(no subject)
Some of my new year resolutions are starting now, some will be waiting a while.
The main one that's starting now is my goal of qualifying as a counsellor this coming year.
Life saw my plans being shelved for a while, then money saw them being shelved for a little while longer, but no more!! A combination of factors means that I'm financially more stable than I have been for a while, and finding £500 for the last term's fees is not akin to buying the taj mahal.
With that in mind, the time I have before starting work again on the 4th Jan is to be spent getting a complete version of my essay together. Not finished, as I know Ivan and I doubt with the break I've had that I'm quite up to speed academically now. But the plan is to hand in a completed version as close to the start of January's term as possible and then concentrate on Ivan's revisions and comments and finish it off by Easter.
Today I went through the essay and made some alterations and changes, shifted a lot of text to a separate file to be looked at and decided on later, and made lots of heading notes about what needs to be written. Now it's all broken down like that, it still feels like a lots of work, but a lot of chunks rather than one massive mouthful.
The chunk for tomorrow is to examine CBT techniques and make a list of the relevant ones with a brief explanation of how they show CBT's explanation of anxiety disorders.
If I do a chunk every day (and I'm aware I may have to end up breaking chunks down into smaller chunks once I take a closer look at some sections), then I should keep on track, it shouldn't break my brain and swallow days and I should get a complete version in a couple of weeks.
A lot of shoulds there, showing that this is an experimental process and may need to be adjusted - I'm walking the fine line between not activating my rebellious teenager by giving myself too much to do and being quite firm with myself so I don't lazyboy out of doing work.
Then its finding a counselling placement later this year. I feel I need to volunteer a while to get my skill and confidence levels back up before being able to start charging private clients.
And boosting the second string to my bow, teaching through my work at Sussex Downs (hoping if I prove useful, they will pay for my training) and looking at invigilating as an extra money option.
As a counter to this work - I will be extending my crafts to loom knitting (same result as normal knitting, but a LOT easier to do! Hoping to get socks, hats and bags out of this), flower looming (sewing them together to make throws, scarves), patchwork and embroidery (bookmarks, book covers, simple bags) my photography (cards, calendars) and baking.
Bought a loom knitting set today, although I still have some stick woven scarves to finish first so this is waiting until a suitable point in the new year. It would be nice to be able to say that I don't buy socks, I make them all as I can now say with cards! We shall see though.
This coming year is the one where I get properly back on track. I'm also aware that I'd like to come off the fluoxetine as well, and this is something I'm currently planning for the brighter weather as I always feel better in about April when the weather gets warmer and brighter and the glorious summer is yet to come, so that feels like the best time to stop the artificial brain chemicals and let my brain freewheel on its own. That should be after the stress of finishing the post-grad diploma too.
Blimey, that all sounds organised and grown up and LIKE AN ADULT!!! Like, proper plans and sensible thinking and stuff! Time to go do something stupid to make up for it!!
The main one that's starting now is my goal of qualifying as a counsellor this coming year.
Life saw my plans being shelved for a while, then money saw them being shelved for a little while longer, but no more!! A combination of factors means that I'm financially more stable than I have been for a while, and finding £500 for the last term's fees is not akin to buying the taj mahal.
With that in mind, the time I have before starting work again on the 4th Jan is to be spent getting a complete version of my essay together. Not finished, as I know Ivan and I doubt with the break I've had that I'm quite up to speed academically now. But the plan is to hand in a completed version as close to the start of January's term as possible and then concentrate on Ivan's revisions and comments and finish it off by Easter.
Today I went through the essay and made some alterations and changes, shifted a lot of text to a separate file to be looked at and decided on later, and made lots of heading notes about what needs to be written. Now it's all broken down like that, it still feels like a lots of work, but a lot of chunks rather than one massive mouthful.
The chunk for tomorrow is to examine CBT techniques and make a list of the relevant ones with a brief explanation of how they show CBT's explanation of anxiety disorders.
If I do a chunk every day (and I'm aware I may have to end up breaking chunks down into smaller chunks once I take a closer look at some sections), then I should keep on track, it shouldn't break my brain and swallow days and I should get a complete version in a couple of weeks.
A lot of shoulds there, showing that this is an experimental process and may need to be adjusted - I'm walking the fine line between not activating my rebellious teenager by giving myself too much to do and being quite firm with myself so I don't lazyboy out of doing work.
Then its finding a counselling placement later this year. I feel I need to volunteer a while to get my skill and confidence levels back up before being able to start charging private clients.
And boosting the second string to my bow, teaching through my work at Sussex Downs (hoping if I prove useful, they will pay for my training) and looking at invigilating as an extra money option.
As a counter to this work - I will be extending my crafts to loom knitting (same result as normal knitting, but a LOT easier to do! Hoping to get socks, hats and bags out of this), flower looming (sewing them together to make throws, scarves), patchwork and embroidery (bookmarks, book covers, simple bags) my photography (cards, calendars) and baking.
Bought a loom knitting set today, although I still have some stick woven scarves to finish first so this is waiting until a suitable point in the new year. It would be nice to be able to say that I don't buy socks, I make them all as I can now say with cards! We shall see though.
This coming year is the one where I get properly back on track. I'm also aware that I'd like to come off the fluoxetine as well, and this is something I'm currently planning for the brighter weather as I always feel better in about April when the weather gets warmer and brighter and the glorious summer is yet to come, so that feels like the best time to stop the artificial brain chemicals and let my brain freewheel on its own. That should be after the stress of finishing the post-grad diploma too.
Blimey, that all sounds organised and grown up and LIKE AN ADULT!!! Like, proper plans and sensible thinking and stuff! Time to go do something stupid to make up for it!!