Looking for accountability partners to motivate to get things done while depressed #3

I have met my goals and am satisfied with what I have done. (The bedtime rituals are for later to day).

My experience is that when one starts to work on a project one gives all one has at the beginning of the project. The problem is to be able to continue when the first feelings of happiness for being able have calmed down. I hope to make it!

Plans for Saturday:


Second day with the new program:

- 07:30 Up when I hear the alarm (at once)
- Prayer
- Connect PC to power
- Recharge Mobile
- Make coffee and breakfast
- Medication
- Physical exercises for 10 minutes
- Breakfast and Lamp (light bulb) 45 minutes only
- Find an object to focus on for two minutes (Mindfulness) to make myself ready to go on with the day
- Hygiene (Focus on this activity only)
- Prepare for the walk
- 40 minutes walk
- Lunch
- Find an object to focus on for two minutes (Mindfulness) to make myself ready to go on with the rest of day
- Dishes
- Write plan for the rest of the day
- ...............................
- ..............................
- ...............................
- 22:30 Calm down before bedtime (let stressful thougts go)
- Active relaxation (use a program)
- Around 23:00 (11:00PM) hopefully go to sleep

Good hopes and wishes for all of you!

I feel frustrated! Yesterday I became so tired that I almost fell asleep before my head was on the pillow. I was not able to do the active relaxation (use a program) because of tiredness. When I woke up this morning, I was very tired after breakfast and it was too dark outside to go for a walk to benefit my winter-depression (SAD). I went to bed again, fell asleep and am now sitting here and wonder about what I shall do.

I cannot make plans that are too difficult for my "disorder". On the other side it is when I go to bed again or have to break plans because of tiredness, it is then I fall off my own good track in the recovery process.

How do I solve this?

I think that since the SAD is real, I have to adapt to that, no quick solution. May be I have to rest when I need it (and at the same time break the "program"). If so, the real problem has to be how to continue after resting and waking up drowsy?

I have decided that perhaps it is an idea to have some sort of a "passing through ritual" to help me go on afterward?

I will try this: Coffee and some food after rest. Tell myself that I am an OK person even if a lot of thoughts pups up in my head after rest, - it is part of my condition. Then I will lay cabal (it sounds silly, I know), but I have found out from before that to lay cabal can help me to shift focus. So when focus is taken off the situation with a lot of thoughts that stand in the way for progression, I will decide what to do for the rest of the day and then use an object to touch and consentrate on (Mindfulness) to break what is already past of the day into being able to use the rest of the day.

I want to try that.

Forgive me for this long post, but I feel that it helps me to "talk to you", my friends on the thread, and at the same time I hope that it inspires you to think about how to solve your own situations when you feel stuck. The solution is always unique for each one of us, but it has to be to look for the real problem. My problem was not the rest, but how to continue after the rest. Instead of telling ourselves that we are stupid, lazy, hopeless or whatever, it is a good idea to ty to figure out what is the real problem (in the here and now) and find our unique way to solve it.

Thank you for reading!

Good hopes and wishes for each one of you!

I wish you much success in your endeavors to overcome the obstacles in your path. Your plans and solutions to challenges are always so well thought out.

I notice that I always seem to be doing, doing, doing with not so much being so I’m going to work on balancing my plans to be a little bit of both.

Plans for Saturday:

1. Run errands.
2. Continue cleaning house.
3. Pet care.
4. Relax with book on the meta-physical.
5. Extended visualization session.
6. Meditate.
7. Cook casserole.
8. Walk dog twice for 20 minutes.
9. Practice doing everything today with mindfulness.

Warm wishes and hugs to all.

Thank you so much! I hope it works. It was a relief to find out that the problem isn't to rest when I'm tired, but what to do after the rest (to help myself not to become prisoner of my own thoughts). Some days what to do after the rest can just be to use Netflix (let go of my many thoughts and focus on something else)the rest of the day, while it may be a walk, do housework or whatever another day.

All in all it seems to indicate that (self-) acceptance is the best way to live always, but especially in the winter time when the energy level is lower than usual!

My doctor appointment went well. I opened some more packages then took it easy. Today/Tomorrow I will deal with the litter box.

I have had time to think more about it. I agree with myself that the real problem is: "How to continue after resting and waking up drowsy".

I also agree with myself that I need "some sort of a "passing through ritual" to help me go on afterward". The coffee, food and cabal doing is OK as well, but I think that when feeling exhausted is part of the problem, it will only make me more exhausted if I make a too strict list over what to do afterward. A better solution might be to chose a "thing" to do, rest again if I need it and continue with that pattern for the rest of the day if there is energy to do more. If not, sit down and relax, read a book, use Netflix or whatever. The point is to not be self-punishing in my thoughts when I go to bed for the night.

To come through the day feeling good enough is the aim!

Thank you for reading!

