MY FELLOW FIBRO WARRIORS (and others who experience cognitive fog)
This product is so freaking cool. I got my pack at Papersource, I bet you can find them online. I know we all make lists, but really, how often do we check those lists? Not often enough.
Now your list can go on your wrist!! Hot damn.
{ this is a skill i’ve been using a lot lately, thought i’d share :) }
{ Distress Tolerance Skill: Coloring Mandalas
PRE-PREP
1} go to www.printmandala.com and print a couple of mandalas that you like. (you can also find some on google images.) 2} buy set of colored pencils or markers if you don’t have them. more colors = better 3} buy a clipboard if you wanna lie in bed and color. 4} set these aside and ready to go so they are easily accessible when you are distressed
HOW TO USE DURING DISTRESS
1} choose a mandala from your pre-printed stash 2} set a timer (phone is good) for 30 minutes 3} color it with ur markers or pencils. i prefer pencils. 4} optional: play an audiobook or music while coloring. make sure it’s not sad music. 5} when timer goes off, stop coloring. ask yourself, what level is my distress right now? if still high, set timer for another 30 minutes and keep coloring. if tolerable, stop coloring and do thing you want to do. 6} repeat as needed until distress is tolerable
WHY IT WORKS
coloring patterns is distracting enough to pull your attention away from negative thoughts/emotions, but mandalas are also repetitive so you can kind of “zone out” while coloring. it feels good being able to create something and you feel a sense of competency or confidence. there’s no competitive aspect to it so you can just do the activity without having to worry about doing it perfect or right or better than anyone else. it can remind you of a simpler time when all that was expected of you was coloring. :) it is easy and almost everyone can do it.
TIPS
— stick to the timer. even though you want to keep coloring when it goes off, stop once you finish the segment you’re on and put the pencil down. tell yourself you can come back and finish it after you do the thing you’re putting off.
— you can do this activity without using a timer, especially if you don’t have anything planned for the rest of the day and aren’t using this to distract from a task :))
— practice coloring during times when you’re not distressed, so that when you need to use this skill it will be easier and more “automatic”. i can’t stress this enough. even though coloring is really simple, it’s much better for the activity to feel familiar so that you can easily use it during distress. so if you can practice it during normal times it’ll help u. think of it as homework if you have to — you are building up a memory muscle.
— if you feel guilty because you’re “wasting time” doing a “childish activity”, remind urself that ur doing this for your mental health, that this is an established skill recommended by top psychotherapists, and that calming down your distress so you can actually *do* the stuff you’re worried about (rather than procrastinating all day about the thing and not actually doing it) is the opposite of wasting time. remember that practicing this skill even when you’re not distressed is HOMEWORK, not optional time wasting thing. also, taking care of ur mental health is not a frivolous activity. it’s very important and crucial to a happy successful life.
I’d like to add that coloring inside the lines neatly and skillfully is something that impresses the fuck out of most artists. Yes, even professional working artists. I have seen artists genuinely lose their shit with admiration when someone could color inside all the lines (sometimes that artist is me). SO if you’re coloring and thinking ‘this is dumb i’m not an artist i bet an artist would laugh at me’ be assured most artists would actually be hooting enviously at you and then asking to borrow your crayons.
Linguee is a sort of dictionary filled with examples and sentences from all over the internet so you can look up individual phrases or words and see how they’re used and in what contexts.
So if you want to type in an actual phrase or something in English or Spanish (or a different language if you pick it) you can see your words used in sentences and see how actual sentences look… rather than relying on Google Translate to mess up the grammar or false cognates.
And more than that, you can also check the sources they take the example sentences from.
I highly recommend Linguee for people who are trying to figure out specific phrases rather than particular words (which I would use WordReference for).
Linguee is a god send!
Linguee is bomb!
