#maybe ill post some scuba ones too

[rowenwolf]

Colors of the ocean

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hey, lovely!! Do you have any Johnlock or Mystrade fics with one of the them having a disability? I'd also appreciate any genderswap fics that you may have, regardless of their topic. I find the lack of femlock disturbing :)

Anonymous said to inevitably-johnlocked: Hi! I have been in the mood for some good whump fics lately. Would you happen to know of any that include sherlock getting a life changing disability (paralysis, amputation, blindness, deafness, loss of speech, etc…) Thx

Hi Lovely and Nonny!!

Ahh, I’m so sorry, I don’t have a LOT of fics, and the ones I do have are only Johnlock (don’t really care for Mystrade so I don’t read it), and I haven’t read any femlock so sadly I don’t have personal recs, though you can check out my blog tag to see what I do have on my blog. SO SORRY!

And Nonny, your ask came just in time for this post, so I’m attaching your ask to this one, because this whole list is any of the disabled fics I have, and I’m also linking you to the recs I have for Deaf/Mute/Blindness since you asked for them, though I believe I’ve added them all to this list… In case I didn’t, you can check out those lists too

DISABILITIES or MEDICAL CONDITIONS (Apr. 2020)

See also:  

Deafness 

Deaf/Mute/Blind Sherlock/John (Dec 2019)

New World, Old Words by thedeafwriter (G, 641 w., 1 Ch. || Deaf Sherlock, Sherlock Whump, Pining Sherlock, Marriage Proposal, Fluff, Always John) – It was disconcerting to experience. One second, he was laying on the table, breathing in the gas that would make him sleep, the next, he was dragging his eyes open to look around the bright room, trying to wake up.

Angel by MrsNoggin (T, 1,513 w., 1 Ch.  || Winglock, Friendship, Chromoesthesia, Drugging) – John is an angel. That can be the only explanation. A response to the challenging request for a realistic wingfic one-shot.

One in Ten Thousand by Blind Author (K+, 1,856 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TGG, Friendship / Pre-Slash, Discussions of Violence, Worried then Curious Sherlock, Scars/John’s Bullet Wound, Medical Anomolies) – John seems to have unusual mobility for a shoulder wound…

Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil by PipMer (T, 1,895 w., 1 Ch. || Deaf John, Mute Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Fluff and Angst, Character Study, Morse Code, Love Confessions) – John is deaf. Sherlock is mute. There are no two people more suited for each other.

Those Days by StillWaters1 (T, 2,663 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD / Sensory Attacks, Caring Sherlock) – If Sherlock had danger nights, then these were John’s danger days.

Reversed by whitchry9 (K+, 3,072 w., 6 Ch. || Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Medical Anomolies, John Gets Shot) – The man pointed his gun at John’s chest, right at his heart, and shot.’ Wherein John is shot, and Sherlock is the one panicking.

Speaker for the Bees by antietamfalls (M, 14,649 w., 3 Ch. || Deaf Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss / Time, Fluff, Sign Language) – It isn’t always easy assisting a deaf detective. Luckily for John, they make a pretty good team.

carrying up his morning tea by darcylindbergh (E, 34,504 w., 5 Ch. || Post S3, Minor Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Wakes/Funerals, Estranged John, Pining Sherlock, Depression/Insecurity, Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Chronic Pain/Injury, Reconciliation, Awkwardness, Loneliness, Scars, Angst With Happy Ending) – His fingers tremble as he dials and he can’t force them steady. Familiar number, even though he hasn’t used it in two years. He isn’t even sure he should be calling it now, but she’d asked. She’d made him promise.

Thermocline by J_Baillier (M, 83,557 w., 14 Ch. || Scuba Diving AU || Adventure, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Marine Archaeology, Asexual Sherlock, Horny John, Relationship Drama, Technical/Scuba/Wreck Diving, Slow Burn, Underwater /  Medical Peril, Doctor John, Hurt Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, John POV, Protective John, Body Appreciation, Diabetes) – John “Five Oceans” Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

Just To Hold You Close by sussexbound (E, 70,841 w., 18 Ch. || Autistic Sherlock, Alternate First Meeting, Sherlock POV, ASD Sherlock, PTSD John, Demisexual Sherlock, Bisexual John, Cuddling/Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Enthusiastic Consent, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Sexual Tension, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Cuddle Negotiations, For a Case Until It Isn’t, Hair Petting, Sexual Negotiation, Anxiety, Trust Issues, Slow Burn, Panic Attacks, Frottage, Hand/Blow Jobs, Referenced Self Harm / Abuse / Suicidal Ideation, First Kiss/Time, Anal) – When a woman is murdered and the last person to see her alive is recently invalided army vet turned reluctant (and prickly) professional cuddler, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes is pulled into a world of intimacy and intrigue he never could have imagined. John is a conundrum and mystery: frank yet reserved, tender yet angry, open yet afraid. Sherlock is instantly drawn into his orbit, and begins to feel and desire things he never has before.

Maintenance and Repair by patternofdefiance (E, 106,650 w., 71 Ch. || Future AU, Augmentation || Augmented John, Depression, Body Modification, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding, Sci-Fi, Self-Care, Body Dysmorphia) – John wants to explain the rush of sensation and data, which is just another form of sensation (or is it the other way around?). John wants to say:Augmentation circuits report temperature, pressure, various forms of quantitative input. Sudden changes are reported as pain, since sudden changes are dangerous, and pain is the quickest way to encourage reflexive extraction. But all John can manage is, “Nng.” Because this sudden touch is not reporting as pain. Part 2 of STATIC

Breakable by MissDavis (E, 117,627 w., 34 Ch. || Established Relationship, Major Character Injury, Fluff/Angst, Depression, Paralysis/Disabilities, Hurt/Comfort, POV Sherlock, Mental Health Issues, Drug Use, Happy-ish Ending) – After John is seriously injured, Sherlock struggles to figure out how to help him, keep himself sane, and maybe, just maybe, get their life back to the way it’s supposed to be. Part 1 of Breakable Not Broken

The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w., 37 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Dev. Rel., Possessive/Obsessive Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Body Appreciation, Depression, Closeted Sexuality, Family, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Ogling Each Other, Anxious Sherlock, Panic Attack, Drunkenness, Talk of Forever, Big Feelings™) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it’s a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.

On Pins And Needles Series by 7PercentSolution, J_Baillier (E, 598,184 w. across 15 works || Sick Fic/Medical Realism, Guillain-Barré syndrome, Autism Spectrum, Medical Procedures, Whump, Romance, Slow Burn, Big Brother Mycroft, Mental Health Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Drama, Friends to Lovers, See Story for Additional Tags) – His immune system is decimating his nervous system - a civil war raging inside of him. Is there a reaction he’s supposed to be having to this news, now? Something normal: cry, scream, pound the wall? Shake his fist at the uncaring universe? John can’t stop this. An uncomfortable bed at some hospital ward isn’t going to stop this. They keep telling him that this will most likely pass, but no one is answering the most important question: how will he be able to endure the uncertainty and the long wait? (TO READ)

[chimcharstar]

1-100 TELL ME ALL

Get To Know Me Uncomfortably Well

1. What is you middle name?

Jesse

2. How old are you?

22

3. When is your birthday?

dec 9

4. What is your zodiac sign?

sagittarius

5. What is your favorite color?

purples

6. What’s your lucky number?

9

7. Do you have any pets?

no

8. Where are you from?

bc canada. my great grandparents are from russia

9. How tall are you?

5 something

10. What shoe size are you?

7?

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

3 that i actually use

12. What was your last dream about?

i dont remember my most recent one but i had a banger of a dream i described in another post

13. What talents do you have?

i think expressing myself, or music, i have some talent that needs discipline

14. Are you psychic in any way?

well i am a spiritual person, in a way. and growing up in a toxic drama filled family, i have Developed the Skill of guessing how people are feeling and what they are gonna do. and i analyze dreams. so not psychic but i am really interested and intuitive whats goin on in there

15. Favorite song?

for some reason https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oilVq8-F4_Q colours by roosevelt ive been obsessed with lately i just loop that shit. loop loop loop. blaringit into my ears and speedwalking down thestreet. the beat.!!!! i feel like I  took all the colours

16. Favorite movie?

spiderverse. i really enjoyed always be my maybe.

17. Who would be your ideal partner?

someone who doesnt make me feel like im Too Much

18. Do you want children?

not RIGHT NOW

19. Do you want a church wedding?

i have no idea actually. id want a special wedding definitely.

20. Are you religious?

yes, i honestly feel like i just come like this, i dont go by any books and i dont want to be associated with christians. if i be too religious i start getting the Bad Feelings

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?

yes visiting sick relatives. and one in a psyche ward.

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?

i got a parking ticket

23. Have you ever met any celebrities?

no. maybe i did and i had no idea who they were because id never heard of them

24. Baths or showers?

showers.

25. What color socks are you wearing?

alien socks that are green and black

26. Have you ever been famous?

no. what does that even mean !!!!

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?

yes because money but noooooo. its hard when one person definitely doesnt like me. if im famous some people just wont like me and theres going to be more of them

28. What type of music do you like?

stuff with electric guitars in it. funk. bops. i cant get enough lately

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

no

30. How many pillows do you sleep with?

one. and sometimes NONE. i dont fucking know why its just more comfortable. id lie down on a floor and pass out

31. What position do you usually sleep in?

i usually cant fall asleep unless im on my face with my arms tucked under me for warmpth and general log shape. after that though its chaos. dreamin

32. How big is your house?

BIG!!!!!! so many rooms. so many people. 

33. What do you typically have for breakfast?

on a Functional day, cereal. not because its my favourite thing but it doesnt require a lot of attention and its easiest to tolerate. my appetite is just. like this

34. Have you ever fired a gun?

HELL no.

35. Have you ever tried archery?

in my child days i shot my hair elastics around and pretended i was fighting aliens. this is definitely archery.

36. Favorite clean word?

i dont really think about words like that. pizza is a nice word.

37. Favorite swear word?

bitch. its really fun to say.

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

not all that long. if i was up the entire night i am usually sleeping in midday no matter where i am. ive disappointed many teachers. its called not caring.

39. Do you have any scars?

yes, but theres no dramatic stories to them, just me not leaving scratches and bites alone as a kid. they look kind of cool though. and theyre so mysterious. youd think id have scars from self harm but no.

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

i believe so...

41. Are you a good liar?

yes, when i am 100% like morally committed to lying.

42. Are you a good judge of character?

NO. my thought process is: its rude to assume someone is going to behave badly, and they will be offended and have hurt feelings if you anticipate that. i have to like. treat everyone with exactly the same respect unless theyre a dick. otherwise its being judgmental. and it ends up as naïveté. but im okay with that . the price of being a good person

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?

i could do a british one once i guess LOL and it looks like now ive Absorbed a mexican accent but i never really try to talk in other accents

44. Do you have a strong accent?

i dont know how to answer this

45. What is your favorite accent?

idk i like new things i havent heard before. and thinking about how other languages work. theres a lot of different accents at my work and i honestly enjoy listening to them

46. What is your personality type?

that.... INFJ. see. psychic

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?

one of the gay jackets

48. Can you curl your tongue?

dont think so

49. Are you an innie or an outie?

innie

50. Left or right handed?

left

51. Are you scared of spiders?

depends. i had these big house spiders in my dungeon at my parents house, and id just be “hi” and set them free. but if i see one where im not expecting it i might yell a lot and tell everyone and run around and then set it free

52. Favorite food?

tacos from my old work. i was indeed. screaming, lost in the sauce. i waited until i was away from the restaurant because i knew all my dignity would vanish

53. Favorite foreign food?

idk... i need to eat more curry. i need more curryin my life. bring it on.

54. Are you a clean or messy person?

clean

55. Most used phrased?

“this slaps” i feel like ive been saying that a lot

56. Most used word?

I

57. How long does it take for you to get ready?

a whole entire fucking hour (when i wake up) otherwise 5min

58. Do you have much of an ego?

i do, but i hide it. 

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?

chomp chomp. i am not a patient man.

60. Do you talk to yourself?

yes, when i know no ones around, or when im not worried about seeming like a crazy person at work

61. Do you sing to yourself?

nah

62. Are you a good singer?

no. i can sing and it sound okay.  nice even. but good??? like beautiful?????? no.

63. Biggest Fear?

someone dying, natural disaster, new illness

64. Are you a gossip?

maybe. i feel like i have the Tendencies and then im like “am i being a bad person right now”. i want to know the deets though.

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?

i Simply Dont Have the Attention for Those

66. Do you like long or short hair?

BOTH . long hair is more fun to draw. short hair is hot

67. Can you name all 50 states of America?

fuck no. why would i. fuck off. i dont care about your states.

68. Favorite school subject?

ART ART AR T

69. Extrovert or Introvert?

introerverte

70. Have you ever been scuba diving?

no

71. What makes you nervous?

people who are not Definitely Cheerful

72. Are you scared of the dark?

no. unless i think about things to scare myself on purpose

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?

no unless they need to know. because im not a fucking ANIMAL

74. Are you ticklish?

depends. i can be not ticklish if im determined.

