Bashing Perfect

Coffee Challenge - How to Deal with Caffeine and OCPD

2011-05-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

When I first told my doctor about feeling anxious, he asked a ton of questions. But one of the first was – Do you drink coffee?

Well yes, of course I do! Doesn’t everyone? He asked me how much. Then proceeded to tell me that even with mild anxiety I should lay off the caffeine. For a long time I thought the coffee jitters were just physical, keeping me wired. Turns out the effects of caffeine are a bit deeper than that. He said to avoid coffee if possible – but I live in the real world. I couldn’t just give it up! So I turned to the internet, where lots of scientific studies are made public. Here is one quote:

Dr James Lee, a psychiatrist at Duke University, North Carolina in the USA, said of caffeine and anxiety, "Moderate caffeine consumption makes a person react like he/she is having a very stressful day. If you combine the effects of real stress with the artificial boost in stress hormones that comes from caffeine then you have compounded the effects considerably." During his study the volunteers produced 32% more adrenaline, their blood pressure was raised and their heart rates were faster.

Well ok, so no double espresso. But what if I want to try to have my coffee, and just use moderation? I found some great tips – and through my own personal experience – here are some things to keep in mind:

Don’t drink coffee without eating any protein. The caffeine goes straight into your bloodstream, and spikes quickly. Combined with low blood sugar, this can really affect your mood.

Dilute it if you can. I started drinking ice coffee with lots of ice rather than a double espresso. It took some getting used to the less sharp flavor, but I’m consuming my caffeine a lot more slowly.

Think about timing. I never drink coffee or tea after 5:30 pm – because I know I won’t sleep! Find you own cut off.

Monitor the stress. Finally, if you know you are going into a stressful situation, take it easy on the coffee. You big meeting is not the time to down 2 cups of joe!

As always, be mindful and find the moderate balance that works for you!

Brain Priming - Positive Affirmation and OCPD

2011-04-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

I love the blog Lifehacker!

They have a great post on how to “hack” your brain. It’s all about understanding your neurology and then using it to be the way you want. Having knowledge of the brain gives you control over it!

They write:

You are not who you are, but rather the product of many influences. The saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" exists for a reason: the longer you've been the person you think you are, the harder it becomes to change. The thing is, you can dramatically change who you are.

Very comforting to anyone who get frustrated with themselves!

They are some very specific tips, but one important on is on "Priming". This is basically a mantra, or a positive group of affirmations, that create good feelings in your brain though their associations. These good associations them prime your brain to feel calm and happy. For example, you can prime yourself to be relaxed by focusing on a list of words like "calm", " sweet", "pastel", "slow swings" and other words that comfort you. You can make a sentence, write them down, or meditate on them. You can choose or create a word list for any emotion, and then all it takes is finding the right way to get yourself to really focus on them and the feelings they inspire.

Try it! Let me know how your "brain priming" goes in the comments .

A Smile a Day... - Expressions and OCPD

2011-04-12T13:45:00.000-07:00

How often do you smile? I know it sounds cheesy, but bear with me!

Even when I am alone, I find my stress and emotions have a habit of cementing themselves onto my face. When I read something upsetting, I glare at my screen. When I hear a horn honk loudly, I can’t seem to help myself from frowning.

No one likes to be frowning or scowling, so why do I keep up these reactions? They cause wrinkles, make onlookers think I’m unfriendly and sometimes, I think it even gives me a headache!

I do them because they are unconscious, simply reactions. Yes, they are movements entirely inside of my control. I can frown or smile right now, on cue. But most of the time, I’m not tuned in. I don’t know what my face is doing.

Imagine if instead of a frown when you are upset, you make an effort to smile. Too much to ask, especially in the face of stress? You might be supprised at how a change in facial expression can actually change your thoughts.

And, if you are around someone else, a smile certainly can’t hurt the situation! ( Well, unless they think you are sarcastic!)

