Believe- you have your battles don't you? but you seem really strong or at the very least strong willed. That will go a long way

Lisa - so glad you got the job. hope you feel better

Cat- I'm sorry, but the picture in my head of you feeding and watering that hen made me laugh. What an ordeal! i hope she pulls through. I can't imagine a chicken just snuggles up in your lap and eagerly takes food and water.

Vermont - Spring will come!

All - some comments about clutter made me think. Do I have clutter because I'm depressed, or does the clutter depress me? Probably both.... I had to clean up clutter so they could spray the house for fleas, and it was overwhelming. I felt like I was doing a lot but it barely made a dent in the mess....

Jake (dog) is home. Weak, but still determined!

Welcome Missmanda89!
 

Missmanda89: :welcome: to the group! :) I hope you will find lots of support here. So happy you posted! :)

Hello,

Welcome, Missmanda 89!

Kathleen, I hope you are able to convince everyone that family counseling will help. You are in a tough spot right now. I think people are embarrassed about counseling and do not want anyone to know they need it; they think it shows a weakness. It shows a STRENGTH! You know you need an outsider's view/help to get through these tough times, and you are taking charge of the problems. Good for you!

Holly! Only one more day of the Rat B*stard??? Your weather sounds better than ours - we have had a weird winter on Cape Cod this past year - mostly mild until late March, then crazy!

Lisa, Congratulations! That job sounds like it will be fun and interesting. Will you be going to stores like CVS that carry Hallmark cards?

Purple, I think the depression and clutter are a vicious cycle. I would come home depressed and tired, disgusted with myself basically, and I would not have the energy to clean. Then the clutter would depress me. I got out of it by sticking to the 30 minutes a day; I also have a cleaning lady every other week. A few years ago I did one drawer or shelf a day for months - every cabinet, every piece of furniture, every closet, the basement, the garage - When I finished that project I was quite pleased with myself. I was shocked at the number of duplicate kitchen utensils I had - I kept one of each. I made many trips to the Salvation Army and St. Vincent dePaul drop-offs. It is such an uplifting feeling! I love knowing where everything is; I know exactly where to look for anything in the house.

Fi, if you are reading along I am thinking of you. You could give us all advice on cleaning clutter! You did your entire house in preparation for the kittens.

I started my declutter project when I was losing weight and feeling upbeat. My house has always looked clean and fairly tidy - but, if you opened a drawer or cabinet you were taking your life into your hands!!!! That was what was getting to me.

I think if you do it slowly like I did, it is not so overwhelming, yet you get the same result - a well-organized home.

Take care, everyone.

good morning and welcome :welcome: to Missmanda! i hope you find this place a secure little corner to come to :)

purplecow, YAY for Mr. Jake being home :)

congrats Lisa!! :cheer2:

Easyspirit, wow that was such a great plan to just tackle ONE shelf or drawer a day..just one..what a sense of accomplishment and wise not to take something huge on all at once.

YES today is the last day at the Rat B@stard's!! here is a small example of what a horrible person he is, customers are asking him if he is going somewhere on vacation during this time off? he answeres..."Brussells". What a piece of sh*t . He thinks that's funny. OK I will stop ranting :devil:

Did a quick workout this morning, light weights and leg lifts.

Hi to everyone and have a good day I hope!

Hi everyone! I haven't posted here before but I've struggled with depression for the last few years. It started with grad school and several deaths within about a year and a half at the most stressful time in my life - my 2 cousins, my best friend, my grandmother and my 19 year old cat . Last year I got really bad, and ended going to the doctor and cried in her office and finally decided to move back to my home state. I found a local job snd moved in with my parents. My mother was really worried about me and honestly I was starting to get worried. I would call in sick for work because I couldn't get out of bed and spend half the day in bed crying. My coworkers who don't know my situation thought I was crazy for giving up that job but there are more important things in life like my sanity, health, my family/friends, and happiness. I felt like I was just waiting to die when I lived there partly because of the isolation and lack of support. I've been back home for a few months and just being around family and friends has helped so much, and making goals. My big goals for this year are to lose weight and get out of debt. And I feel like I am actually making some headway on both which is amazing. I do currently have a one hour commute (one way)) which kind of sucks, but I try to make the best of it by listening to a funny talk show or upbeat music.

And when I went to the doctor, she ran some blood work and I was deficient on a few things. So i practice self care now and make sure I sleep and shower and take vitamins. And I try to do something with friends every weekend or two.

The comments about clutter have hit home. When i felt terrible, my house was always a disaster because I didn't care. I'm living with my parents now, so I'm basically living out of boxes and can never find anything. It's frustrating and I haven't been motivated to do anything about it. I dont have a ton of stuff but when it's all packed in one room with a bed and closet, it's overwhelming. I guess that should be my next goal. Anyway, I was so glad to find this group. Hope everyone is having a good Sunday 😊😊

Originally Posted by Lisaluvshearts:
Hello ladies,

I received an email this evening and I got the job. :) I won't be working in a Hallmark Store. I'll go in stores and stock, reset and put up displays of Hallmark Cards. Thank you all for your well wishes for a good phone interview.


