In 2021, after the stroke, getting life back on track was tough. Although she knew deep down that she was the same person and we were the same family, we certainly didn’t feel like it. Everything felt broken, our Low Arousal Lifestyle gave us a great grounding, but it wasn’t enough, especially for Paula. She really struggled to keep herself motivated, accept her new needs. Our faith was still important to us and we knew we were not alone, and we struggled with our new situation.
In February 2022 Paula took part in a short course, called Fab-u-SAS, with the lovely Jojo Smith from CreativSAS. It helped her to find her own Self Awareness Strategy to constantly re-find her courage, confidence and self-belief in herself. (Read JoJo’s Book it’s great). The impact on her was limitless and the ripples affected our family life.
She decided to become a featured author in the book collaboration From the Ashes Vol 2: She is Ignited where she documented our story of parent blaming and gaslighting within the autism world and began to develop Live WELL. her strategy for living a complicated life in a complex world. Live WELL began as a personal strategy for Paula, and developed into one that supports, monitors and evaluates life and family.
Live WELL addresses the idea that whilst life can be complicated by illness, diagnosis, family life and situations beyond our control, we can thrive in our world, and not, just survive it. We can live in hope that things will change, and more than simply just cope with the chaos. It fitted our situation perfectly, and I soon discovered it also fitted so many others too.
How To Live WELL
Live WELL is made up of four Cornerstones.
W is for WELLBEING – the idea that we can be comfortable, healthy and happy in a way that fits our unique lives.
E is for ENERGY BALANCE – a technique about balancing the amount of energy you need to do an activity with ways to recharge that energy.
L is for LOW AROUSAL – the art of creating positive, caring environment that seeks to avoid frustration, conflict, stress and crisis situations.
L is for LOVING LIFE – the ability to make a conscious decision to live more positively, be grateful for what comes your way and be optimistic about the future
Live WELL can be used by children, young people, families or individuals it is tailored around your needs and your life to support the challenges you face. It is based on The Low Arousal Approach, a non-confrontational, stress reducing, crisis avoiding multi-tool, for supporting individuals to negotiate life in their world.
Whatever your situation Live WELL can improve it, whether you are struggling with chronic illness, injury or disability. Whether you are struggling to support behaviour, living with school-based anxiety, overwhelm and/or exhaustion of life, coping with stress and anxiety, whatever, Live WELL is empowering, freeing and liberating.