Saturday, December 20, 2008

5 THINGS FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH

I've been tagged... by Sydney... again! Thanks... Actually it's been good to have to go through and think about all this. So here goes:

What do I do for my mental health...

#1,2,3,4,5 is to stay close to God...but I'll add a few more that also help. However... God is my source for all things, especially my mental health. If He had not been with me during this past 5 months, I couldn't have stayed mentally healthy. I would have lost it many times over. When God is the one orchestrating the events in your life, neither lack nor danger nor destruction can affect you. Nothing happens to you by accident when you have God in your life. Whatever needs you have, God wants you to know that His supply will be there for you. As you involve Him in your daily life and trust His love for you, you will see Him lead and place you at the right place to enjoy His blessings.

#2 is to enjoy family time... My family is very important to me and I'm fortunate that I have had them with me pretty much THEIR whole life (lives). When my daughter was a young adult, not yet married, we always gave each other gifts of travel...tickets for the two of us to do something together. When she married, and had her children, they pretty much lived around the corner...again, staying close and we either saw each other every day or we talked on the phone many times per day. My grandchildren grew to adulthood and we're all still together. We all live in the same house, with me in like mother-in-law quarters, (well you need some private space sometimes) and the boys and my daughter in the remainder of the house. My Grandaughter does live a few miles away, but close enough. I find this to be another good thing for my mental health. I so enjoy being with them or near them.

#3... I miss my friends who have either passed away or I moved away and don't have the same contact. Being used to the close contact with someone who is no longer around causes those moments of sadness to surround you, but bringing back a good memory of that person at that very moment, can deliver you from the sadness to that of joy and peace.

#4... My dog Buddy... He's my closest friend right now... he's always there whether I want him to be or not, but he will look at me sometimes with those big eyes and tail wagging, and no matter what kind of mood I may be in, he lifts my spirits, and all is well.

#5...My blog and my blog buddies. I lose myself in the fun and experience of writing in my blog...sometimes serious, sometimes silly...but that's who I am. And I love reading my cyber-friends' blogs. We have become so close, even though the majority of us have never met. It's great to sign on and read what's going on in their lives...and be able to write down what's going on in mine.

I've never been the type of individual who dwells on "things". Good or bad. I accept them as that which is supposed to be.

My house would probably be considered dirty and unkempt... And it doesn't bother me in the least if it doesn't get cleaned. It doesn't look it, but if you get in those corners and behind furniture, you're gonna see that it doesn't get moved often. When I do spring cleaning (and that can be anytime) you can bet it really needs it. You clean people out there ( I was going to say "clean freaks", but didn't want to offend), ... you must be palpitating just thinking of the dirt. Sorry...

I sleep with my dog who sheds... I have to keep a sheet over my comforter so he can't get to it, otherwise I'm washing bedclothes constantly. I do it twice a week as it is. That is one place that has to be really clean... my bed... need to smell that good aroma from clean pillow cases. But I wouldn't even consider making him sleep anywhere else.

Exercise is another thing that never caught on with me. And I don't feel guilty... Would never have been helpful to my mental health. It would be the one thing that pulled me down if I thought about it. Maybe I'm just lazy, but again... guess that's just me.

God, Family, Friends, my Buddy and Cyber-friends.... that's what does it for me!

I'm only going to tag one person...pdx granny... you're it! Look forward to seeing your answers.











8 comments:

Laurie said...

I'm first? Whoo hoo! First in line to give you a big hug and tell you how inspiring you are to me. Your faith strengthens mine, dear Marge. You are truly blessed to be a blessing.

bindu said...

It's great that you will be surrounded by all those you love in this Holiday season, and that they have been close to you throughout.

PDX Granny said...

OK, Marge ~ I've been tagged. I'll let you know when I'm done and who I tag next.

I'll tell you ahead of time, that some of mine are going to sound so much like yours!!

Anonymous said...

meb, I enjoyed reading this so much. I am glad you have Buddy and that Buddy has you. I don't remember hearing of him before. I like a clean house, but I don't like to clean house. Since I don't have anyone else (family or paid) who will do it for me, I settle for the in between lived-in look. When I look back at journals I kept, it is amazing how many entries mention housework. As if it were the most important thing in my life.

my wv is 'mycolli'...Buddy isn't a collie, is he?

meb said...

Buddy is a Shepherd/Rotweiler mix, and he's big and he likes to sit on my lap which is no longer big enough for him to do. I tried letting him get in my lap today, but it's been so long, he forgot how to do it. He's too cute!

yes bindu... I love family during the holidays... it is great!

thanks for the hug Laurie... always can use one of them.

pdx granny... look forword to your blog.

PDX Granny said...

I haven't forgotten the tag, MEB. I've been catching up on all the blogs I've been neglecting for the past couple of weeks.

Plus, keeping up with the storm we're having is taking up way too much of my time. I've been watching the non-stop weather alerts for the past 2 days. It looks like we may still be snowed in for Christmas Eve.

meb said...

pdx granny... sorry you're in a horrific snow storm it sounds like.

Don't worry about the tag.. it'll be there when you're ready.

Sydney said...

I loved hearing about this MEB, and I found the first post really inspiring. I admire you for your relationship with God and while I have known what you are talking about, experienced it, I am not in that constant contact all the time. you've got one of the great secrets of life down, right there. I need the reminder.

And being with your family so long is also a key to longevity and happiness --if you were blessed with SANE people to be related to, lol.

And then animals-- you are right that they can pull any person out of it with the wag of a tail. I often wonder if I acted exuberant and devoted when my husband came home every day how it might improve our relationship, lol. But I think it's something no human can duplicate!

Now I can't wait to read PDX's! Thanks for doing this. I tagged you because I knew yours would be great and we'd all want to know about it.