Im Painting On Leaves Again

There are wonderful things in store for you if you just keep going 💖

How to make and use a Coping Board

A coping board is used to help you keep yourself “on schedule” throughout your day.  It can be used by people who have trouble doing “daily” tasks like showering, eating, or taking medication. It’s also beneficial to people who have trouble keeping track of what they’ve done that day due to mental health related memory problems. This is also beneficial to people who (like me) don’t have the energy to make daily to do lists because that task alone is pretty exhausting and depending on my mental state can be overwhelming. By having a set list of things already prepared, it makes my tasks less draining. 

This is what a Coping Board is, a piece of cork board with short lists of things you want to or should be doing. I made my lists out of index cards, and I continue to add them as I have the energy or remember things I want to do.  First, start with tasks you want to complete each morning 

This is what my “morning” list looks like.  As I complete each task, I move the pin from To Do to Done.  This helps me keep track of what I have already done this morning and what I still would like to accomplish. You don’t have to do them in any particular order, it just so happens I did my first four in order today. 

Next, make a list of things you’d like to do each night before you go to bed.

This is what my  “nighttime” list looks like. I also reset my morning list as I complete my nighttime list, so its ready for me the next day. 

You can also add other lists that pertain to you. For example, I have a very hard time keeping track of what day of the week it is, so I added a “day of the week” list.

Each morning when I wake up, I move the pin to the next day.  I also added a list of things I’d like to make sure I do at least once a week.

Personally this list is more of a “wish list” of things I don’t want to forget about, but definitely don’t always have the energy for.  I reset this list every Sunday.

Finally, you can also add things that you use as self care tactics or coping skills. For me, since I practice energy work, this list is mostly about changing the energy of my personal space in my room. 

I try to do these daily, but sometimes weekly is more realistic. 

The great thing about a Coping Board is that its so easy to add or remove things from your schedule.  If you have a medication change, you can make a sheet to help you remember what dosage to take each day as you transition.  This is my summer board, but during the semester I would probably add different lists for each of my classes or things I need to complete like a paper or an art assignment. The possibilities are endless, and it’s easy to customize to what you need most. 

I hope this has been helpful for all of you! Good luck, and stay safe everyone. 

fiona apple rug! fiona apple rug!!

How to stay sane during quarantine

I have chronic depression and executive dysfunction. I’ve also been working from home for a good few years now. I’ve learned a lot, so I think I have some advice to help all of the people that are now stuck at home for long periods of time.

1. Shower, change your clothes, brush your hair, brush your teeth, shave. Anything that you would normally do first thing in the morning to prep for school/work, you still need to do it. Our minds crave the routine, and your body doesn’t suddenly stop needing to be clean because no one is seeing it dirty. 

2. Do everything in your mortal power to keep the same sleep schedule you had before. For the absolute love of god. Set an alarm and stick to it as if your life depended on it. Fucking with your circadian rhythm is the #1 to make you feel like dog shit.

3. Keep a journal or at least a calendar. It helps the days matter. If you don’t have something concrete to look at each morning or night to remember the day and the date, everything starts to meld together. It fucks with your soul. And besides, you’re living through a historical event. If any time was the time to start documenting your life, it’s now.

4. Stay in touch with your friends. It doesn’t matter how, as long as you do. Discord is a go-to. Even Facebook works. There’s also Watch2Gether, where you can watch videos online with friends. 

5. If you’re religious, continue practicing your faith within the comfort of your home. Your God doesn’t care where you pray. They get it. It’s cool. This is especially important if religious gatherings were a part of your normal life. Right now, everything is scary. Find comfort where you can.

6. Pets are important. Take care of them well if you have them. Walk them or let them get exercise. Play with them. Cuddle them. You both are made healthier with the contact. 

7. Pick up a hobby you’ve always wanted to but never had the time or energy. It’ll let you feel productive and give you the feeling of accomplishment that school and work might.  And it’ll keep your mind engaged.

8. It’s tempting, but don’t binge watch or play. Don’t watch the entire SVU franchise back to back, or spend 12 hours playing Morrowind. You shouldn’t do anything for such a prolonged period of time. It turns something that should be a reward into the emotional and mental equivalent to junk food. If you have to, at lest cycle what you’re watching/playing.

9. Work out. You’re going to gain weight, that’s normal. It’s a drastic change to… well, everything, but especially your body. This is twice as likely if you eat when you’re emotional/bored. 

10. Fuck me, stop watching the damn news so much. Social media counts, too. Maybe check once a day, once every other day. You’re freaking yourself out for no good reason. The numbers aren’t so important that you need to know it every hour of the day. You don’t need to see what stupid things someone said or did. Our brains weren’t meant for this.

11. If you have the luxury, go outside. This is maybe one of the most important ones. If you live far enough from others, take a walk. Maybe bike. If you can’t, go in your yard and relax. If all else fails, open every window in the house. Homes can constrict you if you stay there for to long. It starts to feel like a prison, and you go stir crazy. No home should feel like a prison. 

12. If you have one, your therapist very likely offers online visits. Most state insurances that cover therapy/counseling also include online visits as an accessibility feature. Even if you don’t normally attend therapy, you may need it to combat situational anxiety and depression, which is just as important as their chronic cousins. 

Uh. Hope I helped. I’ve always sucked at concluding statements. 

if you are having trouble with eating:

you deserve to eat

you need to eat

food is not the enemy

calories give you the energy to smile

you are worthy

you are loved

i am proud of you for fighting, you can do this!!

5 seconds of insane courage, it’s all you need

your struggles are real, so is your bravery

you are good enough

you are not a mistake

you are one of a kind

every cell in your body needs love

This is the most bizarre yet pure thing I’ve ever encountered on grindr

notes from today’s performance studies lecture on phenomenology.

Jenny Holzer, TRUISMS (Selections from 1977-1979), 2013, 49 minute digital animation loop, comprised of 232 Truisms, running alphabetically in two rotations , with 32 animations Edition of 12, Image courtesy of Ikkan Art International