So maybe you tune in, and control your face a bit more, and see if it controls your thoughts? I happened to think a forced smile is better than a unconscious frown. At least the wrinkle lines will get a little lessened!

Here is a nice post about how to "use" your smile in situations. Check it out for some inspiration!

Missing the Text - Focus and OCPD

2011-03-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes at my job, we edit photos that have a caption given. Before they go live on a website, each photo setup goes through a review process. And thank god!

Yesterday, the photo I was working on needed... well... work. Retouching, lightening and then putting on the graphics. It all took some time.

When it was finally done, I uploaded the image and inserted the text it had been assigned. Then, it went to the proofreader.

He called me over "Umm… This image is great, but you realize this caption has nothing to do with the photo?"

He was right! The client had sent us the wrong text and, after a few emails, we matched the right story.

But I was left thinking about what happened. I spend a good hour on the photo – but didn’t even look at the text! I got so foucsed on one detail, I missed how everything fit together.

Obsession - with image perfection, or life perfection - does that. We see one little part, and spend all our time on it. And we overlook what matters.

So maybe it’s time to take a step back from any singular focus, and take in the whole picture!

Sitting on the Bench - Giving up Control and OCPD

2011-02-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

At my office, we have a fairly set chain-of-command, and I land somewhere in the middle. Being the over-achieving perfectionist that I am, I find myself wanting to scoop up task that should go to someone below me, or any intern.

Even at home, I always want to do it all, and do it all right now. Laundry? I'll do it. Dishes? Done. Dog washing? Seriously, if my boyfriend tries to wash the dog I will pull the soapy little critter out of his hands!

But.. I have a feeling this has more to do with OCPD than some kind of super-work ethic.

BBC- Science offers an article about Perfectionism , that has a lot of information. There, at the bottom it notes a symptom:

Doubting of actions:
Feeling uncertain when a job is finished is a common feature of perfectionism. As a result, these people are often reluctant to give up on tasks and sometimes need to be told to 'leave it alone now'. Doubting can also make perfectionists very indecisive.

Maybe, my desire to do it all, and keep doing things past the point of completion, is hurting my mental state. After all, no one wants to spend all their time on repeating simple tasks. And the nagging self-doubt, and doubt of others, undermines my own happiness.

Giving up control and walking away from a project or chore is hard. It's like a athlete sitting on the sidelines, yelling at the coach and the playing teammates. But he or she knows at some point, everyone has to ride the bench, and take a breather. You can't play all 4 quarters, as athletes know, injury and pain are sure to hit an exhausted body.

You realize - I can't be in the game all the time, I can't keep re-running plays again and again. I have to trust my team, and myself, that what is getting done is good enough.

I can't control it all, and I can't always be in the mix, doing a job again and again until its right. So maybe the best thing I can do is sit back, and let someone else call the plays.

Worry Wart - Anxiety and OCPD

2011-02-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

I found this great article in Good Housekeeping ( like housekeeping alone doesn't cause some worrying!). For anyone with obsessive tendencies, worry is an arch-enemy, but also acts like a comfort. How can worry be comforting? This quote from the article puts it well:

"When you worry, you think you're doing something productive," says Keck, "but you're not; you're just spinning your wheels."

That means, when I'm worrying, I'm not doing anything to fix what I am worried about. The catch-22 is, to me, fixating on a problem and obsessing over it makes me motivated to fix it. Sometimes I feel the only way I ever can get anything done is to beat myself up over it, or worry myself into a frenzy.

But the truth is, the worry is a stop-gap for action. So why not check the real reason behind your worry, and realize maybe behind the curtain of anxiety is an action you don't want to take! You can spin your wheels until you run out of gas... but then you miss out on the journey!

Changing the Routine - Resolutions and OCPD

2011-01-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

For New Years, so many people decide on drastic resolutions: Eat only fresh food, stop buying so many clothes, work out every day or even organize a whole house!

