Weekly Plans

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Spend the day watching movies and eating junk food with friends
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Do art (diamond art/painting)
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Do art (diamond art/painting)
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend Emerald House and help with Thanksgiving Dinner prep for Thursday, 11/21/24
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Do art (diamond art/painting)
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning wlak
  • Attend Emerald House and it’s Thanksgiving Dinner (and yes it’s a week early)
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Do art (diamond art/painting)
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Art (diamond art/painting)
  • Movies and just food with friends
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • U-District Farmer’s Market with best friend
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project by returning calls and emails
  • Movies and junk food with best friend
  • Art (diamond art/painting)
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Making the Best of a Sleepless Night in Seattle

Good Morning, World!!! I am having trouble sleeping due to insomnia. Since I am unable to sleep I have been keeping myself busy. I have done a handful of mindfulness meditation practices through the Calm App. I have even attempted to fall asleep to two of the sleep stories the Calm App. has. I am usually able to fall asleep after a sleep story but sadly that did not happen but I am okay with that.

I am okay with it because I am learning two new languages through the Duolingo app. I started learning Spanish a couple of weeks ago. Part of the reason why I am learning Spanish is because I spent the first 16 years of my life in California and have wanted to learn it for the longest time as many people I grew up with speak Spanish. Another reason why I want to learn Spanish is because both my partner and best friend speak Spanish. Plus one of my uncles on my dads side was a Spanish teacher. So, I have many people to help me with learning Spanish. I also decided to learn German yesterday evening when I found out my new next door neighbor knows German and I am able to practice with her. I also have a good friend who knows German as she spoke both English and German in her home growing. So I can practice with my friend and new neighbor. Part of the reason why I want to learn German is because I have some German in my heritage. I am hoping that once I get comfortable speaking fluently in either Spanish or German then I can start learning another language. I am not sure if I will learn another language that is a part of my heritage like German is or another common “foreign” language that is frequently spoken in the United States especially here in the Seattle area which could be one of the many Asian languages.

Besides learning German and Spanish tonight, I have been doing some art. Specifically the art I am doing is diamond painting. While doing diamond painting I have been listening to a philosophy podcast called Philosphize This which is a really good podcast. I really like how Stephen West does his podcast and gears to the average person because that is how I think he learned. So I am doing some art as I learn about philosophy.

I have also been cuddling with my cat, Billie through most of what I have been doing tonight to keep busy. Billie loves being cuddled and gives me some weird facial expressions when I try to speak Spanish to him. Hell, when I practiced German words on my cat, Billie he gave me some grumpy looks. I love how my cat, Billie puts up with me and cuddles even when I am doing art and attempting to speak to him two different languages.

With the weather they way it is right now in Seattle which is yucky and stormy it was the perfect night to do the stuff I did since I am unable to sleep. I am hoping to fall asleep soon as the wind and rain is soothing to me. With that being said, I want to thank you, the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog because if you were not reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Proud Accomplishment

Good Evening, World!!! I accomplished something that is no easy feat today. Today, I accomplished 250 straight days of meditation through the Calm App. I have found that meditation has been quite helpful for me especially since I start everyday by meditating. I also use the Calm App meditations when I have some challenging moments which helps quiet my mind a good portion of the time. I am grateful that I have meditation to lean on to help me and that it is a useful skill to have.

I do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post except I hope it doesn’t sound like I am bragging about my meditation accomplishment. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Needing to Focus on Self Care

Good Evening, World from Seattle as my cat, Billie lays on my lap purring. I am not going to discuss work in this particular blog post as I need to focus on self care as my depression and recent trauma is acting up which brings up past traumas.

So, when I got home from work I took a shower and then had dinner. After dinner, I spent time doing a mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App. Of course, I spent some much needed time being loved by my cat and loving on my cat, Billie. I love my cat so much.

I also spent time doing some art work. Specifically, the art work I am doing is coloring as I listen to music. Specifically music from my recovery playlist. One of these days I need to take a picture of what I have been coloring to share with you my reader as I am sure you would appreciate them.

