Social Anxiety: A positive perspective

 

I think having SAD can sometimes be seen as a negative. However, I have to say that I like the quiet, more reserved members of our species. Just as we need outgoing, talkative people in this world, I find people who are reserved and less forthcoming have an air of mystery about them. I have not met anyone who has SA but I know a number of people who are worriers and who find being around people can make them highly anxious.  I find they have struggled during their lives and yet they forge on. It seems to me that people who have SA possess an inner fortitude.

SA seems to go hand in hand with struggle, stress and sensitivity but that doesn’t mean it comes without its good points. When I recognise someone who might have SA, I welcome the sensitivity they often bear. I know that person has any number of talents which will only be revealed when the time and space is right.  To me that is a good thing.  I don't want friendship that comes in a blaze of lights and fizzes away to nothing just as quickly as it came.

 

SA is difficult but like everything it has plenty of good things about it. Like the turtle and the hare, getting to know someone with SA is like the turtle: slow but steady!!

 

Embrace Social Anxiety today.

Goal: Running again!

Goal:  Exercise three times a week.

 

I’m running again and I’m running better than ever. Well, today marks the end of Week 2 of the Couch to 5k program. This week I’ve had to do cycles of 90 seconds running and 2 minutes walking. It’s been much easier this time around compared with my first attempt.

I embarked feebly on my second round of training. I figured that I would not achieve much so I set off and flippantly fancied I might manage 100 metres of running in total that day. Almost farcically I ran as slowly as I could knowing I hadn’t been exercising for a while. To my surprise, my terribly slow pace was comfortable and manageable. I didn’t need to cut anything short. I just focussed on jogging as slowly as I could. I made it right through the training session.

So Week 3 here I come.

Simple Living Sunday: Frightfully frugal gardening tip

Don't throw away your  banana peels. Give your plants a potassium-fix!

Here is a frightfully frugal tip.

Banana peels soaking in water overnight: free potassium-rich drink for your plants the next day!! (Bananas are a rich source of potassium and  hopefully "chemical-free")

This tip comes from one of my friends who is frightfully knowledgeable about all things botanical.

Simple Living Sunday: In the garden

Life has been busy. I was going to do so much this weekend but, unfortunately, there's only time for top priorities. Yesterday I was meant to start on my tax. I was very tired after a busy day the day before and ended up having a 2 hour nap. I am grateful that my life allows me to do that but I want to go away next weekend so there remains much to do.

I finally started on my tax last night. I pride myself on doing it myself though the truth is that no one sees my frustrations as I go through the motions. Most of my stress comes from second checking as I am not a natural when it comes to bookkeeping. The main format is relatively easy and doing it myself means that I know what's happening with my money. But, oh my, the frustration I experienced last night as a whole hour passed with me attempting to set up the new, compulsory account. One account must link to another account, and so on. The setting up of that "new" account was challenging (hopefully no one could hear my ranting).

I'm pleased to say that some new additions to the garden are settling in well. My gardening friend helped me plant the seeds and seedlings but much of the soil - outside of the garden beds - is very poor. Nevertheless, some seeds have taken well  and  made a good start. Hopefully I can nourish them along the way.

I love the red sea of flowers next door. Last year I grabbed some cuttings and planted them by the front fence. They've already started to make an impression.

I'm learning...slowly. I'm happy with this lot of carrots.

I don't know the technical term but each year around this time the grapevine drops its ?????? and a green carpet forms on the patio.

 

I need to go and do some school preparation and get that tax done.

Have a lovely day wherever you are.

Goals: Fairy Garden

It's slowly happening. It's taken a couple of years but I'm pleased to say that it's begun.

I bought these little pieces at Hahndorf. They're rather sweet so I'm not sure whether I will manage to put them outside to deal with the elements. Or maybe I'll just have to create an indoor fairy garden!

Perfectionist me wants to hold off jumping in and just seeing what happens. I know that taking a step forward is a step forward. Not taking a step means I go nowhere!

I couldn't resist these when I saw them. I'm hoping to have a few fairy locales scattered throughout the garden and each one with a theme. I'm not sure what theme I'll develop with this lot of miniatures but wait and see.

