Tag Archives: Calm App

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

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

Posted on by Gertie

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

Posted on by Gertie

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

Posted on by Gertie

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

Posted on by Gertie

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!!!

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

Posted on by Gertie

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!!!

Happy Monday

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I will be heading out to my volunteer job at PAWS Cat City within the next forty minutes. I love being able to volunteer my time with helping PAWS. I enjoy doing whatever is needed for me to do including the deep cleaning. I do have to say the best part of volunteering at PAWS Cat City is when the cats get adopted to their furrever home.

Speaking of cats, my cat Billie, loves doing mindfulness and meditation practices with me. Every time I do a mindfulness exercise on The Calm App, Billie gets in my lap as I do the exercise. It appears that the he does the practice with me. I love the fact that my cat, Billie, does the mindfulness practice with me through The Calm App. Doing a mindfulness and/or meditation practice helps me a great deal and is one of the best ways for me to start my day.

On a not so good not is that the air quality here in Seattle is considered hazardous. It is considered hazardous due to the wild fires around Washington as well as the rest of the west coast. Seattle isn’t the only place with hazardous air quality. California and Oregon are dealing with worse air quality that Washington is.

I do not have much more to say. I do want to thank you all 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. I hope everyone has a great Monday. I also hope everyone has an awesome work week ahead of you. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses (or coffee). What I mean is don’t forget to take the time to just breathe. Peace Out, World!!!

Blogging in Pain While Being Mindful

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I sit here typing primarily with one hand and it is quite challenging. Long story short last Friday, (November 8th), I injured my hand and wrist. I tripped over my poor cat, Lil Gertie. Thankfully, my cat, Lil Gertie, is just fine and being her usual self. Sadly, I am the one who got injured but am beyond grateful that Lil Gertie was not injured. Like I mentioned at the beginning I injured my wrist and hand. I went to the Emergency Room (ER) and got it x-rayed and unfortunately it was too swollen to notice any type of broken bone or fracture. Both the resident and attending believe I could have some form of fracture which is why they put my wrist a supportive type thing I can take on and off but want me to keep it on till I am able to get it re-x-rayed which is going to happen this Friday (November 15th). If it is fractured I will get a cast if not I will continue wearing what I have and go to physical therapy. They put me on some pretty powerful pain meds. I am not taking them as often as my doctor would like because I fear of getting addicted but my doctor is grateful that I am taking them with the help of other things. For instance I am also taking over the counter (otc) meds like Tylenol and Ibuprofen as well as icing my wrist and doing some mindfulness and mediation. I may be in a pain but at least I am able to get through it.

As I mentioned one of the ways I am helping with the pain is doing some mindfulness and meditation. I am primarily using the Calm App to do this. I have found that the Calm App to be quite helpful. The primary narrator is Tamara Levitt. She has en extremely calming voice.  The Calm App is a free app and you can also subscribe to it annually to receive more mindfulness techniques which is something I have done. I really enjoy doing mindfulness meditation now. I have found it quite helpful for my recovery with my mental health challenges as well as with my health. Yes, it is sometimes challenging to take time out of your day to do mindfulness and/or meditation but it helps start the day off right as well as to end the day off right. I schedule to do it twice a day and try to make an effort to do it more than twice daily.

Something else I have been doing lately beside mindfulness meditation is art. The type of art I have specifically been doing is painting. I have been painting some abstracts that are looking pretty cool. It is something I can do with my good hand and wrist. Painting and other type of art help me a great deal with letting out emotions I am unable to speak which is essence helps me with my recovery.

I don’t have much else to say and am in physical pain so I will end this post. I hope everyone has a good rest of your day. Thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope everyone has a great rest of their day. In fact I hope everyone has a great rest of their week. Peace Out, World!!!