Look at me, I’m unplugged and taking some self-care time. And it is pretty darn relaxing. Just sitting on the front porch, rocking in the rocking chair. The sun, when it peaks through the thunderheads, hasn’t reached the rocker yet. In another hour, it will be too hot to sit on the front porch. Then,…
Tag: depression and anxiety
Knowing What to Do and Doing it Are Two Different Things
It was the 4th of July yesterday and I got distracted. I have an alarm set on my phone to bring in the birdfeeders around dusk. This removes them from harm before the bears come by. Well, between going to my sisters for a picnic supper (outside with mostly social distancing) and setting off a…
4th of July in a “This Time It Will be Different” Country
“This time it will be different” was what I told myself about depression for over 40 years. I support free speech and the right to congregate and express grievances. Being a Baby Boomer, I have marched and chanted “make love, not war.” I know firsthand the injustices citizens can be subjected to by police and…
13 Questions to Challenge Unhelpful Thinking Styles
This tool is immensely powerful, but using it is not easy. Asking questions to challenge unhelpful thinking styles requires a commitment to act. If you do not do the work to think about the questions, your answer will always be unhelpful. I know, I have skirted around unhelpful thinking for years. Even if I thought…
I’m Glad I Did Not Know How Bad I Was
Imagine saying this out loud: “My last bottom was the deepest, darkest, most horrible place I have ever been.” Yet that was me last year. Reading through some of my older writing, I came across this line. It reached out and stunned me. How could I have written that? I had no idea I was…
I Have Fewer Secrets Taking Wellbutrin – Doing the Drugs Part V
Depression is happiest when I am keeping secrets. It loves when I sneak around and don’t share what it is telling me. All those crazy plan’s depression has suggested to me over the years involve me keeping them hidden from others. This has included major issues relating to my job. And many minor issues like…
I Found Unhelpful Thinking In My Fortune Cookie
Treat Yourself With The Same Dignity and Respect You Give Others. I do a very poor job in how I treat myself and this fortune reminds me of that. Now I wouldn’t call this a fortune even though it came out of a fortune cookie. It is more of an affirmation or a positive saying…
Why Do I Think in Terms of All or Nothing?
I tell myself I avoid drama, and yet many of my waking hours are spent creating all or nothing situations in my head. I interrupt someone and get a short response. Immediately, my mind goes to the worst possible meaning of that response. They don’t love me. They’re mad at me for something. What did…
Two Days in A Row, Am I Dreaming?
Once again, I woke up and I got up. No drama, no negotiating with myself about whether to get up or stay in bed a little longer. You don’t know how relieved I am to skip the anxiety and worry about something as simple as getting out of bed. Lately, I can either roll over…
There Are Days When It’s OK
Today is OK, I have a balanced life. Not grand, or super, but OK certainly. And I am enjoying that. I keep reminding myself that my goal is a balanced life with depression. Today, everything seems in balance. I got in around 1 AM from work. Decompressing rather quickly, I was in bed by 1:30…