I was hoping I'd find second-hand containers and bric-a-brac for the different gardens but I haven't seen too many. It did motivate me to get started when a friend gave me the barrel for my birthday. As soon as I saw it I knew  it was going to be my first canvas.

What has helped me get started on this project?

• allowing for creativity and passion to be part of what I plan for each week
• giving myself permission to not have a perfectly cleaned house
• breaking the task down into small, achievable actions
• keeping it simple; using what I've got, keeping it affordable

I'm sure one day soon you'll get a glimpse of the finished product but this weekend my tax comes first!!

Simple Living Sunday: My Weekend

I've had a lovely weekend but with not enough time to do everything.

Last night I joined old school friends for a weekend in country Macedon to celebrate a 50th birthday. I really enjoyed it. I felt very comfortable in myself for which I was truly grateful. I don't stay up late these days so I did struggle to party on after ten o'clock!! It was a fun night and it was lovely to breathe in some fresh mountain air.

I got a lot of gardening done yesterday. I harvested one bunch of celery but it didn't seem right and I'm not sure why. I tidied up some other areas and did some weeding. There's been no rain and this weekend has been quite warm so I watered the newer plants and those undercover.

My neighbours have an amazing show of  these red flowers so I took photos yesterday. The whole bed looks like a sea of brilliant red velvet.

This morning I made it to the Flemington Craft Market. It's on again for the spring/summer season. A few years ago I bought a lovely little table made from recycled wood by a local craftsperson. After saving last year and after pinning my ideas this year I finally got to put in my request for a matching hall bench - only to be told he is  not well enough to do it. Nevertheless, at the same stall I bought a revamped magazine holder. A nice find! I also came across a stall for dollhouse furniture and found some pieces which I think will look lovely in my fairy garden-to-be.

It's now time for a run and then back home to do the washing, cook some dinner and get some schoolwork done.

Have a good week.

Happy SAD Tips

Tip: Employ a life coach for free!

The journey along the pot-holed road to happiness can be harrowing at times. I remember years ago, as a young teacher, trying to summon up courage and energy each day to face my eager students and the intimidating,  ever-confident, (so I believed) faces of  colleagues and parents. I was exhausted during those years and, of course, I didn't know why.

One day I came home feeling terribly uncomfortable. I had said something I regretted to a student. I was mortified and riddled with angst. What would the parents say? How would I face the principal over this? They'll tell other parents....    And that night the same thoughts went round and round and round in my head.

I can't remember how it came about but amidst that stress I realised something. My sister is cool, calm and collected. She is super organised and she knows what she is doing. She's the complete opposite of me. It struck me that  she would not be sitting at home worrying like me. Also a teacher, she would just move on after a difficult exchange. I could picture her and how she would react. I also knew she would tire quickly of my unrelenting thoughts which is why I never shared with her!

Somehow I began to see that I could "use" my sister as an instant gauge for indicating when I was overdoing the worrying. I could imagine what she would say and what she would do. She never knew it but there were many days when I would consider her when I needed a perspective different from my own.

Perhaps, like me, you can't employ a life coach to help keep your life on track. You might live by yourself and find it hard to ask others for advice.  So consider a person you respect and know well; someone who makes decisions easily. Use them as a gauge to help you get perspective. Ask yourself: How would  they react if they were in my situation?  


FYI : The next day at work no student, teacher or parent said anything about what I had said. Ever!

Simple Living: Out and About

A late good morning to you all.



Kaniva livestock

 

It's a gorgeous sunny day here. As I sit by the window, sunlight streams in and birds twitter gaily in the trees. I love the heartening signs of spring, bearing hints of the  warmer and brighter days which are just around the corner.

Over in South Australia I had the delight of visiting the Mt Barker Recycling Centre. It's set up on a hill, across from a very old windmill. It's run by an organisation which employs people with disabilities. It's a magnificent yard of organised piles of beautiful junk. I saw a lovely iron outdoor setting, in very good condition, and a lovely old lampstand and shade. If I was a local I would have loved to have bought them but I was returning home the next day and they would not have fitted in my car. However, I did come away with a sweet, old-looking pot which would suit my sweet, little cottage garden.

