Confident Minds Swindon

These guys are great to follow and their monthly planners are a fab way to bring some positivity in your life on a daily basis

Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day ⛅️ Join us for Joyful June and discover how to create more everyday joy https://actionforhappiness.org/joyful-june

Had a well needed break last week with my children, weather was glorious and we had such great fun making memories! Everyone needs a break from the hum drum of every day life every now and then. I'm back and feel ready to take on the world! In the meantime here's some photos to show you what a fab time we had.

Have you got young ones currently taking their exams? Some great advice here on how to support them.

What are the physical and psychological signs are of anxiety ?

Can you relate to any of these?

So it seems my LinkedIn account has been hacked! I have reported this but in the meantime if you need me, please message me on here.

Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness week, with the theme being anxiety.

What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is diagnosed as "a worry or fear that is severe" We all have anxieties but for some, this becomes such an issue that it's impossible to live life fully. It can stop people going out, stop people from socialising, develop phobias and can also lead to depression.

What can we do to support someone suffering with anxiety?
Recognise the signs - these can be nervousness, stress or fatigue, headaches, muscle pains, difficulty sleeping and obsessive thoughts to name a few!
Validate their feelings – never tell someone their worries are stupid or that their being irrational. They don’t need to be told that, what they do need is to know that you are there for them, that you care and that you are always available to listen and support.
Encourage them to focus on what they can control – When someone suffers with anxiety, it can all seem too much. Encourage them to think about where they can make small changes to make life a bit easier.
Try a grounding exercise with them – help them to spot 5 things they can see, 4 things they can feel, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 good thing about themselves.

What can we do when we experience anxiety?
Don’t avoid situations, although certain scenarios may seem too much avoiding them is not the answer. Take baby steps, think of a ladder and work your way to the top using those around you to support you. Don’t forget to congratulate yourself when you get to the top!
Exercise – try a spot of yoga, go for a walk, try a boxing class, anything that gives you something else to focus on
Keep a diary – write down when you are worrying and go back to what you were doing. Many people allow themselves 5 or 10 minutes every day to worry. Get your list out and worry then. This stops it becoming all encompassing and leaves your mind free to concentrate on what you’re doing
Be kind to yourself – there will be setbacks, don’t take this as a fail, we all have good and bad days. The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone!

Anyone that know me well, knows I hate social media! I believe it's responsible for so many anxieties, can cause depression / make it worse, is catastrophic to someone needing help, steals time away from those around you, makes you lose interest in what should be important and is the biggest time waster! Too often I hear "I only use it when I'm bored" or "its a good way to fill 5 minutes when I'm not doing anything" what happened to allowing ourselves to be bored? That's when a lot of the great ideas are formed!

This article makes for a good read and explains a lot of the science behind what I believe.

What's your view? Do you think social media is a good thing or are you in agreement with me?

Researchers explore effect of Instagram, TikTok on psychological well-being Instagram and TikTok are two of the fastest-growing social media outlets in the U.S., offering entertainment and connection to a world-wide community with the ease of a finger swipe. Despite their growing popularity, little research has focused on the association between the specific use of Instagra...

A little about me. I’m Kirsty and I run Confident Minds, I’m very passionate about mental health, believe it is as important (if not more due to the hidden side of it) as physical health and I want to educate as many as possible on the signs etc of mental health.

I became interested in mental health by accident. It was being offered as part of my full-time role and I thought it would look good on my CV! Upon attending the course however, I was blown away with how serious poor mental health can be and my fire was ignited so to speak!

I have suffered with anxiety for as long as I can remember. I have the same “what if” voice that thousands of people also have, the same thoughts when I let people down, the same guilt when that voice tells me I’m not good enough, the same physical feelings such as headaches, tummy issues, sweating, going red in the face, shaking. I understand what it feels like to push yourself so far out of your comfort zone you’d rather run away and hide.

I have a teenage son who was diagnosed as autistic whilst at primary school, alongside his autism he suffers with anxiety and has OCD tendencies. Throughout his life I have felt very alone, like I’m a bad parent, like I did something wrong, like I can’t give him the support he needs. Imagine having your child or someone close to you tell you they are considering su***de; would you know how to support that individual? Thankfully, having the mental health training has given me the confidence to spot the signs, to know what his limits are and most importantly know where to turn for help.

