Tag Archives: Mindfulness

A Buttload of Emotions

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! Today, I have had a buttload of emotions. The main emotion that bothered me today was anger. Anger over a training at work. I know why I was angry and it really didn’t have anything to do with the training itself but the trainer. Even though the trainer didn’t do anything negative in the training today, I have had some pretty negative experiences with this person. The negative experiences I had with this person was about fifteen years ago and thought I was over it till I saw this person and realize that I wasn’t over it.

So, when the training was over I did a five minute mindfulness meditation practice. A mindfulness meditation practice that helped a great deal and did two more times before the end of work. All three times I did the mindfulness meditation practice helped a great deal.

After work I called a friend as a well as my grandpa. After talking with both my friend and grandpa on the phone, I visited a neighbor in my building who has become a friend. Talking with friends and family helped a great deal. I felt the love from friends and family and that helped with my anger.

Speaking of love, I felt the love from my cat, Billie Dean. He could tell I was have a challenging time so he sat on my lap. Billie being on my lap also helped my anger. I am so grateful that my cat, Billie, can tell when I am having tough moments like today. He is an amazing kitty and I love him so much.

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 read my blog. If it wasn’t for you my reading I wouldn’t be blogging. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Trying Out New Bedtime Routine

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I am trying out a new bedtime routine tonight. I know from times past when I try a new bedtime routine it won’t work right away as I need to make it a routine to have it work. That means if it doesn’t work tonight, I continue to try doing it for a few weeks to see if it will work or not.

I will start not being on my computer or watching the television an before I plan to go to bed. When I do this I will spend doing a ten minute mindfulness meditation on my phone from the Calm App. After that I will snuggle into bed and start reading. Reading a book of my choosing. Specifically a book that is meant to fun such as fantasy or science fiction. I plan on doing this as to help relax me and make it easier to get to sleep.

Of course my cat Billie Dean will be next to me as part of my bedtime routine as he has been a part of it since his first night home. It is always nice to have Billie sleep with me.

So, here is having my new bedtime routine helps with my sleep as I don’t 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 do read my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reading 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!!!

The End of a Work Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is the end of another work day. A day that had some anxiety but the anxiety had nothing to do with work which is a good thing. It is the type of anxiety that I am able to handle.

I am able to handle my anxiety by doing some mindfulness meditation practices. Mindfulness meditation practice has helped me with my anxiety as well as my depression. To me anything that can help me with any of the symptoms I deal with in regards to my mental health diagnosis is a good thing.

Another thing that helps me with my anxiety is my cat Billie Dean. Billie is such a lap cat. He loves being near me as much as he is can. Some moments he does like to be left alone but who doesn’t like to be left alone at times. I love my cat, Billie so much. He is a very sweet cat.

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 my blog. If it wasn’t for you, the reader I wouldn’t be writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

The Start of Another Work Week

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Monday, World!!! It is the start of another work week. It being the start of another work week, that means I am at home. I work from home four of five days a week due to the pandemic known as Covid-19. Working from home has both it’s advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is I get to be with my cat all day. One of this disadvantages is dealing with neighbors who yell at each in the middle of the hall way which my clients can hear when I am doing a virtual session with them. Sadly, there is nothing I can do about this. On a positive note I can be an example on how to handle distressing situations.

My work is having us do SMART goals to be able to accomplish at work that is work related. My goal is to start an in person group when I am in the office on Fridays. It will be a group that is focused on mindfulness and mindful meditation. I am looking forward to doing this group as I feel that a mindfulness group can help others with their recovery. Being able to help others with their recovery which is why I am a peer counselor. I know what it is like to figure out what recovery looks like for me and mindfulness is what helped me realize that. So, I hope mindfulness can help others on their recovery journey. A journey that looks different for each person.

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 do read my blog. Again, if it wasn’t for you my reader, reading my blog, I wouldn’t be blogging. I hope everyone has an awesome work week ahead of them. Peace Out, World!!!

Feeling Better Regarding Depression

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Right now my depression is slightly getting better. I owe it to self-care. Self-Care that is much needed for everyone even if you don’t have a mental health challenge. Self-care can be challenging for anyone especially when depression symptoms are acting up.

The first thing I did was do some mindfulness meditation practices. I am finding that starting off my day with some mindfulness and/or meditation practices that my day starts on a more positive note. I am also finding that if I schedule mindfulness and/or meditation practices throughout the day it helps me refocus on what needs to be done.

