Jan 20Member-onlyWhat I Learned About Habit When I Stopped Smoking.Three Weeks Into A Quit. Any change to habit is painful. Could addiction really be just a super-habit in the case of amok with a chemically addicting element to it. In this instance nicotine. Habit has a physical element to it too. It involves the body’s neurobiology. Much easier to…2 min read2 min read
May 24, 2022Member-onlyAn Exciting New Dawn.I’m back to 05:30 am starts. It is really the routine that I feel most comfortable with. I get everything extra I want to do with my day done, before starting the work day. I meditate, and then exercise. And then I try to write something. I’m pretty pleased about…Habits2 min readHabits2 min read
May 23, 2022Member-onlyAre You Resting Enough?Some Time Out Can Make All The Difference. — I had hit burnout. No matter how early I was getting to bed, I was still waking up tired. I felt depressed. My motivation was shot. I couldn’t concentrate properly. I booked time off work. Couldn’t afford a holiday. But given how I needed to rest, it wasn’t a big…Health2 min readHealth2 min read
May 6, 2022Member-onlyA Healthy Routine To Help Beat Depression.I won a symbolic victory against the numb apathy that depression creates and got back into a semblance of my healthy routines by the end of this week. Nothing too strenuous. I managed to meditate for 20 minutes first thing after waking, and then did some light exercise. Of course…Mindfulness3 min readMindfulness3 min read
May 4, 2022Member-onlyWriting Through A Mild Depression.Writing Through Depression Is A Toughie. — Writing through depression is a tough one. You don’t like much about yourself. Your motivation feels sapped. And not just your motivation but your energy levels too. It’s hard to concentrate. Thoughts tend to slow, and lack a little coherence. It is more difficult to edit too. …Depression3 min readDepression3 min read
Apr 28, 2022Member-onlyThe Middle Game Reset.Why You Should Treat Your Middle Game Like a Fresh Start. — I’ve been off my game recently. I had backlogs at work. My living situation wasn’t secure. I’ve still got financial issues as well, though I am working to resolve them. Because I was tired I let a lot of the healthy activities go. I stopped meditating for a few weeks…Concentration2 min readConcentration2 min read
Apr 12, 2022Member-onlyWriting Through Grim Times.Unfortunately I’ve been busy. An office closing means working with people who may be faced with losing their jobs. I’ve been doing this from the Trade Union side. It is grim work. Especially at the moment with this scary economic climate. They have also just run a permanency exercise and…Trade Unions2 min readTrade Unions2 min read
Apr 5, 2022Member-onlyCoping With Relapse Guilt.Can You Use Guilt For Recovery from Addiction? I’ve relapsed many times. Sometimes it was because I wasn’t admitting to myself I had a problem. Other times it was because I’d coped with the itch for long periods of time and thought it would feel easier to just give in. …Addiction5 min readAddiction5 min read
Apr 4, 2022Member-onlyApril Is Here! Resetting Goals For The Month Ahead.I take care to refocus each time a new month comes along so that I remember my aims for the year. I take stock of where I’m at, and where I want to be. March was a tough one. I haven’t been this busy with trade union duties before. I…Focus3 min readFocus3 min read
Mar 29, 2022Member-onlyI Lost My Mind, And Found It Again.Bipolar As I’ve Experienced It. — I woke up this morning with the stuffing knocked out of me a little. For the first time in a while my situation is looking bleaker than expected financially. But I’m going to roll with the punches and count my blessings, budget carefully and try not to let it get…Bipolar4 min readBipolar4 min read
