Tag Archives: Meditation

9 – Years Anniversary of Blogging

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Today is a big day for me as today marks nine years since I started creating my blog. Little did I know I would be blogging this long despite sometimes having periods of time of not blogging. Just know I do my best to blog as often as I am able to do so.

I love to blog about my own struggles and triumphs of my mental health challenges and how I am able to learn for the triumphs and struggles. It gives me a sense of hope and strength when I am able to do work through my own personal journey of my recovery as everyone’s journey to their recovery looks different to everyone. I really hope I give some form of education to people along with hope when I share bits and pieces of my story as not everyone will connect with some peoples recovery story or journey to recovery as it looks different to everyone.

For me some of the self care I do for myself is do mindfulness meditation at least twice daily. Once in the morning and once in the evening before bed.Another thing is to take two daily walks; once in the morning and cones in the evening. I also take meds for my mental health stuff as well as see my therapist every other week. Most importantly, I have my cat. A cat that loves me unconditionally.

I do not have much more to say except thank you for reading my blog. I grateful for your readership. I hope you have a great week ahead of you. Peace Out, World!!!

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Had a Self Care Nap

Posted on by Gertie

Good Early Afternoon, World!!! I just woke from a nap and feel refreshed from the nap. Now, I am going to get something to eat but I’m not sure what type of food. I am thinking either a Subway sandwich or Asian food. I will figure it out when I am more awake.

Of course I am going to do some self care stuff like reading as the book I am reading is very intriguing. Of course Billie my cat will be snuggling by my side as I read. I hope to tell you about the book, I am reading once I am done reading it.

I am also hoping to go for a walk while doing a mindfulness meditation practice to help with the symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD. I really need to start this on a more regular basis as it help with my mental health.

I don’t have much more to say in this blog. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from the end of things that you read on my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Cuddle Time With Cat While Reading

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I have been home sick today due to vomiting. I slept for a few hours and woke up during early afternoon hours. After waking up from a nap I did some self reflection and realized that part of the reason I was vomiting was due to having a slight bout of depression and some pretty severe PTSD symptoms. With this revelation, I am determined to go into work tomorrow.

On that note, as I mentioned in my last post, I slept for a while. A much needed sleep that helped me feel better with the vomiting as well as the depression and PTSD. Since being up and about in my apartment, I took a shower and ate. Since taking a shower and eating, I have been cuddling with my cat, Billie and reading a book called “Don’t Open The Door.” I’m only on chapter six but it a great book. It is a suspenseful thriller book so far. As much as I love reading with my cat, Billie curled up on my lap, I wish I could be reading outside because the weather in Seattle right now is pretty awesome. It is a perfect sunny day that is 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Reading outside on a day like this is one of my favorite things to do but reading with my cat snuggled in my lap is pretty awesome.

As far as my depression and PTSD goes, I need to get back into the things that I know will help and do them on the regular basis like I used to. The first thing is to go for walks every morning to help my mind in a good place. Secondly, to do a morning mindfulness meditation to put my head in a good peaceful place. Thirdly, to do a mindfulness meditation practice before bed to help rewind from the day. I will restart this tomorrow and I know it works if I do it on the regular basis.

I do not have much more to say in this particular post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read on my blog. If it wasn’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. Peace Out, World!!!

A Challenging few Weeks w/New & Refreshed Lessons Learned Along the Way

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Caturday Saturday. It has been quite a couple of weeks of being challenging for me for various reasons and many of them I have had to deal with some eighth deaths in a matter of a two week period. Some of the folks I have never met but really admired in the animal welfare community especially locally here in the Seattle area who touched the life of many humans and cats. Sadly this person took her own life and wish I would have been given to meet her in person. She will be greatly missed especially in the animal welfare community.

On the continuation of discussing death. I can’t really discuss much about it due to HiPAA law but many of the client I work with overdose on drugs and alcohol. Sadly some pass away to drug and/or alcohol overdoses and It is challenging to deal with. Thankfully I have the support of my colleagues with this especially when people have been trying to get off drugs so they don’t have to have a stigma with an addiction.

Dealing with so many deaths is the last couple of weeks I have been reaching out to my support system such as my friends, family and my colleagues as well as my therapist. I am just beyond grateful that I have supportive people in my life to be there for me. Not many people have a good support system and I have a great support system.

Now on to what I do to help with my self care. One way I do self care is due at least two mindful meditations daily; once in the morning and another one before bed time. I am also trying to put in third mindful mediation in the middle of a work day to help me refocus during work. Another way I have been doing self care is spending time with my cat as well as walking two times a day; once in the morning and once the evening. Of course another self care act is going to volunteer at PAWS Cat City a least once a week. Of course working at my job helps as well. I have been reading a lot of books that I find helpful to help with my recovery journey. I also have been doing some art work and hope to show sometime soon.

