#howtocope

We all have low points of our life but how do we deal with it?

1) Accept that you are sad: This is very often overlooked. You firstly should try accept that you feel upset or sad and rather than suppressing or getting rid of these emotions, embrace and let it out. Accept the fact that we all have to be sad at some points and let yourself feel low. This sounds very contradicting but let yourself be as sad as you can! The more you are sad at this point, the better. Don’t suppress your emotions might make you feel sad. Let it just flow in and out of you, almost like water. Let these emotions out in healthy ways: such as crying (if you cry, try cry as hard as you can and after a bit of time you’ll stop crying on your own....try it!!), drawing anything, ripping up paper, writing something (I do this one!) or anything that suits you really.

2) Don’t force yourself to be happy: This comes with the point of suppressing your emotions. Emotions come and go so let them come and go. If you feel happy, smile; if you feel sad, cry or vent to a friend, if you feel angry express it through healthy ways or try calm yourself down (honestly if you are angry it’s best to deal with it (deep breathes help) rather than fueling your anger).

3) Don’t take action based on your emotions: People usually tell you to act on your emotions but do not do that!!! Emotions chop and change quickly so relying on your emotions as a way to motivate you is not a good idea. Of course you can do things to make you feel good, but no one can be happy all the time. Try logically think what you need to do everyday, you can do this by listing the things you need to do or want to do when you feel neutral.

4) Take care of yourself/ healthy habits: Of course we all need to take care of ourselves. This comes under being logical, we all need to take care of yourself. This doesn’t need to be full on, maybe just a nice warm shower and eating something healthy once a day should be good enough. (Try not to put too many expectations on yourself as this can lead you to be stressed and end up not doing anything leading you into this downwards spiral of being unproductive).

5) Exercise: This isn’t something like workout for 2 hours everyday or go running for an hour. This is exercise when you feel a little low or fatigued. Fatigue can also be due lack of movement in the body and a little dopamine can’t hurt you! You don’t have to do intensive exercise, light exercise will do!

6) Meditation: This would be at a much later stage. Honestly meditation is very hard if you aren’t mentally stable as you just get intrusive thoughts and you can’t concentrate. Meditation is great, but if you have difficulty, maybe this isn’t for you yet!

7) Regular routine: This does not have to a full on schedule. This might just be what you want to complete through out the day. (Make sure this list is very small e.g.-: My tasks today are eating breakfast, take a shower, study one hour and talk to a friend). As you get used to this, it’ll help!

8) Therapy: Therapy is actually very helpful. Therapy is totally different from talking to a friend or family, and honestly feels a lot better! It might take a few tries to find a perfect therapist for you but I’m sure you’ll find one. If you cannot get access to a therapist, just refer to point one on how to vent healthily.

9) Small goals: I know I have been mentioning this through out but start small. You may not be satisfied with what you have or what you are working at but it’s definitely better than doing nothing!

I’ve never been one for posting particularly introspective blog entries publicly. It’s not that I don’t contemplate things, or even write about them, but for the most part those meandering musings are confined only to my phone’s notes app- my most used app behind Facebook. And on those rare occasions that I *do* publicly blog about them I usually keep it on a relatively superficial level as I don’t necessarily like opening up my mind (and insecurities) to strangers.

But I’m turning 40 in less than a month and I think this is the catalyst that’s prompted a lot more thought about things than I’d ordinarily give them. I’d always considered 40 old but, as I approach it, I don’t *feel* old. And my family and friends would be rather quick to point out I don’t act it either. I always thought by 40 I would be much further along in life than I am. That I’d have a good job, a nice husband, a nice house, kids, that whole suburban dream. But... I haven’t.

And I started thinking if I’m a ball of mixed emotions about turning 40 maybe there’s other women- and men for that matter- who are feeling the exact same way so perhaps if I’m to break my self imposed cocoon of privacy around my innermost thoughts now might be the perfect time to give it a shot. So, with that being said, here goes nothing...

