Category Archives: Stress

Pick-Me-Up Thursday

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I know the title of this post is Pick-Me-Up Thursday, but I would rather view today as Friday Eve because it makes me feel the week is almost over. I understand that today is technically Thursday, but it makes it feel like the week is far from over and ominous. How has your week been? Is there anything you are looking forward to for the weekend? It might sound boring to most people, but the only thing I am looking forward to about the weekend is not having to get up early! Of course, I will probably still wake up early because in my mind I know I have to take care of the cats, but I hope to not be up as early as I am during the week!

Something that is very important and we must remember in this life is, we never know what another person is going through in their life, and sometimes, when people may come across as rude or distant, it is because of what they are enduring in life. Do not take things personally, but instead, try to be more understanding and compassionate. Maybe you were talking to someone at work or at the grocery store, and they acted unkind, remember, you do not know what happened to that person moments before your encounter. Most of the time, when someone behaves in a less than polite way, it has nothing to do with you, and they might just need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on.

Now that this week is almost over and the month is more than half over, I think we could all benefit from a little pick-me-up! The weeks are so long and can feel grueling, but we must try to find ways to get through them and help others do the same. I hope the quote that I am sharing today will provide you with the slightest pick-me-up and, it helps you get through the rest of this week. Believe it or not, even when you feel down and helpless, you are not alone because many others are feeling the same. We do have the power to help others get through the most challenging times, but we have to at least try!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed what I have shared and that it resonates with you in a positive way. Many things I write about stem either from something I went through or something someone I know has gone through and it inspired me. I am looking forward to reading your comments, and I will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

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Spread positivity, more than negativity

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The world we are living in, and sharing, is a beautiful place, or at least it should be. Take a moment and recall all the spectacular sites you have seen, smelled, tasted, and touched. Regardless of if the sky has many fluffy or dark clouds, or if it is a clear blue sky, it appears to go on endlessly. Surrounding the land, we can see, smell, taste, touch, and admire the ocean. These are just two magnificent things we should appreciate. Where do you see the most beauty in this world? Many people want to complain and be upset about humans destroying the planet, but then no one does anything to correct the damage.

How is it possible for us to have many incredibly astonishing things around us, but they are unable to be appreciated, and instead, humans try to demolish everything with unique qualities? The world was created for us to live in together, but we need to learn to accept others for who they are, and not who we think others should be. Unfortunately, it appears that people generally insult and try to break others down, mostly with selfish motives. I do not understand why humans think they are entitled to talk negatively to others, but this is only causing mental harm to others.

Social media is where much of this begins, but why does this happen? So many try to portray a perfect life on social media, but most of this is false. For some reason, people feel empowered when they can hide behind their keyboard and their monitor. Negative comments hurt others, and these wounds do not heal easily. It would be much healthier for everyone when posting on social media, would all remain honest. Everyone has struggles, and no one’s life is perfect. If everyone on social media could be honest, it might help another person that is battling with a similar struggle.

For anyone that posts things on social media, start today being 100% honest, we may have the power to make changes in this world. Nothing is going to happen overnight, but ending the negative comments and lies could make a huge difference in someone else’s life. The mean and negative comments are causing too many issues for too many people that do not deserve this treatment. I do understand, some of this was incited by political leaders, of which I will not mention any names. The name-calling and shame are awful and heartbreaking. Some of this has caused innocent people to decide that suicide is their only option, but this should never be a person’s only option.

Young people are very impressionable, but we can provide a better impression and be better role models for the youth. How many young people must die before the adults in this world behave better? Destroying another person’s self-esteem and views must end. We can make better choices and help inspire others. I do believe social media can be an amazing thing, but only when there is truth. It is hard to know that there is so much hate continuing to build around the world. Negativity can be contagious, but so can positivity😊!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope what I have shared today resonates with you. Even though the weekend is almost over, we do have a chance to enjoy several more hours, and I hope you do exactly that. I am looking forward to reading your comments, and I will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Finally took a chance

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I am not sure about y’all, but I am beyond thankful for the weekend. Last week was a little stressful for me due to having to make the drive to my follow-up doctor’s appointment on one of the most terrible roads I have ever driven on, but also because of my back and forth with myself regarding the writing competition. I know without asking anyone what the biggest issue for me was about this, and it was my complete lack of self-confidence. I was so worried that the judges would think the article was not good enough to enter any writing competition, but also because I am planning on sharing this article with the young lady I wrote about. I am not sure if I was more worried about what the judges would think or the person that I wrote about.

