Last week, leading up to the election, I got completely fed up with social media.
I got fed up with people screaming at each other between their screens. I got tired of reading hateful tweets about both candidates. I couldn’t listen to one more person shout something negative from their Twitter handle. It’s exhausting. Maybe you feel the same way.
So, as much as I could, I tried to disengage and disconnect from social media. I want to stay informed, but scrolling is a recipe for disaster and anxiety these days. I can’t tell you the amount of people I’ve muted across all platforms. Feels great.
In place of the socials, I’ve been trying to recognize the good things in every day or do things that make me happy that don’t involve the Internet. Here are some of them.
I bought a new rug!
The old rug in front of my kitchen sink was too long and not that comfy under my feet. It was a weird shade of off-white and didn’t feel the cozy I craved while sipping my first cup of coffee in the morning. I found this one on Rugs USA and it’s some of the best $53 bucks I’ve ever spent. It fits perfectly and I smile every time I see it.
I bought some used books on ThriftBooks.
This site is awesome! They have tons of used books for amazing prices. These five books were under $35 I believe. They range from “acceptable” to “very good” condition, but they all look great to me. Right now I’m reading Two Hours and I can’t put it down.
My third (?) PT appointment was on Monday.
Man, I love my PTs. During this appointment, they wanted me to run on a fancy treadmill to gather all sorts of data on how my body behaves while I run with Dystonia. They put me through exercises, had me run again, performed some manipulations and massages, then had me run again to see if any of it helped. It was really cool to see how my feet land, how long they stay on the ground, what my arm swing looks like, etc. There is only so much a PT can do for me with Dystonia because the problem is in my brain, but it was pretty amazing and I’m so grateful they wanted to learn more to help me. My next step is to see a neurologist.
Through this process, I’ve learned that advocating for myself—scheduling the appointment, showing up, doing the exercises I’m prescribed, making a second appointment—is not easy; it’s easier to do the next week or say I’ll do it the next week. It’s easier to say I’ll live with this forever, which is what I’ve been doing. But proactively caring for myself in this way has felt empowering and has encouraged me to stay on this path, search for more opinions and answers.
I bought fresh bread!
My favorite bakery here in town is called Moxie and they have some of the best coffee and pastries around. The line is always down the stairs and around the corner, and they even told me that they had to staff up during the pandemic because people were so concerned about their business, making sure they didn’t fold as restaurants closed for a while. I stopped in last week to get a fresh loaf of sourdough. It’s heaven.
I caught the last bit of light on a sunset bike ride.
We had the most beautiful weather last week, so I wanted to take advantage before the sun sets at like 4 p.m. again. I finished up with work early one day last week and took a spin around an open space area in Louisville called Davidson Mesa. It offers unbelievable views of the Flatirons and city of Boulder. I love to run there, too, when I need something flat.
Getting dressed for working at home.
I fought this so hard in the beginning. In March, when we went into our first lockdown, I took full advantage of the WFH life. I would wake up, go for a run, make coffee, shower, then get back in sweats or leggings and work from home all day, only changing to go out for a walk at lunch…then getting back in sweats when I got home. Finally, after a couple months of feeling like a potato, I started getting dressed and, I hate to say it, but it helps with my productivity. I’m not saying my jeans are always buttoned up all the way, but it’s progress.
Morning coffee walks.
On the days that my legs are screaming for rest, I’ve been making coffee when I wake up then taking a tumbler full on a morning walk around town. I think it’s my new favorite thing. SO MANY people are out with their dogs or their spouses doing the same thing and it’s so lovely. I did that this morning and caught up on a couple podcasts as I strolled the main streets at sunrise. Definitely going to keep that up a day or two per week when the weather is bearable.
Hope you all are doing well. What have you been doing for your mental health? What’s your relationship with social media like today?
PUSH ANIMAL. 
Thank you for this. I have muted so many people I lost count. This election drama is unreal. I welcome this lighthearted post with open arms.