I take a Zumba class on Monday nights at my fitness club. I like it mostly because I’ve memorized the steps in the last five months I’ve been going, leaving my mind to have fun rather than think the way through the dance. When I first took the class I barely thought about the exercise; all my energy was on watching the instructor and trying not to look ridiculous.
The Door
I stare at the closed door
While ages passed, or more
Wondering what I could find
Looking at what’s left behind
I’m Not Telling You To Go To Therapy, But You Should
TW: Brief mention of self-harm For me, going to see my therapist is like going to the gym, not like going to urgent care. It’s […]
Wine-Colored Glasses
We are immersed in a heavy drinking culture, especially living in Austin when there are so many cool ways to drink casually: wine tastings, brewery hopping, hipsters bars, and great happy hour and boozy brunch deals. It does seem that most of social life is revolved around drinking. Even the most casual hang is a “come over for pizza and wine.”
Speak Gently to Yourself
I’m still working on talking gently to myself. Our internal soundtrack is our reality: loving or trashy or everything in-between our thoughts color every scene of our life. It matters how we react and perceive our outside world but it matters more how we react to our own internal monologues.
The Whimsical Affirmators
One of the more whimsical pieces of my content diet is the deck of Affirmators! cards l keep in my office. I’m the type of HR person who puts out toys and candy to try to lure unsuspecting team members into being friends with me. The cards are inspirational humorous horoscopes of positive affirmations. They are quirky and smile-worthy and take some of the cheesy-ness out positive affirmations by leaning way into it.
Saving Gratitudes
Happiness and gratitude are all tangled up in one another. You need to know, and know intentionally, what makes you happy and what makes you grateful. In the every day, these things fill you up with light. In the hard days, these things are a refuge. It becomes a to-do list. I love my family so I call my family. I love baths so I draw myself a bath and light a candle. It’s hard to conjure light when we’re in the dark so we need to keep some bottled from the bright days. Make a list, save it away, use it well.
Cathartic Cleaning
Pick up the strewn sweaters. Recycle the emptied La Croix and Diet Coke cans on the counter. Wash the dishes in the sink. Put the facewash and hairbrush and makeup bag back in the big. Take a washcloth and wipe the surfaces clean. Straighten the pillows. Straighten the bed. Straighten the world you can control.
Thought-Spiral Treatment Method
Directions: Apply liberally to troublesome thoughts that stick, ooze, and batter. Most effective when used with self-compassion and a good night’s sleep. Acknowledge the thought, […]
The Moderation Ring
My mom wore my great grandfather’s golden ring for most of her life