Dogpaddling Through Life
mental health
Depression No More!
I met with my therapist this week and she made a shocking announcement to me: “You are no longer depressed.” Wow! Really? I knew I’d been thinking that, but to have an objective observer who knows me well to say so is affirming. So what does a person who has suffered with depression for much … Continue reading
When You’re Smiling, the Whole World Smiles With You
There is nothing more beautiful to me than a sincere smile. I’ll never forget a story my friend Lynn once told me of the most beautiful woman she’d ever met in her life. Lynn said that when she first met the woman, all she saw was a scarred and weathered old face, but then the … Continue reading
Walking Toward the Light
When wading hip-deep through the Swamp of Depression, I thought I was just hurting on the inside. Now that I’m exiting the swamp, I can see a panoramic view of my depression. This morning I saw a photo of me during a recent volunteer activity for a political candidate, and I saw my physical size … Continue reading
My Constant Companion
Last Saturday I took my car through the car wash. Afterward I vacuumed and wiped down the interior. So what? So that’s the first time I’d done that in several months, even though I’d wanted to. I’ve wanted to write blog posts. Clean my apartment. Do laundry. I’ve wanted to feel better. Depression is insidious … Continue reading
Just an Ordinary Day…
I had a job interview today. Job interviews are a source of stress for me, starting with deciding what to wear. I usually choose the conservative black skirt with a top and jazz it up a bit with a belt. It’s not really my style, but I have to be mindful of the message the … Continue reading
Spending a Few Moments with Myself
This morning I practiced mindfulness. Mindfulness is defined as, “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.” (Google) Mindfulness, for me, is a state of being content with and accepting of myself. First, I rolled out the yoga mat and … Continue reading
An Ordinary Walk With my Dog
Now that the days are longer- and warmer- Rumpy and I take later evening walks. I notice as we are out, so are the homeless cats, moving either to or from the neighborhood feeding station. Last night Old Sam was walking down the sidewalk in front of our house. He stopped and sat as … Continue reading
The Robins are Coming!
The robins came this week, signalling to us that spring has sprung, at least in the Florida panhandle. It’s always a joyous occasion when the robins return. They aren’t here long, perhaps a day or two. And while here they are noisy, messy, and outrageous in their antics! And boy, do i love it. The … Continue reading
Sweatpants Yoga for Oldsters Like Me
So I started doing yoga. I know, right? I thought yoga was only for young rich white people who wanted to look cool too. Turns out yoga is for everybody, including old, fat people like me. My counselor suggested I give it a try as a means of dealing with stress. So I found a web site … Continue reading
So No, My Job Didn’t Make glassdoor’s “Best Of” List
Recently glassdoor released its list of best places to work for 2016. Surprisingly, my employer did not make the list. So I did a search of my employer on the glassdoor website just to see what current and former employers are saying about them: Not everything is an emergency and remember what it was like when … Continue reading
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