Hello!

Hi! I’m Claudia, welcome to my blog.

I’m a student from the UK and amongst other things, suffer with chronic fatigue syndrome.

I’ve created this space to share my experiences and what has/hasn’t helped me since there seems to be a lack in people talking about chronic illness, particularly as a young person. Also, I love fashion, beauty and lifestyle related things, so there will be plenty of that sprinkled through, too.

So with that said, please enjoy your visit!

Find me on Instagram at @chroniccatnaps

[Disclaimer: all opinions, text and images belong to me unless specified. Please do not copy without permission. Sponsored posts will be clearly labelled as such. Please contact me through the ‘contact’ page for advertisement enquiries.]

Spoonie Girl’s Guide To: Queer Eye Yourself At Home!

Trigger warning: this post contains perhaps too many sassy gifs of Jonathan Van Ness…. enter at your own will! 😂

Hi guys!

Sorry it’s been a little while since I last posted. I’ve been struggling with motivation lately, and just having the energy and willpower to even get up in the mornings. That being said, today’s post is about small ways you can improve your life- as inspired by my binge of the new season of Queer Eye.

If you’ve never watched it, I highly recommend checking it out over on Netflix. It’s basically 5 gay guys that specialise in different areas (culture, fashion, interior design, cooking, grooming) coming together to help individuals improve their lives in a very wholesome way.

I thought I’d compile some similar tips of my own that are easy enough for us spoonies to do, so that we can try spicing up our lives in the Queer Eye way!

1. Interior design- sadly we can’t all have Bobby come over and give us a fab new house makeover, but we can all work with what we’ve got! I recently redid my whole bedroom (walls, furniture etc) which felt amazing, but the biggest difference in my space was the decluttering. I have a whole post on how to approach the KonMari method spoonie style [Spoonie Girl’s Guide to: Tidying Up]. Having your space be more minimal and just what you need can be really refreshing. When everything has a place, it’s much easier to keep things there!

2. Food- firstly, we all need to be drinking water. More than we likely are already. Try getting a reusable bottle and keeping it everywhere with you- by your bed, on your desk etc. It’s crazy how much hydration makes a difference- especially in your mood.

Secondly, meal prepping. On the days where you usually have less to do or you tend to feel better, try making a big batch of healthy food and keeping it in the fridge or freezer for the days when you know you won’t have enough energy to make fresh food. My favourite easy things to do are chilli, curry, soup, stews etc. You can check out r/MealPrepSunday on reddit for loads more ideas!

3. Grooming- JVN’s tips on Queer Eye are generally stuff we should all be doing- some of the blokes on the show are downright unhygienic! So I’ll skip past the ‘use decent products and don’t forget deodorant’ part, and hop to the treat yo’ self bit!

(Yes folks, I used a non QE gif. Parks and Rec is also 10/10 so it can’t be helped). When you’re literally always feeling shitty, doing small things like face masks, painting your nails and doing your hair all cute can really make a difference. I personally don’t like how these treat things are labelled as self-care since I think self-care is more along the lines of eating good, exercising and so on, but for the sake of today I’ll call it self-care. Looking after yourself with these nice things can really make you feel special and less like a bedraggled rat. My favourite things to do are: painting my nails (I like BarryM nail polish), using the Lush Rosy Cheeks face mask and rolling my skincare in with my opal roller (stupidly decadent I know). Find the spa style treats you enjoy!

4. Culture- I think this bit varies person to person, but my all around tips are to meditate and keep a gratitude diary. Meditation is incredible, and has changed my life. I do 10 minutes a day using the headspace app. I have another post on meditation so I’ll link it – [Yoga + Meditation and the Benefits for Chronic Illness Sufferers]. Also, keeping a gratitude journal really makes you feel more positive and open your eyes to the good in your life (which can often be hard to find)- I just have a little notebook where everyday before I go to sleep, I pick out a few things in my day that were good. That might range from ‘had a cupcake’ to ‘passed my exams’ or even ‘got out of bed today’.

