Happy to be getting into another week I am able to post more. Shooting for daily! Bang! Bang! (so corny.)
See you soon.
self care
Tell Us What You Are Doing
This morning, running with Kaia Fitness, I did not have a good book downloaded on my iphone and I was in-between groups of girls I could have chatted with. What to do while running?
Apparently I cannot do one thing at a time, such as simply running. Multitasking is one of my geniuses but also one of my many achilles. My friends at Viking Clinical Research say I have not floundered since I was in-utero. Which is not true.
There were orange groves on my left, vineyards on my right and in front coming out of the morning frost floated eight hot air balloons. Seriously gorgeous.
I decided to call my Missouri-brother and say, Happy Sabbath. Of course, when he picked up he said, “I hope you’re running Sana, cuz if you aren’t…?” I told him I was running.
To the fridge and he said, “That’s good, cuz it means you’re out of bed.”
Well connecting with him was fun, despite his snark. And now with you.
Happy Sabbath, friends. Please tell us today what you are doing to be a friend to yourself? Speak out! We need to hear you. Keep on.
Dr. Q
At the end of this day
At the end of this day, my thoughts are salad-like. I am taking off a week from work here and spending every day with my kids. Woot! Work has been intense and I’ve given it a full go. I’m ready for this shift.
Additionally, I’m looking forward to you. Setting my goal to write to you every day this vacation. See you soon. Have a blessed Sabbath.
Dr. Q
Increase awareness of how we are loved
Hearing someone pray to love Sam better put her in that space between forever and never. Enormous awareness that, “Hey! I am loved!”sailed in.
Since then, She prayed more that She is able to see, how.
How? Where? And, “I want to love the Love toward me.” Samantha Gearge, after years of griping loneliness told me in so many words, that she wanted to weave her fantasies into that fine soil. Not pink clouds.
Being able to notice being Loved is infrequently intuitive. Liking how we are loved is also as often, ironically, not.
But, we are. All of us, Loved.
It seems friendly to increase our link to it. It’s a distortion and mispercetion to believe otherwise. A reality perhaps, but not Truth.
Getting to that Truth, shifting our reality, we get with hard work. Recognizing Love also might not come without. Recognizing Love is easier with brain health too.
Hard work and courage come in many ships. We’ve talked about basics like, sleep, exercise, clean air and clean food. We’ve talked about further efforts, when we have emotions and behaviors come without asking them to, to seek medical care. Taking medications takes courage over and over again, but it is easier to think clearly with brain health and is worth the press. It is friendly to pursue brain health.
Recognizing how we are Loved is like any other act of friendship in this way. Get deliberate about it. Get friendly.
You are Loved.
Questions: Have you noticed that you are Loved? :).
Do you like how you are loved? How do you get connected to this vitality? It is friendly to do. Keep on! Please tell us your story.
Self-Care Tip: Grow recognition and amity of the Love toward you.
Grief and living the rest of our lives
Grieving openly and in community about our losses increases our likelihood of getting more out of what we still have.
Q: How have you been grieving? How do you live with what you have left? Please tell us your story.
This Week in Mentalists – The Amateur Hour Symphonic Rhapsody Edition
Say It Out Loud. Three Day Challenge.
Hello friends. Please join us at Friend to Yourself in a three day, “Say it Out Loud,” challenge.
Throughout the next three days, whenever you think of something you like & are grateful for about yourself, say it out loud to us.
I’ll start! 😉
I like my body.
Say It Out Loud.
ECT comments from a woman of courage
Super Act Of Friendship
fitness (Photo credit: o0bsessed)
One of my biggest bestest connections is now Kaia Fitness. In the year 2012, shortly after the onset of a life-morphing tragedy, and while in line to order my green tea no classic soy latte with extra matcha and a scoop of protein, (big smile), I noticed two bonny blonds standing behind me.
I met the initiative and creative sisters themselves. They both practice medicine and passion for being a friend to Me, which you can imagine, had me wagging.
Would you like to join us this morning in Kaia?
