Summer Self-Care

[octoprof]

What are you doing for yourself this summer?
What are you doing to take care of your body and your mind?
How's it going?

[octoprof]

Summer self care for me involves traveling with my spouse, taking a language class together, and generally being as lazy as possible, and also getting gentle exercise and good sleep, while keeping the online classes going with as little effort as possible (both things I've taught before).

I am also indulging my love for fountain pens buy buying new ones as we travel and writing lots of postcards as well as lists of new vocabulary words in little notebooks, and practicing new sentences.

[downer]

I bought myself a yoga bolster and I'm trying to sit on it regularly in an effort to increase flexibility and open up my hips. Also more yoga generally.

More cooking. More kimchi.

A lot of catching up on books that I have been wanting to read.

More afternoon naps.

Hopefully some swimming.

[octoprof]

Sounds like a great plan, downer!

What yoga bolster did you buy? Link please?

[downer]

I got this: Node Fitness Organic Cotton 25" x 12" Rectangular Yoga Bolster

You will find it's available though most of the big name stores. I'm pleased with it so far, although it may not be as firm as the ones I use at the yoga studio I sometimes visit.

[backatit]

I finally went to the Dr. and had a sleep study; found out I have sleep apnea. Oh joy; has anyone else seen that Wanda Sykes standup where she discusses wearing the sleep mask with her very hot young wife? Oh yeah, that's me now...

[octoprof]

I did that last spring. I am used to the CPAP now and even bought a second tiny CPAP for travel. I had an allergic reaction to the nasal mask and now am using the nasal pillows instead. They are weird but I got used to them.

Your brain appreciates getting full oxygen now, for sure.

So glad you did this self care ting, backatit.

[AmLitHist]

I finally went to therapy (general anxiety and depression).  The first visit was great and I really like the therapist, but the night before my second visit I kept waking up with panic attacks.  I called and she suggested I skip the visit and see how it would go--no more panic attacks.  Great......I'm too screwed up even for therapy.  Sigh.

In lieu of a psychologist, I'm spending quality time crocheting.  Since May I've already made three afghans and two baby afghans, so clearly the anxiety is being redirected in a productive way. And I'm feeling better.  Now I have to figure out how to sell all these afghans....

The other self-care has been scheduling my mornings for work (teaching one online class and prepping for fall, as well as thinking about a sabbatical proposal), with the afternoons and evenings reserved for t.v. and crocheting.  It feels luxurious!

[sinenomine]

I'm indulging in reading for fun (frequently on the patio with a refreshing drink), and just ordered the first three seasons of a French miniseries on a friend's recommendation.

[drbrt]

I'm meditating every day. I also am on a Major Vacation. I'm hoping the stupid work conference at the end doesn't undo this. I get horrible anxiety at conferences, and this is our theory conference.

[nescafe]

I'm spending the summer in a place where evening jogs aren't a thing, and so looking for new ways to exercise. I've never tried yoga; perhaps now is the time to start!

[Conjugate]

The spouse and I are visiting my in-laws. It's relaxing for her. I just vegetated and caught up on old episodes of Dr Who during June, so I got my stress-relief taken care of earlier.

[octoprof]

The spouse and I are visiting my in-laws. It's relaxing for her. I just vegetated and caught up on old episodes of Dr Who during June, so I got my stress-relief taken care of earlier.

Good for you. If I had to visit in-laws, I'd implode. Whew.

Vegetating is good! I recommend more of it.

[kaysixteen]

Use the CPAP.  It changed my life, and I should have been on it ten years before I got it in 2011.  I would almost certainly be dead now if I did not finally obey the doctor then.  It is painless and easy.

[octoprof]

Use the CPAP.  It changed my life, and I should have been on it ten years before I got it in 2011.  I would almost certainly be dead now if I did not finally obey the doctor then.  It is painless and easy.

I've had mine a year and it's been a life changer. Instead of 3-5 migraines a week, I get one every six months, and we had no idea the migraines were even related. I sleep so much better now. Still not perfect, but at my age, perfect isn't going to happen anyhow.

Today is our last day (probably) of total calm and relaxation while traveling. I hope to listen to the birds and the farm animals and sit in the sun a bit, and probably ride my bike a little. Aaaaaah.

Tomorrow we go for a long weekend into a major city where we don't speak the language and there is a huge event so probably not so relaxing (the train transfers and not getting lost are always stressful) but exciting and something on our major "to do and enjoy" list. I don't call it a bucket list because 1) why buckets? and 2) it's not that exciting.