Tag Archives: well-being

Mental Health: Common Symptoms That Work Together

Photo by Daniel Reche on Pexels.com

Mental health is a very important part of overall health and wellness. It is not something that you can see or feel, but it is a very real condition that affects every individual in their own way. Mental illnesses are highly treatable with therapy, medication or both. However, there are some warning signs that indicate you should seek help immediately if you notice them in yourself or others:

Self-destructive behavior

You might be tempted to think that self-destructive behavior is a symptom of a mental health problem. But it’s actually the opposite: self-destructive behavior is a trigger for other concerns.

It’s true that in some cases, people with mental health issues are more likely to engage in self-destructive behavior like substance abuse or risky sex because they’re trying to cope with the symptoms of their disorder. But in many other cases, self-destructive behaviors can cause or exacerbate mental health issues.

Drug use can lead to addiction and make it harder for you to focus on your work or other activities. Sexual promiscuity can lead to STDs and unwanted pregnancies. These things can also drain your finances, making it harder for you to pay bills and buy food—which could cause stress and anxiety, which could lead to depression.

Self-destructive behaviors are not caused by mental health problems—they are triggered by them. When you’re feeling stressed out or anxious or depressed, it’s important not only to get help from professionals who specialize in treating those issues but also to take steps that reduce your stress levels and increase your happiness levels!

Avoiding friends and family

Avoiding friends and family is a sign of depression, PTSD and bipolar disorder.

If you are avoiding friends and family, this could be your first clue that you have a mental health issue such as depression or PTSD. It may also be the result of dealing with an ongoing crisis, such as being in an abusive relationship or caring for someone who has cancer. You don’t have to feel guilty about it—it’s normal to withdraw from people when we are struggling with our own problems.

Trouble concentrating

Difficulty concentrating is a common symptom of many mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. It can be difficult for you to focus on your schoolwork or work responsibilities, or it may be difficult for you to attend to conversations with family members or friends. You might also have trouble paying attention during conversations with others.

How can I get help?

If you are suffering from difficulty concentrating, there are many ways that you can find support and treatment. You should start by talking with a trusted adult, who can help guide you through the process of getting treatment. If this is not an option, consider calling one of the hotlines listed at the end of this document; they offer free services that will connect people in need of help with counselors who can provide information about available resources in their area

Sudden weight loss or gain

  • Sudden weight loss or gain can be a sign of an eating disorder. If you’ve lost a lot of weight suddenly, it could be that you’re suffering from an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are both serious mental illnesses that negatively affect your body image and food intake. They can also lead to other health problems if left untreated for long periods of time, so if this is happening to you, see a professional immediately!
  • Gaining too much weight might be a sign of depression or another medical condition. While gaining weight does not necessarily mean that someone is depressed or has another mental illness—sometimes people just gain more muscle mass than usual—it could still indicate something serious going on in their life that needs attention right away! If this happens often enough over time without any explanation, then there may indeed be some underlying issue causing this behavior pattern to manifest itself outwardly on such regular basis; it might be worth checking into further before deciding whether or not treatment is necessary at all

Withdrawing from activities they once enjoyed

Mental health is about more than just being well. It’s about being well and feeling content with yourself, your life, and the way you’re living it. The best way to achieve this is by staying active in hobbies or activities that make you happy.

For example: if you used to enjoy playing video games but find yourself losing interest in them lately (or have stopped playing altogether), then maybe it’s time for a change of pace! What else do you enjoy? Do some research online or ask around until something catches your eye—you may be surprised by what comes up! Once you’ve found something that interests you enough to make an effort at pursuing it, try setting aside time each day—even if only for 20 minutes at first—to devote yourself fully while doing so. This will help ensure success with sticking with it long term as well as provide incentive to keep making time for those things important enough not only for mental health but also overall wellbeing in general.”

Loss of energy or fatigue

This one is a no-brainer. If you’re feeling tired, it’s probably because you’ve been up all night worrying about something. Anxiety and depression can both cause this, as well as many other issues like stress and fear.

If you’re constantly experiencing feelings of exhaustion and have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, it could be an indicator that something else is going on with your mental health.

Feeling restless, fidgety, or irritable

If you are feeling restless, fidgety, or irritable, this may be a sign that you have depression. It is common for people who are depressed to feel restless and irritated. These feelings can make it hard for them to sit still or concentrate on anything for long periods of time. In some cases, these feelings may be a symptom of bipolar disorder (which causes extreme mood swings). Restlessness and irritability are also signs of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), a mental illness that occurs after someone experiences trauma such as war or abuse.

If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or others, get help right away.

If you notice any of the following symptoms in yourself or in others, get help right away:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Flashbacks, nightmares and other repetitive thoughts or memories
  • Substance abuse/alcoholism. If you’re drinking more than usual, taking drugs or medications to cope with your feelings, experiencing withdrawal symptoms from substance abuse/alcoholism (e.g., seizures), or feeling particularly “high” after using substances like marijuana for a long time without stopping—these are all signs that you might need help coping with addiction issues. In addition to counseling and therapy sessions with an addiction therapist who specializes in PTSD treatment methods, many veterans also find that peer support groups are helpful for overcoming their addictions so they can focus on healing properly instead of just managing their symptoms.

If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or others, get help right away. Mental health is too important to ignore and should be treated as soon as possible. There are many ways to deal with these issues from therapy to medication but always remember that your mental health is worth it!

Until our beautiful minds meet again. Be safe out there. Many blessings snd much love. Remember Everyday Minds Matter – Della 💞 🦋

👁️ My Story My Version – 💫 Finding My Way – Caregiver

Where we land – a Foundation Forms

Oh! What a beautiful world we live in. The creation of humans, an honest act of intimate sexual behavior. The need to look around, isn’t necessary. The sexual act to reproduce is going strong. 😋 Though have you ever just got stumped and wondered- what if lives came with instructions, a blue print to our lives? The mystery to living would be pretty simple, boring, and overall faulty. Yes, I said faulty.😊 Nothing would be realistic to operate and function. Guidelines responsible for behavior, intelligence, growth, appearance would be the same. An most importantly, different is what makes the beautiful characters we have designed ourselves. The moment one takes that first breathe of life, everyday moment matters. By experience, environment, and one’s developmental growth, character begins to form one’s inner core – the foundation. Mental and physical health are priority to ones foundation that give us insight into adulthood.

Our instruction are clear as children that are unconsciously presented young. The core foundation had developed before our actual future was present.

A business – foundation who we are, what one becomes, The core purpose to life. We sell ourselves to the world everyday: the product. -“You”. Once you look back the whole process can be impressive. My foundation My Story My Version – Finding My Way.

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Finding My Way – Caregiver

My business became natural to my routine as a young girl. My neighbors were an older couple, Clyde and Evaline. An older model trailer renovated on my parents property. If they were here to tell the story, they enjoyed my company. Or I would of assumed for the most part.. I can only remember it being late 80’s. It was daily my brother and I would visit Clyde. As he would sit out back with Shep his Collie dog and piddle in his shed. Many things he taught us, or talked about his life. Kids being kids we would eat the cherry tomatoes from his garden. I would go in and talk with Evaline or help her do little chores. A quick friendship formed being that close to them on a regular basis.

