Cherry takes the reins

HairyHandofDartmoor

I think getting enough sleep, fresh air, exercise, and socialising with nice friends and family are vital for good mental health. All these thing need to be done on a regular basis to keep you in the most positive frame of mind possible. I get the impression that you have a lovely family so you sound like that box is being ticked already .

I would also add another vital ingredient which is feeling that you're doing something worthwhile. For example, volunteering always feel good for my mental health because I feel that I'm helping the children, the staff and the school in general, and that makes me feel very positive about myself. I get the impression that your job is fairly people orientated, so that may be another box already ticked for you .

In addition I find that cutting right down on sugar and alcohol helps me to avoid mood swings and have higher energy levels.

These are the things that help me to cope and as you know from my diary, I have my challenges .

Cherryfudge

Quick update - tonight it was DH's turn to have a meal out with friends and I had some idea of making a veggie soup for my tea to use bits up, only we didn't have the right sort of veg so I improvised a lentil and chorizo soup which was very good and what's more, there's enough left for a couple more meals.
I sat down to do a bit of piano practise later and felt my Fitb!t strap go. It's been in use day and night for about 16 months and had been coming off from time to time recently but now it's actually broken so I've taken the plunge and ordered a set of replacements (not the genuine thing but a £10 set off t'internet) and a screen protector for the tablet I got for Christmas which has been sitting in my basket for a couple of weeks. Total £20.37 (under Electronics for the sake of the record).
I will have a look at the Spacemask thanks Wannabe - something that works for headaches must be good!
HH, you are right, my job is very 'worthwhile' and I'd want to do it even if I didn't need money. I used to work in a different sector and was aware that however exacting the standards we were supposed to meet, none of it really mattered - those immaculately typed letters could have been notes on the back of an envelope, they would have conveyed the message just as well (though goodness knows what the recipients would have thought! ). In my current job I have the chance to give people quality of life, and that's amazingly rewarding. However, I've come from a point some years ago of having no plans for myself to holding out for some 'me' stuff, while fighting the side of me that self-sabotages. I'm my own worst enemy.
You're right about the sugar too - I know I have too much and for the sake of my health I should reduce it. Alcohol isn't much of an issue as I rarely have it, but chocolate...!
I'm off to read my new book about how to crochet. It will help as it's all in English terminology and I need to learn that. So many net tutorials are in US English which is fine but I need consistency till I have more confidence.
Things to be thankful for today:
DFiL wasn't hurt in his fall and was sitting watching a spectacular sunset when I saw him later.
Twiglets
Lentil and chorizo soup for dinner tomorrow
Satisfactory eye check
new books

WannabeFree

All in all a good day Cherry

I hope you get a good night's sleep

You do need to give yourself 'me time' look after you like you look after others

x

Honeysucklelou2

Lentil and chorizo soup sounds good...I make lots of lentil and bacon but will have to try that!

Cherryfudge

NSD.
Work was rather full on but we all got through... no decluttering done or anything.
Thankful for:
Lentil and chorizo soup again
Nice conversation with DS2 before he headed out for the day.
Teamwork.

WannabeFree

Hope you get a good nights sleep after a busy day

x

WannabeFree

Hope you've had a good day Cherry

x

Cherryfudge

Ooh, I just popped over to your thread Wannabe, and thought I had better get to bed before PositiveBalance tells me off again! :rotfl:

I'm glad you got your coffee - sometimes it's things like that which make a big difference.

Nothing much to report today: work was quiet, a complete contrast to yesterday.

Spending:
Household (window cleaner) £5.00
MS:
Living off soup, toast and biscuits!
Remembered to ask DH to get fish to have with our chips tomorrow and hopefully save a bit.
Decluttered:
7 items - that's some space created in a bathroom cupboard.

WannabeFree

Coffee always makes the day better

Hope you've had a good day

x

Cherryfudge

Quite a productive day: DH and A went round to DFiL's - his carer had noticed his bed is adjustable, so it's now lower and he probably won't need a new one. Meanwhile I got very little done.
We had our Saturday fish and chips and bought the fish at the supermarket which I hope is both cheaper and healthier - I haven't done the sums.
I popped into town for a few groceries and then to work for some small boxes I'd rescued, which I used to pack the remainder of Christmas away. I've made sure all the boxes are easy to find as well - goodness knows how many are buried in the depths of the loft with missing decorations all neatly waiting to be discovered... probably in many years' time.
Work was... quiet! I got some paperwork out of the way and sampled my colleagues' cooking.
After work I decluttered some bananas and an apple into a batch of muffins instead of the bin... not bad, might have one for breakfast. The fridge is packed again as DH got the shopping and has obviously struggled to fit it all in, but 'everyone' is here for lunch on Sunday so it will empty somewhat.

Spending:
Housekeeping £2.95
E-book £0.99
MS:
Oats for tea, and very nice they were too.
Fish & chips, slightly more economical version.
Repurposed aging fruit as muffins.
Wombled 3p.
My special coffee is back on offer - got one but only one for now as I still have most of the last stockpile!
Actually had £2.25 left in the housekeeping budget - usually it's overspent so I'm not rolling that forward, it can help make up for past overspending.
Decluttering:
11 items.