Lessons From the Rocking Chair

Let's learn something shall we... I want to share something my therapist has been working with me on.  But first backstory... To those who know me, and I mean really know me, I am a perfectionist. I struggle when things get out of my control & I'm not able to ensure that things can go just so.  I feel a great deal of guilt when I don't accomplish tasks that I set for the day & I am very hard on myself & subsequently, others in my family because of my impending attitude that comes out during the day if I start to flounder & lose control. I struggle recognizing that giving myself grace & permission to be okay when I fail, & even just to be myself. My true self. Maybe this sounds nothing like your life or maybe this sounds all too familiar. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, the following I believe applies to us all. Without further adieu, let's dive into 2 things she has been working with me on... Give yourself permission to be a human. Frequently,...

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! Let’s Learn Something Shall We… How many of us have negative thoughts at least once a day? I think it’s part of the human condition, where negative thoughts just come. Part of what makes negative thoughts harder when they do come, is ruminating on those thoughts. Ruminating, according to the American Psychiatric Association involves: “repetitive thinking or dwelling on negative feelings & distress & their causes & consequences.” They further identify how the act of rumination “can contribute to the development of depression or anxiety & can worsen existing conditions.” Off & on throughout my life, I will ruminate on negative thoughts. To the point that my thoughts get out of control. Which then turns into me catastrophizing. You can probably guess what catastrophizing is, ...

 Let's learn something shall we... Kids and boundaries. This can be kind of a rough subject depending on who you are talking to.  Why? Well, different generations have different expectations of what they feel should be acceptable for your kids to do and not do.  Expectations in which boundaries that a child sets, whether they have verbalized that or not, are not maintained by some of the adults in their life.  As a parent, should you have a differing way of parenting in regards to kids and boundaries, one in which you honor your child's boundaries, others may see this as unusual, ineffective, letting the kids have the "control," and a waste of time.  Snide comments or side eyes will be given in an effort to let you know of their disapproval and at times, you will find out that you have been the focal point of annoyed conversations between family members and neighbors.  So, what can be done. As parents and caretakers do we just give in, make our kids conform...

Let's learn something shall we... Coping skills. That is the hot topic on here for the week. Over on IG, I have been focusing on a few different aspects of coping skills. I intend to elaborate on those aspects here.  At the start of the week, I discussed on what coping skills are, why they're important, and introduced that coping skills generally fall into 1 of 5 categories. We'll start by elaborating on those.  To back-track a little, coping skills are "behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that you use to adjust to the changes that occur in your life," (Semel Institute). They are important because they help us to manage when stressors come. Essentially, they help to protect our mental and emotional well-being.  Coping skills can be effective or ineffective. For a coping skill to be considered an ineffective mechanism, it would be applied "often unconsciously," and is "counterproductive," meaning that it's not actually helping you deal with or...