One day my brother and I were outside playing, when we heard a loud explosion. Running to see what happend, the shed was on fire. Clyde’s pants were burnt off and he was standing by the shed.. I ran back home and got my uncle. Evaline called the fire department, as my uncle was trying to put out the fire. Clyde was disoriented, the pain on his face was heart felt. Evaline was scared with the shed built next to their mobile home trailer. Clyde explained the cause of the fire. Working on repairing a lawn mower, Clyde was trying to see if the spark plug had fire. A spark hit a gas can nearby causing the explosion. Once fire department arrived my uncle had smothered out most the fire. Clyde was livid as burns on his legs were 3rd degree, refusing to go for treatment. But after long negotiation, he was taken to the hospital. It seemed as he was away a long time for treatment. Once returning home, I would visit helping Evaline to treat the wounds. As a child it was such sight to see the burnt skin. The higher degree burn areas were freshly open wounds. Skin drafts from other areas of the body to aide healing. Wrapping and cleaning the burn wounds was a natural for me. I took pride in my ability to help Clyde in his recovery.

Unconscious act as a child, my learning and willingness – a core foundation – to being a natural born caregiver. Clyde had started to recover quickly, his ambition to get back in the shed was intense. Even with the wounds healing the process took quite sometime.. Evaline had days she seemed very unhappy. The relationship had some arguing regularly and ups and downs.

One day after school, I knocked on the door. Clyde said Evaline had fell hanging curtains. He said when she got home he would call and I could visit. A few days later a van showed up. Delivering a hospital bed, that was put in the living room. I knew Evaline was coming home soon I was very excited. Waiting for her to arrive, that day sitting on the porch. She gave me a hug and I had to know everything, for her best recovery.. That mid-day her daughter told me she fell broke her hip. Evaline did a lot of crying, her pain was very intense. Didn’t realize the medicine just never gave her much relief. She refused pain medicine at first, until. I told her it would help her as much as possible. To get up was impossible, so helping her on a bed pan wa normal but it surely put pain in her hip..

Caregiver become priority each day, after school. Positioning pillows, laundry, or help with other household chores, I was there. Helping her with therapy to mobilize WA fun and rewarding. Watching her take steps and being able to dress herself with little if my assistance. Just as her strength improved, she started using a walker, happiness covered my face.  Her recovery gave me joy since it took a lot of work.  Friendship had a special place deep in the heart. 

One afternoon after school; knocking on the door- no answer. The car was gone but she was always home. Something was different. Mom was outside as I walked down the driveway. Starting to cry, mom hugged me saying she will write or call. She went to live with her daughter in Indiana.  Her husband Clyde wasn’t home. They argued a lot so I didn’t understand that situation.

Unable to say good-bye, my heart broke, thinking my best friend didn’t say good-bye.  Days walking past the trailer, wondering if she thought of me. Being a young girl, I didn’t like the feeling of emotions, a smothering anxiety that just happens or just the sadness overall was uncomfortable. That day carried a weight–; good-bye’s hold so much emotion of love and friendship– bring tears to my eyes.  Clyde had moved away when I was in school, not long after Evaline moved.

Good-byes was hard to understand. We cry happy tears and painful tears connected to good-byes. Reunited visits with family or friends capture the heartfelt love of joy. And we all know the final days of life (death) good-bye’s, can’t be prepared for – create endless tears….

As a young girl, everything inside torn apart. Weak feeling, crying, and angry, wanting to be alone. What had happened? Kids aren’t suppose to be sad.  Every part of me, from the experience, hurt. Waiting for a letter or phone call from my friend. Mom and I had tried a few times, to contact her. The phone number she left– no answer.  Not a single letter in the mail.

To ease the pain, I wrote my friend many letters.  With no response, writing in a journal gave my heart relief. Over time, thinking about her well- being. In my world, I knew she lost my address and number, to me she lived forever somewhere.

A plan was created written in crayon, marker, sealed with stickers and pink nail polish. Written by a brown eyed, brown haired 7-year-old- just in case she forgot about me.

  Everyday Minds Matter – mental health and well-being set the path for everyone. Establish practice to focus, retention, and concentration; healthy habits to prevent obstacles in mental status.  Overcome mental health challenges faced that affect daily routine. 

Writing that filled notebooks, diaries, and scrap paper- focused on my future dream.

In little time, old man Clyde move away. To my surprise my mamaw- (fathers’ mom) moved in the trailer.  The void was filled. Not skipping a beat; my brother and I had mamaw to aggravate.  With no time to waste, enjoying my childhood– documented every step of the way. It was nice to spend time with mamaw. After all I was named after her and my mothers mom. – Della Louise – Mamaw was teaching me to crochet. I was about eight years old, so learning to make a baby blanket was exciting. She was teaching me how to fix mess ups, then one day after school. Knocking on the door as it was slightly open. Suddenly noticing it was very hot in there. Mamaw was in the kitchen, every burner – red hot. Nothing on the burners, which was freighting. Calling mom and dad I told them what was happening. Dad said my aunt and uncle from Florida were coming to visit. Mamaw wanted to cook for them, something wasn’t right . All four stovetop burners on high, potato peelings on the floor, and so hot in there. Dad came up told mamaw that she needed to go o the doctor. That evening my other aunt came to stay the night to help take care of mamaw, since my mom had pneumonia. Doctor visit that day indicated mamaw had several mini strokes. Then she had a stroke on the right side. Which effected the opposite side of the body and motor skills. I still remember she didnt have much or little feeling on her left side. At times she would smile, as her mouth and eye was effected. I was able to help her as much as possible. That night my aunt slept in th room with mamaw as it shared two beds. I slept on the couch an was woken by my dad on the phone talking.

It was about 2 am in the morning, my dad was standing in the doorway were my mamaw slept. I stood beside the dresser, when I seen my aunt seating on the bed with mamaws head on her lap. As she rubbed mamaws head talking to her. Dad told me to stay back, mamaw said let her here. Standing next to her and my aunt. My aunt put my hand with hers. Mamaw said ” no matter what I will always be with you, you carry my name”. She said “I love you.” My aunt was talking to her and when I walked away. She took her last breathe and passed. My dad had called mamaws sisters in Ohio to let her know of mamaw passing. Mary one the sisters answered the phone saying Georgia the other sister had been up but didnt feel well and went back to sleep. They would tell her after while since she hadn’t felt well. Mamaw passed about 3 am. Aunt Mary called back about 5 am – deciding to wake Georgia to let her know of mamaw passing. Only to discover Georgia had died in her sleep. Same day, a couple hours apart and not knowing of each others death.

