Sunday, June 26, 2011

Not Quite Succeeding

Well, I tried. This week, in addition to the regular therapy homework, I had my new behavioral homework, just a few tasks. And as simple and small were the challenges, it's going to take more than a week for me to incorporate everything successfully and routinely.

Therapy homework
Nope. Didn't even think of it until about an hour ago and a couple of hours before I go to sleep is not the best time.

Behavioral work

  1. Take a shower and get dressed every day, preferably before noon.
    I showered every other day. I got dressed every day, although sometimes in lounge-around-the-house clothes. About half the time I managed this before noon. Lesson: Don't read more than one blog before beginning after-breakfast routine.
  2. Eat three meals a day, plus a piece of fruit and/or a vegetable every day.
    Didn't manage the three meals at all. I still mess up the hours in my day. Started out okay with the fruit, but then let the rest of the fruit and some of the berries go bad. Managed that a third of the week. No vegies at all. Lesson: Create alarms to make me aware of meal times. Prepare vegies right after I bring them home. Be more vigilant and eat the fruit or vegie first.
  3. Leave the apartment every day. Pick up my mail every day. Preferably mesh the two and walk to the mailbox every day to incorporate some body movement.
    Only one day did I manage the mesh. I think there were only two days when I didn't go out, thus two days (or maybe three) when I didn't pick up my mail. And the walk plus mail day was my only walk day. Lesson: Create a schedule for the week requiring me to leave. Walk the walking trail at the complex at least twice a week — maybe set an alarm for it. Pick up the mail when I return from my going out. Without an external reason, I just don't go. Still too inert.
I'm also still not getting to bed early. I haven't been to bed before 12 this week, and I hit 2-ish at least once, which makes me get up later. And I generally turn off my alarm and continue sleeping. I need to push myself (which I'm not yet succeeding at) to go to bed earlier, and I need to put my alarm across the room so I have to get up (the alarm doesn't stop until I physically turn it off, so this could work).

I also am finding I still need a Red Bull each day to help me stay awake. I had one all week and did fine. I didn't have one today and around two thirty was so tired I lay down. The alarm on my Mac woke me up just enough to turn it off. I went back to sleep until 6:30. Four hours. I wish I could simply take a nap for 30 minutes, rather than sleep through the afternoon. It cost me time on a project, pushing me even later.

So I had a couple of very small successes this week, plus I got some ideas about what might work for this coming week. I've been solidly this inert for months, so changing may take longer than I expected. Unfortunately, because I'm very tired of it. Plus, I'm not making any money, which puts me closer and closer to running out.

It doesn't seem fair, after all I've been through, to have to deal with all this, and alone. I know Life isn't fair, but I wish it would help me a bit. If I have to do it all myself, I just might end up living in my car. (Sorry, Julie.)

3 comments:

  1. I accept your apology, so let's move on. (You have to accept this and move past it too.)

    Looking at your week seems like a good idea, but dwelling on the NOT part is less helpful, you just feel bad. Focus more on what you got done, and how you DID accomplish some of the changes you set as goals. Look from the other side: THIS is what I DID do!

    Also, less attention to this "I'll be living in my car" fear. Step away from that one, no more feeding the Hungry Ghosts.
    Julie

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  2. You are correct, Julie. How did you get so wise? Karen so agrees with you!

    The Hungry Ghosts love me. I feed them so much. That simply must end now because I really don't want to do that.

    Thank you.

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  3. I'm unemployed and therefore home all the time right now, and facing depression though not on your magnitude (and I can't talk about it all because I've promised not to.)

    For me, trying to shower every day and eat fruit and leave the house (I'm a writer!!) would feel like the "clean all the things" cartoon. Even if I was employed, happy, everything in my life was going spanking well, I STILL wouldn't do those things. So I'm not setting goals when I'm depressed that I wouldn't do when I'm happy. If that makes sense. It would be setting myself up for failure.

    Okay most North Americans but me shower every day when they're happy so that's a bad example. lol But do they eat fresh veggies? Get out of their jammies if they don't have to? Hmmm. Color me suspicious.

    However, when I was at a happier time in my life, I would wake up and read for several hours, and eat peanut butter and toast. When I worked from home as a teaching assistant I amassed an army of pajamas, so I change into fresh pajamas or lounging clothes even if I haven't showered.

    Anyway, not saying there's anything wrong with your goals. But if one day you decide: "Instead of taking I shower I'm going to work on that project for ten minutes" or "Have a relaxing cup of tea" or some other Act of Healthiness, I'd say that still counts as meeting one of your behavioural goals.

    In a new development I'm giving in and napping at 8PM, and finding that I'm sleeping less when I then go to bed at 7 AM. I figured what the hell... it was worth a try. Will let you know how it goes.

    Just my two and a half cents before I disappear back into my cave again...

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