Costa Women Blogs

Update from the British Embassy dated 9th June 2020  Residency Over the last couple of months many people have asked us when residency appointments would resume. Now that all provinces are now in phase 2 or 3 of the de-escalation plan, we understand that offices are opening up appointments, so we are advising people to keep checking the Spanish Public Administration portal (https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpplus/index.html) for appointments in their area – bearing in mind that provinces are lifting restrictions at different rates and will be operating at limited capacity.   We also wanted to offer some reassurance for those people that haven’t yet got their residency document and may be worrying about the time left to get it. While we continue to urge people to get an appointment as soon as they can, as long as they are living in Spain and can prove that they satisfy the legal conditions of residency (ie sufficient income and access to healthcare) by 31 December 2020, your rights are assured even if you are not able to get the physical document before the end of the year.   People have also asked about the TIE – the document that will explicitly say that you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. We understand that this is due to be introduced from July 2020. However, be assured that if you already have the green residency document, this remains a valid document and proof of your legal residence status, even after the end of the transition period.   We will update gov.uk/livinginspain whenever we have further information on residency and other issues of importance to UK nationals living in Spain.   Driving licence exchange As you know, another of our key messages has been for residents to exchange their UK driving licence for a Spanish one as soon as they can, as they will be able to do so until the end of the year without taking a test. But again, appointments have been unavailable during the crisis. Now that all Spanish regions have enter Phase 2 or above these appointments are opening up again.   Regional DGT offices will be running by appointment only, so whether you’re starting the process for the first time or suffered a cancellation, you should book a new appointment online (https://sedeclave.dgt.gob.es/WEB_NCIT_CONSULTA/solicitarCita.faces) or by calling 060. Of course, travel between provinces is not yet permitted, so you can only request an appointment in the province where you live until further notice.    It is crucially important that we communicate effectively what the Withdrawal Agreement means for UK Nationals in Spain and that they understand any actions they need to take during the Transition Period. Therefore, I am really keen to hear from you if there are issues that people in your communities are unclear about, so that we can tailor our communications accordingly.   Returning to the UK Whilst we understand that the vast majority of people wishing to return to the UK have now done so, we recognise that some people have chosen to remain in Spain, rather than take an indirect flight option. Please refer anyone looking for advice on returning to the UK, staying safely during coronavirus or information on entry requirements to our travel advice pages, which are frequently updated as the situation evolves: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain  

The Truth about Modern Day Illness… Our classic doctors do a lot of good and most of them have a good heart, but I know that most of them have no idea to the underlying cause of our chronic mental and physical dis-ease or even seem to want to understand the truth about Modern Day Illness. In particular the connection between our Environment, food, water and health. They have been taught a very scientific way of treating symptoms and repairing the Human machine and remain closely connected to the pharmaceutical industry…. who don’t seem to come up with many cures. Somethings not quite right here, do you agree?  Well I know that this is not the way to go long term. Especially when our Health Care systems are costing more and more money to take care of the increasing amount of ill people… and I don’t accept the story ‘because of the ageing population’… although we are living longer, many young people are becoming chronically ill too. So what is happening to our Health? I wrote the above two paragraphs back in June 2015 on my old website. It was one of the posts that didn’t want to migrate with me to this new website, and today is its turn to be copied here on this website. However, I believe 5 years later, with Humanity becoming more and more ill… and I watched the video below… it’s due for an update! Conspiracy Theories… I’ve never been one for conspiracy theories because they are founded upon platforms of fear and drama and don’t lead you to the truth, it only creates more fear and drama, distracting people away from the truth that everyone holds within themselves. However, it can be useful reading about a conspiracy theory if it helps one to understand that there is more to life than what you perceive or are led to believe. It is always in one’s best interest to feel into the truth and not take everything on… being gullible! Taking Responsibility… IAM writing this post to help inspire people to take an interest in what’s happening in the world, to feel into the truth about our Modern Day Illness that too many people are becoming and by taking responsibility for our own health, we can each be the change and solution for turning illness into wellness. Isn’t it