YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Friends, I'm not sure where one anxiety-mess has begun or if another has started, but 2023 is kicking my butt. And it isn't close.

I've set my phone for 35 minutes: whatever recovery or experience/strength/hope I'm going to accomplish this weekend will have to happen now.

Bookend 1 of 2:

I'd say my current anxiety is a fiery 6 of 10.

My plan, for the next 35 minutes:

1. Complete a preliminary plan for the 35 minutes (completed).

2. Post here (in progress).

3. Find and print the excellent handouts provided by my short-term EAP counselor (last session tomorrow [sad emoji]).

4. Review the elastic band exercises (I have that kettlebell competition in September, and I have a loooong way to go).

5. Creating a shopping list for some wonderful recipes I found on Wikipedia.

6. Brush my teeth and dress for bed. Hydrate.

7. Ready or not, at 35 minutes I watch a Hallmark movie on my Hoopla app.

Wish me luck!

Good luck, Oak!

manuel_moe_g wrote: ↑February 11th, 2023, 6:29 pm Good luck, Oak!

Thanks, Manuel Moe! Your good vibes must have worked, because I had a blast doing it.

Bookend 2 of 2

Friends, I completed it. I don't know why I don't do these more often. Inline updates:

1. Complete a preliminary plan for the 35 minutes (completed).

2. Post here.

3. Find and print the excellent handouts provided by my short-term EAP counselor (last session tomorrow [sad emoji]).

***I especially like the de-catastrophizing form: https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheets

4. Review the elastic band exercises (I have that kettlebell competition in September, and I have a loooong way to go).

*** I didn't get to this one, because I did my beloved (employer provided apps) Lark and Well-Traveled.

5. Creating a shopping list for some wonderful recipes I found on Wikipedia.

*** While I still need to complete the shopping list, here are recipes I'm stoked for: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lablabi ...and... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ful_medames

6. Brush my teeth and dress for bed. Hydrate.

*** Done

7. Ready or not, at 35 minutes I watch a Hallmark movie on my Hoopla app.

*** I am going to watch 2018's "Date with Love"

In summary

Two things can be true at the same time:

1. I am facing enormous difficulties.

2. I have considerable agency to face them, and I can increase the scope and power of my how much I can effect these changes.

I mean, just take a chicken pomegranate tagine: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow_cooker_chicken_and_96174

There is such a big world out there; I didn't know about tagine, and now I do. What other new ideas can I explore? What other options and solutions are just waiting to be discovered?

How rich am I?

Hi Oak,

I'm glad you made it through yesterday with your resourcefulness and a little help from a friend (MM)!

How's it going today, and can we expect a movie review?

rg

Thanks, RiverGirl!

rivergirl wrote: ↑February 12th, 2023, 11:27 am How's it going today, and can we expect a movie review?

The movie, Date with Love, was charming: it included mistaken identity, a promposal, social media hijinks, a makeover, and unrequited love that (spoiler!) got requited.

And that was just the "B" plot. Everything we could hope for in a Hallmark movie.

Having just wrapped up my fifth and final counseling session with my short-term, EAP-provided counselor, I'm going to complete the plan for my meal plan for the week, then enjoy the big game.

This bookend did me good. Saturdays are risky.

I'm glad you made it through, Oak.

Thank you for the review. I recently noticed that there are at least half a dozen podcasts just devoted to Hallmark movies, and some of the podcasters are male. You're not alone in your love of Hallmark!