5. Fashion- Since we spend a lot of time not doing much but resting, it can seem silly to make an effort to look good. I disagree! And I reckon Tan would, too. You don’t have to get all dolled up but making a tiny effort day to day can make you feel more motivated and less slobby, I suggest making a list of the outfits you actually wear, and then a pinterest board of what you want to wear. Then, see what you can do to improve your wardrobe. Get a friend in to give some advice on what looks good on you, too. Some examples of outfit upgrades might be- switching out leggings for soft stretchy jeans. Or old sports tshirts etc for some nice new white ones. Or hoodies for soft knitted jumpers. It’s all up to you and your style, though! I’m big on sustainability and thrifting so I have to suggest those as your first option before hitting the fast fashion stores- sites like DePop and eBay, and your local charity shops are worth checking out. If you want to go for new, I suggest H&M conscious and some of M&S sustainable cotton clothing.

That’s all for today! I hope you enjoyed my little tips, and I’ll talk again soon!

Claudia x

Instagram- @chroniccatnaps

 

(Gifs used in this post are not mine.)

Spoonie Girl’s Guide To: Blood Tests

 

Hi guys!

So, I just had a blood test this morning which I absolutely hate doing.  I used to be perfectly fine with needles, until I had one or two fainting experiences and then it became a huge source of anxiety. Over the years though, I’ve come up with plenty of ways to make it not so bad, since I have to have regular tests done to monitor my thyroid. Today it was 4 bottles, though since I needed a lot of tests done. Feeling pretty proud!

1. T-Minus 1 day: Make sure you have your form filled in correctly and you have checked whether fasting is required before hand. If you need any anaesthetic (such as emla cream) make sure you have it on hand! It’s also a good idea to familiarise yourself with what is going to happen in advance, so that when the time comes, you know what to expect and you’re not worried.
2. T-Minus 3 hours (ish): I’d highly suggest going in the morning since you don’t have to think about it all day. Make sure you have something to eat and drink plenty of fluids. Stuff like Ribena or fizzy drinks are good because you get a sugar boost.
3. T-Minus 30 minutes: Remember to whack on that emla if you need it!
4. T-Minus 10 minutes: Distract yourself while you’re waiting- I tend to bring my nintendo to play on before appointments and such because playing something like Animal Crossing is relaxing and completely occupies my mind. I also suggest putting some earphones in so that you can focus on some music instead.
5. T-Minus 0 minutes: Remember to relax and breathe. Tell the phlebotomist if you’re anxious, and if you tend to get faint then lay back in the chair. The best trick I have for not fainting is to tense your lower body and trunk. Butt clenches are weirdly magic for anxiety! In this case, tensing your legs is going to keep the blood from rushing into them so you don’t feel woozy, and gives your mind something to think about. Remember to keep your arm relaxed, though!
6. T-Plus 2 minutes: Once it’s done, sit back and breathe until you feel ready to get up. When you do, it’s a good idea to drink a bit of water and have some chocolate or a biscuit (or similar) to get your sugar up and prevent any fainting.

 

And that’s it! All done! It’s really not scary at all, and the amount of blood taken is honestly nothing to worry about. Take it from someone who’s had horrible experiences with needles- it really is just a tiny scratch. The most likely reason to faint is really just because of nerves. Obviously I need to disclaim I’m not a medical professional so take my advice with a pinch of salt, because what I know is purely from personal experience.

Good luck with any needles!

Claudia x

Instagram- @chroniccatnaps

Spoonie Girl’s Guide To: Relaxation

Hi guys!

I’m back today with a new addition to the Spoonie Girl series. I’m really enjoying writing these, so I hope they’re just as enjoyable to read. Today’s post is about relaxation. It’s surprisingly hard to relax when you live with chronic illness (even though everyone thinks you just sleep all day) so I wanted to share some tips on how I give time to myself for some relaxation. I’ve really needed to slow down lately and remember to give myself breaks- I’ve been spending way too much time online (to the point where staring at my phone has been making my eyes hurt!) This is the kind of thing some people call self-care, however I quite dislike that. I think self-care is less face masks and baths and more eating healthy food, getting exercise where you can and looking after your mind with things like meditation- but hey, each to their own.