75. Have you ever started a rumor?

i dont think so... i started a rumor i was from mars

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?

maybe i was supposed to train some girls and then i probably didnt do a great job and they didnt listen. they say my job now is somewhat authority and im like...... ok...... 

77. Have you ever drank underage?

no

78. Have you ever done drugs?

no

79. Who was your first real crush?

someone whos OUTTA MY LIFE

80. How many piercings do you have?

two? i got them pierecd at claires lmao and i didnt get an infection because im  so salty. then i took them out because they were from claries

81. Can you roll your Rs?“

hell yes

82. How fast can you type?

so fucking fast. faster than my work finder helper. im fast im very fast

83. How fast can you run?

IM VERY FAST

84. What color is your hair?

orange

85. What color is your eyes?

green

86. What are you allergic to?

im still trying to figure that out. whatever it is gives me hives

87. Do you keep a journal?

yes. so i can get better at handwriting and just talking in general and hear what my voice sounds like. and to have a space away from other peoples needs and pressures

88. What do your parents do?

my mom is a stay at home mom and my dad shoots pop bottles into the sky

89. Do you like your age?

sure

90. What makes you angry?

everything. cabbage. i swore about cabbage for a long time the other day. i am just full of anger. 

91. Do you like your own name?

YES. i mean i chose it i better. honestly my first name ......... i feel self conscious about it sometimes. i think it was the only name for me though. it wasnt the ideal most wonderful namei could find because those didnt fit, it was MY name.

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?

im going to have two sons and im naming them brick and rusty.

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?

yeah, i want a boy a girl

94. What are you strengths?

my strengths doing all 100 questions, this is serious muscles

95. What are your weaknesses?

the exhaustion of jumping from one question to the next especially when they are vague. im not complaining this was my idea

96. How did you get your name?

i pfound it in the baby name book and i was lie  “hey yyy, i saw that name in black beauty, lets use it for my gay coded villain what the hell!”

97. Were your ancestors royalty?

no but i did have some ancestors who lives i a mansions andhad fucking SERVANTS. before you call me problematic my other part of family was like sewing things and not going to school 

98. Do you have any scars?

weve been over this. when im older im going to get a cool scar fighting a dragon

99. Color of your bedspread?

pink, white, blue

100. Color of your room?

white

[zrtranscripts]

Season 8, Mission 8: Seal My Fate

Deck Shoes

~

[rain pours, boat engine rumbles]

SAM YAO: [shivers] It's been a long time since it's been just me and you, hasn't it, Five? It's nice. Well, I mean, it's not nice. It's raining buckets. But now and then, I like having you to myself. [laughs] At least it's not another storm today.

So this is Shipwreck Cove. Pretty amazing, isn't it? The ships rusting away, half sticking out of the water. They must have been running aground on the rocks here for years. Look, look, there's one over there that looks like something out of Captain Hornblower. Or you know, Pugwash. 

Tom was right. If we can make our way across them, we should be able to get to the small island unobserved. Although it doesn't look like it's going to be easy. But you'll give me a hand if I need it, won't you, Five? Yeah, of course you will. You haven't let me down yet.

Yeah, okay, we're getting a bit close to the shoals]. You'd better cut the engine. Tom reckons you can hitch a ride from the small island on the automated boat that takes supplies from there to the scientists on Dearg. He's getting to the rendezvous by scuba diving because... because that's the kind of thing he does. And I think he thought that the fewer people travel together, the better. But we need to keep that radio equipment you're carrying for me dry. And then hopefully you'll find something that will help Janine.

Did you see her this morning? [sighs] I mean, she's walking again, but you can see from the way she winces that every step hurts. Paula's analyzed her blood. She might have as little as two weeks left. But we're going to make her better, which means we need to catch that boat. Which means we need to jump over to that first hulk and run across it fast as we can. Come on Five, let's go!

~

[rain pours, waves splash, metal creaks]

SAM YAO: Bloody hell. This ship's more rust than metal. Oh, we'd better get across it quick as we can before it falls apart completely. What do you think it used to be? Fishing boat, I reckon. You can still smell that kind of salty, rotten whiff. There's so much stuff like this now, isn't there? So decayed, you can't even tell what it was meant to be for.

You know that building in [?]? The big red brick one that used to be a school? All these cheerful colored swings and this one wall where so many kids had chucked a ball against it, you could see the dent! Anyway, just before it all went pear-shaped with Sage, I sent Runner Fifteen on a mission down that way. And the school's just... crumbling away. There are trees growing up through the courtyard, and the wall with the dent's fallen down. In 10, 20 years, you won't know there used to be a building there at all.

I don't know. Stupid. With Janine so ill, and after... after Ellie, I keep thinking about it. What we leave behind when we're gone. I mean, there's Sara, and that's amazing. But I want to make a difference. Everything's decaying away, and then there's Abel. And I really feel like we're building something. Or maybe just laying the foundations for other people to build it. 

Well, that's good, isn't it? Nothing lasts long without good foundations. But I don't think we'll be able to get any of it done without Janine. [laughs] She'd raise an eyebrow and look all schoolmarmish if she heard this. But I think she's the heart of us. So we have to save her. We just have to.

[metal creaks] Crap. I think I jinxed it with all that talk about decay. The hull's cracking, can you see? We need to get off here, make for the next ship along. Run!

~

[metal creaks, water splashes]

SAM YAO: Oh wow, look at that, Five! We only just made it across in time! I've never seen a ship just - just fall apart before! At least this one's less rusty. Huge, too. And it's the last one before we get to land. Yeah, I can see the shoreline up ahead. And – oh my God, are those seals? They are, look! Lots of lovely fluffy seals with big sad eyes! Well, not that we can see the eyes from this distance. We've still got quite a lot of deck to cross. I think this was a cruise ship. See? Over there, Five. What used to be the swimming pool. Full of algae and frogs now, but the deck chairs are only a little bit rotten. Can't have been wrecked that long ago.

What was a cruise ship with a swimming pool doing north of Scotland? Do you think it came here during the apocalypse? Trying to find somewhere safe from the zoms? [laughs] I remember there were all sorts of stories flying around then. How there were no zoms at all on Hawaii, or how if you played a zom a recording of its own voice, it would turn back into a person. We were desperate to believe what was happening wouldn't be forever.

Maybe that's the sort of thing that got stuck in Jones' head. He thinks that if he's the king of the rocks, then everyone will like him again and he can go back to being a happy kid. Do you think it was the Edda that did that to him? Like, he read it and something in it sent him over the edge? I mean... well, you'd have to be an expert in Old Norse to read the original. On the other hand, he is very single-minded.

Did you ever read it? It does break off at that very tantalizing place. [deepens voice] "When that the circles shall grow upon the bay of five arches - " [returns to usual voice pitch] They reckon that might be a reference to [?] Bay near Exmoor, actually. The Far Hebrideans were big traders and they might have seen it. Anyway, yeah. [deepens voice] "When that the circles shall grow upon the bay of five arches, then the day is come and the only road to stop its progress is to - !" [returns to usual voice pitch] and then it breaks off. Well, that's where someone nicked the pages from the only surviving version before anyone had thought to make a good copy of it. Cliffhanger, eh? Like Netflix for the post-apocalypse age. What do you reckon?

Oh crap. See up ahead, Five? A life boat's fallen down and blocked the deck. Uh, yeah, we'll have to try and find a way below. Um, how about this door that says crew entry only? [door creaks open] Oh wow. That's a lot of tartan. Almost enough to cover up the bloodstains. It's creepy, isn't it? Yeah, it's the places that are meant to be fun that are the worst. All the gold trim, and the pinball machines. And look, over there. A ball pit for the kids. And all totally empty.

[zombies growl] Can you tell where that growl came from, Five? Was it ahead or behind? How many zoms do you think are down here? No, doesn't matter. We have to keep moving forward. We have to get to that island before the boat leaves. Look, here's a schematic on the wall. If we go through those double doors, we'll reach the dining room – [door opens, zombies moan] Oh crap! Crap, crap! Someone must have got infected during dinner. I've never seen so many zoms in black tie! Look, there's a door on the far end that leads back out onto the deck. If we run really, really fast, we might make it before they catch us. Let's go.

~

[rain pours, zombies moan, water splashes]

SAM YAO: Well, I said dry land. More like razor-sharp seaweed-covered rocks. And uh, oh yeah. The zoms are still coming. The rocks are actually going through their feet. Oh, it seems to be giving them a better grip! You know, I was having a chat with Morag Brown, the baker, the other day. I think she's the sort of me for these islands. She knows everyone. Everyone knows her. She's always telling everyone's business. Not that I'd tell anyone's business.

Anyway, sorry. What I meant to say was Morag says Chief Macallan's been keeping a tally of zombie sightings. They're still going up even though Jones doesn't have any way to make new attractors. Maybe you and Tom missed a few components. Or he's worked out some other way to do it.

[sighs] You know, Five, I really do try to see the best in everyone, but it's hard with Jones. I mean like, either he started out killing the Laird's brother here, or he didn't. Morag reckons the brother might have just slipped and fallen, and Jones was so weird, everyone blamed it on him. But either way, he has kind of leaned into that murder persona.

I really thought we were going to be here for a few days, you know. Find Jones, cure Janine, get the Edda, eat some porridge, go home. And it's not like it's not pretty here. I'm starting to think we're going to be here for ages. But I miss my home. I don't think I've ever gone this long without seeing Maxie and Sara. It's lovely talking to them, but it's not the same.

And I didn't like what Maxie said in her last message. They think someone might have got infected by the red fungus on the beaches. Like, not from a zombie bite. Turned zom from touching the fungus with a cut on their hand. It is new and weird and I don't like it and I want to be with my family! Oh God, those zoms are fast. Still, we're nearly at the beach now. Just one more push. Come on!

~

[rain pours, zombies moan, seals honk]

SAM YAO: Oh, we made it! Actual proper dry land. Also, seals! [laughs] Um... have they always been this big? Oh yeah, of course. They're elephant seals. Zoe told me about them once. It's amazing how much one woman can talk about animals. She said they can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 8000 pounds! The zoms are giving them a wide berth.

Bloody hell, the seals are actually heading towards the zoms. Do you think they want to make friends with them? [zombies splatter] Oh my God. They're - the seals are just tearing those zoms to shreds. That seal over there headbutted one and it burst like a ripe melon! Go seals! [laughs] I don't believe it. They've wiped out every single zom that came ashore! The beach is basically just zom sushi!

Those seals are amazing! They're so strong, they're – oh crap. They're all looking at us. Um, why didn't Zoe told me they could move that fast? Oh. We need to get away from them, Five. And from the zoms that are still on the rocks. Come on, run!

~

[rain pours, seals honk]

SAM YAO: We made it! I mean, we're still being chased by huge angry seals and slightly smaller hungry zoms, but they're all behind us. Although they don't seem to be slowing down much.

TOM DE LUCA: Over here! Lead them towards me!

SAM YAO: Oh, thank goodness! It's Tom on the rock up ahead. He'll know what to do. I don't know what you and Tom are going to find on Dearg Island. So far, most of the scientists we've met have been either power-mad or homicidal or whatever the hell Moonchild was. But they can't be as dangerous as Jones. 

It's worrying how quiet he's been recently, right? He's plotting something, and we all know it's coming. And until we figure out what it is, there's nothing we can do to stop it. [sighs] I hate that feeling. [gunshots] Oh my God, Tom's shooting the seals. Tom! Stop shooting the cuddly animals!

TOM DE LUCA: Rubber bullets, Sam!

SAM YAO: Oh. Oh, oh, right, yeah. You've scared the seals off. Oh, and now they've turned back on the zoms. They're ripping into them with their - ! Ugh. Actually, I don't think I want to watch any longer.

TOM DE LUCA: You've arrived just in time. I can see the automated boat through my binoculars heading towards shore. Sam, if you set up shop there, you'll be close enough to remain in radio contact with us through the mission. Everything else is down to us. Are you ready to head off, Five? My sister's life could depend on the success of this mission!

~

[zaynclinic]

Things You Should  Avoid After A Hair Transplant Procedure

At Hair Transplant Clinic in Pune, we are pleased to offer hair relocation in light of the fact that we accept individuals of each age ought to be glad for their head of hair. Notwithstanding, it's fundamental that you realize what to stay away from once you get back home from treatment. Peruse on to find all you require to think about legitimate post-treatment care.

1. Driving 

Here and there, hair reclamation is performed under solid sedation. On the off chance that you have been given a narcotic, don't drive for the following 24 hours. Ensure you have somebody to drive you to and from your arrangement.Says the Hair Transplant Surgeon in Pune. 

2. Resting Flat 

To alleviate the danger of expanding, it is fundamental that you lay down with your head raised for the initial seven days after treatment. A few customers discover they just need to lay down with their head raised for a couple of days. Remember, notwithstanding, that not every person encounters expanding after hair inserts. In the event that you don't feel a slight pressing factor around your temple, there is no motivation behind why you can't rest as ordinary. 