obvious that the scientists, doctors and politicians around the world have no idea how to create wellness, and I even wonder if they want to… maybe it suits them better for we the people to be ill and poor, so they can play their powerful role… and maybe this suits the majority of people too, to not feel responsible, to sit back lazily and follow blindly the rules. It maybe good to remember that in our dual world, someone can only have the power by taking it away from another! Someone can only be rich & important at the expense of another who is poor & unimportant. Covid19… I know our current virus Covid19 will not be the last virus to cause a pandemic and bring Humankind to its knees, as it has a quest, to find a solution to the disharmony we have caused in our Environment and ultimately in ourselves. Haven’t we stood by for too many years allowing our leaders to approve and promote pesticides and hormones (vaccines included) in our society? All for the betterment of Humanity? Haven’t we sat back long enough observing how our agriculture and farming has become sterile, as its natural harmonic flora, bacteria, fungi and virus has been compromised and in turn directly affected the wholeness and wellness of our food, water and our body/mind. Do we not wonder why organic and natural plant products are discouraged and expensive? Do we not wonder why our microbiome (our gut balance) is out of balance and causing our premature death? Surely it’s time for each person to stop being fearful and believing we are not powerful, unworthy and poor and understand the message of this Covid19 virus? Please be interested and ask yourself… How come most air polluted cities have so many deaths…. and not necessarily from pneumonia but from cyanide poisoning (in air pollution). How come our doctors are not putting a name to the symptoms of cyanide poisoning of many patients coming in unwell and putting into practice the known solution and cure. How come our Environment suddenly and most naturally became clear and vibrant when we shut down the majority of our industries and locked ourselves up? When WE stopped producing excess chemicals and carbon dioxide into the Environment. AM I really the solution? Can I continue to sit back and do nothing? Do I have the courage to stand up and be counted, to take back my power and be the solution to living a most harmonious and wholesome life. What can one do… Open your eyes and feel into how your powerlessness is making you a victim of the game. Take back your responsibility to be well, to be whole… to see it as your natural born right and bring harmony back into your Environment, into your soil that will directly influence all life, in particular your Body/Mind. To put into your thoughts and mouths things that will encourage harmony. To encourage local natural and organic farming, to buy fresh natural products and stay away from all unnatural and contaminated products. What we don’t buy, they have to stop production. To reduce your travelling outside your home locality. To buy only recycled products and stop buying plastic and unnecessary products. Dr Zack Bush… One of my dear friends sent me a video of an interview with a very wise doctor/scientist Dr Zack Bush who is working with many different people to change the way we live. I loved it, it inspired me to write this post and I would love you to watch it and share it too. He explains everything in a really understandable way as to what is happening and how we each can be the change and enjoy our life, instead of preparing for our death and extinction of Mother Earth. I would really love to hear how you resonated with this information on the video.  Thankyou and take care of yourselves, until soon again. ©Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & Master Creator Inspiring New Energy Consciousness & Multi-Dimensional Living   A paperback and Digital Book is available from all Major online stores… Amazon and Apple. I share my own magical journey, exploring Who I AM with the help of nine Elemental Beings and expand from a world of fear, struggle and limitation into a New Energy Consciousness of love, grace and freedom. It is in this loving space that I discover my Divine and ALL LOVING self and allow myself to integrate together as one Body Consciousness… a DivineHumanBeing… and Magnificent Master Creator who expresses and creates heart and soul passion on the physical plane and beyond.. Join my MasterCreator Class and emerge yourself in the celebration of life through dance, song, art, relaxed inner journeys and beyond everything known… preparing yourself for your NEW role on New Earth. There is no time like the present moment to Sign Up and give YOURSELF this magnificent gift… More Info: MasterCreator Class All the money raised from my books and classes go to my non-profit association The Magnificent Consciousnessthat holds free local projects in Benalmadena, Spain.

I feel like having good self-esteem is the key to success in all areas of our life.  It is the one thing that has helped me overcome so much, I think it is that important that I wrote a book on it – Get Up and Build Self-Esteem.  In my video this week I talk about why I think it is so important and what the signs are.  I believe so many of us struggle in life that we don’t even realise that the cause is low self-esteem.  Here is my video, please click subscribe so you don’t miss future uploads: On my website I have a whole section on self-esteem, click here to see it. Click here to see my self-esteem book on Amazon – free to read with kindle unlimited.