 

A couple of days later I was inspired to visit my local recycling centre. It was full of junk and I came away with nothing. It's a newer centre so perhaps over time there will be more to see. There are not too many very old homes in our area whereas the Mt Barker one has many old homes and this was evident by the sorts of junk on sale.



Adelaide Mall



Adelaide Mall



Kaniva livestock

Have a good week!


 

Sian Prior- a shy Australian (who made it big!)

I subscribe to Richard Fidler’s weekly program (ABC radio) of in-depth interviews. All free! I don’t actually get much time to listen to them so I pick and choose which ones I will listen to.

One day, not too long ago, I went through the list and, to my surprise, there was an interview with a woman who would talk about being shy. Without question that was the one I selected over and above all the others.

In the interview, Australian writer, Sian Prior , talks about her experience of growing up feeling shy and of what it is like to be socially anxious.

I listened to all she had to say and I quietly rejoiced, for in that moment, we, Australians who have social anxiety, were being given a voice that reached beyond the hidden corners of our normal refuges. This was a significant interview for it was the first time in Australia I had really heard people officially talking about social anxiety.

As is the case for many articles and interviews, Sian Prior’s interview coincided with the publication of her book: Shy: a memoir.

So much of what she said resonated with my own experience of being shy. I am happy that there is a book out there expounding a case for social anxiety but I won’t be buying the book. As Sian shared some of her memories of growing up I had to acknowledge it was uncomfortable revisiting some of those difficult times. But that's just me.

I commend Sian Prior for what she has done.

 

 Congratulations to the ABC, our national free-to-air broadcaster, for providing a whole week of programming aimed at fostering a healthy understanding of mental health issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALS: Too busy to clean

CLEANING GOALS

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I pushed cleaning down the planning list to make room for some of my preferred goals. This has worked very nicely. I find I approach the week with a keener anticipation knowing that I will get to enjoy working on my “preferred” goals.

However, I don’t want to neglect housework completely. I actually dream of having a cosy little cottage which is warm and inviting and a lovely space to be in. With that in mind I came up with a ‘modified cleaning plan’.



Some days



Other days

The plan works like this:

·        Washing clothes and doing dishes get done regularly.

·        Each month I aim do the following four jobs.

o   Sweep and wash the floor

o   Vacuum carpeted areas

o   Clean bath and toilet

o   Clean shower

The problem is I have not been getting these jobs done. Life is busy. Things come up. I work fulltime etc. etc. So, upon reflection, I am putting this out there to try to make me more accountable.

This October can I do all four jobs?

• Sweep and wash floor  - Done 5/10. Because mum was coming over!!

A pleasing, yet surprising, start!! Well done!

How do you fit everything in when life is so busy?

 

SIMPLE LIVING SUNDAY: In the garden

SIMPLE LIVING SUNDAY: In the garden
 

I’ve come back home after a short holiday interstate.  Spring has certainly sprung, though some of the flowers look a little the worse for wear after a couple of very windy days.

 

 Two of my friends have come back with me, just for a few days. One of my friends is good at gardening and cooking and loves to be kept busy. He doesn’t like to sit around relaxing for too long, which has largely been to my benefit.

With his help this is a sample of what has been achieved:

 

Coconut buns in coconut cream sauce

 

Using up vegies, quiche from scratch

Tomatoes and capsicum

 

I’ve been trying this vegie garden caper for a couple of years now. Previously I had a low maintenance native garden. Now I have a smaller cottage garden out front and a vegetable patch and small garden areas out the back. If my friend hadn’t helped me then the vegie patch would still be small and sparse. I’m sure it wouldn’t have extended beyond a few carrots and broccoli. I have read a lot on the internet and watched lots of programs about gardening but I still found it difficult to know what to do. For example, when I first planted the carrots I didn’t know whether I was supposed to separate the bunch of fine stems and plant singly or whether one plant was meant to have several stem-like parts.

Getting a helping hand has made a big difference. And a hoe! I still don’t know many things but simply watching my friend dig up the soil has taught me a lot, including the fact that I could do that much on my own, if I had a hoe.  I didn’t realise how much easier the job is with a hoe! (No shovel, either…)

Have a happy Sunday.