5 Things Friday
A quick little recap of things that happened this week because we're blogging like it's 2015
Hi friends,
I am considering starting a new series called 5 things Friday where I share 5 things about my week in the realm of recipes I’ve tried, things I am loving right now, “AHA!” moments with clients, and more.
So, besties, let’s dive in.
This week went by faster than I thought it would. Between dentist appointments, my daughter’s serious nose injury at the park, an urgent care visit, clients, and a shamanic journey to heal my ancestral wounds, I’d say it was jam packed.
But despite how busy everything was, this week felt like it shifted something in me.
Last night in my shamanic journey to connect with my ancestors, I went into the session thinking I was looking for clarity on next steps in my life and my business. What I received back was a message to look beneath the request for clarity. And when I looked deeper, what I found was that I’m actually seeking safety.
For those of you who can relate, going through health issues, being displaced from your house for mold remediation, and everything that comes with it, has a way of rocking your sense of stability.
The journey went on, and my ancestors sent me an image. Deepen my roots. Lean into the practices that help me feel grounded. And a very clear message that in order for me to find safety, I need to return to being a safe place for others.
And then, “coincidentally,” today on a call with a client, I could tell she was feeling shaken up. She’s also on a mold healing journey, and instead of jumping straight into the nitty gritty of symptoms and science, I asked if I could tune into what her body was holding. She said yes.
What came through was an image of a tightly tangled ball of yarn. So much tension. A need to stop carrying everything and just loosen the strings a little.
So we changed gears. We moved into the tangled beliefs and fears, teased them out, and started noticing the wounded, scared part of her. Letting her know she doesn’t have to carry everything alone.
She had a huge, tearful release, and by the end, her chest felt less tense. It’s impossible to untangle a lifetime of grief in one session, but we loosened the thread. And in loosening hers, I think it helped with some of mine too.
I love the way our hearts are all connected. In helping heal others, we help heal ourselves.
Which is exactly what my ancestors were telling me last night, RIGHT?!?!
5 things Friday
Olipop - Y’all. I’m a slut for Olipop, and not just any Olipop. Give me the Cola.
For context, people I didn’t know referred to me as “Diet Coke Girl” in AmeriCorps because nobody ever saw me without one in my hand. So finding a soda I actually love that doesn’t wreck me feels like it could become my whole personality again… It’s crisp, refreshing, delicious, and just the perfect afternoon treat when Denver is almost 100 degrees. Have you tried Olipop? Do you hyperfixate on a flavor? Or is it just me?
Light on by Maggie Rogers - I'm not like a "cool girl" when it comes to music, and I know this song has been out for 4+ years or whatever, but I keep going through seasons where I play it 500 times in a row. It feels like a ballad I'm singing to a pre-motherhood version of me I’m not sure will ever exist again. "If you're gone for good, then I'm okay with that. But if you leave the light on, I'll leave the light on."
Canceled plans. When I was dealing with medication induced depression back in April (more on that in my next MCAS article), I found myself drowning in plans. I told my therapist I knew I needed to stop taking care of everyone around me, from neighbors to the homeless man on the street, but I couldn’t stop.
She told me it sounded like I was over functioning. And that word literally changed the way I related to everything I was doing at the time. I realized that doing things for others, while obviously part of my personality, had become an escape while simultaneously over taxing me. I was like the energizer bunny of giving and that shit comes with consequences.
So I spent an entire month not making plans with anyone. No meal trains. No organizing women’s group meet ups. No having friends over for dinner. No signing up for things at school. Not even a quick text to see how someone was doing. It kind of felt like an energetic elimination diet (iykyk). What I found on the other side was that I could reintroduce socializing and giving in ways that felt good. The relief of these canceled plans made me realize I may need to pull back just a tiny bit again, and i love that for me.
I learned about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). Have you heard of this? I was diagnosed with ADHD at 20 and it completely reframed a lot of things I’d been feeling my whole life. But RSD as a specific concept was new to me, and honestly it kind of floored me. Here are the symptoms:
Severe self-criticism. Harsh, negative self-talk and chronically low self-esteem.
People-pleasing. Going to extreme lengths to avoid disappointing others.
Social avoidance. Isolating yourself or avoiding relationships to prevent the pain of rejection.
Internalized vs. externalized reactions. Sudden, explosive anger or a spiral into immediate depression, anxiety, and rumination.
And the reason it’s common in people with ADHD is because our symptoms led to criticism early in life. So the brain develops a state of hypervigilance against future disapproval. Ugh. Hugging little Whit so hard today.
Garlic Honey Grilled Chicken. It is really hot in Denver this week and the last thing I want to do is cook. So I made a double batch of the honey garlic chicken recipe I made up and have absolutely no exact measurements for, but I’m going to make some guesstimates for you.
1 lb of chicken thighs
5 cloves of garlic (minced or pressed)
1/4 cup of honey
A hefty dose of sea salt
A little olive oil
A splash of white wine vinegarMarinate for about 30 minutes, then pop it on a hot grill for about 5 minutes per side.
I absolutely love this on top of a salad, with rice and roasted veggies, or straight off the cutting board while I’m making everyone else’s plates. No shame.
Thank you so much for being here with me and reading the words I share each week. My goal is to offer you high quality posts about health and gentle healing tools that act as balm for your heart while helping you feel less alone on your journey.
If you aren’t in a place to become a paid subscriber yet, please know that your likes, comments, and shares all help my work grow and reach more people, and they mean the world to me.
If you DO decide to become a paid subscriber, you will get immediate access to The Morning Rewire, my 5 minute morning hypnosis that helps you rewire your nervous system and brain for feeling your best.
Recent Posts you can also check out:
Navigating Perimenopause: What I Learned When I Asked 30,000 Women About HRT
Signs You Have Gallbladder Issues & What Labs to Ask For + Supplements to Take
What I Bought and Loved in June
The “Health Foods I Won’t Eat”
And shout out to my bestie who had the idea of writing more personal posts (Hi, Anne, I miss you!). Let me know in the comments if you like reading these.
Love you all.
Whitney