As the world then had a reason for two sisters to pass the same day. With a higher power to have such occurrence for such to take place. From that day forward life had calling to care and love for those around you. Naturally as I grew older I had cared for others and watched as loved one passed. A moment that set life apart is that life is so precious. Having the blessing to be there every step of the hell of one’s final days. The good, the bad, and pain of loss and endless tears. Those moments are raw footage to living and experiencing life. Experience that root into our core to create the beautiful person we become. And with the finding my way as a caregiver. I can say by experience the days might be challenging. That’s okay! Because when life plays its role and those final days have come and gone. One thing I know for sure, the inner peace to love and grief hurt. But that hurt is a special blessing. That says im content with the experience. As it helps us grow and learn to accept death and the ability to grieve and be okay.. I hope that doesn’t sound bad. I guess once you have that understand through experience. One day it might give hope to those that are grieving. However, I will write on grieving and loss of loved ones in time.

Until our beautiful minds meet again. Be safe out there. Many blessings and much love. Remember Everyday Minds Matter – Della 🦋

The next My Story My Version soon to be coming.. May of 1987, celebrating my cousins first birthday. One step in the street- – Touched by An Angel. .stay toned for updates to come soon.

Until our minds meet again.. Be safe out there and remember Everyday Minds Matter – Della🦋

🌳Behavior Triggered by Others Actions

When you see your behavior as a reaction to other people’s actions, it can help you handle the situation differently. This is because it shifts your focus away from trying to control their behavior, which you have no power over. Instead, take time to think about what they might be doing with their behavior and what this means for you.

It’s important to remember that even though we may not always have control over another person’s actions, we do always have control over our own responses and behaviors. If someone else makes a decision that affects us negatively (for example by leaving us without adequate notice), then we need to let go of any expectations that they should behave differently in the future so that we don’t continue feeling upset about it or blaming them for how we feel now or in the future.

Emotions

The next area of human behavior we examine is emotions. Emotions are the result of our thinking and experiences, but they can also be incredibly helpful in guiding us to make decisions that benefit us or others.

Emotions are a part of human behavior and can be positive or negative. They can help us make better decisions by helping us to see things from a different perspective and allow ourselves room for change as well as growth.

Thoughts, beliefs and assumptions

Your thoughts, beliefs and assumptions are the foundation for your behavior. You will want to be able to recognize when they are not helpful and change them so that you can be more effective in managing your behavior.

Some examples of a thought: “I’m going to lose my job.”

A belief: “If I get fired again it’s because I’m not good enough.”

An assumption: If I do not have a job then my family will suffer financially.

When we say something like “I am going to lose my job” we make an assumption based on what we think someone else might say if they were aware of our thoughts. We create this story about ourselves that often makes us feel powerless and out of control over the situation – which can lead us into feelings such as frustration or anger towards others (i.e., blaming).

Triggers behind your actions

Triggers are the reason behind your actions. They can be positive or negative.

The positive triggers are what pushes you to do things, such as when a friend asks you to go out to eat and you feel excited about it. The negative triggers are what makes you want to avoid doing things, such as when someone says they don’t want to hang out with you and it makes you feel sad or angry.

When identifying your triggers, ask yourself: “What led me here?” or “What was going through my mind at that time?” This will help determine what is causing these feelings so they can then be changed!

How can I change my trigger? If something happens that causes negative emotions in me (like feeling sad), maybe try talking about it with someone I trust instead of avoiding them like I usually do! That way we both get some support from the other person instead of just one person feeling bad about themselves because their plans have been cancelled due to their own behavior patterns!”

Commitment

Commitment is the spark that lights the fire of change. The more a person is committed to an outcome, the more likely he or she will achieve it. If you want to make significant changes in your life, you need to make a significant commitment along with it.

You can’t expect one small leap forward after another to have any lasting impact on your life; however, if you are going big or going home (or both), these small leaps will add up over time and transform into something much bigger than they seem at first glance.

This applies not only to behavioral changes but also new habits as well—if you want your new habit of flossing every night at bedtime become ingrained in your routine (and ultimately part of who you are), then it’s time for some serious commitment action!

Commitments come in all sizes: some are smaller commitments like “I’m going go running tomorrow morning,” while others are larger commitments such as “I will lose 20 pounds by my 30th birthday.”

To change your behavior you must first understand it better.

The first step to changing your behavior is to understand it better. You must understand that behavior is a response to a trigger. It is not something that happens randomly or without reason, but rather it occurs because of some sort of stimulus in your environment or life. The second thing you must know before changing your behavior is that all positive changes start with motivation and commitment. If you are not willing to commit yourself fully and completely then nothing will ever change in any way shape or form!

Behavior and action, have thought us the triggers are caused by emotions, actions, and behavior. To make change its important to understand the reason of behavior. The more we understand the cause of behavior, known as the triggers, we are able to respond differently. Emotions can result to behaviors to others actions. Knowing how to stop poor behavior will reduce emotional response. Be committed to understanding triggers, so you can manage behavior and actions. Allowing the natural abilities to help reduce unpredictable actions..

Until our minds meet again. Be safe out there, blessings and much love. Remember, Everyday Mind’s Matter 🦋

Journaling Daily 🌺

Paper, Pen, & Positive Results

Today we are going to talk about the benefits of daily journaling that will change your life so you can improve yourself. Keeping a daily diary can help you become more self-aware, which will help you increase your knowledge of what is right for you. One aspect of journaling that makes it so effective is that journaling can become a key habit to help you focus your energy and attention on where it will be most effective. Of course, every time you can keep an effective diary, that time is well spent, but the best practice is to keep a regular daily diary.    

It’s often helpful if you keep a journal regularly, even if you don’t have to do it every day. You can certainly learn more about yourself by looking back at what you do every day, but journaling is often more than just recording everyday events. As mentioned, journaling can help you reflect on yourself, sort out your feelings, and gain a deeper understanding of the various events that occur in your daily life. Let’s look at the importance of journaling and how to incorporate this powerful habit into your daily routine.    

You can use a diary to write down affirmations that will help you reach your goals or keep track of memories so you can reflect on how your life is going. Journaling allows us to put our emotions on paper, separate them from ourselves, organize our thoughts, our days, our intentions. Writing about feelings, environment, and activities without judgment can help you be more present in everyday life. Simply writing about your feelings and frustrations will help you focus on what is really going on in your life and mind so you can find solutions to your problems.  Most importantly, journaling can help problem solve situations. Fixing relationships or issues by understanding the problem. Then a solution can be organized and resolved.  You are more aware of the thoughts and feelings now they are written out.Most importantly, journaling can help problem solve situations.  Fixing relationships or issues by understanding the problem. Then a solution can be organized and resolved.  You are more aware of the thoughts and feelings now they are written out.

For example, talking about specific relationship problems can help you better understand your emotional needs and how to meet them. Writing can help you tune into the situation and “feel” if something is wrong with the other person or situation. A journal is also a useful tool to help you make emotionally clouded decisions and know when it’s time to make changes because you’ve been writing the same thing day in and day out for weeks at a time. Creating a writing routine and scheduling time for journaling can help keep you on track even on days when you don’t feel inspired.    

