On your bike

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Breathing in that air, feeling the push of each muscle from my toes to my calves each one bringing us closer to our destination, allowing me to be with myself right there in that moment without the thought of negativity. As my mind begins to wander I quickly snap back slap bang into the reality as I cannot get lost in thoughts for long. On a bicycle you are without effort being mindful, it is 100 percent crucial whilst on a bicycle or you’ll stop. This is one of lifes great pleasures. The absolute independence, the feeling of being right there in that moment, thanks to one very simple contraption.

Each breath I feel, smiling as we pass by others and taking in the views. Still my mind focused on my body and the mechanical process of the bike completely at ease and without everyday distractions. She’s right there in her own little world, sat in the back taking in her surroundings without need for a thing as she can see me right there as I lead us to wherever we please. This is my outlet, where I find my balance such a simple thing and so very under appreciated. Without knowing I have always used this outlet I have cycled most of my life but now as I learn more about myself I have found out that this is the greatest form of technique to live with any sort of mental obstacles and having a bicycle again with the added extra of a trailer for beau is an absolute God send whilst trying to practice mindfulness and to achieve a much greater balance in life.

‘Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving’ Albert Einstein

This connection is much better than your wifi

First of all let me just hold my hands up and tell you I’m guilty of this myself. I do it without even thinking but less so now putting myself in her shoes. I hate being ignored. I really dislike having a full blown conversation with another adult but being the only one listening as the disregarded words trail off without acknowledgement and the other person sits engrossed in something much more interesting than real life conversation. Why? Because another world is much more interesting.

I am not going to contradict myself and say that I never use my phone or social media. But I have realised how much I did and how much in the modern world we rely on our phones. So much so we miss what’s actually going on in REAL LIFE. Far too busy documenting and telling the social media world what is happening right in front of our eyes. So much that we forget to live in the actual moment, breathing in the present. Distracting ourselves from the here and now. Especially as parent’s. Unfortunately I witness it the parenting world everyday. Children don’t care for the hashtags and the statuses we write. They care for the steps you take next to them as they climb up the slide, the belly aching giggle as you live right there with them giving them your undivided attention.  

Like I said at the start, I’m guilty myself I’ve only recently in the past year joined social media again, after a four year break. At first I said “I will just get Facebook to share pictures with family that don’t live close” months later I find myself accepting friends requests from people who live close by, had my number and address but didn’t actually bother with us when disconnected from the social media platforms. But I guess that’s how it is these days call them ‘friends’ Facebook but are they, really? 

Getting back to my point, I’ve realised how much It takes over our day to day life. We need our phones they are brilliant and the technology is amazing, we connect with other people we would not necessarily cross paths with if not for social media. A connection to people not just locally but worldwide!

But let’s not let your WiFi connection disconnect us from your actual world. Put the phone down when we don’t NEED it wether your in the house or out. Let’s open our eyes take in those beautiful views and breathe in that fresh air and emotions that come with it, just being with ourselves and each other.

Let’s connect in depths that our WiFi can’t compete with. ❤

Positivity is key.

When she sleeps and she’s not by my side it comes. It niggles at me like an itch I cannot scratch. Next thing I’m upstairs checking shes okay even though I put her on the bed safe checked she had plenty of room. Her soft expression on her face, as she dreams. She’s safe and breathing. but still its there.

Whilst I check the trailer is attached, her helmet is on and wont come off. Four maybe five times?  When I check the door is locked I know that I locked it but yet I check again. When he hasn’t text to tell me he got there safe it’s still there, niggling at me. But what will it achieve trying to reassure myself four, five times more?

It’s not something you can shrug off for long unfortunately. It comes like a punch to the head but stays like a dark cloud looming over you. You probably recognise the feeling if your unfortunate enough, Yep its anxiety. I’ve had to live with this for years the feeling of panic and dread.

Recently after seeking help by help I mean someone on the outside to talk to – through my doctors. I discovered mindfulness and positive thinking.

I have always had such a negative outlook after a tough upbringing but after the birth of my daughter it changed. I wasn’t depressed any more or angry. I was worried, scared and anxiety played a big part in this but by taking a few steps I have learnt to live with it.

Step one – Admitting and seeking help

Step two – Finding something that works for me. in my case this is learning the art of mindfulness and positive thinking. having a generally positive outlook on life 

Step three– Practising what I have learned and applying it to everyday life, for example grounding techniques (when I feel anxious). 

I wont go into it too much.

Everyone is different. If someone suffers with mental illness that does not necessarily mean the next person who suffers from mental illness is going through the same. Some coping mechanisms work for one person that do not work for others.  I feel I can live with it now, my approach to life has changed so much. If you read this and can relate in any way know that there is help out there and it does get better.

Positivity is key in my eyes.

–Loz x

some may call me a hippie

There is no such thing as a perfect parent, we are all learning and its so very hard these days as the media and companies can make a lot of money from new parents by making you doubt your natural instinct.

You can read a million parenting books, scour the internet and Google your head off but the answer will never come up you just have to trust your doing what’s right.

I aim to give her the best – by this I do not mean the best toys, clothes, material things. I aim to give her the best of me, I hope and pray that she grows up knowing she can talk to me about anything, knowing that I will always be there for her, and knowing that whatever she chooses in life she has my support and knowing that she is loved, unconditionally.

‘Gentle Parenting’ to me should really be called normal parenting but unfortunately we live in a society where main stream parenting is the norm. Call me hippie, call me weird but I’m happy to be in the minority. I am proud to be that weird mum who still breastfeeds her two year old, who lets her sleep in our bed, who guides her as she makes her own choices and doesn’t want to control her by using fear. These are my choices and sometimes when around other parents I shy away and hide to avoid the strange looks and judgemental questions but I make these choices to give her the security she needs to help her grow up to be happy with who she is and to look back and see her childhood as a happy place not something she has to recover from like my own.

In order to see the change in the world we have to be the change.

Hope you enjoyed reading this guys gives you a better insight into my way of parenting.

Peace out

My first shot at blogging…

I am super new to blogs so bare with me!

About me- I’m Lauren but preferably known as Loz but most of the time addressed as ‘Mummy’, I recently turned 21 with my biggest achievement raising my little Wanderer, 2-year-old Lilly-Beau.

She and her dad Ben are my biggest inspirations.      

Generally the saying goes I’m a lover not a fighter but I’d also like to add that I aim to be a giver. A giver of Love, Strength, and just all round positive vibes in every aspect of life.

As its my first post I’ll keep it short and sweet. My page will most probably consist of all the things I love, Gentle parenting and trying to live a life with a positive view (whilst along the way inspiring others)

Hope you enjoy my blogging journey, Stay tuned!