Twitter Dee, Twitter Dum…

Okay, so I’m very up with the times technologically speaking and I now have a Twitter account. I’m still not entirely sure what this means, but as it’s been explained to me, I can let other Twitter account holders know what I’m doing at any single point in time.

Now you might ask, who cares?   And I’m beginning to wonder about that, too.   But the process of creating my Twitter account and corresponding with other Twitter users did make me think about the basic Twitter question, which is:

What are you doing right now?

And that, in turn, led me to think not about what I am doing but rather what I’m not doing that I should be or want to be or wish I could, etc.  Like running, exercising more, reading more, spending time with special friends…

So for you Twitter-users or non-Twitter-users (twits and non-twits?) I ask you:

What are you not doing right now?

Then…what changes do you need to do those things?

And what are you–what are we–waiting for?

October 28th, 2008 - Posted in Health: Emotional, Physical, Mental, Spiritual | | 0 Comments

Ready or Not, Here It Comes

So what does getting laid off have to do with psychotherapy? In the best of all worlds, maybe not much. But as often as we think about what life would be like without having to go to work, getting laid off is a whole different experience.

If you live anywhere in southeastern Michigan, chances are that you or someone close to you will be affected by job layoffs sometime soon.

Here are some suggestions to help you get through it:

?Talk openly with your family about expectations and needs—yours, theirs, and the family as a group

?Get advice from someone you trust about your financial status–this could be your banker or financial planner

?Ask questions! HR, your supervisor, your colleagues, can all be sources of information.

?Think ahead. While it may sound great to be starting over with a severance package, how will you feel 6 months from now if you’re still looking for a job? How about a year? Plan for success, but also plan for things which may be out of your control.

?Finally, remember that there will be good times and bad times. If you find yourself unable to cope in your usual ways, ask for help from a professional counselor or therapist. It can be great to have a safe, confidential place to talk about your feelings without worrying about adding to your family’s stress.

October 27th, 2008 - Posted in Work | | 2 Comments

From “What’s in Your Wallet” to “What’s on Your Bookshelf”

You’ve probably seen that credit card ad which asks “what’s in your wallet?” meaning, of course, that you should carry–and often use– their card to have the best life.

Now that spending discretionary income is something we need to think about twice before doing, I’m recommending that we begin to ask each other “what’s on your bookshelf” instead.

I love to read.  Really.  I always have at least one book in progress, usually more.  Having more than one book going allows me to read to match my mood.

I read the heavy stuff, like non-fiction books informing me as to why life on earth will be extinguished (pretty depressing), fiction (pure entertainment), but my all-time favorites are cartoon anthologies.  Dilbert is a must read for anyone who has ever been in (or thought about being in) corporate America.  Get Fuzzy is perfect for those of us who love cats and dogs and understand that pets rule our lives.  Frazz and Speed Bump are great fun and have the added bonus of being written by local cartoonists so sometimes local landmarks or in-jokes show up.  Rhymes With Orange by Hilary Price is hilarious and even has occasional therapy jokes (usually aimed at the therapist, which cracks me up).

So I’m working on building a new page for my website that lists great stuff to read.  Send me your favorites, tell me if I can attribute them to you or if you want to be an anonymous contributor, and then keep watching for the new addition to my site!

October 17th, 2008 - Posted in Health: Emotional, Physical, Mental, Spiritual | | 1 Comments

Falling, Falling, Falling…Wait, Are We Talking About the Temperature?

I don’t remember an October that’s been quite as stressful as this one has been the last three weeks.

What’s happening on Wall Street makes the usual adjustment to less light seem… well, not so bad.  At least those of us with seasonal affective disorder know why we feel like crawling into bed with the covers over our heads and never coming out.

I’ve been meeting with lots of people over the past couple of weeks who are really worried about their financial futures.  About the economy, I don’t know what to say.  But about the feelings that accompany the wild swings in the U.S. economy, I’ve got some ideas for you.

• First, get a grip on reality.  Gather data, talk to your family and friends, consult your financial advisor or local banker to assess where you really stand, and what you might do about it.
• Second, schedule some serious ‘you’ time.  Watch sports, read a book, work in your yard, whatever rejuvenates you make time for it.
• Third, pay attention to your physical health.  Take a walk or run, do yoga, eat well, get more sleep…all these things can help your body which in turn will help your mood.
• Finally, spend time with the people who matter to you.  After all is said and done, it is the connections we make with others that carry us through hard times.

Hang in there!  Give me a call if I can help.

October 16th, 2008 - Posted in Health: Emotional, Physical, Mental, Spiritual | | 0 Comments