Here’s the thing: I remember my Mum’s 40th. I had just turned 10. I was sitting outside with my cousins, all of similar ages, and we were making fun of what we considered to be the appalling music taste our respective parents had. I even remember the leather pants Mum was wearing. She claims to have forgotten them but I think she’s faking that despite her bad memory. It didn’t even occur to me for a millisecond that my 40th wouldn’t be spent in a similar fashion. I just assumed life would follow the same path most women’s lives had followed for generations (with one caveat- I was planning to be the first one to go to uni): I’d find a job, I’d find a husband, we’d buy a house with a white picket fence, and we’d have 2.5 kids and a dog. And that all of that would be well and truly achieved by the time I turned 40. Just like it had been for my mum, and her mum before her, and hers before her. It was just the way things went, you know?

And then life happened. There’s a line in “Beautiful Boy” one of the John Lennon songs that I love that says “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” and it couldn’t be any truer in the 21st century than It was when it was written in 1980. (It’s a cruel twist of fate that it was written not long before he died and released after his death.)

For me “life” was all about my health, or lack thereof. I’ve mentioned the back issues before and the many hospital visits, and the 70 plus back ops. In essence this put things on hold: work, getting a home of my own, finding a guy (hard when you are always in and out of hospital and have problems losing weight) and having kids. So as I approach 40 without those things I’m not necessarily looking forward to it the way many do. (Plus if I get one “over the hill” card the person giving it to me shall be in a body bag.)

One thing I noticed when researching this blog post was Google searches about turning 40 seemed to concentrate on two things: what your health would be like post 40 and life as a Mum. Well what about those of us who are single and childless? Are we invisible? This didn’t particularly help with my mixed emotions about this supposed great milestone.

And it seems I’m not alone. Dr. Nancy Oreilly wrote about women’s aging anxiety that regardless of how you feel towards turning 40 you’ll still do what everyone does at this juncture and take stock of your life thus far. Things like “what have you done with your life? Are you the person you intended to be and are you living the life you want?” (1.)

In Lisa Bono’s interview with author Glynnis MacNicol about her book “No one tells you this” for the Sydney Morning Herald about life as a single 40 year old woman MacNicol admits she approached her 40th with “so much dread and shame" because she didn't have what she was "supposed" to have - a husband and a kid or two.... (because) we don't understand how to talk about women's lives as fulfilling unless we incorporate babies or weddings.” (2.)

Meredith Goldberg, in her article about age being just a number posed the question that if indeed age was just a number why was she feeling so apprehensive? Was it because she felt “like (she) had not accomplished enough in (her) 40 years on earth?” (3.) After all she hadn’t gotten married, hadn’t had kids, didn’t have another advanced degree.

Interestingly studies over the last decade or so have shown that the start of middle age (which, much to my chagrin given my belief I’m still like a much younger woman, is considered to be 40) often correlates with the time when people are the least happy, have the lowest levels of life satisfaction and highest levels of anxiety. A study at the University of Warwick and Dartmouth College attributed this to the facts that at this stage “adults are often faced with the pressures of raising children and looking after aging parents while simultaneously dealing with mounting financial and career pressures.“ (4)

Is it all too late for me- and other women turning 40 without a child- though? This is one of the most common thoughts going round and round in my head as I approach 40. I mean we all know about the whole ticking biological clock right? Even when I was doing my first postrgrad degree at 24, working part time, still single, still living at home, I still thought well there’s plenty of time. At 28 when I was finishing with postgrad, working full time but still single I *still* thought well there’s still a fair bit of time. At 33 it changed to well I guess there’s still time if I get a bit of a hurry on now. And now, at 39, single and childless, I think well maybe it’s too late now.