On the off chance that you discover you are encountering gentle growth, we suggest changing over your chair into a transitory shoddy bed. It's anything but ideal, yet a few groups discover their chairs to be definitely more agreeable than resting on top of four cushions. Expect to keep your head raised by 45 degrees.Get the best Hair Transplant in Pune at Zayn clinic at affordable cost.

3. Disregarding Your Labels 

One of the most exceedingly terrible things you can do after your hair relocate strategy is to disregard the marks on your solution and over-the-counter prescriptions. Anti-toxins ought to be taken precisely as endorsed to moderate the danger of disease. Besides, you ought not drive in the wake of taking solution analgesics if the admonition name prompts you against working weighty hardware and apparatus. You likewise need to ensure you're not taking a lot of a prescription. At last, take your medicine with a supper whenever prompted on the mark. Taking certain drugs, particularly painkillers, on a vacant stomach can cause gastrointestinal misery. 

4. Forgetting the Ice 

Do you recall the RICE strategy your folks showed you when you got injured as a youngster? The way to treat growing "wounds" is rest, ice, pressure and height. We've effectively covered the height. On the off chance that you experience any expanding, we firmly suggest that you apply ice for 20 to 30 minutes simply over your eyebrows. This is an amazing precaution measure, too. Regardless of whether you don't have any expanding, you might need to do this three to four days after your hair rebuilding. You may even find that ice is all you need to facilitate any broad inconvenience you're feeling.

5. Scouring Your Hair or Shower 

For the initial 48 hours after your hair relocate method, don't wash your hair. On the third day after treatment, you can wash your hair tenderly. Try not to wash your hair too forcefully through the fifth day after treatment. Additionally, don't shoot the stream onto your scalp straightforwardly. Maybe, utilize a cup to wash cleanser off of your mind. In the event that you experience the ill effects of tingling, you may apply a conditioner to your scalp tenderly. 

6. Coloring Your Hair 

You can't kick the bucket of your hair inside about a month of your hair rebuilding. On the off chance that you feel like you can't make it a month without passing on your hair, complete it instantly before your treatment. There are no regrettable results related to biting the dust of your hair in the blink of an eye before your hair relocate method, yet thereafter, the cruel synthetic compounds found in hair color can think twice about the accomplishment of the relocated follicles. For a little while after the transplantation, the relocated follicles are in an unimaginably delicate state. They need all the consideration they can get.

7. Neglecting to Drink Water 

We as a whole realize that water is vital forever, yet not every person realizes that hydration is considerably more significant when you transfer. The more hydrated you are, the more agreeable you will be and the quicker you will recuperate. Putting half a month into a cognizant attempt to drink 10% more water can have a huge effect in your whole recuperation measure. To guarantee you are drinking sufficient water, we emphatically suggest that you download an application on your telephone to remind you to drink a cup (8 fl. oz.) of water each hour while you are conscious. Says the Skin Clinic Pune.

A decent broad general guideline is that you should drink half of your body weight in ounces of water. For instance, on the off chance that you weigh 120 pounds, you should drink 60 ounces (7.5 cups) of water day by day. Be that as it may, this doesn't matter totally in each circumstance. To decide whether you're drinking sufficient water, check your pee. It ought to be clear to exceptionally light yellow

. 8. Expecting Your Hair Won't Fall Out 

Numerous individuals don't imagine that their hair will drop out after a medical procedure, yet this is an entirely ordinary, sound piece of your regular hair development cycle. Generally 10% to 15% of your hair is in the "shedding" stage at some random time. In the event that you notice shedding inside the initial two to about a month after your treatment, don't freeze. Your follicles aren't harmed. In 90 days, new hair will have outgrown those follicles more grounded, better and thicker than at any other time.

9. Resting on Your Tummy 

A great deal of us rest on our stomach or thrash around evening time. In any case, you must be cautious in the primary week after your treatment to not rest on your stomach or side. Try not to rub your new hairline against your cushion. On the off chance that you can't prevent yourself from thrashing around evening time, purchase a weighted cover or rest on a chair. It's a little penance, yet it guarantees that you don't imperil the aftereffects of your treatment. 

10. Applying Ice Directly to the Scalp 

Similarly try not to rub your new hairline on your cushion, not have any significant bearing ice straightforwardly to the spaces of your scalp with relocated hair. Truth be told, you ought to give a valiant effort to try not to contact the region at all for the initial three days after treatment. After 72 hours, you should just touch your scalp delicately. Keep in mind, you ought to delicately apply conditioner to a bothersome scalp as opposed to scratching it. 

11. Absorbing the Sun 

Try not to open your scalp to coordinate daylight between 10 AM and 2 PM for the initial fourteen days after your hair relocate. In the event that you need to go outside during that time, don't remain out excessively long. In case you're blaming your hair rebuilding so as to go on an excursion to "recuperate", ensure you're shielded from expected burn from the sun and that you don't go scuba plunging.

12. Wearing All Your Sports Gear 

You may have a ton of fun caps that coordinate with your Seahawks pullover that you believe you need to wear. In any case, you ought not wear a cap inside 72 hours of your treatment. Scabs are an entirely normal "result" of hair transplantation, yet until they have had sufficient opportunity to harden, give a valiant effort to hold anything back from contacting the treatment site. 

13. Going for a Personal Record 

In the days after your hair transplantation, don't participate in substantial exercise or some other type of effort. This implies this present time isn't the opportunity to attempt to break an individual lifting or running record. There's nothing amiss with light to direct exercise: simply keep your pulse and circulatory strain inside a protected, ordinary reach for the initial seven days after your treatment. 

Energetic strolls, yoga and judo are incredible substitutes for your average exercise routine for the initial seven days after treatment. Three days after your treatment, you can even go on a decently paced bicycle ride. Simply remember your protective cap and intelligent stuff. 

14. Working It Out 

Lamentably, it's anything but enough to stay away from exhausting activity for the main week after hair transplantation. Stay away from whatever other action that can make you sweat intensely, for example, loosening up in a sauna.

15. Drinking and Smoking 

Liquor is a diuretic, which means it will dry you out. This can draw out your recuperation time and increment your danger of uneasiness. Besides, it can hoist your circulatory strain to a hazardous even out and decrease the stockpile of blood and significant supplements to your head. Stay away from liquor for the initial five days after your method. 

In case you're a smoker, attempt to stop a couple of months before your hair transplantation. Stopping is difficult, and it likewise lifts your circulatory strain. Contingent upon your regular pulse, smoking could lift your circulatory strain right to a perilous level. Keep in mind, blood stream is fundamental for the development of new, solid hair. Keep away from nicotine, for example, e-fluids, cigarettes, stogie, nicotine gum and nicotine patches, for the initial 31 days after your treatment. 

16. Engaging in sexual relations 

You should keep away from sex for the initial seven days after your hair transplantation. Individuals frequently contend that sex brings down circulatory strain, and keeping in mind that the facts confirm that normal sex assists with bringing down pulse over the long haul, during sex itself your pulse and pulse consistently go up. There is an awesome possibility that your pulse, circulatory strain or both will turn out to be excessively high for the soundness of your transfers. Besides, there is a danger of perspiring and the treatment site being contacted during sex. This can influence the sound development of scabs and increment the danger of disease.

17. Eating Fast Food 

Inexpensive food is helpful, and you may not want to cook during recuperation. Be that as it may, sustenance is close to as significant as sound blood stream and sufficient hydration during your recuperation period. Your hair needs loads of supplements to develop thick, solid, delicate, smooth, solid and lovely. Lamentably, inexpensive food is normally without supplements and loaded with void calories. In case you're attempting to get enough supplements in your eating routine, search for an enhancement that incorporates calcium, magnesium, protein, iron, nutrient B6, zinc, biotin and heaps of protein. In the event that you eat sufficient protein, you shouldn't have to enhance with a particular amino acid. 

18. Having it both ways 

However significant as it could be to stay away from inexpensive food, it is considerably more imperative to keep away from pop, prepared juice, heated products and different food varieties that contain heaps of sugar. Not exclusively are these food sources and beverages lacking supplements fundamental for your hair wellbeing, they can likewise cause you glucose that will delay your recuperation experience.

Zayn clinic the the place where you will get Skin Treatment in Pune as well as hair transplant at affordable cost visit Hair Transplant Clinic in Pune for more details

[everythingbiggerincanada]

1. What is you middle name? Davis

2. How old are you? 26 turning 27 soon..

3. When is your birthday? Feb 4th

4. What is your zodiac sign? Not sure tbh I was told Aquarius

5. What is your favorite color? Purple

6. What’s your lucky number? Ummm 99 I think

7. Do you have any pets? No but im gonna get a dog

8. Where are you from? Scarborough Canada

9. How tall are you? 5'10/11

10. What shoe size are you? 12

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own? 8 or 9

12. What was your last dream about? I dont dream but if I do its generally a nightmare. My last one though was about a girl I know and how we were playing cod and I tickled her. But thats super odd for me.

13. What talents do you have? I not sure. I like to game and sing, shoot guns and used to love jumping outta planes until my injury. But I can cook?

14. Are you psychic in any way? Nope

15. Favorite song? Right now its You Broke Me First

16. Favorite movie? I just watched a movie called The Hate U Get. That was incredible I also love Harry Potter

17. Who would be your ideal partner? Who, thats easy, but I keep fucking up good relationships. At least this past year so atm no idea.

18. Do you want children? I thought about it. And honestly not unless my wife did. I would want to be a dad maybe someday but only after I get my wife all to myself for a year lol..

19. Do you want a church wedding? Maybe. Honestly would like my wedding on my family estate

20. Are you religious? Used to be. Now I have a tenous relationship with God.. I used to believe but everytime I needed God he was no where to be found...

21. Have you ever been to the hospital? Yeah more times then I could count.

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law? When I was a kid like 5 I stole a candy bar and got caught. But no police just an ass whooping from hell

23. Have you ever met any celebrities? Yes I have. A few

24. Baths or showers? Both. I like to bath then shower

25. What color socks are you wearing? None atm

26. Have you ever been famous? I guess. Depends on how you define fame..

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity? No

28. What type of music do you like? Hip-hop, Rnb, Pop, some rap. Etc

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping? Yes

30. How many pillows do you sleep with? 4

31. What position do you usually sleep in? My side. I like to cuddle and its more comfortable. Hard for me to sleep any other way

32. How big is your house? Its not huge. Its enough for now

33. What do you typically have for breakfast? Oatmeal or eggs or bagels!!!

34. Have you ever fired a gun? Yes several and often. I was military

35. Have you ever tried archery? Yes and im no Robin hood

36. Favorite clean word? Eh

37. Favorite swear word? Fuck

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep? 4 days I think

39. Do you have any scars? Yes several. My biggest one is on my leg. And I got one from being stabbed

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer? Yes

41. Are you a good liar? No.. It starts eating me away. I get sad after awhile. Its easy to tell

42. Are you a good judge of character? Yes for the most part

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own? Lol no but I try anyways

44. Do you have a strong accent? I dont think so but some would say yes

45. What is your favorite accent? French

46. What is your personality type? I have no idea. I'm very domineering

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing? Umm my suits

48. Can you curl your tongue? Lol kinda?

49. Are you an innie or an outie? Ummm 🤷‍♂️

50. Left or right handed? Right

51. Are you scared of spiders? Not the small ones

52. Favorite food? Chicken 😂

53. Favorite foreign food? Popish

54. Are you a clean or messy person? Messy

55. Most used phrased? Get Fucked

56. Most used word? Umm

57. How long does it take for you to get ready? Not long

58. Do you have much of an ego? Yes

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops? Depends lol. Ill suck on it if I enjoy it

60. Do you talk to yourself? Yes

61. Do you sing to yourself? Yes

62. Are you a good singer? I've been told yes

63. Biggest Fear? Not being good enough. Not feeling ok

64. Are you a gossip? I tend to talk shit but im learning thats part of my bigger issues im working on 🤷‍♂️

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen? The Hate U Got

66. Do you like long or short hair? Both

67. Can you name all 50 states of America? Yed

68. Favorite school subject? History

69. Extrovert or Introvert? Extrovert I think. Well post covid

70. Have you ever been scuba diving? Yes

71. What makes you nervous? Large crowds. And certain ppl

72. Are you scared of the dark? Yes. Im afraid of what I cant see

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes? Sometimes

74. Are you ticklish? Yes but if you try and tickle me ill probably lose it lol

75. Have you ever started a rumor? Yes

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority? Yes alot

77. Have you ever drank underage? Yes

78. Have you ever done drugs? No except edibles

79. Who was your first real crush? Shekinah was I wanted to marry her

80. How many piercings do you have? Zero

81. Can you roll your Rs?“ lol not really

82. How fast can you type? Depends on if you want full complete sentences that makes senses or a bunch of bullshit lol..

83. How fast can you run? Pretty fast or i used to be able too

84. What color is your hair? Dark brown

85. What color is your eyes? Brown

86. What are you allergic to? Penicillin

87. Do you keep a journal? Actually I started writing on this site that allows for anonymous "stories" or just a place to express yourself. Its been really helpful. My doctor recommended writing out how I feel could help since I struggle with being honest about my struggles...