1. Essential oils. Controversial to start with, eh? No I’m not going to go all pyramid scheme and recommend some bullshit fifty dollar snake oil on you, but I have personally found essential oils to be beneficial. Thing is, they’re not a cure (or substitution for modern medicine) in any way, but merely a symptom manager. For example- steaming with peppermint oil doesn’t cure a cold, but it will make you breathe a little easier. Oils won’t cure your disease, but they might help. I like using lavender oil when I need to calm down and take time for myself. I also use it every night before bed to help with insomnia. I’ve been using this lovely cheap and cheerful rollerball from boots. You should always buy diluted oils if they’re going on your skin, as it can be harmful and cause irritation otherwise. I also feel that I need to issue further warning to check with your doctor before using them, and be VERY careful with essential oils and pets as they can be toxic for them.

2. Colouring! I know the adult colouring craze has blown up lately and everyone is into it, but I honestly really enjoy it. I have a couple of books, but my favourite has to be ‘Millie Marotta’s Animal Kingdom’. Pop to your local shop (or browse online, which is more likely) and pick one you like the look of and get going! I like to listen to podcasts or music or even watch Netflix while I’m doing colouring since often I get too fidgety otherwise.

3. Try writing down all of the stuff on your mind. Whether that’s bullet journalling (check out my post on that here) rambles in the notes app on your phone or good old fashioned writing down your feelings, having a clear mind is really beneficial and helps you unwind. Personally, I have really bad brain fog and I’m always tense and trying to remember something or other, so getting everything down and out of my head is very freeing.

4. Meditation. Yeah, yeah. You knew it was coming! I just really think meditation is an incredible tool to balance your mind. There’s a type of meditation for everyone- whether it be sitting cross legged, walking in nature, or in the bath. I’m still using headspace (premium subscription, baby!) and have just started a really great 30-day course on changing your relationship with pain, which is the perfect course for us spoonies!

5. Reading is another one that I think a lot of us enjoy but forget to do. Again, if you think you don’t like reading, you haven’t found the right book! I’ve been really enjoying reading about space lately, but each to their own. Inspiring books are always good to motivate you and help you feel better. I like the one pictured- ‘Calm’ – Michael Acton Smith.

 

6. This might be just me, but my favourite way to chill out is to play Animal Crossing. I grew up being addicted to AC: Wild World, so when I play AC: New Leaf now it makes me feel really peaceful and nostalgic. What is more relaxing than helping kind animals, furnishing a house, picking fruit, fishing and designing outfits! You might have a game similar (Sims, Minecraft, Harvest Moon, Cooking Mama are some others I like) that makes you feel just as chill! Remember to not go overboard with the screentime, though.

7. A good skincare routine can be really peaceful, too. The repetitive motions everyday can subconsciously signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. I did a post all about my skincare routine which you can find here if you need any inspiration. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, just a nice face wash and moisturiser to look after yourself.

I could go on for ages with this sort of thing so you may see a part 2 pop up, but I’ll leave it at this for now. Hope you all liked this post- if you did then click ‘like’ and follow my blog!

Claudia x

Find me on Instagram- @chroniccatnaps

 

 

Gluten-Free Apple Oat Bar Recipe

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Yeah, I wish. These apple bars are super yummy though, so I thought I’d do a blog post on them.

I’m a big fan of cooking (my favourite chefs are Jack Monroe, Deliciously Ella, Frankie Celenza to name a few…), so I’m planning on uploading some easy, spoonie-friendly, brain-fog proof recipes, and this is the first! These bars are my own recipe I made up, after I made similar ones years ago and forgot the recipe (duh, brain fog) and even though these aren’t the same, I like the cookie style better anyway!

This recipe is gluten free, but doesn’t have to be if you have no problems with it- simply use regular flour and exclude the xanthan gum. It can also be easily made vegan by using a dairy-free spread and a chia or flax egg!

Ingredients:

2 large apples

100g brown sugar

50g plain gluten free flour

110g gluten free rolled oats

100g slightly salted butter

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tsp cinnamon (individual preference)

1 egg yolk (or chia egg)

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp golden syrup

Utensils: Big bowl, Little bowl, Spatula, Peeler, Knife, Weighing scales

 

Instructions:

1. This recipe requires chilling time so no need to preheat the oven now.
2. Combine the room temperature butter and sugar. Since we don’t need any rise, you can just lightly cream them by hand, but if it’s too hard on your arms, use an electric mixer but not for very long.
3. Separate the egg. I’m not ashamed to say that I mastered this talent by years of playing Cooking Mama on DS! We only use the yolk because it makes the dough moister and stickier, and the white dries the dough out (which is best avoided in a GF dough!) Stir it in.
4. Add the vanilla, half of the cinnamon (the rest is for the apples) xanthan gum, syrup.
5. Add the flour and oats. It should be thicker than a cake batter but loose for a cookie dough.
6. Pop the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
7. 

