My Sunday Photo 16/10/2022

Autism and things I cannot live without.

Hey readers,

This post is all about the things that help a little to make my life a bit more manageable with dealing with being autistic in a neurotypical world. Some of the things have helped calm me down when I am emotional trauma, changed or uncertain.

 It doesn't have to be big or fancy but it is enough to have an impact on my mood and calm me down when I most need it.

6 things that help make my autistic life more manageable.

1. Noise-cancelling headphones.

I am not talking about the headphones kids wear (though they are good) I wear the ones that drown out all the noise and I can also listen to music or podcasts. 

This has helped me when I am out and about in supermarkets or need to get somewhere on public transport. I can switch off into my little universe when I get overstimulated with the noise, business and lights.

 I can zone out and gives me a pause to just chill and rebalance my senses again as it were. Having this opportunity to take time out from the outside world by putting headphones on means can help reduce the risk of having a meltdown as I don’t like them, especially in public places as I hate attention on myself and very private person when it comes to emotional stuff so much prefer to scream some quiet away from everyone.

2. Google Maps.

Google maps for me are a godsend before this was available on phones I used to hate going anywhere new or didn’t know that was familiar to me as I would get lost and get very anxious. 

Having Google maps give me the security blanket of knowing where to go, and what buses to catch and not worrying if I do get lost. It means I can explore more like taking my kids to a new park without fear as much, I still get anxious, but I can analyse where we are and work out where to go on the map. 

Although when I do get too anxious I still can't manage to read the instructions but have learnt to take myself away from the noisy environment to allow myself time to calm down to work it out or if ever a situation got too much for me to handle I do have my husband who has a car or there is an uber, so I always have a plan b which again gives that security so feel less anxious because whatever happens it can be resolved one way or another.

3. My bed.

It is my safe space for when I am feeling scared or want to shut down I like to escape there and hide in the corner away from it all. It is where I go to relax and wind down, I want to put my headphones on and listen to music or read a book. I like it when I have my window open and the breeze flows around me. 

4. Lava lamp/fairy lights. 

I love low lighting and moving lights, it calms me down and hence why I have included my lava lamp and fairy lights. They just bring a relaxing ambience to my room and help calm me down and help especially when I am having a meltdown. 

5. YouTube visual aid. 

I love visual aids from moving colours to train journeys anything that calms me down and relaxes me. I find YouTube videos great for resources which are free to use. 

6. My Husband.

My husband is a massive help in a lot of ways and makes it much easier for everyday situations to fill in complex forms and meetings. 

Cheers for reading X 

Benefits of being alone.

 Hey readers,  
In today's life, we are constantly bombarded with messages from social media and life that we should always be busy and doing things with others or else we are at risk of missing out.

 It is almost like we have lost the ability to be by ourselves at times, of course, it is good to spend time with people but also it is good to have times when you are alone. Many positive benefits of solitary can do you the world of good and sometimes it is just switching off and being by yourself. 

1. Know Yourself.

One of the greatest benefits of spending time alone is how it helps you develop a better understanding of who you are. The more you know and understand yourself the more likely you are to do things that you love, learn things that interest you and spend time with people who make you feel good. Knowing yourself also builds confidence to help you navigate all types of situations. The more you get to know yourself the more you’ll like and accept yourself. When you know and like you, others are more inclined to like you too!

2. Being Alone Allows Our Brains to Recharge.

Our brains need balance. While social interactions are crucial to certain areas of brain activity, time alone is necessary for our brains to unwind and recharge. Constantly being ‘on’ doesn’t give your brain a chance to rest and replenish itself. Being by yourself with no distractions gives you the chance to clear your mind, focus, and think more clearly. It’s an opportunity to revitalise your mind and body at the same time.

 3. Doing things you enjoy.

When you’re constantly in the company of other people, you’re always making compromises to find solutions that the entire group can enjoy. And unfortunately, the things you want most, may not always line up with what the group wants.
So it’s easy to enjoy being alone once you realize that doing so gives you more freedom to do the things you want to do.

4. Quality of your relationships. 

Solitude can enhance the quality of your relationships with others. By spending time with yourself and gaining a better understanding of who you are and what you desire in life, you're more likely to make better choices about who you want to be around. You also may come to appreciate your relationships more after you've spent some time alone.
Despite knowing these benefits, it can be a challenge to find time alone in a world that seems to never sleep. Here are a few ideas to help you find more time to spend with yourself.

5. Solitude sparks creativity.

There’s a reason a lot of authors or artists want to go to a cabin in the woods or a private studio to work. Being alone with your thoughts gives your brain a chance to wander, which can help you become more creative.