Here we are thirteen weeks later and I’m spilling over in gratitude. So much that I can’t but tell you, too.
One of the favorite lines of Kaia-girls is in brief that no matter how slow or “behind” or ashamed we are of the condition of Me, we’re still better off than someone on the couch. And I am.
I’m better off than I was thirteen weeks ago. My body brings me more pleasure than shame. My beloved tenuous weaving threads, including friendships, have increased in number and I am designed for connection. I suffer less ridiculous guilt. I have more of my freedoms, hope, purpose and presence with the frailty of my Time-tied life. I see Me a little more; the blend of my flaws with my fine stitches.
I’m better to others. That’s what others notice of course. Barely. Not the stars in my rug, but sometimes, they notice, or rather complain less about Me. Otherwise, they don’t. Not much more fanfare than that. Not much endorphin-ee drama.
Yet again, I see that it all comes back to Me. Where it started.
A few thoughts and words shaken together
Shake Well Before Use
I was thinking, what if I was a an alien, disguised as a psychiatrist planted to search for earthlings with special abilities? What would I hope to find? I would like to find people who could put their thoughts into other people’s minds. People who could receive special messages from the television, radio or newspaper. Who saw hidden codes in otherwise common experiences, such as, stranger’s dress.
Maybe I’d meed a girl named, Alena, who had received a garden of psychotropics without benefit. She, despite her sensory differences from the human norm, remained high functioning and whose mind, as she aged, didn’t break, deteriorate or diminish as others with schizophrenia did. Her thoughts followed from point A to B, much like the arrow of time.
I’m reading, From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time, by Sean Carroll. Seriously cool. Not me. The book, and I suppose this Carroll guy too. Don’t let this fool you though. I’m as bad as the rest of you, quoting big smart books that effectively hide all the rest of the reading I’m too embarrassed to disclose. So now that that’s done…, I’m happy to also say that I’ve garnered vocabulary and concepts to grow my fantasies. Yummy! Things like there’s always the inverse to consider, like black holes as opposed to white holes. The reason we remember the past is because there is a future, because entropy increases and because time never exists without space. Life itself depends on the arrow of time. Time and space cannot be separate. The future is much longer than the past. And rather than the Big Bang, “Maybe the Universe comes out of a Universal Chicken.” I don’t like anyone calling God a chicken but this made me smile.
Well, “No one’s going to take a wrong turn into yesterday,” except us, right? Or… maybe Alena did.
My thoughts play tonight. I wonder about Time and our friendship with Me. No tips tonight. Just thoughts to exchange. Do you have any to bring out to play?
Holiday stress may be a coverlet
138. i seem like someone else (Photo credit: rachel a. k.)
Penelope came in with her tinsel sweater hanging around her round shoulders and tinsel in her hair. She was bright and beautifully made up. I swear, you wouldn’t know she was stressed if you met her out and about or even talked with her on the phone. She was designed for holidays, in the best of ways. She innately knew how to bring tinsel out of tacky and into classy. Genes, I tell you. Genes. Despite her nature, however, Penelope, like anything leafy in the elements, she was vulnerable.
She wasn’t very old when she first became ill. Just just in life, at a point of unfolding, her colors still almost fluorescent, not yet muted by age, Penelope got sick.
Penelope was designed for pleasure, yes. Penelope was designed for spending power, yes. Penelope was designed to bring us around her into better perceived experience, yes. But Penelope got sick. And the sickness, as sicknesses often do, came and went. Sometimes, she had more space in her emotions and behaviors for her nature. Sometimes, the sickness found more space, and we around her, were not taken to places of better perceptions. We around her may not have always been conscious about it, but we didn’t like ourselves as much. When Penelope was ill, we felt more selfish. When Penelope wasn’t Penelope, we were more aware of the browning effect of life.
Why?…
Ack! Such a question we could argue over for years. So many “good” reasons. What was done to her? What choices she made? Sure. We’ll get to those in psychotherapy and try to right the course of her rudder. But her ship isn’t going well with a hole in the hull. Disease is like that. Don’t forget biology.
