I'm sorry that posts are so thin on the ground at the moment. I'm suffering from a major bout of writer's block, and can't seem to break through it, even though I've got ten posts sitting half-finished in my drafts with photos at the ready.
I thought it was a good opportunity to share a mammoth list of posts I've read, enjoyed, been inspired by, or learnt something from over the last month or so. There are well over a hundred links in this post! A big chunk of them are about mental health, illness, and disability, but you'll also find links to body positivity and fat acceptance posts, random acts of kindness tales, and of course, a good dose of animal related stories, too. I don't expect anyone to read any or all of them, but I wanted to share them anyway, for anybody who might find them helpful, or need a reason to smile.
Fat Acceptance / Body Positivity
♥ Daisy Ridley 'will not apologize' for her body size after Instagram criticism.
♥ Fashion designer has the best response to ridiculous plus size shorts advert.
♥ 17 reasons why plus-size women shouldn't wear bikinis.
♥ The #A4WaistChallenge sees women measure themselves against sheets of A4 paper and it's ridiculous.
Mental Health
♥ 4 things I want you to know about lists like '24 things people with anxiety want you to know'.
♥ 5 steps that helped me recover after a suicide attempt.
♥ 5 steps that helped me recover after a suicide attempt.
♥ 25 texts to send a loved one living with depression.
♥ 30 things people with depression want their significant others to know.
♥ 32 unexpected ways mental illness has made people better.
♥ Before I knew it was anxiety, I thought I was dying.
♥ 30 things people with depression want their significant others to know.
♥ 32 unexpected ways mental illness has made people better.
♥ Before I knew it was anxiety, I thought I was dying.
♥ When you're tired of being brave facing depression.
♥ When friends don't acknowledge the pain of depression.
♥ When friends don't acknowledge the pain of depression.
♥ When I would call my Mom to confess intrusive thoughts.
♥ The article I wish I'd Found When I Googled 'Thinking About Suicide.'
♥ A letter to my past suicidal thoughts.
♥ To my little sister who recently attempted suicide.
♥ To the ex-boyfriend who told me 'it could be worse.'
♥ The article I wish I'd Found When I Googled 'Thinking About Suicide.'
♥ A letter to my past suicidal thoughts.
♥ To my little sister who recently attempted suicide.
♥ To the ex-boyfriend who told me 'it could be worse.'
Chronic Illness, Invisible Illnesses, Illness, and Chronic Pain
♥ 3 words that can make a world of difference to a loved one with a chronic illness.
♥ 3 things I don't want to hear when I share about my chronic pain, (and one thing I do).
♥ 4 things being a chronically ill teenager has taught me.
♥ 3 things I don't want to hear when I share about my chronic pain, (and one thing I do).
♥ 4 things being a chronically ill teenager has taught me.
♥ 10 things I wish I knew as a teenager after a chronic illness diagnosis.
♥ 10-year-old designs bathroom sign for people with invisible conditions.
♥ 10-year-old designs bathroom sign for people with invisible conditions.
♥ 18 things people with chronic illness wish their doctor would say.
♥ 19 people with invisible illnesses describe what it feels like to be 'invisible'.
♥ 26 people with fibromyalgia give advice to those newly diagnosed.
♥ 28 people with chronic illnesses explain what 'brain-fog' feels like to them.
♥ 28 people with chronic illnesses explain what 'brain-fog' feels like to them.
♥ 33 people with chronic illnesses share the best advice they've received.
♥ What I wish people knew about my illness, even when I look fine.
♥ What I wish people knew about my illness, even when I look fine.
♥ When I run out of 'spoons', this is what my day is like.
♥ To the people who think my pain is no big deal.
♥ To the people who think my pain is no big deal.
♥ To a friend with a chronic illness who's feeling hopeless.
♥ To the person with a chronic illness who doesn't feel strong right now.
♥ To the person with a chronic illness who doesn't feel strong right now.
♥ When chronic pain is lonely.
♥ Why I'm no longer angry at the friends who drifted out of my life when I got sick.
♥ Why I'm no longer angry at the friends who drifted out of my life when I got sick.
♥ To the person who told me my chronic illness is all in my head.
♥ When you find out the chronic pain you feel isn't all in your head.
♥ When chronic illness makes you feel like a flake.
♥ If Meghan Trainor's 'Dear Future Husband' was written by someone with fibromyalgia.
♥ If Meghan Trainor's 'Dear Future Husband' was written by someone with fibromyalgia.
♥ When I stopped fighting Chronic pain and began living.
♥ When you're 30th birthday doesn't involve fancy attire- or pants.
♥ When you're 30th birthday doesn't involve fancy attire- or pants.
♥ In stunning photos, woman reveals condition she's kept hidden for decades.
♥ When a wonderful lady told me why she thinks I'm inspiring.
♥ Why I stopped saying what I have is CFS.
♥ When a wonderful lady told me why she thinks I'm inspiring.
