Made a major minor accomplishment? Mental well being thread to celebrate those big little moments

[NowWeSuckingDiesel]

I have struggled with poor mental health for many years. Some days it can be a struggle just to get dessed and other days I can be up and on the go all the time. I thought it would be helpful to have a daily check in thread to celebrate those little big things for all us should it just be replying to a text you have avoided or scaling Mount Everest that day. Big or little all accomplishments are of equal value and may just help others on their mental well-being journey. And of course general chit-chat is very welcomed!

Would love if we could get a group together, please join me!

Yesterday I managed to get through some of the jobs I had been avoiding. I did them first thing in the morning and now I realised this actually helped me because I wasn't worrying about it for hours before.

I rang the doctor today and made another appt. I'm coming to the end of my first month of meds so need to go for a review. I think I'm going to ask if I can see a therapist/counsellor as well as the meds so I can tell someone how I'm really feeling.

Today i made eye contact and initiated a conversation with someone who i have avoided since regaining a lot of weight. They didn't know i had avoided them i was just to embarrassed to look like i had 'failed' again. Being kinder to myself is helping me more than i can put into words. Thank you all for sharing your stories on here, i appreciate every one of you and hope your struggles get lighter

@NowWeSuckingDiesel just bobbed on to say a big well done for your awesome achievement today! You took a risk and did something very healing for you. So make sure you get yourself cosy tonight and reflect on how proactive you're being in meeting your goals. One day at a time!

It's funny how many people with mental health problems are so kind to others but find it so hard to be kind to themselves @NowWeSuckingDiesel. For me it shows how poor my self-esteem is, I don't think I deserve kindness or that I am worth people noticing.

Every day that I make it to work I pat myself on the back. Its a small thing, but a huge thing too.

@NowWeSuckingDiesel thank you for starting this thread and giving us a place to share our accomplishments. That sounds really tough, hopefully now that the ice has been broken you won't feel you need to avoid that person any more.

@Milanimilani
I completely agree, sometimes the biggest hurdle is getting out of the house.

I messaged my landlord this morning over an issue that has been on going for two months but that I have ignored as I didn't want to make contact. Better late than never!

I have a parent teacher meeting this afternoon and a pre christening course this evening to (not) look forward to

I managed the parent teacher meeting and pre christening course yesterday

Really proud of my ds who has asd, he's in mainstream school and is doing really well academically but is also apparently really pleasant and well mannered in school aswell. (I must be doing something right).

The pre christening course was a struggle, I could feel myself zoning out and wanted to walk out and go home, but I managed to get through it and even stayed for a cup of tea at the end. My dp was with me which made it a bit easier.

How has everyone else been?

@Diy2019 I'm so pleased for you! I remember thinking yesterday that was a really full on day and I'm so glad you got through it. And how great to get positive affirmation that you are doing a great job with your ds, well done to him too, he is obviously thriving!

I'm glad you got through the pre christening and stayed for the cup of tea, sometimes it's the simplest things that cause us the most stress isn't it?

I'm doing OK, had to go to opticians with dd (4) and then complete a referral with her speech therapy for asd so has been a challenging few days but I'm proud to say i got through them

to everyone here, thank you so much for continuing to share your achievements

Hello, NC (HoliBobber) for a change.

Will catch up on the thread. SO proud of myself, this weekend I have done a mountain of dishes and tidied the bedroom. Included folding a mountain of laundry. The dishes, I kid not, seemed to take about four hours, but I even managed to dry and put them away.

Felt like I could move again in the kitchen and felt calmer.

The to do list is still mammoth, but other good things were making a nice dinner - tried kale mixed with ricotta and it was delicious, and decided on a venue for Christmas lunch.

Anxiety needs constant management I am finding. I am looking into more physical therapies - yoga etc. to try and get to the bottom of it, as I think mine is related to having an overactive nervous system (something like sympathetic rather than parasympathetic, two terms I recently came across).

Working on a mammoth deadline until Weds, in order to get through this I will try and stay focused, break it down into small goals, take regular breaks and try not to worry about it being perfect, and try not to worry in general.

@NowWeSuckingDiesel well done with your dd and her appt and referral, I know from experience with ds how draining that can be. I hope you had a nice relaxing weekend

Wow @RecoveryChick
You got through loads this weekend, well done! Your to do list might still be huge but at least you have made a start, that is the hardest part.
Your kale with ricotta dinner sounds delicious.
What do you do at the minute for your anxiety? It is new to me (came on with the postnatal depression) and I don't know how to manage it.

I went to my gp appt on Friday for review, we are happy that the meds have started to lift my mood, but I explained how I am so anxious about lots of things. He wants me to see a psychotherapist as he thinks this could have been building up over the last few years, but only now catching up to me because I'm off work on mat leave and actually have time to stop and think.

I had a busy weekend due to circumstances we weren't expecting, spent nearly all day Saturday and Sunday out of the house so feel really drained now but glad I got through it.

And this morning I FINALLY decided on a christening outfit for ds so I got that ordered

How has everyone else been?

@Diy2019 That sounds great that your doctor sounds very supportive, well done for going and talking about everything, counselling can really help look at things objectively. Well done on getting a christening outfit, making decisions is a really positive sign and a relief.