My French teacher introduced me to Linguee and it really is spectacular!
okay i am going to share with you my process, something i have developed over three years of job searching to make the whole nonsense as painless and quick as it can be.
so. first things first: make a google doc. at the very top of the google doc, set up a list of links to job boards, like so, here’s a snippet of my list:
note though that these aren’t just links to idealist, linkedin, whatever - these are links to searches. sites like idealist, linkedin, and charity village let you select options like location, level of experience, and salary range in order to filter job postings. set those filters, run a search, and then copy and paste the URL of that search into your list of job boards. this way, when you click on that link, you will get a list of all the jobs that are relevant to you, updated constantly. it’s quicker than running separate, individual searches every time. i check every board on my list once a day - having the list is a simple way to save time and streamline that whole process.
so, when i open up a job board, i quickly scan it for any positions i’m eligible for.
just by looking at these listings, i can immediately rule out the first one (it’s spam) and the third one (i don’t have any real background in health sciences). but the second job? right up my alley.
i open up the listing in a new tab and scroll right to the qualifications section to see if i’m qualified - no point reading an entire listing only to find out that i’m missing some mandatory criterion, like, idk, speaking spanish, or having a law degree. here’s what that section looks like in the horton’s kids listing:
i have every one of these qualifications, so, great, i can add this to my list.
remember that google doc with the list of job boards at the top? add another section: jobs to apply for. create entries for each listing that look something like this:
the name of the organization is a link to the job ad. i’ve also got the title of the job, the website of the organization, the day the ad was posted, the day i have to apply by, the day i DID apply (which i will fill in once i apply, and bump this to the “jobs i have applied for” section), and then a list of required elements of the application and any relevant details.
the next thing you need to do, and by far the hardest component of applying for jobs, is to write a cover letter. make it a good one. and by this, i don’t mean, “sit down and write out a page-long cover letter for every single job you apply to” - i mean, write a strong cover letter that describes who you are and what your qualifications are, and include a couple of places where you can “personalize” the letter to include details that are specific to the job posting. basically, just write a really good canned cover letter and include three or four sentences that specifically address the job and why you are what they specifically are looking for. if you’re applying for different types of jobs, you can have different types of canned cover letters - for instance, i have separate cover letter templates for communications jobs, administrative jobs, policy jobs, and lgbtq/feminist organization jobs. each one highlights different pieces of my resume that are relevant to those areas, and all i have to do is plug in a few details about the specific posting. but spend time on these canned cover letters. make them good. make them not sound canned.
anyway, once you’ve written your cover letter, send the e-mail, attach the resume, and move the listing to the “jobs i have applied for” section. do this as quickly as possible. like, ideally, the day the posting goes up. never wait for the deadline to submit an application. i like to colour code listings, just for personal convenience - yellow = the deadline hasn’t passed yet, red = rejection, green = you’ve been asked to interview. oh and number your applications.
once you’ve submitted your job application, keep track of any developments in your application like this:
honestly as someone who lives with an anxiety disorder, and for whom job applications are especially stressful, this approach works for me because it’s so systematic. i don’t have to agonize over every single little detail. i can just scan my job boards, make an entry on my list, send a cover letter and resume, and move tf on. and as long as my cover letter is good and i’m attentive about sending applications in as soon as i can, i don’t sacrifice quality.
i hope that helps??? let me know if you want any more tips. <3
this showed up at a perfect time.
This is very similar to my process for Job Searching While Depressed (documented here) but has some interesting twists and tips I hadn’t thought about. Good reading for job hunters!
1. You can communicate through windows 2. Sign language is a 3-D Language 3. You can sign with your mouth full 4. Hearing parents can communicate with their Deaf child 5. You can sign underwater 6. Sign Language is a neat way to express yourself 7. You can communicate across a room or via mirror without shouting 8. Sign language is beautiful 9. You can make friends with Deaf people 10. Sign language brings together Hearing & Deaf people
Also if you really want to learn most deaf people are so happy that you are interested in learning and will be super patient and work with you.
And it’s a really great thing to be able to do for any job because imagine having to go everywhere with someone that can translate for you or with paper to write or trying to read lips and just going to grab a cup of coffee and Hey, the barista knows sign language. They aren’t great but you get to speak with them and order your coffee in the way that’s natural to you like that would just make your day. Or a teacher that can talk and sign so classes don’t have to divide?? Or a therapist that can sign?? Hearing people signing 2k15 honestly.
