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A Playlist of Calm Songs
I have some ideas to share that will help you create a calm playlist when you need some quiet, relaxing music.
A few years ago, I started creating a calm playlist to listen to while I do my physical therapy stretches and when I’m trying to unwind at night.
Because of my POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a form of Dysautonomia, my autonomic nervous system doesn’t function correctly, One of the symptoms I deal with is rapid heartbeat, which can make it especially hard to relax. Music isn’t a cure by any means, but its one of the tools in my toolbox (including medicine) that I can turn to.
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Flexibility is Key—Creating with Chronic Illness
Happy New Year friends! I’ve been thinking about the importance of flexibility with chronic illness, especially when it comes to taking care of my health and making time for my creative pursuits.
January seems like the perfect month to share some updates, as well as what I’ve found helpful on my health journey recently. I hope these reflections are helpful for you too!
I’m thrilled to be participating in A Chronic Voice’s link up again this month. This link up is a way for chronically ill bloggers to connect by writing posts based on the same prompts. I love the creative challenge offered by the prompts and seeing what others write!
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Thoughts On “Sun Guilt” And How To Enjoy The Outdoors With Chronic Illness
Don’t worry, this isn’t a post pressuring you to go outside more or insisting you should get outside every day. With chronic illness and pain, sometimes this isn’t realistic. So let’s talk about ways to benefit from and enjoy being outdoors with chronic illness. For me, planning and pacing are key.
In fact, I’m giving myself permission to be outside less or not go outside at all, even on days when the weather is ideal. I’m trying to balance benefitting from nature with listening to my body.
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Jasmine as a Mermaid – Altered Coloring Book Art #5
It’s time for new altered coloring book art! This time I’m reimaging a coloring book page based on Aladdin. I’ve been so excited to give Jasmine a new look as…a mermaid!
We’re going to keep it really chill on the blog today, because as you may have noticed, I have taken an unintentional blogging break since early February due to my health. Coloring is a fun way to share something creative with you all, and it’s a comforting activity when my chronic illness knocks me down.
This is my way of keeping the creative juices flowing in spite of my limitations. I might not have the energy to create a new work of art, but I can create something new by looking at a coloring page from a new perspective.
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December Wrap Up: Preparing For the New Year
Happy New Year! I’m sharing a wrap up post with highlights from my December, including what I made, what I found challenging, and festive photos. Looking back can help us move forward. So I’m reviewing the last month of 2020 before next year’s fresh start.
This post is inspired by A Chronic Voice’s linkup party, which is a way for bloggers to connect and write about similar themes. I’ve decided to write on three of the linkup themes: Beginning, Enduring, and Revealing. I’ve also decided to add two themes of my own: Creating and Celebrating.
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How To Stay Connected From A Distance-Holiday Edition
The holiday season is coming, and I want to share some fun and creative ways to stay connected even from a distance. It can be challenging to stay connected while apart. Chronic illness can limit our ability to travel or visit, and risk due to the pandemic adds another layer of restrictions.
Thankfully, technology provides a lot of ways to keep in touch so we’re not isolated. I’m going to share ideas for virtual Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas parties.
I’ve been thankful to be able to meet up with a few friends outdoors in the last month or so for socially distanced get-togethers. Now the weather is getting colder (too cold for this asthmatic to be outdoors here in Washington). So I’m thinking about ways to make virtual get-together’s into holiday parties.
I hope these ideas inspire many fun celebrations!
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Ariel as a Pirate – Altered Coloring Book Art #4
Time for new altered coloring book art! I’m reimaging a new coloring book page. Today I’m sharing how I changed the look of the heroine of my favorite Disney movie: The Little Mermaid. (Find my other makeovers of Disney Princesses here.)
I decided this was a good week for a lighthearted post. If you’ve been following what’s going on on the West Coast, we’ve been having unprecedented wildfires. I’ve never heard of so many brushfires and wildfires so close by, and a large one in Washington is in a neighboring city. I have several friends and family who are waiting to hear if they need to evacuate. We’re praying for everyone affected and fighting the fires, and I appreciate your prayers for the West Coast as well!
We could all use some stress-relieving coloring…
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Ups And Downs: Summer, Chronic Illness, and a New Normal
Hello friends, I’m so excited to be able to join A Chronic Voice’s link up this month. Summer is finally here, but unfortunately, that doesn’t mean a vacation from chronic illness. So I’m going to share what I’ve found helpful and how I’m coping with the new normal.
This link up is a way for chronic illness bloggers to connect by writing posts based on the same prompts. I found it so helpful last month to use the prompts as a jumping off point to not only write a blog post, but also to do some journaling for myself to process everything going on in the world and my own life.
This month, I’m using the prompts to share a little bit about what I’ve been up to lately creatively, what I’ve been struggling with healthwise, and how I’m continuing to adjust to the new normal.
The prompts for this month are Bothering, Demanding, Telecommunicating, Tolerating, and Nourishing.
