One Stitch At A Time

Posted on by Why Yet

These last 18+ months have taken a mental toll on many of us. Far too often we are unable to take much needed rest because of life’s obligations. Jobs, children, aging parents, even pets have all still needed us performing at an optimal rate. But what is an optimal rate when burnout is looming around the bend? How do you protect your peace of mind and recharge yourself before spazzing out on an unsuspecting person? What can you do?

I don’t know about you but I have tried returning to my poetic place of solitude… nope. My inspiration tank was as dry as my mother’s first Thanksgiving turkey 🦃 🤣. Love you, ma. That in itself was concerning to me because poetry was always my go to place of relief and release mentally. Next I tried baking. Cookies, cakes, bread and pies. Delicious 😋 things smelling up my kitchen and swelling up my waistline 😭. No good. I tried forcing myself to interact with others outside. I attended some vending events, showed support for some of my IG friends in real time but it just didn’t do it. I still felt blah.

Ok, I thought to myself. Music is always a sure fire mood lifter. I scrolled through Pandora. Nope. YouTube Music. Nope. I even dug out my box of old cds from the late 90s-early 2000s. Not a happy toe tap to be found.

I couldn’t kick the funk I was in and it was seriously affecting my interactions with everyone around me. I was always irritable and cranky (and no, it was not that time of the month) and was ready to snap on anyone at a moments notice. Work pressures didn’t help. At that point I did 2 things. I called a friend for a referral to a therapist and I picked up my knitting needles.

I am so glad I did. My therapist is down to earth and real. She listens. We meet weekly through video chat on Duo and I couldn’t be happier with my choice. And since I’ve picked my needles back up I have been knitting consistently for the last 2 months. Today I decided to bring my current wip (work in progress) to work with me, to work on during down time. My commute was crazier than normal this morning (3 road construction slow downs and 2 road closures with a clogged detour) so instead of sitting in traffic frustrated as normal, I picked up my project and started knitting at every stop light and slow down. 🤗 I wish I had thought about doing this sooner. Now I look for the red lights so I can knit more stitches and my irritability is fading one stitch at a time.

Vanilla Sock Pattern by The Crazy Sock Lady

Knitting may not be for you, but then again it might. You won’t know until you try. My sure fire recommendation is to try something new to you. If you like it, go for it. If all else fails reach out to a professional for help. It’s confidential and that may be just what you need to release what’s on your mind. At the end of the day be good to you because today is yesterday’s tomorrow…

Finding My Rhythm

Posted on by Why Yet

I am still working on finding my rhythm here in WordPress land. I looked up my original blog, Poetically Wyld, and realized how laid back and carefree it was to maintain that writing rhythm. I wasn’t concerned about tags and SEO or anything. I just wanted to write and share.

That’s where I am attempting to return to with Why Yet’s Words. A place where I can write and share. Words are powerful things, crafters of energy, encapsulating emotions that are sometimes indescribable and I love the feelings they elicit.

Those feelings come to me in free form poetry and the fluidity of those feelings is pure emotion. Like that warm breeze blowing across your face as you stare out at the water.

That rhythm tempted me and I answered when I penned my new poetry collection, Reflections: Past, Present, Future which is available for pre-order here.

The poems I selected for Reflections are a part of my rhythm, a part of finding my rhythm and by sharing I hope to help someone else find their rhythm.

Why Yet’s Words

5 Incredible Reasons To Try Yoga

Posted on by Why Yet

yoga pose3I woke up this morning and was tired of seeing my post baby stomach jiggling like a bowl of watermelon Jell-O. I know exercise is good for me and my body but I just wasn’t motivated to workout. I like the taste of Oreo cookies a bit too much. When I was still pregnant with my youngest son in 2013 – 2014, I began looking into prenatal yoga. Well, it amounted to just that – me looking into it. The jiggling of my stomach was no longer funny this morning because I had begun noticing aches and pains I didn’t use to have. So I began practicing some of the yoga poses I had only looked into before, and after twenty minutes of stretches I felt better. So I grabbed my notebook and began scribbling down what I believe to be five incredible reasons to try yoga.yoga pose2

  1. Everybody can do it: This was key for me because I learned that I am not cut out for all of the Shaun T and PX-90 style workouts. I tried the Billy Blanks tapes back in the late 90’s and well…
  2. Improves flexibility: After having twin boys in 2002 I have had lower back pain that wouldn’t completely go away. I felt some relief after doing a couple of the stretches. And I realized some of the basic yoga poses I learned in phys ed in grade school. How cool!
  3. Helps you focus on the present: I really needed this because I wasted too much time absorbed in past hurts and memories. When I practiced the yoga poses I reflected inward and enjoyed listening to the birds chirp outside. Besides, I have a bucket list that is a mile long. I need to start checking items off by living!
  4. Better posture: I used to be told that I walk like a model. That was a wonderful compliment that I used to get. Practicing yoga brought my attention back to my posture so when I sit or walk I can straighten up. I want my model walk back.
  5. Improves immune system: By stretching and twisting the muscles, I found out that the increased blood flow brings nutrients to the spine and cartilage throughout the body and it improves your immune system by releasing toxins in the body. How awesome is that?

yoga pose

I made my decision to give yoga a try and after doing a couple of stretches for a few minutes I can see how great my body will feel after long term practice. This will become my new healthy habit. If you want to know more you can go here:

www.yogajournal.com/article/health/count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-keeps-fit/

www.webmd.com/balance/guide/the-health-benefits-of-yoga

My Interview with Lisa Sparrow and How Mental Illness Affects All of Us

Posted on by Why Yet
sunnyclouds

Lisa Sparrow is an inspirational woman. She sat with me for an hour on my blogtalk radio show, On Why Yet’s Watch, and was completely open about her daily battle with mental illness. That in itself is bravery in my book. Mental illness is such a touchy topic to speak on because growing up we (as a society) were taught to only speak of such things in the house – especially when it pertained to a relative or close loved one. Lisa shared her story with our listeners and I am truly grateful.

