Tag Archives: Mental Illness

Everyday Inspiration; Day 1: I Write Because…

Posted on by Gertie

I write for various reasons. Take this my blog for example. I blog to educate those who don’t have lived experience with a mental health challenge and/or substance use disorder in hopes to end the stigma that is associated with mental health and substance use. I also blog to give other people hope in their recovery. I may not have a substance use disorder but I hope that my recovery with mental health, self-harm and eating disorders can be of inspiration to those who struggle with substance use disorders. Another reason I blog and didn’t realize this till about three years after starting my blog is that it helps with my own mental health.

So, I guess, the reason I blog in hopes that with me sharing my journey that it will lessen the stigma of mental health challenges and substances use disorders as well as give others who struggle some form of hope. Being in recovery is not easy but it is well worth it. I just hope my blog can help lessen the stigma of mental health challenges and substance use disorders as well as give others hope. Thank you for listening.

There’s No Place Like Home

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I had an awesome four day birthday weekend. I spent time with both sides of my family and am beyond grateful for my decision. As much as I am glad I went to Olympia to visit my mom and uncle my birthday, I am happy to be home.

Last Friday, I celebrated my birthday with my dad, grandpa and two uncles as well as my cat, Billie Dean. I took Billie to my grandpa’s house as I went out of town for a few days. I am beyond grateful that my grandpa took care of my cat, Billie. Anyway, I had a great time with my dad’s side of the family and had some awesome barbeque ribs.

After an awesome dinner I came home and packed to go to Olympia via train while my cat Billie stayed with my grandpa. I went to Olympia on Saturday via train. I love taking the train and enjoy myself every time I take a train.

When I arrived in Olympia a friend of mine picked me up and we went out for dinner after I checked into my hotel room. We went to Carl’s Jr. for dinner as we don’t have one here in Seattle. I love Carl’s Jr. as I went there all the time when I grew up in California. After eating Carl’s Jr. with my friend we went to Priest Point Park and hike around the park. I love that park. After hiking around the park for a while my friend dropped me off at the hotel.

On Sunday which was my birthday I took a walk with a friend around Capital Lake. It was great to walk around the lake with a friend. After the walk my mom and uncle to me out to dinner at Red Robin’s I love Robin’s. I had my normal meal of a Whisky River Barbeque Burger with extra cheese and onion straws.

On Monday, I took time to myself and just hung out around Downtown Olympia as well as in my hotel room. I just needed a day to myself and am beyond grateful that I took a me day for my birthday weekend.

I came back home to Seattle, yesterday via train. I am so happy to be home. My grandpa dropped off my cat, Billie Dean once I got home. Billie is just as happy to be home as I am. There is no place like home. I love my cat Billie and love being home with him around. I think Billie is grateful to both being home and to be around me. We are both happy to be home with each other.

I do not have much more to say in the 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. Again, I want to 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
  • Continuing education class on stress management
  • Celebrate my birthday with my mom and uncle

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Continuing education class on stress management
  • Spend time with friends and celebrate my birthday with them
  • Attend a twelve step meeting

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Last assignment for continuing education class on stress management
  • Travel back home to Seattle via train
  • My grandpa brings my cat, Billie Dean home after taking care of him for me while being out of town

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Work
  • Attend a twelve step meeting

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Work
  • Attend a twelve step meeting

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Work
  • Attend a twelve step meeting

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Clean apartment
  • Attend twelve step meeting
  • Do art work

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I am currently in Olympia, Washington. I am here to spend my birthday with my mom and uncle tomorrow on my actual birthday. I rarely spend my birthday with my mom’s side of the family.

Anyway on that note, I celebrated my birthday with my dad’s side of the family yesterday evening. I had a good birthday dinner with my dad, grandpa, two uncles and my cat, Billie Dean. In fact Billie is currently at my grandpa’s as I will be in Olympia for a few days. My cat, Billie, loves my grandpa and I am thrilled that my grandpa is willing to take care of Billie while I am out of town. My uncle made an awesome dinner for my birthday and I really enjoyed the food.

Now to check in on other things. My new job it going great. I love it my new job so much and I feel really appreciated by my supervisor. Sadly, we had some issue with email yesterday and it might take up to a week to get it figured out. I hope it doesn’t take a week to get the email issue fixed. Anyway, at least I won’t have to worry about it till Wednesday as I will be taking this Monday and Tuesday off from work as I want to spend time here in Olympia. I did have to go home from work early last Tuesday from not feeling well and appreciate the fact that I was encouraged to take care of myself.

Sadly, the day I did leave work early, I ended up in the emergency room. I thought I had Covid-19 as I had many of the symptoms. Thankfully, it turns out I didn’t have Covid-19 but had strep throat. Strep throat is no joke but sure better than having Covid-19. I am taking antibiotics for the strep throat and am feeling better.

