Hello! Sooo, I know it's been over two months since my last post... as usual, I've not had any ideas of something to write about. Now, suddenly, I do have something, and then will have two more things in a few weeks' time, so I thought I'd just do an update following up on my previous post at New Year, before cracking on with the others!
- CBT: This is going fairly well so far, next week will be the sixth session of eight. I've actually been feeling a lot better the last couple of months (not completely), so haven't really been able to put the tools and techniques into practice. But my mum pointed out that it's probably a good thing that I've been feeling fine while doing the CBT, because if I was still feeling really down and overwhelmed, it might have been too much to take in and try to do. This way, I can take it in, make notes and process it, and start to incorporate the techniques into my life without the pressure of feeling bad if I don't pick them up quickly or whatever.
- Do a writing course: Done nada so far... I have an issue with motivation (which is actually the topic of the next CBT session). This writing course is completely individually done, completely online and completely open-ended. I'm not attending a weekly session where I'm assigned homework, there are no deadlines, there are no classmates to talk to. Those things make a big difference to me. But the question is, how to make myself do this course? I'd like to, but I'm very forgetful. Perhaps once I actually get started I'll be more likely to remember it. At my new job I get a full hour lunch break, but I usually eat at my desk and take the hour to go for a walk - but when it's really wet and windy, I could take my tablet to the building's break-out areas with chairs and desks and do some of the course then.
- Perhaps restart and finish the nutrition course: Done nada so far, so looking unlikely, perhaps one day but not a priority right now.
- Get a new job: Yes! I was offered a job in the first week of January so have been in it for nearly a month now. While the work the company does isn't something I'm interested in, the environment is so much nicer, the people are really friendly and welcoming and relaxed, and my tasks are slightly more interesting and creative. Getting this job, being able to leave the old one, has definitely been a major factor in me feeling better the last couple of months.
- Learn to drive: Still waiting for a driving school to have availability with automatic cars! I do kind of want to do an intensive course and have it done in one week, but I'm not good under pressure... I should start studying the theory, that would be a good starting point. Again, forgetfulness.
- Get out more: Yes! I wouldn't have said this has changed much, that I'm still spending most of my evenings in front of the telly, but, actually, I have been out a bit more, and that's something, and my sister said I definitely have. What I've started to do is utilise the calendar on my phone, which I look at most days - I input things I'm interested in going to, even if I haven't decided whether to actually go or not, so that I remember them and am more likely to go. Woohoo =]
- Save money: Haven't made a budget yet, but have moved a bit of what I have left at the end of the month into my savings, which is better than nothing. I've just signed up to Monzo, a digital bank, which you access and control through a smartphone app, and which allows you to create Pots for different savings goals, rather than just keep everything together in one savings account. You can also set monthly budgets, such as £50 for eating out and other social/leisure things, and there are things like the option to round-up spending and put the change into a Pot (e.g. if I spend £1.60, 40p will be automatically moved into savings).
- Build up habits of meditation, yoga, mindfulness and gratitude: Done nada so far... But I've just entered an afterwork meditation session held every Thursday at a centre in town into my phone calendar, and once I get a new phone next week (with more internal storage) I'll download a meditation app so I can do a guided meditation at home after work or in the morning (if I remember!)
- Get back into pagan spirituality: Done nada so far...
- Climb Snowdon (or Cadair Idris): I haven't done anything towards planning this yet - I should just pick a date!
- Exercise more: Done nada so far...
- Eat more plants: Haven't done much towards this. I've included a few full-of-veg vegan recipes on the most recent meal plan, but haven't made an effort to make veg snacks for work, like green smoothies, or spiced roasted chickpeas, or celery sticks with peanut butter, or carrots with hummus. Those things are so simple, I just need to do it - like I just spontaneously made a green smoothie bowl for breakfast this morning, haha! Yummy =]
- Read less self-help books: Yes! Haven't read any self-help books so far :) Instead I've read all the books I got for Christmas - mostly memoirs - and a couple of others.
...So, out of those 13 things I've only really ticked four, and half-ticked another couple, but there are a few other things I have done:
- Signed up to take part in a 25km/15-mile hike on 8th June, as part of the Jurassic Coast Challenge, as a personal challenge and to raise money for mental health charity Mind. Read more and donate if you'd like to on my JustGiving page :)
- Entered a competiton to spend three months living in an Italian village this summer, learning to cook, learning the language, growing vegetables, and helping a local NGO to revitalise the emptying village. The competition was open to people all over the world and there'll only be four winners, so it's unlikely I'll get even shortlisted, but I had to apply, it would be a dream come true!
- Want to enter a travel writing competition to win a 14-day trip to Portugal with a travel writer mentor. However, the closing date is next Wednesday and I don't have any ideas on what to write about! They've given three themes to pick one from, but I can't think of anything...
In the end, some progress is better than none :)