2022- That’s a Wrap

I heard these questions on a podcast and wrote them down. I have answers, too, for my 2022 in Review. 3 words to describe 2022 Burnout/mental health. I was feeling burnt out from my full time job for most of this year. Sometimes this was because I was anxious about leaving my son at daycare.…

The Importance of my Jack-o-Lantern

Sunday night we finally had time to carve our pumpkins. I had been trying for weeks – and was determined to get it done today, before Halloween, before the busyness of November begins. By the time I came home from what I’d been doing and we devoured the lovely hamburger soup Jason had prepared, the…

Skate Like No One is Watching

Tonight, my twelve-year-old niece had her birthday party at the roller rink. I was interested in skating, so prior to the party, I sent out a text asking if it would cost anything for me to rent skates. Word spread, and my nieces were excited. I had to find my balance first, and one niece…

The Hope Nail Polish Brought

On Friday, we went to the store to buy toilet paper, deodorant, and a few other essentials. Before we checked out, I picked up a $4 bottle of baby-girl-pink nail polish. To me, this is a huge deal. The last time I bought something for just myself that wasn’t an absolute necessity (like contact lens…

Extra Anxiety #endstigma

It's been a rough few weeks for my anixety, and I've been seeing my therapist weekly. I have been taking my emergency-only as needed anti-anxiety medication unusually often. I looked back at my diary app, on which I keep track of such things. As of Tuesday, I'd taken it 12 times since July 8. Typically, I take…

The World is Not Black and White (Another Thing I’ve Learned from Gardening)

I got up late three days in a row and missed my chance to water in the early morning. I’ve enjoyed that, before it gets unbearably hot. I also like the sounds of birds chirping and the smell of the plants. I like the feeling of peace I get out there to start my day.…

Mindfulness Monday: Oatmeal Edition

This morning, I watered the plants and took a shower while attempting to be mindful. However, my most interesting (and so far, unique) mindfulness experience was eating breakfast. I ate oatmeal prepared from the night before. I soaked old-fashioned oats, chia seeds, flax seeds, and a little maple syrup in milk overnight in a mason…

We are Not Alone in This

An interesting thing happened this morning. After a night of halfway panicking for hours, I posted about how I was feeling vulnerable and anxious, and how I was going to take care of myself. Then I stepped away from social media and took my emergency anti-anxiety medication to help me sleep. I remained awake for…

Self-Care for Vulnerability

I made myself vulnerable today. I submitted pieces to a literary contest for the first time, and definitely not the last. It was a rush: exciting, then nerve-wracking. I received a confirmation email that my submission had gone through. Now, I wait. Jason hasn’t been home in hours, and I'm a wreck. My heart has…

The Saga of the Broken Bed: My Irritatingly Eventful Morning

This morning I woke up at 5 AM to a creaking sound. Weird, I thought. Creak. I rolled over. Creak. My husband, Jason, was peacefully snoring. Creak. It’s the bed. Something is wrong with the bed. I poked Jason. “Hey, wake up. I think the bed is deflating.” Creak. He said, “ehhh,” and rolled over,…