self-betterment

A Disorder: a Definition or an Opportunity? (#36)

(Dedicated to all those who have ever been diagnosed with a mental disorder)

One question that I’m often asked is when did I first realize that I had OCD? Interestingly, from an early age, I had been achingly aware that I handled my fears differently from my peers. Unknowingly, I had been working on components of my anxiety disorder ever since then- awareness grows as a person grows.  Understanding the depth and complexities took over a decade but it was in college that I was professionally diagnosed. 

Kindness to Myself, an Arduous Task (#35)

We all have those moments, where we’re stretched thin for time and patience.  I remember one particular night, I took the wrong off ramp and it turned into the biggest fiasco to get back onto the highway.  Frustration, on top of traffic, I was wound tight.  I wish that I could say, I laughed it off, but no; it was more of a masochistic tirade, “How could you be so stupid, idiot, absurd, moron.” One self-deprecating word after another, the litany was relentless.

Is That Your Woo? #29

According to Webster's Dictionary, Woo, transitive verb. 1: to sue for the affection of and usually marriage with: court 2: to try to attract: to attempt to persuade.

As a group, we decided to ring in the New Year on a boat cruising around the San Francisco Bay.  Perfect weather, a slight chill with low wind, no fog, and no rain, it was nothing short of spectacular, especially when the fireworks exploded around the cityscape.  Wowsers!  We ate, drank and danced until the wee hours of the morning.  The evening felt like spun magic because for me, it’s a much needed new beginning. 

How Crazy Found Healthy (#2)

I’m sick and tired of how people readily use the word crazy.  I’ve heard crazy slung at people countless times but rarely, is it used accurately.  It seems to me that crazy and psychotic are far from interchangeable.  Crazy infers not normal.  Whereas, psychotic is an actual term used for certain organic imbalances by professionals and even then, psychologists shy away from the term.