SOVA Blog

by ginger55

Going from 0 to 100

June 8, 2021 in COVID-19, Educate Yourself

Over the past year, I have been in graduate school online, working from home, and essentially living alone in my apartment. Despite the struggle of it all that everyone has endured, I had become accustomed to this way of life, filling my time with new things to read, hobbies to create, and other new trials of self-growth. This extra time came with its benefits and downfalls, and by the end of the spring I felt I was trying to make the best of it by painting, exercising, and trying new things.

Fast forward to a month ago, I began to work full time for my final clinical internship for graduate school, where I jumped right into working 40+ hours a week at a clinic, filled with interacting with at least 50 people all day. Needless to say, despite being four weeks in, I still feel as though I am in a bit of shock from this day-to-day change. I am exhausted from the long work days that I have not been able to fully do the same hobbies, exercises, and personal self-growth that I was so accustomed to. I am feeling a bit lost at the moment because of it, feeling that this new position has “halted” my self-growth. While ultimately, I am growing in new ways, such as professionally, it is a challenge to endure such an abrupt change like this.

As others graduate from school, get new jobs, and go from being in a house for a year to out in the world, I hope to remind you to give yourself grace and the time needed to adjust. It will by no means be a quick adjustment to a life you are not accustomed to.

I am trying to focus now on what little things I can do for myself during the day, such as going for a quick walk (where as before I was working out for an hour a day with all the extra free time). And celebrating these small wins have been helping me get back to the place where I felt I was mentally.

Change like this is scary and intimidating, especially right now, but it is possible to get through it.

Have you experienced a huge transition recently due to the life changes because of the pandemic? What are habits that you developed during working or attending school from home that you’re afraid of losing it that is going to change?

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by ginger55

Thanks to TikTok, I Started Journaling Everyday

April 1, 2021 in Social Media Guide

At the beginning of March, I came across a TikTok that expressed that this account was going to do a 31 day journaling challenge with a new prompt everyday for the month. Since I have been wanting to get into journaling myself, I thought this would be a fun way to try it out.

I told myself that each prompt for each day I would have to fill up just one page of my journal and that whatever I thought of first will be what I write, no second guessing what to put down onto paper. Most times I journaled in the morning, but also tried at various points of the day to see when I liked to do it best.

Now that I am coming to an end of the 31 days, I feel as though I have really slated into a new habit of journaling a little bit everyday. It has something that has grown with me this past month and sitting down to think about the  prompts not only gives me dedicated time to myself, but gets my thoughts and feelings out on paper without judgement. I feel as though I have found some clarity in things as well that have been in my head for a while. The prompts have allowed me to reflect on various aspects of my life and myself, such as “How do I recharge?” or “I give myself permission not to know and let go of…”.

While TikTok is fun and has numerous videos that have made me laugh, I am glad that I came across this 31 day journaling challenge. To me, social media does have its rightful place in mental health and personal development if you try to find the resources on there. I hope that I am able to continue to journal after the end of March, especially since there are so many websites out there that have various journal prompts to search, as well. Who knows, maybe a new healthy habit will come from TikTok as well?

Do you use TikTok? What kind of content do you follow or what shows up on your For You Page? Do you ever get content about mental health or coping mechanisms to try out?

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by ginger55

We Can Still Grieve Over the Pandemic

March 5, 2021 in COVID-19, LINKS

I recently came across and read an NPR article addressing the acceptability of grieving from the pandemic. The article was written last year, on March 26th, so for many people like myself, very early in the pandemic.

The article goes on to say that it is OKAY to grieve the loss of the lives we thought we were to have, even if it seems superficial. For myself, I felt as though I did not get the experience of graduate school that I was really hoping for, especially without the social aspect I was expecting.  I was really looking forward to cool experiences and heard so much from prior students. Recognizing loss allows the process of grieving to occur, even at a community-wide level. I recommend reading the article if you have time. That being said, as one year since the beginning of many lockdowns in the United States approaches, this article had me thinking about why even now, one year later, it is perfectly okay to still grieve the things we have lost through this.