88. What do your parents do? My father passed away and my mom is retired

89. Do you like your age? No I feel old

90. What makes you angry? Depends. I dont often get angry but hurting people I care about will do it

91. Do you like your own name? Its ok. I prefer Davis over Connor but its who I am

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they? No not really.

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child? Girl

94. What are you strengths? Leadership, staying calm under pressure, being able to focus when its hard. Honestly their are a few things but right now I feel like I have alot more weakness...

95. What are your weaknesses? That would be way to long of a list and im not sure id want Tumblr to see it

96. How did you get your name? My momma named me after atv show...

97. Were your ancestors royalty? Yes

98. Do you have any scars? Yes several

99. Color of your bedspread? Grey and black

100. Color of your room? Off white

[scuba-claire]

On the importance of talking about mental health

For anyone that doesn’t know, some of the cast recorded short videos of their New Year’s resolutions at the end of last year. Theo’s video can be seen here. I had written a letter to Theo in response to this video. But after reading everyone else’s responses to the ‘Why I go back to Cursed Child’ hashtag, it no longer felt right for me to just send this privately.

  I wrote my own response to this hashtag here. I wrote this at the same time that I wrote my letter to Theo. But I didn’t include any of the information I’ve written below in my initial post because, while the play has been a massively positive part of my life recently, it isn’t the reason I keep going to see the play. My reasons for seeing the play the amount of times I have are still - seeing my friends, the performances, my reawakened love of the theatre and because it’s Harry Potter.

  Writing about this wouldn’t have fit into my response to why I see Cursed Child. But it now feels important to post this separately, and in case it resonates with someone, the way Theo’s message did for me. I’ve decided to post most of the letter I wrote to him below, but I’ve added to it a lot more background information to explain more about my situation.

  I’ve had struggles with my mental health for a long time, since I was a teenager. I never really spoke to anyone about it, although the fact that I wasn’t Ok must have been evident to the people closest to me at times. It’s hard to explain in words how you feel when you are struggling in this way, because often the things going on in your head simply don’t make sense.

  A few years ago, I wasn’t in a good place mentally. I wasn’t happy, and I wasn’t dealing with my feelings in a healthy way. But rather than address what I was feeling, I tried to find other ways to cope. This resulted in some pretty destructive behaviour.

  I know that tried to hide that I felt so unhappy from people around me and shut myself off from people. This didn’t help though, and just made me feel more alone. I know the one thing I remember more than anything else from this time in my life is that I felt like a failure as a person. Why couldn’t I just feel happy like everyone else? Why did I feel like this? What was wrong with me? But by focusing on this, I just ended up feeling worse about myself.

  I knew I wasn’t Ok, but didn’t want to admit this to myself. To admit it would mean I was admitting I was a weak. Other people don’t feel like this, so I must be a weak person because I do.

  Although I did know deep down that I wasn’t fine. This meant that I did slowly start to do things to try and sort myself out. I started scuba diving a lot, which helped my confidence massively. Having a hobby really helped me start to feel more like myself, meeting new people and doing something I enjoyed and was good at. Training to be a Divemaster, where you have to be responsible for the safety of other people, helped a lot. I also began to open up more with people again. I made new friends, who are still some of my best friends today.

  But despite all this, I still didn’t feel like I had dealt with a lot of what was going on in my head. While I was slowly starting to move in the right direction, I still felt like I was pretending in a way. It was as if I couldn’t allow myself these nice things if I was still feeling unhappy all the time. I felt like I didn’t deserve them.

  It was at this point in 2015 that I decided to talk to someone. I didn’t want to lose the things I had gained because my mind was telling me I didn’t deserve it. The idea of speaking to anyone close to me was too terrifying, so I went to see my GP. Even then, I down played exactly how I was feeling to her. I felt like if I admitted how I really felt sometimes, it was as if I was admitting I was a failure.

  But despite this, talking to her about things felt good. She didn’t judge me, as I’d be worried she would. She simply accepted what I was telling her, so it felt like the first time I’d allowed myself to really accept that maybe what I had been dealing with was valid. Doubting myself in this way is something I wouldn’t do with anything else. I wouldn’t have blamed myself for needing help if I became ill or had an accident. So why did I blame myself for needing to speak to someone about my mental health?

  This was one of the main things I came away from this with, that it’s Ok to feel things. It’s Ok to feel sad, angry, hurt or any other negative emotion - it’s how you deal with these feelings that matters. It was like a lightbulb moment for me. I realised that I wasn’t really dealing with these thoughts in a healthy way.

  Since then I’ve always tried to acknowledge what I feel at any moment, and accept that it’s Ok to feel that way. If I feel hurt about something, that’s Ok, accept it, think about the reasons for it and then start to deal with them. Before I was pushing these thoughts aside, and so never really addressing them or dealing with the reasons behind them. Over time, this builds up, to the point where I felt like everything was wrong.

  It’s not always fine even now. I sometimes find myself thinking things or doing things that I know I shouldn’t. The difference now is that I can see this behaviour for what it is, and work on stopping it before it gets out of control.

  This brings me onto what I had written initially in my letter to Theo. By the end of 2016, I was in the best place mentally that I’d been in for some time. 2016 was a pretty crap year for the world, but it had actually been a good year for me personally.

  In previous years at New Year, I would end up just focused on the negative things, things I hadn’t achieved, and things I was unhappy with from the previous year. This just meant I would spend the end of the year feeling unhappy and angry with myself, and just hoping that the next year would be better, but not really expecting it to be.

  So on New Year’s Eve on 2016, for the first time in a while I felt positive about the year ahead. I made a resolution that I would to all I could to continue with the progress I’d made with my mental health, so that by the end of 2017, I could look back on the year and still feel positive about things, regardless of what happened during the year.

  I tried to be realistic, as you can’t prevent bad things from happening, but I was confident that I now knew how to deal with these things in a sensible and healthier way. I also said that I would try and do the same for my friends. I had made some amazing friends as a result of feeling more like myself again, and I wanted to make sure I could be there for them if they ever needed it.

  It turns out 2017 was an incredible year. This isn’t to say that it was perfect throughout, because it wasn’t. It just that I’ve dealt with things in a way that wasn’t destructive, as it has been in the past.

  I first went to see Cursed Child on 2nd April 2017, and it’s true to say that the play, the people I’ve met through it, and the things I’ve done because of it are a big part of the positivity I continued to feel last year.

  It’s also why I identify a lot with Albus as a character, and Theo’s portrayal of him in particular. The way I see the character is that he has a tendency to shut himself off when he’s feeling unhappy, or when he’s hurting, when the best thing he could do is talk to someone. I can understand being in that position and it’s probably the reason I can connect with the character.

  That’s why I started writing this initially. Theo’s New Year’s message reminded me of the resolution I’d made the year before. It really hit me when I watched it, because it was so similar to what I had said to myself the year before. Watching it, I remembered that I had kept the promise I made to myself and that things really were still Ok.

  Even thinking about it now as I write this, I get emotional. Thinking about where I am now compared to where I was is a bit overwhelming at times, because when I was in that situation, I never really thought things would be better. I never imagined I would be in the position I’m in now, doing the things I am.

  I don’t think people necessarily always realise the impact their words might have for someone else. So I wanted to thank you, Theo, for your message, for using the platform you have to bring up these issues, and to also explain to you why it meant so much to me individually.

  In my case, going to see the play for the first time didn’t start me on my journey to being in a better place mentally, but it is still a wonderful part of my life now. Reading everyone’s posts about why they go back to Cursed Child, and how vital the play has been to people who have felt like I did, made me realise even more how important it is to speak openly about these issues. The bravery people have shown in sharing their stories has been incredible.

  I decided to post this to say thank you to anyone who shared their story. It’s been wonderful to read how much this play, that means so much to me, has helped people who were in similar situations to the one that I was in.

  To anyone who reads this who feels the same way, but hasn’t felt able to share their story, please don’t feel that you have to. But just know that you are not alone in how you feel. Other people are struggling in the same way, but it is possible to get through it, don’t give up hope. I know how hard it is to do so, but talking about things really will help, if not with family or friends, then a GP or charity. It’s also not your fault you feel this way. I thought it was my fault for so long, that I could just feel ‘normal’ like everyone else. But no one is to blame.

  I’d like to end this by linking to Time to Change. The more we talk about these issues as a society, the less people will be inclined to blame themselves, like I did, for needing help.

  Thank you to everyone who posted a response to the hashtag, anyone who replied to mine, and anyone who is still waiting to post theirs. You’re all amazing

[tamboradventure]

The Best Cruise Travel Insurance

Posted: 12/28/2019 | December 28th, 2019

Travel insurance is one of the most important things you can get for your trip.

As I’ve come to learn — and as any traveler will tell you — things don’t always go as planned. You just never know what will happen.

Sure, nine times out of ten you’ll be completely fine. But every now and then you’ll stumble into an unfortunate situation.

Maybe it’s just a missed flight or a delayed connection. Maybe your wallet disappears while riding a crowded bus. Maybe, like me, you burst an eardrum while scuba diving.

Bad things, unfortunately, do happen when you travel.

And they can get really expensive if you’re injured or fall sick abroad and are not insured.

But what about if you’re taking a cruise — how does travel insurance work then?

Well, of course, you still need travel insurance if you’re on a cruise, but there are some extra things you’ll want to be aware of.

7 Things to Look for in a Cruise Travel Insurance Policy

1. Make sure that whichever travel insurance policy you choose, you double-check that it’s valid for any emergency and problem that might arise on a cruise specifically. Often, cruise coverage is an extra charge on top of your regular travel insurance.

2. Even if you’re cruising close to home, you may still run into unforeseen issues. For example, in the United States, medical insurance stops covering you when your ship is more than six hours away from a US port; in Australia, it stops as soon as your ship leaves port. For that reason, you’ll want to get a policy that covers you even if you’re in/around your home country.

3. Be aware that the treatment for less serious medical conditions — the kinds that don’t require you to leave the trip — are more expensive on a cruise ship than on land. Make sure your policy has a sufficient amount of medical coverage of at least $100,000 USD.

4. Remember, if you fall seriously ill when you’re at sea and you need to be evacuated to a hospital, it’s more expensive than if you’re already on land somewhere near a hospital. Evacuation by helicopter can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Make sure your policy has sufficient evacuation coverage.

If it doesn’t, consider getting Medjet. They are the premier membership program that provides robust evacuation coverage.

5. Be sure to have cancellation, delay, or trip interruption coverage too. For example, if you have a flight delay that means you’ll miss the start of the cruise, it’s a lot more difficult to deal with than just arriving late for a land-based trip. Hurricanes or other severe weather events also affect cruises significantly, and you’ll want your insurance policy to take that into account.

6. Take a look at the shore activities you might participate in during the cruise and check if any need to be mentioned to your insurer, like certain adventure activities or water sports.

7. Unlike other kinds of travel, you might be more likely to take valuable jewelry and expensive clothing on a cruise, for some of the fancy dinners and events cruise ships hold. Often a regular travel insurance policy will only cover these items up to a certain value, so check that your belongings are covered against possible loss or theft.

What is the Best Cruise Travel Insurance?

With so much to consider, it can be hard to decide which cruise travel insurance to choose.

Be aware that while many cruise companies offer their own insurance, the conditions are often stricter, and you might find it hard to make a claim. For example, they often will only reimburse up to 75% of your expenses, tend to have only a short list of reasons you are able to cancel for, and rarely cover pre-existing medical conditions. You’re always better off using a third-party insurer.

Whichever policy you decide on, it’s vital that you read the policy details carefully so you know exactly what you are covered for.

The insurers below are some I recommend that have specific cruise insurance policies and offer a decent amount of coverage for a lot of potential mishaps.

Travel Guard Travel Guard has specific cruise insurance policies, which makes it simpler than trying to find an add-on. If you’re getting a quote online, they’ll ask you to specify if you’re taking a plane, a cruise, or both. They cover any emergency travel assistance, trip interruption, delay, or cancellation.

Medical expenses and emergency evacuation are covered, but the maximum amount varies between the essential, preferred, and deluxe plans: the essential plan includes a $150,000 limit on emergency evacuation, which might not be quite enough from some parts of the world, but you can get up to a million dollars of coverage on the deluxe plan.

VisitorsCoverage/IMG In early 2019, VisitorsCoverage and IMG partnered to launch a new insurance product specifically for cruise travelers, called SafeCruise. The SafeCruise plan includes all the extra protection you need as a cruise traveler and even has an upgrade option to include coverage of up to 75% of prepaid, nonrefundable costs if you cancel for any reason at all.