These are all good intentions, and while its always good to reach for the stars, setting high goals can have a downside.

Resolving to do Bikram Yoga every day in 2011 is nice in theory, but our best resolutions have a way of getting altered in the day to day. Sometimes, with a really tough goal, knowing how hard it is can keep you from really trying.

If deep down, you know that it is too much, too soon - will you be able to even make a good effort? Or will you punk out at the first missing class, the first diet breaking dessert or the first missed yoga class?

With hard goals, there is no need to say its all or nothing. In fact, think of the odds of ending up on the "nothing" side!

You don't sprint a marathon. So why do something difficult and drastic all at once, when the goal is over the long term?

Isn't it better to cut some slack, take it slow, and stick it out for the long haul than burn out after a grueling week?

So next time you get frustrated with a botched resolution or when a goal doesn't get met, remember that doesn't mean its time to give up.

But maybe it is time to slow down, if only because that means you can pick up the pace later!

Regime and Ritual - Positive Habits and OCPD

2011-01-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

I was watching the movie Julie and Julia last night on TV and this quote stuck in my head. Julie is describing her decision to cook and blog everyday for a year: "It gives me something to do everyday. It's a regime, Mom. Like sit ups."

It's her purpose, what centers her. What makes a regime different from a ritual? A lot of OCPD and OCD people struggle with ritualized behavior, having to do things a certain way at a certain time - regardless of the consequences. A regime, to me, is something you choose to do. Something that improves your inner self, you mental self or your physical self. Something that builds you up.

It's a choice that you feel proud of afterwards.

How many things in my life are a "regime"? Blogging certainly! (once a week... mostly). I try to keep a writing regime (fiction!). Reading for me doesn't count - I do that for fun, so its not exactly a challenge! My biggest challenge of a regime is meditation. When I do it I love it – but taking time to sit still is hard!

So what can you make a regime for the New Year? Hopefully you are up to a positive challenge!

Holiday Cheer - Holiday Stress and OCPD

2010-12-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are a flurry of activity. It can be amazing to be around friend and family, and fill up our time with lots of special seasonal activities.

But, my perfectionist mind often wonders- is this the best of the best? Its my wrapping beautiful? My holiday treats prepared perfectly? My Christmas and New Years plans the best for celebrating? The second guessing and doubtcan go on and on. I see all the negative outcomes of choices made. Why I did this or that, why certain events play out at they did.

I ponder all the choices leading up to this momment - and its hard for someone with OCPD to truly be accept how things are. Because, after all, it is easy to count a million ways things could be better

I found myself second guessing all my presents in this way. It's not that they are bad- its that they could be better. And feeling like you "could do better" can take the fun out of anything.

So it takes a little shift, maybe in expectations, for someone who hold themseles and others to high standards. Not every gift is great, not every holiday dish is delicious, not every momment of the season is filled with magic.

But thats ok. Because if greatness was a constant, if perfection was the norm, then nothing would feel special!

Watching the Flow - Self Awareness and OCPD

2010-12-16T13:29:00.000-08:00

I found this article with a personal story about being diagnosed with OCD. He says he realized this:

"I saw beyond the myth that The Victim Is Unaware of His or Her Own Condition. A childhood flooded with media depictions of the mentally ill had lead me to believe that the afflicted had somehow been robbed of their objectivity, thrown into a dark hall-of-mirrors beyond the realm of rational perspective.

Nonsense. My rational mind remained intact, albeit uncomfortably so. From the lighter corner of my mind, I watched darkness flow in..."

Powerful writing! And also something I have felt. Now, I haven't always been self aware of my own mental state. But now, looking back and realizing how anixious I was so much of the time can be painful.

But you know? At least I can watch the "darkness flow in" now. I know when I start getting obessive, or over-anxious. There is a specific feeling when I can't put down a work task, or step away from the mirrow, or stop fussing with something.

That means, as I watch that darkness flow all around my mind, and I can try get out of the way! Or even put up a dam to stop it.