Yes GBBO man who’s name I cannot recall, not you! While the dough is chilling peel and slice the apples into regular chunks. Remember to compost your peel for sustainability points 🙂 It doesn’t really matter what shape as long as they are all the same and lay flat nicely. Combine them with the lemon juice and cinnamon.

8. Just before you take the items out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

9. Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper or butter.

10. Once the dough has chilled it should be slightly firmer. Separate into two, and spread one half on the base of the baking tray evenly with a spatula. This is the base layer.

11. Place the apple slices neatly over the layer of dough, and then add the top layer of dough over them. This is kind of an infuriating job, so it’s best to use your hands to place little blobs of dough evenly over the apples and smooth them over with the spatula at the end.

12. Finish with an extra teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon sprinkled over the top, and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden and evenly cooked through.

13. Cool, slice into squares and enjoy! You can pop them in a tupperware and take them out as a snack, or serve warm with custard or ice cream to be more decadent. They should keep for a couple of days, but my family usually devours them before then!

 

You can see a little better here how there is an inside pocket of apple deliciousness!

 

 

 

Claudia x

Instagram- @chroniccatnaps

 

My Cruelty-Free Skincare Routine

Hi guys!

Taking a break from the Spoonie Girl Guide this week (which is my favourite series to write, honestly. I should just rename the blog at this point!) and doing a miscellaneous beauty post. I thought I’d walk you through my basic skincare steps, since I have really weird skin (thanks to my hypothyroidism).

I have skin that is incredibly dry on the whole- my entire body is dry as a bone, my face tends to be also, except for my nose. That single spot seems to have enough oil for everywhere else. It’s truly strange. My lips have also been struggling more than usual with dryness lately, so when I finish trying all the different treatments I’ve got and found something that works, I’ll do a post all about that!

My morning skincare:

1. Cleanse with Superdrug’s ‘Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser’. I used to use Liz Earle until I stumbled across this saviour! It’s an exact dupe, down to the scent and texture, except with a super cheap price tag. I use this a a gentle wash to prep my skin.

2. Tone with Pixi ‘Rose Tonic’. I received this in my Marks and Spencer Advent calendar and it’s really lovely! It smells divine, and even if I’m dubious whether it does anything, it’s just a nice step to add because of that. It’s meant to reduce redness and settle the skin.

3. Weleda ‘Calendula face cream’ plus oil. This cream is meant for babies sure, but my skin drinks it up! It provides a lovely base for makeup. I like to mix a few drops of argan oil in for a moisture boost.

4. Superdrug suncream. SPF is a hugely important step that a lot of people skip! I’m very pale so I definitely need it. Factor 50 is the best- don’t bother with anything less than 30.

My night skincare:

1. Remove makeup with microfibre cloth. Okay, so I was super sceptical of these at first, I didn’t believe they worked better than any other cloth, but once I tried them- they seriously work. They’re incredible! I love that they are sustainable and eco friendly too. I take off all my face with this- waterproof liner and everything.

2. Cleanse with The Body Shop ‘chamomile cleansing butter’. This is such a soft, lovely butter that drags out any excess product or oils on my skin.

3. A few times a week I will exfoliate with Lush’s ‘Let the good times roll’ scrub. This smells seriously amazing. Can you see a theme here? I love nice smelling things! This leaves my skin really smooth and soft.

4. Moisturise my eye area with Balance Me eye cream. I probably don’t need eye cream at my age but it’s just nice! I love Balance Me, they had an amazing body balm that I will never get over them discontinuing.

5. Pai’s ‘Rosehip bioregenerate oil’ is the final step. It smells kinda funky, but it does good things for my skin! Personally I’m not sure whether it really does as much as people claim, but I definitely like it. It moisturises my skin really well.

A sneaky peek at my lip balm post- I’m currently trying Burt’s Bees and La Roche Posay cicaplast balm. It kills me that La Roche Posay isn’t cruelty free but seriously, I’m beyond ethics- my lips have been cracked, flaking and bleeding for months now. I’d definitely welcome some ethical recommendations there!

