Sanguine Saturday

I've been looking forward to this all week. Finally again I have good stuff for my success stories! Also I've had some good stuff going on the past few days. This has especially been a week of DEAR MAN practice, which is excellent since I'm still very 'weak' with my DM skills.


Success Stories:
I was pretty sore when I arrived at Karakan this week and I knew if I sit down, getting up again would be extra painful, so when the woman greeted me with "take a seat", I asked if it would be okay if I stood until my support worker came! DEAR MAN win number one! During my time with her we went through a support plan and I was able to be a bit assertive on what I want (still not very much, but... baby steps). DEAR MAN win number two. A friend got some bad news, so in order to help her stay safe, I used DEAR MAN to ask my mother if it would be okay for my friend to stay over. (DEAR MAN win number three!)

Tuesday morning I had an appointment with my GP (the 'new' guy) and I wanted to try a different medication. The Mirtazapine has been a waste of time for months now, but I was afraid to ask to change, especially after how things ended over at Mental Health (on the very day that I was hoping to ask for a medicine change). I wrote down a couple of names that I've never been on and gave the list to the GP and he was very amenable to a medication change. We're trying Lexapro now. (DEAR MAN win number four!)

Wednesday I was due back at the RBH for my burns review and I was brave enough to chase up both the dressings/creams/etc I had originally forgotten to get off them (win number five!) and the referral for MH that the nurse worked so hard to get while I was in the Urology ward (win six!).

Thursday I wanted to hide in my room and not go to group because I was so ashamed of having had a breakdown last time I'd been. I recognised this as avoidance, though, and I applied the skill of opposite action by going to group regardless.

On Friday, at my art workshop, I ended up... agreeing to volunteer at my local Art Gallery! I used DEAR MAN to get information about it (DM win seven!) and impulsively agreed to do a day in a few weeks time when they have a spot they needed filling. (I'll probably write more about this another day.) Also yesterday I asked my mother for a loan for this trip I'm wanting to take, which she agreed to. (DM win eight!)

Today I faced fear and avoidance by meeting my baby brother's girlfriend for the first time. At the last minute I found out that my brother's mate was also going (I've met him but not often) so I was quite anxious! Still, I went. I ATE in front of them! Also I asked my brother if he would book flights for my trip for me, as I don't have the credit card required. That was a bit of a DM fail, but that's okay. I tried! I didn't fight very hard, but that's okay. I've gone from a 1 (don't ask, maybe hint veryvery tentatively) to a 2 or a 3 (hint or ask but take no for an answer), and that's still a huge improvement. Next step is to try my older brother.




Gratitudes List/Things that make me happy:
Getting an enormous stuffed dolphin... for free! (I would've let them know they hadn't charged me, but because we all did a mixed order, we didn't discover they didn't charge us for it until we got home.)

Patting and feeding all the different types of ray at Sea World!

My art workshop, even if Cameron wasn't there again.

Speaking to my nieces on the 'phone.

Catching my best friend online.

All my friends, in general, actually.

Giraffes and butterflies.

Planning a holiday. To see SNOW.

The pineapple and carrot cake I baked actually tastes pretty darn good.



Cheer-leading statements:
Even if I don't necessarily like the way things are, I can be okay with the fact that they are what they are.
I can choose to make healthy decisions.
It's okay to want things. It's okay to ask for things.
And if the worst happens? So what? I can cope with that, too!
Ruminating and worrying about what "might" happen aren't helpful.



Take care of yourselves until next time, and may we all find our own small fences along the way.