Here I am again.....blogging in an effort to make myself feel better. Have you ever noticed that you have good ideas and advice for depressed friends and relatives but can't seem to help yourself? Well, maybe it's time we take our own advice.
I usually have good suggestions for those who are having a hard time with depression, stress or anxiety. my ideas range from seeking professional help to taking a walk outside to patting yourself on the back. I guess I'm weighing my options right now and am trying to decide what idea would be most helpful to me this time. I've done all of the "advised" things at one time or another in my life. Are we supposed to keep doing them forever?
I have hopes that my spirits will improve dramatically when the weather finally does. This has been one of the longest and dreariest Winters and early Springs that I've ever experienced here in Southwest Missouri. Sunshine has been scarce and we've had way too much rain and snow.
When the weather is decent I will need to figure out where to put the perennials I brought here from our old house. I feel like I don't know where to start, even though this yard is very small compared to what we had. Have I lost my confidence? Yes, I think so. It's easy to do when someone else gripes about your abilities and choices and shows no interest in what you want to do.
I bought two six packs of happy looking pansies the other day and they are waiting for me on the front porch. Maybe soon I can get out there to put them in a pot in the sunshine. Maybe......
Archive for the ‘Missouri’ Category
Take Your Own Advice
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011De-Stress During the Hustle and Bustle
Sunday, December 7th, 2008
by Susan
Amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, I hope you will take time to de-stress so you don't wear yourself out completely. My husband and I are doing that on a regular basis this year. As we have gotten older we have realized that we need to take time for us to be alone together........ enjoying some of our usual activities.
Yesterday we finished our Christmas shopping, I think. We always shop for our four children, their spouses and our two grandchildren as well as a few other family members. We don't spend a lot of money but we do spend a lot of time out there among the crowds. We try to accomplish as much as possible on weekdays but yesterday, a Saturday, we were right out there in the midst of the hustle and bustle, along with all the other shoppers.
However, we also took the time to see a movie which is one of our favorite things to do. This time we saw Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. I loved the movie..... it stirred so many feelings in me. I did a lot of sniffling and wiped my eyes repeatedly. Today we are going to a free Christmas concert to be performed by the music department at Missouri State University. We plan to dress up for the occasion and perhaps have dinner afterwards.
Oh dear! I just realized another item we need to get at a store! I'm also wondering if I purchased enough wrapping paper. All of these holiday preparations are so much fun and yet so stressful, especially for those of us with anxiety/depression. I think a nice long walk today would go a long way in de-stressing. Sometimes a nap helps too! Be sure to take time to de-stress in whatever way works best for you.
Amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, I hope you will take time to de-stress so you don't wear yourself out completely. My husband and I are doing that on a regular basis this year. As we have gotten older we have realized that we need to take time for us to be alone together........ enjoying some of our usual activities.
Yesterday we finished our Christmas shopping, I think. We always shop for our four children, their spouses and our two grandchildren as well as a few other family members. We don't spend a lot of money but we do spend a lot of time out there among the crowds. We try to accomplish as much as possible on weekdays but yesterday, a Saturday, we were right out there in the midst of the hustle and bustle, along with all the other shoppers.
However, we also took the time to see a movie which is one of our favorite things to do. This time we saw Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. I loved the movie..... it stirred so many feelings in me. I did a lot of sniffling and wiped my eyes repeatedly. Today we are going to a free Christmas concert to be performed by the music department at Missouri State University. We plan to dress up for the occasion and perhaps have dinner afterwards.
Oh dear! I just realized another item we need to get at a store! I'm also wondering if I purchased enough wrapping paper. All of these holiday preparations are so much fun and yet so stressful, especially for those of us with anxiety/depression. I think a nice long walk today would go a long way in de-stressing. Sometimes a nap helps too! Be sure to take time to de-stress in whatever way works best for you.
Bloggers Unite to Help Refugees
Monday, November 10th, 2008by Susan
Today bloggers all over the Internet are uniting to write about refugees in many different situations. I have chosen to make my article for Bloggers Unite about all of the evacuations in my state of Missouri during the historic flooding in the Spring of 2008.
Many peoples' homes were destroyed or heavily damaged as their occupants had to evacuate to higher ground. Lives were disrupted in ways many Missourians never dreamed they could be. On March 19th, 2008, President Bush declared a major disaster in Missouri and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in areas struck by severe storms and flooding.
Missourians were displaced to shelters, relatives homes, hotels and motels until they could return to their homes and begin the painful process of recovery and cleanup. Some Missourians weren't that fortunate as there were over a dozen deaths in the Midwest in the early Spring floods.
You can view an MSNslide show which shows you the extent of the damage and disruption caused by the flooding. Evacuations, displaced persons and property damage were rampant and all of this was accompanied by waves of depression and fear as the rain kept falling. Here in Missouri we were happy when the heat of Summer arrived and we experienced the end of a long season of devastating floods.