Hope you skincare junkies liked this, and I’ll see you next week!

Claudia x

Instagram- @chroniccatnaps

Spoonie Girl’s Guide to: Tidying Up

Hi guys!

I’m pretty low on spoons and sick currently, so it’s a lazy post this week- oops. Today’s post is unashamedly inspired by Marie Kondo’s “The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying Up” which I talked about in my post about My Favourite ‘Experience’ Books.

I spent a weekend decluttering after reading her book and then watching the Netflix series, which I do highly recommend if you like reality shows like that. It’s like Hoarders but happier! Anyway, I found that holy shit, it actually works! As I read the book, she claimed time and again that her clients never relapsed and I was sceptical. I’m not the best at sticking to minimalism as much as I truly love it. But this? I’m still folding to this day. It’s amazing, and it’s really helped making these annoying household tasks that eat up my spoons much easier.

I’d highly recommend checking ouy her whole philosophy as I couldn’t possibly explain it all here (why do you think she has 3 books?!) but the long and short of it is that you go through your stuff, section by section, lay it all out and toss anything that doesn’t spark joy. You may think ‘that’s stupid, I’d throw out my hoover cause it doesn’t spark joy’ but items like that kinda spark joy cause they do a job and serve a purpose.

1. Declutter your space to declutter your mind! Knowing what you have and where everything is seriously has made my brain fog easier to navigate.
2. Having less things means that when you come to do the actual cleaning and maintaining part there is less work to do. Having 5 pairs of shoes is easier to keep clean than 50. Simplifying your life makes everything run smoother.
3. When you feel really negative and shitty, as many of us with chronic illness do, being surrounded by only the things you love can boost your mood. I know that when I feel miserable, having a pleasant room that is tidy makes things that little bit easier.
4. Take it easy as you do it. Marie suggests do it in one go, which is excellent advice, but we spoonies can’t quite manage that. My advice here is do it in one go, but at a slower pace. I chose to do one section a day eg. Sunday I will sort out my clothes and that’s it, then beauty products the next day. Let yourself have breaks in between- cups of tea, a chat with someone else, or you’ll end up exhausted in a mound of clothes and feeling pissed off!
5. Fold your clothes the KonMari way. Genuinely, this has made the biggest difference. Being able to see in my drawers what I have at a glance is amazing, and I’m actually able to keep it clean and stay on top of what I have.

That’s all for now! Sorry for the lack of real content, I’ll hopefully be feeling better next week!

Claudia x

Instagram- @chroniccatnaps

 

Spoonie Girl’s Guide To: Bullet Journalling

 

Hi guys!

Today I’m going to be talking about bullet journalling. I started my first bullet journal in 2017 and I’m currently on my third. It’s been a really useful tool for me, so I thought I’d share some ideas on how I’ve used it to increase productivity, fight that brain fog and become more organised! I’m not going into the basic of how to begin a ‘bujo’ here, I’d recommend checking out the original creator’s video [https://youtu.be/fm15cmYU0IM] and also the r/bulletjournal and r/bujo subreddits for more inspiration and ideas!

1.

The first way a bullet journal can be helpful for spoonies is to see how you’ve been doing. Every week I like to draw up a page with a list of work I need to do, a week overview of day to day commitments, a symptom tracker and a food diary. Having all of this on a few pages shows me explicitly what I’m managing to do each day and how I’m feeling. All I need to do at the end of the day is jot down a few things. This has been super handy at occupational therapy and other similar appointments when my brain fog means I can’t remember how I’ve been doing. I can whip my journal out and see exactly what my problems were. The food diary is a handy tool for checking I’m eating okay as often when that starts to slip, my healthy does and I wonder why I feel awful for no apparent reason- this way I can keep on top of it! The symptom tracker I like to use is a simple week overview, with a column for my energy level (graded from 1-10) and another for additional notes. I previously used a monthly grid where I would tick off symptoms from a list, however this didn’t work as I was finding myself ticking more than I really needed to, especially as there’s no context with it. I also like to add day to day task lists, not just the weekly overview. I can write down the simplest things that my brain fog might cause me to forget eg- call X, pack XYZ items, tell X about M.

2.