Penelope came in stressed, “over the holidays,” she thought.
“It’s just the holidays.”
How could Penelope look so good when she was ill? Well she is not a vending machine or a computer card. She is complex and unique and dynamic. She is a changeling, as we all are. We cannot say her tinsel and beauty define her. We give allowance. We are concerned for Penelope. “Stress,” can be the coverlet of much and take caution from her history. Brain health is not a constant for any of us and we have the added benefit of remembering the days of her fluorescence when she first lost her natural powers to spread beauty. We have the benefit of remembering when they came back and then distinguished again. We have the benefit of remembering her effect on us and use ourselves as well as a reference point.
Penelope complains of holiday stress but, although it is tempting, she is wise enough not to stop there. She came in. She came in to lift the coverlet and consider her biology.
Questions: Which coverlets threaten your ability to consider biology in your life? For you and/or those you love, what gives you allowance? Please tell us your story.
Self-Care Tip: Lift the coverlets in your life.
Related articles
- How do you? And other holiday stress mysteries… (friendtoyourself.com)
A Note From Kaily – Community is Grand
Kaily, a friend of our blog community, wrote this in reference to our 2012 NAMI Walk Orange County. I thought you’d enjoy an update and connection.
Hey All,
Just want to encourage an all out effort at fundraising as we near the walk day. We are more than half-way to meeting our team goal of $1000.00!
I also want to acknowledge our new walkers/team members and thank them for choosing to team up with us and Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M.)
How is everyone coming on purchasing our team t-shirt? It has occurred to me that some of you may already have a BC2M t-shirt of a different style than the one with the BC2M logo on the front. That is great and meets the purpose of uniting us all as a team representing BC2M.
We’ve had two donations made to our Team – way awesome! I’ll be sending emails thanking them for their generous and thoughtful donations.
Let’s keep recruiting team members and fundraising right til the last minute.
Thank you, everyone, for your comittment to our team and cause. You all have been doing a great job! Let’s keep it going!
As always, contact me with any questions, concerns, etc.
Kaily
If it wasn’t for Kaily, I wouldn’t be a part of BC2M. Thank you Kaily.
– Sana Quijada
Take the Bring Change 2 Mind Pledge
The fear of stigma and discrimination can have a devastating effect on those living with mental illness. Change happens one person at a time. If you are living with a mental illness, know someone who is, or just want to help, take our pledge to help end stigma.
I pledge to follow the Bring Change 2 Mind principles:
For people living with mental illness:
- I am living with a mental illness that is treatable and manageable.
- I am a valuable and valued person and I deserve to be treated with respect.
- I am responsible for the decisions and choices I make in my life.
- Educating myself about the symptoms of my illness, and any side effects I may have from treatment, will help me find and use the resources I need to work toward stability.
- Communicating about my experiences with others will help them support me in difficult times and keep me “on track.”
- If I am feeling suicidal, it is critical that I reach out for help, for in the face of real pain and suffering, it is others who can help me with a commitment to live.
- I can reduce stigma and discrimination in myself and in others by being open about living with mental illness, naming it out loud and raising people’s awareness.
For everyone:
- It is likely that someone I know is living with a mental illness and that fear of stigma or discrimination may be preventing them from accepting their illness and seeking help.
- I can make a difference by learning about mental health issues and the devastating effects of stigma and discrimination.
- If someone I know exhibits sudden changes in behavior, I will pay attention and reach out to them.
- If someone I know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, I will take it seriously and make every effort to ensure they get help.
- I will not perpetuate or tolerate stigma or discrimination of any kind and will commit myself to changing the way society views people living with mental illness.
Community is Grand
I’m participating in 2012 NAMIWalk Orange County.
You can help support me by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link below:
http://namiwalks.nami.org/friendtoyourself
For more information on how YOU can participate in 2012 NAMIWalk Orange County, please visit our homepage.
Thanks for your support!
Connecting to Celebrate
Really Big Pumpkin (Photo credit: alansheaven)
Hello friends.