In her article about turning 40 whilst single and childless Bethany Jenkins wrote that it’s not only common but practically universal for a woman to expect and long for children, “to bring new life into the world; to put her hand on her belly as her baby grows; to wonder whether the newborn will have her or her beloved’s eyes; to hear “mom” not as a word uttered by her own voice to her own mother but as a call from her child’s voice for her.” (5) MacNicol in her book echoes that saying “as women, we’re taught to expect our stories to turn to marriage and children at a certain point in time (namely, before 40.)” (6)

Robin Deutsch, a psychologist and associate professor at William James College in Newton also points out that women reaching 40 tend to be more confident, have more wisdom and make better choices. (4) (Does she even know me?) But when you really think about it the whole “life begins at 40” theory has some merit. Julia Child didn’t publish her first cookbook until she was almost 50. Vera Wang didn’t start her fashion career until 40.

The fact that these women have the same feelings surrounding turning 40 whilst single and childless gives me some comfort. There’s a quote from Jung that I remember from philosophy at uni. He said that life begins at 40 and until then you’re just doing research. And maybe I’ve got to look at the positives in my current circumstances? One big upside I see is freedom. I plan to travel and return to uni to study something I’m passionate about and it’s doubtful I could do this had my life taken that path I was so sure it would.

So does this mean that the formula that my mum and all my ancestors followed, that unsaid life plan of when to get married, buy a home and have kids, is a thing of the past? We know women have children later these days. In fact the median age for a first kid these days is 30.6 as per the ABS reports

From the 1950s to mid 1970s, the fertility rates of women aged 20–24 and 25–29 were patently higher than that of all other age groups. Since then, the fertility rates for women in their 20s have been steadily declining whilst rates of those aged in their 30s have mostly increased since the early 1980s. Since 2000, the fertility rate of women in their early 30s has been higher than all other groups. It’s not just that women are having babies later but also the birth rate has declined. In 1950 the birth rate was 23.124. Its predicted 2020 will be at 12.561. (ABS yearly reports.)

We know women have children later these days, preferring to be settled and to have done the things they thought they’d not be able to do after before becoming a parent. Compared to our mothers, our grandmothers and so on we have more choices and not every woman’s first goal in life is having a child. (8)

The differences between say baby boomers and millennials are striking. It’s not just the fact that they settle down later but there are also other factors that mean by the time we turn 40 we may not have all the things our ancestors have but there are other priorities we have. For instance more women go to university now than they did when my Mum was turning 40. And after spending the time, work and money to get a degree it’s only natural that it follows that they want to get more out of their careers. Whilst baby boomers are more driven by loyalty, often staying at the same company for years, millennials are more interested in achieving more, whether that’s at the same company or not. (9) My father, for example, worked for the same company his entire life. He could have gone to many others with the knowledge he’d accumulated but he liked his job and he was happy there so it didn’t even really occur to him in more than a passing thought.

Then you look at things like buying a home. It’s ironic given that pay has increased that millennials are putting home ownership off longer than previous generations. Whilst people of my parents generation were content with a “starter home” these days more and more first home buyers want a bigger home, with bigger and better appliances, closer to the city than the suburbs etc. Research has found that rather than jump straight into a mortgage millennials look at travel, and spending their pay on things like Ubers and Lyfts, coffee, gadgets, clothes, and live entertainment and sports. (9)

Marriage is also something we do later. Consider the fact that whilst almost “50% of baby boomers were married between the ages of 18 to 32... a mere 26% of millennials are married in the same age range.” (9)

The fact that so many other women have the same feelings surrounding turning 40 whilst single and childless gives me some comfort. There’s a quote from Jung that I remember from philosophy at uni. He said that life begins at 40 and until then you’re just doing research. And maybe I’ve got to look at the positives in my current circumstances? One big upside I see is freedom. In the next 12 months I plan to travel and return to uni to study something I’m passionate about and it’s doubtful I could do this had my life taken that path I was so sure it would.

In an article published on mindbodygreen.com the writer spoke about how well-meaning friends had been asking her did she not want to have kids, did she not want to get married, etc, and she was quick to say that this can actually be the “most celebrated time of your life (and to) consider yourself blessed and enjoy the freedom.” (10) She listed some of the things to celebrate about turning 40 whilst single and childless. Like me travel was up there on her list as was the time to Perdue your passions. She also mentioned “(the) opportunity to nurture your friendships and relationships with family...(and that) the dating pool is large in your 40’s (given) a large majority of our population is divorced... there are so many

social media dating sites and social events in every major city... (and) you know what you're looking for.” (10)

So maybe instead of worrying about why I’m not where I wanted to be turning 40, worrying that it’s too late, worrying that my friends are further along than I am, I should be embracing it. The future is mine. I’ve just got to find a way to embrace it.