Having also been affected by su***de when I lost someone close to me, I am grateful that I had the training behind me and was able to practice some of the self-care I learnt and was able to support those around me who had also been affected.

I also have a daughter who has just reached her teenage years and we all know the stress they bring! But I am going into it knowing that whatever she throws at me, I am prepared to deal with it and can support her in many ways.

I’m not perfect, I still have my “off days” and I still let opportunities pass me by due to my anxiety but I am far more confident because I know the reasons why and what I can do to help myself. Now I want others to feel as empowered as I do!

I regularly face people struggling with their mental health and would love to see a world where people are not judged, where we can be who we want to be, fear free, where if we find ourselves struggling and needing a bit of support there is always somewhere there who knows how to respond. Where they are not told “you’re having a bad day, pull yourself together” or “man up”

So that’s me, in a nutshell! I’d love to find out about you and look forward to working with you all and instilling the confidence I have, in you!

Happy Easter everyone. The weather is set to be glorious so if you can, get out and enjoy some fresh air, spend time with those that count and practise some self care. If things are too much here's some helplines you can call for support.

5 reasons why it's a good idea to invest in mental health training.

April is stress awareness month, some great tips for self care here from Mental Health First Aid England

April is Stress Awareness Month, and we are supporting The Stress Management Society with their theme, Act Now.

It’s important we create a society where everyone feels more confident to talk openly about the causes of stress and ways to manage it.

Take action to manage your stress well by learning some new, helpful coping strategies. Our free resource can help: https://bit.ly/40q5nvA

Very excited to see these arrive today! If anyone would like some to hand out on my behalf please let me know. Massive thanks to Steve Biggles for sponsoring me by purchasing them for me! I'm feeling very supported.

Had a great morning with She Means Business Networking Swindon meeting lots of lovely ladies and hearing different ideas for all our companies. Looking forward to the next one!

Did you know 17 million working days are lost per year due to stress, anxiety or depression in Great Britain?

By training staff to become mental health first aiders you can not only potentially lower this figure for your business but also show others you care about the wellbeing of your workforce and you take mental health seriously.

Below is an idea of what you can expect on our course, its a safe space for all and there are no tests in order to pass. It's a two day course which will be run over two consecutive Saturdays or over one weekend, whichever you prefer. They can be run in person or online so are flexible to your requirements.

If you are interested please contact me and we can discuss an option that will work for you. If you're not interested please share!

Today it's mother's day, a day that for some, won't be full of flowers, presents and kind words. If that's you, take it easy, indulge in some self care, have a break from social media, but most of all know you are not alone.

Had a great time at the spring fayre, thank you to everyone that came out to support local businesses!

I'm here all set up and looking forward to meeting you!

This is definitely a step in the right direction, if companies train people to recognise the signs, hopefully more people can be supported. The skeptical side of me worries that companies will do it as a "tick box" exercise but who knows? They might ignite someone's hidden passion which can only be a good thing! What are your thoughts on this? Do you think companies should be made to have a trained mental health first aider working for them or do you think it's not necessary?

Mental health first aid law proposed in parliament Requiring businesses to offer mental health first aid training would save lives, campaigners say.

Don't forget to pop down to BSS House tomorrow between 10am and 3pm! There's shopping, crafts, an Easter bonnet parade, refreshments from the onsite cafe, free parking and best of all it's all under cover so no getting wet from the rain / snow! Hope to see you there.

Looking forward to bringing some Spring crafts and fun to Bizspace Spring Craft Fayre

Part of my passion is removing the stigma associated with mental health. All of our training classes are safe spaces, no one is judged, everyone is heard, no question is silly, we even have a bit of fun!

If you are interested in knowing more about mental health, or you want to know how to support someone in crisis, or you have a company and you want to help remove the stigma by training your staff to become mental health first aiders, please contact me. If not, please share this post so I can reach a wider audience.

Thank you 🙂

Happy International Women's Day to all the brave, inspiring women out there!

Amen to that! Have a great weekend all!

I will be here and it would be lovely to see some friendly faces, if you're free pop by and say hi!

Looking forward to bringing some Spring crafts and fun to Bizspace Spring Craft Fayre

Massive thanks goes to One Vision Signs Ltd for helping me with my logo. Hopefully you all agree it looks fab!