Category Archives: Thoughts

I have been a big proponent of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy since I began it, earlier this year. Yet, the basic idea behind it is that your thinking is wrong and you should change it. In some situations, this is helpful but in others, telling yourself that you are “wrong and can think other ways” only makes you feel worse. Technically, I suspect that this specific train of thought isn’t really following the guidelines of CBT but it’s easy to have.

I then discovered a conversation about CBT and another form of therapy that is becoming more popular–Accept and Commitment Therapy. ACT puts a focus on noticing your thoughts, feelings and what professionals call “personal events” and accepting then. Instead of changing your thoughts, the focus shifts to identifying values and commuting to them, regardless of your thoughts. It’s an interesting take on distancing yourself from your thoughts and learning that it’s just a feeling or just a thought. These events lose their power over your.

I think I actually revert to some ACT-like thought processes when CBT lets me down. It’s not all the time but sometimes it just feels as though it’s not enough. So, as I was trying to envision just what ACT is, I discovered some books by the founder, Stephen Hayes, and other professionals. Interestingly enough, I noticed a running trend. Hayes and others suggest that making happiness a goal is misleading and I concur. In fact, I would go so far as to say that aiming for happiness can actually deter you from achieving it. The underlying theme is that life is difficult and maybe we’re not meant to always be happy and that’s okay.

I agree.

I mean, sometimes we will have difficulties and we won’t be able to smile all the time. Forcing ourselves to do so can actually make us feel worse. And sometimes people do really stupid things in the name of “I’m not happy.” So what? Are you safe? Healthy? Content? Maybe you don’t need to be happy right now. Maybe happiness is one of those ideals that sound good but actually cause people to be miserable. Isn’t that a little ironic?

Maybe the reality of life is, if you always expect happiness, you’re going to be let down.

Actually, it was more like a month and a half and it wasn’t by my choice. It was interesting, nonetheless.

My TV broke. And it sucked. I was watching it and accidentally turned it off. It didn’t turn off the right way. It wouldn’t turn back on. I had to ind a way to get it out of here and then buy a new one. In the mean time, I learned some things.

• TV really is a good way to veg out sometimes. It’s distracting.
• It also provides background noise in the middle of the night that helps a person to feel less isolated.
• But sometimes the stuff that’s on really isn’t any better than watching nothing at all.
• Streaming Netflix is a God send. I watched a ton of it–mostly Family Guy–but my computer just isn’t very high quality.
• I can’t do anything on the computer if I am also watching a show or movie on it.
• A TV can serve as a central decorating point that pulls a room together. Without it, everything looks bare.
• Daily/weekly shows are fun to watch. They’re reassuring.
• Season premieres are exciting.
• I go a little stir crazy after not having a TV.
• Yet, having a TV isn’t a make it or break it deal, really. I am excited to have one again but I more used to not having one than I realized. I use it a lot less now.
• TV can make me restless in an anxious way.

I am a bleeding heart liberal, humanist with a tenuous faith in God and a big mouth.

I am the best friend that many of my friends have ever had and I am working to be even better.

I am a crazy cat lady who is mommy to two of the most beautiful albeit annoying felines that ever walked the Earth.

I am perpetually interested in anything and as such, have developed a well of facts that only useful as long as they are entertaining to my peers.

I am the owner of two wonderfully feminine breasts and this is central to my being.

I am ridiculously funny and I know it sounds pompous to come right out and say it, but it’s true,

I am experiencing a level of okayness with myself, my life and my body that is strange but entirely natural.

I am experiencing such a level of discontent with the world and its tragedies that I’ve no doubt I will one day do something to rectify the situation–as soon as I figure out what that is. In the mean time, I will continue to be the funny friend and send good vibes out into the world.

I am ever naive and optimistic when it comes to the following things: my natural abilities, the goodness of others, the fairness of the “system” and love.

I am going to have cheesecake with cherries for breakfast at 2:35 in the afternoon.

I just read the repeal against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was blocked. I guess supporting our troops is just too much to ask, eh?

Wil Wheaton had it right when he posted this:

I’m going to be sad now.

This week’s theme for WeBlogIt on Daydreamz is habits.. and it’s one that I didn’t want to write about in an obvious way and I thought of a really good topic and proceeded to forget about it. And that is my bad habit and because of it, I am writing an obvious post.

You see, I frequently think of things I want to write about. Things that are interesting or humourous or through provoking. I frequently think of these things at a time when I am unable to write them down, such as before bed or while I am working on something else (like my articles). I do it for blog posts, forums posts and emails. In fact, as I am typing this, I am reminded of a layout idea that I had–quite a detailed one at that!

So i’m drawing that on paper as I write this here blog.

The problem is, I don’t have a memo system. Sometimes I think I need a voice recorder, like Cruella DeVille in the 101 Dalmations cartoon that Toon Disney used to air. Something simple and quick because sometimes it just doesn’t pay to turn on a light, turn on a computer, search for a pen and paper and write it all down.

Those are flimsy excuses, I know. Still, I make no memo and sometimes these awesome ideas slip into the abyss–lost forever. Usually, I remember them. Not usually in a timely manner. This is what happened during the pets week theme of WeBlogIt. I love my pets and you know how important that are to me, yet I didn’t write about them. And I kind of lost the drive to do so after I forgot, then remembered again, and the week passed by. I get kind of bummed when I forget stuff and even if I remember again, it’s not the same.

So, this shall suffice as my habits post. Forgetting is a bad habit but so, too, is being lame when I remember. I should just post anyway, right?