I’m just back from two weeks of travel through four states involving lots of family, too much food and the large Iowa State Fair experience.
I spilled yellow mustard on my new clothes. Mustard stains.
In both Iowa and Missouri, I had the honor and pleasure of conducting two workshops on being a friend to yourself. They were well received and seemed to be considered a message most in attendance hadn’t previously considered. I was and am really grateful to be a part of this.
I said some inappropriate things as I look back.
In Iowa approximately 45 of us processed being a friend to yourself specifically as related to “Sleep.”
In Missouri about 30 of us kept it more general, covering the foundational concepts of using the tools: Simplicity, Starting and ending with Me, Using our freedom to choose more deliberately, and Working for Me as responsibly as working to earn money at our day job.
In Iowa, the workshop was recorded, but I regret that in Missouri I forgot. My Toastmaster friends are more awake now I am sure. I have yet to get a hold of the video to view and critique but am hoping it will surface soon.
I am eager to see my dog now, who has been boarded at the fine Dogtopia of Temecula. This is the first time we’ve ever boarded an animal. The threat of repeating history of his escape from our property when we are gone has influenced our choice. I can’t wait to see how he is.
This is a little of what I’ve been doing lately including imperfect behaviors. Connecting with you is a way of celebrating. Thank you.
How bout you? Please tell us your story.
Keep on.
Good-morning fr…
Good-morning friends. I am so happy that the first volume of, Friend to Yourself: Sleep, is out on Amazon. So far still to go but this is a large experience. Have a great day.
Please Tell Me How I am Doing
Hello Friends.
Please tell me how I’m doing on this. Just out,
Model Policy Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of Social Media and Social Networking in Medical Practice
This is important to me as I treasure both my medical practice and our community, connection, exchanges on-line. I don’t want to do anything that jeopardizes either, nor the implication that if I did, that means I would have mistreated a patient.
Thank you for this, what I call, a “good problem” to have – the joy of medical practice and participation in social media/networking.
Related articles
- Appropriate Use of Social Media and Social Networking in Medical Practice (thielst.typepad.com)
- Social Media Guidelines for Medical Professionals: Summary (scienceroll.com)
- How Mobile and Social Media Drive News Consumption [INFORGRAPHIC] by @RoyMorejon (openforum.com)
- Facebook and Twitter use rises among adults as social networking via mobile phones increases (scotsman.com)
Salty Me. Taste it When tempted to Judge Others.
English: boiling water עברית: מים רותים (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Do kind and friendly things for yourself before you do them for others.
Awkward!, No? But 🙂 not what we will talk about today.
Speaking with a dear friend of mine yesterday, this is what I remember caught his attention. I was rewarded by his expressions. He has always been something of the limited-response genre. The kind eye-contact, head tilt, warmth and curiosity his face described morphed into an energy deposit in my happy-place bank*.
I wondered if many of us assume he’s hard to impress, but I think that is presumptive until we can mind-read. Maybe a kything-skilled One is in our future our past, but till now, I’ve not met her. Even with that fantastical telepathy talent though as described by my fave, Madeleine L’Engle, we must ask, would that give license to judge*?
This is important to answer for us. It is with the Interrogative of Self-Care*, the The “Five W’s” (and one H)*, before we get derailed with the anecdotal, in-the-field, he-said-she-said and personal opinions. It is what hard element we find when we boil the water off. Salty Me. Taste it doing the unfriendly judging of others…. Unfriendly to Me.
Questions: How is keeping things about Me being a friend to yourself? When personalizing what others do, do you find friendship in looking into your salty self? Please tell me your story.
*Referenced Blog Posts*:
Who? When?, Where?, What?, and How?
This is today folks :). Join us?
Mother’s Day, Full of Shame
Mother’s-day, naturally full of shame unless we are able to be a friend to yourself, present with the bad in Me even if reluctantly.
Question: What is a barrier to you becoming a friend to yourself? What role does shame play? Please tell me your story.
Self-Care Tip: Get friendly with your shame.