One of the best things you can do to set yourself up for success when you figure out how to start a daily diary (or any other habit) is to make it as accessible as possible. If you want to make it a habit, choose a time of day for journaling and make it a non-negotiable in your life. 

When we have a daily journaling routine, we reap the many benefits of journaling, such as increased self-esteem, self-awareness, awareness, and positivity, every single day. A diary should not be just the act of writing paper on paper and recording the mundane events of your day. For example, incorporating a 20-minute diary into your nightly routine can help you relieve heavy feelings of stress before bed.  

Importance of journaling has so many benefits. Time is only your favor to journal in habit. Once routine takes place, in no time you can better understand yourself. Having opportunity to feel, and acknowledge your needs and desires are rewarding.

Until next, keep that pen moving, enjoy the writing experience- of journaling. Until our minds meet again. Be safe out there, blessings and much love. Remember Everyday Mind’s Matter.🌸👣

🌱How Schizophrenia is misrepresented in TV and film — and how we can do better

Over the years or even current mental health has lingered with much stigma. Reality, helping to encourage recovery or treatment should be priority, yet create entertainment is the wrong way. TV has shook the self- imagine and twisted the reality for entertainment purpose. Here you will learn we can do better with misrepresentation of mental health.

Misrepresented by TV

From Yellowjackets to Criminal Minds, the schizophrenic charaQcters we see onscreen are usually supernatural villains, criminals, or inspirational fodder.Courtney Eaton as Lottie in Yellowjackets. (Showtime)

We’ve all seen popular movies and TV shows that have used schizophrenia to drive a story forward. But how often do we stop to consider what those representations actually mean? How do they portray the experience of actually living with schizophrenia, and how do the stereotypes that these representations lean on come back around to harm mad and disabled people?

A 2021 GLAAD report found that disabled characters made up only 2.8 per cent of all series regular characters in the 2021-22 television season in the U.S. That’s roughly 22 characters out of 775 total examined. When looking at that figure, especially considering that 22 per cent of Canadians and 26 per cent of Americans live with visible and invisible disabilities, people with disabilities are shockingly underrepresented onscreen.

What’s even worse is that the few representations of disability and madness that we do see are wrapped up in stereotypes which impact how we view mad and disabled people around us. Schizophrenia is one of the conditions that the general public views most negatively, according to a 2014 study published in the journal Psychiatry Research. The prevalence of stereotypes also creates internalized stigma that impacts the self-image of disabled people. Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko, Jena Malone as Gretchen Ross, and James Duval as Frank in Donnie Darko. (Newmarket Films)

A commonly observed trope in TV and movies represents schizophrenia as criminal and violent. (Think Norman Bates in Psycho, Mr. Cleg in Spider, or any of the dozens of characters from shows like Criminal Minds’ endless carousels of violent depictions of madness and neurodiversity.) Horror, thrillers, and true crime often frame mad people as villains whose motivations are blamed on conditions like schizophrenia, which perpetuates the idea that people who have those conditions are a danger to others. 

Another common representation of schizophrenia makes the condition out to be supernatural or magical, like in the show Yellowjackets or the film Donnie Darko. When schizophrenia is placed in the supernatural or fantasy realms, it diminishes the real-life experience of living with schizophrenia and suggests that it is beyond humanity or our understanding. By aligning schizophrenia with demonic entities and malicious spirits, these supernatural representations similarly perpetuate the idea of schizophrenic people as “other,” which can ostracize them and negatively impact their self-perception.

Not every trope makes people with schizophrenia look like villains, but even the more well-intentioned attempts can be harmful in their own way. Take, for instance, the portrayal of the “supercrip” as seen in A Beautiful Mind, The Soloist, or the show Legion. “Supercrip” is a term used by the disabled community to refer to stories where people “overcome” their disability. Although these depictions are sometimes created to challenge the perceptions of what mad and disabled people can and can’t do, as explained by Stella Young, they “objectify disabled people for the benefit of nondisabled people.”

This trope also suggests madness and disability exist entirely within a person instead of engaging with the oppressive social, legal, and medical conditions that create barriers for mad and disabled people. “Supercrip” stories can act as a defense mechanism for the status quo — because if one mad or disabled person could beat the odds and live happily in our current society, ostensibly, all mad and disabled people should have it within themselves to do the same. Criminal and violent representation in Criminal Minds Joe Adler as Danny Lee Stokes, a schizophrenic serial killer, in Criminal Minds. (CBS)

A 2012 study found that, in 41 movies studied, a majority of schizophrenic characters displayed violent behaviour toward others and themselves, and almost a third of those characters displayed homicidal tendencies. The same study also found that causation is hardly discussed in those films.

Shows like Criminal Minds, which follow a procedural format where a new weekly suspect is pursued by federal officers and caught by the end of the episode, are chock full of exaggerated depictions of schizophrenia. The formulaic approach of Criminal Minds made the show easy to watch, but to keep viewers from getting bored, it had to continue to shock them with more and more gruesome stories. Crimes committed by supposedly schizophrenic people ranged from cannibalism to necrophilia.

Even if the viewer knows to take these stories with a grain of salt, the depiction of these horrific crimes and lack of exploration into a character’s motives — coupled with zero follow-up on their fates after they are caught (or often, killed) — reinforced an “us vs. them” mentality that creates a fearsome idea of schizophrenia. This is bolstered by storylines that continuously ask the viewer to sympathize with the neurotypical, non-disabled police, who are billed as heroes for tracking down and capturing the suspects. 

Mad and disabled people are actually more likely to be victims of violence rather than the perpetrators of it. And in a study in which 46 mad people were interviewed about the stigma they have experienced, people with schizophrenia reported more verbal and physical abuse than any other group in the study.

The show’s less overtly negative representations are few and far in between. Spencer Reid’s mother Diana, one of the rare recurring characters with schizophrenia, is shown to have a loving relationship with her son. But even though the show sympathizes with her, it also makes her out to be one of the “good ones” against a backdrop of countless violent mad characters; ultimately, whatever positive representation Diana provides is completely overshadowed by an overrepresentation of schizophrenic killers.Supernatural representation in Yellowjackets Courtney Eaton as Lottie in Yellowjackets. (Showtime)

Another common stereotype in TV and movies suggests that schizophrenia is the result of some kind of supernatural force. This trope depicts schizophrenia as something that possesses a person and forces them to do things that they have no control over, often harming others in the process.

Showtime’s critically acclaimed 2021 psychological drama Yellowjackets depicts a character named Lottie who experiences hallucinations after running out of her medication for an unnamed condition. While the show was praised for its representation of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it slips into problematic territory with the way Lottie transforms from a sweet background character to becoming possessed, experiencing premonitions and visions of death, and calling on the girls around her to hurt one of their own. Since this transformation happens after Lottie runs out of her medication, the implication is that she is this way when untreated, which reduces a complex condition to a clichéd representation. Yet again, a mad character becomes a villain or someone to be feared, and the only explanation for their motivation is their madness. 

