Me, probably having fucked up thoughts
I swear this is not sponsored. I just really fucking like this app and I wanted to share it with all who do not yet know about it. If you’ve been reading my work for a little while, you might have heard me talk HERE about an app called CALM. The makers of this rad meditation app (that comes with bedtime stories for adults -which I still can’t get over) created another banger called CALM HARM.
There are so many Goddamn mental health apps out there we might as well make this a monthly segment. If you didn't see my last app roundup, you can do so right HERE. Don't forget to click on the names of the apps to find out more! xo
Me ghosting work to handle my mental health
For many employers, calling in sick to take a mental health day conjures images of skipping work to snort avocado toast and get a round of Kybella. While partaking in this kind of Instagrammable wellness is 1000% my brand and a totally valid form self-care, many of us require mental health days for those showerless, stay-in-bed marathons complete with cashmere-coated teeth, and a floor full of Ding Dong wrappers. Sadly, work culture isn’t yet at a place where we can write honest cover letters to our prospective employers (“Skills include: bipolar management! Holding back tears! Showering with Wet Wipes!”) proclaiming our disorders. That said, we can forget fearlessly asking for the accommodations we might need to better manage our moods at work. Until we get to that distant utopia, we need to figure out how to ask for time off to tend to our mental wellness without the risk of job loss or judgment. I went straight to the source and asked business managers, career coaches, HR professionals (and more!) what to do. See what they had to say below.
10 points if you can spot my special ass learning how to use a real camera in every reflection in this picture. Also - Headspace is awesome; I'm just tired of seeing it on app lists.
I know you need another app like you need a water slide in your car, but hear me out. These are some gems.
Happy Valentines Day to everyone except my greasy hair and crispy ends
Self-care gift roundups can literally munch my beef sheets. If I had a pill for every list that suggests buying the mentally ill "moisturizing socks!," I'd look like the bottom of my purse. A Coconut-Colada candle isn’t going to drive me to my psychiatrist’s office, wipe my ass, or file my taxes. While objet d'Bed Bath and Beyond do appear in these suggestions, this list strives to move past bath bombs and deeper into unisex portable mobile toilet territory. You can even click on some of them to buy because I am such. A good friend.
If you struggle with…
Eating Your Feelings
Read: Eat This Not That (David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding)
Emotional eating is literally my brand. In fact, the other day at work I ate my weight in vending machine snacks, hoping it would suppress the day's anxiety. Surprise! Didn’t work. And all I have is a puffy, sodium-filled under-eye area to show for it. Cue the Eat This Not That series.
HERE IT IS. The final chunk of the list of things that you can stash away to make your emergency self-care kit. What is a self-care kit? You can find out HERE in PART ONE and then catch up on PART TWO if you haven't read it already. If you have any suggestions for items to add to the list, let me know in the comments or send me a message! xo
HANG ON! If you haven't read part one of this article - you can do so right HERE!
I am over the notion that those with mental illness should be ashamed of how much time they spend in bed when we feel like shit. I’m also over the fact that we feel like we should feel shame over, to the point of hiding, our depressive behaviors (like skipping showers, crying for hours, and wiping snot on our comforters). That being said, today’s a great day to finally get honest about what goes on when we’re bound to ours beds, drowning in drool.