As this post comes to an end just know there is always hope along the way. I want to thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you reading and/or following my blog, I most likely would be continuing to writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out World!!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Therapy
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Appointment with psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness mediation practice with the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Clean apartment
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Errands and household chores
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Daily walk while listening to a podcast
  • Blog
  • Spend time cuddling with my cat, Billie Dean as I read or watch movies

Grateful for My Cat Billie Dean

Posted on by Gertie

My cat, Billie Dean woke me up and checked-in with me while I was having a nightmare. Billie does a great way to help me with calming down with both nightmares and chilling me out when it comes to anxiety. I have of course going to be doing some mindfulness meditation practice with Billie Dean my cat. My cat is an amazing cat and I love him so that you know how precious my cat is. Billie will help me get back to sleep.Of course Billie is a great help with my practice my mindfulness meditation practice.

I really enjoy my cat and love him. Billie is an awesome I love him to the moon to back.

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is that time to do my weekly check-in. This is something I enjoy doing for many reasons. Overall, this past week has been great despite the lack of sleep I have had due to insomnia. Insomnia sucks hard core.

Even though, I have had trouble sleeping a good portion of the week, work went quite well. I received some awesome feedback from my supervisor on how to deal with some challenging clients. Granted it was hard to take feedback but awesome. My supervisor is awesome. I also received great feedback from my supervisor during our team meeting which was hard to take in as I am use to taking praise especially in front of other people.

My twice daily mindfulness meditation practices are going quite well. Actually, I do three a day five days a week when I work as I do one mid-day to help myself refocus and to lessen stress especially if it has been an unusually stressful day at work. The extra mindfulness meditation practice during my work day actually focuses on work related stress. So, basically I do two mindfulness meditation practices twice a week and three mindfulness meditation practices five times a week. Sometimes I do more if I feel like I need to.

My cat, Billie Dean of course has been a love bug and quite awesome. Billie helped me quite a bit with my anxiety attacks regarding unexpected anxiety provoking events. Events that were eventually dealt with.

That is my weekly check-in for the week. Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Play the flute for at least thirty minutes
  • Read
  • Artwork (color)
  • As always spend time with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Read
  • Artwork (color)
  • As always spend time with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Read
  • Play the flute at least thirty minutes
  • As always spend time with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Read
  • Artwork (color)
  • As always spend time with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Read
  • Play the flute at least thirty minutes
  • As always spend time with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Twenty to thirty minute while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Read
  • Artwork (color)
  • As always spend time with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Twenty to thirty minute walk while listening to a podcast
  • Read
  • Artwork (color)
  • Play the flute for at least thirty minutes
  • As always spend time with my cat, Billie

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It is that time of the week where I do my weekly check-in. I’m not sure how eventful it was, if it was at all. Having a week being uneventful is a good thing. Since my week has been uneventful this will likely be a short and boring post.

If you read my blog regularly, you are aware that, I have been doing a mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App every morning. I have been finding this quite helpful to start my day out. I have also been doing a mindfulness meditation practice mid-day when I am working and this has been quite helpful to decompress the stress of whatever may be going on with my job. I am glad that I started the mid-day mindfulness meditation practice this week. I am finding that I am in a good head space more often since starting my day with a mindfulness meditation practice.

Work is going great. In fact today marks one month since I started my job with the PACT (Program of Assertive Community Treatment) team at my employer. I really enjoy my job. In fact I love it. I spend half of my day outreaching to clients and the other half of the day in the office doing notes or attending meetings. My colleagues on the team I am a part of are awesome and I am grateful for them.

Working full time has made me fully aware of how much I need to do self care. I already mentioned one method of self care I do which is doing a daily mindfulness meditation practice. One of the ways I do self care is volunteering at PAWS Cat City. I love spending time with all the kitties and helping them get furrever homes. Of course another form of self care for me is spending time with my own cat, Billie. I love my cat to the moon and back. Another form of self care I do is going for a twenty to thirty walk every day. Walking not only helps with my physical health but my mental health as well.

As, I realized this week, I need to not only schedule my self care but add more self care to my life. Self care that can be considered hobbies. Of course listening to music is key to my self care and I tend to do this when I am on public transportation going to and from work. Another thing I started doing today is doing artwork as I listened to a podcast. The podcast will vary as well as the artwork I do. Of course reading is on the self care list and I started doing that today. In fact I am reading Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. I need to make sure I schedule these various self care acts so I can continue doing the type of work I do for my job.

So, that was my week.