With just one season out so far, the show is still well-positioned to turn this representation on its head and provide useful commentary about the way Lottie was medicalized at a young age for her apparently atypical behaviour. But if it continues along the same path, Yellowjackets will become another representation of schizophrenia that dehumanizes mad people and causes the viewer to fear them.”Supercrip” representation in A Beautiful Mind Russell Crowe as John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. (Universal Pictures)

“Supercrip” stories rely on narratives of inspiration and overcoming adversity. One of the most well-known depictions of schizophrenia is A Beautiful Mind, the 2001 film starring Russell Crowe. A Beautiful Mind won four of the eight Academy Awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture

and is based on the life of mathematician John Nash as told through Sylvia Nasar’s unauthorized biography of him. Throughout the film, Nash experiences hallucinations that lead him to be forcibly institutionalized; his condition also inadvertently causes him to put his infant son in danger. But Nash is later able to overcome his hallucinations by sheer willpower and return to his work, eventually going on to win the Nobel Prize. 

Some have noted that schizophrenia is generally well-represented in A Beautiful Mind, and the viewer is certainly meant to sympathize with John Nash instead of seeing him as a violent person or a criminal. Nash’s ability to exercise control over his life and learn to live with schizophrenia, especially with the support of his loved ones, can be an empowering thing for mad people to see on screen. But nevertheless, this type of story paints madness and disabilities as individual “problems” that need to be fixed and overcome in order to live “normally.”How can we represent schizophrenia more thoughtfully? Matthew Gray Gubler as Spencer Reid and Jane Lynch as Diana Reid in Criminal Minds. (CBS)

As with so many movies and TV shows about marginalized people, stories about people with schizophrenia are rarely told with mad people in control of the narrative, and the actors who play them are not part of mad and/or disabled communities. While neurotypical and non-disabled actors take home awards and accolades for their portrayals of madness and disability, real mad and disabled people feel the repercussions of these stereotypical depictions reverberating in their everyday lives. 

Mad and disabled people deserve to see themselves represented wholly, not as punchlines, lazy plot points, or inspirational fodder for the benefit of the able-bodied. Our experiences are all unique and multi-faceted, yet the stories told about us are too often boiled down to stereotypes instead of embracing neurodivergence, madness, and disabilities. 

Increasing or improving representation of schizophrenia in the media will not immediately change societally-rooted ableist attitudes. But empathetic and informed storytelling can help to counteract and correct the misinformation that is shared through TV and movies. With stories about schizophrenia still so deeply entrenched in stereotypes that impact the real-life treatment of mad people and the inequities they face, the need to tell better stories isn’t just critical — it could be life-saving.

Until our minds meet again. Be safe out there with blessings and much love. Remember Everyday Mind’s Matter 💕😇

☀️6 Reasons Why Minding Your Business: Can Help You Live a Happier Life💫

Happiness

Modern life can be incredibly busy and stressful, and it’s easy to forget how important taking care of your well-being really is. Minding your business isn’t just about getting things done; it’s also about staying healthy, productive, and happy in the long run. Having knowledge and understanding, so you can live the life you want to live. The benefits of incorporating positive habits to minding your business daily adds to one’s quality of life. To enhance a happier lifestyle start by reading more..

Living with Purpose

Everyone wants to live with purpose, but not everyone understands how important it is. Successful people know that living with purpose is absolutely vital to their happiness. When you’re fulfilled by your work and are driven by clear goals, there’s no room for regret or guilt about past choices. It’s also easier to make decisions because you have more clarity around what matters most. Once you figure out what drives you, don’t be afraid to follow it. The only way to find out if something works is by doing it. It might take some time before purpose starts falling into place, but once they do, life will never be dull again!

Getting Organized

Organizing your life is much easier if you organize your things first. This can be as simple as cleaning out one drawer, or it can mean getting rid of several boxes of junk. It’s often said that we’re most productive when our surroundings are organized and tidy—so get to work! Clean up your act literally by giving yourself that clean slate you need to make progress in every other area of your life. An organized area brings in positive thinking, to clear thoughts for productivity.

Being Mindful In All You Do

Mindfulness is all about being present in all you do. If you are distracted or lack focus, you are being unmindful and your success will suffer. It’s tempting to let thoughts about past or future things occupy your mind but by doing so, you’re not letting yourself enjoy what’s happening now. When you can fully be present in everything from conversations with friends to work meetings to workout sessions, life improves dramatically. You deserve to be acknowledge by your abilities. Be present and embrace happiness.

Focusing on the present moment

Living in an overwhelming, stressful, and hectic world can be a tough thing to do. It’s easy to get caught up in what-ifs and whys, but you need to live in what is. Being mindful of your thoughts, feelings, and actions will help keep you focused on what really matters – your own health and happiness. Here are some tips on how to stay mindfully present throughout each day What exactly does it mean to be mindful? Mindfulness means being fully aware of your surroundings and yourself. When you think about it, it’s pretty hard not to live in a mindless way. We often react automatically to our environment or lose ourselves in thought during everyday activities like brushing our teeth or walking from point A to point B. These habits don’t serve us well because they leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves and others around us.

Knowing what works best for you

Not all approaches to life work for everyone. Some methods that have worked for you may not be effective for others, and vice versa. By knowing what works best Cou, you can optimize your well-being and maximize your ability to pursue happiness. Knowing what doesn’t work for you is just as important—if not more so—as knowing what does. When you know where certain strategies fail, it’s easier to avoid them and find better ways of dealing with problems.

Putting yourself first

Most of us spend much of our lives running around, often doing things for other people—whether it’s family members, friends or colleagues. It’s only natural to put others first. But that means you have to find time to slow down and take care of yourself. Take some time out and figure out what you really want in life. If you need help prioritizing your personal needs, try creating a what-would-you-do list with three items: An item that will benefit someone else; an item that will benefit your career; and an item that will benefit you personally (such as sleeping more).

Everyday we focus on the world around us, neglecting our own well-being and happiness. At times by consideration know as selfish or selfless – by availability to others. It’s okay at times because you are minding your business. Handling your business give life purpose reality. Take care of yourself, and continue healthy habits to minding your business.

Until our beautiful minds meet again, Be safe out there. Blessings and much love, Remember Everyday Mind’s Matter 😇💗

5 Tips to Improve Memory and Focus🌻

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels.com

Some people naturally have better memories than others, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all do our best to maintain and improve our memory skills as we age. The tips in this article are designed to give you some ideas on how to keep your mind sharp, while improving focus and overall brain function, no matter what your age or current mental state may be.

1) Maintain A Consistent Sleep Schedule
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can lead to decreased memory, impaired attention span, brain fog, and slowed reaction time. If you’re having trouble focusing throughout your day, one of your first steps should be to establish a consistent sleep schedule. Getting between seven and nine hours of rest per night is ideal for most adults. And remember: no sleeping in on weekends! Sleeping in late might seem like an indulgence at first, but it quickly becomes a crutch that can make it harder to focus during waking hours.