The emergency evacuation or medical repatriation coverage has a high limit of $1,000,000. Additionally, as long as you purchase insurance by the time you make your final trip payment, there’s a waiver for most pre-existing conditions, too.

Insure My Trip Insure My Trip is an unbiased aggregator site that will look at many different insurance policies to find the one that best fits your needs.

For example, if your cruise is during hurricane season to an area that might be affected, its search algorithm takes that into account and recommends travel insurance policies with good coverage for weather problems.

***

Don’t go on a cruise without proper travel insurance. However, you need to be aware that for a cruise, you have to pay a bit more attention than usual to the conditions of the policy. Make sure that any policy you choose covers you sufficiently for medical evacuation, medical treatment onboard, and other mishaps like missed connections, stolen luggage, delays, and cancellations.

If you can’t afford to add cruise travel insurance on to the costs of your trip, you probably can’t afford to travel. It’s just not worth the risk of coming home with a bill in the tens of thousands of dollars or more if something unexpected goes wrong.

In my experience, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The peace of mind is worth the extra cost.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and that will save you time and money too!

The post The Best Cruise Travel Insurance appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://ift.tt/2t6Qkw2 via IFTTT

[tinygxrilla]

for the Get To Know Me Meme: all of THEMMMMMM

1. What is you middle name?Rose! :>
2. How old are you?15
3. When is your birthday?December 9th
4. What is your zodiac sign?Sagittariusssss
5. What is your favorite color?YELLOOOOWWW!!!!
6. What’s your lucky number?4 or 16
7. Do you have any pets?Yep- my golden doodle Cooper who is ADORABLE
8. Where are you from?I shall not disclose this information but a small town in the US!
9. How tall are you?5'2" I think
10. What shoe size are you?7
11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?2, one pair of boots and a kind of new pair of navy blue converse
12. What was your last dream about?Lol it was about a noose in my grandmas house o-o
13. What talents do you have?I like to draw! That’s it haha
14. Are you psychic in any way?Nerp
15. Favorite song?HM well the most important songs to me are:Cigarette Daydreams - Cage the elephantMr. Blue Sky - ELOBrave as a Noun - AJJ
16. Favorite movie?Swiss Army Man and moonrise kingdom :o)
17. Who would be your ideal partner?Someone very loyal, awkward, and loud (to contrast my shyness), and someone who is a good listener!!
18. Do you want children?YES!!!!
19. Do you want a church wedding?I think so, but I donno
20. Are you religious?Not religious exactly, I was raised as an atheist but I prey to a god
21. Have you ever been to the hospital?I’ve been to the hospital like 100000 times this month, but I’ve very luckily never been put in the hospital!
22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?Noooope
23. Have you ever met any celebrities?No, that would be awkward as hell though so that’s ok
24. Baths or showers?Both!!
25. What color socks are you wearing?Purple and white with silver stripes, and my other one is plain white
26. Have you ever been famous?Hahaha no
27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?NaH
28. What type of music do you like?
I like classic punk, rock, alternative, and folk punk =]29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?NoPe I can’t do that I’d cry
30. How many pillows do you sleep with?1
31. What position do you usually sleep in?Just on my side, kind of in a ball?
32. How big is your house?I live in a condo, so relatively small? The basements finished though so not SMALL small??
33. What do you typically have for breakfast?Usually during school I don’t eat breakfast, otherwise I get a frozen coffee from Dunkin donuts or I eat toast
34. Have you ever fired a gun?NAaaAhh
35. Have you ever tried archery?In school we’ve done archery :D it’s fun but I suck
36. Favorite clean word?HaloOooo
37. Favorite swear word?Fuck or whore (not in like a slut shaming way lol) would be my main picks
38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?2 days?? Probably? I’ve gone longer with like little sleep but I don’t think I could last longer with no sleep
39. Do you have any scars?Yee yee
40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?I’m not cool enough for that shit man B(
41. Are you a good liar?I don’t lie a lot sooooo,,, maybe?
42. Are you a good judge of character?Probably not haha, I interpret everything in the worst possible way
43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?NoPe I suck at accents
44. Do you have a strong accent?Nope
45. What is your favorite accent?Boston accent
46. What is your personality type?INFP-T :>
47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?Probably one of my sweaters from Urban Outfitters cause DANG those are $$$$
48. Can you curl your tongue?No :,(
49. Are you an innie or an outie?InniE bish
50. Left or right handed?right
51. Are you scared of spiders?Only stink bugs but if there’s one close to me while I’m in my household yes I’m terrified, also I hate when they’re in my shower it’s terrible
52. Favorite food?Pasta or mashed potatoes B}
53. Favorite foreign food?Americanized Chinese food lol
54. Are you a clean or messy person?MesSy
55. Most used phrased?I love you you’re the best for some odd reason
56. Most used word?Like
57. How long does it take for you to get ready?hOUrs upOn hours cause I take long showers
58. Do you have much of an ego?NaH
59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?Suck ););;);))
60. Do you talk to yourself?Kind of?? In my head 24/7 I do and sometimes I do out loud when I’m alone
61. Do you sing to yourself?Ya, but not in like a serious way
62. Are you a good singer?Most definitely not
63. Biggest Fear?People not liking me
64. Are you a gossip?I hate to admit it but yes definitely (only to really close friends and family though I don’t go spreading things)
65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?I’m not sure actually, I don’t watch a lot of movies or know what qualify as a dramatic one
66. Do you like long or short hair?Both!
67. Can you name all 50 states of America?This is terrible because I live there but I don’t think I can O-O
68. Favorite school subject?ART!
69. Extrovert or Introvert?Introvert, but if I’m not around people for too long I always feel like they don’t like me so I don’t love being alone for too long
70. Have you ever been scuba diving?No but that sounds awesome!!
71. What makes you nervous?The WOrLd, I hate interacting with people, even friends uKh
72. Are you scared of the dark?Ya, one time I though my dad was gonna sneak in my house and murder me because I was tired and very delusional and it was very dark and I was aFrAiD
73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?Sometimes because I’m very annoying and irritable
74. Are you ticklish?YeS dear god
75. Have you ever started a rumor?No I ain’t startin shit
76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?I don’t think so
77. Have you ever drank underage?NoO
78. Have you ever done drugs?NoOooo
79. Who was your first real crush?I don’t think I’ve had one prey for me, maybe on my gay friend?? But I think I was just excited that I befriended a boy??
80. How many piercings do you have?None, I had my ears pierced once but they got infected so I let them close back up
81. Can you roll your Rs?“No ;(
82. How fast can you type?SuPPa fAsT
83. How fast can you run?Kinda fast for really short periods of time because ur girl has bad asthma
84. What color is your hair?BrowN
85. What color is your eyes?BroWn
86. What are you allergic to?Kittens :,,,,,( also seasonal allergies
87. Do you keep a journal?I did but it made me sad lol
88. What do your parents do?My dad like puts prices on houses and my mom wants to work at JJILL but she’s unemployed and a very hard working single mother
89. Do you like your age?Other people my age? No. Being my age? Yes definitely, perfect time to be a kid but also be a bit mature
90. What makes you angry?EVERYTHING OH MY GOSH;-people who lie-people who romanticize mental illness-people who post online about other people-people who don’t understand mental illness-people who joke about wanting to kill them self
91. Do you like your own name?Not Amanda really but I like Mandy!
92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?I really like the name Sally and Eileen but I don’t know about boys names
93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?Either would be great but as of now I think it would be nice to have a lil lady
94. What are you strengths?I’m very loyal I think
95. What are your weaknesses?Shy, awkward, nervous, and also physically weak lol
96. How did you get your name?My mom or my Grammy (it’s a debate) just liked it
97. Were your ancestors royalty?NoPe
98. Do you have any scars?This was already a question! Ha HA
99. Color of your bedspread?I just got a white one with pickles on it from Ikea OuO
100. Color of your room?Like a cool grey color

AYYY I’m done!! Thank you for asking because it’s very obvious I love to talk about myself, also I’m assuming nobody read this but that’s ok cause it was lots of fun

[authorjcalamy]

20 questions

@capiapoa tagged me in the 20 facts thing

1. I have a ton of coping techniques I have learned over the last decade of living with PTSD and various associated fun things. I plan on making a post but keep forgetting. This is also a Symptom.

2. I am obsessed with parallel lines. Let my yoga mat/carpet whatever not be lined up perfectly with the floor boards. No. No. No.

3. Much like my friend capi I can’t really ride a bike and have a Major Issue with it. (thanks, dad)

4. My first fanfiction was a story I wrote about He-Man when I was probably seven or so. It was illustrated and in a hard cover notebook and I would give my LEFT ARM to have that notebook today. I’d put that shit on AO3 in a heartbeat!

5. Let there be cringe! When I was 12 or so? maybe younger? I had a huge crush on Arnold Schwarzenegger. This was when Red Heat came out and he played this Russian cop in a bad buddy movie. Mad crush. Fanfiction about the actor. Posters on my wall. Yeah...

6. I am a cis het woman but find that (shifting hormones?) in the last few years have made that less absolutely true. I don’t know what that means - probably nothing. But its interesting to me. And tumblr is the only place I can explore this notion. 

7. I don’t like anime. And by “don’t like” I mean-loathe-and-am-seriously-creeped-out-by. I agree completely with Hayao Miyazaki about the otaku and loli, and furries and My Little Pony (I know not really anime but its the same illness) and other shit going on there. I think its really really poisonous. I am sure I will get hate for this. But there is some serious issues at play in anime and I hope the fandoms sort it out. Good luck guys. Do I have the cred to make these announcements? NO! Therefor I am saying this in a random self-focused post and not telling other people their ships are wrong in their tags and in their fandoms. See how that works? I do not like a thing and yet I don’t harass people who like it! Amazing!

8. I worked like a benedictine in undergrad and snagged classes wherever and whenever I could so I attended four different colleges over 10 years to get my Bachelor of Science. Never enjoyed myself which is really sad. too busy working to pay for it all.  But then the last three years of grad school at Berkeley have been AMAZING. Go Bears!

9.  I went to Catholic military school for high school and I shaved my head in an undercut senior year and hid it under a nice bun but ROCKED IT getting my diploma on graduation day. I was that Catholic school girl with the makeup and the doc martin boots and the spiked bracelet. Purple hair and nose rings with chains in the summer. Ah, the 90′s... 

10. My first job ever was at the Uptown Theatre in DC the summer Jurassic Park came out. I worked 60 hours a week and made $5 an hour and spent all the money on drugs and concert tickets and had a great summer. 

11. I made friends in grad school. Like amazing friends. And as a crotchety old veteran with People Issues I was not expecting it. The greatest gift I have ever received. I cried like a fool last week when we left.

12. About that changing bodies thing... I have zits AND wrinkles. What the fuck is this world?! Why?

13. I miss Leon. I hope whoever pushed him away from Tumblr falls down the stairs onto an entire pile of legos. If you are reading this dude - ug. Please let me push them. I’ll do it quiet-like.

14. I love sharks in theory. But when I see one on a SCUBA dive a little primal part of my brain goes “nope” and the video footage of sharks jumping out of water, or huge great whites? nope. And I seriously LOVE sharks. But hella nope. If I was in the water with a great white I would politely leave. Even as I KNOW the statistics and all that. Just fucking nope. 

15. I scare myself REALLY well. And when I am scared I get a little irrational and “flashback-y” so I have to be pretty careful about what media I consume. Like a single glimpse of a zombie movie commercial will ruin MONTHS of my life. 

16. My first words were “encore melon” in french which means more melon obv. Second was “encore poulet” aka more chicken. Food nom nom nom. Raised bilingual.

17. But I’m allergic to shellfish. Not the anaphylactic shock allergic. More like an intolerance. I projectile vomit. This allergy/intolerance developed in my late teens. I really mean projectile vomit. Like it gets swallowed and its a count down to sprint to the bathroom.

18. I have two kids! Little. Cute. 7 year old girl loves comics and both love star wars and I think they are the bee’s knees even though children are generally repulsive little creatures. Mine are the exception. You will just have to trust me. 

19. Every time I see one of those “Grandfather is in the woods” memes about bears I shudder because in 2015 I had a crazy traumatic experience with a grizzly in Montana with a bunch of other people and its a little close to home.

20. this sounds like a long litany of weird shit that is not quite right with me but I’m pretty chill and usually really funny in person. Oh and let me save you the math: I’m 40. Please for the love of god don’t follow me if you are under 18. 

I did it!!! It took all damn day! But i did it @capiapoa

[judithghernandez87]

How Paul Collins Overcame Childhood Illness to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

Welcome to our second SPI community member feature! On our SPI Facebook Group, we have over 40,000 amazing entrepreneurs across all stages of business, and I wanted to start highlighting some of the amazing work the community members are doing with their businesses here on the blog.

Brendan Hufford, our Facebook Community manager, wrote this post to highlight Paul Collins, whose business focuses on teaching English as a second language.

You can also check out Brendan and his work at his blog.

And if you haven’t done so already, click here to join the Facebook Group and be a part of the community!