 What do you think about being alone? Do you enjoy it? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Cheers for reading X 
 

    

My Sunday Photo 09/10/2022

We make a cornflake tray bake this Weekend! 

Things I would like to change.

Hey readers,

I love my blog as it is a place where I can track my thoughts and a way to express any worries I may have. So as this is the case I am going to share some of the things I want to change to help make my life a little easier.

Recently I have been struggling with tiredness. It normally occurs around the end of the week and thinks that it is just because is a knock-effect of all the week has on me. I get tired anyway because of how much energy it takes to deal with my autism difficulties.

I think just being kind of and not so demanding on myself. Taking it slower is better for me and my health and that is what I want to achieve. I am a firm believer in taking small steps or else it can be risky to lose motivation if I push myself too hard.

I also want to try to be more experimental in the kitchen and try new recipes to help with getting more confident or at least give my husband a break from the wonderful cooking he does. However, I do love trying new recipes, even if it is just once a week, it does help with my confidence and esteem when I achieve good results.

Because of my tiredness and anxiety, I dip in motivation to go out and about. I am hoping to get out more now that children are back at school I aim to get in 10,000 steps at least five days out of the seven. 

I know I can achieve this when I am out I feel good but my downfall is getting past the first walk step.

I know so cliché but for someone with an anxiety condition, it has to be to try not to worry so much. I panic about my parenting and how good I am. Sometimes, just accepting a situation can reduce that great big weight on my shoulders.

Cheers for reading X

GreenJinn app review

Hey readers, 

With the cost of living rising, we are all looking for ways to help reduce the cost of our good bills. There are a few good apps that can help by giving you free or a percentage off food items.

 

I have done a review of two good ones you can check out called Shopmium and CheckoutSmart. Today I am focused on Greenjinn it is not the most popular money-saving app but every little helps as they say especially in this day and age.

What is the Grennjin app?

 
Greenjinn is a cashback app that either gives you free food or gives you food at a discounted rate. You can get the cash back after you have bought the item from the specific store and the item it says on the app. 

The money can be transferred to PayPal. All you have to do is look at the app and check the supermarket s offers. Buy the specific product as if I was going to Sainsbury's I would click on the top tab that says Sainsbury's.

 Search the offers that I want so currently there is a tribe protein flapjack caramel, 50g. It is important to get the exact product such as the flavour and size.

 Then buy the product and get a receipt. Next, you need to upload the receipt. It is really important that the receipt is not wrinkled and the photo of the receipt has good lighting as you don't want to get it rejected. There you have it, it is that simple to use the Grinnjinn app.

You can download the free Grennjinn app from the Play store and Apple app store. You can sign up using your email, Facebook or apple account. 

The shops that are covered in the app are as follows:

* Sainsbury's
* Waitrose 
* Tesco
* Morrisons 
* Asda 
* Coop
* Boots 
* Plant Organic
* Booths
* Ocando 
* MFG

The type of items that Greenjinn offer at a reduced cost or as a freebie are oat milk, lemons, toothpaste, washing up liquid that sort of thing. 

How do you get paid?

Once you have scanned your receipt and it has been confirmed, you can opt to be paid either by Paypal or directly into your account.

Is GreenJinn worth it?

On the plus side, GreenJinn has the most offers available out of all the receipt apps I have downloaded on my phone. But sadly, it’s also the weakest when it comes to how much money you can save, with the discounts lacking compared to its rivals.

With that said, it doesn’t cost you to be a member, so there’s no harm in having it downloaded onto your phone. It will save you some money, just not as much as I would like.

Take a look at the offers and then tap the ones you plan on buying to add them to your cart. Once purchased, take photographs of your receipt via the app, clearly showing the time, date, products and supermarket name. You can take several if you need to.

Once uploaded and processed the cashback will be added to your account. You will then need to request to withdraw this to your Paypal account. You will either be refunded the full amount or a part of the purchase price, depending on the offer. 

The minimum withdrawal amount is £1.50. There is no limit to cash out and there is no charge as well which is good compared to the likes of CheckoutSmart where they would charge you 5% if you want to cash out under £20.00. 

Here are a few tips for using the Greenjinn app.

Always check the app before you go shopping to see if there are any offers you can take advantage of. 

Greenjinn typically releases new offers on a Monday Morning.

Write down the size and name of products in case you can’t get a signal while shopping to check them while shopping.

Make sure you get a receipt, even when using the self-service checkouts.

Cheers for reading X

My Sunday Photo 02/10/2022