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Staying/Getting/Doing Well – Moving goalposts or fixed target?
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Hi, this is my first post, though I have been reading the forums for some weeks. I’m probably expressing myself badly when I say that I have found reading about other people’s journeys reassuring. Finding a community of people who “get it” even when they have a wide variety of experiences and lives lived is not something I thought I would ever find.
Though people talk about getting well & there is a section Staying Well, I’m curious as to what this actually means to other people and how they manage their expectations. I noticed some people refer to being well as ‘being like themselves before they got ill’, whilst others don’t express an exact aim.
My idea of being well has changed over the years. I was first diagnosed as an 8 year old child back in the late sixties. The doctors told Mum that the voices in my head & the sudden crying bouts were because I suffered from ‘nerves’ & I was given meds to calm me. Of course such things were not discussed back then & I was told not to talk about it to anyone, not my school friends nor siblings, just Mum. For decades after my idea of being well simply meant being able to hide my illness from others.
A number of events in
my life caused my illness to worsen, until some years ago I became so ill I
needed to be hospitalised for my own safety. This lead to my current diagnosis
of Major Depression, Anxiety & PTSD. I’m no longer in that dark place, but each
day is still a battle (though I can now believe in a future). For now only my
siblings & one friend know about my illness, though some things they still
don’t know.
So, what does ‘being well’ mean to me, it is ever moving
goalposts. If you had asked me 5 years
ago would I be as well as I am now I would have thought it impossible as I
couldn’t envision a future. If you had asked me last week (during one of my
down periods) I would have said my progress was all an illusion & I was
fooling myself that things can get better.
For now my idea of being well is being able to believe that
things can change for the better, that I will one day be able to manage the
everyday things like housework, caring for myself & caring for my dog &
maybe, just maybe I will even be able to enjoy myself.
Paw Prints
**I took the tip to give myself time to write my
post by writing on a word doc & then paste it.
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Hello Dear Paws...
Just popping in to wish you and Woofa a very Merry Christmas...
Sweet lady...I really hope you are feeling okay...
Please Remember Paws....BB forums and chat lines are 24/7365..if you need to chat please do....
Hope you can do something nice for yourself tomorrow..
I am going to softly play some Christmas songs, burn all my candles at once and have some strawberries with ice cream....
Hugs dear friend..🎄💚❤️
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Hi Paws
How are you doing down there? We are having at least a week of very hot weather and it's not pleasant!
We are having quiet days here as a result. Trying to doge Omicron so only going to the shops when I absolutely have to. All the cafes have been closed over Christmas and New Year.
We're fine but nothing exciting to report! Hope all is well there.
😊🐕💖🐶🐩
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Hello Hanna, Grandy, Katy, wave to everyone,
Well after some horribly hot days a cold front has swept through today & it is now lovely & cool...
There has been no sign of the snake... so I'm pretty sure it has gone... but after dark I still turn lights on before walking into a room...
I had to go into big town today to get dog food... the roads were surprisingly quiet... I thought there would be more people heading out on their holidays...
I feel a bit like a yo yo... my mood is ok... then down... then ok... then down... it will settle as I keep reminding myself
Hugs
Paws
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Hi Paws,
Well I'm glad the snake seems to have disappeared! We're having terribly hot weather here until at least mid next week and it's too hot to do almost anything during the day. How did you cope with the hot weather there?
I'm loving Sapiens and Wayne Macauley's book The Cook is fantastic. Are you reading anything lately?
Did you get the mower sorted eventually?
I'm sorry to hear your moods are up and down. Have you managed to meet any of the people in your town at all? Being isolated doesn't help.
What about trying another online forum? Usually you can log on as a guest and just read along for a while.
Did they have any Christmas or New Year celebrations in your town? Did you do anything nice for yourself?
How are you managing generally these days dear Paws? These are not easy times with the virus about.
How is Woofa? What about your elderly relative?
The river here has gone down enough to make a little beach in one area and the dogs are loving it, Sam included!
We've watched some excellent movies on SBS Movies at night. Have you seen anything worth recommending? Read any good books?
How is the garden going, I remember you bought yourself a very nice gardening book a while back.
Anyway do let us know how you are going! Big hug, and pats to Woofa!
🤗🐕🦘🐮🐝🦇🐖🦉🕊️🦎🦟🦗🐞🐙😷👍💝
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Hi Paws
Glad to hear there’s been no sign of mr snake. Perhaps he got just as much of a scare seeing you as you did him?