As I mentioned, food is hard to keep track of, and I often forget what I like to make. I’m really into cooking as I’m vegetarian/gluten free, and I end up making new things and then forgetting about them. When it comes to do meal prep, having a list of things I know how to make helps the process be much speedier. Often I will sit there starving hungry with no ideas of what to cook!

3.

Lately I’ve really been struggling with my routines. It’s not unusual to find myself in a daze with no idea what time it is or what I need to do, so writing down a good, solid routine that I can reasonably stick to is helpful. I did a cute illustration of a sun and added my key morning and night routine points on it’s rays.

4.

Some other page ideas that I don’t have examples of right now, but I definitely want to implement are style trackers, medication trackers and pages for handling anxiety. Style trackers come in all types but the main idea is to see what you wear and how often. This way you can implement new clothes as you need them and have the most realistic wardrobe for you. Thankfully I’m pretty good at remembering to take my medication but if you’re not, then adding a tracker to tick off when you need to take anything can be really helpful for remembering. Some pages for handling anxiety are ‘why did you panic?’ where you branch out and physically write down your thought process that led you to spiralling. I do this sometimes on scrap paper because I don’t want to pollute my journal (which is silly really). It means you can work back and fix or rationalise problems so that you can have a clearer head. Another idea is a list of comforting things, that you might forget in the heat of the moment, so that you can refer back when you’re feeling overwhelmed and not have to think what you need to calm down.

Hope you found any of this helpful! Let me know if you use a bullet journal!

Claudia x

Instagram- @chroniccatnaps

My Favourite ‘Experience’ Books

Hey guys!

Bit of a different post for you here. I know my blog is based around chronic illness, but I’d still like to talk about some other miscellaneous things here too. I thought I’d talk today about some of my favourite books I’ve read lately as I’m a huge reader (I’m actually studying full time in creative writing right now!) And recently I’ve found a niche of books I’m obsessed with.

I’ve always loved books and one of my biggest achievements in life for a while was that I read the entire Harry Potter series in a week. Yup. When I was a kid, my teachers used to always urge me to read non-fiction as I was pretty much obsessed with fiction and would be reading a book a day basically! Now I’m older though, I’m struggling to enjoy ‘adult’ fiction and have been loving ‘experience’ books.

My mum keeps telling me that when I say experience I mean biography! But I don’t really, a lot of the books I’m recommending aren’t necessarily a birth to death story of people’s lives. It’s more just books that are reflective and anecdotal. Anyway, here’s the list!

1. ‘This Is Going To Hurt’ – Adam Kay

This is the bad boy that kicked off the interest! This book is amazing (which I’ll probably repeat for every number of the list). It’s real life diary entries of a doctor working for the NHS. The tone of the entire thing is quite sarcastic and friendly, which I enjoyed. It definitely made me feel more grateful toward the doctors I see. Some of the stories are pretty graphic, I will warn you!

2. ‘Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth’ – Chris Hadfield

I actually picked this up in a charity shop on a whim for a pound, but this book is definitely on my top 10 favourites of all time. Granted, I am essentially a goldfish and my favourites list is usually comprised of what I read/saw last, but don’t let that detract from how great this book is.* I’m incredibly into space, in general (a strange statement, I’ll admit) so I picked this up thinking it would just be generally educational. The ‘life lessons’ part of it definitely intrigued me, however. It turned out to be better than either of these ideas! It’s a delightful mix of ‘edu-taining’ space facts, and anecdotes illustrating philosophical points. Hadfield’s narrative voice is strong and enjoyable. I think if you’re not particularly interested in space then you will find it a bit boring- but if you love it like I do then boy oh boy are you in for a treat!

3. ‘An Idiot Abroad: Travel Diaries Of Karl Pilkington’ – Karl Pilkington

Okay, so we all know and love An Idiot Abroad- everyone from my auntie to my high-school English teacher has waxed lyrical about the show. What people haven’t necessarily paid dues to (in my opinion) is the books that followed. Yes, you can say that it’s a money grab, and I would wholeheartedly agree with you. Doesn’t make it any less of an entertaining read, though! Expect the same blunt, British hilarity of the show.
4. ‘The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying Up’ – Marie Kondo

The KonMari method has undoubtedly changed my life. Okay, overkill maybe, but it’s great and has worked at decluttering my life and therefore I felt this deserved a mention. It’s not written as  a biographical book by any means, but in order for Marie to explain her ideas, she gives anecdotes and illustrates how she got to the point of making her realisations. It’s colloquially written (as you will find with everything in this list, and my blog for that matter) which just sealed the deal for me as an entertaining ‘experience’ based self help book.

