I treated myself to a mid priced dinner the other day for the first time in a very long time.
I have always had to budget but i give myself little bits of the very best every so often to remind myself of how non-scarcity feels.
I purchased a very loud sweater today for five bucks which will help with a dopamine boost every so often.
i'm betting art will become louder as well as more covert in the future.
Glad to hear you are walking more and hopefully seeing some positive physical changes.
As for mental health, if you are noticing the negative energy and associate it with your computer, (I assume a desktop one) I would only use it for things I could ONLY do by computer. No scrolling social media or news, and also no gaming for now).
Consider going to the library (it's free) and check out some light happy reading to do in your room to change the energy there. Or read at the library fro a change of pace. Or at least read somewhere in the house or outside when possible. Bring happy colors into your room (think color therapy) and declutter if it is cluttered. Decluttering helps me feel like I have some positive control in my life.
Consider baking something. My husband loves to bake bread and it smells wonderful. Set an alarm and make sure you move around every hour so you are not sedentary. Watch a comedy movie on tv.Libraries have them as well.
Do you have an indoor mall? Walk the floors. Catch kids being silly. Or notice the weird colors that are trending. (Holiday "pink" is a trend and one which is well... odd to say the least, but it is definitely on trend this year). Notice what animal characters and nature plants are trending in holiday decor or regular decor. (It gives you something different to focus upon). See how many ways a Christmas tree can be decorated or how holiday sales are going by looking at how deeply discounted merchandise is or is not being slashed.
Do you have a Trader Joe's? They offer free samples, Sprouts often does as well. Might as well try something new.
How about volunteering at a food bank on a regular basis or for some other charity?
Wish you lived near me as I am the coordinator for a community Christmas Angel program and also coordinate meals for those same families for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would love your help! No matter how stressful this activity becomes each year (I always stress trying to make sure everything is thought of, all needs are met and nobody is left out) it is also one of the most rewarding ones I have ever participated in.
I also will have little time over the next month to worry about what 45 is plotting because I will be too busy trying to make the lives of the people he could care less about better than their current circumstances. My goal is to bring light and hope into their lives. And a bonus book for every child.
(Side note, not all these families celebrate Christmas. I actually love that aspect, a true spirit of giving for all. And we help children AND adults, who ever the city sends our way).
Can't wait to hear what you discover in your world, which you hadn't noticed previously.
@lovendures I noticed it very often, which was why I took my refuge. I am apparently no longer allowed to do that.
@tgraf66 I notice both good and not so great as well. I'm working on this, but what I do is imagine a porous sapphire shield protecting my aura. Choose what resonates? You can put sparkles or something on top of it if you like.
You are not incorrect in sensing that current media is stuck at the moment.
I believe the current reality is temporary.
If you are film buff you can do, "How I stopped worrying..." or something like The Princess Bride, or even swing by sephora or your local health food store and try something that smells like rose if you are not allergic. Rose is very soothing. Lavender too.
You could also try chamomile tea if you like it.
I actually bought some new pens on sale and a sketch pad and started doodling when I get annoyed.
You can also focus on taking photographs to document your own reality when you go out.
This is the good news with tech, no overspending of film so if the photo is terrible just delete.
@tgraf66 please know that we all care about you. Your pain feels enormous and unrelenting. If you don't feel relief soon, I hope you are willing to reach out for the help of a medical professional who can offer some remedy for times when pain is unrelenting, and also keep you safe.
@tgraf66 Reading this broke my heart and I want to first and foremost, let you know I'm sending you virtual hugs in the form of white, healing energy that I hope helps to ease a little of your pain and discomfort. I love that you've taken up walking - it's part of my own mental health routines. I won't share all of those because sometimes people need the space to vent and aren't always looking for solutions. If you want me to privately message you (remember we're friends on Spoutible!) some additional ideas I'll gladly do so.
The one piece of advice I will dole out however is in regards to your computer. It is imperative that you have a place you can go in your home that is your safe place, as it sounds like your bedroom has always been. Even if it's temporary, you need the space to heal more than you need both the space and computer in the same place. If you can temporarily take over another part of your house to move the computer to, I recommend highly that you do so. I was a slave to my Apple News notifications and around August I made the decision to highly curate those so i wasn't getting all the drama.
It's no secret that mental health issues have been on the rise since the pandemic in particular - and that's not to say they didn't exist or weren't that high before - we simply started shining the light on them. You have to have your safe place and refuge and if something in said space is taking away the safety, it needs to go. It can come back when you and things have calmed.
The brain has mechanisms for helping us navigate occasional areas of stress, discomfort, and danger, but we're not meant to have it crashing around us like waves 24 hours a day as we've been conditioning ourselves to do so over the last decade. You have to step away from it and allow your mind the chance to regulate what you've already absorbed before you allow it to absorb more. If I've learned anything stepping away from that constant barrage of information is the important stuff will make it to you in other formats.
Huge. HUGE hugs to you friend. ❤️
My heart really goes out to you. When we are being bombarded with so much negativity and fear, it can feel so overwhelming and scary. I am struggling with this myself. I have a lot of friends/family that are his supporters and they don't understand why there is so much panic or worry. Much like you, my home is truly the sanctuary from the world so when it feels like your security/safety/peace is threatened, it makes everything feel worse and heightened. I've found myself pulling away from alot of stuff just to take a breath. The worst in some ways is when people dismiss your very real worries and fears. I've been seeking a lot of comfort in books, music and entertainment. But, I also know how hard it is to find that comfort and get a grip on the fear. Sometimes even the discussions of everything that can or may happen can bring so much anxiety that I have found myself just having to step out conversations with family. I hope you find the things that will bring you some moments of peace and ease back-that you are able to do what you need to help yourself. There are a lot of us that do understand. I'm in the process of changing homes in the near future and with all this new administration this is even a more unknown situation. I had a chance this last week to change but it would have been a more unstable situation---I almost let my fear of what if make me jump at a change that wouldn't have been good for me. It's hard when you don't know where to turn for help or reassurance. I hope you find the ways that will make it easier for you to breathe and find the peace you seek again. As you can see, you have a lot of people that care about you and are routing for you.
Lost my voice completely. High Temp. Saw my doctor. He says I may have another condition. Tests and X ray tomorrow.
@ghandigirl Prayers going up asking Creator to send AA Raphael to oversee your healing and return to health. Asking Creator to bless all hands that touch you to be healing , life affirming and loving hands. Asking Creator to work through your medical team to get the answers you need. I am sending you reiki to comfort and help as you go forward.
@tgraf66 Thinking about you today and wondering how you are.