For me, I will not:
Join the conversation here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
1. What does creativity mean to you?
2. How have you incorporated creativity into your daily/weekly schedule?
3. When you hear the word “create” what thoughts come to your mind?
4. How do you stay motivated in your creative process?
5. If you have a condition, does your condition affect how you express your creativity?
Drop what you think of creativity in the comments below.
Join the conversation here on The Mighty!
So very excited to announce the NAMI-NYC Expressive Arts workshop event I will be hosting at the end of the month! This event will be via Zoom and on the NAMI-NYC website. You can find the link here. Click the Expressive Arts Zoom link for October 31st, 2020.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free email me or leave a comment. The time of the event is in Eastern Standard Time.
**I will share any updates or changes and keep everyone posted.
Here are some details for the event:
“One of the toughest challenges I face living with an invisible illness is explaining to others what it’s like to be in my head. From the long anxious nights fighting insomnia to struggling to find the motivation to get out of bed most mornings, one of the only ways I’m able to explain what it’s like to grapple with my persistent depression is by using analogies.
Analogies help me to be both creative and descriptive as I paint a mental image of my experiences. The most recent analogy I’ve used to explain my depression to my therapist is the most spot-on, especially since this year has been my toughest one yet.
My analogy goes a little like this: Living with persistent depressive disorder is like a series of dark tunnels in my mind. There are no lights at the end of any of these tunnels. Instead, the lights are in small pockets underneath street lamps surrounded by fireflies. These fireflies represent strength, reassurance, and growth. And although they aren’t everlasting, I can use what I’ve learned from them while I continue to crawl along in my dark tunnel.
I’m proud to know my toolbox is filled with everything I’ve learned in the light, but that doesn’t make my darkness end — I face that reality every day. But with that knowledge, I can keep going because I know I’ll soon reach another bright pocket.
Reminder:
If you ever find yourself in your own dark tunnel, it’s OK to rest and take a peek inside your self-care toolbox. You are not alone and the darkness doesn’t always last forever.”
Have you ever used an analogy to describe what it’s like living with an invisible illness? Join the conversation here on The Pencil Case.
This activity was featured in The Mighty #CheckInWithMe newsletter which you can subscribe to on the TheMighty.com or Mighty app.
Release the tension in your shoulders, sit straight, and breathe. Give yourself time, space, and the grace necessary to let go of anything you are holding on to. Allow the ebbs and flows of the process to teach you what you need to progress and move forward.
Listen to your body.
Listen to your triggers.
Understand yourself.
Affirm you are ready to move forward.
Comment below what snack represents what type of positivity and power boost you need this week from your self-care menu.
Find this Check-In here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
Find this Check-in here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
Pick a self-kindness affirmation card to accompany you through the rest of the week:
1. I am enough.
2. I give myself permission to rest.
3. I give myself space to learn and grow.
4. It’s okay for me to ask for help.
5. My worth is not dependent on how much I get done.
6. I honor my needs by resting when my body tells me to.
Feel free to add your own affirmation!
So very excited to announce the NAMI-NYC Expressive Arts workshop event I will be co-hosting later this month! This event will be via Zoom and on the NAMI-NYC website. You can find the link here. Click the Expressive Arts Zoom link for August 29th, 2020.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free email me or leave a comment. The time of the event is in Eastern Standard Time.
**I will share any updates or changes and keep everyone posted.
Here are some details for the event:
Title
Lifeboat
Time
5:30 pm – 7 pm EST
Description:
“Lifeboat” is a creative, reflective, and fun event focused on creatively describing ourselves, our challenges, and how we can approach those challenges using our strengths, skills, and perspective. Starting with an ice breaker, we will brainstorm our favorite slogans, affirmations, and quotes. The main activity will be to then imagine a scene of a boat out at sea. Each portion of the image signifies a different portion to approaching challenges: the sea being our challenges and things would like to improve in our daily life, the boat being the tools we use to approach those challenges and how we can take care of ourselves in the process, and sky being goals and ways we can maintain self-care using those tools in our lifeboat. Lastly, we will close by sharing our works of art!
Materials
Paper, writing utensils (pen, pencil, markers, or crayons).
Hope to see you there!
Sometimes the world around me is a lot to process — noises are too loud, lights too bright and my thoughts often fall down a never-ending spiral. I care deeply for the people around me and wish I could do more. It’s like I’m an emotional sponge.
I’m no stranger to feeling overwhelmed and I catch myself retreating in order to feel better again. I regain my energy with creativity and love to reflect so I can better understand myself and others. My brain likes looking at the bigger picture but does so through subtleties. I see patterns and small details and my favorite questions are “why?” and “how?”
However, being highly sensitive has made me susceptible to scrutiny and criticism. I’m often “too much” or “too deep” for the liking of some people. I remember once being told, “You make things too difficult and complex and would benefit from being more simple.” That isn’t who I am though, and I shouldn’t be ashamed of how sensitive I am. It’s taken me some time to fully understand and accept my emotional nature and to perceive it as an ability instead of a burden.
While feeling deeply is no walk in the park, I am proud of how far I’ve come in my journey of self-love. But I know I still have so much more to learn. If you are a highly sensitive person like me, know that you are not alone. No matter what, you are not “too much” and I’m happy to walk this journey with you..
What are your experiences like as a highly sensitive person?
Join this conversation here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty, or comment on this post!
