Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

I'm so glad the sunshine is cheering you @NatureLover. I'm enjoying it too, but it's allergy season, so I got some otc remedies from the pharmacy today.

You were very kind to your neighbour to help out for so long, and for as long as you could. I barely know my neighbour so have no idea of her intentions or expectations... and I'm not really in a position to start something open-ended. It's a bit sad.

I'd hoped to tidy today... motivation and energy weren't too bad but I was clueless what to do. Maybe I'll start a journal and visual diary to help me focus. Set a goal the night before. Visualisation and affirmation 101. And record progress. The big picture is too frightening to contemplate but I have to keep going.

@Dimity I agree, the big picture is frightening. I mean, each of our big pictures of accumulated items and papers is frightening. I like the idea of you setting a goal each night, especially as the night time is when you feel the strongest, I gather? For me, the night time is when things look bleakest and most hopeless, but for you it's the opposite, I think?

I'm not sure if setting due dates helps you? That is one good thing about the 6-monthly rental inspections - they force me to tidy up, even if I do end up putting boxes in the shed.

My nice neighbour has blocked access to her shed this week, as the nasty neighbour was intruding into her back yard. I can ask my nice neighbour whenever I want to access the shed, but it's harder now as I have to arrange it when she's home.

I'm sorry to hear you suffer from seasonal allergies 😞 That would detract from this beautiful weather we're having. Does it limit your gardening time?

My kitchen has got a bit out of control lately. Today's goal is to clear off the small benchtop so that it's functional again.

I hope you have energy and motivation again today...thinking of you 💚

@NatureLover@Dimity @Eve7 @Bow @Shaz51

well, i finally did it. The vacuuming. Maybe its the first vacuum I did since mum died 3.5 months ago. You know those bags you use at the fruit & Veg shop. The dust was half of those. But I did it. The fact that Melbourne was warm today and the last time mum was home it was warm, these kinds of days remind me of her. Sometimes I walk past her old room and think she is there. But not. Then I read this on twitter:

"Please don't ever give anyone enough power over you, to bring back the triggered, unhealed version of you...When you've worked so hard to become better than that. 🌷

~Unknown~"

I sat on my bed and sobbed. I have no one to grieve with. I made so much progress with my trauma the last 15 years I dont want this grief to have some much power over me I become unhealed. I need to keep going.

Please note my phone is stuffed and for some reason I only get email messages at like 2am in the morning. So if I dont reply it is b/c I dont get emails updated in time. Thank-you for sharing your tiny steps to keep going when the spoons are not there. This thread gives me comfort.

Good on you @scruffypuffball . Well done on getting the vacuuming done.

There's no timeline for the grieving process. Please look after yourself.

Way to go 🙂 @scruffypuffball

Hello @tyme , @NatureLover , @Dimity , @Eve7

Such a big step for you today @scruffypuffball ... allow yourself the time and space to grieve. Maybe the tears brought relief, cleansing and healing rather than the reverse. And you are indeed keeping on going.

Apologies, I've sometimes posted very late, after reflecting and unscrambling my thoughts. I can be very slow to string sentences together.

I did some spring cleaning today and will start using new features of my mood and activity tracker to log progress.

That Twitter quote resonates... I'm finding a power dynamic and reopening of old wounds have been hard to deal with, but perhaps in the resurfacing there's opportunity to fix damage that's festered.

This thread sustains me too at present.

@NatureLover I hope you achieved your goal today. It's unfortunate your access to the shed will have to be negotiated... but understandable that your good neighbour is policing boundaries.

I don't often suffer from allergies but have a bit of ear and sinus trouble at present.

I've sometimes set goals and timelines but things outside my control have derailed them. I try to keep up with cleaning but it's been a while since I made much progress with the stashed and stored backlogs. I'm wanting to make a fresh start with the stuff at hand.

Best wishes for your work day tomorrow I hope it goes well.

@Dimity @NatureLover @Shaz51 @tyme @Eve7

@Bow

dimity thx for your kind words. i want to share with you all this funny tiktok. it never ceases to make me laugh so hard. i have been crying all day and this + the comments section was so funny i started laughing. sending warmth to everyone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtxkf40HtY

@scruffypuffball Well done on the vacuuming. I'm sorry for your great loss 😢

Hi @Dimity ...I'm ashamed to admit I didn't achieve my goal of cleaning off the small kitchen bench 😣 But I had a lovely day anyway, partly spent in the sun.

Thanks, I'm looking forward to work today to get me out of myself.

I see you have a "mood and activity tracker"...that's great. Last I knew you were undecided about one to choose. I hope it helps 🙂

I hope your allergies go away quickly... 🤞