5. ‘Lost At Sea’ – Jon Ronson

I read this in May 2018 so my memory of this one is honestly a bit foggy (hence the goldfish comparison…) but I do remember this being great. I selected it at Poundland of all places, after a trip to collect birthday candles for my sister. Ronson is more known for his book ‘The Psychopath Test’ which looks incredibly fascinating and I fully intend to read when I get chance. Lost At Sea is an anthology of journalist columns where he investigates an interesting ‘thing’. Most notably I can recall him spending time on the set of ‘Deal or No Deal’ and religious courses. If you’re into conspiracy theory style weird shit, you’ll like this one.

6. ‘Belle De Jour’

Taking a detour from science, I selected this from a pile of books my sister was giving away. I’ll be honest, I haven’t finished it yet, since I’m a little too ashamed to read about the sex industry on public transport, but it’s definitely a good read. It’s anonymously written, and comprised from blog entries by a call-girl working in London. I don’t have a whole review yet to give since it’s unfinished, but it sure is an ‘experience’!

7. Honourable mentions: ‘Is It Just Me?’ – Miranda Hart, ‘Headspace’ – Andy Puddicombe

I had to include at least one actual biography! I feel a certain kinship with Miranda Hart considering we share the same birthday, and I’m equally socially inept. Her biography is just as hilarious as her show, and expands on some relatable shit (you know, like stealing from the stationary cupboard at work.) I raved about the Headspace book in my post about meditation for CFS, so I won’t go on too much here, but it’s edu-taining in the same way Marie Kondo’s book is- self help ideas backed up by the author’s experiences.

8. What’s next?

I am currently reading some fiction at the moment, to take a break from this style of book- The Martian by Andy Weir (cause space, duh) and The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (which is kiiiind of experience based so far, but still fiction). The next experience style book I will be digging into though, is definitely Michelle Obama’s! Which i fully expect to be amazing, considering she herself is amazing.

Thanks for slogging through this list, if you made it this far! I’m planning some more Spoonie Girl posts soon, so hopefully my whole blog won’t be invaded by personal rambling… 🙂

Claudia x

* For those wondering, my favourite movie of all time is Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and my favourite book is White Boots by Noel Streatfield, which incidentally  I have almost lived out considering I am a chronically ill girl who has been learning to ice skate (haven’t made a rich but slightly mean friend yet though…) for those that were wondering further, I’m currently on SkateUk grade 5- three turns can fuck off.

Spoonie Girl’s Guide to: Managing Exams (GCSE’s, A-levels etc…)

Hi guys!

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season. I’m back with a post today all about surviving exams and school life, as it’s only been a year since I finished mine, and I feel awful for everyone who’s going through it this summer. I thought I’d compile some of my top techniques for keeping on top of things during exam season. I came out the other side feeling great and bagged a handful of 7s, 8s and 9s (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-44125336 for those that haven’t been enlightened by this beautiful change… a 9 is A**) so I’d say this advice worked pretty well for me! (and I’m no Hermione Granger, I can tell you that).

1. Let everyone know your deal! Speak to your teachers and friends about what you’re going through. If you’re intimidated by telling your teachers directly (which is incredibly understandable) speak to a member of staff on your school or college’s pastoral team who can email them or let them know on behalf of you. Annoyingly, they might need reminding of your circumstances every so often as they are busy people who manage a lot of students, so don’t be afraid of that, either. Once they know, they can make arrangements such as extended time on assignments, not picking on you in class for questions (my worst nightmare. I knew the answers but my brain is so damn slow I couldn’t recall them fast enough!) and most importantly, give you classwork on what you might have missed when not present in lessons.

2. Goes, without saying, but apply for exam special considerations. My occupational therapist was able to help get this sorted for me. As long as you have formal, written proof from your doctor (or OT) detailing the difficulties and setbacks you experience you may be able to get extra exam time, a private room, and rest breaks during exams. Let me tell ya, I would have failed for sure without that extra time! I was scribbling away, hand cramped completely, until the invigilators snatched the paper out my sweaty hands. If you’re not big on hand cramps, you can also apply to type on a laptop instead. All this can be arranged via the school’s SENCO (special educational needs coordinator).

