Cooler weather is here! I was finally able to open the windows yesterday and it's glorious. It rained on and off all day yesterday and I relished every second of it. Do you enjoy rainy days as much as I do?
Let's get down to the interesting things I found online this week!
*9 Hard Truths About Clutter You Need to Hear*
I had to scroll back in the blog and make sure I hadn't posted this before. Articles about clutter and mess have been following me around lately and I'm okay with that. They've gotten me to the place where I question everything I buy. "Do I really need this? What I am going to use this for? When am I going to use this? Can I use something that I already have instead?" are all questions I ask now before making a purchase. Other than some shirts for my son for Christmas, I'm struggling to think of anything I've bought in the past few months that hasn't been something I'll eat, use up, or give away. 'Everything you own is something you have to take care of' is something that has truly struck a chord with me, especially since I spend SO much of my time taking care of the belongings of my family (who have not embraced this clutter-free philosophy, unfortunately), and 'Eventually someone will have to decide what to do with every item you own' has been a theme this summer, with my mother and her siblings having to go through my grandmother's things. (Not that I expect anyone here to go through my things; they'll probably just let them sit there forever! You remember what my basement looked like, right? The one full of not-my-stuff that I finally broke down and cleaned because no one else would? Point made).
Anyway, clutter is a problem for me. Are you bothered by it as much as I am?
*This Woman's Viral Thread Notes A Never Discussed Symptom of Depression and Absolutely Everyone Needs to Read This*
Show this to everyone you know.
It was a relief to me to read this. Not to know that others struggle, but to know that I'm not alone in struggling exactly this way. While my depression is in check, my anxiety is not, and this is one of the many ways it manifests. For me, it's phone calls. I'm deeply terrified of making phone calls, especially to official things like insurance companies. I'm fine if someone calls me, but calling other places literally fills me with a dread so encompassing that it can move me to tears, and I can put something off for weeks, freaking out about it enough to cause health problems, but still completely unable to make that call.
Is that rational? No. I know that. But anxiety isn't rational, nor is depression. It's not something I can control, nor is it something I understand how to free myself from. I've found certain methods to cope, but I've never truly found a way to rid myself of it, and it's honestly pretty defeating when those close to me roll their eyes and tell me to just get over it, like trying to listen or understand isn't worth the effort. Huffy sighs and eye rolls won't erase my anxiety; it only serves to make me feel worse about something I have zero control over. And that's not fair.
If someone you love suffers from depression or anxiety, read this article. If you suffer, share it with the people you love. Maybe you'll have better luck than I have at gaining a little understanding.
*How to Unclog an Upright Vacuum Cleaner*
One of my next tasks! We have hardwood floors throughout the house and tile in the basement, but we do have a few area rugs, and the one in the kitchen is getting pretty dusty and gross because earlier this summer, I noticed my upright, bagless vacuum cleaner (which isn't very old and has barely seen any use because again, three area rugs total) was basically just spitting whatever I vacuumed up directly out the back. YUCK. So I dug up this link this week and once I get a chance, I'm going to sit down and try to figure out what's going on. Hopefully this link will help me out!
Have you ever repaired your own vacuum cleaner?
*6 Things About Chronic Pain You Didn't Know You Knew*
All.
Of.
These.
Things.
Pain is exhausting. There are so many days where I reach the end of the day and it just feels like I can't move another inch, my body is so worn out. Sleep? HA! If only it were that easy. Far too often, there's just no comfortable position, and sleeping when you're in pain is like trying to fall asleep with someone constantly poking you and going, "Hey. Pay attention to me. HEY! YOU! PAY ATTENTION!"
Pain makes me crankier than I'd like, shorter than I'd like with my daughter (the exhaustion feeds into that as well). It makes me have to consider if I can tolerate certain activities before committing to them (which makes others cranky with me, as I experienced this past weekend). It makes it hard to concentrate- when you're in pain and trying to focus, it's like trying to watch a math lecture and take notes (because there will be a test!), but there's a radio blaring full-force right behind your ear. I once came home from a biology class with pages full of notes but ZERO understanding of any of the material because I'd been in so much pain throughout the class that I was sweating. (Huge thanks to Khan Academy videos for helping me to understand the Krebs cycle!) And it definitely damages my self-esteem. It's hurtful when loved ones don't get it, when they get irritated with me because of my pain. Do people with more visible medical conditions struggle with this? Do people huff and roll their eyes at cancer patients or people who have seizures? I honestly don't know. It's just exhausting to deal with others' indifference or disdain, an exhaustion I don't need because, well, pain. It's one of the reasons I push myself to get so much done so often, because I feel like NOT getting a ton of things done will just cause people to assume I'm lazy, instead of just being in pain.
If you know someone who struggles with chronic pain, a little understanding goes a long way. "What can I do for you? What do you need me to do?" goes a long way (but only if you actually follow through!). I know it's not always easy or fun to deal with someone who is hurting, but it's so, so appreciated when you make the effort.
Jeez, those were a lot of bummer articles, huh? Sorry about that! I haven't had a ton of time this week online again; physical therapy and my son's schedule break my days up in weird ways, so when I'm actually home, I'm usually racing to get everything done that I need to (and usually having to leave at least a few things out because there's just not enough time). This schedule will continue for a while, so I'm just accepting it as my new normal and carrying on. As one does. :)
Have a fantastic weekend! :)
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