Depression is the most common form of mental illness that people are familiar with. There is NO one single cause of depression. There can be a combination of causes that can trigger depression:

  • Trauma – a serious trauma that occurs early in life can change our brain’s response mechanism.
  • Genetics – mood disorders and risk of suicide tend to run in families but anyone with a genetic tendency would be more likely to show signs of depression at an early age
  • Life Circumstances – marital status, financial standing, where you live could all influence or trigger depression
  • Brain Structure – depression is associated with changing how your brain responds to hormone stimulation
  • Drug and Alcohol Abuse – 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have depression

16 million Americans had a least one major depressive episode last year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression. Young adults aged 18-25 are 60% more likely to experience depression than people aged 50 and over. Unfortunately, Blacks and Latinos are more likely to be misdiagnosed.

There are many forms of treatment:

  • Medications
  • Psychotherapy
  • Brain Stimulation Therapies
  • Light Therapy
  • Exercise
  • Alternative Therapies
  • Self Management Strategies and Education
  • Mind/Body/Spirit approaches

Should you or someone you know suffer from depression or believe you do, seek help. There is strength in asking for help because we all need help at one time or another. For more information about depression and some of the causes of depression check out the following websites:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Joyful Heart Foundation

To listen to the interview with Lisa Y Sparrow, listen to On Why Yets Watch with Author Lisa Y Sparrow

There is nothing to be ashamed of when dealing with ourselves or a loved one who battles mental illness.

Stay blessed.

Taking The Plunge On Etsy

Posted on by Why Yet

Okay. Writer’s block is setting in again and I am in panic mode. Especially since I am writing in spurts around my little one’s sleeping schedules (they are rebelling hard against sleep schedules). So the crack of dawn has seen me typing away for a little over a week now and sleep deprivation is fogging my brain. My determination to remain a stay at home mom, to be creative and to actively pursue work I can do from home is also beginning to wane because of the lack of sleep.

Well, yesterday I made the decision to do something that terrifies me – open my Etsy shop. I had been debating it back and forth for months. Since I love to crochet, knit and make all natural body care items I figured, eh, why not? I spent months researching how to open an Etsy shop. I hopped on Pinterest and pinned just about everything I could get my hands on relating to opening up a shop on Etsy. There are quite a bit of pins on SEO marketing as well as shop design. How did we ever get along in the world without all of these nifty ways to connect and market?

As scary as it is, I needed to do it because I enjoy being able to watch my children grow up. And should I be able to make a living at the same time then that is a double blessing! And what mom wouldn’t want a chance to be available for her children and earn a living doing what she loves? So, with the children gearing up to go back to school soon and the holidays right around the corner – give my Etsy shop a visit. And keep an eye out for more items!

All natural vanilla body butter
All natural vanilla body butter

I’m Psyched To Interview Eliza David!

Posted on by Why Yet

I got to interview Eliza David last night on blogtalk radio. She is the author of the Cougarette series in which a forty-something CeeCee dates a twenty-something Jay.

We have seen various scenarios of cougars, Courtney Cox even starred in a show titled Cougartown. But this series has me wondering what next? The best part about the interview (aside from the cool conversation) was the FREE download of The Cougarette that is available through smashwords.com, amazon.com and Barnes and Noble (if you have a nook).

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Balancing Life and Writing, How?

Posted on by Why Yet

It’s 11:51 pm and I have been trying to get my ideas to stop dancing around in my mind. I’m also trying to convince my one year old son to stop dancing around on the bed and go back to sleep! My thoughts are bouncing between river dancing and doing the cupid shuffle. Fragments of stories are teasing me and the pages are still blank. So what is a mother to do?

Thankfully my 2 3/4 year old is sound asleep, unaware of her brother’s antics at this late hour. I am curious how you other writers with children handle disruptions and uncooperative-ness? I am sure there is something I am missing. A technique to get my son to stay sleep? Some have suggested cough syrup but that sounds medieval. I have heard tales of creeping into another room in the wee hours of the morning. Feasible, except for the lack of another room to creep into to. I have even heard of the old work whilst the little darlings nap in the afternoon. HAH! I’ve been trying that one and the joke is on me. My children take turns NOT napping.

As I type this my son is in his crib shaking the sides (squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak) as if to protest his confinement at this hour. Surprisingly as I am committing this to print the squeak, squeak has slowed. In my peripheral vision my son is watching me intently, even though I know he is tired beyond belief. I figured the bedtime stories I read to him and his sister before bed were sufficient. Oops! I typed too soon. His cries are going to wake up the whole neighborhood. *Sigh* A mother’s job is not ever done.