Tag Archives: Mental Illness

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is Saturday evening here in Seattle and that means it is that time of the week where I give you my weekly check in. A check where I tell you what has happened for me during the past week. A week that doesn’t always as planned.

I started this week by attending an online twelve step meeting. A meeting that had a focus of step one and will continue to focus on step one for the next three to four weeks so folks can work on the step and not feel rushed doing it. I really connected with this group and let my sponsor know that. She will “attend” with me tomorrow as she has another sponsee that is doing step one plus my sponsor will be in attendance to support me.

Besides attending online twelve step meetings, I returned back to work. I am happy to be back to work despite having a corrective action plan (CAP) looming over my head. I also found out that I will be having my CAP meeting this Monday. I don’t think most of the CAP is fair but I will take responsibility for the parts that I know is fair like missing too many days even though I have medical reasons for missing too many days. As far as the adaptability part, I know I have issues with it however it is disability related and feel like I am in trouble due to my disability. I am also getting a CAP due to how my annual review went but that was done three and half months early which is why I am fighting the CAP. I don’t understand why I wasn’t informed sooner about what I need to work on.

I also had therapy this week. My therapist and I discussed many different things including work. We discussed coping skills around work as well as the mental health symptoms that I deal with on the daily basis. We talked about how attending twelve step meetings is “helpful” for me and my recovery. We also discussed how my symptoms are not as severe due to me doing daily mindfulness meditation practices at least twice daily. My therapist is awesome and I appreciate the fact that she not only points out what I need to work on but points out what I am doing well on.

I do not have much more to discuss in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Caturday with Billie

Posted on by Gertie

It is time of week where I share a picture or two of cats. This week is one picture of my beloved cat, Billie.

Billie observing from up high.

Tired in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is officially Saturday morning here in Seattle and I sadly did not sleep well once again. I did not sleep well last night due to the fact that my building fire alarm system decided to malfunction once again. Needless to say I am not the only one who is pissed off about this.

Since I was not able to sleep very well last night, I did what I could to control my emotions regarding the fire alarm malfunctioning. One of the things I did to help myself was do a couple of mindfulness meditation practices. Mindfulness meditation practice helps me realize what I need to do.

One of the things I did last night in between evacuating my apartment building multiple times was read. I am reading Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. So far I am enjoying the book and I think it is worth reading so I recommend reading it.

Another thing I did last night was some arts and crafts. The type of art I did was color a gigantic poster I got from Stuff2Color.com. I really enjoy coloring. I also did some crafting by doing some cross stitching. I am hoping to finish a cross stitching project in time to give my mom a pillowcase for Christmas.

I do not have much more to write about 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 the reader, read my blog. If it was not 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!!!

Not Feeling Well Enough to Go to Work Today

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am not feeling well enough physically to go to work today and I feel like I am big let down with my team right now. I have been vomiting a lot during the night. It is something I think is mental health related but my doctor just wants to make sure. So I see later today and hope to update after my doctors appointment.

I will update you in another blog post about why my doctor and therapist have to say. Peace Out!!!

Mid-Week Update

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! So far it has been one of them weeks for me and the week is not over yet. It’s been one of them weeks because it is my first week back to work from my second medical leave since a trauma happened to me back on July 31st. Anyway, I am still waiting on my corrective action plan (CAP) meeting and what I have to do to “pass it” which I am hoping I can do.

As far as the weather goes regarding my job as an outreach worker as a peer specialist has not been fun at all due to the rain. My feet get wet and I cannot afford water proof or water resistant shoes at the moment. Thankfully, I do have two pairs of shoes. One pair is for walking and the other pair is to make sure when I am inside my feet are not wet or cold so I don’t have to be a cranky bucket with my clients or colleagues.

Since the weather has been yucky and grey as well as it getting dark earlier and staying dark later, I have been using my happy light quite regularly. The happy light is helping a great deal with my depression and surprisingly helping with my anxiety and PTSD.

One of the things that have been helping me a great deal with depression, anxiety and PTSD besides the happy light is doing mindfulness meditation practices. Doing mindfulness meditation practices on a daily basis has proven to me that I am more productive with my day as well as being able to get better sleep.

I really do not have much of anything else to write about 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 the reader, read my blog. If it was not 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!!!

Two Nights In a Row of Good Nights Sleep

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is five o’clock in the morning and I had my second night of good sleep in a row. I am so happy to have one night of good sleep however I am beyond thrilled to have two nights in a row of a good nights sleep.

I am pretty sure that mindfulness meditation practices I do at least twice daily are helping me with my sleep. The mindfulness meditation practice has ultimately been helping my sleep as well as with my recovery with the mental health challenges I deal with on a daily basis.

