Day 2564: I’m sick of _______

I’m sick of

• politics,

• trying to figure out my ring size,

• misspellings on signs,

• the high price of parking, and
• driving to work in the snow.

I’m NOT sick of

• people who are funny,

• helpful labels,

• cats,

• self-care,

•  Michael’s cooking,

• great music,

• your comments, and
• gratitude.

Day 2563: Essentials

I think clear communication is essential, so I’m essentially starting today’s blog post with a definition of essentials.

es·sen·tial
/əˈsen(t)SHəl/
noun
plural noun: essentials

a thing that is absolutely necessary.
“we had only the bare essentials in the way of gear”

the fundamental elements or characteristics of something.
“he was quick to grasp the essentials of an opponent’s argument”

Are you quick to grasp the essentials of a blog post from me?

What essentials do you see in my photographs?  I see the essentials of connection, loyalty, self-care, animals, and others.

It’s essential that I get to work on time, so I’m going to quickly finish this blog post with another essential for me — music. Last night, my essential fiancé and I danced to tunes that might become our essential song. It’s not essential that you listen to these (here and here on YouTube), but I hope you do.

 

What are your essentials?

Of course, gratitude is an essential here at The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally, so thanks to all who are essential in helping me create these daily posts, including YOU!

Day 2532: It’s that time of the year

It’s that time of the year for

• dressing up,
• holidays,
• traditions,
• changes,
• anniversaries,
• anxiety,
• comfort food,
• selfies,
• memories,
• celebrations,
• communication,
• complications,
• simplicity,
• faith,
• love,
• forgiveness,
• self-care,
• accepting all your feelings,
• balancing your needs with other people’s needs, and
• sharing photos.

It’s also that time of year for cats (at least around here) and music (here , here, and here on YouTube):

It’s always that time of the year for gratitude, so thanks to all who help me create timely posts, including YOU.

Day 2526: More self-care bingo

Today is the wedding anniversary of my late, great parents, so I definitely need more self-care bingo.

Luckily, in a Coping and Healing group yesterday we added more squares to our self-care bingo cards.

My new squares are

1. created something new,
2. laughed with somebody,
3. expressed my feelings,
4. took a walk,
5. ate something delicious,
6. spent time with an animal,
7. danced,
8. listened to music I love,
9. improved the moment,
10. observed just noticed,
11. acknowledged progress,
12. looked at something beautiful,
13. gave somebody a hug,
14. accessed a good memory,
15. was playful,
16. returned an email,
17. made a helpful call,
18. set a limit,
19. smiled at a stranger, and
20. expressed gratitude.

Bingo!

Here’s #14 (accessed a good memory):

Adding more photos to today’s post qualifies as #1 (created something new).  Are any of these photos examples of self-care bingo?

Part of my self care has been watching this video of the Washington Nationals (up 2-1 in the World Series) spreading “Baby Shark” fever.

Here’s #20 (expressed gratitude):

 

Day 2523: Self-Care Bingo

Yesterday, somebody who attends my Coping and Healing groups sent me the gift of Self-Care Bingo.

Because my Coping and Healing groups  focus on self-care, we played Self-Care Bingo in yesterday’s group.  I called “Bingo!” for the up-and-down middle row, because that day I had

• talked to a friend,
• listened to my body,
• stayed alive,
• took a break, and
• drank water.

Everybody in the group was able to call “Bingo” for an up-and-down, left-to-right, or diagonal row.

I asked the group if they could think about other squares to add to their own personal game of Self-Care Bingo.  I might add another row of

• listened to music,
• hung out with a nice animal,
• communed with nature,
• blogged, and
• took pictures.

I just searched YouTube for “Bingo Supremes” and found this:

How would you play Self-Care Bingo?

Here’s something else I’d add to my personal Self-Care Bingo card:

Expressed gratitude.

Bingo!

Day 2301: Exhausted

Even though I’m up for anything these days, sometimes I get exhausted, especially on Thursdays, when I

• work from 10 to 9,
• facilitate two therapy groups,
• orient new people for my groups,
• see several people for individual therapy,
• go to a meeting of social workers,
• have about 20 minutes for lunch,
• try to decide whether to look at or avoid the news,
• practice my  latest song, and
• practice self-care.

In one of those therapy groups, a person exhausted by a major and unexpected loss shared that she practices self care by taking breaks, even if it’s a break for a moment.  I wasn’t too exhausted to hear that she had learned that skill in my groups.

I was so exhausted by the end of the day  that I added a new emotion to the emotions chart on my door:

Here and now, I’m exhausted by the possibility that somebody might tell me that “exhausted” is not really an emotion.

Here and now, I’m NOT too exhausted to share my other photos from yesterday.

I hope you’re not too exhausted to share what exhausts you and what energizes you, in a comment below.

Here‘s the late and great Madeline Kahn singing about how exhausted she is in Mel Brooks‘s Blazing Saddles.

