Exo's Exposé

Glad you are finding deep satisfaction. @Mazarita There are many good things in the world amongst the noise.

@Exoplanet

Thank you for inspiring me to get back to beaches, which were a wonderful passion in my past. After my car is serviced I will do a trip just for me.

Love the photos @Exoplanet It looks like a really lovely place you have been to

@Mazarita So lovely to see you pop in. Goodluck with the massive project as well as those more mundane house related things you need to take care of

💜🌷 @Mazarita

Ohhhh my scotirish @Mazarita , sending you lots of hugs from me , I miss you xoxo

Hello @Appleblossom , @Faith-and-Hope , @Zoe7 , @CheerBear

@Exoplanet, I love hearing about you adventions xoxo

Love you Mazy @Mazarita Thank you so much for popping in 😄 Good on you for climbing the mountain & not taking your eyes off the summit!

I've just noticed my post was taken down, Eucalypt explained why, so I'll fix it & post it again :-

The memory is already fading, it rained the second last night, strange thing is I slept like a log? I did take “my usual sleeping pills” & wonder whether those combined with simple physical exhaustion, is why I didn't wake until everything was wet. I also wonder whether the constant ever changing background noise of the ocean somehow lulled my subconcious. Even when I did eventually wake & closed the side windows, vent & back flap of the canopy, I forgot to pull up the tailgate - I know when it's raining the rain will fall on it & flow onto the mattress; I woke a second time a while later & did pull it shut. Of all the nights to forget to close the front passenger side door of the cab though, I chose that one! It continued to rain all day the following day - it was a good thing, but by the end of the day the puppies & I were a little tired of the back of the ute Smiley Wink We did wander out & have a wet walk on the beach, there was nobody there & I was able to let the dogs run - but I didn't last long, it was a lot more windy on the beach & it was like the rain was salt-water . . . & it stung my eyes. So I had a wet mattress & no means to dry it, it really did rain all day, the sun didn't make a peep. All of a sudden I was glad that I over-pack somewhat Smiley Wink I covered the mattress with a waterproof tarp & the mattress topper with a thick canvas & I had a spare sheet - it worked, I couldn't feel any dampness Smiley Happy Understandably it was a lot cooler, which was exactly what I was after - I was thrilled to be wearing my thermal long johns & socks, sloppy joe jacket & bamboo beanie!! The puppies curled up under their blankets & I threw a rug over my knees & we just sucked it all in most of the day Smiley Happy It was perfect napping weather Smiley Very Happy The rain stopped the following day, which was pack up & go day, so it all worked out just fine Smiley Happy It's a long drive for me, this time I left about 10.30 at got home around 5 ish; with just a couple of wrongs turns along the way Smiley Wink The GPS insisted I turn left when I exited, yet I remembered coming in from the right - I had put in the same route back home as I had getting there, so my brain thought I should be leaving in the same direction. I'm quite glad really, I think the GPS was having trouble getting signal through the clouds; it led to me pulling over to re-think, as I could tell I had not been where it was taking me. I hadn't taken a picture of the beach, between feeling awkward around all the people, having my hands full with 2 puppies & not wanting to take a digital camera out in the rain, it hadn't happened. When I pulled over, still in sight of the camp park, I noticed a track leading to the beach. In one of those 'spur of the moment' decisions I went & took the photos. When I got back the GPS had changed it's mind & agreed with me about going in the other direction Smiley Very Happy When I think about the 12 hours I spent getting there & back, I realize how important the journey is. I consulted the Guru about the route, it suggested 3 different paths, 2 of which went through major cities {NO thankyou}, & although the one I chose was the longest in time, looking on the map it was the most direct. I now know why it takes a little longer, there wasn't a lot of the journey where I did anywhere near 100 kms/hr - in fact quite a bit of it was under 60 Smiley Happy I wound my way up & down many mountains, some of the roads were . . . well I'd say unique Smiley Happy For large sections of the journey I wasn't even in 4th gear, often having to drop down to 2nd; but it was beautiful, scenic, & a reminder that not everywhere in this country is arid - there is green, rivers & streams, misty mountains & lush forested valleys Smiley Happy I had to pull into many places I've never been, I'm old & when I have to pee . . . I have to stop otherwise it'll just happen - I really was outside my backyard, my comfort zone, my norm. There's a part of me that doesn't feel I made the most of the beach, but just the journey there & back was important & in the 4 days we did go to the beach 5 times Smiley Happy I'm exhausted now, though I still have to unpack the roof rack bag & then absolutely everything to hang out all the wet stuff on the line. There is still a little part of me that thinks 'why do I bother, when I get back it's gone'. I don't want to lose the reality, I wonder why I do, why I can't keep hold of the good things. But that's the way it is, I hope that by racking-up camping experiences it will leave a thread of reality in the form of fuzzy memories.