I send good thoughts and wishes for each one go you!

sunday:

- open door number 9 on the advent calendar (yes)

- eat bacon for breakfast with a glass of juice (I had bacon for breakfast, but a glass of fizzy)

-catch up on soap opera from the last week (not quite, so far only watched 3 episodes out of 6)

- cook roast (not even going to bother)

For those who have to fight SAD in the winter!


It is only 12 days until winter solstice! Twelve days to fight before the longest day. After that comes Christmas and then The New Year, perhaps with a little snow-fall. Snow will make the dark feel less dark!

I will do my best to fight myself through these days, but I admit that it feels very difficult ...

Fight, fight, fight ... with good and wise tools !

Meal planning at the beginning of the week
Substituting holiday decorations with holiday food pleasantries
Bought one new item to help with a life problem
Lost two items I no longer use/need

(a little disappointed about holiday decorations. may compromise with a new table runner and mittens for my dog)

Opened more packages and dealt with the litter box. Tomorrow will take out the trash.

Plans for Monday with alternative choices:

- TRY TO REMEMBER TO BE MINDFUL IN EVERY SITUATION ...
- 08:00 Up
- 0830 - 8:45 Breakfast and Light bulb
- If I have to go to bed again because of extreme tiredness, I have to get out of bed 10:15
- If not bed, hang up clothes and do dishes
- Lunch with friends
- Grocery
- If clothes are still in the washing machine, hang them up
- If dishes are not done, do it
- Write Christmas cards
- Dinner and rest a bit afterward
- Decide what to do for the rest of the day

Good wishes and hopes for each one of you!

Plans for Monday:

1. Water aerobics.
2. Go through storage and dispose, donate, consign, etc
3. Attend Women’s Christmas dinner.
4. Walk dog twice for 15 minutes.
5. Cook casserole.
6. Read 10 chapters of new book.
7. Affirmations/visualize/meditate.
8. Visit with daughter.

Warm wishes to everyone.

monday:

- open door number 10 on my advent calendar (yes)

- eat bacon for breakfast(yes)

- trivia (no)

- emails (no)

- soap opera (no)

- music (yes)

- forum (yes)

- eat chicken kiev for dinner (who knows)

- creative writing (no)

I have met all my goals for today. I feel relaxed and am satisfied.

Plans for Tuesday:

- Try to be mindful during the different situations of the day
- 8:30 up
- Breakfast and Light bulb
- Make food for the hiking.
- Hiking with friends
- Dinner
- Rest (am always tired after the hikings)


Good wishes and hopes for each one of you!

I really don't know what i'm going to do today.

litirally the only thing I've set myself to do is to open my advent calendar, and that's been done- and at the moment, all I'm really doing is posting on here.

I suppose when I'm finished here I'll go watch my soap opera or something... honestly no clue

Took out the trash yesterday. Today I will order groceries and open packages.

Plans for Tuesday:

1. Attend Drum Circle.
2. Straighten house.
3. Affirmations/visualization/meditation.
4. Visit with daughter.
5. Cook casserole.

Warm wishes to all.

All I did was get my groceries and sleep all day. Tomorrow I hope to get a shower.

My Tuesday was wonderful. Sun in the mountains, beautiful view. But I felt very tired afterward. Because of that I allowed myself to sleep as long as needed today (Wednesday). I have to take it from here. First breakfast, let myself wake up at the breakfast table, and then set up goals one by one …...

May you all be well and feel that you accomplish at least something!

wednesday:

- eat breakfast (yes)

- check emails (yes)

- trivia (no)

- watch the recess movie (yes)

-catch up on soap opera (no, but hopefully after postin here)

- look for something for dinner (no)

Plans for Wednesday:

1. Clean house.
2. Walk dog for 20 minutes.
3. Affirmations/meditation
4. Take trash to curb.
5. See movie with friends.

Warm wishes to all.

I washed dishes and did laundry. Today I have to pick up meds.

Plans for Thursday:

- I allowed myself to sleep as long as needed! (Feel rested).
- Have had my breakfast
- NEXT:
- Gymnastics
- Dishes
- Shower
- Lunch
- Remember an important phone call
- ......
- Grocery
- Dinner
- Dishes again
- Rest a bit
- Write Christmas cards

A good Thursday to each one of you!

PS. I want to add something that it is very important that I remember: I have psychical diseases in addition to the psychological problems I struggle with. They can sometimes make me very tired. It is difficult for me to discern whether my tiredness comes from one of the physical disorders or if it is part of my depression. I try to accept to live with all these, but may be I have to be more kind to myself? May be I should allow myself to rest when I need it? I almost fainted some minutes ago. I am now resting on a chair. I just needed to put these words down to remind myself that to accept my limitations is to have a realistic view on myself and not a failure. DS. A hard lesson!

I picked up my meds, dropped off a script and ordered groceries. I also went through my mail. Today was pretty productive. Tomorrow I plan to take out the trash and set up my new coffee maker (hopefully).