I'll be coffee-ing tomorrow morning with the girls, @redhead. so I look forward to it!   Right now I am grateful for RO and hope I get to hang out more in future in this type of environment over in real life, working with and learning from young people! Thanks @Ben-RO for your links, too.   Thanks for hanging out, and ...more of it! See you 'round like a bowling ball!!        ... View more

Love that trilogy, @N1ghtW1ng! Currently on my bedside table are - The Values Factor, and Shine Women (an in-house publication about worth, strength and purpose in life), plus having fun reading through David Copperfield again, just light transport back in time to Dickens' England.   Next I'd like to re-read Socrates Journeys by Dan Millman.  ... View more

I'd like to give an update, @moonwalk.  I always feel so much more comfy expressing myself. I'm feeling uber grateful for having been able to share my feelings through this impromptu poem on RO. It was awesome actually. It made it feel very personable. Though I do look forward to connecting with my long-time friend, I'm confident about what I want and where I want to be. I think it will be a positive & fun interaction either way.   So, just signing off and saying Thanks for your thoughtful viewpoints, and I appreciate your replies. You make me want to be a better person. And that's what friends do for each other! so again, Thanks for being you! :)   Have a wonderful week!   @saucydankish ... View more

Righto, @stonepixie, just a last one then... How do you think young men could support each other better with their mental health?     Men have a unique opportunity to connect with each other in ways that might be more supportive. Though that's totally subjective of course, as many people have friends of the opposite sex that they feel comfy discussing personal matters with. Anyhoo, it's up to young men to start actively checking in on their colleagues, team mates, class mates. Knowing that 'mates look after mates', I think one of the men's MH initiatives proclaims.   Removing the stigma through community education is integral, so that men feel heard and their feelings need to be validated! Young men can support one another by being informed about mental health issues. Men can capitalize on the rapport they have in various male settings, and make it a priority to view good mental health and a positive sincere attitude as a mark of strength and masculinity. And that they trust that we as women value them taking care of their mental health, that we view them just as highly and with respect, when they actively support each other.   Ooh it makes me feel very proud and optimistic knowing the men in my circle, as they develop compassion and integrity to care about better mental health, without society stigmatising it. ... View more

Ah, absolutely, @moonwalk. I hear what you're saying about the timing. I can see that Ive put it out there, and by all means, I feel also giving the other person some time and space to process or work out the timing, yes that's part of a respectful relationship isn't it. Surprisinigly I find the RO factsheets so informative no matter what age people are! I feel like a late bloomer that's for sure. :)   Thanks for commenting on the disability resources. I'm excited about these projects, and they're really in line with the groups of people I encounter - young kids with disabilities and isolated disabled community members. It's a small scale project, but really fulfilling. Have a good week!      ... View more

Quirky friends love purple attire!   P J H M L ... View more

Hi @Richardman, I really liked the answers you gave with respect to men's mental health. There's not much more I can add to the great responses already posted, @Ben-RO and not being a male, I can only comment from a more biased perspective... but I'm certainly sensitive to the issues that male family members and friends have gone through in their mental health.  I'll give it more of a think! ... View more

Argh! my apologies @stonepixie, but I shared yesterday's watercolour in this post...     ... View more

It has been good to spend a bit of time relaxing with some books and doing some art with my new supplies this weekend! :) Sorry I don't know how to rotate this uplaoded image on here.... I hope everyone had a good weekend! ... View more

Hi! Thanks for the replies @stonepixie and @moonwalk! I feel confident to go on my intuition and it feels right to make the best of this. I have grown so much in the past sixx months with travelng, seeing family, studies, work, caring, moving house twice - almost felt like dissociating just to get through it! Not meaning it in a negative or disrespectful sense, because I hvae defintely gone through that as well in my earlier life. But self-care has been such a support for me to balance it all. And I'm still excited for my goals Ive set and projects I want to find a good team to work with on them, and develop more resources for disabled people in the community!   Anyway, I came on here sharing my poem about how strong I feel about connecting with my friend, and making the best of life and the people I care about. And yes, even exploring a relationship with him. Hey by the way, I was at the shops last Thursday night, and I looked over at some chinos in a window display as I walked past, and suddenly I remembered my friend for some reason - which was weirder when at that moment, an old song came over the speakers, Soul Sister!! I'm not the superstitious type, but it sure felt good to have these positive things as reinforcement in my life!   Thanks! ... View more