2) Take Breaks
Studies have shown that taking breaks during learning can help us retain information more effectively. After each study session, give yourself a break from studying—whether it’s watching your favorite show or going for a walk. The brain needs its downtime in order to maintain focus. And there’s a good chance you’ll retain more information when you return to your studies. This is especially true if you were doing something unrelated to what you’re trying to learn, like reading a magazine. A new subject will likely jumpstart your brain and get it ready for further education. In fact, some research suggests we may even remember things better if we learn them with different senses (like sight and hearing). So try playing music while reading up on new information! You might just end up remembering more of what you read.

3) Exercise
Exercising improves your mental health by increasing blood flow, which increases oxygen in your brain. This creates a calming effect on your body, resulting in an increased ability to focus and remember information. If you feel like your mind is constantly filled with clutter or that you can’t get enough oxygen, exercise might be a great way for you to clear your head—literally!

4) Eat Healthy Foods
By far, nutrition is one of the most important things you can do to improve your memory and keep your brain healthyhealthy. An excellent diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will not only help keep your body strong, but it’ll give you all of those nutrients necessary for optimal brain function as well. Aim for a varied diet that includes foods from all four major food groups every day. For example, make sure you get plenty of vitamin C (in citrus fruits), vitamin E (in nuts), and magnesium (in green leafy vegetables). Not only are these essential vitamins good for your health, they’re also good for your memory. Vitamin C improves short-term recall; vitamin E helps with long-term recall; and magnesium keeps your neurons firing smoothly. You should also make sure you get enough zinc in your diet—this mineral helps regulate protein synthesis in brain cells and promotes neuron growth.

5) Develop Habits for Better Focus
A great way to ensure you’re maintaining focus at work is to build healthy habits. For example, if you find that your productivity suffers during afternoons, try having a protein bar available for an afternoon snack. This will help keep you going with sustained energy levels throughout your day. Keep distractions at bay: If there are certain people or things that distract you, distance yourself from them while trying to stay focused on work. You can do this by leaving your phone in another room, closing your email tab or wearing headphones. You might also consider keeping a Do Not Disturb sign by your desk so others know not to disturb you unless it’s urgent. Practice mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness has been shown to increase attention span and improve concentration levels. Try meditating for five minutes each morning before starting work; it will help clear your mind of distractions and prepare you for a productive day ahead. Get enough sleep: It might seem like common sense, but getting enough sleep is crucial when it comes to improving memory and focus at work. In fact, studies have shown that those who get less than six hours of sleep per night perform worse than those who get eight hours of sleep each night!

The daily routine to improve memory and focus are healthy habits for quality performance. As you create these new habits the change become routine. Start today and continue on the road to improved memory and focus goals.

Until our minds meet again, stay safe out there. Blessings and much love, Remember Everyday Mind’s Matter😇💕

🌼How to Understand Yourself Better

Date Yourself by Chop Suey is licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0

Life is hard enough without spending your time trying to figure out why you’re the way you are. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to understand yourself better is to really dig in and examine how you think, how you feel, and how you interact with other people. This can be difficult, but it’s worth the effort if you want to live a more fulfilling life! Here are some ways that you can better understand yourself and find more happiness in your day-to-day life.

What is Self Awareness?
Self-awareness is also referred to as self-reflection. Self-awareness is a form of introspection, or looking within yourself and understanding what makes you who you are as an individual. Understanding who you are enables you to understand how your actions affect others and how others’ actions affect you. It also allows us to understand our values, beliefs, strengths, weaknesses and other things that make up our personality. Self-awareness takes time and work, but with consistent practice it will become easier over time.

Ask yourself What Would Others Think?
Although you may be aware of your strengths and weaknesses, it can be difficult to have an unbiased opinion on how you are doing. It’s important that you see yourself from an outside perspective in order to get a good idea of how others see you. Take some time with a friend or family member that knows you well and ask for feedback. If possible, offer them specific examples about what traits about yourself that they should look for when evaluating your performance.

How Can I Feel Loved and Appreciated?
One way to improve your self-esteem is by looking at how you can feel loved and appreciated. If you’re having trouble feeling good about yourself, it’s easy to get caught up in worrying about what other people think of you. Instead, it’s important that you take care of yourself first and foremost. Find ways that you can feel nurtured and supported so that your self-confidence increases. This will make it easier for other people to like you, too!

Can I Break Any Bad Habits?
One of our personal goals is usually to improve ourselves, but if you’re like many of us, then you probably have a few bad habits that stand in your way. Whether it’s overeating or being late for work, it can be difficult to change longstanding behaviors. Luckily, there are several ways you can kick any bad habit—no matter how long you’ve had it. Keep reading for tips and techniques on how to fix negative behavior once and for all.

What Are My Strengths?
Make a list of your strengths. They can be characteristics or skills—basically anything that you do well. Once you’ve listed them, ask yourself what your strengths mean for your career and life in general. You may find that one strength carries over into multiple aspects of your life, or you may discover a few new directions in which to take things. Either way, take some time to make sure that you’re playing up all of your strengths as much as possible.

What Do I Do Well?
If you’re going to be your own self-evaluator, it helps if you have a firm grasp on what you do well. Spend some time thinking about your best traits and natural gifts—things that make it clear why certain people like and trust you (and why employers should, too). On another piece of paper, write down things that could get in your way professionally: behaviors or personality quirks that might cause someone to question whether or not they want to hire you.

Am I Really Happy Right Now?
ppl are often surprised when they discover that their happiness is not what they thought it was. For example, you might think you’re happy because you have a new car or a promotion at work, but in reality, you may be unhappy because your marriage is falling apart or your kids are driving you crazy. To get a better idea of what true happiness looks like for you, ask yourself these questions: What are my top three sources of happiness? What am I doing that contributes to my overall happiness?

Who Is In My Corner?
Getting in touch with your deepest, truest self can be difficult. Often we’re told that we need others—our families, friends, or significant others—to understand who we are. But ultimately, it’s not those people who know us best; it’s us. Whether you want to better understand yourself or someone else, these tips will help you get there.i

Am I At Peace With The Past?
Most of us struggle with our past from time to time, wondering if we could have done things differently or if we missed out on some important moments in life. If you’re not at peace with your past, you can learn how to move forward by learning how people who are at peace with their pasts handle similar situations.

Which Relationships Are Positive Ones For Me?
The number of relationships in your life can impact your mental health—particularly if they’re unhealthy. It’s important to look at each relationship you have and decide whether it’s making you happier or healthier. If not, then you need to think about how that relationship makes you feel, and how it might be impacting your life negatively. Read more about it here…

At the end of each day, we are who we acknowledge to be. It takes time to understand the difference in our true self. Continue to take responsibility for your actions and behavior. Self-evaluate the things your good at and improve your flaws. We all struggle on a regular day to day basis. Helping yourself is a reward of its own. Everyday is a new day to try again or continue to learn “you”. Take time to be your best self by understanding your feelings, thought, and well-being.

