#CheckInWithMe: Give and get support here.

Happy Friday, Mighties! 💫

As we wrap up the week (and the month!), let's take a moment to share goals we have when it comes to our overall health, a specific symptom, or your treatment plan.

What's something you hope to better understand? What would you like to be more consistent with? What questions or feedback do you have for your doctor or care team? What challenges do you want to overcome or need clarity to approach?

Feel free to share your goals below! 📋

#MightyMinute #CheckInWithMe #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #Disability #RareDisease #MentalHealth #Anxiety #Autism #Parenting #PTSD #ADHD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #EatingDisorders #Depression #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

Let’s broaden our horizons this weekend by trying something new or different. This can look like checking out a new restaurant, trying white noise to help you sleep, traversing a new trail, or starting a new art or craft project! Whatever you want to try, give it a go over the next few days.

What do you want to try?

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

For me, living with mental health conditions has been challenging in many ways. One of the more subtle—but surprisingly difficult—challenges has been answering the simple question, "How are you?"

Being part of different mental health communities has given me the courage to be more honest with myself and with others. At the same time, it's made it harder to give the automatic "I'm fine" response when that's not how I actually feel.

If I'm having a difficult day, I usually try to be honest about it. But I've learned that this approach can sometimes make others uncomfortable, especially if they don't understand that my mental health conditions are chronic. My symptoms aren't something that only show up during a crisis or after something traumatic—they're a regular part of my life.

There have even been times when I've distanced myself from people because I worried that my honesty about not feeling well over a long period of time would make them uncomfortable.

Can anyone else relate?

How do you usually respond when someone asks, "How are you?" Does that question ever feel uncomfortable for you? Has your answer changed over time?

#BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Schizophrenia #ADHD #Parenting #ChronicIllness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Depression #MentalHealth #Selfcare #EatingDisorders #CheckInWithMe #CheerMeOn

It's the last day of July, Mighties! How was the month for you? Let’s check in and reflect on our mood-tracking experiences. 🌳

What were some trends or patterns you saw come up? Have you learned anything new, reassuring, or interesting about yourself in the process of mood tracking this month? Is there anything you would like to improve or work on moving forward?

💡 Bonus: Feel free to also comment the color(s) that best represents your mood today as well. 🎖️

💚 Green: Open-minded, creative, reflective
🔵 Blue: Calm, relaxed, confident
💜 Purple: Happy, excited, grateful
⬛ Black: Angry, annoyed, frustrated🟧 Orange: Stressed, overwhelmed
🟫 Brown: Tired, exhausted, drained🟨 Yellow: Depressed, stuck, melancholy
❤️ Red: Anxious, alert, concerned, worried
⚪ White: Not sure if I can put my mood into words.
🌈 Rainbow: Other (share in the comments!)

#MightyMoodTracking #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #Disability #Autism #Fibromyalgia #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Depression #Anxiety #BipolarDisorder #PTSD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Migraine #MultipleSclerosis
#CheerMeOn

👍 Pro: Trying new things can put us in positions to learn and grow our perspectives and skills.
👎 Con: It can also be intimidating, especially when we might not know what to expect or when there’s a possibility for setback or failure.

Mighty staffer @sparklywartanks finds that she holds herself back from trying new things because she’s afraid she might not do a good job in learning or understanding what she needs to be good at in the first place.

What do you think holds you back from trying new things? (P.S. Trial and error is a normal part of life, not everyone succeeds at everything!)

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

When we put ourselves out there and broaden our horizons, we’re allowing our curiosity to take the lead (that can be scary, but rewarding!). This can look like: learning a new language, trying a different type of art or cuisine, taking a chance on an entirely new career path, or dabbling with a new-to-us movement or exercise.

What topics, skills, or hobbies spark your curiosity? What interests you most?

#52SmallThings #CheckInWithMe #Selfcare #MentalHealth #Disability #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RareDisease #Anxiety #Depression
#Autism #Parenting #PTSD #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BipolarDisorder #Fibromyalgia #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #Migraine #Spoonie

Hi, Mighties!

A few weeks ago, during our 52 Small Things challenge, we talked about bite-sized self-care and the different types of rest. You can find that post here:
What type of rest do you need to prioritize this weekend?

The different types of rest we explored were physical, mental, emotional, sensory, creative, social, and spiritual.

It got me thinking about the kinds of rest that can influence the quality of my sleep and whether I'm getting enough of them to wake up feeling rejuvenated. I think I need a lot more emotional, mental, spiritual, and sensory rest. Prioritizing those types of rest consistently could help me wind down more easily and improve the quality of my sleep.

How about you? What types of rest do you need to get a better night's sleep?

#Insomnia #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #SleepApnea #Depression #BipolarDepression #Anxiety #MentalHealth #Disability #MultipleSclerosis #CheckInWithMe