How often do you check in with friends and family? All it takes is a phone call, text or on social media. Many suffer in silence or are too embarrassed to mention anything. I know when I am in my low mood, I do not always mention anything and just put a smile on my face or funny posts on social media.

There are so many hidden disabilities, try not to judge and be kind. I know how many looks I get when I am out and I have my walking rollator, the amount of looks I get (am 42). Now all I ask is for people not to stare but kindly ask if it is ok to ask ‘why’ they’re in a wheelchair/use a rollator, the worse they can say is ‘no’. For me, I know that I would rather be asked about why I use my rollator than just be stared at.

Do you take time out for yourself to be kind to yourself? Could be to do something you enjoy, relaxing doing nothing or Yoga/Pilates. I know that I really should but struggle a lot with this. I have got a new mediation app to listen, fingers crossed I get on with it for it to help me. Even taking time to have a nice relaxing bath and treat yourself to a face mask whilst you have your soak.

I was finally due to have my right hip replaced (had struggled over 5.5 years) 3^rd December 2019, that got cancelled due to my blood work being to dangerously low. My low mood plummeted, and I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Had to see what my blood work was in January… it was ok so could go back on the waiting list. Got given 14^th April 2020 for the operation but luckily enough, got a phone call to say they could offer me a cancellation on 29^th February 2020 of which I took. With my MS, I take longer to recover than others. During the first lock down and recovering, it gave me a good opportunity to reflect on the direction I want my business to go. Decided to just concentrate on my home treatment room that I had started 2.5 years previously and to stop the multi-level marketing business, selling makeup and skincare. Instead, chose to only use vegan skincare to go along with my vegan wax that I already use in my treatment room. Now by doing this I am creating my own niche from other salons in the surrounding area. I also celebrated my lockdown birthday, couldn’t resist having isolation birthday put on my cake.

MS awareness week was 20^th-26^th April this year, normally I try and take part in, wear my MS t-shirt and spread my blog on social media. I have previously raised money for them by cutting off over 12inches of my hair, a Christmas networking group helped me to raise money for MS Basildon & Thurrock trust who is my local one. Some go all out, wear a blue/tinsel wig or anything blue. It did feel odd this year.

How many of us reflect on the previous year? I know I never really did until I started to run my own business and you reflect on what things you have and have not achieved with your goals. Maybe we should start reflecting on how kind we have been, not just in the past year but also recently and on a daily/weekly basis.

Tune into my next blog………….

But none of this stops me! My blogs want to inspire women that, despite their health condition, you can still run a business. You can still have dreams. Nothing is going to stop me!