3.  Find a schedule that works for you. I discussed this with my occupational therapist, and we decided that for me that was attending 2-3 lessons in the morning then coming home and relaxing over lunch before working again in the afternoon was best. Others might however need longer in the morning and find their mojo in the afternoon. It’s best to discuss this kind of timetable change with parents/SENCO/OT to ensure it’s all okay and authorised.

4. Once you find a schedule that works, be strict with it! Obviously don’t go beyond your means but set times such as- ‘1 to 3 on Mondays is maths time where I will go through a chapter of the revision guide, test myself and take a 30 minute break  midway’ and then do that every Monday. It will become a habit.

5. Maximise your resources. I struggled so badly in maths that I was able to get sessions with a private tutor, which definitely helped as I could get the tailored help I needed in a judgement free zone. Don’t be afraid of pursuing this avenue, there’s nothing shameful about needing a tutor. Make sure you get all the revision guides, past papers and check out every YouTube video available. (I genuinely managed to teach myself everything I needed via revision guides and YouTube, no exaggeration.) My top faves are:

Mr Bruff (english) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM2vdqz-7e4HAuzhpFuRY8w

Primrose Kitten (maths and science)- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBgvmal8AR4QIK2e0EfJwaA

While on the topic of YouTubers, I’d strongly suggest avoiding ‘studytubers’ (you know, UnjadedJade, Eve Bennett and the like) as it can be really disheartening to compare how you’re doing against wildly successful brainacs like them. It’s like comparing your ass to Kim K’s.

6. Find your way of learning and adapt it to be manageable. One of the best ways I found to revise was listening to YouTube videos and podcasts, then noting down everything I can remember and testing myself back on it. I often did this lying on the hammock in my garden in the sunshine! Another way was revision cards. After an unspeakable incident involving a broken waterbottle that resulted in my stacks of paper revision cards getting destroyed, I converted to Quizlet, an awesome app (where you can probably still find the flashcards I made on there!) that makes them online. An app is much easier as it makes the whole process much quicker, less effort and you can access them anywhere- from bed, eating dinner, on the bus, you name it.

7. Meditaaaaate! In my post all about mindfulness (https://chroniccatnaps.wordpress.com/2018/10/19/yoga-meditation-and-the-benefits-for-chronic-illness-sufferers/) I mentioned how I attributed my relaxed mindset during exams to meditating- I practiced it everyday for 10 minutes before revising. I found that associating the material I needed to learn with that feeling of calm collectedness meant that in the real exam I was calm! It’s a really great thing to do for your mind and is the best self-care out there (much better than a silly facemask and a donut and calling it a day…)

I hope these tips work out for any of you, and if you’re frantically revising and hating your life, don’t worry, exams aren’t everything! Just do your best, and live your life- it won’t last forever:) I’d love to know your tips, too!

Claudia x

 

“try your hardest”

I hate the phrase “try your hardest”.

I’m studying for an exam. Just try your hardest! My mum encourages.

I don’t know what my hardest is. I’ve assumed, over the years, that it means giving your all.

Take the exam, for instance. I force myself to sit at my desk and revise. My fatigue-addled brain gives a lazy shrug and I manage to go over some flashcards, perhaps try an exam questions or two. Inevitably though, I get distracted. I’ll light the candles I have scattered around, fidget with my pens, run off to make a cup of tea, plait the ends of my hair, water my plants with a sense of urgency perhaps not necessary. In short: I procrastinate.

By the time the hour is up, I’ve done what I could. After all, I did produce a bit of work. But, I ask myself, did I try my hardest?

I could have done more.

But, I didn’t.

So yes, that was my hardest. I couldn’t help fidgeting and fumbling, I couldn’t have stopped that. I did the most work I could. And it has taken me years to come to the realization that my hardest doesn’t mean pushing my limits. I regretfully think to myself that I could have done more, if I’d really tried. But realistically, if that was possible, wouldn’t I have done it already?

I still get feelings of impostor syndrome when I tell people that yes, I have tried my hardest. I still feel that if I haven’t really pushed my limits, then I must not have tried enough.

So, although I have confidence in myself, I still hate the phrase.

– An old draft from exam season that I forgot about!

Claudia x