Seeing the Dust - Cleaning and OCPD

2010-12-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

Dust Bunnies. They sound so cute. But as anyone with even a hint of obsessive tendencies knows that cleaning these little suckers can take up a lot of time and mental space. What bothers me the most is how I notice them

Everything looks fine as I walk around my hard wood floor apartment. But then I get onto the floor for some purpose- most likely to play with my dog and there they are. Armies of dust bunnies, hair, string, and other nastiness are swarming.

Then, one I see it, I can’t UN-SEE them all! My eye inadvertently focuses on all those near-invisible specs. Why is it that I was perfectly happy walking on them before, but once they are noticed, they become an obsession. I have to clean them, fast and furiously, until they are wiped out.

But how I saw the dust bunnies, or did not see them, made me think about how a little change in perspective can change so much. It can show you dirt that otherwise goes unnoticed. Picking up on any flaw often comes after a shift. You notice something, about yourself or another, and, now aware, you have a choice on how to deal with it. Clean up or not, now you know it’s there.

And remember, once you see those dust balls all over, it’s hard to stop seeing them. That is, until they are all clean.

Tips for a Stress Free Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving without the Anxiety

2010-11-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

For many people Thankgiving means family, friends, food- with a good helping of complicated relationships and emotional upheval on the side! No one is immune from the awkward encounter, running into ex's, or buried family drama.

But why spoil a good meal, and a good time, when there are ways to take control of all inner turmoil.

Here are some tips from Oprah (who else?) on having a stress free Thanksgiving!

Be Yourself
Instead of trying to be who you think you "should" be with your family, friends, in-laws or guests, just relax and be yourself! So often we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves to be a certain way, impress people (even those we know well) or say the things we think others want to hear.

Choose to Focus on the Good Stuff
Make a commitment to focus on the things you like and appreciate about your friends and family members, instead of obsessing about the things that annoy or upset you. We almost always find what we look for in others and situations.

Make It Fun and Easy
Do whatever you can for yourself and those around you to make the planning, food preparation, cleanup and whole Thanksgiving experience as easy, fun and stress-free as possible. This means we keep it light, share the responsibilities, ask others for help and do the things that we enjoy—instead of burdening ourselves and feeling like a victim.

Express Your Appreciation For Others
One of best things we can do for other people (on Thanksgiving, or at any time) is to let them know what we appreciate about them in a genuine way. Acknowledging others is a true win-win, as we always get to keep what we give away when we appreciate them (i.e. the good feelings are shared by us and those we acknowledge). There are many ways we can appreciate people on Thanksgiving, including:

Write "I'm thankful for you" cards and give them out on Thanksgiving (or mail them beforehand).
Pick someone at the dinner table to acknowledge, and then ask them to "pay it forward" and appreciate someone else in the group. Go around until everyone has been appreciated.
Pull people aside on Thanksgiving (or give them a call) and let them know what you appreciate about them specifically and genuinely.

Count Your Blessings
Remember that amid all the commotion, stress and activity of the holiday season, Thanksgiving really is a time for us to reflect on what we're grateful for—in life, about others and especially about ourselves.

Wherever, Whenever- Meditation and OCPD

2010-11-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

We live in a hectic world. To my fellow New Yorkers, it seems the dial of chaos in our everyday lives is permanently turned up to 11. For someone who struggles with OCPD and anxiety like myself, this can feel overwhelming at time. Even for the most hardened urbanite, the daily grind can grind you down.

But even when we can't to a spa or sit on a meditation pillow for 30 minutes, we can still center ourselves. The other morning on the train, I was stressed and totally planning my whole day - before it even began. I knew this wouldn't help my mental state, and was a negative way to start the day. So, right there on the subway, I closed my eyes.

Inside, I could focus on my breath. I could come back to myself, and I could see and start to tame my growing hectic anxiety.

We have the tools right inside of us, all the time. We don't need a special retreat- although it always nice - to relax. All we need is our own mental focus.