Collectively, it is acceptable to know and understand that we are still not in a state of being that anyone could have prepared us for. Time passing in the pandemic does not always solve this type of grief of loss either, because as time continues to pass, there may continue to be things that we are still losing, such as life milestones. Additionally, as 2021 continues to play out, other concerning world events continue to arise, creating what may be a lot of emotional and mental exhaustion at this point.

The article suggests to continue to connect with others, meditate, be open to joy, and express yourself. I truly believe these reminders are true today, too. It is tough (and you may be sick of your computer as I am for Zoom calls and Facetimes), but continue to connect with others in the ways you feel are best. Find time away from technology expressing yourself, and yes, be open to joy still. Things feel bleak at times, even for myself, but finding joy through daily gratitude helps remind me each day to be present.

How have you been feeling as the one year milestone of the pandemic in America approaches? Do you feel similar to how you did a year ago? What has changed for you, mentally?

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by ginger55

Ditching the New Year Resolutions

January 18, 2021 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

While I have never been a huge on New Year resolutions, I do try to come up with new ways to start the year off in a way that helps me to become a better version of myself. For example, last year I set the small goal of flossing my teeth every night, which has now turned into a habit.  Trying to focus on what I can control throughout the year has been a challenge through 2020, but it has also helped to remind me of all of the little things I can control.

This year, I came across Jon Gordon’s “One Word” mentality that was based off of his life and his book (One Word that Will Change Your Life). Jon Gordon has used this mentality in his own life for years and describes it as using one word for an entire year to shape your life. Past words that he has used included: PURPOSE, SURRENDER, SERVE, RISE, FORGIVE, STILL and CONNECTED.

I thought that this way to start off the new year would be beneficial to me, since I prefer to not set goals, as I think sometimes I put too much pressure on myself to achieve such goals that it becomes detrimental to my own mental health. Therefore, I considered what my one word should be and have landed on the word PRESENT.

This word can be applied to a lot of facets of my life. For example, I wish to improve my relationships with my friends and family, so practicing being truly present in the moment when I am with them or talking to them allows me to fully listen, talk, and be there for them. I also wish to spend less time on my phone scrolling aimlessly through social media, so remembering the word PRESENT as my phone background I am consciously trying to put my phone down and be where my feet are. Lastly, given the state of the world, it is hard to not be living in the future, especially for myself as I graduate in the next year, but I also know it is incredibly important to remain fully present where I am today and every day until then while still allowing myself to be excited for the future.

I recommend trying to come up with one word that can be a driving force behind your 2021. I think whatever word first comes to your head when you sit and think about it is probably the one that best fits you, as it is on your mind. Whatever your word may be, remove the pressure and anxiety that resolutions can bring and allow yourself to be reminded of your word daily, and share it with the people around you so that they can help you through your year and your promise to yourself to uphold this word.

What is one word that you would want to define your year? Do you use affirmations, phrases, or already practice the one word mentality to help your mental health?

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by ginger55

Loss and the Holidays

December 21, 2020 in Be Positive, COVID-19, Educate Yourself

The holiday season this year looks very different for everyone, and in particular there may be people like myself dealing with the first holiday season without a loved one. In February, my grandpa passed away. With the pandemic hitting shortly after, I have struggled to come to terms with the reality of it and believe at times I haven’t been able to fully grieve having not spent any real time with my grandma or spent time in their home without my grandpa there. These feelings are hard and unique to this year, and I am sure the holidays coming up will continue to be a bit confusing and surreal.

So far, I have been doing things to work through these emotions as they arise, which often can be at very random times. For starters, if the emotion of grief comes up for me and I am able to, I allow myself to feel it. That can be anything from having a pleasant memory come up of my grandpa, an old picture, or sometimes even just thinking about the reality that he is no longer alive. If I feel the need to cry, I cry. I have also been in closer touch with my grandma. We will FaceTime as well as text and connecting with her not only helps me acknowledge reality and move forward but also, I am able to be a support for her as well. Lastly, I journal whenever I feel like I need to express my emotions in a different way.