Until our minds meet again. Be safe out there, blessings and much love. Remember Everyday Mind’s Matter 💗

🛴Footing … Dial-Up ….. Co..nec..ting..

Flintstones

Meet the Flintstone’s, a time in history when life was priceless. I am honored to be a Flintstone.  Dad worked, mom took care of the household.  A rotary phone, shared with everyone in the house..  There was no secrets, ear hustling- no one listened to conversations.  We ran back outside to play if someone was on the phone.  If you made a phone call- either no one was home or the line was busy.  If it were important we went to their house.  Going through those big phone books, searching names that offered endless laughter. Prank calls, the laughter of being a silly kid. No being able to trace the call had it’s purpose- at the moment.  Following the cord or picking up the other phone- an awkward silence at times.

Gas stations and some grocery stores were closed on Sunday’s. A day when families enjoyed drives /rides, visiting friends or family out of town. Families had in person quality time. Sitting in the living room or outside conversation about everything. Listening to older relatives childhood stories, had offered knowledge and laughter. If we wanted to know something, hands on was taught through physical labor. Manual labor had no limit or boundaries. Chores had appreciation, respect, love, and support behind it.

Communication has no barriers. Calling relatives were every week on certain days. Routine and frequently kept for years. Staying in touch was priority for family and friends for connect was important. Sleepover with friends- no problem our parents met in person. Being dropped off and picked up- only source of GPS. Brown bag or a lunchbox with thermos- total excitement for a school field trip. Your lunch ticket- your ability to prove responsibility. Relationships with others in school, were influences to how we interact and communicate. These skills from peers and teacher were priority stepping stones; needed, later in life.

Riding bikes, catching frogs, gardening, barefoot and bee strings

Developmental skills learnt at childhood, are triggers, and reinforces needed to become an adult. Every experience as a child, reflect coping abilities, and knowledge of life. Not everyone has the same knowledge to cope with anger, loss, or pain. Catching frogs, riding bikes, or barefoot getting stung by a bee, are testing abilities of character. Reaction to a bee sting is tolerance and strength. Those little pest can hurt, but mentally can prove one’s tolerance to pain. Balance is technique used to establish coordination to ride a bike. These are just simple task performed and applied to developmental growth. Being Open-Minded is fundamentals applied to learning practices. Education and resources utilized, enhance experiences that offer personal growth and new opportunities.

Flintstones main source for building; manual labor- hands on and experience. Most reasonable creative abilities, were by imagination and mental technique. How to make the best from supplies available. Using your feet sourced transportation. Transportation, in which, had no complaints. Toughness of feet provided movement. No battery, radio, or rear view mirrors were known of.. Yet survival to maintain – those did just fine. As Flintstones life was Yabba- Dabba, dooo… Appreciation and respect was in every home. Conflict was rare, as basic supplies were the essentials to live. As the world began to populate, intelligence developed. From dinosaur speed and peace of mind, happiness, and comfortable. Humans evolved to speed and advancement. We become greedy wanting more.. more of everything, our need grew and grew…. And soon out of the sky!!!

Meet The Jetson’s – WIFI Speed

The little man was bought out, cost of living went up. A world of speed, greed, and the mighty dollar took control. Both parents had to work, and children had sitters. Gardens had no purpose, as demand grew artificial intelligence took charge. Boxed and canned food demand created processing factories. Speed had generated intelligence to control the world. Advanced technology, took the world and shook the little man. The hand made of manual labor lost its shine, when the ole’ mighty dollar came alive.

A separation in class divided the rich and poor. Children picked at or criticized other kids by financial status. A change took over so fast in the late 1990’s rotary phones became cordless, you could now leave messages on an answering machine. A monitor and keyboard – a computer, wow how expensive they were. Advancement of intelligence, at high demand in the world.

A simple life in history, as chaos, filled conflict, stress, and cable television- opened the news. News around the world, A new age, violence, robbery, crime of multiple levels, influence that created problems. Negative news; ripped and stole positive energy of our youth, neighbors, family, and friends. A moment in time, the need for speed influenced, greed. Greed to out do, be better, make more money, and advance with speed a Jetson. Friends fell out, family turned on one another. The daily news seemed to open negative influences into homes. Created challenging motives to empower money and self imagine. We have created a monster that continues to grow. Rapid speed..

And an extremely powerful connection happened. An artificial intelligence. The stepping stones, to modern light, to what we live today. Evil technology speed that controls our lives. Intelligence that destroyed family, friends, jobs, children’s developmental values. Communication is texting, social media vs. talking in person. Discipline is not an option, because knowing your child or friend is interaction. Interaction and productive communication no longer exist. Relationships have went to shit. Children and grandchildren depend on parents & grandparents, now days. Those important connections are broken by technology. No time fot interaction or personal involvement.

Children don’t know the struggles of looking up “capsule” in a dictionary or “mars” in an encyclopedia. We helped each other if we didn’t know or understand something. Parents have used technology as sitters. Truth is technology has raised our children. Friends are online- no longer outside to interact or play… Bullying is the new cyber playground. Instead of helping each other – to hurt someone or belittle is the new trend. Structured families are rare. * If you remember; getting up to change the cable channel, (having to slide the ticker to a channel), on a floor model tv. Most of all; we gathered in the living room to watch a movie, had popcorn, or watch weekly shows together. – continuing these practice- you are parents of 1970’s to 1980’s Flintstone’s. Big Yabba- Dabba Do, well accomplished.**

In history, tools needed in today’s world, no longer exist. Resources offered are fading away. As new advancements awaken, the manual labor is pushed out. The final destination has arrived; Technology.

Time Evolved Chaos Happened “” NO“” Longer Offer Generation Youth

This my friends, new generations have no youth development morals or survival skills. Today the technology advancement– destroyed manual labor and hands on skills and work ethic. Manual labor– the mind advanced artificial intelligence, a human robot. The ability preformed manual labor into a operation through Proof that Everyday Mind’s Matter. Technology has ruined relationships, destroyed morals, and formed addictions….

Bitter truth, we face is the history can not erased or re-written. What we created is artificial intelligence to comfort and addiction. Poisonous entertainment coverage from phone to phone. Education has lost the core of intelligence. An escape and easy way to answers, solution, and divorce. We can’t visit Aunt Sally 2 miles away. But you better believe, face-time and snap chat sent with emojis, your busy will be sent. Excuses to visit in person, we are so busy doing social media shit, that social distancing is history. Social distancing had played into our busy lives, it was a “thing”; hideous barriers set to avoid live connections. Addictions of technology has mental health at a record high level.

Technology has raised our children. Children don’t know the meaning of affection and love. Robbed by technology we don’t even realize… Yes, I say this with heartfelt pain. Our level of acceptance, to love has lesser value. Our closeness to others are at a social stand still.