So next time I'm going out of my head with worry, feeling bombarded by the chaotic world, maybe the key to my mental state is right there, behind my eyelids.

Shame and Illness: Hiding OCPD

2010-11-08T22:26:00.000-08:00

The article "Mental Health: The Stigma is Killing Us" from Clutch Online Magazine talks about the shame certain communities can project on various mental illnesses. While I don't really go around thinking of myself as mentally ill, I rarely talk about the medication I"m on, and certainly don't feel comfortable sharing all the details with most people.

A lot of the article deals with the flaws in the treatment of mental health, both in the past and today. Because anxiety is fairly common today, there are lots of options for help. But more serious disorders like schizophrenia often go untreated because the afflicted are scared of the life-changing consequences of treatment.

The article makes the point that we all have mental states that are "Abnormal", and we shouldn't stigmatize anyone who takes the initiative to treat their inner weaknesses.

The author puts it like this:

"In the sense that we lack the knowledge and coping skills to deal with depression, yes, it is a weakness, similar to a skinny guy who is physically weak it comes to the weight room. Some people lack the reps to deal with life’s challenges because not enough time is spent properly discerning symptoms, identifying the root causes and controlling or eliminating the defect."

What do you think? Personally, I like the concept of dealing with mental illnesses not as something definitively scary, but instead a process of growing away from a weakness.

Minding your Manners - Positive Affirmation and OCPD

2010-10-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

We know to be polite to other people. When someone hands us a coffee, holds open a door, or shares a good tip. We say “thank you” almost so quickly that we don’t think about it. But anyone on the receiving end of a well placed “thank you” knows the impact those two little words can have.

So when was the last time you showed yourself that courtesy? I’m not saying its healthy or effective to mentally pat yourself on the back constantly. God knows that would breed a very self-congratulatory existence. But for people who tend to err on the side of perfectionism, we are much more likely to berate ourselves for the wrong than thank ourselves for the right.

Example. I am late to work and I get mad at myself, and start playing the “If only…” game. If only I laid out my shoes, if only the train was on time… etc. But when I am on time? Nothing. I don’t think of all those “if only” things that went right that day.

Maybe I should. If positive thoughts create a positive outlook, maybe my inner being could use some appreciation. Being polite can go within as well, because at its core, politeness is all about respect. In this case, respecting ourselves.

When the Concealer Comes Off - Honesty and OCPD

2010-10-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

When I was 14, I fell into some gravel. I wasn't badly hurt, but I did get a nasty scratch on my face. Going to school on Monday, I would have to answer all kinds of questions, and I was super self conscious about how it looked.

So I tried to cover it up. Concealers, foundation, power- I tried it all. Then I tried to go to class.

Well, it didn't fool anybody. If anything, it looked worse! My mom pulled me aside

"You know, with all that concealer on it, it won't heal"

She was right. It needed to be in the open for the healing to being. Thinking about it, the human mind is the same way. Messy emotions or mental illness. By covering it up, we aren't fooling anyone. It hurts more, lasts longer, and may leave a scar.

Open wounds, mental or physical, are best left without any concealers on it. You may get some looks, some questions. But in the end, its the healing thats important. Because no one wants to be left scarred if they can help it!

A Crowded Party - Listening and OCPD

2010-09-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to a party at a art gallery for a new artist opening their work. I met my friend Sarah there who I hadn't seen in about a month because of travel and the general hectic nature of life. The place was packed with people sipping wine and talking loudly while surrounded by neon sculptures - hardly the place to catch up!

But as we updated eachother on the drama and events of out lives, we managed to connect and have a fun time looking at art. Sometimes connections unfold in places that are hectic and crowded, and you simply have to make a effort to tune in.

I feel like my inner world can be like that crowded art party- full of noise and beautiful distraction. Instead to straining to hear my friend, I find myself straining to hear my own inner voice. Small and quiet, its easy to miss. The more crazy life gets, the more busy the party, the harder it is to hear. And lets not even talk about when wine is added to the mix!

