1. Can you share with us the story behind Pockets of Bliss? What inspired you to start your business, and how did the idea come to life?
Of course! Back in May 2023 I started feeling unwell, it started with vertigo and it kind of came out of no-where, well at the time it felt like that. I didn’t think I was outwardly stressed but I know know my body and mind definitely were inwardly working hard to stay in one piece. Following the vertigo I started getting extreme stomach pains and my chest was tightening everyday, one day I just broke and my husband took me to A&E; from there it was a downward spiral.
I was prodded with needles and so many different tests, I had at least another trip to A&E and 3 rounds of strong antibiotics because they thought I had an infection somewhere. Cut along story short, I didn’t, my body was reacted to my mental state, I was on the cusp of a mental breakdown.
I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety coupled with panic attacks. It was a hard time and one I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. I now know from talking to my therapist that I had had a lot of stressors over the previous 2 years, including losing a friend to suicide, closing my business down and hitting a financially hard place plus other hard times, and I hadn’t dealt with how they all made me feel, unfortunately we can’t really suppress feelings long term, they will come out eventually and be detrimental to our health. I also learnt that our mind and body is connected, so although I felt mentally drained my body was taking a battering too.
My appetite was depleted and I lost weight rapidly, I cried every day, I hurt in my head but in my physical form too, my tummy was so sore, my limbs ached and I walked around with my shoulders rigid and up like a protection from myself, it hurt to lower my shoulders or relax my tummy; I was a feeble mess and I know I really worried my husband, my mum, my children and any friends that actually knew what was going on.
Depression of that calibre is a dark dark existence and is very hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel, I was so lost and so scared.
I finally gave up on trying to get better just holistically, although it all helped towards my path to recovery I just couldn’t get over the hump so I took the antidepressants that I had been fighting against and to this day I’ll always be grateful for those pills getting me to where I am now.
Whilst I was in that deep and dark state, I started thinking about all the little gifts, messages and items that had helped me and my desire was to start a online gift service to allow others to treat someone they love, to cheer someone up or to simply say I’m here for you or thank you for being here for me. And pockets of bliss was born.
I took my time, I researched, I built my own website with help from my husband and slowly started to get items in for my boxes.
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