Mindfulness meditation practice even helps me at work. In fact the Calm App has some mindfulness meditation practices that focus on work. Mindfulness practice helps me focus at work and even though I will be getting a corrective action plan (CAP) at some point my supervisor as well as the team lead both of informed me that since starting mindfulness meditation practice started back my “focus has gotten better.” I am glad they noticed.

Speaking of work I need to get ready for work. For me getting ready for work consists of a shower, getting dressed, eating some sort of breakfast, reading the newspaper as I drink a nice cup of hot tea and cuddling with my cat. I am a person who needs some form of routine in the morning to be able to function the rest of the day.

One of those routines in the morning is when I am on my way to work. I take public transportation and when I go to work, I like to read. I carry two to three books with me in my backpack so I can have a choice on what to read. Reading on the way to work helps me relax and not worry about what the day will bring me which includes the clients I have on my caseload that might be in crisis.

I do not have anything else 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 the reader, read my blog. If it was not 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!!!

Changing My Mind for the Moment

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I just want to start out that I got a really good night’s sleep last night despite waking up way too early. Sleep is crucial to one’s mental health just like eating food is. I went out to breakfast with a friend this morning and it was great to have an awesome breakfast with an amazing person in my life.

With the help of this friend I have made a decision about my job. I have decided not to put in my thirty day notice. The reason being is I will need to see what the corrective action plan (CAP) consists of before making such a decision. It’s amazing what food in the stomach, a good night of sleep and a conversation with a good friend can do to help make decisions about your life. I am still not one hundred percent sure that I won’t put in my thirty day notice at work but I do know I won’t put it in till I receive my corrective action plan (CAP). I don’t start work till twelve noon today and my CAP meeting is at two o’clock this afternoon. That means I will be focusing on as well as catching up on email and paperwork my first two hours of work.

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 the reader, read my blog. If it was not 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!!!

Noon Time Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, Word!!! I am worried about going back to work tomorrow. One of the reasons is because I will be turning in my resignation as my job is not the right fit for me at the moment even though I love my job. Another reason is because I will be receiving a corrective action plan (CAP) on a couple of things that revolve around my annual review that was done three and half months early. Normally, I would just own up to whatever the CAP is about but I have been asking every time, I have supervision what I can work on and didn’t really receive feedback with the exception of my issues with adaptability. I am not going to argue about my issues with adaptability as this is something I have had issues with since I was a kid due to a disability.

Since I am so worried about work tomorrow, I have been attempting to distract myself from this particular worry. I have been doing some artwork. Specifically, I have been coloring. I have been coloring as I listen to music. It seems like that listening to music as I color is quite soothing for me.

Not only have I been coloring as I listen to music, I have been reading. I am reading a horror book as it is one of my favorite genres as well as it being Halloween time. I am reading Pet Cemetery by Stephen King. So far I am enjoying the book.

I do not have anything else 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 the reader, read my blog. If it was not 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!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice via the Calm App
  • Read the Seattle Times
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie
  • Work on Step 1
  • Art (color)
  • Read
  • Work on a workbook (TBD)
  • Dinner with my family

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice via the Calm App
  • Read the Seattle Times
  • Breakfast with grandpa
  • Work
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice via the Calm App
  • Read the Seattle Times
  • Work
  • Read
  • Art (color)
  • Work on Step 1
  • Work on a workbook (TBD)

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice via the Calm App
  • Read the Seattle Times
  • Work
  • Read
  • Art (color)
  • Attend a twelve step meeting

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice via the Calm App
  • Read the Seattle Times
  • Work
  • Art (color)
  • Meeting with sponsor
  • Read
  • Work on workbook (TBD)

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation via the Calm App
  • Read the Seattle Times
  • Work on Step 1
  • Art (color)
  • Work on a workbook (TBD)
  • Attend a twelve step meeting
  • Read

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation via the Calm App
  • Read the Seattle times
  • Go to the U-District Farmers Market with friends
  • Work on a workbook (TBD)
  • Read
  • Attend a twelve step meeting
  • Lunch with friends
  • Art (color)
  • Work on Step 1

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! This past week has had plenty of ups and downs but then again, life is a roller coaster ride. A roller coaster ride that is never the same.

The roller coast ride was mainly due to work related stuff. In fact it has been nothing but drama and when I can go back to work. The great news is I am going back to work this Monday (October 16th). The not so great news is that I will be getting a corrective action plan (CAP) for various things in which I was not informed of till I received my annual review three and a half months early before going back on medical leave. Little does work know, that I have been searching for a new job. In fact I have a pre-interview and an interview with two different potential employers.

Due to the work drama, I am so glad I have been doing mindfulness meditation practices twice daily. Actually, it has been more than that but I schedule to do mindfulness meditation practice twice daily as it helps with my mental health symptoms.

In fact mindfulness meditation is a part of the twelve step program I am in. I am really happy that I am in this particular twelve step program as I think it will be helpful for me.

I don’t have much more to write about in this particular blog post. Thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!