To continue celebrating our Two Year Birthday, we are running A Day In The Life series of all our Defying Shadows writers. We hope this encourages you as you get to know us better! Enjoy!
Name: Amanda Ogden
What does an average day look like for you (Don’t be afraid to share about your mental health struggles!)
My average day consists of waking up and getting ready to go to work. Usually my commute to work is usually my time to reflect on the day ahead and what things need to be done. After getting home from work and unwinding with family trying to spend some time reflecting on the day and what I am grateful for.
What steps do you find help you when struggling with your mental health struggles?
Some of the steps that I find that help me when I am struggling is to write down what needs to be done for those task and prioritize them before I commence and to make sure that I clarify what needs to be done, get myself a drink of water or fresh air before I start.
How do you find your mental health struggles affect those around you?
By discussing with family and friends when your going through it and how they find the behaviours affect them within their live, so that we can work together in order for it to not to get to a head or when it does work on a solution to solve the problem (although it won’t completely solve it, but being on the same page can create a better understanding). By keeping all lines of communication open and within a positive environment, we can come up with some ways on helping each other out.
What’s one thing you love about yourself?
Being Creative. One of my creative outlets is designing and making one of pieces of jewellery. I find the process of sourcing the materials, creating the design of the jewellery piece, and being able to see the end result of the design come to the full 360 is the amazing part for me and to be able to look at the jewellery piece and say “hey I created this”. By being creative it gives you an outlet to explore different things and to see what your interested and to pursue them, you just never know where it might take you!!
What are five things you are thankful for (other than family, friends, food and shelter – home)?
- Health
- Work
- Travel
- Life – To be able to live it and explore what it has to offer every day is amazing!
- Love – Whether it is towards our partners/husband/wives/family/friends/god being able to express our feeling of love towards them.
How has your life changed for the best from the last year?
Wow. My life has changed quiet a bit over the past year in many different ways and for the better. One of those positive things that has happened is welcoming my beautiful nephew into our family. My nephew is very adorable and has quiet the personality!!
What’s your personal motto?
My personal motto would be to live each day as if it was your last with absolutely no regrets!! I am always a firm believe that I don’t want to get to the end of my life thinking “If only I did that” or “I wish I did that when I was given the opportunity”. Instead I like to look at it as that I achieved something in my life no matter how big or small it is or how obscured it was, as long as it does not hurt anyone around me or break any laws.
What song is most played on your playlist?
For me this question actually can change from week to week for me because I am an avid music lover of all different genres, and there are so many amazing songs by some incredible artists. I actually have a couple at the moment that are on my playlist:
- Slip Into Something More Comfortable – Kinobe
- Empire State of Mind – Jay Z and Alicia Keys
- Hello – Adele
If you had to pick a character from a movie or TV show, who do you relate most to?
I have a few different characters from different movie’s and TV shows who I could relate to, but at the moment the TV character that I relate to at the moment would be Grace from Will & Grace.
What motivates you?
Life, that anything is possible and that you can achieve absolutely everything in this life if you put your mind to it.
Amanda Ogden is from Sydney Australia, and has spent the past 13 years working within the welfare industry in both administration and case management assisting people with mental health issues, mild intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries, drug & alcohol, homelessness gain employment. She also loves travelling, creating jewellery, music, friends and family.
You can follow Amanda on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook.
Defying Shadows 