The first holiday without a loved one can be a weird and painful process, and this year is no different. It may be harder this year or easier not being in my grandparents’ home, I am not sure. I know I am not alone, and I am certain that we can get through them, though, and can celebrate loved ones in new ways. Allow your emotions to exist in a safe space this holiday season and know that you are not alone in this.

Have you ever lost a loved one before? Have you lost a loved one this year? How have you – or haven’t you – processed your feelings? If you have lost someone this year, how have you been feeling, especially as the holiday season has been in full swing?

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by ginger55

Avoiding Aimless Scrolling

December 10, 2020 in Social Media Guide

With the weather finally turning to colder, shorter days, I find myself more often scrolling on my phone aimlessly for hours. While social media can be a good outlet, I turn into a zombie after being on it for a while. I will sometimes then be in a funk the rest of the day, feeling very out of it and not wanting to do anything else that I wanted to originally get done that day.

Recently, I have been putting more focus on trying to find alternatives to pass the time. For me I really enjoy painting and exercising, often two things that I can spend a lot of time doing without really thinking about it. I think the things that we lose track of time doing are the ones that re-energize and fuel us up the most. I challenge you to find the activity that does the same for you, whether that is reading, painting, exercising, making music, or whatever creative outlet it may be. Devoting this time to yourself can come with a lot of benefits. For me, I find myself to be less anxious when I am painting, and it also gives me a thing to focus on rather than what may be bothering me that day. In addition, exercising provides me with an overall pleasant feeling of accomplishment when I am done, regardless of the type of workout.

If you are looking for ideas of activities to pass the time, I suggest looking online for ideas, or think back to when you were younger and what you liked to do that didn’t involve technology. It is easy to pass your time on your phone, but creating or learning something new can come with a greater sense of accomplishment, and who knows where it could lead to.

What are passive non-technological activities that you enjoy? Do you find yourself aimlessly scrolling on your phone? What are activities that you enjoyed doing when you were younger and didn’t have a phone?

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by ginger55

Being Gentle on Your Anxiety

November 16, 2020 in Be Positive

Just this morning, I had one of the biggest exams of my time in school. Since I am in physical therapy school, this exam was a practical, in which I would be asked questions on the spot and have to answer and demonstrate techniques learned over the past year. Despite having studied hard and put in the work, my anxiety crept in. I had racing thoughts the night before such as “What if I didn’t study enough? What if I completely blank? What if I fail?” These thoughts are detrimental to myself, and I had the awareness to tell myself to stop thinking in this way.

Despite getting rid of the negative thoughts, the feeling of anxiety remained in my stomach and body up to and throughout the entire exam. Following the exam, I found immediate relief of all anxious feelings, I had passed and done well.

Despite all the work up of anxiety, I still passed, like I have done every single exam prior. Often following exams when I feel the release of anxiety, I would get mad at myself for creating such a bigger deal about it in the first place. That I “worried over nothing.” I am learning and growing to be more understanding of my anxiety though. My anxiety was not for nothing, so I remind myself this was a big exam and me being worried drove myself to study as much as I did.

So, while the nerves and anxiety are sometimes too much to handle, such as the night before an exam, I think it is important to find gratitude in the parts of anxiety that help you work hard. Seeing anxiety as only negative creates a negative relationship with it, which is not always helpful. Give yourself some grace that your anxiety is around. As my recent background says on my phone, “Be gentle with yourself.”

What is your relationship like with your anxiety? Have you ever been grateful for your anxiety?

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by ginger55

What is Excoriation?

October 13, 2020 in Educate Yourself

BFRB’s, or body-focused repetitive behaviors, is an umbrella term for a variety of conditions that include excoriation disorder (skin picking), trichotillomania (hair pulling), nail biting, cheek biting, and other BFRBs that arise as a form of obsessive compulsive disorder.

In particular, I wanted to share my experience with excoriation disorder, or dermatillomania, since my early teens. This repetitive picking of one’s own skin affects 2-5% of the population in which noticeable tissue damage and impacts daily functioning, with 75% of the people affected are female. Despite this prevalence of dermatillomania, little research has been done to effectively find medications that can help to alleviate this, aside from cognitive behavioral therapy.