“Why would anybody pay for this?”

That’s a question Paul Collins asked himself as he was starting his business, English Transformation, which focuses on teaching people how to speak English as a second language.

He was launching his business in a saturated marketplace, which included powerhouse language businesses such as:

Rosetta Stone, which is publicly traded and had $265 million in revenue in 2013

Babbel, which raised $22 million in 2015

Duolingo, which raised $75 million in 2017 at a $700 million valuation

How could Paul possibly compete with those businesses?

But Paul has drive and determination, two traits he developed as a child struggling with illness. According to his doctor in London, Paul suffered from the worst case of eczema in the United Kingdom from age one to twenty-four. Sometimes, he could barely walk, get dressed, or even function.

When he was 13, his eczema cleared up for a short time. However, he would later learn that the reason his symptoms cleared up was because his body was battling something else: liver cancer. Paul was told, at points, that he wouldn’t live another 48 hours. Thankfully, he survived the cancer, only to see his eczema return worse than ever.

But struggling with his health was all that Paul had ever known, so the resilience that it bred in him has always been there.

In 2004, Paul met a man that would change his life. Paul was on a boat, trying to put on two wetsuits and getting ready to scuba dive when the man asked Paul if he had a problem with his liver. Amazed that somebody could know this just by looking at him, Paul would go on a journey of discovery where he not only learned how to heal himself physically but also mentally.

This man took one look at Paul and said, “Come and see me and I’ll teach you how to breathe.” Paul thought to himself, ”OK, buddy. I’m all right, thanks. I know how to breathe just fine.”

But at this time, Paul was always carrying around an asthma inhaler to help him breathe and a tube of steroid cream for his eczema. The final decision for Paul to go see this acquaintance was when he started to have suicidal ideation–even going so far as to write a goodbye letter to his relatives. It was then he decided it was time to pull out all the stops.

The man took Paul to the beach near his home on the Gold Coast, Australia, and lead Paul through Qi Gong—a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used in the belief that it promotes health, spirituality—martial arts training, and a variety of meditations. He taught Paul his Breathe Enhancement Technique as well as The Geno-Type Diet.

He told Paul to throw away the inhaler. Paul took his advice and hasn’t used one since. Within a few weeks, Paul was running around the local park doing things he’d never have been able to do. “Basically, I became ‘normal.’ I was able to do things that other people take for granted,” he says.

After that, his eczema, asthma, and cancer didn’t return. Paul was left with only half a liver due to the cancer, but he wouldn’t trade his health struggles for the world, as they shaped him into the type of entrepreneur who wades, unflinching, into the deep waters of building a business.

Despite never attending college or university due to his chronic illness, Paul was able to attain a position as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, something nearly impossible without a degree.

While teaching ESL in Australia, Paul noticed that his students were not getting the services that they expected and deserved. While working at a failing school, Paul started his own courses from his home office in the afternoons. One day, while he was looking for office space with a friend (who also taught ESL), Paul met with a group looking for International English Language Testing System (IELTS) instructors.

Six months later, after the school Paul was teaching at closed, he decided to go all-in on his own business.

Diving Into a Saturated Market

Seeing the local market opportunity, Paul and his friend (who would become his business partner) paid no attention to big players like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone. “I honestly didn’t really give it too much thought. Maybe that was out of arrogance, or maybe it was stupidity,” says Paul.

While there are a lot of solutions out there to teach English, Paul specifically helps people pass the IELTS exam, a high-stakes English exam. It is an extremely challenging test for most people, including native speakers. So, they are not only teaching a language but the specifics of how to reach a particular score on a test.

Paul set himself apart with an integrated approach (which he also refers to as “blended learning”) that result in students having the highest level of IELTS and ESL knowledge. This means they integrate personal development aspect into all of our sessions as nearly all of their students suffer from anxiety, worry, and a myriad of other problems from trying to pass a constantly changing exam.

“Really, we believe that the human aspect is essential to improving at a language,” says Paul. “That’s one of the main reasons why we have our online courses, and still provide face-to-face sessions, either with one of us directly or with one of our tutors. We aim to expand this with a pay-as-you-go app service. Students need the connection for clarification and correction of their work and progress. Yes, it’s more time consuming for us, but we also get to provide work for others and a better service to our clients.”

Sadly, says Paul, many other businesses in the market provide a sub-par, and in many cases incorrect, product. “It’s just wrong and doesn’t help the student,” Paul says. His students often tell him they have learned more through English Transformation in a few hours than they did in weeks or months at a traditional school or trying to learn via YouTube videos.

Staying Afloat in Rough Waters

Paul’s journey hasn’t been without its setbacks. In fact, one of his biggest mistakes was, ironically, over-thinking some things and not thinking others through fully.

Things that Paul should have paid attention to, like his bookkeeping (which he refers to as “the boring side of business”) actually cost him quite a bit in penalties and government fines until he brought on his wife as a bookkeeper.

For example, in deciding on a platform for their online courses, Paul caught a case of “analysis paralysis” as he fully educated himself on every single platform possible, reading multiple reviews and comparisons of each. As you might expect, Paul settled on hosting his online courses with Teachable for its mix of ease-of-use, price, and design. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, Pat receives compensation if you purchase through this link.]

Another mistake, which cost Paul dearly, was going into a deal with an international partner. They partnered with a friend of a friend to license teachers in another country and were never paid for their work. In the end, they had to pay the teachers out of their pockets and walk away. In retrospect, Paul says, “I knew it was not the right move but whether it was greed or hope or something, I went along with the idea. I did stop it sooner than others were willing to when the gut feeling got too strong, but by then it was a little late.”

Since then, they’ve had numerous requests to partner with others or take on investment, but Paul and his partner have learned from their mistakes and are much more wary this time around.

Navigating these rough waters was possible because he took action on what he was learning from Pat and Smart Passive Income. Some of the resources that helped Paul grow his business include:

First, simply seeing that Pat had lost his job and created a blog to teach people how to pass a test. Although his business is in a different market, Paul simply mirrored that effort and had a path to move forward.

Next, it was Pat’s short video on how to start a website. Within a few minutes, Paul had his own website up and running.

Additionally, here are six podcast episodes that had a huge impact on Paul:

Episode 25: More Online Business Success Stories from People Who Don’t Teach Others How to Make Money Online. Paul says, “It was great to hear that folks could make money without teaching people how to make money. . . I guess for all of [the guests] I liked their ‘Go For It!’ attitude. I’m still developing that as I go.”

Episode 37: Monetizing in A Hobby Niche – Success Story, Interview Series 3. “I loved how [the guest] ran webinars and repackaged the content into information products. I also liked how the guest talked about being genuine and using her personality as is, remaining natural which is what I think people connect with. That’s what we do too.”

Episode 38: World Domination and The $100 Start-up with Chris Guillebeau. “I listened to the audio book before I heard the podcast. What’s not to like about this? I liked how he talks about a product that people can get for free, but that they pay for out of convenience. Everyone should read Chris’ book for sure.”

Episode 44 and Episode 45: How to Win with Your Email List Parts 1 and 2, respectively. “I loved all of the DOs and DON’Ts of email marketing, particularly where to place sign-up forms. Also, the way Pat includes the fact that he has posts with affiliate links, but emphasizes that he won’t give them in this post and doesn’t expect listeners to use the links unless they felt they gained value. In episode 45, the GOLD was what to include, when to include it and how to time your email sequence.”

Episode 49: Being Everywhere and Building a Community Around A Product Niche with Brendan Hufford. “I liked the fact that Brendan was teaching and running this in his spare time. The real niche aspect was cool too. Another few things that I liked were the laid-back style he talked about using on the site and the business idea that came from the project. Helping others while you help yourself is super cool.”

Setting His Sails

Currently, Paul’s business makes around $15k AUD per month (roughly $11k USD per month at time of publishing). This can fluctuate quite a bit month to month, but this breakthrough of income has only come recently. Much of the income has come on the back of offering online courses and a self-published book.

But for Paul, it’s not just about money. Owning his own business has enabled him to live life (mostly) on his own terms. If he wants to spend the afternoon in the pool with his daughters who are two and seven, he can.

What’s next for Paul? He wants to continue to grow his business and keep telling the story of how he’s been able to heal so radically from his childhood illness and go on to become a successful entrepreneur.

If you’re inspired by Paul’s story, check out Pat’s awesome free course on how to Build Your Own Brand. And be sure to join our SPI Facebook Community to get to know other entrepreneurs like Paul! Hope to see you there.

How Paul Collins Overcame Childhood Illness to Become a Successful Entrepreneur originally posted at Dave’s Blog

[davidmhomerjr]

How Paul Collins Overcame Childhood Illness to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

Welcome to our second SPI community member feature! On our SPI Facebook Group, we have over 40,000 amazing entrepreneurs across all stages of business, and I wanted to start highlighting some of the amazing work the community members are doing with their businesses here on the blog.

Brendan Hufford, our Facebook Community manager, wrote this post to highlight Paul Collins, whose business focuses on teaching English as a second language.

You can also check out Brendan and his work at his blog.

And if you haven’t done so already, click here to join the Facebook Group and be a part of the community!

“Why would anybody pay for this?”

That’s a question Paul Collins asked himself as he was starting his business, English Transformation, which focuses on teaching people how to speak English as a second language.

He was launching his business in a saturated marketplace, which included powerhouse language businesses such as:

Rosetta Stone, which is publicly traded and had $265 million in revenue in 2013

Babbel, which raised $22 million in 2015

Duolingo, which raised $75 million in 2017 at a $700 million valuation

How could Paul possibly compete with those businesses?

But Paul has drive and determination, two traits he developed as a child struggling with illness. According to his doctor in London, Paul suffered from the worst case of eczema in the United Kingdom from age one to twenty-four. Sometimes, he could barely walk, get dressed, or even function.

When he was 13, his eczema cleared up for a short time. However, he would later learn that the reason his symptoms cleared up was because his body was battling something else: liver cancer. Paul was told, at points, that he wouldn’t live another 48 hours. Thankfully, he survived the cancer, only to see his eczema return worse than ever.

But struggling with his health was all that Paul had ever known, so the resilience that it bred in him has always been there.

In 2004, Paul met a man that would change his life. Paul was on a boat, trying to put on two wetsuits and getting ready to scuba dive when the man asked Paul if he had a problem with his liver. Amazed that somebody could know this just by looking at him, Paul would go on a journey of discovery where he not only learned how to heal himself physically but also mentally.

This man took one look at Paul and said, “Come and see me and I’ll teach you how to breathe.” Paul thought to himself, ”OK, buddy. I’m all right, thanks. I know how to breathe just fine.”

But at this time, Paul was always carrying around an asthma inhaler to help him breathe and a tube of steroid cream for his eczema. The final decision for Paul to go see this acquaintance was when he started to have suicidal ideation–even going so far as to write a goodbye letter to his relatives. It was then he decided it was time to pull out all the stops.

The man took Paul to the beach near his home on the Gold Coast, Australia, and lead Paul through Qi Gong—a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used in the belief that it promotes health, spirituality—martial arts training, and a variety of meditations. He taught Paul his Breathe Enhancement Technique as well as The Geno-Type Diet.

He told Paul to throw away the inhaler. Paul took his advice and hasn’t used one since. Within a few weeks, Paul was running around the local park doing things he’d never have been able to do. “Basically, I became ‘normal.’ I was able to do things that other people take for granted,” he says.

After that, his eczema, asthma, and cancer didn’t return. Paul was left with only half a liver due to the cancer, but he wouldn’t trade his health struggles for the world, as they shaped him into the type of entrepreneur who wades, unflinching, into the deep waters of building a business.

Despite never attending college or university due to his chronic illness, Paul was able to attain a position as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, something nearly impossible without a degree.

While teaching ESL in Australia, Paul noticed that his students were not getting the services that they expected and deserved. While working at a failing school, Paul started his own courses from his home office in the afternoons. One day, while he was looking for office space with a friend (who also taught ESL), Paul met with a group looking for International English Language Testing System (IELTS) instructors.

Six months later, after the school Paul was teaching at closed, he decided to go all-in on his own business.

Diving Into a Saturated Market

Seeing the local market opportunity, Paul and his friend (who would become his business partner) paid no attention to big players like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone. “I honestly didn’t really give it too much thought. Maybe that was out of arrogance, or maybe it was stupidity,” says Paul.

While there are a lot of solutions out there to teach English, Paul specifically helps people pass the IELTS exam, a high-stakes English exam. It is an extremely challenging test for most people, including native speakers. So, they are not only teaching a language but the specifics of how to reach a particular score on a test.

Paul set himself apart with an integrated approach (which he also refers to as “blended learning”) that result in students having the highest level of IELTS and ESL knowledge. This means they integrate personal development aspect into all of our sessions as nearly all of their students suffer from anxiety, worry, and a myriad of other problems from trying to pass a constantly changing exam.

