Helpful Hints
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Applying For Jobs With A Service Dog
I want to talk a bit about the hiring process. I’ve officially been hired at a company and have completed all of my documentation. For those with a service dog or curious about how the process differs with a service dog, this article is for you. I went through the application/interview process with three companies. I feel like I have a decent sense of what to expect and how it differed from the average experience. So here’s what you should know. When I Disclose I like to tell companies during the interview process that I have a service dog. This is completely my personal preference. It does open the door…
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I Did A Podcast!
I had the amazing opportunity to be on The Bladder Battle Podcast! You can stream it anywhere you listen to podcasts! Click the link below to stream it on Youtube. We address so much within the podcast. Everything from my journey through chronic illness, to having a service dog. Of course we talk in depth about my bladder issues and my experience with incontinence. This is an amazing and safe space to learn about issues that most people feel are a sensitive topic. I am so grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait for you to listen! I hope you’re having a good day. I hope your day is filled…
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How Crush Helps With Surgery Recovery
Crush has been incredibly helpful throughout all my surgeries. Although, most of the time after surgery he can’t perform his regular tasks, he can still help. So what does that look like? Here’s how my service dog helps me after surgery! Get Help This is a big one. Crush is trained to go and find someone in my house. I can simply say, “get help” and he’ll find someone and nudge them until they follow him back to me. This can be helpful if I’ve fallen or simply can’t get to my phone. Retrieve Crush usually has retrieving tasks. Picking stuff up off the ground is incredibly strenuous for me…
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Five Post Surgery Distractions
If you’re like me, all you want after surgery is distraction. It’s easy to wallow in the pain and get lost in napping. Although I appreciate letting my body rest, it’s helpful to have distractions when I’m all rested. So here are some ways that I like to distract myself post surgery! Writing I really enjoy writing. Whether it be journalling, writing blog articles, or working on a project, writing is a good outlet. It can be difficult to get started, especially if the pain is intense. Once I find my rhythm though it’s easy to get into a flow state of mind. Not only is that helpful to alleviate…
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I Made $500 in 5 Days
No, I’m not kidding. Yes, I made $500 in 5 days. This isn’t a trick or a scam. I simply sold stuff I didn’t need. This is super easy. Everything I sold was through Facebook Marketplace. It came with a lot of frustration but I’m still getting orders for things daily. The best part, I haven’t used any of this stuff in YEARS. So what did my process look like? How can you make $500 in 5 days? Follow this guide and you’ll be well on your way. Start Sorting Go through everything you have. From clothes to travel gear! My biggest ticket item was a saxophone. You can sell…
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My Response to Service Dog Questions
Every time I go out, I get questions about Crush. People ask entirely inappropriate questions. Luckily, the company that gave me Crush prepared me to answer these. I had no idea how I would respond initially. Even now, every question and person gets a variation of the same answer. Sometimes these questions leave me laughing, crying, or somewhere in between. So here are some of my pre-programmed responses to the question: Why do you have him/ What’s wrong with you? I have a disability I like this because it’s short and sweet. It also addresses how. Inappropriate it is to ask without shaming the person for asking. I like that…
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Ways To Practice Self Compassion
Self compassion is a journey. I would say I’ve come quite a long way from where I used to be. Sometimes, I need a reminder though. There are great ways to start practicing self compassion in daily life. These are ones that I practice daily, let me know if they help you! Saying No If someone is exhausting you, set boundaries! This is a great way to practice compassion. Often, we feel like we need to be constantly available to people 24/7. We can set our boundaries and respect what our body and mind needs. This is a way to show love, respect, and kindness to yourself. Affirmations Affirmations are…
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Reconnecting With Your Space
I have been completely overwhelmed lately. My classes started. I have had multiple mini allergy attacks, and medical appointments that were challenging. When I feel overwhelmed, my OCD starts to become more intense. I feel lucky and grateful that I have the awareness that these thoughts and feelings are a result of OCD. That being said, it’s still challenging. How do I deal with this? In the short term, I use grounding techniques. In the long term, I find things that I can control. Often, what I can control is the space that I live in. With the pandemic, I have spent an excessive amount of time at home. Not…
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How to Set the Tone for Relaxation
I’ve been working really hard on relaxing lately. After getting out of my pattern, I’ve felt an excess of tension. In order to combat this, I started doing these things to help me relax at the end of the night. This is what works for me. Let me know if you have any tips of your own! Tea I love settling down with a cup of tea at the end of the night. It helps me hit the reset button really quickly. It also helps me to slow down. When I drink something hot, it’s almost impossible to drink it with any type of speed. Therefore, I’m much more aware…
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Links To Help You Understand OCD
There are large misconceptions out there about what OCD is. It’s often associated with cleaning, neatness, and organization. That can be true and accurate for some people with OCD. However, there’s a large variance in types of OCD. Here are some links to help you understand OCD and what someone is going through. It’s often best to listen and ask questions. Be patient but most of all don’t pry. If someone doesn’t want to share, that’s their right. If they want help, they’ll ask for it. If you’re going to watch any video, watch this one. Most people with OCD that I know struggle with intrusive thoughts. Even if they…