I’m never too exhausted to express my gratitude for all those who help me create these daily posts and — of course! — for YOU.

 

Day 2280: Are we having fun yet?

“Are we having fun yet?” was something I expressed several times yesterday, as I

• started packing for my trip to L.A.,
• grappled with money issues,
• added a new verse to a song,
• dealt with hurt feelings,
• talked to people about hope and hopelessness,
• had the self control to have the soup instead of the very fun-looking and highly caloric  pasta dish in the hospital cafeteria,
• couldn’t find my folder filled with group therapy worksheets and exercises,
• glanced at the news, and
• facilitated two groups, one of which focused on fun.

Are we having fun yet in today’s blog post?

Are we having fun yet as we try to read my handwriting in today’s photos?

Are we having fun yet as I share this story about when I decided to have fun earlier this week?

Wednesday morning, after my second night in a row of insomnia, I looked at the weather app on my iPhone to decide how to dress for the day.  I saw that the day was going to start out cold but become considerably warmer, so I decided to wear a very light coat.  When I was driving to work, I looked at the app again and noticed that I had been looking at the weather for Cupertino, California, instead of the weather for Boston, Massachusetts, which was going to start cold and stay that way.  I decided to have fun with it, so I laughed instead of complaining whenever I felt the cold.

Are we having fun yet trying to guess what music I’m going to share in today’s post?

YouTube suggests that I share this one:

 

Are you having fun yet?  If not, how might you have more fun today?  Would it help to leave a fun comment?

Have I expressed my gratitude yet for all those who helped me create this are-we-having-fun-yet post and — of course — for YOU?

 

Day 2217: How to accept personal comments

How do you accept personal comments — compliments or criticism?

As we approach the end of 2018, I’m resolving to accept all personal comments the same way.

With gratitude and joy.

I’m not saying that accepting personal  comments with gratitude and joy will be easy.  Compliments and criticism can be very difficult to accept, for different reasons.

Therefore, I shall now practice this new resolution, as I imagine all sorts of people giving me personal comments.

 

 

As I embrace the preciousness of this moment, I believe accepting personal comments with gratitude and joy will be good for my self care and for the care of others.

Also, it helps me to remember that personal comments are often the reflection of the person making the comment. In other words, it’s nothing personal.

I look forward to your personal comments on this post.

As always, I’m joyfully and personally grateful to all those who helped me create today’s post and to every person who visits this blog, including YOU.

 

Day 2126: I care

I care to start today’s post with links to past caring posts, including Day 2091: Open with care, Day 1809: Caregivers,  Day 1467: Why should anybody care about me?, Day 1279: Care,  Day 1233: Take Care, Day 672: Care, Day 578: I don’t care, and Day 195: Self care, wisdom, kindness.

I care to share this recent exchange with somebody I care about:

Me: I wonder why I’m so anxious?

Caring friend: Because you care.

Last week, I cared to apologize to a health insurance reviewer whom I had yelled at. He replied, with care: “You care about your patient.”

I care to share my photos from yesterday.

I care to caution all those who care: Warning! If you care, make sure you practice self care.

Here‘s “I Care” by Beyonce.

Today, I care to host a retreat for other group therapists who care .  Because I care about the Red Sox, I didn’t get much sleep last night.

I care about your comments and will read them after today’s group therapy retreat.

I care to end every post with thanks to all who help me create these blog posts with care and — of course! — to you, for caring.

Day 2089: Duh

Yesterday, I wrote and read “DUH!” in a therapy group.

Would it help for me to share why and how I did that?  Duh.

Things that are right side up are, duh, easier to read.

What does “Self Care” mean to you?  It means taking care of my self.  DUH!

Self Care also means balancing my needs with other people’s needs and, duh, this:

Well, duh!  It’s time for a definition of “duh.”

duh

interjection
\ ˈdə , usually with prolonged ə \
Definition of Duh
1 —used to express actual or feigned ignorance or stupidity
Duh, I don’t know.
2 —used derisively to indicate that something just stated is all too obvious or self-evident
Well, duh!
Examples of Duh in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web

Lee and his family are buried there, his marble, recumbent statue adorning the campus chapel known as, duh, Lee Chapel.
— Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati.com, “Doc: No clear solution to offensive symbols,” 22 Aug. 2017
Well, duh. Prescott ranked third in the league in passer rating, ahead of Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.
— Pat Fitzmaurice, SI.com, “Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Football 2017 Preview: Can Elliott Repeat Breakout Season?,” 2 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘duh.’ Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

That definition of “duh” is, duh, from Merriam-Webster.   How would you define “duh”?

You’re probably asking yourself if I have any other photos today.  I didn’t have enough time yesterday to include all my photos and I’ve taken more photos since so, duh.

Michael cooked me a delicious meal yesterday. Duh.

Are there any “Duh” videos on YouTube?  Duh.

No Duh.

I love comments. Duh.

Thanks to all who helped me create today’s “Duh”  post and — of course (duh!) — to YOU.