Im sorry to hear your mood has been up and down - I can relate to the discomfort of that. I’m glad you make note that it will settle though and I know you have good strategies for managing the lows. I’m also glad you have your lovely boy for company.
I walked miss Storm early today. Her little leggies aren’t great (how are Woofa’s going?). I can always tell when she’s in pain as she gets this “face” she does which is super cute like a seal. My poor little lovely.
In other news, the blue kangaroo paw will be available in March. I’m excited! Apparently they’ll be available Aus wide if it tempts you 🙂
Biggest of hugs beautiful lady. x
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Hello Hanna, Katy, Grandy, wave to everyone,
Well I've won 1st prize in a raffle... they emailed me just before Christmas saying I had won a prize & asking for my address.... I assumed I had won one of the smaller 4th or 5th prizes... the courier arrived today & it is the 1st prize... (it's a giant dog bed) I've never won anything in a raffle before...
It is a day of surprises... the van Gogh book that wasn't expected to ship for 2 - 4 weeks arrived today... just a week after I ordered it...
They say things come in three... so raffle, book & number 3 was... Woofa actually got out of the car without it taking hours or me having to drag him... yay!!
We will do a few more trips in the car & make sure he is over being spooked... then I can take him to the vet as we need to do an indoors consult.
Poor little Stormy... do you have anything you can give her?... Woofa is being very stiff & wonky when he gets up after laying for awhile... How is she finding the hot weather?
Whoo hoo... of course I'm tempted... it will definitely need to go in a pot here though.
How is Sam coping with the new diet?...
I don 't envy you having the hot weather lasting til next week... do you paddle your feet in the river with Sam?
Big hugs
Paws
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Hi Paws,
Wow, well done you!!! First prize in the raffle and now Woofa has a new dog bed! Does he fit it and has he tried it out?
I would love the Van Gogh book, can you tell me which one it is and what you think of it? I saw an exhibition of his paintings at the National Gallery in Melbourne years ago and nothing had prepared me for the brilliance of the colours! Both my brother and I learnt oil painting in our youth. He was stunned by the paintings too, we went together.
I'm rather tired today it's been very hot for days now. I'll write more tomorrow but so pleased you're on a winning streak!
Hope Woofa keeps getting himself out of the car!!!! Hooray!
😊👍💞🐕😷🌞🌛🌜🌟🌠🌌🌈🐿️🦔🐼🦡🐔🐓🦃🐧🦅🐍🐍🐍🐌🐛🐝🐸
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Hey Pawsy 🐾 and all lovelies here and readers 👋
Wow weee a huge congrats how exciting winning the big doggy bed and yes 3 goods happening so happy for you. Sounding good Woofa getting out quicker of the car. He sounds adorable. All your pets people here I love reading about. They're great companions aye.
I love hearing good things happening. Time brings on change awesome when it's goods. The book too eh. Bet you're stoked.
The moods are incredibly hard work aren't they and yes I too find it helps telling myself they'll settle which they do although it gets to ' Are we there yet!' but we do eventually get there don't we thank goods.
Thanks for your always welcome helpful and supportive posts too I'll beee backkk soon there ☺
Take care hun and wise leaving lights on re snakey. Does sound promising that it's choofed. Glad though you're alert which is wise.
Cya darls and enjoy your goodies 😀
Love and care 🤗⚘🐾🐅🗯
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Hello Dear Paws, Hanna, Katy,Deebi and all....
Wow how exciting is it winning first prize...Woofa must be so excited...I am so happy for you both...😁..
Hoping the start of this year continues throughout the year for you....That only good things happen for you....and Woofa of course....
Hopefully, Mr Snake has left your house..I think he would have done so by now....My friend used those electronic snake thingies around her home...she trusted them....oh not me...I bought some electronic mouse thingies you plug in, years ago when I had the shop....😁 I watched the mouses running around the corners and even looked like they were dancing to the electric current 😁...More like mouse/ snake charmers I think....
Having those mixed emotion days are hard to manage, Trying to remind ourselves that it will pass...Does at times get hard...I think belief in ourself when we say those words...(this will pass...)...is so very important to help us through...
Sending mine and fur girl hugs to you and Woofs..💜💚🤗🤗...
I hope Woofa enjoys his new bed 🛌..
Grandy..
