Tag: What I’m Into

what I’m into – keeping me sane {march 2025}

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There is a lot going on and a lot of people have discussed “all of the things” ad nauseum. My brain has a tendency to forget negative experiences – a few years ago, I can remember a friend reminding me of all the things that I had gone through during that year because I had completely forgotten. But here are a few things that have kept me sane recently. 

Therapy

I have been involved in very extensive therapy for the past year and a half and had to recently switch therapists. I was nervous about this change but over the past few months I have realized that my new therapist is exactly what I needed. Don’t get me wrong, therapy is hard and I cry in almost every session but I have been noticing small changes and I find this very encouraging. 

The work of Dr. Claire Pumbly

My therapist introduced me to the work of Claire Pumbly. Pumbly resesarch involves the five stages of burnout and she describes the nervous system as having three “modes”: green (a relaxed state), amber (a state that can move from positive to negative depending on whether we are under threat), and red (when we are under threat, red is the “freeze” response). I have realized that I have been living exclusively in amber mood for a long time. This podcast got me started and then I promptly bought her book, THE TRAUMA OF BURNOUT: HOW TO MANAGE YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM BEFORE IT MANAGES YOU. She says, “The aim…is to support the nervous system to move fluidly through the gears [modes] throughout the day.” I have never thought of managing my nervous system in this way. For so long, my goal has been to be in green as often as possible. But Pumbly describes how true rest occurs when both green and red are online. It is a fascinating read. The book includes suggestions that I have just begun to implement. 

Sound Bath

One of Pumbly’s suggestions to move from amber to green is using breathing and sound so I have been attending a yoga and sound bath class and it is one of the most relaxing experiences I have ever participated in. I have attended three classes and actually fell asleep in one of them. My anxiety has only let me do that one other time on the massage table. It’s so restorative. 

So, what about you? How have you been staying sane in these “unprecedented” times?

enjoy life…

what i’m into – keeping me sane {january 2023}

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Winter is hard for me.  I deal with seasonal affective disorder (sad) during the winter months and it’s heightened between the months of January and March because there are no major holidays like Christmas to brighten my days. In Alabama, we may get one light snowfall a year so the world outside is all browns and grays.  Frankly, it’s depressing. Last year was particularly difficult so I went into this year intentionally managing my days to counteract the sad. 

In January, I did two almost diametrically opposed things.  This is picking up on one of my lessons learned in 2022: two things (sometimes opposite things) can be true at the same time. 

I am resting, relaxing, taking it easy, slowing down, chillin’

I have taken more naps this month than I have in a long time. I’ve shut down work at 2 PM most days and haven’t gone back even after everyone is settled for the evening.  I bought a paint-by-numbers and I am giving that a go – I should be finished by January of 2024. I watched shows and movies that I have been wanting to watch for years. I read books; in fact, I devoted a whole weekend to a personal Reader’s Weekend. I completed three books during that time.  I didn’t feel guilty about taking time to talk on the phone with friends and family. I have tried (I’m not as successful as I want to be with this – work in progress) not to rush the Buddy Man with all of the things he has to do: getting out the door every morning, bedtime routine, etc. I have taken walks outside and tried to notice any color other than brown and gray. I have seen so many blue jays and the honeysuckle is coming in. I took a few days off work for my birthday and didn’t go near a computer at all. 

I am staying busy

I know. After reading that first part you’re probably thinking, “Wait. What?”. But it’s true. Work has kept me plenty busy: I recorded a podcast episode and interviewed Brendan Slocumb, author of THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY. That was so much fun! You all will get to hear it soon and I will post a link here when it is available. One of my clients has two major projects this quarter that have been wonderful but are keeping me pretty occupied. I am working on developing personal branding which you will see hints of on my IG. Full rebrand is planned for the Spring. I did a curation of my closet letting go of so many things that I have held onto during my KonMari tidying in 2019.  It’s out-of-here! I plan to curate my books this month and get all my papers under control in late February/early March. I planned and executed my personal Reader’s Weekend and Birthday Fav Day. I have been exercising in some way, shape, or form most days (remember, two things can be true). 

In summation, I am trying to stay occupied enough that the sad doesn’t have a chance to catch up with me but gentle and kind enough with myself to know that this is a low energy period and I have needed and will need to slow it down.

I don’t know if this is going to work long-term.  I do know when I visited my doctor last year, she told me to come back in early February if I wasn’t doing great and if I was doing OK, I could cancel my appointment.  Last week, I canceled. But, who knows? I may be back next month saying how it all crumbled to pieces in my hand and that I have been down for the count. That will be OK too. 

What have you been doing in January? Does the winter season affect you as much as it does me? Head over to Modern Mrs. Darcy: What’s Saving My Life Right Now and find out ways she and others combat the winter blues. And if you are here because you were there, thank you.

enjoy life…

what i’m into – keeping me sane {april 2021}

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What I first started these What I’m Into style post, I imagined them as a fun way to recap the previous month and as a way to make sure that I did something during the month that I would be excited to share with you – a type of external accountability that, as an Obliger, is a big part of my accomplishing anything that I want to do.

Well, ya’ll, April was challenging.  I had so much going on. I participated in a Live Discussion of the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club’s flight pick, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.  Some of you are new here because of that conversation.  Welcome! 

I completed some admin-type tasks that have been hanging on for months:  finally, raking the leaves from fall 2020, getting the car service and scheduling a repair, completing the annual OBGYN appointment (I HATE those), rescheduling of dental appointment (that’s this week – wish me luck!), starting my Spring Cleaning (two rooms are done) which will probably last through Spring and into the Summer. I am pretty consistent with vacuuming and dusting but wiping down the baseboards, cleaning the blinds and the ceiling fans are not a regular part of that routine and thus are productions when they need to happen.  I’m hoping to get them cleaned and then add maintenance cleaning throughout the year.   

But I am really pleased with the steps that I took this month to stay sane in the midst of everything. I exercised regularly, an absolute must-do for me. I started a meditation practice of sitting in silence for 10-minutes per day which is fast becoming my favorite 10 minutes of the day.

I journaled about what and how I was actually feeling. As a writer, I’m hesitant to even confess this, but my journal has always been a sanitized version of my thoughts and feelings. It’s been more of diary, a recap of the day or a planning tool. I have never used it as a way to process my emotions in a healthy and positive way. Well, that changed this month. I made myself right my truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and I have written and cried through so many pages. It is hard and I have to constantly ask myself as I am writing is “is this how I really feel?” because it’s so easy to run from the feelings and discuss the to do’s of the day. But it’s very cathartic and I am resolved to do it from now on.

I took a month-long break from Instagram. Instagram is my fav social media platform and for the first week, I missed it terribly. But by the end of week two, I realized how much time it’s been taking up.  I have used the last couple of weeks to consider the value that Instagram brings to my life and ways to make sure that I am getting the positives (interaction and connection) without so much of the negative (mindless scrolling).

And finally, the thing I am most proud of this month: I am determined to create memories for the Buddy Man (see my snow-day post here) so we surprised him and told him that we were going to do something that he had never done before. We took him strawberry picking. I have only been once before in my life and while the strawberries weren’t as sweet as I would have liked, the Buddy loved it and wants to do more things that he’s never done before. Ideas welcomed, ya’ll.

So what about you? What’s been keeping you sane in April? Tell us in the comments below and/or link to your own recap posts. We will do this again on Friday, June 4.

…enjoy life.