My day has been pretty horrendous, hoping it will improve tonight and tomorrow. I went round in circles on my deadline, only to arrive at the original thought and refine that. I am annoyed with myself for making things so complicated, I think it's because I spoke to my manager during the process when I was unsure and he asked some challenging questions which made me go down a different path. He called today and I actually think what was going on was he was holding back from expressing his views, as he has now said he all the stuff about keeping it simple and its gone back to the original idea. Maybe I am just stupid as well, who knows, I sometimes feel that way in my job. Before anyone says I am not, I know it's not that. I am about to start some coaching therapy.

Things that I have found help with anxiety are having a glass of water first thing in the morning, getting out for a walk early in the day, eating more salad and raw crunchy veg, taking Vit D, magnesium, using a SAD light box, Rescue Remedy, trying to get enough sleep.

Sorry that was a bit moany. I am glad I have a plan now and I am going to have a little break then crack on with the report. I have some nice things to look forward to later this week.

@RecoveryChick how is the report going now? It all sounds very stressful but at least now you have a plan to stick to and there is an end in sight. I'm glad you have things to look forward to when your deadline is over.

I might steal some of your tips for managing anxiety and try them out myself, thanks for sharing

I plan on having a quiet day today, other than school drop off and collection I'll probably stay at home.

Today I'm going for my first haircut in 18 months. Heart pounding even though I have taken a beta blocker. Not kidding, this will be a MAJOR accomplishment. Good luck to you all, I will be drawing on all your accomplishments for inspiration if it gets tough.

@disfordarkchocolate good luck, you will feel great once it's over and you have new fresh hair . Come back to us with an update later.

Afternoon @Diy2019, I love my new haircut. My hair is about 7 inches shorter and it feels lovely. My new hairdresser was very nice even though I had to do breathing exercises throughout the whole appointment.

I'm hoping to be inspired by you all for the rest of the week and do some extra housework. Even if I only manage an extra 30 minutes over the day it will make a big difference in my small house.

@Disfordarkchocolate Amazing stuff, well done!

@Diy2019 How has your day been?

The report is coming along. It has to be in tomorrow then I will probably crash in horror at it all (I always say it will be the last time). I have a call with a coach/therapist this evening too.

@disfordarkchocolate wow 7 inches, that must be a huge difference to you and will be so much easier to manage. Well done for going through with it, that was a huge accomplishment. Good luck with the housework, we noticed earlier in the thread that it's something a lot of us fall behind in when our mh is suffering.

@RecoveryChick not sure what time your deadline is today but I hope you are managing ok. Did the call with the coach help you?

I had a quiet day yesterday and stayed at home.
I went straight to the shops after the school run this morning, got the shopping I needed and tickets for a Christmas show at the cinema, I've found it helps when I go out early in the morning rather than in the afternoon.

Dp is home this evening, he works away so was gone since Monday, so I'm going to make a roast chicken dinner - it's my 6 year olds fave dinner.

Tickets to a Christmas show sound amazing! What a lovely thing to look forward to.

I managed the deadline, I've had one hours sleep. I don't understand how it can seem impossible and then all of a sudden with an imminent deadline I seem to be able to do it. It's not a helpful skill, it's bloody annoying. I have no more imminent deadlines so I know what I need to do which is GET AHEAD. I have a very deadline driven job....

I got the day wrong, the coaching is tomorrow. I mean, today now.

Oh dear I think I need some rest.

Oh I also a sneaking suspicion/horrible feeling I may have got the deadline wrong.

If someone says I need it by Wednesday, that to me means I need it by the end of Wednesday, right?? I mean obviously Tuesday is better, but 11am Wednesday is still by Wednesday.

I had an out of office until 4pm email reply. Worried I've messed up. Still I suppose the world will not collapse. I might though!

Oh @RecoveryChick you must be so tired now. Well done on getting through it. And yes If they say by today then I would assume it means by close of business today.
I am the very same, I seem to leave things off until the last minute and then am able to get through it when I am running out of time. That would be great it you could try to get ahead now.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your day now.

Thanks @Diy2019 Just had two and a half hours sleep. Thanks for that reassurance! Slightly more human.

Please may I join? I came on to start a thread (about a different topic) but then saw this and would love to keep track here.

Being kinder to myself is helping me more than i can put into words.

OP it was so useful to read this this monring. I am having a very rough patch and have started thinking about myself in really harsh terms. This was a good reminder that true or not, those harsh self-evaluations don't really help in any way.

What I'm happy to celebrate on here is that I am having a seriously grim, tough week, with a dark depression trying to take hold and I am managing to use all the tools I stacked up before to fight it. So I am already dressed and although I've been unable to work at all this week, I have managed a few small things - an exercise class, some decluttering, home cooking, light housework, a walk, even a bit of reading which I love and is often the first thing to go as I can't concentrate. I've started taking supplements again for Vit D, Tyrosine and iron in case they are contributing factors and I'm trying to journal to let it out instead of bottling it all up. Easier said than done.

Hello, @afternoonspray, lovely to meet you.

I'm working on using the tools I know will help too. It's very hard to start them all again when a really deep depression stops you in your tracks.

Mines a BIG one but I haven't done it yet! I am quitting my high flying very well paid job in 15 days time and getting on my first long haul flight (terrified of flying) to go and sit on a beach in the absolute arse end of nowhere in Australia for a few weeks and do nothing except surf and do yoga, possibly to stay a few months if I'm lucky enough to get gardening leave. I've been absolutely crippled with anxiety about it for months and it's all I now think about. I can't sleep, I feel sick all the time. Am aware on paper it sounds like a ludicrous act of self sabotage but it'll actually be the biggest act of self love I've ever committed. I can't visualise having the courage to actually go through with it yet but I'm determined to stick to my plan!