But I tune in- through medatation, or just breathing and pausing. It may not easy. I sometimes wish my mental state could always be serene as sitting down to a quiet cup of coffee, but i don't get to choose the venue. But we can choose how hard we listen.

So if you want that connection - and sometimes you would rather mindless drink wine and look at paintings- you can make the choice, no matter how loud the racket of voices are.

Negativity Bias- Positivity and OCPD

2010-09-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

A recent article in Huffington Post talks about how the brain is wired for negativity.

"Scientists believe that your brain has a built in "negativity bias." In other words, as we evolved over millions of years, dodging sticks and chasing carrots, it was a lot more important to notice, react to and remember sticks than it was for carrots."

So we evolved to be worried? Makes sense. Some interesting notes from psychological studies:

In a relationship, it typically takes five good interactions to make up for a single bad one.
People will work much harder to avoid losing $100 than they will work to gain the same amount of money.
Painful experiences are much more memorable than pleasurable ones.

But as many people know, biological disposition doesn't have to be a life sentence! The doctor in the article offered some tips, which mostly come down to one theme: Take time to be in the moment and make a effort to see the positive. Your positivity is like a muscle - you have to work it out to keep it in shape!

You can read all the tips here.

Remembering Why I'm Running - Stress and OCPD

2010-09-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

When I feel the mot stressed, like everything I do is wrong, like life itself is spinning out of control, like I will never ever be able to do what I want to do... then I have to put in some effort to stop myself.

That is when I know I am not being true to me. And I am wasting my own energy and life on pure negatively. I am making rules I can't follow, and its just hurting myself. I may have OCPD, but that doesn't mean I have to act like it.

Life was given to me. No matter what you believe, if you are reading this, you have life to. And no matter what the world or our own mind says, we are not in a race. We are not in some kind of "Life Accomplishment Olympics of Perfection". We are existing. And that means we get a prize just for showing up.

That doesn't make it easy to live inside myself when I feel the most downtrodden by my own perceived failures. But it makes it better to remember the hurdles I'm jumping over aren't real, and I can sit down and stop anytime I want, watching others as they run and jump by, always remembering that I have a choice to run in this rat race or not. And although I love to get my heart rate up, everyone needs to stop on the sidelines for a bit. And that's ok. Because existing is only fun if you stop and catch your breath once and awhile.

The Calm of the Breath - Breathing, Relaxation and OCPD

2010-09-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I went out into nature for a yoga festival, where I spent a lot of days relaxing and breathing.

Now that I'm back into my hectic life, I've found one of the best ways to keep some of that serenity going to simply tuning into my breath. No need to close eyes, meditate fully on a cushion. Simly taking a momment for a few deep inhales and exhales can really center my mind.

Sometimes my inner skeptic doesn't want to take the time or the mental effort to simply breathe. But we are doing it anyway, all the time! What harm can come from a few seconds of pause?

Then when I do tune in, and I feel the settling of my monkey mind, I remember. "Ahh yes". This is why I do breathing exercises!

It takes some trust and an open mind, but its the simple everyday things that become habits, that become our daily lives. So cut yourself a break, and give it a try.

Deeply in... slowly out...

For the advanced, here is a exercise from Dr. Weil :

Breath Counting

If you want to get a feel for this challenging work, try your hand at breath counting, a deceptively simple technique much used in Zen practice.

Sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight and head inclined slightly forward. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then let the breath come naturally without trying to influence it. Ideally it will be quiet and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary.

To begin the exercise, count "one" to yourself as you exhale.
The next time you exhale, count "two," and so on up to "five."
Then begin a new cycle, counting "one" on the next exhalation.
Never count higher than "five," and count only when you exhale. You will know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to "eight," "12," even "19."

Try to do 10 minutes of this form of meditation.