I am not feeling well tonight. I had a headache earlier and I still don't feel very good. Sorry I'm not up to posting more. I'll try to stop in tomorrow.

Much love to all. :)

Congrats on the job!! Hope you feel better soon!

Thanks for the warm welcome! I know how it feels to feel bogged down with cleaning the house, sometimes I think it's either I take care of the clutter and I don't work out or I work out and leave the house messy. I think I am slowly learning,with many things in life that is slowing us down, is that we need to take it one day at a time. If I stop worrying about a perfect house and just focus on myself and the little decisions I make day to day I think I can make the changes I need... I hope everyone is enjoying this Sunday. . Unfortunately here in Canada it's snowing .... ☺☺

good morning! This is my FIRST DAY AWAY FROM THE ROTTEN WINTER BOSS job :cool: I don't want to rub it in, but I will have almost five weeks off :eek: :dance: :flow1: :dancer: Here is a funny for you...he handed my pay to me, and said 'there's a little something extra for you'. When I got home, I opened it and found out yes..TWO DOLLARS extra :devil: Maybe he meant to make it more...whatever.

Even if I can't control my eating, I will make myself work out every day :strong: because I don't have any valid excuse about no time :D

Hi Rin and :welcome: ! am so sorry to hear about all the close people who left you :( how hard for you!! sounds like the move back home is what you need for now. BEST wishes on your goals of weight loss and debt loss :)

missmanda, how I commiserate with crummy weather woes, we are white outside again, and cold, and this actually is typical for Vermont in April, but I ...want...Spring!!

HI to everyone else, and you will see me here alot more, as I have the time, and I do love to read all over the forum when I am trying to be in 'diet mode'.

Welcome!
 

Rin: :welcome: to the group! It sure sounds like you've been through a lot... but it also sounds like you can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I wish you the best with your goals of losing weight and getting out of debt! We will be here cheering you on! :cheer2: I hope you will find the support you need here. :)

Yay Holly!!!
 

Holly: I cannot tell you how very happy I am to know that you are DONE with your winter job and the rat b@st@rd boss!!! :carrot: :bravo: :cp: :dancer: I so hope you will thoroughly enjoy your time off! You definitely deserve it! :)

heeheee thanks Kathleen! :)

this morning I did these two workouts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_tJ...st=WL&index=55 this guy is a hoot!! very young and hip but so enthusiastic. Next one was this lady Pahla B https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0du...st=WL&index=52

today looks to be another crummy weather day, its 38 and total overcast with low clouds, might be a few of those crummy wet snowflakes later also, BUT our forecast shows some blue sky and SUN :sunny: and some WARMTH later in the week! so today should be a 'tackle some inside job' day, I def need to pay some bills, deposit my last paycheck (with those bonus 2 dollars :devil: ) and shop for some healthy foods.

did I tell you all that our younger son and fiance did decide on a wedding date?? this July 23rd :cool: VERY small and low key, the actual ceremony in a state park which is special to them; then a party at her parent's house/backyard. The fiance's sister had her wedding reception there a few years ago so the family should be familiar with the routine :D Tents and simple foods and a live band, white sparkly lights once it's dusk. I am not stressing about losing flab before then, just gonna do my best :)

HI to everyone, please check in :wave:

and here is some of this stuff because it's so sparkly :dust:

Holly
 

Holly: I am so sorry that I forgot to congratulate you on your HUGE $2 bonus!!! :carrot: That rat b@st@rd boss is a real piece of work!!! :devil: Seriously.... $2??? What a jerk!!!

Congrats on your son's upcoming wedding! Hopefully you like his fiancé. Sounds like a lovely simple ceremony and reception and it will be extra special at her parents' house/backyard. And I am so happy to hear you say that you aren't going to stress over your weight. You may call it flab, but I beg to differ, because I've seen the pictures you've posted of yourself. :p You will look beautiful, I'm sure! ;) Enjoy your sun :sunny: and warmth later this week! :)

Lisa
 

How is everyone else doing?

My son will begin his intensive outpatient therapy tomorrow. I am SO hoping it will help guide him in the right direction and give him some valuable life coping skills. We have had a lot of tension (still) around the house as we strive to work out a balance between giving him the space and privacy he needs while convincing him that he must also comply with our "rules" and wishes. It has been a real rollercoaster ride. He has been constantly testing our limits. We have our first family counseling session this Thursday. Hope we get off to a good start! I have to reschedule our other sessions due to his outpatient therapy. I am committed to keeping us on some sort of schedule for family counseling on an ongoing basis..... at least for awhile. We really need it. Our communication skills with one another are pretty crappy. :( Not much else going on here. Just wanted to check in and say hello! :)