♥ Why I stopped saying what I have is CFS.
♥ What my parents told me whenever I felt 'different' from other kids.
♥ When you pressure yourself to be a success story of your illness.
♥ What does it mean to be 'rare'?
♥ This girl bleeds from her eyes and nobody knows why. (Warning: graphic photos).
♥ To the doctor who said 'you're too young for this'.
♥ When you pressure yourself to be a success story of your illness.
♥ What does it mean to be 'rare'?
♥ This girl bleeds from her eyes and nobody knows why. (Warning: graphic photos).
♥ To the doctor who said 'you're too young for this'.
♥ A doctor's view of patients with chronic pain disease.
♥ It happened to me; my miscarriage caused cancer.
♥ It happened to me; my miscarriage caused cancer.
♥ Cancer has never looked so beautiful.
♥ This is the sickening wedding 'gift' the UK government just gave a dying woman.
♥ Terminally ill cancer patient stripped of her benefits because she is 'not disabled enough'.
♥ This is the sickening wedding 'gift' the UK government just gave a dying woman.
♥ Terminally ill cancer patient stripped of her benefits because she is 'not disabled enough'.
Disability
♥ To the people who think there is always a visible sign of disability.
♥ Living my life in the grey area of disability.
♥ Parents disgusted after quadruple amputee son's disability was questioned.
♥ Living my life in the grey area of disability.
♥ Parents disgusted after quadruple amputee son's disability was questioned.
♥ Woman with EDS fires back after being accused of misusing disabled parking.
♥ When you're too scared to use your disability parking permit.
♥ 7 awkward situations I've been put in to as a legally blind person.
♥ Woman's very clever tattoo reminds people she's deaf in one ear.
♥ Woman's very clever tattoo reminds people she's deaf in one ear.
♥ Watch the moment this deaf woman hears her boyfriend for the first time... but there's a twist.
♥ To the man at Walmart who laughed at the woman stuttering.
♥ To the man at Walmart who laughed at the woman stuttering.
Faith In Humans Restored
♥ 6 amazing moments of human connection that will have you reaching for the tissues.
♥ 9 acts of kindness that have brought be joy in the midst of pain.
♥ 16 simple but unforgettable random acts of kindness witnessed in a hospital.
♥ When a nurse's kind acts gave me one of my best hospital experiences.
♥ When a stranger noticed me in front of a broken elevator.
♥ Why the selfless acts of others helped my family heal after 9/11.
♥ Mother and 2-year-old daughter fighting cancer together find selfless use of their time.
♥ 12 year old cancer patient uses his 1 wish to feed hospital patients and staff.
♥ Couple hid this note around the house for each other, but what followed is heart breaking.
♥ 101 cats snuggling with stuffed animals.
♥ A baby otter that loves snuggling with stuffed animals- and then drowning them!
♥ A lion, a tiger, and a bear (oh my!) who haven't left each other's sides for fifteen years.
♥ A baby otter that loves snuggling with stuffed animals- and then drowning them!
♥ A lion, a tiger, and a bear (oh my!) who haven't left each other's sides for fifteen years.
♥ A happy ending for Anubis the dog who had his nose cut off because he barked, and was left to roam the city streets alone. (Warning: the photos of his disfigurement might upset or cause distress to anybody with a heart, as he is missing his entire top jaw / snout).
♥ Dog noticed his owner was sad, so he brought her a potato to cheer her up.
♥ This pregnant dog did the best maternity photo shoot you'll ever see.
♥ Purple kitten once used as a 'chew toy' makes stunning transformation.
♥ Norway's radioactive reindeer.
♥ Divers shocked to find dugongs trapped in cages under water.
♥ This guy can't stop saving animals and the photos are pure joy.
♥ Animal shelter gets robbed and the most beautiful thing happens.
♥ Underwear stealing cat leads to the funniest flyer ever written.
♥ 19 pictures of hedgehog bellies that prove everyone has a soft side.
Other
♥ 11 things that happened in Home Alone that would never happen now.
♥ An eerily similar replica of the Titanic is due to set sail in 2018.
♥ Dog noticed his owner was sad, so he brought her a potato to cheer her up.
♥ This pregnant dog did the best maternity photo shoot you'll ever see.
♥ Purple kitten once used as a 'chew toy' makes stunning transformation.
♥ Norway's radioactive reindeer.
♥ Divers shocked to find dugongs trapped in cages under water.
♥ This guy can't stop saving animals and the photos are pure joy.
♥ Animal shelter gets robbed and the most beautiful thing happens.
♥ Underwear stealing cat leads to the funniest flyer ever written.
♥ 19 pictures of hedgehog bellies that prove everyone has a soft side.
Other
♥ 11 things that happened in Home Alone that would never happen now.
♥ An eerily similar replica of the Titanic is due to set sail in 2018.
Thanks for reading!
Have you read anything good lately that you think I should read? Feel free to leave me links in the comments below.
