After the week I’ve had, I’m actually amazed that this is the word I’ve chosen to sum it up! I have many negative words I can relate to this week – hard, emotional, stressful, sad, worrying… but I’m determined, as ever, to claw some positive from what I’ve experienced.

So this week I have felt empowered!

Over on my grief blog, Chasing Dragonflies, I started the week being thoroughly pissed off by Virgin Mobile, which I put straight out there on my blog. This company managed to upset me in a way I couldn’t think possible – I felt so low and unhappy. But I reached out to the blogging world and with their support I was offered a personal apology from the Chief Exec’s PA and reassurance that things will change! If you’ve not read the blogs, go over and take a look, start with this one to get the full picture.

I felt empowered by the fact that something so simply miserable that many of us take for granted each day, poor customer service, could be made right, by just one ‘little’ voice (mine) and that it IS possible to make a difference. Not least, I these posts were viewed thousands of times on social media, and I was introduced to new followers and grieving parents, as well as all the love from my regular readers.

On, this, my parenting blog, Cottonwool & Eggshells, I shared how my tween’s transition to secondary hadn’t been going well. I was waiting on seeing a psycologist to help me help her… it was tense and worrying. But then this week, she’s much calmer, seems more settled, still anxious at times but is sending me what I consider ‘normal’ text messages during the day and is happier in the evening (albeit with the occasional ‘Kevin the (pre)teenager’ mood swing). I didn’t feel so bad when the psycologist cancelled our appointment, although we’ll still meet up – a few good days do not mend a lifetime of anxiety!

But even so, it was empowering for her to get over her anxieties from the previous week; each week I am able to talk to her about this more and her maturity really helps to explain why she feels what she does and how she can overcome her worries. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a slog at times for both of us, but to see even a small change in her mental wellbeing is another step in the right direction, and a relief!

I also shared, at last, my experiences of antenatal care… and how worried I am for mothers with PND or any kind of mental health problem being lost in this ‘skeleton service’.

But you know, I feel empowered that I can step outside myself to identify that this is happening. It makes you feel more in control if you can at least see the problems, and hopefully do something about them.

I also ended the week with my new blog design from the lovely @EllieAllAtSea – which I absolutely love!

So, while at times I certainly don’t feel physically or mentally strong, I’m going to try and keep hold of this feeling of empowerment and hope it lasts a bit longer than the weekend!