@CheerBear Thank you for appreciating what I have to share, your a brave soul with the strength to smile despite the sorrow & tears.

@Appleblossom So glad to hear you'll be taking a trip just for yourself - your right there are many good things in the World

@Zoe7 It was a really lovely place, every place has it's beauty, I really enjoyed seeing a different beauty. My dream is to see Tasmania's beauty, I'm pretty sure the cold would shock me & I'd end up complaining & not liking it . . . but I'd like to experience it all the same.

@Shaz51 I love having special people to tell my adventures too - Thank you

@Teej Birds Nest fern, I think that's what it's called - I was thinking Crown fern, only because it looked like a crown to me. Thank you for sharing some of my 'good'.

@Sophia1 I honour you in return. Thank you for your gratitude, your kindness & your care.

@Jigsaw Thank you for your well wishes, I wish the same for you. I hope the new van is making your life better.

@eth You're always full of positivity for me, Thank you. I love you. Your adventures inspire me, you don't have to travel over mountains interstate to have them, you adventure almost daily. Facing fear can be an adventure, though it takes a lot of courage to see it. I see your courage.

@outlander Lots of love to you.

The best time to come to Tassie if you like the heat is January/February and even into March - that is our hottest period @Exoplanet There are so many wonderful places to visit down here and I have no doubt you would love every minute of it. There are beautiful beaches, lovely walks and gorgeous scenery everywhere - and none of that is too fsr from the major cities either - so very much a little of something for everyone. I am very lucky to live where I do

Thankyou so much for your beautiful words and recognition of my efforts @Exoplanet

Love returned

Thankyou for dropping by @Mazarita Lovely to hear from you and wonderful to hear the pleasure you are getting from your work.

@Former-Member

I missed the Lonliness in small communities Topic, as I was away camping - a good thing, & I haven't really missed it, it's still there for me to read, though I don't seem to be able to add to it now. I think all of the questions have been answered extremely well, I'll probably just repeat the same things, but I guess I just want to feel involved?

What are some of the major challenges you find in living in a smaller community whilst managing the symptoms of mental illness?

Finding professional services & the lack of choices in those services. The distances needed to be travelled to other services. The lack of support. For me, the distances from home, the only place I feel any measure of safety. Difficulties in communication, to be able to reach out on the occasions that I may feel I want to. The feeling of being rejected by the local community. The feeling of having to be able to perform in a particular way to be accepted; like how you dress & talk & even the kind of confidence
you can show. I think in smaller communities, once you are rejected, you are alone; even if there are individuals that might want to be kinder, they have to conform with the decisions of the group as a whole or they will be rejected too.

Does lack of employment influence our social interaction in smaller communities? Do you find limited job opportunities an issue or not so much?

I'm past the point of even contemplating work, but yes I think it's a huge influence on social interactions. I did work for years at a local establishment & was treated a lot differently, I was more accepted. When my mental health challenges got harder & I left that employment, it was like my defining fall from grace. Just being unemployed seems to be a reason for being rejected, all of a sudden, that's why you are pretending to have issues.

What are some ways of connecting with like-minded peers in regional areas?

I can't really answer this one, I've been here about 2 decades & I haven't managed to do so. Even when I was working I didn't establish any friendships. I was still to 'different'. I'd say the internet, though it's not just for regional areas . . . it works in all areas. In particular this SANE site 🙂

What are some other ways we can exercise self-compassion when we are going through a lonely period?

I don't really know, I guess just accepting that we are Human & that all people have faults - nobody is perfect. That it is actually quite common to have things that are out of your control & loneliness is just one of those things. Maybe contemplating the fact that everything changes, nothing stays the same - & although there's no guarantees, there's always the chance that your loneliness will end. Mine did, when I found this site 🙂

What are the positives of being involved with a smaller community? Gimme' your wonderful insights!

For me, hands down, it's the smaller population - less people; less people in a much larger area - more space! There is nowhere from my home that I see another person or building or man-made object {apart from my fences, which I'm very appreciative of 🙂 } There's less noise, less light - more nature, more wildlife. I choose to live where I do, I'm aware that with a smaller population there will be less services & less options . . . I think it's all completely worth it!