In the Make it Happen Studio, I talked to Lauren Rosenberg.  Lauren is a part time resident of Estepona.  She has recently published her book “How to Move Forward when the Unthinkable Happens: Love, Light and Liora”.  The first part of her book is the story of losing her daughter, Liora, at 20 and the second part is a self help book on how to move forward after loss or an unthinkable event with plenty of practical exercises to do.  Watch the video to hear the families story.     Hello Lauren!  You were originally from France, lived in LA and now in UK and part time in Estepona – tell us why you choose Spain.   We visit Estepona regularly and love the language, the people, the weather.  Estepona is beautiful – fresh air, amazing weather, good food.   During Covid19, you are stuck in the UK and working on your business ‘Fear Busters’. How did that start?   I started Fearbusters when I saw that using holistic therapy helped one of my daughters who was under 8 different consultants and her health was not improving. So I started learning holistic therapy and applied it on my daughter and over 6 months her health was fully restored.   And during the lockdown, you have published your personal story.  “How to Move Forward when the Unthinkable Happens: Love, Light and Liora”  Tell us why you wrote the book   I wanted everyone to know what I know re energy techniques. I want everyone to have some tools to know how to deal with emotions. I felt compelled to to share how I coped with this terrible tragic event and been able to move forward to continue to create a purposeful and meaningful life for myself and my children.   The first part of my book is about my story of losing my daughter and the second part is a self help book on how to move forward after loss or an unthinkable event with plenty of practical exercises to do.     What has been the biggest support to you when dealing with the loss of Liora? Being an energist and knowing how to use the techniques I use in my clinic with my clients. Without this knowledge I am not sure how I would have coped. Extract of my book: “I know that for many, death and grief are taboo subjects. But all of us will experience loss at some point so I want to encourage you to share your grief. If we share our vulnerability with others, we can create much closer bonds. It’s easy to feel that you should shut yourself off when you’re struggling with grief, but I believe it’s better to reach out to those you trust at difficult times. They may have ideas and insights that might help us, and they can also give us the nurturing care we need. It’s when we’re in need that we discover who’s willing to walk alongside us. After all, we would help them in the same way. Sometimes it’s the people we least expect who give us the most support. But if we don’t open up, we’ll never find out. Along with our own strength and resilience, letting others in can help us manage the burden of grief. We can also check our thoughts and feelings by talking to others. Understanding our feelings can help release us from the guilt or the selfishness we might have about sharing our grief. Sharing in this way can also help others have a greater understanding of their own feelings and help them become more empathetic. When we share our fears, pain, joy and hopes, we share the universe’s wisdom and its loving care. I’ve heard death referred to as ‘emigrating to heaven’. After my experience, this is how I see death now. I think we are born into a body and leave it when we ‘die’; we still exist, just in a different form. An important point to remember is that the love you have for the person who has passed away will always be with you because love never dies. I don’t like the expression ‘I am sorry for your loss’ as I don’t feel I have lost my daughter. I may have lost the physical part of her, but she is still very much with us. Energy never dies”   What do you think your daughter would say to you now?  That she is very proud of me and her sisters   During the lockdown how have you been spending your days?   Restructuring my work online, opening online classes and workshops and event helping and supporting children and adults with their emotions.   What is your favourite tools for dealing with fear and/or the current situation?   Emo trance and colour therapy and body code   What positives have you seen coming out of the Covid19 lockdown?   My girls are learning the practical aspect of life helping cooking clearing up, painting …. they are learning to adapt even more. We have more time doing things together and using our imaginations to find ways of spending the day.  Playing board games, doing puzzles. My 12 years old change the lounge into a movie place one night pretending we were at the cinema. We are even more grateful for what we have.   Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given   Never give up   Favourite quote? “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light” Albert Dumbledore      Something you will achieve when the lockdown finally ends?   I want to go horse riding and fly to see my parents in France.   How can we connect with you? Through my website: www.fear-busters.com Or Facebook: Lauren Rosenberg Instagram: lauren_fearbusters Twitter: @FearTips LinkedIn: Lauren Rosenberg