Plus sign language is simpler and faster to learn than written/spoken languages. And there are lots of resources online for any language you may want to learn:
but seriously though i’m sick and tired of those masterposts that are like “here! A reference site on Greek mythology for all your needs! Look it has all fifteen Greek gods on it!” And I’m like. tHERE WERE LIKE HUNDREDS OF FIGURES IN MYTHOLOGY YOUR CRAPPY HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BIBLIOGRAPHY SITE MEANS NOTHING TO ME
if you want a basic outline of Greek mythology okay sure fine??? but like. if you want an extensive fucking reference site you are looking in the wrong goddamn places
as a self-declared greek mythology snob my reference site is fucking alwaysthis fucker right here. almost every single figure ever mentioned in a Greek text is on it, it has the most obscure gods, spirits, nymphs— it’s GREAT. You really wanna extend your mythological knowledge past the basic 12 and like four others? USE THEOI. plus plus PLUS everything is cited so you can actually read the source material written about whoever it is you’re looking at.
fucking signal boost this. i’m so sick and tired of writer’s helpers blogs referring people to sites with as much information you would get from opening a third grade mythology book jesus chriiiiiist
Have you ever been listening to Rainymood and thought, “Yeah, this is good … but it would be nice if I could customize the sound more, or if there was a little more choice.
MyNoise is a customizable sounscape looper with so many options, even within each soundscape. So say, for instance, you really love rain sounds when you write or study or relax. Anything. I know I’m a big fan of rain sounds. They have a page for that.
But say you like really high, pattery rain, and LOTS of low thunder. Here’s where MyNoise really stands out: you can customize that. See those sliders with all the cute colors? That is your equalizer. You can adjust the levels based on what you want to hear more and less of. Here’s how it looks when you want high, pattery rain and low, rumbly thunder:
But say rain isn’t really your jam. Say you want something a little more ambient, a little more background noise-y. Something with people. Well, they have customizable coffee house chatter that even has the levels listed for things like “kitchen,” “babble,” and “table”:
Or say you miss the ocean.
Or say you miss your cat.
Or say you miss your spaceship.
Or say you miss the dungeon where you and your team of scalawag adventurers used to explore and face off against, say, dragons. In the dungeon.
This site is seriously so helpful, and those are just a fraction of every kind of sounscape the site has to offer. The best part is that if you want to layer it with music (for instance, I’ll layer a playlist + rain + coffee shop if the scene I’m writing takes place in a coffee shop), you can adjust the master volume, meaning all of your layers stay at their respective volumes, just louder or quieter.
even if you get along great with your family you will get along even better with them after moving out
generic is almost always just as good as name brand. But there are some things you never buy generic, including: peanut butter, ketchup, liquid NyQuil, Chips-Ahoy chewy chocolate chip cookies
just imagine the person on the other end of the phone hates talking on the phone as much as you do. Even a receptionist. I worked as one and I hate talking on the phone
at least once in your life you will go to Wal-mart to buy something under $20 like an ironing board or something and your debit card will get rejected. No one will judge. Everyone at some point in their lives has had $2.98 in their bank account.
thrift stores
everyone else is too busy panicking about everyone else noticing every tiny thing that could possibly be wrong about them to notice any tiny thing that could possibly be wrong about you
you will screw up. a lot. you live and you learn. and when you start to think too hard about that embarrassing thing that happened and how you wish you could change it, just tell yourself that what’s done is done. There’s no changing it, so just forget it and move on. It’s the only way to stay sane.
do the dishes before the sink grows its own ecosystem
you can’t put Dawn dishsoap in the dishwasher.
if you are the only one in the aisle at the grocery store, and you need to get from one end to the other without even looking at anything in that aisle, then you should totally cart-surf down the aisle. Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional. Hold on to the little things. They make all the difference.
never try to make cake from scratch at 3am. You end up with a topographical map of Middle Earth.
15% tip.
the best way to get money for food is to tell your grandparents about how you basically live on microwaved mac and cheese. Their horror may result in twenty bucks and orders to go out and get yourself “a real dinner”.
sometimes life sucks, and knowing that it might get better doesn’t always make it suck any less, but you’ll never get to the non-sucky days without enduring the suckiness.
no seriously, NEVER put Dawn in your dishwasher
Do not buy generic brand spaghetti sauce either.