Hi @fudgepup, it sounds like you care a lot about him, and value the relationship you had. I also think you should follow your intuition on this. Glad you found some new groups to join and keep going with your studies. Fulltime work is indeed full on sometimes, but caring for kids is always a bonus! :)   Good luck! ... View more

Either way, I feel I 'm standing independently and stronger now. :) ... View more

Yeah well, it goes against the grain a bit, lol, but yes, opening up here helped a bit. We're only human, right? What are friends for! :)   Thanks again. It was good to connect, for sure.   Wish you also a very good weekend @moonwalk.  I'll really get into my art now. I can't wait to create some new things. Bye! ... View more

Just a question @moonwalk.. How important do you think it is, to get to chat with the person/s involved? I feel that that would be helpful. I mean, I still feel we have a friendship, and it doesn't feel as serious like a breakup. It was just a misunderstanding in my opinion and from my perspective. As I said, I've been able to moved forward with other areas in my life, but I think it's important to smooth things out in time with the other person/s. It was real... What do you think? ...and thanks for the link to the Relationship factsheet. So many good topics! ... View more

It's amazing how many people are on this forum board! I've been on here before, but never really noticed this! It's Friday night!!! Hi @redhead I hope you get to sleep soon, or chill out doing some distracting activities. I've got the air conditioning on here, it's so warm!! Talking to you guys here is a little bit of a good distraction actually!      ... View more

I love that motto, @KiKi_19! I'm not sure why some people go through this more than others (family environment?), but I experienced the same: It's so easy to fall into a pattern of ignoring your own wants and needs, and tuning in more to pleasing others.  Maybe we're just "carer" types? Maybe when growing up, we didn't get enough support and opportunities to develop our own strong sens of self? And we have to learn by wanting it badly enough for ouselves now. Being yourself is so important. Regardless of what others think or say. You hit the nail on the head there! It feels so good to be just who you are, and do all the crazy things that make you YOU! I know that is the part that I love doing now :) but it also still feels good too, to be validated and supported. Looks like RO can give a little bit of that! ... View more

@ElleBelle Sorry, but I edited out my "stream of consciousness" after I posted it. :) I'm glad you got to read the original though.  ... View more

Thank you @Ben-RO, I can't believe it's been a month since I wrote that last! Life's been going well enough, and thanks for asking. I had pushed the matter down afterwards, and life just got away on me since! It's been there in the recesses though, so I explored more of my feelings this afternoon here on RO - it is really hard to open up on a public forum in this way, though, but I had to express myself!! I am a much private person....so the matter must still be close to my heart and I have to process it.   And I really appreciate your words, @ElleBelle! I went out today and bought myself some more art supplies. yet again. haha :) A water colour pad, some new water colours and black ink pens. I have been neglecting my art and music. I know life is what you make of it. So on the surface, I am going to take care of myself and let it out with art...     Have a wonderful weekend. ... View more

Hi @moonwalk, thanks for the question... Yes, it feels really caring to give me the space and allow me to kinda tease  it out a little ...you've got me trying to explore it and put it into words now... give it some form...   It's basically stems from an underlying situation. It's got the colour of 'grief' about it. You know, when you had a good relationship with someone, and then Bang! a misunderstanding, and that is the worst feeling - that you hurt someone that you cared about, but it wasn't meant to happen like that. There were truer words underneath, reality underneath, but on top - the words that were said - well, they came out all wrong.  And there wasn't any opportunity to set it right, see. I mean, time goes on, and life has to go on, and no matter how many amazing things you do and get to see in life  -  there's this gnawing sadness tucked in a little box inside of you, of unresolvedness. Like, the whole world keeps turning, and you're on the stage - but nothing tastes the same, because of it.   Sounds a little like I'm exploring the emotions here - and I guess that is what I am doing! I hope it makes sense. I haven't been able to explore this feeling with anyone in this way yet. Do you have any ideas that might help in this situation?... ... View more

Proud that I've gotten through the past six months just by dissociating! :D ... View more

@mimbochi oh my! I say the same thing!!    "It's too late to call a child, It's too laaaaate..."   Weird. ... View more

I'm still awake and it's after 2:30AM here, but thanks I just had to get that out. I been hurting and you're right. I chatted to a late line counselor here ... View more

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