“Really, we believe that the human aspect is essential to improving at a language,” says Paul. “That’s one of the main reasons why we have our online courses, and still provide face-to-face sessions, either with one of us directly or with one of our tutors. We aim to expand this with a pay-as-you-go app service. Students need the connection for clarification and correction of their work and progress. Yes, it’s more time consuming for us, but we also get to provide work for others and a better service to our clients.”

Sadly, says Paul, many other businesses in the market provide a sub-par, and in many cases incorrect, product. “It’s just wrong and doesn’t help the student,” Paul says. His students often tell him they have learned more through English Transformation in a few hours than they did in weeks or months at a traditional school or trying to learn via YouTube videos.

Staying Afloat in Rough Waters

Paul’s journey hasn’t been without its setbacks. In fact, one of his biggest mistakes was, ironically, over-thinking some things and not thinking others through fully.

Things that Paul should have paid attention to, like his bookkeeping (which he refers to as “the boring side of business”) actually cost him quite a bit in penalties and government fines until he brought on his wife as a bookkeeper.

For example, in deciding on a platform for their online courses, Paul caught a case of “analysis paralysis” as he fully educated himself on every single platform possible, reading multiple reviews and comparisons of each. As you might expect, Paul settled on hosting his online courses with Teachable for its mix of ease-of-use, price, and design. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, Pat receives compensation if you purchase through this link.]

Another mistake, which cost Paul dearly, was going into a deal with an international partner. They partnered with a friend of a friend to license teachers in another country and were never paid for their work. In the end, they had to pay the teachers out of their pockets and walk away. In retrospect, Paul says, “I knew it was not the right move but whether it was greed or hope or something, I went along with the idea. I did stop it sooner than others were willing to when the gut feeling got too strong, but by then it was a little late.”

Since then, they’ve had numerous requests to partner with others or take on investment, but Paul and his partner have learned from their mistakes and are much more wary this time around.

Navigating these rough waters was possible because he took action on what he was learning from Pat and Smart Passive Income. Some of the resources that helped Paul grow his business include:

First, simply seeing that Pat had lost his job and created a blog to teach people how to pass a test. Although his business is in a different market, Paul simply mirrored that effort and had a path to move forward.

Next, it was Pat’s short video on how to start a website. Within a few minutes, Paul had his own website up and running.

Additionally, here are six podcast episodes that had a huge impact on Paul:

Episode 25: More Online Business Success Stories from People Who Don’t Teach Others How to Make Money Online. Paul says, “It was great to hear that folks could make money without teaching people how to make money. . . I guess for all of [the guests] I liked their ‘Go For It!’ attitude. I’m still developing that as I go.”

Episode 37: Monetizing in A Hobby Niche – Success Story, Interview Series 3. “I loved how [the guest] ran webinars and repackaged the content into information products. I also liked how the guest talked about being genuine and using her personality as is, remaining natural which is what I think people connect with. That’s what we do too.”

Episode 38: World Domination and The $100 Start-up with Chris Guillebeau. “I listened to the audio book before I heard the podcast. What’s not to like about this? I liked how he talks about a product that people can get for free, but that they pay for out of convenience. Everyone should read Chris’ book for sure.”

Episode 44 and Episode 45: How to Win with Your Email List Parts 1 and 2, respectively. “I loved all of the DOs and DON’Ts of email marketing, particularly where to place sign-up forms. Also, the way Pat includes the fact that he has posts with affiliate links, but emphasizes that he won’t give them in this post and doesn’t expect listeners to use the links unless they felt they gained value. In episode 45, the GOLD was what to include, when to include it and how to time your email sequence.”

Episode 49: Being Everywhere and Building a Community Around A Product Niche with Brendan Hufford. “I liked the fact that Brendan was teaching and running this in his spare time. The real niche aspect was cool too. Another few things that I liked were the laid-back style he talked about using on the site and the business idea that came from the project. Helping others while you help yourself is super cool.”

Setting His Sails

Currently, Paul’s business makes around $15k AUD per month (roughly $11k USD per month at time of publishing). This can fluctuate quite a bit month to month, but this breakthrough of income has only come recently. Much of the income has come on the back of offering online courses and a self-published book.

But for Paul, it’s not just about money. Owning his own business has enabled him to live life (mostly) on his own terms. If he wants to spend the afternoon in the pool with his daughters who are two and seven, he can.

What’s next for Paul? He wants to continue to grow his business and keep telling the story of how he’s been able to heal so radically from his childhood illness and go on to become a successful entrepreneur.

If you’re inspired by Paul’s story, check out Pat’s awesome free course on how to Build Your Own Brand. And be sure to join our SPI Facebook Community to get to know other entrepreneurs like Paul! Hope to see you there.

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

9 (Hilariously Accurate) Reasons to Date Someone with Fibromyalgia

New blog post! Whether you're a die-hard romantic or not, it's impossible to ignore the fact that Valentine's Day 2018 is almost here...and that means love is in the air. (Or, at the very least, plastered on every bag of chocolates, desserts or flowers in grocery stores nationwide). To get in the lovey-dovey spirit, I thought I'd talk about a lighter side of living with fibromyalgia: nine hilariously accurate reasons why fibromyalgia warriors are A+ dating material. Sure, this post is written with humor and the traits I list below probably do not all apply to every single person living with fibromyalgia. However, I find that being able to laugh at some of the fibromyalgia symptoms that make my life extra "unique" can make the flare ups and the bad days a lot easier to handle.

So whether you have fibromyalgia, you know someone who does or you're already dating a fibromyalgia warrior, here are nine (funny but true) ways dating someone with fibromyalgia makes life (and romance) even sweeter...

1. Have a brain fart or just have a forgetful nature? We can 100% relate.

I'll be the first to admit that memory isn't my strong suit even when my brain is working perfectly. However, one common symptom of fibromyalgia is brain fog...and during fibromyalgia flare ups, my brain can be so sluggish, I'd fit in perfectly as a zombie extra on The Walking Dead. So, if you're always forgetting where you put your keys last or what day is trash pick up, just know that I might tease you a little, but I'll mostly let it slide. And if your significant other is as familiar with fibromyalgia brain fog as I am, they'll probably have a similar reaction. (Not to mention, appreciate you for what you can remember and help us remember too!).

2. We always have an extra jacket/coat/sweater/scarf nearby in case it's cold.

Even though I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 11, I didn't realize how closely related cold sensitivity and fibromyalgia was until a few years ago. Some research actually reports that people with fibromyalgia have lower pain thresholds to hot and cold temperatures...which means, when it's cold, we start to hurt. Fast. So, it really shouldn't be surprising that people with fibromyalgia like me are rarely found with an extra jacket (or two...or three) on hand. If you're the kind of person who's always forgetting to bring that extra layer, maybe Cupid just needs to angle you in our direction? (And not only will we offer you a jacket if you're nice...according to point number one, we also may spare you from excessive scolding for forgetting it in the first place!)

3. Massages will be received with the same thanks and praise as flowers or winning lottery tickets.

When I was growing up, I always joked with my mom that I wanted to marry a cook or a masseuse. Considering that I now know how to whip up plenty of my own delicious gluten free and vegan meals, dating someone with a talent for massages has probably earned an even higher spot on my (somewhat serious) relationship goals. After all, sometimes fibromyalgia flare ups can trigger knots or muscle tightness that no amount of stretching or yoga on our can fix. And while a winning lotto ticket would pay for a lot of physical therapy appointments and flowers are always nice, we'll always be extra thankful for anyone who can help reduce our pain while in the comfort of our own home.

4. We know all the best TV shows to binge watch.

One of the best parts of dating someone with fibromyalgia is the fact that we know exactly which shows are the best to binge watch on Netflix (or any other subscription service). Although not every fibromyalgia warrior may be a TV lover, there is something comforting about cozying up with a good show on Netflix during a bad flare-up. So if you love watching TV but never know which shows are worth your time, knowing someone living with a chronic illness who often relies on TV for distraction could be your "in" to discovering your new favorite shows. (Which, for foodies or documentary lovers, could include some of the food-related Netflix documentaries I list here).

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "I'm celebrating #ValentinesDay with some extra love & positivity. Click the link to learn 9 (hilariously accurate) reasons why people with #fibromyalgia are A+ #dating material --> http://bit.ly/2EhEAXZ #chronicillness #fibrowarrior #invisibleillness"

5. When we're having a "good" day, there's no stopping our adventurous side!

Dating someone with fibromyalgia, like dating anyone, involves more than cuddling on the couch and watching Netflix. (Though if that's what forms the basis of your relationship, who am I to judge?) When we do have our fibromyalgia symptoms under control - whether through a new supplement we're trying or just a good day - adventure awaits! Of course, the "adventures" vary depending on the person. For instance, my kind of adventurous date is a long walk along the ocean or hammocking under the stars. Meanwhile, my college roommate (who also has fibromyalgia) has done everything from scuba-diving to breathing fire...and there's no telling what hijinks she'll get up to next. In fact, one could argue that dating someone with fibromyalgia often means dating someone who knows to really appreciate every adventure they go on because adventures aren't a guaranteed option. So even if fibromyalgia may limit our activities sometimes, don't automatically count us out of making some epic memories!

6. We'll rarely turn down a nap or an early bedtime.

In between those adventures, though, there will probably be (a lot of) sleep. Statistics state that as many as 4 in 5 people with fibromyalgia experience severe fatigue, so what may seem like "optional" nap times or late mornings for you are often required energy boosters for us. Ironically, insomnia is another common symptom of fibromyalgia, so some people take sleeping pills, like I do. In my case, those pills mean that I'm rarely hittin' the town after 9 at night, and I don't drive after 7 PM unless there's a special event and I wait to take my pills later. So, if you've previously been teased for your "grandma"-ish early bedtime or you just love quiet nights in, a fibromyalgia warrior might be your sleeping soul mate. Add in our Netflix expertise, and there are plenty of relaxing movie nights in your romantic future.

7. We totally get the magical appeal of comfy clothes and sweats. 

Sure, we'll dress up from time to time (or even every weekday, if that helps us consistently slay our work), but we also agree that sweats are one of the best inventions known to mankind. When you're hurting or tired or extra cold (or all of the above), nothing feels better than slipping on your favorite and comfiest clothes. At least in my case, this means that I don't expect my significant others to always dress up for dates. (Especially if it's a freezing cold night in Minnesota!) Who knows? Maybe dating someone with fibromyalgia increases your odds of finding a significant other who agrees that sweatpants and romance aren't mutually exclusive.

8. Our beds are the kings (or queens) of comfort.

Based on the sleeping habits I've observed in myself, my mother and friends with fibromyalgia, people with fibromyalgia are the modern version of Princess and the Pea: if there is something wrong, hard or uncomfortable about a mattress or pillow, we will find it. And, more importantly, it will keep us from falling and staying asleep. Typically, that means our beds are cozied up to perfection, whether through additional padding, extra fluffy blankets, and/or a perfect pillow that offers support without screwing up your neck. Just don't say I didn't warn you: our beds can be so comfortable, you'll fall asleep during your Netflix date...and depending on how nice we're feeling, we may or may not pause the episode.

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "I'm celebrating #ValentinesDay with some extra love & positivity. Click the link to learn 9 (hilariously accurate) reasons why people with #fibromyalgia are A+ #dating material --> http://bit.ly/2EhEAXZ #chronicillness #fibrowarrior #invisibleillness"

9. If you accommodate our fibromyalgia quirks, you'll always be appreciated.

The truth is, fibromyalgia affects many parts of my everyday life. It impacts which foods I decide to eat, which forms of exercise I do or even when I'm available to hang out (nothing sets a strict "curfew" like sleeping meds!). So, when I find people who recognize and accept my fibromyalgia quirks, I'm extra appreciative. Not only because others' support makes living with fibromyalgia easier, but also because my chronic illness is part of who I am...and accepting my chronic illness means that person is accepting and loving all of me. I imagine that most people with fibromyalgia would say the same thing. Valentine's Day can trigger a variety of feelings. For some, it's the perfect day to celebrate a loving relationship. For others, it's just another way to say "Single Awareness Day." This year, though, I want to send my love to more than just one person or my own group of family and friends. I want to send it to every other person kicking life's booty while living with fibromyalgia. Equally important, I want to send love to their significant others because support really can make the difference between living and thriving with chronic illness.

And if you've never dated someone with a chronic illness but fall in love with someone with fibromyalgia one day? Well, I hope you keep this post in the back of your mind, and remember that a little bit of humor and a lot of positivity can reveal hidden blessings in the chronic illness that shapes your loved one's life. Happy Early Valentine's Day! (And if you liked this post...don't miss looking at the one that inspired it, my 2015 list of 8 Hilariously Accurate Reasons to Date Someone with Celiac Disease!) No questions - just tell me your thoughts in the comments! via Blogger http://ift.tt/2G9h0gS

[never-lock-the-door]

can you believe it’s already the end of the month- actually I was in disbelief 2 weeks ago and most of the conversations I eavesdrop on are already centered on how it’s already the end of the year! looking forward to go into the year of the dog, hoping that my dad will have a good year and lead into his 72nd birthday with strength and more healing!