After coloring I decided to read the book The Sorority Murder. So far it is a good book and it helps me a great deal with not dealing with the reality of my depression and recent trauma that has brought up past traumas. Yes, it is a small break from the reality of depression and traumas but it’s a needed break from reality.

I don’t have much more to say in this particular blog except, I am going to cuddle with my cat, Billie as I read. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. Again, thank from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!!

Mixtures of Emotions of Not Going to Work Today

Good Afternoon, World from Seattle!!! Right now I am having some mixed emotions about not going to work today as I don’t start work till 12:00noon on Mondays and it is 2:22pm in the afternoon. I didn’t go to work due to vomiting most of last night which is most likely due to food poisoning. Not only my depression and PTSD is severely acting up. Going to work when my mental health challenges are acting up seems to help when I am at work as I am not focusing on my own shit. I love my job and love helping the clients I serve as well as helping out my colleagues.

To catch you up from my last blog post, I ended up doing a mindfulness meditation with the Calm App with my cat Billie, on my lap purring. I think he gets as much of the Calm App as I do. I am grateful that Billie, my cat joins me with my mindfulness meditation with the Calm App a good eighty percent of the time. In fact even when I don’t do the Calm App, I still am able to do mindfulness meditation with Billie my cat when he lays on my lap and purrs. It’s amazing how both the Calm App and my cat, Billie help me with my mindfulness meditation practices.

After doing mindfulness meditation practices, I ended up going back to sleep since I woke up pretty early and vomited most of the night. I must have needed the sleep as I think I still need the sleep because I am still tired as hell. I think the lack of sleep was a combination of vomiting most of the night as well as insomnia and PTSD symptoms related to the most recent trauma I experienced as well as other past traumas I experienced in the past as child and young adult.

So, enough about other boring crap and back to more boring shit. When I woke up from a nap, I decided to make sure I ate some lunch. As I tend to not eat due to trauma related shit as well as being depressed. I really think the PTSD and trauma is what is causing the depression symptoms which highly sucks shit. After eating, I took a shower which helped me feel slightly better but not better enough to feel like going to work would be helpful for me, my clients or my colleagues.

As much as I wish I felt well enough to go to work as it could be helpful but I am partially happy that I didn’t go. My plan for today is to do some arts and crafts while listening to music. One of the art projects I plan on doing is coloring and of course while listening to music. Another art project I will attempt to do is Diamond Art while listening to music. I am also planning on doing craft projects that include Latch Hook and Cross Stitch. Of course music will be playing in the background.

In fact everything, I am doing today is a part of my DBT Skills. DBT skills help me a great deal when I don’t sleep well as well as when my PTSD, Trauma issues and Depression happens to be acting up. I would be lying if I told you that I wasn’t struggling with self harm because I am. That is why I am planning on doing everything I mention in this particular blog post but will not self harm.

I don’t have much more to discuss in this particular blog post except that spending time with my cat Billie, doing mindfulness meditation practices and being creative will be quite helpful for me. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Sunday

  • Mindfulness Meditation on the Calm App
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Read
  • Art (Paint by number and color)
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness Meditation on the Calm App
  • Work
  • Read
  • Art (paint by number)
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness Meditation on the Calm App
  • Work
  • Read
  • Art (color)
  • Spend time cuddling my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness Meditation on the Calm App
  • Work
  • Read
  • Art (paint by number)
  • Spend time cuddling my cat Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness Meditation on the Calm App
  • Work
  • Read
  • Art (color)
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness Meditation on the Calm App
  • Work
  • Read
  • Art (Paint by number)
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness Meditation on the Calm App
  • Clean apartment
  • Read
  • Art (Paint by number and color)
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie

A Mindfulness Type of Post

Good Morning, World!!! Or maybe I should say Happy Friday Eve!!! Either way, I am greeting everyone with a smile despite being somewhat anxious. Not sure why, I am anxious and I am okay with that. I am okay with that because of doing mindfulness and meditation.

I started doing the “Daily Calm” on the “Calm” app once again. At one point in time I did the “Daily Calm” over one hundred days in a row. I am hoping that I can get back into the habit of doing it again like I did before because it helped me be in a better headspace.