Take a minute and take this in…. Have you attended any funerals in the past couple years? Has the world lost emotions? Sentimental touch? Empathy or compassion? Tears must be left at the door or of history. Do we not see what our time has created? Are relationship at such social distancing; that, pain has no time or place for tears? Have relationships changed before our eyes, that it’s normal to no longer express emotions? Hell no, we are conditioned with stimulus. And without a deep connection, there are no emotion connection to tears. My friends, take a deep breath. Life is a precious gift. Time can not be place on pause to rewind.. When your final days approach- will your legacy be written in Flintstone’s – Stone Age? Or will your legacy Fly with the Jetsons – lost in speed? Or lastly- will the addiction of technology; form the trace of your legacy? Are you a man who covered social media with endless post on women’s profiles? A man who wanted to experience life to ultimate highs. Blocking emotions and attachments to others, selfish pleasure– to satisfy your desire and needs? Or a women who preyed on dating sites, — aging with time to find a sugar daddy vs. real love? Technology has deleted our connection to empathy, compassion, and our real character. Our needs, desire, and greed has created addiction within our minds.

Our relationships are not built on love. Love has settled to a comfort zone, that we believe is okay — overtime.. Lust and temptations have no boundaries. After all there’s no emotional ties to comfort. Our excuse is we’re busy. We don’t have time. Right, we don’t take time to understand ourselves. Our happenings, our worlds have been rocked by divorce, deceit, lies, broken homes, and overtime– we accept– nothing. We just find a replacement. Our mind and body are off balance. Acting in impulse, no one wants to feel pain. So we condition the pain, — a false emotion to hide behind. To communicate with our partners, in person has faded. Why? In our world today– an ability to perform a live connection– just conflicts creating a barrier. Corrupted our minds to shut off– a secret auto pilot that gets us by. In no time, social distancing has expanded in outside relationships. Tucked in our own shell of excuse or existence. Conditioned to no longer deal with feelings, emotions, or cope with uncomfortable situations. Why not convert to being open-minded? Change your relationship status to live connection and welcome conversation. Bring back history, close temptation; reconnect with Dial-Up. You might find something meaningful; you never experienced. Maybe take a step behind- – create the Flintstones life. Jetsons or technology life has depleted manual labor. But you can still grow a garden, limit texting and open dinner time as a family. Everyone sit at the table no cell phones, talk about your day. Enjoy the interaction to express your character. Its great to be a Flintstones, no stress, no chaos, no distractions. Live connection, that’s says ” I am right, here”! A feeling that you can’t deny– a connection heart to heart.

Until our minds meet again, Be safe out there, much love and blessings.. Remember Everyday Minds Matter! 😘😇

🏕Our Hidden Path

Secret Direction to Purpose

Oh, the world we live in today! Wouldn’t life be much simpler at times, if we had instructions or directions? Be to easy to navigate through our challenges and obstacles. We are late in discovery most time with everyday life, or overlook what we could of had long before. My purpose and hidden path.

Growing up in the county, 80’s and 90’s. – a peace of mind- tranquility, A time in history; outside at night,  echo’s of bullfrog carried through the woods.  Crickets a pain in the ass, lighting bugs, routine catching at nightfall.  Running through mud puddles after a good rain, drinking from the garden hose, and the joy of weeding the garden. Snapping green beans for canning, shucking corn on the cobb, cucumber for pickling, and berries for jam.  Watching dad fix the lawn mower or replacing brakes on the car.

An elderly couple lived on the driveway to my house. Maybe to be a pest or be nosey. Of course, visiting or getting in their way, likely got on their nerves. To me it was nice to check in on them when needed or just to visit to check new projects. Old man Clyde had a wood shed where he spent his time. Shep a boarder collie, like Lassie the TV show. Shep was old but he let us play, but watched as we picked tomotoes from the garden. Every moment was learning tools when Clyde explain his projects he was working on. One day Clyde was tinkering with a push mower-  sparked to gasoline; the whole shed in flames. Playing outside seeing the blaze- running to our uncle, he rushed to help. Old man Clyde so determined to save his burning shed – he suffered burns. Not wanting to go for treatment, conveinced he had too. Ambulance eventually took old man Clyde to hospital. Later told he had 1st degree burns trying to extinguish the blaze. Once Clyde got released to come home. Not hesitating to help his recovery; change bandages on his legs or check the mail. Or carrying in groceries was always worth a pack of gum and .50 cent or $1.00. He recovered over time. His wife was always glad to see me, she knew it took chores off her. Evaline was a fragile as her body was slow moving at times. I help with hanging curtains up and house hold things if needed. While at school, Evaline tried to change curtians, slipped from the stool broke her hip.

Caregiver become priority each day, after school. Positioning pillows, laundry, or help with other household chores, I was there. Just as her strength improved, she started using a walker, happiness covered my face.  Her recovery gave me joy since it took a lot of work.  Friendship had a special place deep in the heart.  One afternoon after school; knocking on the door- no answer. The car was gone but she was always home. Something was different. Mom was outside as I walked down the driveway. Starting to cry, mom hugged me saying she will write or call. She went to live with her daughter in Indiana.  Unable to say good-bye, heart broke, thinking my best friend didn’t say good-bye.  My days walking past the trailer, wondering if she thought of me. That day carried a weight–; good-bye’s hold much love– bring tears to my eyes.  Reunited visits of family or friends capture the heartfelt love of joy. And we all know the final days of life good-bye’s, can’t be prepared for. Endless tears….

As a young girl, everything inside was torn apart. Weak feeling, crying, and angry, wanting to be alone. What had happened? Kids aren’t suppose to be sad.  Every part of me, experienced hurt. Waiting for a letter or phone call from my friend. Mom and I had tried a few times, to contact her. The phone number she left– no answer.  Not a single letter in the mail.

To ease the pain, I wrote my friend many letters.  With no response, writing in a journal gave my heart relief. Over time, thinking about her many days. In my world, I knew she lost my address and number, to me she lived forever somewhere.

A plan was created written in crayon, marker, sealed with stickers and pink nail polish. Written by a brown eyed, brown haired 7-year-old- just in case she forgot about me.

  Everyday Minds Matter – mental health and well-being set the path for everyone. Establish practice to focus, retention, and concentration; healthy habits to prevent obstacles in mental status.  Overcome mental health challenges faced that affect daily routine. 

Writing that filled notebooks, diaries, and scrap paper- focused on my future dream.

In little time, old man Clyde move away. It was diffetent for a moment. Then one day, my mamaw- (fathers’ mom) move in the trailer.  The void was filled. Not skipping a beat; my brother and I had mamaw to aggravate.  With no time to waste, enjoying my childhood– documented every step of the way. Seems that the conversations grew on me. It was interesting to listen to my mamaws childhood. In my eyes it was more than interesting. A world where play was all work. In the early 1900’s not many toys were made. Everything from learning and entertainment was outdoors. Friends weren’t always close so most were visiting relatives.

A path to being a caregiver seemed to start young. Looking back I seemed to fall into the right path. Life takes us places and sometimes times passes- that all makes sense. Did you think back to your hidden path? How accurate did your role as a child play to your work or career choice?

Until our minds meet again.. Be safe out there and remember Everyday Minds Matter