practiceselfcare

I got my Dad into meditation in a period he was feeling low. H"e started doing it every morning and he found it helped immensely- however, by mid-afternoon, he would be crashing again.

And he couldn't understand why...

"The brain is a muscle-" I told him. "A super muscle at that, but still a muscle. It's working hard, all day every day. It needs attention, and rest, just like your body does. Meditation is a way to provide that rest-

But it's not a tool you use once daily and hope it lasts for the day!

Any-time you start feeling frazzled, or run-down, or low- whack on a meditation. This is a way your brain is telling you- "oi, I need some attention" so listen to it. The more you ignore and push on, the worse it's going to get." I remember he set down his sandwich at this point with the look of Eureka written across his face.

"Even if you're just sat there-" I continued "wishing for it to be over, don't be hard on yourself, stick with it as much as you can- that's still self-love you've gifted yourself. And the more you do it, the easier it gets..." The realization sunk in and he ran off to the lounge to meditate.

Since I incorporated this into my own life, it has made things much easier. Meditating can be frustrating, especially when you already wake up depressed/anxious, and it's hard to not be hateful of yourself when you catch your mind wandering for the 15th time in the first five minutes of doing it...

But the more you persevere with it, without being judgemental or hard on yourself for the difficulties you face in practices, the easier it will become to practice and the more enjoyable! It's like training your body when you first start working out- you don't expect to do 1 workout and come away from it with the body of your dreams, so why do we expect the brain to be any different? I know it's a super muscle, but it needs time to develop, just the same as your body!

I'm interested to know how any of you overcame your meditation struggles in the beginning- any tips for people who struggle to show up for themselves or to get through a practice? Or just any advice in general on having a great meditation session(s)?
#Selflove #practiceselfcare #Depression #Anxiety #Foodforthought #Advice #supporteachother #Sharethelove #selfcare

So, holidays can suck. Sometimes we have bad years. Sometimes it all comes crashing down around us.
2018 started with complications from two auto accidents in Oct and Dec of 2017. In April, my hip sublexed (#HEDS ) and I shattered my wrist/arm. 16 screws, two plates, and a rod later - plus 12 weeks of PT - “normal” range of motion was achieved. The surgeon gave me my “graduation” papers on a Friday. That following Tuesday morning, I sung Tucker, my service dog and best friend of ten years to sleep. He died of massive organ failure after passing his physical two weeks earlier. That was June. In July, I was informed my lease wasn’t being renewed because of remodeling they wanted to do. In August I moved in with my brother. Since then I’ve had 3 boughts of pneumonia, four cases of bronchitis, and strep. In October, I was told there would be no further healing from the accidents; I am now in a ongoing post cuscussive state - plain English, the brain damage isn’t going to get any better. A week ago, I woke up to find my brother dead on the couch. He hadn’t been taking his antibiotics or using the IV meds for his diabetes wound. The coroner ruled his death “natural causes via failure to thrive”. In essence, Todd killed himself because he didn’t feel like dealing with the infection, even after 6 weeks in the hospital. I would imagine he OD’d.
So, today, my lungs are clear but I’m back on antibiotics because I’m showing signs of systemic infection. At the same appointment, I was informed the cardiologist misdiagnosed my “not having” mytral valve prolapse. That means it’s been untreated for 2 years and the chest pains I dismissed as costrocondronitis and pneumonia and bronchitis were probably my heart, which would have been my first guess had I not been told there was no valve defect. *sigh*
So, when I say #CheckInWithMe , I mean check in with EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT, when I say #remembertotakeyourmeds and #practiceselfcare , it’s because that’s how we stay alive. We look out for each other and for ourselves.
If you are reading this, you are here for a reason. You are LOVED. You are CARED ABOUT. If anyone tells you differently tell them to go hang and then send me a discription and location cause “Wanda Mom” has some stress to work out and a couple targets wouldn’t be... bad...
Seriously though, y’all. I’m a suicide survivor. Not a cry for attention. 13 bottles of serious RX piles and a liter of Jack. When i say #CheckInWithMe or #checkonme , I mean let me know how you are as well. Cause y’all matter to me. You are my tribe, and I love you each.
TAKE YOUR MEDS
GO TO YOUR APPOINTMENTS
TALK ABOUT THE HARD SHIT
PRACTICE SELF CARE
#NeverGiveUp
#nevergivein
#keepgoing