Health and Sanity Check-Ins

[sprocketta]

Things are crazy now. I think we are all trying to stay healthy and maintain sanity as well. I thought I would start this thread so folks can check in and discuss how they're doing. I want all my BIC friends to be okay. I will kick this off with a first post. Take care of yourself lovelies.

[niki172]

Thanks so much @SportyGirly125 I really appreciate it 💜. I was raised to just suck it up and move on which is why I've been kinda quite everywhere and I feel bad putting it out there but I do feel a bit better just throwing it all out to the world and not holding it in.

[pocketvenus]

@niki172 Thanks for reading and please don't apologize. There's being negative and there is recognizing how systemic forms of inequity impact our lives and naturally, sometimes these things bleed into each other. And it's important not ignore these systemic pressures. For exactly the reason you point out. They impact our health and our well being and our bodies. And it's so easy to lose sight of that, to keep pushing your body past its limits when we live in a society that glorifies this, and work for employers motivated to squeeze out every last drop.

I was really motivated to continue this course but I'm leaning toward just saying no. I can learn these skills on my own and hope my work speaks for itself without a shiny credential. I spent two years grinding away on a scholarship to get my professional grad degree only to watch men get hired into the exact same position at my workplace fresh out of their bachelors because they showed "potential." Ha!

I hear you, the last two years have been relentless and again, there really has not been any public recognition of what people have been through and are continuing to go through. Some people may be able to just move on but others need more.

I love your suggestion to read more books and the recommendation, thank you <333 I stopped reading during the pandemic but it's slowly come back. My current trashy summer read right now is A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers. It's about a serial killer and food critic who is a very dislikable, disagreeable character but the food descriptions and history are great ha ha. The author over-dresses the prose with all these unnecessary adjectives and clearly doesn't give a fig 😛

I'm not sure I'm getting through this with grace, but I really do appreciate everyone reading my words and sharing what's been helping them ❤️ Thank you for your honesty. So many of us are just muddling through, trying to keep on a brave face. I cu 🍵🍰🌻📚🌞

[niki172]

@pocketvenus thanks for the book suggestion! That sounds right up my alley  - serial killers and a laze fare approach to the writing of the book lol!

I too have been looked over at my place of work (and even dismissed by some only to be proven correct) because I am in a heavily all-male profession. I am so sorry you are going through all these stressors - the need to show "more" to just be on equal footing because of race/gender/identity etc is a word I can't say on here but I bet you can guess at least one descriptive term I'd use 😜.

[pocketvenus]

@niki172 Yes, and even when women move up in my workplace, they are not paid as much 🙃 But yeah, keep handing out those "rising leader" awards, that's great "compensation" for the consistent differences in hard income!!

Glad to read your insurance broker is not a complete dud. I lived in the US so had a taste of how complicated the paperwork and costs can get. It's mind boggling, so much work for everyone, and the surprize costs can be truly nerve wracking!! I know it's hard when this is the context one finds oneself in. Keep trying to take care of yourself - as you say, autoimmune stuff is no joke! We are all rooting for you ❤️

[Mellmars1185]

@pocketvenus I can relate. I am fortunate enough to have been able to remain employed through the pandemic. I feel like I have been picking up the slack where the pandemic has affected my life in different areas. I was saying yes to things. Then I had a medical emergency and it was a wake up call.

Since then I have tried saying no more and am trying to learn to be more assertive. I have tried to surround myself with positive and supportive people. I have also started going to the gym and I find that it grounds me. 

It seems to me like you are a hard worker. I hope that you can get some you time in.

[pocketvenus]

@Mellmars1185 I totally agree with the gym, I try to do at least 10 minutes of stretching or yoga in the morning and I think it makes a HUGE difference <333

It's hard for women to say no not just because we are trained to say yes, but because we are socially punished when we say no! So yes, it's important to be assertive but also, it's important for society as a whole to start putting more of these expectations on men.

[QueenMarceline]

@pocketvenus Jeez, you are literally reading my mind in a good 80% of this post lately. Genuinely feeling overwhelmed and overworked. I hate complaining because compared to some people I know my job at the very least pays quite well so it feels like I should just "shut up and be happy". I too have a tendency to say yes to more things than I ever should and recently all the things I enjoyed for myself like self-care, the BIC, amongst many other hobbies have seemingly been tossed to the side while my workload is overflowing. I had to make it a point to myself to check back in here this weekend and take some me time.

[pocketvenus]

@QueenMarceline Yes, I think we can recognize so many have taken on a lot during the pandemic and we have not even had time to process everything and properly grieve 💔 Even if one has a lot of money, processing and grieving is still a basic human need, not a nice-to-have. What also makes it really hard is seeing how burdens created by the pandemic are not being shared equally, not by a long shot, but we're all being asked to put on a happy face as you say, good little workers, mothers, caregivers, what have you. Thanks for reading <333

[Mellmars1185]

On Friday we had to say goodbye to my cat Wooie. It has been a hard week. Give your pets love as the time they are with us is not long enough.

 

 

[bunnymurphy]

I am incredibly sorry for your loss.  Something tells me that Wooie knew full well that he hit the kitty lottery when he joined your family, and had the best life💗. 

[tsavorite]

@Mellmars1185 ,

I'm also sorry for your loss.  Bless you for loving and taking care of your Wooie.  ❤️

[Mellmars1185]

@tsavorite Thank you 💓

[QueenMarceline]

@Mellmars1185 I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Pets are truly members of the family and it's so hard when it's time to say goodbye. My deepest condolences and big virtual hugs. ❤️ 

[Mellmars1185]

@QueenMarceline Thank you so much 💞

[Shosh85]

@Mellmars1185  Awe, I'm so so sorry! Pets really do become part of the family. ❤️  How old was Wooie?

[Mellmars1185]

@Shosh85 Thank you. We think he was around 17 yrs old

[Mellmars1185]

@faeriegirl @lmaster ❤️

[lmaster]

@Mellmars1185 I'm so sorry for your loss 😔

[faeriegirl]

I am so sorry @Mellmars1185 ❤️❤️❤️

[Mellmars1185]

@Kim888 @pocketvenus Thank you for your caring words ❤️

[Kim888]

I'm sorry to hear that @Mellmars1185 - the loss of a pet is always so hard!