Mia’s Progress and New Self-Care

I wanted to write about something really light and happy for a change so I thought I’d share the similarities between my little Muffin and I. They’re quite numerous!

Determined:

Mia is a determined little gremlin and has the patience to wait until she gets what her mind has fixated on. I’m determined too but lacking in the patience department. Nevertheless my fixations are quite powerful, whether good or bad. The same can be said for her!

Feisty:

We can both get a little rambunctious about what we’re after and we have a lot of character. This goes with being a little temperamental, tough and spirited. I think Muffin is more like this than I am but there’s still a resemblance.

We hate the rain:

It’s wet. I mean…duh. But it’s icky. It gets her little paws wet and she doesn’t like that. As for me, I hate being damp and I hate puddles.

We know what we like when it comes to food:

Mia is a little finicky about food. She sniffs it first and if she doesn’t like it, it’s not happening! I’m not quite so strict about it and I like exploring new options but it’s true that I have my classics.

We like heights:

Mia loves jumping up to high places. She’s kind of like a cat in that way. (In a few ways actually.) I also love heights. Let’s go jump out of an airplane right now. Seriously…I’m game.

We know how to get comfy and it could be in the funniest spot:

Mia has a way of curling up and tucking everything in that reminds me quite a bit of the way I sleep too. She’s also excellent at finding the most comfortable spot and making it her own. This reminds me of curling up with a good book and staying put for hours.

Stubborn:

This one is really “like mommy – like puppy”! We’re both headstrong and a little reluctant to learn or change our ways. It’s something I need to work on in myself and something I need to work with in Mia’s training.

Innocent looking but not:

This is another funny one…I’ve been told that I look innocent and Mia, being a tiny, fluffy Yorkie, looks innocent too. Let’s just say that we both have bite! Looks can be deceiving and we can certainly get ourselves in trouble.

Speaking of Mia

Mia had been such an incredibly well-behaved girl! No one can believe it and I’m honestly astonished as well because her learning curve had taken a tremendous swing! Just in the past few days she’s been walking around with me in more stores and even went for the first time to a shopping mall. She even took an elevator and an escalator. I’m so proud of my little munchkin!

Update:

I’ve been working on exercises with the workers each day and also spending a lot of time with one of the other patients in particular. We’ve gotten very close. In general it’s wonderful to share things here that are commonly left undiscussed.

I’ve also been trying to take care of myself more and learn what relaxation/being in the moment means. I’ve been trying meditation again and even used face masks as a new focus / method of self-care. Experimentation can be a very good thing. I found it really funny and hard to stay still to be honest. The mask was refreshing and cleansing though so I’ve got to admit that I enjoyed it. Here’s my little joke:

Where I am is very close to my Godparents who I really don’t see enough. After a bit of debating (I didn’t want to be a disruption), I called and they were super kind and invited Muffin and I to dinner. It was lovely to spend time with them again and catch up!

There was a group therapy session that made me pretty nervous but I’m glad I went. We talked about giving our mind’s a plan because otherwise they’ll try with their own method of preventing us from pain and harm. This won’t always work out well, particularly if we have some negative automatic thoughts and coping mechanisms. We also did a meditation where you close your eyes and try to prove the existence of your hands without seeing them; only feeling. You do the same with your feet until it encompasses your entire body. Again, it was very difficult to remain still and not have the hamster wheel turning 200km/hr but I want to practice.

I’m also trying out aromatherapy because why not? It’s good to try out a holistic approach and delving into new avenues is always interesting. You never know what you’ll discover. I’m experimenting with this energizing oil at the moment and I’m tempted to also get the relaxation one before I leave the Crisis Centre tomorrow.

Have you considered new methods of self-care? Do you enjoy experimentation? I feel a little rigid and stagnant so I’m proud of the exploration! Have a wonderful weekend!