Today is a cleaning day. I like cleaning, it makes me happy. Today’s goal is to water the garden, change the beds and do as much laundry as possible. I put the first load of laundry in the washer and a pot of soup on the stove for tonights dinner this morning. I really hope to get back into a regular daily routine of cleaning but right now my sleep disorder makes it difficult. That’s ok though, it’s a goal.
Daily Routines are good for most of us because to an extent, it helps us know what to expect each day.
This spring we planted a vegetable and butterfly garden on our upper most balcony. Our master bedroom looks out onto that balcony, so most days I wake up to birds chirping and butterflies fluttering by the windows. It’s my favorite way to wake up and I know that I am very fortunate to be able to wake up to birds and butterflies.
Lately, I have been starting my days by playing with Buttercup, having breakfast with her and then doing breathing exercises prescribed to help with anxiety. It really works and leads to better days. After my breathing exercises, I check in on my mother and start my day by watering the gardens. It’s lovely to see the flowers and vegetables growing.
Right now, in this covid-stress-filled world many people are struggling with anxiety, depression and other stress related issues. If you struggle with Anxiety, like I was, I highly recommend this zine written by my friend Tammy Koolbeck (Tammy Koolbeck, M.Ed., L.P.C.-S.) It is a 28 page fully illustrated zine explaining the biology of anxiety and the techniques to use in the moment to stop the anxiety or panic attack. It also gives daily exercises to strengthen the brain to change your fight, flight, freeze response. It is written so that children and adults will be able to understand all the techniques. You can find Tammy’s zine at https://koolsolutions.org/kool-solutions-shop
