It's been harder to come up with what it is I want to share this month. I've been settling in to a routine with my PhD program--one much more self-driven than before. I've shifted into the phase in which I'm not taking (many) classes, and instead I have to motivate myself to do the work … Continue reading February
Category: calm catalog
august: what’s bringing me calm
(1) Being more aware of the "work addiction" mindset I easily slip into, especially with a new school year coming. My ADHD puts me at risk of addiction. My addictions haven't really manifested themselves as what I considered to be the well-known ones: drugs and alcohol. Instead, an addiction I trend towards--one that is pretty … Continue reading august: what’s bringing me calm
july: what’s bringing me calm
1. Allowing myself a break from making a monthly post. I've started to accept when I need to take breaks from doing things, even things I love, like writing two posts a month for this website. Instead, I spent time traveling, with friends and family I hadn't seen in 18 months, and letting ideas incubate … Continue reading july: what’s bringing me calm
june: what’s bringing me calm
1. Having a chosen daily uniform It started with wearing scrubs when I had an internship at a hospital in grad school. Wearing scrubs made me realize how grateful I was not to use mental effort on figuring out what to wear each morning. While I no longer wear scrubs every day, I've found that … Continue reading june: what’s bringing me calm
may: what’s bringing me calm
1. Starting an SSRI This will merit it's own post--as it's definitely been filled with ups and downs--but something that's been bringing me calm was starting a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for my anxiety. While these are best known for treating depression, they can also be used to treat anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder … Continue reading may: what’s bringing me calm
april: what’s bringing me calm
1. Remembering the kind of meditation I like I wrote in March about trying to get back to my sitting meditation. What I think has perhaps helped me with making it stick was remembering that I don't really like guided meditation--which tends to be the default in many of the popular apps. Instead, I really … Continue reading april: what’s bringing me calm
march: what’s bringing me calm
1. Coming back to sitting mediation I know, I know, people can't be "bad" at mediation. But I've tried sitting mediation on many occasions, and--trust me--I am not great at it. I've made daily walks in some kind of nature a much more consistent habit, and the movement combined with the nature helps calm my … Continue reading march: what’s bringing me calm
february: what’s bringing me calm
1. Information as a coping mechanism for chaos This month turned out to be more anxiety-ridden than usual. A bit of this was to be expected with class demands ramping up, an exam, etc. But this was compounded for me by the winter freeze that knocked out much of the Texas power grid, which has … Continue reading february: what’s bringing me calm
january: what’s bringing me calm
Figuring out how and when I can decrease screen time, particularly looking at my computer and monitor.As the pandemic has progressed, and I’ve learned how I do working from home, I’ve had to figure out my limits when it comes to screen time. I know if I’m on my computer too late, I struggle to … Continue reading january: what’s bringing me calm
december: what’s bringing me calm
1. Krista Tippett’s On Being has long been a favorite podcast. I listened to/struggled with her recent episode while on a walk through my neighborhood, which brings me to… 2. Daily walks through my neighborhood. These are cold right now as the weather finally becomes colder where I live in Texas. I’m a northern transplant … Continue reading december: what’s bringing me calm
The Lazy PhD 