Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

Hope you enjoyed them @Shaz51

thanks I will try, hope you sleep well, just going to watch a movie till I hopefully sleep goodnight 

[Owlunar]

A diary sounds like a good idea @Shaz51

I started one when I went back to work after my son died - I was full of hope that was to be a reality - I felt that there was a time of change upon me and there was - in the years I kept that journal I kept track of events as they occurred

I read through them before anyone else could and destroyed them - I was surprised though - at first there were my thoughts and comments about my life which were rather humerous but as my marriage ended I found I had written my bitterness in the journal rather than share it with other people and this is why they were destroyed 

One could reason for writing our thoughts is that we can keep track of them and read what we thought of at the time

But years later - I have written about other people in my life for a short time and entirely forgotten who they were - 

So to me - we keep a lot to ourselves and we find that part of our past in our future - 

Good luck with it Shaz - 

Already for the journal journey

Dec

[Owlunar]

I used to swim a lot @Margot 

I was in a programme and won a couple of awards for staying there and swimming laps several times a week - I was very fit then but a car accident wrecked my left shoulder and I have had less trouble with the over the last couple of years and if I get bathers I might get to the local pool and build it up - easier said than done though I can always try

But if others can swim I can - I really like the idea of swimming in the tropics - the hotel where I am staying as a fantastic pool and the thought of swimming first thing in the morning - just getting up and walking to the pool sounds fantastic

One project we can journal is actually getting a programme going and sticking to it the best we can - my excuse of getting old isn't going to work here

Dec

[Margot]

Wish you all the best with your diary writing @Former-Member@Shaz51 I like the idea of writing with a coffee. Brings a nice, 'cosy', kind of self care image to mind. 

Your perserverence and determination really comes through @Owlunar. It's really hard to get back into things when we've had so many setbacks. Creating a program and using a journal to reflect on your progress sounds like an awesome self care idea. I reckon it will help with that thing we often forget to do too - pausing and experiencing that sense of gratitude and positivity that occurs when we're working towards something to improve our wellbeing 🌻

[Former-Member]

I might sit on my new couch and start doing it when it arrives lol it will be so cosy @Margot Bring it on 

[Owlunar]

Thanks @Margot

I have had setbacks in my life - I have lived long enough but I do tend to look back on them as part of my learning curve - so the curve went down for a while but I got it to go back up

I showed someone one of my old scrap books today - she was very impressed with a poem I had written there and also she laughed at my captions for some newspaper clippings

That was fun - I was reading another one at the same time - I have a lot of them - I really think it's time to start doing another and maybe tonight

All the jokes I had written for myself - I had forgotten - I guess I like writing captions for the clipart I use here - it's all for me really but I love it when other people appreciate it

Dec

[Margot]

A good sense of humour is certainly something the keeps us resilient @Owlunar! Part of any good self care plan 😄

I like the idea of sharing your creative projects with others too. A really nice way to share your journey. Happy scrapbooking tonight 🎨

[frog]

@Shaz51 @Owlunar @Margot @Former-Member @Appleblossom I like reading your self care activities and plans. Like @BlueBay I don’t feel like I have the capacity right now. If I did I would do journaling and make a vision board 🐸 Hopefully in the future 

[Former-Member]

I don’t think I have the capacity either but I think you will start when you are ready @frog

One will be -denial of my own heart. 

[Margot]

Thanks for dropping in @frog. A vision board sounds great! Have you ever created one of those before? Does anybody else have experience with them?