Highland Mental Health Blog

18/09/2023

🌳 ☀️

[ L I G H T & G R O W T H ]

I believe that where there is light there is growth and where there is growth there is more light and so on and so forth…..

I was walking through camp this morning after putting the flags up at 0600hrs and as I was walking down I noticed the pictured tree with the light shining behind and through it, it got me thinking 🤔 which we all know can be dangerous for me 😂

It made me realise that though I walk past these trees on the daily I don’t really take much time or haven’t recently to acknowledge my own growth in life and take the time to notice the little bits of light that have come from that growth because your brightest moments shine through your darkest and thickest of leaves 🍃

I have learned valuable lessons and continue to do so. I try to adapt to my surroundings and accept and acknowledge my emotions, limitations and own personal boundaries.

I know when to ask for help even if that’s to go for a brew ☕️ and talk things over with trusted ones.

Where there is light there is growth, where there is growth there is more light.

Think about that today as you go around your daily business and take the time to take in your surroundings you’ll be amazed about how much you miss…….

~ HUGH

17/05/2023

[ L I G H T & G R O W T H ]

I believe that where there is light there is growth and where there is growth there is more light and so on and so forth…..

I was walking through camp this morning after putting the flags up at 0600hrs and as I was walking down I noticed the pictured tree with the light shining behind and through it, it got me thinking 🤔 which we all know can be dangerous for me 😂

It made me realise that though I walk past these trees on the daily I don’t really take much time or haven’t recently to acknowledge my own growth in life and take the time to notice the little bits of light that have come from that growth because your brightest moments shine through your darkest and thickest of leaves 🍃

I have learned valuable lessons and continue to do so. I try to adapt to my surroundings and accept and acknowledge my emotions, limitations and own personal boundaries.

I know when to ask for help even if that’s to go for a brew ☕️ and talk things over with trusted ones.

Where there is light there is growth, where there is growth there is more light.

Think about that today as you go around your daily business and take the time to take in your surroundings you’ll be amazed about how much you miss…….

~ HUGH

01/01/2023

[ 2 0 2 2 ]

I am here,
I am alive!

The last few years have been crazy for me mentally. I have found a new mindset and I have changed myself for the better with the drive to always improve each day.

I f**k up, I am Human and so are you.

Looking back I respect the journey I have been on and if it wasn’t for one change of anything I would not be where I am now. I have a lot to do to go forward but I am glad I am on my way.

Today is Day 1 of the new year, make it count from the start, only you can make that happen.

Love yourself for who you are.

Happy New Year 🥳

#2022

28/11/2022

[ S E L F ]

How you see yourself affects you massively. We all have dreams and goals in life but it’s not until we take the action to achieve them do we start to see results.

When you’re feeling low or you’re at a sad point in your life. Look at a mirror and think of your age, then notice that you’re still here, you’re still here after all these years and you’ve achieved that yourself.

So keep going and never stop dreaming and striving to be the person you want to be.

27/11/2022

[ B L U E B A L L S ]

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Edinburgh Blue Balls is a likeminded group of all men from all backgrounds who meet weekly to embrace the elements in our buddy smugglers and go for a dip in the cold water.

Are we nuts? Nope! Embracing discomfort and putting the body under a stressful situation like cold water teaches you to breathe and control your heart rate and bring you back down to ground level.

By practicing this you can apply this to any situation that arises in your daily life. Breathe and control your mind.

If you can breathe then you are alive and that’s the greatest gift ever. You’ll realise that it’s not really that bad once you’re in control of your mind.

I am extremely thankful for these legends.

Piper Hugh Out!!!

20/11/2022

[ J I G S A W ]

For years and years I have suffered with trying to fit in be it work related, groups of friends, family, sports teams basically anything that involved groups I always felt I didn’t fit in.

Now it took me along time to realise something really simple, the majority of people in that group situation feel the same.

The problem lies with our minds and how we allow them to over complicate the easiest of situations. I believe there is 3 entities- our bodies, our minds, then us (like a third party) looking down on the other two. We need to take control of our minds and bodies to overcome fears and issues that we face.

Do I still struggle to fit in? Internally yes a little bit I now know how to deal with in the moment. What do I do? I breathe take a second and I compose myself and I take control of my mind and I ease myself into meeting of groups knowing that others are possibly in the same boat.

The saving grace here for me was realising that others think how I do in life and it’s actually common so I then talk about it and it becomes easier the more I do.

The message here is -

Don’t hurt yourself to fit in, take your time and understand yourself and take control of your mind. Be yourself and you’ll naturally fit in.

15/11/2022

On Thursday I will be back to doing live videos with my good American Edinburgh blue balling friend Harry.

Head over to the Instagram at 7:30pm Thursday and watch our live video addressing mental health issues in our own journeys.

10/10/2022

[ F R E E Z E & R E F L E C T ]

Cold Post 3/3

Stop what you’re doing and take the time to reflect on the past and what’s behind you. If you don’t reflect your mental part of the mind will always come back past experiences be they good or bad.

• Reflection
• Acceptance
• Addressing

Are three key factors mentally to learning for our futures, by avoiding things we store them up like blocks of plastic explosive and when the time comes we explode and the damage that is done from that can never be changed but by addressing problems we can prevent that ticking time bomb from going off.

Your past is not your enemy it’s friendly forces to be reconned with of addressed properly.

Cold Series OUT!!!

10/10/2022

[ C O L D B R E A T H ]

How we react to situations can tell a lot about you. We are all human believe it or not and many big scary things can happen in life.

