What's on Your Mind

[Jay]

Thanks @Cridders88 and @InbetweenDreams and "@ChadCoxRox" (Sorry, Chad. I don't know why I cannot tag you and few other members)

You guys stay safe. Best wishes.

This hurts and infuriates with all the wasted doses and narrow minded nuts refusing in the US land of plenty. Reading this is like a punch in the gut. I'm trying to do what little things I can here, like confronting and trying to do it in an encouraging way. Hoping for the tide to turn all over the suffering world.

We're having issue with anti vaccines in here as well. My uncle who is a religious teacher is one of them. In addition to that, the situation in my country is not looking very pretty. Due to the pandemic and never ending lockdowns since last March 2020, a lot of businesses have closed down. A lot of people have lost their jobs. A huge number of teens and adults have gone into depression. 468 suicide cases have been recorded in the first five months of this year alone. It was 631 cases last year. And the politics. Oh boy. My country is falling apart.

Fortunately my family members are doing alright. I took my dad for his vaccination. He's fully vaccinated. My mom is waiting for her second dose. My big sister has completed hers. My big brother as well. My young brother is waiting for his second dose. I am fully vaccinated.

Stay safe, Chad.

[Chase]

I'm as close as ever at catching the carrot at the end of the stick.

[Bhp91126]

I just made it onto the top poster list. Who organizes the ticker-tape parade?

[Chase]

My life is getting better, I'm hoping it stays that way.

[Jay]

Besides having a full time job, I have two other side jobs. My first side job is as a baker. I sell baked goods because I love to bake. My brand is called Seriously Brownies. Started out baking for fun and brought to office. Didn't expect people wanting to buy them.

Initially Seriously Brownies was meant to focus on selling brownies only. But I have demand for cookies and cakes as well. So I decided to sell them too. But brownies are my hot seller.

However, I'm beginning to rethink on what to sell and focus on. I would like to scale down and focus on brownies only. To go back to the root to sell different types of brownies. 

The main reason why I would like to cut off cookies and cakes of my menu is because I don't have a lot of time to spend as I work full time. This week I received an order from a customer to prepare four trays of brownies. I was happy but was dead tired after that. Additionally, getting rid of cookies and cakes would scale down the cost as well.

[attachment=3541][attachment=3542]

[Bhp91126]

Besides having a full time job, I have two other side jobs. My first side job is as a baker. I sell baked goods because I love to bake. My brand is called Seriously Brownies. Started out baking for fun and brought to office. Didn't expect people wanting to buy them.

Initially Seriously Brownies was meant to focus on selling brownies only. But I have demand for cookies and cakes as well. So I decided to sell them too. But brownies are my hot seller.

However, I'm beginning to rethink on what to sell and focus on. I would like to scale down and focus on brownies only. To go back to the root to sell different types of brownies. 

The main reason why I would like to cut off cookies and cakes of my menu is because I don't have a lot of time to spend as I work full time. This week I received an order from a customer to prepare four trays of brownies. I was happy but was dead tired after that. Additionally, getting rid of cookies and cakes would scale down the cost as well.

Seriously awesome

I baked a little during the first few months of the pandemic, a couple of cakes or Blondies, but not regularly, because it’s all sweets. Blondies are brownies with white chocolate and since I love white chocolate I went for it. The results were quite disappointing. Flat, dense, greasy slices that only tasted good fresh from the fridge. Unfortunately I can’t recommend them, or my baking skills weren’t up to the challenge. Have fun.

[IanSaysHi]

I’ve written this post about three times over the last week but deleted each time before posting, maybe this time I will post.

I have been through a bit of a rough patch lately which was why I wasn’t here very much lately. It’s all mental health related which I find hard to talk about with others, as despite progress in recent years I feel there’s still a bit of a stigma attached, plus my ‘issue’ is all related to caring too much about what other people think which makes me over-analyse.

Work has been a bit overwhelming over the last few months, it’s been busier than ever and I have always had a slightly intense work ethic, so I over clock the hours, care too much about what I do and lose sleep over it. My job does involve a LOT of responsibility/pressure with unusual situations. My efforts have paid off and I’ve just got a promotion which is great. However about a month ago I got really sick (physically), not sure if it was manifesting my subconscious but when I spoke to the doctor a lot of stuff unexpectedly came out and I got signed off with stress. I spent over two weeks afraid to leave the house, spending a lot of time in my room with the blind shut. I stopped responding to friends and hardly spoke to my family (with them I just gave generic answers and pretended I was okay). In these situations I kind of go into a protective bubble, both for me as I just find it hard to communicate, but also for my nearest and dearest as I feel no-one needs to hear from me when I’m down. It was pretty horrible and I spent a lot of time just wanting to be asleep.

The only good thing about a couple of instances like this in the past is knowing I just had to give it time and that I would get through it. I am feeling a lot better in the last week, it got a bit better when I finally started talking to people and then saw my family.

I am returning to work on Monday, I am obviously anxious (“what will people think?” etc) but work have been great and put some things in place to support my return.

I needed to share this for two reasons; one because it’s good to just get it all out of my head and out there. I haven’t gone into this much detail in ‘real life’ apart from with a couple of friends. Secondly, like I said before, I do feel there can still be a stigma about mental health issues and talking about them. I would always encourage anyone who ever finds themselves struggling to talk to SOMEONE, it can be very hard but it really can help start the healing process. Also I am always happy to ‘listen’ on here to anyone who just needs to vent their own problems because I find it easier to help others than to accept help myself

Ian

[Insertnamehere]

[ChadCoxRox]

I have been through a bit of a rough patch lately ... It’s all mental health related ... plus my ‘issue’ is all related to caring too much about what other people think which makes me over-analyse.

Work has been a bit overwhelming ... [I] care too much ... [I] lose sleep over it. ...  In these situations I kind of go into a protective bubble, ... It was pretty horrible and I spent a lot of time just wanting to be asleep.

... a couple of instances like this in the past is knowing I just had to give it time and that I would get through it. ...

I needed to share this for two reasons; one because it’s good to just get it all out of my head and out there. ... Secondly, like I said before, I do feel there can still be a stigma about mental health issues and talking about them. ...

Ian

So there's a history and there may even be a pattern. Reaching out for confidential help and getting some clarity on the recovery will definitely make you a force for change in the culture surrounding you. You sound as though you will have a great "voice" for it. It is very perceptive to appreciate the value of getting it all off your chest. I survived this kind of life through younger years, isolated and toughed it out, and as age zapped my resilience I had no choice but to find real answers toward stronger recovery. I am fully confident you will make it happen and send you a sincere hug and bravo for taking some action. Lastly, the components of health and wellness, both physical and mental, lie in the restorative biological truth of the power of sleep. Rest? Yes for sure. Sound sleep with real autophagy to heal and renew? PRICELESS.

[Cridders88]

Sorry to hear you have been through a rough patch mentally @IanSaysHi. It sounds like you were really burned out and your body and mind needed to shut down to recover. It is so so easy to not talk and shut yourself away, it is similarly so hard to talk to others and not feel like a burden, I get that. I always tell other people it is best to talk about struggles with other people and not keep it bottled up - but then find it hard to actually do this myself. I am great at giving advise but not actually putting it into practice myself. I think you have said the same is true for yourself. I guess that is the anxiety in action. I am really happy you are reaching out and feel better again, and you shared your experiences in this post.

Big   man, good to have you back!