Browsing through my FB feed I came across a blog entry from a mental health blogger that had me thinking. It was yet another one of those sentiments about being happy with what you have, because someone who has way less than you is happy with what they have. That was point, then later in the same article it spoke of not comparing yourself to others.....so... which one is it? Maybe, only compare if you're on the upwards swing, to remind you that you're blessed? While I get that sentiment, and I get the gist I am not on board with it.
While the holidays can be a wonderful time of year, full of giving, love, and family it can also be one of the most stressful times of the year, as well. Not everyone has the money for the giving season. Maybe one doesn't have any family, or friends to spend the holiday with. Maybe they might, but they're not pleasant people. We're not all born to loving parents, and other family members who care, nurture, and support us. Some people suffer seasonal depression that tends to peak around the mark of the winter solstice with short days, and long nights. There's all sorts of reasons why a person might be feeling low, or less than festive around the holiday season.
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Monday, December 23, 2013
Friday, November 23, 2012
Tackling My Food Anxiety
Here in the US, yesterday was Thanksgiving. It started out rocky with me dreading the social gathering of my husband's family. I knew that I would be okay in the end, but getting there was harder said than done. My anxiety built all morning, as every minute ticked by. Despite the positives of the morning so far I was feeling more and more on edge. I had an opportunity to sleep in a bit, and wake slowly as my husband made breakfast for the kids. I could not feel calmer, but one thing that was different than years past, I knew that I was being irrational. I knew that I would be okay in the end, if only I just pressed forward and kept a positive attitude.
The other part of the day was that was difficult for me was that Thanksgiving is a holiday about food. It's all about food and as many of you that follow my blog may know food is something I have issues with.. I was almost paralyzed in fear of the thought of eating all that food. Some of my thoughts were:
The other part of the day was that was difficult for me was that Thanksgiving is a holiday about food. It's all about food and as many of you that follow my blog may know food is something I have issues with.. I was almost paralyzed in fear of the thought of eating all that food. Some of my thoughts were:
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
From left to right: Bubby, Beans, My Husband ( I don't have a clever name for him yet!) Me, and CJ
This picture is rare in that we haven't had any kind of family picture taken in 9 yrs. Beans was way less than happy about sitting and Dad was subsequently bitten and pinched several times, but we got it!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
New Thanksgiving Traditions
Today I'm thankful for:
* The food I cooked and ate.
*The kitchen I cooked it in.
*The family I cooked it for.
* The ability and skill to make nutritious and tasty meals for my family.
* The courage to finally make the holidays be about what my family needs and not worry about everyone else.
*The laughter that my family shared today.
*Beans, because today is his 8th Birthday. :)
*My husband and his unwavering love and support.
*CJ and all of her help around the house.
*Bubby, and his unique, authentic self.
As this Thanksgiving winds up and my 33rd birthday is right around the corner I feel that my life is opening to new and adventurous paths. This is a time where I think that maturity of life sets in and we start to see things in a different light. We begin to see life as more meanigful in less big ways. We slow down just enough to see the past and and future from the vantage point of the present. Love, marriage, children and the mortgage might have been had by now in our lives. Some of those things might have been lost, too by now. At this point in life most of us have experienced some loss.
My kids are smack dab in the middle of being grown. One foot out the door. It was only 3 years ago I remember buying my daughter an easy bake oven and polly pockets for Christmas. Now, she has a boyfriend, and goes to school dances. Soon, she'll be driving. This gives me an idea of just how fast time moves at this time in life. Time is precious and not to be wasted. Looking back, I wasted too much of it worrying about this or that. Trying to make others happy, or worrying over what others thought. Each moment I let go into my obsessive worrying, my obsessive needs to be perfect, my over focusing on me in a negative way, is one in which I can never get back. When I let anxiety take over and take me to the place in my thoughts where I dwell in negativity I lose time to be here in the present. I miss moments of my kids growing up, or an opportunity to just be in the company of my husband or to think of a friend, because I was too preoccupied with me own thoughts. There isn't much room or time left when we let negative emotions take up residence in our minds, using up the present moment.
So, today my family and I stayed home, as is our new tradition. We ate what we wanted, on our own schedule. My boys had pizza and no one batted an eye. It was the pace we liked and how we liked it. It was our holiday and we made it our own. No one to tell us otherwise, and it was the best Thanksgiving we've ever had. I just wonder what took me so long to shake the negative influences of others and do what works for us?
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss
* The food I cooked and ate.
*The kitchen I cooked it in.
*The family I cooked it for.
* The ability and skill to make nutritious and tasty meals for my family.
* The courage to finally make the holidays be about what my family needs and not worry about everyone else.
*The laughter that my family shared today.
*Beans, because today is his 8th Birthday. :)
*My husband and his unwavering love and support.
*CJ and all of her help around the house.
*Bubby, and his unique, authentic self.
As this Thanksgiving winds up and my 33rd birthday is right around the corner I feel that my life is opening to new and adventurous paths. This is a time where I think that maturity of life sets in and we start to see things in a different light. We begin to see life as more meanigful in less big ways. We slow down just enough to see the past and and future from the vantage point of the present. Love, marriage, children and the mortgage might have been had by now in our lives. Some of those things might have been lost, too by now. At this point in life most of us have experienced some loss.
My kids are smack dab in the middle of being grown. One foot out the door. It was only 3 years ago I remember buying my daughter an easy bake oven and polly pockets for Christmas. Now, she has a boyfriend, and goes to school dances. Soon, she'll be driving. This gives me an idea of just how fast time moves at this time in life. Time is precious and not to be wasted. Looking back, I wasted too much of it worrying about this or that. Trying to make others happy, or worrying over what others thought. Each moment I let go into my obsessive worrying, my obsessive needs to be perfect, my over focusing on me in a negative way, is one in which I can never get back. When I let anxiety take over and take me to the place in my thoughts where I dwell in negativity I lose time to be here in the present. I miss moments of my kids growing up, or an opportunity to just be in the company of my husband or to think of a friend, because I was too preoccupied with me own thoughts. There isn't much room or time left when we let negative emotions take up residence in our minds, using up the present moment.
So, today my family and I stayed home, as is our new tradition. We ate what we wanted, on our own schedule. My boys had pizza and no one batted an eye. It was the pace we liked and how we liked it. It was our holiday and we made it our own. No one to tell us otherwise, and it was the best Thanksgiving we've ever had. I just wonder what took me so long to shake the negative influences of others and do what works for us?
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss
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