Being able to control my mind through breath work is a huge part of how and where I am today. It’s taken me a long time to realise that I have to do things for me and not for others. No one else is going to do things for you as they have things in their life to deal with too.

Trust your gut feelings breathe and control how you react to situations that arise, don’t let the situation control you. I write this as I sit down the beach in my hometown for Dornoch in shorts and tee shirt as the rain is starting and all I can do is smile and take big deep controlled breaths. The mixture of the clean sea air, the coldness of the wind and rain and the peace and quiet to be able to gather my thoughts just takes me to a 5th dimension.

I sit here and I compose my thoughts

You too can be there for yourself do what it takes for your inner happiness.

04/10/2022

[ I C E S E R I E S ]

Each week I will try and do a 3X Post Mini Series. Last week was the start and they seemed to go down pretty well and the private feedback was great to see I’m making a difference.

POST #1 - “Cold Truths“

Cold as ice Truths is the theme this week 🥶

Bad times are always going to come around, accept that!! The sooner you can accept that life happens in phases the quicker you can become mindful of this happening and you can then prepare and embrace the discomforts that are a head of you.

Doing this will get you through them and into the better times. Endeavour through the adversities you will (voice of Yoda apparently) 🤣

ACCEPT
EMBRACE
ENDEAVOUR

These bad s**tty times will pass you’ve just got to trust, love but most importantly believe in yourself!

30/09/2022

[ R E A L vs F A K E ]

In this day and age with the heights of technology and social media outlets it can become extremely easy to become “perfect” to people.
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People will post all the posts and photos of their “happy” lives all over everything I mean hey I post things a lot that makes me happy on my private accounts.
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Difference is with me is that I have finally accepted that I’ve made mistakes but I make no regrets for those mistakes in life and I am very open about them.
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People are not always what they seem and so can be said about me typing this but what is real is what is infront of you.
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We make mistakes, that’s okay so go and own your mistakes as much as you own your successes, it is all apart of your path.

29/09/2022

[ W H O M A T T E R S ]

It is very important to know who matters in your life and who is just there for their own benefits.

Not everyone needs to like you or what you do in your life, if they have a problem with you that then that is their problem not yours.

If they cannot be happy for you and your endeavours then they do not deserve to be in your circle but with this, they also do not need to keep you in theirs if they feel they do not want yous and this is where we must have humble and calmness around our minds to be able to accept this and move forward both parties.
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18/09/2022

[ S T O R Y ]

“You are the author of your own story”

Yes yes yes, you are the decider of what happens in your life and no one else is to blame or take responsibility. How you react to other peoples life’s is on you and only you can deal with that.

Write your own destiny by choosing any or many of the oaths laid out infront of you.

05/09/2022

[ A D D I C T I O N ]

Addiction Awareness Month

Addictions can be hard to overcome when things become overwhelming to you we use addictions as a release.

Drugs, alcohol, food, social media and many many more……

When used in moderation and in the correct manner these addictions can be healthy but many of us have used or are using these to mask our problems.

I took years and therapy to change my mindset on alcohol which I used and I abused to numb my mind because of all the s**t I had not yet dealt with. And I wasn’t bad there is a lot worse out there that we need to be aware off.

I have dealt with a lot mentally and I can honestly say as wild as I can get I now am in control of the darkened that clouded my mind mentally when I drink.

September is a month of awareness but not just this month but every month. We need to be aware of those around us and their addictions as hard as they might be to see.

So ask twice always ask twice and don’t be a dick, be kind and understanding and sometimes just listening can save a life.

31/08/2022

[ QUESTION ]

You can’t change the past, you definitely CANNOT predict the future but what you can do is act on the present.

Learn to control your mindset especially in times of unrest and anger, it’s hard and not everyone, myself included can do that all the time but when you go back and turn into the thing you hate most, that’s a fail.

With all choices in life we must face the consequences of our actions. Stay calm in times of unrest it will pass and you can move on/forward with your life.

To answer,

Trust, Love & be true to yourself before you can be these to others and if you need to stop and reassess your position in life then do so.

29/08/2022

[ D E P R E S S I O N ]

It comes in many shapes and forms and it is nothing to be ashamed off. I believe we all have a form of it and even on a daily occurrence too for most.

It’s okay to not be okay, we had humans go through phases and to accept that this will always happen is the start to controlling your mind in times of hardship.

Good times will always come and bad times will always come too.

Accept this and embrace discomfort and the bad times will phase out and the better times will arrive.

We’re all in this together 🙏🏻

23/08/2022

[ T A K E A B R E A K ]
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[ A N D B R E A T H E ]

After all that is said and done…..

Remember about yourself and your own body and mind……take a breather and control your heart and mind, ground yourself, and then start the recovery.

At the end of today is tomorrow and tomorrow never comes, don’t worry about the things you can’t control. Are you alive and are you breathing? If yea go and live your life.

We die once so live every day!!

It will all be okay in the end, if it’s not okay now it’s not the end, keep on fighting the good fight.

19/08/2022

[ P A T H ]

PART 2

Throughout life you will have people come in and out of your life, for years I always people pleased and done my most for those around me and I took it personally when I got nothing in return.

Quite often these people will feed off you, be it the need for your energy or the need for you to benefit themselves and throwing you down after their need for you is done.

I chose a path for me, to do things for me, to not let others feed of my fails and successes alike. I have chosen a path that I want to go down and a path that will lead me to that happier life I crave and want for myself.

Follow your heart, use your mind and trust your gut.

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