wise words of the week & fun with #abeautifulmess app 😊
sunday sweetness…
handmade business cards on oh, hello friend, done with blank business cards, a rubber stamp, labels, message tape, and dried flowers. to die for! as a future therapist, this might not be too practical…but then again, everyone could use a pretty reminder to work hard and be kind :)
6.13.13
Had a really eye-opening experience at work today. I have the same job I did last summer. I’m a secretary at a bus company where I answer phone calls, handle lost and found, and pretty much just read all day. But anyway. I was talking to two coworkers - we’ll just call them Woman 1 and Woman 2 - about a passenger who rode the bus drunk this afternoon. Woman 1 says, “When people get drunk that early and just drink every day in the middle of the day….I don’t get it. I just think it’s really sad and pathetic. I just don’t understand.” Of course, I felt obligated to say that we don’t understand because our brains don’t work the same way that the brain of an alcoholic works; that it’s an illness that many people deal with. Somehow, a few minutes later, the conversation took an unrelated turn, and Woman 2 was talking about her creepy UPS guy. “He’s just so hairy! I mean literally, arms, eyebrows, head. There is just more hair on him than I’ve ever seen on anyone, it’s kinda gross,” she said. Woman 1 replies, “Aw well don’t make fun of him. I feel bad for people like that, they can’t help it.”
So the man with excessive body hair is to be felt bad for because he can’t help it….but the alcoholic is pathetic…
The whole situation really reminded me why I am doing this..why I’m going to be an underpaid social worker, why I’m so passionate about mental health awareness. I don’t even really fault the woman, because I know that mental illness can be hard for people to understand when they have never seen it. But it reminded me that stigma is still so alive, and even though mental health awareness is getting so much stronger, there is still such work to be done. More understanding, more empathy, more love.
Ahhh I’m sabotaging my career because I am awkward!!
Got a voicemail from a professor about a possible TA fit. Awesome, right? In her message she said to call her back to find a time for a phone interview and go over details. So I call her on my lunch and she explains the position to me (10 h/week, mainly easy clerical tasks for adjunct professors in the social work school) and asks if i’d still be interested. I say of course, I have experience with secretary work so it sounds fitting. She asks me where I grew up, if I’m familiar with Blackboard, and I’m sitting there answering the questions but not at all selling myself like I would in a regular interview because I figure i’d save the details of my experience for the actual interview. Then she says, “Ok, well I’ve got more people to interview so I’ll let you know probably by Sunday.” Whaaaaaat?? That was my interview??? It was SO WEIRD! I was friendly and it was a nice enough conversation, but I don’t think I’ll get the position because I really didn’t go into as much detail as I would have if i’d known. Kicking myself because I had this opportunity right in front of me and I’d actually be really good at it…but I don’t think it’s gonna happen.
Haha sigh…last month I had an interview for a research assistant position that I didn’t get, so I’d hate to add on to the rejection! But there will always be some other opportunity if I stay positive and keep looking. But for now…..smh.
- weekly wellness reflection 1 -
I’m inspired by the future - what I can do and see and feel and achieve. But I want to understand how I can get there. What’s separating this present me with the future me that I am waiting for?
Use your creativity to explore this. Express who you were in the past, who you are in the present, and your ideal self in the future. Whatever artistic outlet you like most: Write 3 journal entries, draw 3 pictures, make collages, choreograph dances, design images on Photoshop, whatever. This exploration will help you reflect on who you are and how to get to where you want to be. Recognize what you need to improve and acknowledge the achievements of your past that you should reward yourself for.
Completing this project will be my goal this week. If anyone decides to join me, please send a picture :)
(Source: juneonthewestcoast)
littlegiinge asked: I saw you were looking for advice on starting a blog. I started one a little while ago and I went with blogger. Wordpress seemed difficult to use and it seems a majority of people use blogger. It's easy to catch on to. If you start one, please send me your link I would leave to read :)
Thank you for the input!! I logged into blogger and realized I actually started a blog a year ago that had like, 3 posts haha. I guess it didn’t quite stick for me. I’ve been thinkin about it and while I really like the idea of a clean, new, focused blog…I think the truth is that I just can’t quit tumblr!
Blog change?
I’ve been thinking lately that I really want this blog to be more cohesive. Right now I feel like it’s just kinda a mash up of whatever I want…partially related to mental wellness, partially just life updates, and then some randomness in between. I’m considering keeping my tumblr for personal posts and as a sort of inspiration mood board buttttt taking all the wellness/mental health stuff to a blog like Wordpress or blogspot. Does anyone have one of these? I am obsessed with tumblr but I feel like so much of its audience is only interested in funny gifs and pictures of skinny girls with tattoos soooo I’m wondering if another site might be better for mental wellness text posts I have ideas for. Anyone have any advice?
Buddha Board is based on the Zen concept of living in the moment. You simply paint on the surface with water and your creation will come to life in bold design. Then, as the water slowly evaporates, your art will magically disappear leaving you with a clean slate and a clear mind - ready to create a whole new masterpiece.
I’ve been obsessed with the idea of this product ever since I saw it in Barnes and Noble. I think it would be amazing both for meditation and creative inspiration, both with coffee in the morning and wine and night. I’m adding this to be included in my “dream therapy office,” though I think I am going to buy one for personal use real soon. Check out the fun website here!
And hey, guess what…there’s a free app for that tooooooo. I got you guys!
