Silver lining

... what have we learnt? Have we learnt things? Let's find out! Mr Peanutbutter from Netflix series BoJack Horseman, the best series in the world. I'll be using this meme more times than I should. It was August 2018 when I knew I was going to start my nursing journey. I had applied to my Bachelor of Nursing (Mental Health) just a few months before, through clearing , a process which allows students who either didn't get a place in their desired courses, or applied too late, to apply again for any places that are still left. I had very low hopes and expectations and was starting to plan my life around not being accepted. But I was accepted and in a month I'd be starting on a very different journey. In me, there was a desire to explore the realm of mental health - which had always been a dream of mine - and to work with people in a truly meaningful way. And at that stage, that was all I knew. No one is expecting you to be a nurse, but they expect you to begin ...

Last weekend, I went to the launch of the 5th issue of locally and independently printed magazine, Marbles at the Lighthouse bookshop here in Edinburgh. Marbles is a magazine that covers all aspects of mental health and destigmatisation and it counts on the contributions of people who live with mental health problems. In the words of the founder and editor Kirstyn Smith, Marbles intends to provide you with "plasters for your sanity" or, as I see it, with an outlet for self-expression for when your heart hurts.  One of the things that interest me about Marbles is this exploration of creativity in the healing and recovery process.  This is the second launching event I attended and I always leave feeling inspired to do something to foster my own creative juices. Contrary to popular belief, creativity is a skill and as such, it is possible to foment its development.  The theme of the 5th issue is Unfinished . It's about starting and not finishing, or not even starting a...