After doing some mindfulness meditation practice I took a shower. A much needed shower because I had not taken a shower since Monday. For me when basic hygiene like showering isn’t happening means I need to be extra aware of what is going on especially in regards to depression symptoms increasing and acting up.

When I was done showering and got I dressed I called my grandpa. I asked him if he would like to spend time with me. He said yes and he came to pick me up to hang out. We went out to breakfast. In fact I am surprised he let me pay for his meal. We ate at IHOP and had a great time.

Spending time with my grandpa helped my depression a great deal. When I got home I turned on the television to watch the Olympics. The moment I sat down, my cat, Billie Dean, quickly laid down on my lap. So my cat Billie and I watched the Olympics for about three hours. It was nice having Billie the Kat on my lap as I watched the Olympics.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I am happy I am taking care of myself to decrease the depression symptoms. I also want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you my reader read my blog. If it wasn’t for your readership, I wouldn’t be blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my hear for reading my blog. I hope you all have a wonderful evening. Peace Out, World!!!

Dealing With Uncomfortable Emotions

Posted on by Gertie

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

Posted on by Gertie

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!!!

No Jury Duty + Paid Time Off = Unexpected Staycation

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I found out that I am not selected for jury duty. Little did I know that it is common practice at my work that you get a paid week off for jury duty when you are not selected to serve on a jury. If you are selected then you get paid at least the one week plus the amount you serve if you get selected to serve on a jury that last longer than a week. My work encourages its employees to serve on a jury. I wish I was selected for a jury but I am grateful at the same time as I get paid to do nothing.

Well, I don’t get paid to do nothing. I am just getting paid to what I need to do around my home. So, basically I am going be cleaning my apartment which is something that desperately needs to happen. It also means I can spend some more quality time with my cat, Billie Dean. I know Billie, will appreciate the extra attention that I can give him since I won’t be working.

As I was thinking about what to do with my paid time off due to not having jury duty, I am thinking about ways to keep blogging on the regular basis. I know I have said in the past that doing a Weekly Plans post as well as a Weekly Check-In post will be of help to keep you my reader more engaged. Engaged in a way that won’t bore you or at least that is my hope.

Another thing I will be doing this week is to focus on mindfulness and meditation practices. A way of doing so is reading up on mindfulness and meditation in magazines that focus on such things that I bought at a local drug store. Some of the magazines include journaling exercises to help with being mindful as well as meditation. I have found that mindfulness and meditation has been quite helpful with my recovery from the symptoms of my mental health challenges.

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, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Without you my reader, I wouldn’t be blogging. Peace Out, World!!!

The Waiting Game of Jury Duty

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am officially not working today as I have been summoned to jury duty. Jury duty will be done remotely due to Covid-19 restrictions even though in most cases restrictions are being lifted. I am guessing that they haven’t lifted jury duty being lifted is to keep everyone safe as there are different variants going around.

Despite the different variants going around and jury duty being done remotely, I hope I don’t get selected. I hope I don’t get selected. I hope I don’t get selected because that means I get an entire week off with pay. Don’t get me wrong I love job, I just some time off. I need some time off because my depression is acting up.

My depression is acting up for some unknown reasons. Even though I know work would help with my depression, I feel like having time off would be of some help. I think time off would be of help because I would be able spend time with my cat Billie Dean. Spending uninterrupted time with Billie is always a good thing especially when it comes to my depression.

Mindfulness and meditation also helps my depression. Doing a daily routine of mindfulness and meditation actually helps with my depression as well as my PTSD. Even though some days are more challenging than other days at least I know the mindfulness and meditation practices help.

I don’t have much more to say in this particular post except that I am currently playing the waiting game regarding jury duty. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope you all have a great work week ahead. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans (Late Post)

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City (didn’t attend due to family emergency)
  • Read

Monday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury Duty (and my work still pays me to go. I love my new job)
  • Read
  • Go for a walk around the neighborhood with Billie the Kat on leash and harness

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury Duty
  • Read
  • Dinner with grandpa

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury duty
  • Read
  • Go for a walk around the neighborhood with Billie the Kat on leash and harness

Thursday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury duty
  • Read
  • Dinner with grandpa

Friday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Jury duty
  • Read
  • God for a walk around the neighborhood with Billie the Kat on leash and harness

Saturday

  • Mindfulness/Meditation practice
  • Clean apartment
  • Lunch with grandpa and dad
  • Read