Daisy Change

 Trigger warning - sexual abuse, bulimia, depression and Flashbacks. 

I will never forget Christmas 2006. I was sixteen and my then boyfriend chose Christmas day to break up with me. It was my first relationship and I was crushed. 

Or how about Christmas 2008. When my crazy brain decided to choose Christmas day to remember that I had been sexually abused 3 years earlier. 

Finally how about last Christmas, the first without my uncle and with a grandmother that now has Alzheimer's. 

The point is I understand emotional pain in the holidays. 

I've worn the painted smile for the sake of not ruining Christmas for my loved ones, when inside I felt lost, alone and emotionally drained from carrying something so heavy. 

The worse for me was 2008, the pain of realizing that I, miss ' pure princess waiting on Gods best" had lost the most precious thing to me to a rape and sexual assault, was so painful I could barely breath. 

My faith took a hit, I chose to carry the burden alone telling no one. It wouldn't be until the following May that I'd find the courage to share my story with my mother. 

I knew God at this point but I still felt so alone. 

I have learnt over the years however that our feelings lie to us, learning to live above them is a really important skill. 

It's not easy though. 

That said I have learnt some tips to manage the pain. 

Tip 1 - Water. Stay hydrated. You may not feel like eating but you don't need a dehydration headache on top of what you're going through. 

Tip 2 - If you can, share your pain with another person. Carrying your pain alone like I did is not a smart move. 

Tip 3 - Let Jesus into your pain. He cares for you so much, and He's waiting to be invited in. 

Tip 4 - Lean in to love. Love of your family and friends, love of the holiday, love of your favourite hobbies it doesn't matter, love will see you through this. 

Tip 5  Journal with your favourite music.  Trust me on this, it helps to get it all out on the page and the music really helps to experience your emotions in a safe place. 

I sincerely hope that things get better for you, but in the mean time hopefully these tips can act like a plaster ( bandaid) till you can get some professional help. 

Whatever you are doing this Christmas, I pray it will be a blessed one and your burden won't be too heavy. 

Stay savvy sweetie, 

Love Hayley 

xXx 

The Cost of Always-On

We live in a world that rewards constant presence. Every notification demands your gaze, every trending topic demands your opinion, every algorithm punishes absence. Being “always-on” has become the baseline expectation — not the exception.

And yet, being always-on comes at a cost. The human mind wasn’t designed for nonstop connection, rapid-response culture, and perpetual comparison. Sleep is shorter, attention spans are fractured, and anxiety is amplified by the pressure to be perpetually available.

The irony is that connection has become extraction. Every moment you spend scrolling, replying, and engaging feeds a system that measures your attention as a commodity. Your energy becomes currency. Your time becomes debt.

Resisting the always-on economy doesn’t require a grand gesture. It can be as small as:

• Turning off notifications for a day.

• Taking a walk without documenting it.

• Saying “no” to one more event or message.

Each act is radical in its simplicity. Choosing presence over performance, quiet over broadcast, life over feed — that is the statement in 2025.

Shocktober Statement: Power isn’t in being seen; power is in reclaiming your focus.

I am putting up what I like to call the amateur wall. It will keep the perfectionists out.