Not only does the “Daily Calm” put me in a better headspace, my cat does it as well. My cat, Billie Dean has helped me a great deal to be in a better headspace. Billie has also helped me do mindfulness especially when he is on my lap. I am so grateful for my cat.

I don’t have much else to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be writing my blog. Once again, thank you from the bottom of heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Ready to go to Bed & It’s Not Even 6:00pm

Good Evening, World. According my clock on the wall in my living room, it is 5:30pm here in Seattle and I am tired as hell. I am so ready for bed. Hell, I might even go to bed early which means, I most likely will go to bed after I finish writing (and posting) this particular blog post. I’m not sure why I am so tired but I know why I have been so relaxed and calm today especially this afternoon and evening.

I took a mental health day off from work today due to some light burnout. On that note, I have been home all day doing self care acts knowing it will help with my slight burnout. I started out the day by using the calm app to do some mindfulness meditation. I also did a couple other mindfulness meditation practice they have. On top of that I was able to do some check ins with the calm app and see how helpful it was and is to me.

Another thing that helped me get relaxed and calm is my cat Billie Dean. Billie appears to know when I need extra cuddling time to get myself calm. On that note I was able to do some mindfulness meditation with Billie, my cat laying on my lap for two and half hours.

Despite the lack of sleep last night I really think doing mindfulness meditation helped me become more sleepy. That is why I am considering that my bedtime for today will be about six o’clock in the evening here in Seattle.

Since I don’t have much more to say except goodnight and thank you for reading my blog. If it weren’t for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Goodnight and Peace Out World!!!

Dealing With Uncomfortable Emotions

Good Evening, World!!! Right now I am dealing with some uncomfortable emotions. Emotions most people, including myself, don’t want to deal with. I am dealing with anger, anxiety and depression which sucks but at least I know how to deal with these unwanted emotions. They may not go away as quickly as I would like but at least I know how to deal with these undesired emotions.

I have pretty much been doing some form of mindfulness and/or meditation practice most of today. I started out the day like I normally do by doing a mindfulness meditation from the Calm App which is quite helpful for me. Other ways I have been practicing mindfulness and meditation is by reading magazines that focus on mindfulness and/or meditation. I have also been journaling about what I am learning regarding mindfulness and meditation. Something else I have been doing is working on a workbook that’s main focus is mindfulness.

Something that I have realized through all this mindfulness and mediation practice is how much my cat, Billie Dean, helps me with mindfulness. In fact I realized this the first day I brought him home when I adopted him. Billie has many ways and behaviors he does to help me with realizing I need to slow down and be in the current moment. Billie has been quite helpful to me with this.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader, I wouldn’t be continuing to blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great evening ahead of you. Peace Out, World!!!

Lack of Sleep = Self Care Time with Billie the Kat plus Mindfulness & Meditation

Good Morning, World!!! It’s before the butt crack of dawn in Seattle and I am wide awake for some reason. I suspect my cat, Billie Dean woke me before a major PTSD moment while asleep. He does this a lot and I am learning to wake myself up because of what my cat Billie does. So, I guess I am learning new skill due to my beloved cat, Billie. I love my cat so much and am grateful that he is in my life.

Now it is on to some self care time with mindfulness and meditation. First and fore most Billie is a great way to start mindfulness with after a PTSD moment. Then it is to do a ten minute app from the Calm App to help ground myself even more so I can focus on reading one of the magazines focused on mindfulness and meditation with some journaling . In fact a fellow Peer Specialist/Counseling informed me of the Calm App. I was hesitant at first and now I swear by it as it is so helpful for me. So, from the looks of it, I will be starting my day at the butt crack of dawn doing mindfulness and meditation by ways of my cat, the Calm App and some mindfulness and meditation magazines with journaling involved.

I don’t have much more to say except thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog especially at the butt crack of dawn. Or at least it is the butt crack of dawn here in Seattle. I know it is Tuesday and I hope everyone’s work week goes well. Please take a moment to do a mindfulness exercise even if it is only for thirty seconds. Peace Out, World!!!