Putting together puzzles
It has been a while. I guess I got tired of blogging for a while. We'll see how well I like coming back.
I started putting puzzles together again. I used to think that 500 piece puzzles were too hard, but I did one yesterday and one today, so maybe those unrelated graduate classes are paying off.
Change coming my way again. I struggle with change. My depression thinks it is the perfect opportunity to launch another attack of depressed cognitive distortions. And my anxiety - well, it is hard to keep track of that. Maybe it's taking a vacation.
I'm hungry because I decided to eat cereal for supper. Silly me, I know better. But it was yummy. Unfortunately, now I'll have to eat something more substantial after 10pm at night, which the doctor does not recommend for acid reflux. Of course, I'm eating for my brain and to stop feeling nauseous (although I've heard that sometimes the nauseousness is actually acid reflux, not hunger).
I'm putting puzzles together because it takes up my full brain. Because wading through my thoughts is an intimidating thought, kind of like cleaning my house is intimidating. Although cleaning just might be easier. Anyway, "they say" not to stuff my feelings, so how about I write several disjointed paragraphs and act like that is getting my feelings out.
I've reached that, "I'm tired" state that is more than tired. It is weary. Weary of the daily struggle. Therefore, I sit and watch preschool tv shows or kids' movies while putting puzzles together. I like problems to resolve in 22 minutes, although within two hours is okay, too.
Tomorrow, it is back to teaching. Back to being patient. Back to trying not to eat too many chocolates that somebody very sweetly gave me for teacher appreciation day. Back to doing my best throughout the work day and coming home exhausted. The plus side is that at least I won't have schoolwork to do. Not until after Memorial Day, at which point I have signed up for a very optimistic number of classes. I really want to finish this degree. Or give up. But mostly finish the degree. Dear brain, please don't betray me. I know I ask a lot from you, but I don't know what else to do. The degree will let me keep doing what I love while being more financially stable, hopefully. That will be good for you, brain, to not have to weigh each purchase you make, to not have to depend on gifts to get by. Brain, you can do this. Just go take a shower and go to bed. Oh, and eat somewhere in there. You are strong. You can do this.
Actually, I'm wondering about that whole, "You are strong" argument. I'm considering something else, like, "You are weak right now, so I'll ask as little of you as possible and take as good care of you as I know how, and somehow we'll get through this." Maybe it would work better. Because I get tired of hearing myself tell myself that I am strong.
Well, if you are reading this, I hope you got something from it. I got a little more calm, so I think that is a success. I feel like my mental health is on the fence, easily tipping into trouble or into doing pretty fine. And I feel like I might have some say in which way I fall or if I fall, but I'm not sure how much say, or even if I would use as much say as I have.
I find that when you cannot solve the questions of the evening, it just might be time to go to bed. Which can require a lot of effort. Showering? Yuck. Feeding guinea pigs? Bother. Flossing teeth? Time consuming. Brushing teeth? All that water and toothpaste dripping... And then there is still taking medications - do that before brushing teeth since one of my pills usually feels stuck in my throat, so I eat afterwards - which I needed to do anyway since supper wasn't enough. And putting on chapstick. And setting alarm clocks and checking them. And hand cream, and devotional reading (I don't mind short), and some silly game to put my brain to sleep (twenty questions with a robot/toy or a rubiks cube). And then trying to sleep. And then having to wake up the next morning. Ugh! So much work. But tomorrow afternoon I can put together another puzzle.
I started putting puzzles together again. I used to think that 500 piece puzzles were too hard, but I did one yesterday and one today, so maybe those unrelated graduate classes are paying off.
Change coming my way again. I struggle with change. My depression thinks it is the perfect opportunity to launch another attack of depressed cognitive distortions. And my anxiety - well, it is hard to keep track of that. Maybe it's taking a vacation.
I'm hungry because I decided to eat cereal for supper. Silly me, I know better. But it was yummy. Unfortunately, now I'll have to eat something more substantial after 10pm at night, which the doctor does not recommend for acid reflux. Of course, I'm eating for my brain and to stop feeling nauseous (although I've heard that sometimes the nauseousness is actually acid reflux, not hunger).
I'm putting puzzles together because it takes up my full brain. Because wading through my thoughts is an intimidating thought, kind of like cleaning my house is intimidating. Although cleaning just might be easier. Anyway, "they say" not to stuff my feelings, so how about I write several disjointed paragraphs and act like that is getting my feelings out.
I've reached that, "I'm tired" state that is more than tired. It is weary. Weary of the daily struggle. Therefore, I sit and watch preschool tv shows or kids' movies while putting puzzles together. I like problems to resolve in 22 minutes, although within two hours is okay, too.
Tomorrow, it is back to teaching. Back to being patient. Back to trying not to eat too many chocolates that somebody very sweetly gave me for teacher appreciation day. Back to doing my best throughout the work day and coming home exhausted. The plus side is that at least I won't have schoolwork to do. Not until after Memorial Day, at which point I have signed up for a very optimistic number of classes. I really want to finish this degree. Or give up. But mostly finish the degree. Dear brain, please don't betray me. I know I ask a lot from you, but I don't know what else to do. The degree will let me keep doing what I love while being more financially stable, hopefully. That will be good for you, brain, to not have to weigh each purchase you make, to not have to depend on gifts to get by. Brain, you can do this. Just go take a shower and go to bed. Oh, and eat somewhere in there. You are strong. You can do this.
Actually, I'm wondering about that whole, "You are strong" argument. I'm considering something else, like, "You are weak right now, so I'll ask as little of you as possible and take as good care of you as I know how, and somehow we'll get through this." Maybe it would work better. Because I get tired of hearing myself tell myself that I am strong.
Well, if you are reading this, I hope you got something from it. I got a little more calm, so I think that is a success. I feel like my mental health is on the fence, easily tipping into trouble or into doing pretty fine. And I feel like I might have some say in which way I fall or if I fall, but I'm not sure how much say, or even if I would use as much say as I have.
I find that when you cannot solve the questions of the evening, it just might be time to go to bed. Which can require a lot of effort. Showering? Yuck. Feeding guinea pigs? Bother. Flossing teeth? Time consuming. Brushing teeth? All that water and toothpaste dripping... And then there is still taking medications - do that before brushing teeth since one of my pills usually feels stuck in my throat, so I eat afterwards - which I needed to do anyway since supper wasn't enough. And putting on chapstick. And setting alarm clocks and checking them. And hand cream, and devotional reading (I don't mind short), and some silly game to put my brain to sleep (twenty questions with a robot/toy or a rubiks cube). And then trying to sleep. And then having to wake up the next morning. Ugh! So much work. But tomorrow afternoon I can put together another puzzle.
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