I have been attending a twelve step meeting that I feel comfortable going to. This particular twelve step program has you focus on your own recovery and not trying to “fix” other people which I really like. I did find someone to be my sponsor and finally got the nerve to call them before starting the particular blog post. I hope this potential sponsor calls me back as I really want to start working the steps.

I do not have much more to say. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you do read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for ready my blog. Have a great Saturday evening and a wonderful weekend. Peace Out, World!!!

Intro to Poetry; Day 5: Imperfect

Posted on by Gertie

Arms of Imperfection

by Gertie

Looking at my arms,

all I see are railroad tracks.

Railroad tracks due to scars.

Scars that were caused

by acts of self harm.

Thankfully, no more acts of 

self harm and now just

reminders of it.

Intro to Poetry; Day 4: Journey

Posted on by Gertie

Untitled Poem

by Gertie

Walking along side someone,

on the path to recovery

is very much like hiking

with a friend.

It’s just this friend is

someone you help guide

through the life of recovery.

A life of recovery which is a

life worth living.

Lunch Time Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! Part of me wishes I took today off as I have strep throat. I thought I had Covid-19 and it turns out that I most like don’t as it is strep throat that I have and am waiting on the test results of the Covid-19. I know this as I went to the emergency room yesterday afternoon at the urging of my supervisor.

The two main reasons, I went at the urging of my supervisor is because I am going out of town for my birthday this weekend to visit my mom and I left work three hours into my shift. Yes, I have been working from home and I would have called out sick if I was going into the office.

I’m still waiting on the results of the Covid-19 test and am pretty hopeful it will be negative. I am hopeful that it will be negative because of what the doctor said to me in the emergency room yesterday evening. I am also hopeful as they tested me for strep throat and it came out positive.

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. Again, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Before Work Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is eleven thirty-three in the morning in my corner in the world. Today, I don’t start work till twelve noon and am grateful that I am able to sleep in on Mondays. I have a challenging time getting in work mode on Mondays and starting at twelve noon on Mondays helps me get into work mode.

Speaking of work a couple of my colleagues and I will be getting together later today via Zoom. We will be having a late dinner with each other. It is cool that my colleagues invited me to dinner over Zoom tonight. I am thrilled that I am starting to sort of fit in at work. I am loving my new job. I am beyond grateful for my new job.

Billie Dean, my cat is currently sitting my lap as I type this blog post. I love Billie so much and I love the fact that he is such a lap cat. He is so lovey dovey. I am grateful the Billie chose me to adopt him.

I do not have much more to say in the particular blog post. I want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from 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. Peace Out, World!!!

Idea’s About Blogging

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I have been thinking a great deal about blogging on the more regular basis. If you been reading my blog regularly, you are aware that I attempt to post Weekly Plans every Sunday morning as well as post Weekly Check-Ins every Saturday evening. I do this in attempt to keep you my reader interested in reading my blog. On that note, I want not only improve my blogging skills but switch things up by enrolling in four of WordPress’s free courses. The courses I signed up for are; Intro to Poetry, Finding Everyday Inspiration, Developing Your Eye I and Developing Your Eye II.

I signed up for these course just over a week ago. In fact I already started the courses and have been participating however I have scheduled the post from the courses. I am scheduling them just in case a get a some form of writers block or a creative block or in the case of the photography course can’t find the right shot or picture. I know it seems weird to schedule post but when it comes to something like this then I think it is okay. I don’t normally schedule my post which is why it seems weird o me. It will fifty days in a row of post from the four courses I am taking. In fact the scheduled posting starts tomorrow March 1st. Don’t worry I will still be doing normal post without scheduling and post immediately.

Another reason why I am choosing to do the four course through WordPress is because, I have found with blogging that it helps with my mental health. I wasn’t expecting that it would help with my mental health or my recovery but it has. In fact I am beyond grateful that blogging has helped with my recovery.

I do not have much more to discuss 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 do read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of your Sunday. Peace Out, World!!!

Unexpected Change in Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Usually, I am at my volunteer job at this time but sadly there was a water leek last night and caused some damage. So, this morning I helped the staff member on duty load up the cats be taken up to the Lynnwood location of PAWS. We also did as much clean up as possible. Thankfully, the building management will be in today to fix everything so that the cats can go back to PAWS Cat City no later than this Tuesday.

The plans I have today may have slightly changed but that is okay. One of things I will be doing after I finish this blog post is do some artwork. Specifically, I will be coloring. I really do enjoy coloring. When I color it feels like I am healing my inner-child. An inner-child that needs to be reparented by me.

As I color I will be listening to a podcast about philosophy. The specific podcast on philosophy I will be listening to is “Philosophize This.” I am grateful to be able listen to this particular podcast as I feel like I am learning something.

As I color and listen to “Philosophize This,” I will also be doing dreaded laundry. I am not a big fan of doing laundry but it is something that needs be done. Or in the word of my grandma “Laundry is a necessary evil.” I will have to agree with my grandma on this.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I just want to 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. I hope everyone has a great rest of your Sunday. Peace Out, World!!!