Recognising The Small Positives

[221177]

I write a journal every day and I've noticed that I have always been using it as a venting pad.

Although this is good and cathartic, it still keeps me focusing on all the things I'm trying to 'fix', so I've changed it this week and keep making notes throughout the day of simple things that I've achieved and wow is it making a difference.

Some of the entries are literally like 'I did the washing' 'I listened to some new music I haven't listened to in ages' 'I went for a walk but took a different route', but every bit is a little recognition for myself and helps me appreciate my worth a little bit more. Lots more about how I tackled other issues that came up, but again, recognising what I did achieve rather than what I didn't, and I'm already feeling more positive about myself.

Just thought reporting this might help someone :) x

 

[Heather]

221177 - It sounds like you are starting a gratitude journal. I think that's awesome. I should probably start one. Things have been so, so tough lately.

Great idea.

 

[Iam]

I agree with Heather....great idea. I actually started a gratitude journal and stopped for some reason. Thing is it really did help. I think it's kind of the tell someone not to think of monkeys and what do they think about? Yeah, you got it....
Much better to focus on the positives, even the small ones. Funny thing is, the more you focus on even the little ones, the more positive things you start noticing.

Thanks for the reminder! :tup:

 

[Tiger Kitten]

I am a big believer in recognizing the positive little things in life. As Iam says, the positive energy feeds upon itself. The same is true of negativity as well. I like positive stuff... It's so much more fun.

Tiger

 

[Teddy]

When all the world is going crazy, Look up! The sky is still there, the trees are still there and nature has not changed much. so no matter the madness around you and in your mind. All is good!

 

[Bopper]

Ahh, what a spiffy idea... small favors one does for oneself! Just To Notice Any Good Thing.
I have recently been relocated to a different enviro and have been trying to Substitute Some Things that I miss from the old life... so today it is PEONIES instead of Palm Trees. that is my small thing for today


 

[Bachall]

This would be a banner week PRE-acute symptoms. I'm just flooded and feeling blessed at what's been accomplished with no meltdowns.

SUNDAY: Went back to my serious pre-meltdown studies. Started working on the pile of pre-meltdown laundry (the door in the laundry room cannot be opened).
MONDAY:Figured a way around the Runaway Sheep problem. Talked to neighbor and he turned out to be super nice. Was wife who was calling AC.
TUESDAY: Drive oldest dog 90 miles to Duke Canine Cognition lab for their study. Lots of fun, drove back, no meltdowns. Felt good enough to call my trainer friend and haul sheep over for poison Ivy removal. We keep planning this but it's seems so complicated I had major fog about it and kept caceling on her. That was super fun and worked really well.
WEDNESDAY: Just more laundry, but still. And therapist.
THURSDAY: Playday with kids.
FRIDAY: Day off. Planned though. But I figured out a sort of workaround for getting back on PTSD, though it's a little unreliable. Opera mini seems to play slighlu better with the interface though it's prone to crash and featured to magnify really don't work well. This is an improvement over what I'd usually do, which is spunk off sadly, feeling depressed that as usual I got to play just long enough to get the rug ripped out from under me. Yeah, I'm a seven year old.
SATURDAY: I was up and alert at my pre-meltdown time. Woohoo! And, the biggest brag of all, I tackled the monster in the bedroom. I've had an extreme phobia if the bedroom since all this began. I started cleaning in tbete. And I've planned to rearrange some things because I know why it's a big trigger. Ugh.

 

[Kim]

Wow!!! Sounds like you did have a great week. I got tired just reading it.:laugh: Good for you!!!!!

 

[Srain]

Bachall that's just great!! :) I can't remember what I did yesterday let alone last Monday :O_o:but let's start with I managed to go outside and really enjoy taking in the zen like look of our backyard. It's clean and not really the style I prefer but it's my husband's look with a great touch of me on our little porch. I could feel the calm come in and I could breathe. This is not something that comes easy to me with the sunlight out but I did it without anxiety and loved the feeling of space :)

I worked together with my husband to create a yard that speaks of both of us and it feels so great I can't explain it! We are kind of the weirdos of the neighborhood (mostly due to me :ninja:) so it's wonderful to have a place that I feel comfortable enough to step out in. That also kind of says f88k you we are here still and guess what?? we aren't going anywhere pppppffffffffttttttttt!! So if you happen to catch me out there in my red socks with black polka dots and I look slightly like a troll, get use to it 'cuz I just may linger for awhile :D. HA!

Rain

 

[Emilie]

I got really upset a week ago, and I just began to break down and cry until I couldn't feel anything anymore. I asked myself, why can't I feel this anymore? In that moment I felt myself drifting away from reality, fantasizing and making things better for myself in my head, I realized that I was probably dissociating. I snapped out of it, took a few deep breaths, looked at the trees, smelt the air, and felt the ground. I remembered reading about a study using grounding, I guess that was my way of doing so. I told myself to DEAL with what is going on, and to stop pushing it away. I began to feel the emotion again.

I then asked myself, how can I make this better without just pushing the feeling off to the side. I followed through with my plan, and I honestly realized that for a long time I've been pushing things off for fear of negative outcome. It's quite ironic to me that what I was doing, actually made the experience negative, not even giving it that 50-50 chance. The more I hold back the more it really festers in me and creates irritability and tension.

All week I've been repeating the same thing over and over. I've noticed that I'm less annoyed by simple things, I'm more open to affection, and I'm just happier than I was.

On top of that, I grew some chutzpah and mustered up the nerve to talk IN PERSON to a university counselor about getting the wheels in motion for college. I may have still turned beat red and smirked nervously a lot and stuttered, (I'm totally anxious in social situations), but I still did it. If I keep it up I bet I'll get used to it pretty fast.

I think that's a pretty big step from where I was at. I feel like my heart and soul came back down to earth. I do feel a lot of hurt and anger still about the rough patches of my life, but I'm working on that. I am beginning to remember the good times I had as a kid more-so now than ever.

I feel like I am giving myself the proper discipline I never had growing up.

 

[Gamereign555]

This is a good thread, I have also noticed that I am learning more about myself now than I knew in the past.

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

I can relate...I have had learn on my own: courtesy, self-discipline, self-care, and self-comforting. Thankfully, we do have control over more than we realize.

Blessings & Success to YOU!