Human - Being "Good" and OCPD

2010-08-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

"In my work with helping persons manage the challenges of self-esteem I have found it much more difficult to have persons who are "Good" come to find acceptance in being "human" than helping those with low self-worth rise up to the possibilities of self-acceptance. "

-Steven Phillipson, Ph.D.

Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy

Being "Good" - its something we all strive for, to varying degrees. A lot of people kind of strive to hit the place of "good enough".

OCPD sufferers, however, don't define "good" the same as most. To be truely "good" at something, its a elevated idea of perfection that, in the end, doesn't really happen to humans here on our messy planet. It might be good to remember, that accepting the imperfection of being human is what has the power to make us truly happy.

Fine at Forgetting

2010-08-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I forget things. Like writing in this blog. I promised myself to make an entry one a week... and its been at least a month.

It gets really easy to forget what we don't want to remember. Obligations, appoitments - even cold hard facts. I am a expert at forgetting, and it feels just fine.

I am notorious for forgetting to make unplesant dentist appoitments. Which is understandable. But forgetting about bills, medicine, cleaning supplies... these things start to add up if you don't check yourself.

Yes, hauling a giant economy size jug of laundry detergent home insn't fun or glamourous. But you know what is less fun? Having dirty clothes.

So this is me doing some laundry. Because its not so fun to work as something- like a blog- and have it fizzle out.

Yes, taking time out of my day to focus on my many hang ups isn't always awesome, but hopefully, the end product of my writing is a little helpful. And, more importantly, I can help break my bad habit of selective memory!

Relaxation- Humor helps OCPD

2010-07-30T10:43:00.001-07:00

Click to see full size.

Small Spills - Fixing Mistakes and OCPD

2010-07-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ever play the game "pick up sticks"? I vaugly remember it being way more tedius than fun at age 6, and its more of a reference than a joyfull memory.

I ask because I played my own little variation the other night. Except it was with tiny homeopathic medicine balls, and it was at 12:30am on a weeknight.

I was literally about to crawl under the sheets, just taking a my does of supplements to help with my teeth healing. Sleeply reaction time got the best of me and little white balls ended up on the counter and the floor.

I watched them fall, I grabbed a broom. But when I tried to sweep, the ball-shaped pills rolled the opposite direction, then when I tried to sweep the back they scattered even further from their original locations.

So I grabbed a paper towel, ran it under some water, and hoped to press the little suckers into it, trapping them. But when I ran the towel accross the floor, it disiengrated the pills, leaving them in a white smear across the floor.

My efforts were making it worse!

So after cleaning up the white goopy streak, i set about picking up the little balls. All 75. One. by. one.

Well, I decided to make it a momment of zen. Sometimes, when we rush around looking for the best solution, life forces us to keep it simple. And all we can to is pick up what we dropped- very slowly.

Taking Time to Refill - Aromatherapy and OCPD

2010-07-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

Running around with friends and family iss great, but I find I only have to much emotional stamina to give. There comes a point where the well of good vibes is dry, and I feel like I'm scraping the bottom to find engery for any more "exciting" actitivies. I need to fill that well back up pronto!

Aromatherapy is using scent to trigger emotions, like relaxation.

Everyone knows how a good perfume can change a date's emotion- but by making a relaxation perfurm you can give your mind a nice treat!

A bath is a awesome way to create at home aromatherapy. Here's a recipe for a stress reducer.

You need esentially oils, found at many natural food stores like Whole Foods, or even some regular grocery stores. You want a scent - like lavender - and a carrier oil such as tea tree or jojaba.

The carrier oil disperces the scent, and has the added bonus of being great for your skin!

To make your bath oil, Add a few drops of your chosen scent to one ounce of the carrier oil. Then add your mix into the running water of a bath, and enjoy.

Great scents to relax are Lavender, chamomile and sandalwood.

For more information on aromatherpy and lots of scent recipes, check out http://www.aromaweb.com