Fatgirl.

Sources:

1.) https://www.drnancyoreilly.com/40-2/

2.) https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/no-one-tells-you-life-as-a-40-year-old-single-woman-can-be-like-this-20180717-p4zs16.html

3.) https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/1140197/anxious-about-turning-40/amp/

4.) https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2017/06/01/seriously-now-what-traumatic-about-turning/UVnbdmxVvLSzwoB8Yo4wGP/story.html%3foutputType=amp

5.) https://ifstudies.org/blog/reflections-on-turning-40-while-single-and-childless

6.) https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/single-at-40-glynnis-macnicol-interview/amp/

7.) https://aifs.gov.au/facts-and-figures/births-in-australia

8.) https://www.mamamia.com.au/average-age-to-have-kids/

9.) https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/difference-millennials-baby-boomers-2019-4%3famp

Written by Athena Potsos, a fourth year MEng Chemical Engineering student at the University of Nottingham.

University is an exciting place: you get to meet new people, learn new things… But these happy feelings are almost always found with homesickness lurking in the dark. As an international student, when I’m in the lecture hall, sitting with my friends, smiling, having a good time, I’m still 3,700 miles (6,000 km) away from home. Away from my friends, my parents, my brother, my baby sister, my dogs and my home. It’s tough, seeing my sister grow up when I’m on the other side of the Atlantic. But that homesickness doesn’t bother me anymore, and it shouldn’t bother you.

What to do when you feel homesick

Accept it

The first step in overcoming homesickness isn’t ignoring it, or thinking that it’s wrong. It’s accepting the fact that it’s a completely normal response. Whether you’re from Nottingham or from New Zealand, or anywhere in between, your homesickness is valid. It’s a normal human response, so don’t hide it: understand and accept it. Accept the fact that a lot has just changed. That the life you were used to has just been thrown upside down. The feelings you are experiencing are to be expected. 

Stay in touch 

The next step is to find a way to connect back home. Today we have loads of options: Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and plenty more. All of these services let us talk to the ones we love and miss back home.

Home doesn’t seem so far away when I’m chatting with my family on Thanksgiving, or saying hello to all my relatives when Easter rolls around. Staying connected is super important, so don’t forget it!

Make friends

Another great way to curb your homesickness is to find others in your situation. One of my best friends is also an international student and we’ve bonded over it many times. Just remember that anyone could be in this situation, not just those far from home. Just find someone who may also be struggling and say hi.

If you’re still finding it hard, go out and find a sports group or society to join. It’s often said that a good way to deal with homesickness is to keep busy. By engaging in positive activities, you may begin to see that the homesickness gets easier and easier. There are loads of opportunities at Nottingham, and a lot of the people you'll interact with have been in your shoes before and understand how you feel.

Give yourself time

Finally, if you've done all those things and still have trouble, just give it time. It will get better. Take time to get used to the changes in your life and you'll soon make friends and get into the routine of lectures. I know it may sound impossible and the homesickness feels like it'll never go away, but I promise you it will.

I'm a fucking cool person at almost 34

6 Major Coping Competencies for Failure

My 21-Day Lockdown Action Plan!!! It's scary to be home, under the watchful eyes of husband, son and mom, 24/7, without an escape plan to work!!!

Day 1: Make a list of movies to watch

Start finding them online – Prime/Zee5/Hotstar (Can’t afford Netflix)

Start watching!!!

Day 2: Pull out unread books from the shelf

Find them!

Dust them!

Start Reading!!!

Finish watching that movie!

Day 3: Pick quick-to-make recipes from the internet

Find out some YouTube channels

DELEGATE!!!

Movie?!!

Book?!!

Day 4-5-6-7: Find the lost pajamas

P…