We all go through different phases in our lives.  When we are babies, everything is new and, we want to discover the world around us.  When we are teenagers we have so many noticeable and hormonal changes that we are often told, “It´s OK you are just going through a phase – it will pass!”   And when we get older, we sometimes hit another phase where we are dissatisfied with life or perhaps we are burnt out, and want to make some major changes for the sake of our physical and mental wellbeing.   There are many more phases that we go through in life, some we probably don´t even notice or identify with. “I´m just going through a phase right now.  Everybody goes through phases and all, don´t they?” – J D Salinger However, at the moment we are all going through phases of a different nature.  These phases, we have no control over, but changes to our lifestyles have been dictated to us to help us stay safe and progress through these phases to reach the “new normal”. Throughout this period of lock-down and Phases 0 and 1, I have certainly gone through a phase of “self-rediscovery”.   Due to the enforced time at home, I have been lucky enough to have had the time to learn new skills and keep myself busy, motivated and interested.  I know many who have struggled. “I´m going through a phase where I´m really accomplishing a lot of things and in that is everything I´ve learned” – John Frusciante From tomorrow, we move through to Phase 2 as thankfully we continue to see the rate of infection and deaths slowing down.  I have been moved by the respect for social distancing and time frames allowed for exercise – especially among the teenagers I have seen around here.  It must have been especially hard for them.    Although we will have greater freedom, there are still many of us that are afraid to go out and socialise, and have said they prefer to stay home until we have completed all phases.    This seems to be mainly the elderly, however, in the UK even my friend´s daughter who had been invited to a day out with friends for a few drinks, decided instead to go for a picnic with her boyfriend, as she thought that after a few drinks, her friends might relax their social distancing, and she didn’t want to feel at risk.  I also admit, I do feel a little anxious when I have been to Mercadona, even though numbers inside the supermarket are limited and everyone has masks and gloves.  I suppose, like anything else, these feelings will pass in time and we will get used to how things will be again. Under Phase 2, we are now able to have social gatherings of up to 15 people and there are no restrictions on outdoor activity.  We will now be able to go hiking in the woods or take a day trip to the countryside, as long as it´s within our province.  Children and adults will be able to go for walks and practice individual sports, such as running or cycling, in any part of the province, with no limit on time of distance. Also, there is no limitation on the number of times per day that we can go out to do these activities. The only restriction that will remain in place is the time slots people over 70 and the vulnerable, which will continue to be from 10am to 12pm, and from 7pm to 8pm. Those who have not shared the same household during lock-down are still advised to maintain safe distances and routine hygiene measures. What is the one thing you can´t wait to do as we move into this next phase?  One of the main things I am looking forward to being able to do, is to relax on the beach with my boyfriend.  I have no idea, how that is going to work, or whether that will be allowed in Phase 2.  Here are some pictures taken from beaches in France.   Some things to remember when you are going through a tough phase! Everything can – and will – change! You have overcome challenges before It´s a learning experience Not getting what you want, can sometimes be a blessing Allow yourself to have some fun Be kind to yourself Other people´s negativity is not worthy of your time or energy There is always, always, always something to be thankful for What phases have you been going through recently?  Has lock-down made you cautious or more desperate to get back to normal?  

Sadly this version has no princesses or catchy tunes! But with a bit of help you can “Let it go” (sorry I couldn’t help myself!). Adhesive Capsulitis This is when the “capsule” that surrounds the shoulder joint becomes stiff and tense (adhesion). So the shoulder joint becomes “frozen” and painful to move. With 3 bones, over 10 muscles groups and numerous ligaments and tendons the shoulder is a hugely complicated joint. Frozen Shoulder, like “Tennis Elbow” or “Golfers Elbow” is one of those non-medical terms that is used as a catch all term to describe a whole bunch of conditions. And there are actually a number of injuries that can imitate the symptoms of “Frozen Shoulder”: Rotator cuff injury Impingement syndrome biceps tendonitis supraspinatus tendonitis bursitis instability issues (as in, the shoulder could just pop out!) osteoarthritis of the A/C (Acromioclavicular Joint) and/or the shoulder joint and the neck can also cause problems! Previous injuries, falls and dislocations can also alter how you move the joint long term, causing issues on either the injured side or the shoulder that is compensating. What to do? I know I’m going to sound like a broken record here but, the first step is always a full, detailed, clinical assessment. There is so much going on at the shoulder that your therapist should always spend the time doing a proper investigation before starting work to make sure that you are treating the correct shoulder for the correct problem (and not the neck, upper back or opposite side!). Taking the time at the beginning will save you a LOT of time (and money!) later. Treatment Your treatment should include deep tissue work to help these big muscle groups. It will probably also include some electrotherapy, again to get deep into these big, strong muscles. There should also be some homework, the shoulder joint needs to be stable, and that stability needs to be taught and practiced. If you’re a sports person we should also assess how you move and swing in your sport, it might be that some minor corrections to your serve or golf swing get you moving a LOT quicker. Here at the clinic I often include Magnetic Resonance Therapy to get the shoulder moving again and strengthen the joint. This is also really great for preventing future dislocations as it strengthens all those ligaments and tendons holding the shoulder in place.