire us both to keep making happy memories. To have as many adventures as he did and to always work hard for what we believe in. 

RIP grandad Leonard. We love you dearly.