It's the day after Thanksgiving and I am extremely thankful to make it this far in this year. This year was rough. Not just rough, but extremely difficult. Putting words on a screen on a blog post doesn't even depict the right way to show how emotionally draining, and physically hard this past year has been. From a major surgery, to storms, to wildfires, to the pandemic, to mental health issues crashing in on me, I am honestly looking forward to a new year and a do over. 2020 will be the year going forward to never repeat. A lot of people are saying this year hasn't been hard on them, and that is great to hear. We struggled, in more ways than one, so it's nice to know that not everyone has had those struggles. We enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving this year and this past week I've had some issues with my anxiety, so this weekend will definitely be very low key. Here are five things this week.
1. This Picture.
They are best friends.
2. This Dinner.
I've been a little under the weather this week a bit and Jeff has been amazing making dinners for us. I was actually excited about this meal because we grew the zucchini this year through all the wildfire smoke and ash.
3. This Kitty.
She's such a goofball.
4. This Look.
I've been watching The Office lately when falling asleep. It's either The Office or the Hunger Games, just because I am familiar with them and can relax without any stimulation from not knowing what's going to happen. I've read that people that have high anxiety do this as a form of comfort. Guess that makes sense. Well, this image made me laugh when I woke up the next morning. Some time in the night I paused it and woke up to Michael Scott's judgement eyes on me. It was as if they were saying, "how dare you pause The Office and sleep." ☺
5. This Art.
Incredible! You can check out his work here and here.
Positive affirmations this week:"On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with your life right now?"
About a 6. I feel like everyone is a work in progress, so the six is coming from a state of that thought. Once I'm able to be in a location where I feel less surrounded by stressors I feel that number will jump to a seven, or an eight. I think a lot of people assume that those with mental health issues are always floating at a two or three because they "assume" depression and anxiety make the person sad, or come across miserable all the time. That's just not the case. You can be successful, happy, and always bubbly around the right people and still suffer from a mental health issue. That stigma needs to end. Everyone on this planet, no matter who they are, struggle with some form of a mental issue at least once in their life. The judgement that just because you aren't suffering, so someone else shouldn't be struggling is also very obtuse. Hopefully, in my lifetime that stigma and judgement will end.
This heartfelt post reflects on the challenges of the past year and finds solace in simple joys and positive affirmations. The author's candid discussion about mental health challenges and the stigma surrounding them is both brave and insightful. Their emphasis on the importance of empathy and understanding toward those struggling with mental health is commendable. Thank you for sharing your journey and insights with us.
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Life at a "Swell's" pace is a lifestyle and travel blog chronicling the life and travels while living in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley. It is mostly written by Shelly HW. Click the image to learn more»
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ReplyDeleteThis heartfelt post reflects on the challenges of the past year and finds solace in simple joys and positive affirmations. The author's candid discussion about mental health challenges and the stigma surrounding them is both brave and insightful. Their emphasis on the importance of empathy and understanding toward those struggling with mental health is commendable. Thank you for sharing your journey and insights with us.