Toxic Positivity: “Smile”

Three 'Smile' songs Toxic Positivity defined: the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations. The process of toxic positivity results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience. (taken from this article, 'Toxic Positivity: The Dark Side of Positive Vibes' by Samara Quintero and Dr. Jamie Long) I've...

Morality and Cancel Culture

I was intrigued by the description on our community's social media page of a local candidate in the village's upcoming election. "I believe in: .... Bylaws that are relevant, current and make sense; Bylaw enforcement..." A few days later, when other candidates knocked on my door to introduce themselves and discuss my civic concerns, I...

Second-Guessing

I drove myself to my counseling appointment for the first time today. I thought I would remember the way, having been a passenger so many times before, and wouldn't need to turn on my phone's map app. I thought I knew all of the familiar landmarks. I read the highway signs, made the correct turns,...

Anxiety Buster: Talking It Out

I really had to come to the end of myself before I was ready to find and go to a counselor. I've known for the past few years that I likely needed some focused therapy, but there was always something... excuses... I live in the country; it's too expensive and we don't have insurance; I...

Anxiety Buster: Supplements

Disclaimer: I am not a professional. Just a regular person who has researched and tried natural supplements as well as worked with my doctor(s) to try medicine to alleviate anxiety and depression. These are my experiences and in no way should they be taken as advice. Please do your own research, talk to your medical...

Anxiety Buster: Breathing

I have 'White Coat Syndrome' - which is when your blood pressure reading is normal at home but when a doctor or nurse takes it, it's often skyhigh. I am slowly improving with my GP over time, but still take my readings at home to share with him so that he can keep an eye...

Letters on a page

Supper was leftovers. I can't start the laundry just yet. The kids are all taken care of and occupying themselves. My husband is out for the evening at a church function. All is quiet. One would think that this would be the ideal time to write... and I'm convinced it is... it's just that, I...

4:45am

Perhaps I should have started to write around 1:30am, when I was feeling the nudge just as strongly as now. It's been a few days of nudging... a few days of feeling the need to write... and not really knowing what to say but just feeling the need to get something, anything, down. Instead, I...

Anxiety Buster: Time to Think

How do you spend/invest your time? Who do you spend your time with? Do you have any guilt over your answers? I think our personality types play into how we answer these questions. For me, as an INFJ, I struggle with what I have to do versus what I need to do. In my list...

Anxiety Buster: Advanced Meal Planning

After many years of planning meals more on the fly than with forethought, and feeling the need to reduce my anxiety and stress in every area possible, I started working on meal plans last November. My first goal was to attempt to plan meals for 2 weeks in advance. As we live in the country,...