CLICK HERE to submit your own entry, and to read about what others are up to as well!
Reconnecting
with old friends and family. This is a rare thing for me to say because I enjoy being alone and am never bored, but I’ve reached a point of isolation overload 😉 I hardly have any friends whom I hang out with on a regular basis anymore.
When I was working full-time the little pockets of personal time I had were such great blessings, and they still are. But I also recognise the need for me to increase my human interactions, as it plays an important role to our mental and emotional wellbeing.
So I’ve been initiating meetups with various friends and loved ones, or I force myself to accept more invitations to social events. ‘Force’ isn’t the best word, but in general I would pick staying home alone over large gatherings. They’re good in small doses however, and helps to keep my mind sharp, current and energised. (Read: Keeping Up with the World: Why it’s Important Despite Pain)
I’m already on my way to becoming ‘that weird bird lady’ as it stands (or perches). As always, the tricky part is being fully aware of my energy supply at all times, or risk a flare up. My last weekend was packed with activities (well, just one per day really), which was enough to put me in bed for all of Monday!
Confessing
bad eating habits. We’re all human here. That means that most of us do things that we know aren’t good for us, or avoid those that are 😉 I confess to struggling with my everyday diet, even though I know it’s important for my health. I love my desserts, and after my last session with the nutritional therapist, realised just how much inflammatory foods I’m really eating in general.
I mean, I may know these facts in my head, yet am desensitised to the data because I read so much about them. I’m looking at the list of no-nos she wrote down: no gluten, no bread, no deep fried foods, no processed meats, no sugar, not too much coffee, no this, no that, no life.
I know that others have it worse, such as those with IBD, gastroparesis, celiac disease, MCAD, etc, so I feel stupid for phrasing it that way, and for being a whiner. But there you have my confession 🙂 My plan for now is to add on the probiotic foods and supplements first, then figure out how to make the reductions in everything else work. Eventually…eventually I’ll get it done ;p
Relaxing
before bed with a good read on the Kindle. As you may already know I received a Kindle in July, and so far I really like it! To my surprise, reading is actually much easier on it thanks to a number of factors: its light weight, perfect size, easy grip, and clear fonts. I also go on highlighting rampages, which is actually a similar process to how I mark blogs out on Instapaper before re-sharing them to my social media.
The only thing I dislike is the way the pages transition, that quick flicker irks my brain a little; I’m not sure if that’s related to my epilepsy. It’s pleasant drifting off to sleep while reading a good book; a soothing feeling which is quite unlike any other form of relaxation.
Romanticising
about living overseas. This may sound like a romantic word, but it’s not. I’m not sure if it only applies to idealistic sorts of people, or if everyone romanticises a little? For me, I romanticise about living in Europe, in some cobblestoned town or city that’s steeped in history, with the mountains in the background or nearby. For some reason I’m always happy when I walk along ancient streets, and gazing at mountains fills me with serenity. They possess a magical vibe drenched with details from across centuries. This may be because my own country is only 53 years old. We do tend to be fascinated with that which is ‘other’, I suppose?
While this might be ‘the dream’, I’m also aware that living in a place is a whole new ball game than visiting as a tourist. Perhaps if health and finances permit, I might just pick one destination in Europe to go live in for a couple months, then I’d have better insight into what it’s really like. Any recommendations, anyone? 😉 But anyway, I’ve got to stay put for now with these new nerve symptoms and seizure episode 🙁
Sharing
about my life on social media. Sharing about your life on social media can be many things. It can be dangerous and unfair if your words get twisted. It can be invasive and a hassle if someone plagiarises your work or images. It can be degrading and demoralising if some troll decides to spit all over the words you took so much courage to say. It can be so many negative things, so why would any sane person take the risk?
I wrote a lot of poetry in my youth. It’s actually quite a tedious process where you can feel like you’re bleeding your heart out onto the page. Until the poem managed to encapsulate the soul of that very moment I was trying to illustrate, I would never be satisfied and would toil at it for days, sometimes even months. I’d usually know when it was ‘done’; vulnerability would be stamped all over it.
Why am I telling you this? Well I’ve always dreamt of being an author, and realise that to be a good one is to always be vulnerable. To pluck up the courage to explore that which humanity shuns, to bare your soul and expose your flaws for all to see. Such emotional requisites are necessary even in fiction and fantasy, or people wouldn’t be able to relate.
A profession is a kind of relationship, where compromises are usually needed. For the writer, I think ‘total privacy’ is what you sacrifice. So many things can be revealed about your person simply by the way you write, and not just the content. Thus I’ve given up on hiding my weaknesses ages ago. Now I share in hope that it’s helpful to someone out there, and also to release my pain onto paper. This helps me to make some sense of it all.
Thank you for reading, and I hope to read your responses for September’s prompts too! Click here to submit your own entry, and to read about what others are up to as well!