As of late, my care-giving skills are being re-challenged as my other grandmothers’ health has been in decline. Last week my sweet おばあちゃん and my super aunt had to spend 5 days in the hospital as my grandma’s blood tests revealed that she contracted Hepatitis C. The week prior, she was suffering from a cold that just didn’t seem to fully recover and was always very tired. My heart goes out to my poor grandma- her newfound freedom since my grandpa moved to a group home has also had some painful side effects.

It was my first time inside a hospital outside of the United States… walking to find my grandmother’s room brought back vivid memories of all the times I’d go searching for Mack’s room.  There’s this moment of slight fear I hold every time I open the door: hoping that the person you’re visiting is still in good spirits and in this world- it’s rather selfish of me to think this way but I cannot seem to help it.  Fortunately for me, my grandma seemed to always be cheerful.

A common theme I’ve been noticing about Japan is dang- food is good practically EVERYWHERE. my mind is blown every time. This hospital was no exception. They design their meals based on people’s illness and ability and are pretty precise with their calorie distribution. Here’s my grandma’s lunch… she only ate 1/5th 😦 but this is how I know it was pretty darn good…

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My grandma is back home now and I’ve switched my housing temporarily as I try and be a better support person to my aunt who has been on round the clock care for my grandma as she struggles with various tasks… many sleepless nights with echoes of crying and physical pain from not being able to go to the bathroom … I often feel very helpless in these moments… feelings of I wish I could do more or be more capable so I can really take turns with my aunt so she can get some rest too. Care giving/taking (i like giving more but it does take a lot out of you) is no sprint or something that can be done on adrenaline alone. (my New Orleans family knows this all too well- shout to Renata and Ms. Tish)

I’ve been a little stressed and worried about my school work but I decided to channel some of my anxiety and worries into building nourishment for my grandma. I forgot how stress relieving it is for me to prep in the kitchen… while I find the pen to be maybe the most profound tool- I am definitely a fan of knives too. Mmm… I was a bit nervous to cook for others here since… holy cow! I don’t even have to leave this particular building complex to find homemade pickles (nbd 50+ kinds), homemade meals from the nice old man who is up before anyone in the market prepping his kitchen, juice bar, butchers and fish salespeople, produce (both fruits and vegetables- mmm unfortunately not all organic… the concept of a food desert in an urban environment would be completely foreign to the people of Osaka. Anywho, to calm some of my nerves I went very simple this time and made braised burdock/carrots, cabbage marinated in sesame oil/salt, and Japanese style curry- (it wasn’t completely from scratch since my skills are no match to them ready made blocks…) Luckily- or maybe my aunt, grandma, and my mom’s cousin were just being nice, there were only good reviews (I didn’t really know how to handle so many compliments although one was surprised to eat Japanese food made by someone from America…. I kind of miss the harsh critiques my parents used to give me….well my other grandma is much more critical- in that silent kind of way haha- she has so many people cooking for her and my aunt though).

the dinner I left for Ha-chan and Obaachan to eat while I went to Kyoto for some boar hotpot (lol future post to come… Ive recently joined a scuba diving circle!) 

I will use this opportunity to reinvigorate my creative skills in the kitchen. I will use all this good food I see around me as my inspiration and motivation instead of being my source of intimidation. Gotta show my grandmas I’m determined to strengthen my passion for cooking good nutritious food while I learn from them their wisdoms and stories of the past. they be my direct link to tracing my ancestry via food.

  p.s. the proverb in the title refers to how birds never leave a nest dirty and therefore one must always leave a place cleaner than they found it. Ha-chan taught it to me as we left the hospital. I think I like it better than leave no trace, since it acknowledged that I did in fact use or occupy a space but that I also intentionally am leaving it clean as a way to show gratitude. popular society is always so quick to dismiss the human’s involvement in nature/environment- no such thing as untouched nature/wilderness…

立つ鳥跡を濁さず。。。to clean up after one’s self can you believe it's already the end of the month- actually I was in disbelief 2 weeks ago and most of the conversations I eavesdrop on are already centered on how it's already the end of the year!

[davidmhomerjr]

How Paul Collins Overcame Childhood Illness to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

Welcome to our second SPI community member feature! On our SPI Facebook Group, we have over 40,000 amazing entrepreneurs across all stages of business, and I wanted to start highlighting some of the amazing work the community members are doing with their businesses here on the blog.

Brendan Hufford, our Facebook Community manager, wrote this post to highlight Paul Collins, whose business focuses on teaching English as a second language.

You can also check out Brendan and his work at his blog.

And if you haven’t done so already, click here to join the Facebook Group and be a part of the community!

“Why would anybody pay for this?”

That’s a question Paul Collins asked himself as he was starting his business, English Transformation, which focuses on teaching people how to speak English as a second language.

He was launching his business in a saturated marketplace, which included powerhouse language businesses such as:

Rosetta Stone, which is publicly traded and had $265 million in revenue in 2013

Babbel, which raised $22 million in 2015

Duolingo, which raised $75 million in 2017 at a $700 million valuation

How could Paul possibly compete with those businesses?

But Paul has drive and determination, two traits he developed as a child struggling with illness. According to his doctor in London, Paul suffered from the worst case of eczema in the United Kingdom from age one to twenty-four. Sometimes, he could barely walk, get dressed, or even function.

When he was 13, his eczema cleared up for a short time. However, he would later learn that the reason his symptoms cleared up was because his body was battling something else: liver cancer. Paul was told, at points, that he wouldn’t live another 48 hours. Thankfully, he survived the cancer, only to see his eczema return worse than ever.

But struggling with his health was all that Paul had ever known, so the resilience that it bred in him has always been there.

In 2004, Paul met a man that would change his life. Paul was on a boat, trying to put on two wetsuits and getting ready to scuba dive when the man asked Paul if he had a problem with his liver. Amazed that somebody could know this just by looking at him, Paul would go on a journey of discovery where he not only learned how to heal himself physically but also mentally.

This man took one look at Paul and said, “Come and see me and I’ll teach you how to breathe.” Paul thought to himself, ”OK, buddy. I’m all right, thanks. I know how to breathe just fine.”

But at this time, Paul was always carrying around an asthma inhaler to help him breathe and a tube of steroid cream for his eczema. The final decision for Paul to go see this acquaintance was when he started to have suicidal ideation–even going so far as to write a goodbye letter to his relatives. It was then he decided it was time to pull out all the stops.

The man took Paul to the beach near his home on the Gold Coast, Australia, and lead Paul through Qi Gong—a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used in the belief that it promotes health, spirituality—martial arts training, and a variety of meditations. He taught Paul his Breathe Enhancement Technique as well as The Geno-Type Diet.

He told Paul to throw away the inhaler. Paul took his advice and hasn’t used one since. Within a few weeks, Paul was running around the local park doing things he’d never have been able to do. “Basically, I became ‘normal.’ I was able to do things that other people take for granted,” he says.

After that, his eczema, asthma, and cancer didn’t return. Paul was left with only half a liver due to the cancer, but he wouldn’t trade his health struggles for the world, as they shaped him into the type of entrepreneur who wades, unflinching, into the deep waters of building a business.

Despite never attending college or university due to his chronic illness, Paul was able to attain a position as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, something nearly impossible without a degree.

While teaching ESL in Australia, Paul noticed that his students were not getting the services that they expected and deserved. While working at a failing school, Paul started his own courses from his home office in the afternoons. One day, while he was looking for office space with a friend (who also taught ESL), Paul met with a group looking for International English Language Testing System (IELTS) instructors.

Six months later, after the school Paul was teaching at closed, he decided to go all-in on his own business.

Diving Into a Saturated Market

Seeing the local market opportunity, Paul and his friend (who would become his business partner) paid no attention to big players like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone. “I honestly didn’t really give it too much thought. Maybe that was out of arrogance, or maybe it was stupidity,” says Paul.

While there are a lot of solutions out there to teach English, Paul specifically helps people pass the IELTS exam, a high-stakes English exam. It is an extremely challenging test for most people, including native speakers. So, they are not only teaching a language but the specifics of how to reach a particular score on a test.

Paul set himself apart with an integrated approach (which he also refers to as “blended learning”) that result in students having the highest level of IELTS and ESL knowledge. This means they integrate personal development aspect into all of our sessions as nearly all of their students suffer from anxiety, worry, and a myriad of other problems from trying to pass a constantly changing exam.

“Really, we believe that the human aspect is essential to improving at a language,” says Paul. “That’s one of the main reasons why we have our online courses, and still provide face-to-face sessions, either with one of us directly or with one of our tutors. We aim to expand this with a pay-as-you-go app service. Students need the connection for clarification and correction of their work and progress. Yes, it’s more time consuming for us, but we also get to provide work for others and a better service to our clients.”

Sadly, says Paul, many other businesses in the market provide a sub-par, and in many cases incorrect, product. “It’s just wrong and doesn’t help the student,” Paul says. His students often tell him they have learned more through English Transformation in a few hours than they did in weeks or months at a traditional school or trying to learn via YouTube videos.

Staying Afloat in Rough Waters

Paul’s journey hasn’t been without its setbacks. In fact, one of his biggest mistakes was, ironically, over-thinking some things and not thinking others through fully.

Things that Paul should have paid attention to, like his bookkeeping (which he refers to as “the boring side of business”) actually cost him quite a bit in penalties and government fines until he brought on his wife as a bookkeeper.

For example, in deciding on a platform for their online courses, Paul caught a case of “analysis paralysis” as he fully educated himself on every single platform possible, reading multiple reviews and comparisons of each. As you might expect, Paul settled on hosting his online courses with Teachable for its mix of ease-of-use, price, and design. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, Pat receives compensation if you purchase through this link.]

Another mistake, which cost Paul dearly, was going into a deal with an international partner. They partnered with a friend of a friend to license teachers in another country and were never paid for their work. In the end, they had to pay the teachers out of their pockets and walk away. In retrospect, Paul says, “I knew it was not the right move but whether it was greed or hope or something, I went along with the idea. I did stop it sooner than others were willing to when the gut feeling got too strong, but by then it was a little late.”

Since then, they’ve had numerous requests to partner with others or take on investment, but Paul and his partner have learned from their mistakes and are much more wary this time around.

Navigating these rough waters was possible because he took action on what he was learning from Pat and Smart Passive Income. Some of the resources that helped Paul grow his business include:

First, simply seeing that Pat had lost his job and created a blog to teach people how to pass a test. Although his business is in a different market, Paul simply mirrored that effort and had a path to move forward.

Next, it was Pat’s short video on how to start a website. Within a few minutes, Paul had his own website up and running.

Additionally, here are six podcast episodes that had a huge impact on Paul:

Episode 25: More Online Business Success Stories from People Who Don’t Teach Others How to Make Money Online. Paul says, “It was great to hear that folks could make money without teaching people how to make money. . . I guess for all of [the guests] I liked their ‘Go For It!’ attitude. I’m still developing that as I go.”

Episode 37: Monetizing in A Hobby Niche – Success Story, Interview Series 3. “I loved how [the guest] ran webinars and repackaged the content into information products. I also liked how the guest talked about being genuine and using her personality as is, remaining natural which is what I think people connect with. That’s what we do too.”

Episode 38: World Domination and The $100 Start-up with Chris Guillebeau. “I listened to the audio book before I heard the podcast. What’s not to like about this? I liked how he talks about a product that people can get for free, but that they pay for out of convenience. Everyone should read Chris’ book for sure.”

Episode 44 and Episode 45: How to Win with Your Email List Parts 1 and 2, respectively. “I loved all of the DOs and DON’Ts of email marketing, particularly where to place sign-up forms. Also, the way Pat includes the fact that he has posts with affiliate links, but emphasizes that he won’t give them in this post and doesn’t expect listeners to use the links unless they felt they gained value. In episode 45, the GOLD was what to include, when to include it and how to time your email sequence.”

Episode 49: Being Everywhere and Building a Community Around A Product Niche with Brendan Hufford. “I liked the fact that Brendan was teaching and running this in his spare time. The real niche aspect was cool too. Another few things that I liked were the laid-back style he talked about using on the site and the business idea that came from the project. Helping others while you help yourself is super cool.”

Setting His Sails

Currently, Paul’s business makes around $15k AUD per month (roughly $11k USD per month at time of publishing). This can fluctuate quite a bit month to month, but this breakthrough of income has only come recently. Much of the income has come on the back of offering online courses and a self-published book.

But for Paul, it’s not just about money. Owning his own business has enabled him to live life (mostly) on his own terms. If he wants to spend the afternoon in the pool with his daughters who are two and seven, he can.

What’s next for Paul? He wants to continue to grow his business and keep telling the story of how he’s been able to heal so radically from his childhood illness and go on to become a successful entrepreneur.

If you’re inspired by Paul’s story, check out Pat’s awesome free course on how to Build Your Own Brand. And be sure to join our SPI Facebook Community to get to know other entrepreneurs like Paul! Hope to see you there.