Always check the type of light bulb that goes in lamps. A 60w is not interchangeable with a 40w.
Dollar store batteries work just as well as store brand.
Reward yourself from time to time when you do things that you needed to get done. It’s a good way to remind yourself to do them. Going out to pay a bill? Get Starbucks or something you don’t get often. Rewards don’t have to be huge, they can be small things like that.
Rice, pasta, flour, sugar, cheese, eggs, milk, a pack of chicken, a pack of frozen veggies and a well stocked spice cabinet go a long way food-wise. Splurge and get the biggest container of rice you can. You don’t have to go back and buy it again anytime soon and it makes a TON of meals in the meantime.
Rice can be cooked on the stove. You don’t need a fancy rice cooker. Two parts water to every one part rice (two cups water for one cup of rice for example). Get your water boiling, add rice, put a plate or lid on it, put it on low for 20 minutes. It should be done.
Keep a calendar on your pc of bill due dates. If your bills are set up at inconvenient times, like all of the services started on the first or something, then call up the company and find out if you can get your billing date switched to something more manageable. A lot of places do try to work with you.
There is no shame in calling a company and asking for an extension on a bill. Let them know what you can pay, pay that amount, and they arrange when the rest of the payment is required. This can stop you from having services shut off man. It shows responsibility on your part.
Take time to eat, even when you don’t feel like eating. Your body needs energy to live.
Wash or rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. It prevents gross caked on junk.
“The Works” is an excellent cheap toilet cleaner.
MAGIC. FUCKING. ERASERS. THEY WORK ON EVERYTHING JUST DON’T SCRUB HARD. I took the ring out of our bathtub with one. Also generic ones work just as well.
Keep some bleach around but if you use it for cleaning? Dillute it. There’s rarely ever a case where you need to pout straight bleach on anything. A cap full or two in a bucket of water works just fine.
DO NOT MIX CLEANERS. Chemical reactions are can be very dangerous. Here’s a good list. (Note that vinegar and baking soda can actually be a good combo for removing smells from things but it’s not very good at actually -cleaning-.)
If you drink? Don’t take meds at the same time it’s just not good.
Make sure you check the dosages on your pill bottles. No one wants to accidentally overdose on cough syrup or ibuprofen.
If you have a uterus make sure you have a heating pad and ibuprofen on hand for the pain. Hot baths also generally help and Ginger Tea is excellent for any nausea.
Buy a first aid kit. It’s worth it in the long run.
You can often do your taxes online at places like TurboTax.
Petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) is good for chapped lips and you can get a decent sized tube or tub of it (generic brand version) for cheaper/same price as Chapstick.
KEEP TRIPLE ANTIBIOTIC OINTMENT IN YOUR HOUSE FOR CUTS AND SCRAPES AND SORES.
~~Medications~~
Over the counter medications (stuff you can buy right off the shelf no prescription needed) have a name brand and a generic name. ALWAYS buy generic if it’s available it is literally the same thing and way cheaper usually.
Some names to remember when you’re looking for meds!
Acetaminophen = Tylenol
Used to treat pain and reduce fever. Do not take with Ibuprofen.
Ibuprofen = Advil, Midol, Motrin
Used for pain and fever, is an anti-inflammtory. Is good for period cramps because it is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug).
Naproxen = Aleve, Naprosyn
Treats fever, pain, arthritis pain, gout, period cramps, tendinitis, headache, backache, and toothache. Is also an NSAID.
Acetaminophen + Asprin + Caffeine = Excedrin
Usually marketed as “Migraine Relief” as a generic.
Asprin = Bayer
Use for pain, fever, arthritis, and inflammation. Makes you bleed easily so should not be used for periods. Might reduce risk of heart attacks.\
Triple Antibiotic Ointment = Neosporin
Used on cuts, sores, and scrapes to reduce risk of infection and promote healing.
Also a general mutli-vitamin isn’t a bad idea and if you don’t get a lot of fruits or milk/sunshine in your diet you might want to get vitamins C and D specifically for daily use.
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