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Thank you so much for sharing! I can relate to the bad eating habits. I’m usually pretty good about avoiding my no-no’s (no wheat and no dairy), but sometimes I really crave sushi (which has imitation crab made with wheat, is usually accompanied by soy sauce), and I’m a sucker for whipped cream and I really like cheese. So…sometimes I slip. But you’re so right – there’s definitely an inflammatory response! I’ve been experimenting with probiotics and digestive enzymes to offset the inflammatory effects for those times when I just can’t resist. Keep up the good habits!
Hi Nicole, thanks for sharing, too! I’m impressed with your self-control 😉 ‘Slipping’ once in a while is okay, I think, as tasty food is a pleasure, too 🙂 Problem is I slip too often ha! Definitely need to get that inflammation under control though. Take care!
Hi, Sheryl! I think you’re an author already. You publish great posts week after week. I have always wanted to visit London and the surrounding countryside ever since I read Beatrix Potter tales to my young children. Then I discovered the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and the desire just grew. If only our energy levels matched our dreams?
Hi Kathy, thanks for the kind words 🙂 Your support has been invaluable, too. Aww…where do you currently reside in? London is lovely, and I love looking at pictures of the little towns and hamlets, filled with overgrown flowers and cobblestoned streets, too 🙂
I love these prompts and how open you are about everything – especially vulnerability, and dreams versus what may be feasible at the moment. I too, have always dreamed of living in Europe – I vacationed in Catalonia this year and I’m pretty sure I could live there if I remotely spoke any of the language!
And as for the writing, I think you’re right – vulnerability and writing, especially sharing your writing, goes hand in hand. It can be so tough to push through, but it shows such strength to open up about everything! <3
Hi Maya, thank you so much for the comment and kind words, I appreciate it! Vulnerability, once accepted, can become a strength, I believe. Because it means you no longer fear your weaknesses, and can turn it into a tool not just for self-improvement, but for helping others, too 🙂
That’s a relief to hear I’m not the only one with ‘silly dreams’ of living in Europe 😉 I think I’d love living in a place where I didn’t speak any of the language, though! Best way to learn is being thrown off the deep end 😉 But of course, I’d need to have ‘take me to the best international hospital now’ written down and carried everywhere I go haha! #spoonieproblems 😉 Sending hugs! x
I have also been doing some reconnecting! I’m introverted and it feels almost unnecessary since we can amuse ourselves so well. But then it gets to that isolation point and you realize some human contact is actually a good thing. Definitely when we get into winter months as well
Hi Nikki, yes that’s so true…I don’t need external stimulus for entertainment either! Although I’m not sure I’m 100% introverted, I was more outgoing before becoming ill! 🙂 Yea human contact definitely needed to keep me sane at least, or I’ll end up living in a fantasy world in my head 😉 We don’t have winter here although I wish we did!
Hey ‘weird bird lady’! Great read as always 🙂 There is nothing wrong with being an animal person. I myself am a ‘weird cat lady’ and my husband swears I love my cat more than I love him… he might be onto something 😉 Anywho, it’s difficult maintaining friendships as a spoonie and I think it’s great you’re making plans. I know this means sometimes forcing yourself to go out, but that isn’t necessarily negative. The sad truth is when you’re a complicated sausage (as spoonies tend to be), it does require a bit of effort sometimes, but that is okay.
If ever you are in the UK, do come to London. I will take you on a gentle guided tour if ever you’re able to come over. Though ‘guided’ might be a bit of a stretch… more like I could point you in the vague general direction of stuff and there would be heavy reliance on Goggle maps! Take care x
Thanks Kate! Haha I just meant I was/am spending way more time with my birds than those of the same ‘breed’ as me ;p Yea complicated is an understatement, hey? 😉
London is lovely, I’ve been there a couple times and also to see Prof. Graham Hughes. I have a blood clotting disorder which is named after him as he discovered it! 🙂 Thanks, I’ll keep that general pointing of direction aid in mind…I’m terrible with directions, the epitome of female direction sense 😉 x
I am definitely the same when it comes to eating healthily. I have a massive sweet tooth and find it hard to resist desert! But I know that eating well really helps with my symptoms. I also romanticise about living in a city lined with cobbled streets and rich in history. I live not too far from Edinburgh and visit a few times a year. I romanticise about living there all the time. I hope your health improves enough to come to Europe! Your writing is always amazing to read thanks for sharing these prompts 🙂
Heh yea, to me dessert is life! I mean, it makes me happy, so… 🙁 But I’ll try and eat better for my own sake. Just sad our junk threshold is lower than healthy people’s, but hey, still grateful for all my body does for me every day. Do you also romanticise about that? I thought I was the only one with silly dreams 😉 I hope so too, I always enjoy visiting Europe, it feels magical, something like that 😉 And thanks for the support. I’m really happy to see you again in the monthly prompts…am always happy whenever people decide to share 🙂 Take care and have a fab month! x