When I was hospitalized, all of a sudden, I had a bunch of time on my hands without a whole lot of options available for how to spend it. A favourite option of mine, both during this recent admission and during previous ones, is colouring. So what’s the big appeal? I think it makes a …
There are plenty of people on social media and other online spaces who are talking about their apparently perfect, blissful, über-organized routines that other people should be living up to if they’re to have any hope of being happy. I’ve always been organized, and now it’s something rely on to compensate for some of the …
Does Being Organized Make Life Easier or Create More Work? Read More »
It’s pretty much inevitable that we’ll face adversity at some point, especially if mental illness or any other sort of chronic illness is in the picture, so here are some quotes to inspire. “Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters.” – Victor Hugo “Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.” – Horace “There are uses to …
I got thinking about this a while back when reading a post by MJ about being put in a seclusion room while on a psych ward as a teenager. While seclusion is sometimes necessary for safety, I think serenity-promoting spaces could be more useful, at least in some cases. In my last nursing job, which …
Creating Serenity-Promoting Spaces for Mental Health Read More »
The idea of acceptance in the context of mental illness has been bubbling around in my head for a while now, and not long ago I wrote about non-acceptance and suffering in the context of mental illness. What prompted me to start this post was reading a post by Sarah of Hope Whispers about accepting …
As my chronic mental illness has become increasingly treatment-resistant, I’ve done a lot of work on accepting the hand that life has dealt me. Acceptance isn’t about resignation or embracing unpleasant things; it’s about recognizing that what’s here right now is here, and trying to resist it will only increase suffering. Here are some acceptance …
I got thinking about this after reading a post a while back by Cynni Pixy. Sometime’s it’s easy to assume self-care is just bath bombs and spa days. As lovely as they may be, they’re just a small part of a much bigger picture. Let’s start with a couple of definitions for self-care from Google …
My friends at WeDIDitPTSD recently brought up Jack Kornfield‘s approach to RAIN, a mindfulness meditation for dealing with overwhelm, and I thought I’d explore that further in a post. RAIN, which is based on Buddhist teachings, was first described by Insight Meditation Society teacher Michele McDonald. Rain acronym R: Recognition The R is about exploring …
I first heard of the term contemplative practices when reading the book A Fearless Heart by Thupten Jinpa. This involves approaching an inner problem without avoidance or distraction. By establishing some mental space, you can consider the problem without getting caught up in the thoughts and emotions that swirl around it. Contemplative practices build meta-awareness, …
I’m definitely not a fan of the whole toxic positivity business, and no, happiness is not a choice (or at least not always). But a while back I stumbled across the Action for Happiness website, and I like their style. I was looking through my journal and came across the 8 pillars of joy I’d …
Action for Happiness: More Than Just “Choose Happiness” Read More »
