Guilt About Not Blogging

Here are three of my friends from Disney. I love meeting new people here.

With work and then playing in the parks, I have struggled to blog each day. This has caused a great deal of guilt. Why do I take time to do other things when I should be dedicated to this?

However, maybe my priorities are changing. Yes, this is still very important to me and certainly my readers are. You all have supported me through so much. Writing and helping others has been and continues to be an important part of my journey.

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We All Suffer from Mortification…And That’s Good!

Embarrassment, confusion, sheepishness – all of these emotions make us cringe. No one wants to feel that way. However, no emotion (with the exception of shame perhaps) captures the mingled horror, guilt, and shock as well as mortification.

Mortification is more than simply feeling bad or a bit awkward. It is a sense of fear of the repercussions about what you said or did, sorrow that you did so, and a wish that you could take it back and redo that moment.

Ten Reasons I See Myself As Better and Worse Than Others

We have reasons why we are better/worse humans even if we do not realize them.

At my university’s chapel yesterday, the speaker gave an amazingly candid and thought-provoking exercise for us to do. “List the reasons why you think that you are a better person or Christian than others. Then list the reasons why you are worse.”

Even more shockingly, he went on to list some of his reasons. I similarly made lists in my notebook. Looking back at the items was a strong jolt of reality for me. Pride and superiority is a far bigger issue in my life than I ever realized. In fact, all of us seem to battle this more than we want to admit even if it is hidden in the guise of self-hate.

Coping Skills: #73. Apologize

More people should apologize,
and more people should accept
apologies when sincerely made. – Greg LeMond

Many times, people around us are frustrating. They refuse to help out at work, say that joke that you hate, or act like you are stupid. These instances are annoying and hurtful.

Lashing out in anger can seem to be the only way that people will respond. If you yell loud enough or whine endlessly, someone is sure to take notice. But how will that impact your relationship? What kind of person does that build you up to be?

One Thousand Thanks: 922 – 932. Free Time

Sometimes we need to stop and take a break instead of rushing down the stream of life.

For the first time in months, my schedule was clear today. No school, no work, no meetings, no medical appointments – nothing. Yes, there were many items that I needed to attend to, but it was still wonderful to feel less pressured.

Today made me realize why the phrase “free time” has the word “free” in it. There is a freedom that you have when no one else owns part of your day. Being busy and productive brings a sense of accomplishment. However, too much happening can make you feel weary and trapped.

So here are some wonderful benefits to having free time that I enjoyed today and look forward to having in the future. I would love to hear what you appreciate about having a day where nothing is scheduled.

My Whole Being Aches: Body, Mind, and Spirit

Whether it is with joy, fear, or depression, our whole selves react to our feelings.

Each morning for the past few days, I have awoken wondering how I am going to make it through the next few days. School, work, medical appointments,  honor society commitments, and friendships are all weighing down on me. Although these are all good things, the amount of everything in my life is so much that I feel like I am going to break.

Our bodies, minds, emotions, and spirits are more attached than we realize. When in pain, every bit of ourselves aches. Joy radiates throughout our beings when we hear good news and makes us think good thoughts and feel well. Thus, it would make sense to see our whole self as connected.

Listaliciousness: Living Cathedrals, Comet Landing, and Guilty Cats

Hearing from Moriah Peters on Twitter was one of the highlights of my week.

Roller coaster rides have fewer dips and rises than my past week had. However, this week is another chance to face my anxieties. Life might not ever be easy, but it is worth the fight.

Many days this past week were spent oversleeping. Thus, I did not have as much time to get caught up on the news or interesting web links. However, here are a few interesting as well as funny items that I found. Enjoy!

Worry About Yourself

Caring for others is an important part of being a support person. To love your family member or friend who is suffering, you need to practice empathy and kindness. Show that you care about the well-being of your loved one.

However, worry can sometimes set in and cause guilt, stress, or the desire to control. Try as hard as you might, you cannot heal your loved one. He or she must take the steps forward in order to get into a better spot in life.

How Big is a Binge?

Eating a candy in Oxford

Often, I write on the bottom of my food logs for my dietitian “felt like a binge.”

Binges terrify me partially because I used to struggle with them. Restricting is awful, but eating out of control large amounts filled me with anguish instead of fixing my issues. Going back to that lifestyle still scares me.

Coping Skills: #63. Refusing to Compromise Your Values

My faith plays a large role in my values.

Yesterday, a source that I have been writing for requested me to provide material on some very raunchy and explicit themes. Nauseousness filled me as I read their themes. There was no way that I could research this information much less write material on it.

So, I responded with an apology but firm refusal before offering to write other articles instead of those. Doing this went against my fear of conflict and longing to be a people pleaser. However, the choice allowed me to exhibit strength in myself and my morals.