Hello, dear readers. I hope you are well and staying safe wherever you are in this vast universe. Which could be anywhere. You never know, it's entirely possible that alien beings or other life forms are reading this. Anything is possible, right? Shut up.
Well anyway, I am here to blather on about self care. And knock me down and blow me sideways into an alternative universe or something but it turns out that self care isn't eating crap tonnes of cakie things and hoping for the best. HMPH. Maybe that could be arranged to be a thing in the aforementioned alternative universe? Please, and thank you.
In the meantime here are the tedious things I am attempting to put in place in no particular order. I say 'attempting to' because self care is always a stop and start thing with me. Sigh.
Here goes:
Exercise
This sometimes takes place in the form of a walk outside but more often than not I put on a YouTube video and do it that way. The only problem with this method is that some of the instructors can be super perky and plain annoying. I don't mind Jessica Smith and Jenny Ford and if you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them. I stick to the low impact 'walking' type stuff cause I am prone to vertigo and I have to stay safe.
I also do specific exercises for my neck and Benign Positional Vertigo. These suck, but such is life. Sigh.
Vitamins
I began taking a vitamin tonic called Fishers Phosphorine which I ordered here. My psychologist recommended it. It's early days so I don't know yet if it will have any effect. We shall see. I also take vitamin b complex, vitamin C and Blackmores Macu-vision as a preventative thing cause my mum has that thing where you have to have needles in your eyes and that freaks me out. Gulp.
And most importantly, my double dose of Vitamin D: sitting in the sunshine with my cutie Channy Bear.
Eating well
Cue a snorty honking scoffing cynical laugh. Yes, this is still my most fraught area. I still eat way too many cakies but I do ingest some fruit and veg as well.
I've also reduced caffeine and am replacing some cups of regular tea with chamomile tea. Baby steps, as they say. Whoever 'they' are.
Sleep
Gotta make sure I get those zzz's. The chamomile tea helps.
Hobbies
I'm making time for my hobbies, like this blog. I abandoned it for a while there, but it's a good little thing for me to have as a distraction, so here I am.
I'm also making time for things like reading and listening to music. Just to mix it up and keep it cutting edge I also indulge in crosswords, fill in's and colouring in. Shut up. They are all calming activities for me. The thing is, I need a low key life. Too much stimulation and excitement is not great for this introverted 'Aspie.' Which segues into...
Alone time
I really need to be all by my lonesome to recharge sometimes. Alone but not lonely, if you know what I mean. This is challenging at the moment with the five of us stuck here in lockdown but luckily Mickey Blue Eyes prefers being outdoors and I like being indoors so it works out to a degree.
And by far the most important form of self care for me at the moment is...
Admitting I need help
My old nemesis whom I named Agnes (aka anxiety) has been biting me in the butt again after a long period of stability and growth. I had to admit I need help again. I began a low dose medication again and have a plan for some sessions with my psychologist.
Luckily I have a great GP and psychologist, and I never give up.
Having said that, if any of those potential alien readers can confirm if they have discovered an easier way to achieve self care I'm all ears.
And don't worry, I'm onto to those shrink appointments. Ahem.
Until next time,
Ness