The signs and symptoms criteria include recurrent skin picking that results in skin lesions, repeated attempt to stop the behavior, the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment, the symptoms are not caused by a substance or medical condition, and the symptoms are not better explained by another psychiatric disorder. There can be significant impacts on skin picking disorder, including shame and embarrassment, emotional distress, anxiety disorder, and medical complications such as infection and scarring of the wounds.

As someone with dermatillomania, I have tried many things to alleviate this cycle, but have found it very difficult to help. I have tried therapy as well and would like to continue to do more. While as common as it is, if you feel like you may have some body focused repetitive behavior, remember that you are certainly not alone, and it does not define who you are or what you look like. People often do not realize that this is something that gets beyond your control. Continue to love yourself as you are, and get help as you need to.

Do you have any BFRBs? Do you associate them with anxiety and depressive symptoms? Have you tried anything to break these habits?

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by ginger55

Making Decisions and Taking Action

September 2, 2020 in Educate Yourself

I am in no way a business person, so when my close friends and family began to tell me that I should start selling my art, I felt less than capable to be able to sell my own products. To me, the idea of selling what I create provided anxiety about whether people would like it, whether they would think I was ridiculous, and whether people would actually buy things. The idea of selling what I create also brought me a lot of joy to think I could share what I love making, I could make people happy, and earn money while doing so. It felt like an opportunity that I did not know the outcome to.

I spend a lot of time thinking about doing things that I want to do without action to actually do them. I will mull over purchases, big decisions, small decisions, and everything in between and usually end up not making any decision whatsoever. The item stays in my shopping cart online, the conversations I need to have get pushed back another day, and many other examples. Naturally the decision to sell my art was no different.

Instead of allowing this decision to sell my art to sit forever in limbo, I decided I need to start acting. I want to be a doer rather than an (over)thinker. Sure, it is important to think through tough decisions, but I figured what can I lose if I start small? So, I put a post on my personal Instagram, asking if anyone was interested in buying one and I’d be happy to make them something custom. Within 24 hours, I already had four purchases. Even though they were all from close friends, I felt supported for what I was doing and am excited to get to work on these items for them.

Sometimes taking smaller actionable steps can lead to greater things, especially when anxiety feels too big when thinking about the huge end goal. I plan to continue to grow in this business of selling my art, and I hope to continue to grow as a person as well, continually practicing my transition from an overthinker to a doer.

Has your anxiety ever prevented you from doing something? Were these things that were important to you? Are you an overthinker?

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by ginger55

Learning to Ground Oneself

July 21, 2020 in Educate Yourself

As someone with anxiety, I have learned, and maybe you have too, the tool to help you when you are feeling a panic attack. It is to think of five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell, (and one maybe taste). This act of bringing yourself to the present moment can be classified as grounding oneself. While very useful, I find that this is sometimes not enough. When my head is spinning, bringing myself to the present moment is only the first step.

I came across a podcast the other day that provided an acronym for grounding that really provides for me an accurate way to what I do when I am fully bringing myself away from anxiety and towards peace. Each part of G.R.O.U.N.D. is something that you can touch on every day.

Give yourself a space to feel.

You are allowed to feel and your feelings are always valid if they are true and coming from your heart. Allow yourself space to feel any emotions you may be having.

Remember you are enough.

No matter what, you are enough. Always.

Operate in the now.

Bring yourself to the present. Do the five senses task and focus on what you can do right now.

Use support from others.

Get support from those who love you unconditionally.

Nourish your body, refresh and restore yourself.

Your mind will not operate at the same level if you are not well nourished, healthy, and moving your body, but allow yourself the time to rejuvenate.

Do the things that bring you joy.

It seems simple, but often times it’s easy to get stuck doing everything except doing the things that bring you pure joy, especially when your mind is having anxious thoughts. Bring yourself back to joy by doing the things you love.

Have you ever had a panic attack? What do you do to help ground yourself? Have you ever done any part of the G.R.O.U.N.D. technique before?

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