✨Sunday Intention Setting✨

@AuntGlow @PeppiPatty and everyone else...the boundaries thing came up this week..

Kind of ironic seeing as I'm now on school holidays. My brother asked me yesterday to watch my niece and I had plans for doing something for myself, so I told him no. He messaged me again at 6 am this morning and I picked her up at 8. He messaged me again in the early afternoon and asked if I could keep her over night. Again I told him no, and had to drop her off at our parents house so they could watch her over night. I've been sitting with some pretty unkind thoughts about how I'm a terrible aunt and sitting in anxiety about whether this is going to become an issue and put a wedge between me and my brother. Whether it was the right thing to do....I don't know. But also, it felt like a relief to be able to say no and claim time for myself.

I've written in my journal again this week. It was heavy and hard, and before work, but it was good not to carry it through the working day.

And I managed a ten day streak on Smiling Minds before breaking it last night @tyme. But I feel a little bit more successful with it.

This week...

I set a goal with my counsellor to practice moments of doing nothing during the school holidays. An afternoon here and there of rest in front of the TV, a morning without jumping out of bed as soon as I'm awake...building the muscle and working through something that makes me feel really uncomfortable.

Thanks for sharing @NightFury !

I hear how you are torn between having to care for you niece and your own self-care.

At the same time, good on you for persisting with Smiling Mind.

I've been doing it too, but not every night.

My niece wants be to take her to Sydney, but I've already booked Annie the musical, so I don't want to go to Sydney only for 3 days and then come back for the musical. So I may have to take her elsewhere.

She's already baggs'd my bed! I HATE her sleeping in my bed!

Does your niece sleep with you overnight?

@tyme well done on doing Smiling Minds too. It's hard to be consistent with it.

And yes, it's hard to know where to draw the boundary because the feelings are complicated.

I understand you not wanting to go to Sydney and back again, it's a long drive and I've driven through Sydney...the roads are busy and confusing. Especially for me, a little ol Tasswegian who had never ever driven on five lane highways.

I've not had her overnight yet. I've had her late into the night, but my brother's always picked her up. She has a portacot here, but it's too small for her now so if she stayed, she would be in my bed and I'm not really okay with that...I worry about that.

Oh! How old is she? I was thinking she was 10 or something for some reason! I wouldn't want a little toddler in my bed... just in case.

As for Sydney, we would be flying. No point driving. Takes too long when I don't really need the car over there. My parents are there and I have access to 3 cars.

@NightFury

@tyme she's only 2. I just...I have trouble sleeping - I have nightmares, and if I wake up in the middle of the night 98% of the time I wake up in the middle of panic. It's pretty intense and I don't trust it....

Aaah...flying, I didn't even think of that for some reason...silly me.

Oh! She's only a bubba! @NightFury

Argh... my brain too. I dont' know why I thought she was much older.

I can see why she'd need her parents.

Yeah, she's just a rug rat @tyme she's growing up quickly though.

I'm still working on my sleep hygiene @AuntGlow . During the week I was mostly in bed before midnight which is an improvement. But sleeping late. Quite depressed. Need to bring my sleep cycle further forward. Will work on it.

Sorry haven't spoken to anyone for ages.

Hi All

@AuntGlow @NightFury @Dimity @tyme @Captain24

1. I have managed to get my sleep wake cycle into AEST zone. However, I still sometimes stay in bed a bit late, mainly due to it being cold.

2. This week I am aiming to:

- get up earlier and be consistent with that

- Go to volunteering.

- make enquiries at cancer gym I used to go to until Dad passed away (I would take him and I’d go too).
- Try for two sport training mornings (need to get up a bit earlier for them).

- sort my trip photos out a bit more

I have a thousand other To Do things but I want to at least get above things under control

Well done @Till23 . Glad to hear that your sleep has sort of been better now. I look forward to hearing your progress for the other goals you've set.