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An Update on My New Diagnosis
If you follow my blog regularly, you know that I got a new diagnosis recently. I have been diagnosed with Bile Acid Malabsorption. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go check out “A New Diagnosis.” Since being diagnosed with BAM, I got started on a new medication. I wanted to give you an update on how things were going. To help process all of the excessive acid in my stomach, I started taking a new medication. It’s known as Cholestyramine. I take it before lunch and dinner. I couldn’t tell you one thing about this medication besides the fact that it tastes like chalk. All and all though,…
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Five Ways to Destress
When the semester started, I was extremely overwhelmed. The first week is always a challenge. It feels like there are a million things to do and no time to get it done. The first few weeks of school remind me of the importance of being mindful. I also prioritize time to destress. This looks different to everyone but here are five ways I destress. Watching Bloopers For me, laughing is key. Whenever I can get out of my head and laugh, I can feel stress melt away. I tend to look up bloopers from my favorite shows as a go to. The Office and Schitt’s Creek are my go to…
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My Can Do Canines Story
A couple weeks ago, I had an amazing opportunity. Can Do Canines, the organization that gave me Crush asked me to be part of a fundraising video. The concept was very simple, they wanted to hear my story. This opportunity meant a lot to me. Crush has given me so much of my life back. I cannot thank Can Do Canines enough nor say enough good things about them. I was grateful to be given this chance to give back to an organization that has changed my life so much. I wanted to share it here to give a more in depth explanation about what he does for me. Please…
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Appreciating What I Have
I’ve been struck lately by how grateful I am. Everywhere I turn, there is something to appreciate. I thought I would list some here in hopes that you too can find gratitude everywhere you look. It has made me undeniably happier. Being grateful and appreciating what you have is such a gift. It’s a simple reminder of all that’s going well. It’s appreciating what you have and not holding onto what you don’t. It’s a blessing. Here are some things that I am grateful for. You! This blog has been such an amazing experience. It gives me a space to share my journey, help others, and sometimes vent a little…
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Books That Brought Me to Buddhism
In high school, I learned about Buddhism briefly. At the time, I related to it and enjoyed reading the philosophies but didn’t give it much thought. After getting sick, I sought out meditation and beliefs to cope with what was happening. In learning more about Buddhism as a religion, I chose it as a lifestyle. Since then, I do my best to live a compassion based life. These are the books that brought to Buddhism. No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners: Clear Answers to Burning Questions About Core Buddhist Teachings by Noah Rasheta I had to start somewhere. I started with the basics. I figured learning what Buddhism is and isn’t was…
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How to Stay Present
Life is filled with trials and tribulations. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by work, family, or social situations. Having OCD, I’ve found various ways of staying present. This has become second nature. After a while, you start utilizing these techniques without even realizing it. If you have anxiety or need a little help during the pandemic, here are some tips on how to stay present. Ground Yourself Before you do anything, ground yourself. Bring yourself back to the present moment. Whether you find the rainbow, use your senses, or do 4-5-7 breathing take a moment to come back. Without grounding yourself, your mind will automatically be overwhelmed. Any attempts to…
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The Thing About Performing
This subject has been on my mind a lot recently. What does it mean to be a performer? I have studied acting now for four years in college. That’s beyond what I did in high school. Altogether theatre has been in my life for over ten years. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I’ve known this is what I wanted to do at a young age. People will often say “Well you’re a performer, you should know how to be on the spot.” There’s a lot to say about this notion but let me start here. Yes, improv is a part of theatre. That doesn’t mean that I want…
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Creating an Online School Schedule
I have been doing online classes for a long time. I’ve done it both for high school and several semesters in college. It can be difficult to find your groove with online school. Especially if you have no prior experience. Creating a schedule for yourself is the first step to success. It’s important to set and reach goals weekly to keep yourself on track and thriving. Here are some easy ways to make a school schedule that works for you. Start Your Day off Right This is vital for me. It’s important to wake up at the same time everyday during your week. Even if you don’t have classes, this…
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Creating a Bedtime Routine
Sleep is so important. I mean, of course, it is. I hear people all the time in both the chronic illness community and not talk about their lack of sleep. Personally, I sleep like a baby. That doesn’t come without a lot of work though. I had to create a pattern for good sleep hygiene. Since this is something everyone needs, I thought I would create a guide so you can create your own routine. That way we can all get a good night’s rest to start our days off right! Stop Using Your Phone Now, I’m not going to tell you to stop using your phone in bed. For…
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OCD and Surgery
I dread having surgery when it comes to my OCD. Downtime is something I really struggle with. I try to keep myself busy. I feel purpose when I have a task in front of me. Relaxing is something that doesn’t come easy to me. It’s something I work at every day. Surgery is the combination of a lot of things I fear. It’s a lack of motivation, energy, and filled with downtime. Going into surgery, I often come up with a cope ahead plan. I plan activities that stimulate my mind. I plan for mindfulness. I schedule appointments with my OCD therapist for exposures and accountability for compulsions. Surgery can…
