10 Things I Can’t or Won’t Ever Do Again (I Hope!)

Posted on by July 12, 2018
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10 things I’ve done that I can’t/won’t do again. And there's still time to write yours. Come link up with your spin of the 10 things you can't or won't do!

My mental health is a funny, funny thing.

Most things in life are two steps forward and one step back. Yet, sometimes you find yourself in dark and low places that you never thought you’d be in again. You said you’d never be in them again! And you might have even meant it. That doesn’t mean the dark covers don’t rise up again over your face, gently suffocating you and pulling you down. That said, once you find the light, I believe you find it even faster and brighter and better the next time around. So what I’m saying is – it’s ok to find yourself in places you swore you’d never be again. Dark places. Physical places. Mental spaces. Unsafe places & spaces.

Whatever it is, we all take steps we didn’t mean to take. We all see darkness and we see light.

Now today’s Finish the Sentence Friday prompt about listing 10 things we’ve done and can’t or won’t do again? It’s freaking fascinating. It took me a week to even come up with one, and then they all flowed out like lava. The thing is, we can’t control everything or even a good percentage of things, but we can control the things we’ve done that we can’t or won’t do again. I mean, at least most of them, right? So I made my list and I had to make sure it resonated through all the bones.

It’s not always pretty but it’s all my own.

10 Things I Can’t or Won’t Ever Do Again:

1 – Eat Thai food. Why on earth am I starting with that one? It’s so unimportant in the grand scheme of the world but I got sick from it THREE times and didn’t learn the FIRST or SECOND times. Now I know! Three different restaurants too.

2 – Hurt someone’s feelings on purpose. As a kid with four siblings and my own trauma and feelings of worthlessness, there were times in which I was ok with teasing other people. It sickens me now, and I got plenty teased myself. It feels AWFUL.

3 – Go on a boat ride with someone who gets seasick easily. Just no! It’s ok if they wear the motion sickness patch, though.

4 – Live in New Jersey. Been there, done that.

5 – Live in a city. I did that once or twice but at this point, I think I might eventually become a hermit in Nowhere, Alaska who keeps a shotgun on the porch and throws rotten eggs at tourists and trespassers. Be honest – can you see me like that?

6 – Take on a work assignment that makes me feel yucky, no matter what it pays. Same with buying social followers. I bought Twitter followers once because I thought that was an ok thing to do, but they drained out within days. Embarrassing.

7 – Turn down a chance to snuggle with my kids whey they initiate it, and especially if I have nothing else going on! And same with Cassidy, with hugs and kisses too, although sometimes anxiety is an issue. They can understand that, though.

8 – Share or laugh or make jokes about women or men or races or sexual orientation or ANYTHING of the sort.

9 – Read “Where the Red Fern Grows” or “Babysitters Club 11: Kristy and the Snobs.” Never. Ever. Again.

10 – Fall in love. It’s not that I won’t, and it’s probably not that I can’t, but it took so long to get here, didn’t it? I’m staying.

Then I have honorable mentions and bonus nods to: Getting two cats at once, watching The Sixth Sense, and eating veal!

This is me linking up, as one of my favorite things to do, with Finish The Sentence Friday. This week’s topic is “10 things I’ve done that I can’t/won’t do again.” And there’s still time to write yours. Come link up with your spin: HERE.

What would you say?

5 Confessions of a Social Media Addict

Posted on by July 12, 2018
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Thank you Rohto Dry-Aid for sponsoring this post.

When you're a social media addict like I am, sometimes you don't even realize what you're doing to your eyes. See what helps! #ad #RohtoDryAid #ByeByeDryEye

Folks, you heard it here first. I am a social media addict, both proud and not proud.

I’m proud because I have made a career of social media and when I’m checking Facebook or posting on Twitter, I’m actually doing real work! And I’m not proud because sometimes I miss real life – the kind right in front of your eyes. And speaking of eyes, sometimes I don’t even realize until late in the day that I’ve been straining my eyes, and that they’re dry and irritated. A day spent away from fresh air and sunshine will do that, but there’s nothing I would change about my social media routines, except to make sure that I’m well protected and feeling great. Luckily I have found a way to do just that!

Rohto Dry-Aid. You can read even more about it here, as I have done. I have written about it before, because I realized that after years of studying textbooks and then computer screens, respectively, it was time to take action. And Rohto Dry-Aid is clinically shown to improve key symptoms of dry eye disease, which include dryness, irritation, grittiness, burning, and stinging, and it does this without the temporary blurring that can happen when you instill eye drops. I love that Rohto Dry-Aid contains a unique formula that cools and soothes burning, stinging eyes instantly. It also offers consistent and continuous dry eye relief, comfort, and protection throughout the day. You don’t have to continually re-apply the formula. You’ll feel good to go!

Rohto Dry-Aid provides long lasting relief of the symptoms of Dry Eye Disease. Optometrist Dr. Susan Resnick gives tips on how to help relieve dry eye symptoms. She says that when we spend a lot of time staring at our computer monitor or digital devices, we’re often concentrating on what we’re doing, which causes us to blink less frequently. This can lead to eye dryness and discomfort. So she says to follow the 20/20/20 rule, and that’s to take a 20-second break every 20 minutes. Focus your eyes on points at least 20 feet from your digital device and keep your eyes moving while looking at objects at various distances.

As you know, I started using Rohto Dry-Aid to help with spring and summer travel. It was while using it that I realized that my excessive social media screen time could also be leading to the stinging, dry, irritated eyes. So I made it part of my routine, and you can too! I feel confident to have found a solution for something that irritated me and made me uncomfortable.

Here are my 5 Confessions of a Social Media Addict:

1 – We probably downplay how often we check our email and social media. 4-5 times a day? More like 4-5 times an hour!

2 – When we get a new pet or we’re pregnant we’re always thinking in the back of our minds that new pets and babies are great social media.

3 – I have certainly deleted pictures and updates off Facebook if they didn’t get a lot of likes in a day.

4 – If it wasn’t for social media, I don’t know that I’d know the news of the world so fast.

5 – It takes at least a half dozen angles to get a selfie you’d actually post.

Rohto Dry-Aid brings fast-acting, long-lasting relief for dry, irritated eyes due to overuse of digital devices, environmental conditions, like arid or windy weather, extended use of contact lenses, laser eye surgery, or hormonal changes. You can find out all about Rohto Dry-Aid here. Make sure you visit the Rohto website for a $2 off coupon HERE.

Do you have a social media addict confession to spill?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.