How I Stop the Worry Cycle
It’d be nice not to get pissed when someone casually says, “Don’t worry about it.” What does that even mean? Isn’t worry supposed to help us think long and hard about solving problems? I’m starting to think it’s not. I’d love to eliminate worry from my mind. Wouldn’t you? When I worry, my brain starts […]
Learning to Manage Triggers
What happens when someone triggers you? I get really annoyed. It’s hard to believe that someone else can affect me so deeply. It bothers me because it feels like someone, other than myself, has control over how my day goes. Who is this person that isn’t me, yet they can make me react? It’s embarrassingly […]
How I’m Tackling Loneliness in a New City
I’ve been feeling lonely lately. That feeling can easily overwhelm me with discomfort and sadness, but since I’ve been learning to manage my emotions, I try to react with logic. I’ve come to understand that when everything is new, it means I have to try new things to adapt. Right now, I’m in a new, […]
Mindset and Kindergarten Lessons
For years, I’ve been researching ways to improve my life. I’ve discovered tools and techniques that help me accomplish necessary tasks, navigate difficult times, and maintain productivity. Much of the information I’ve learned isn’t novel—like you, I’d probably encountered it before in various forms. Simple concepts like, “Say what you mean. Mean what you say. […]
What Do I Do with These Feelings?
Before I had tools, I often felt lost, lonely, and anxious, though I didn’t think these feelings needed to be addressed because I also experienced happiness, motivation, and love. I would often flip-flop between these emotions. Feeling a range of emotions isn’t bad, but they would often dictate my actions and override logic, making life […]
Check My Nails. Baby How You Feelin’?
I can tell a lot about how I’m doing just by looking at my nails. It might sound strange, but they’re a pretty reliable indicator of how well I’m taking care of myself. When my nails are uneven, chipped, or my cuticles are a mess, it’s usually because I’ve neglected them. Maybe a nail broke […]
Pull Over. Something’s Wrong.
Yesterday, I was riding my bike and started feeling sick. At first, it was mild, just a bit of heartburn. But then I began to feel woozy. I was all set to push through the pain and finish the ride. We were only 15 minutes from home, and I didn’t want to mess up the […]
Dear ChatGPT, What Do I Do Now?
This morning, I woke up feeling “off.” In a moment of introspection, I decided to ask ChatGPT for some guidance. Here’s the prompt I typed: “I’m 48 years old, I just left a 19-year career to start a new one that is moving really slow. I also moved out of my home city into a […]
Living with Myself
Why am I constantly talking about and seeking ways to help myself and be a better person? Because I live with me all day, every day. When I’m not taking care of myself, it feels like I’m carrying a sick toddler—someone who is screaming, crying, and miserably in pain. It weighs on my day, making […]
Self-Care: Bubble Baths and Bull
I’ve heard the term self-care more times in the past couple of years than in my whole life combined. But what does it mean? It’s a topic that seems very polarizing. Some people think self-care is for the selfish and weak. Others see it as a luxury… probably because we’ve been so conditioned to de-prioritize […]