What I can say is, I put a lot of thought, soul, and heart into this article. I decided, win, or lose, it would be worth it because I did enjoy the research I did, and putting the article together was also exciting. After causing myself too much stress, and worrying too much about it, I finally submitted the article to the competition last night. I know how my mind works, and if I decided against this competition, I would have always wondered what would have happened and regretted not participating in the competition. I did not do this article or decide on the topic that I would do to become a famous writer, but I did want to try to do something with my writing.

Since I was a young child, I always enjoyed writing and even wanted to be a journalist. Of course, life did have other plans for me, and I must accept life for what it is. I could spend the rest of my life with regrets, that I did not pursue my dreams of being a journalist, but what would that do for me? Nothing! For the time being, I am thankful for the opportunity to write what I want to write on my blog. Maybe, and that is a BIG maybe, I will write the book that I have dreamed of writing. Until and if that day comes, I am going to continue to enjoy my blog and participate in writing competitions when they are available. Life is short, and dreams can come true, but dreams can also change.

Thank you for visiting my site today and continuing to support my writing. I meant to do this post earlier in the day, but I was too exhausted, and needed to rest, and not think too much. I hope you are enjoying your weekend, and doing something that brings you the most joy. We work hard all week, and even if you love your job, it is important to have some downtime away from work and all we must do. I am looking forward to reading your comments, and I will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Medical Stresses

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The past several weeks have been filled with stress worrying about getting the medication I need for Multiple Sclerosis. I am not sure anymore which one is worse going without the medication, or the stress I have been under because of the medication. I know both could be bad, but the only one that could be detrimental to my health is stress. Plus, stress is terrible for everyone, but even more so for those with Multiple Sclerosis because stress and MS are not friends!  It is not like this is a medication for fun, it is necessary for my health.

With the Gilenya, I am not able to go without it for no more than 7 days, or I would be forced to start the long process again. Of course, since this medication has been helpful with keeping the MS at bay and semi-under control, I do not want to be without it for any length of time. This has been something that I have been on top of for weeks, and cannot understand why the doctor, who is supposed to care about her patients, has not been caring at all. Instead of doing what was needed, my doctor delayed this process for way too long.

I think it might be time to find a new doctor, one that cares about her patients! Doctors take a hypocritical oath. This oath requires a physician to swear upon a number of healing gods that he will uphold a number of professional ethical standards. I think my doctor might need a refresher on what this means because she seems to have forgotten! I do not think I am asking too much, I just want the medication that has been a lifesaver for me. All this does is make me miss my former doctor because he cared and would have already taken care of this.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you had a nice week, and you have a wonderful and safe weekend. For those of you who must deal with doctors, remember how important it is to stay on top of them to ensure your medical needs are met. It is awful how much we must advocate for ourselves when our doctors fail us. I look forward to reading your comments and I will respond as quickly as possible. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Tuesday is progress

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Happy Tuesday, y’all! Surviving a Monday should make Tuesday seem easier, right? All I can say is, I sure as heck hope so because my day yesterday started off stressful. It was not anything that should have happened because I have been doing everything I needed to do regarding Gilenya, which is the medication I take for Multiple Sclerosis. I would not be as stressed if this medication was something affordable to a normal person, but this medication without the Gilenya Go Program would cost over $8,000 per month. This kind of price for a medication that is necessary to keep this unpredictable condition at bay is ludicrous.

After how stressful my week began, I am hoping today will be easier and far less stressful. Hopefully, my doctor’s office will get the things done they should have already done today and the medication I need will be shipped out to me. How was your day yesterday? I do hope your week started better than mine and that you have a great day today!

We made it through the hardest day of the week, so let’s hope the next few days go well for all of us. I would like to share a quote with y’all and hope that it helps you to view life in a better light. I really enjoyed this quote, so I hope it will bring a smile to your face. I think it is just a nice note to begin the second day of the week.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed what I have shared and the quote offers you peace, and good thoughts for the day. I am looking forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

31 Reasons

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Most likely many of you are aware that March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month. There are only 31 days to raise awareness of a disease that impacts and changes the lives of those living with the disease for the rest of their lives. Although I am sure there are more, I am going to share with you 31 reasons why I detest MS. Of course, I do not mean to sound negative, but this disease is anything but pleasant or easy to deal with. Please know these reasons are not in any specific order.

1. This disease is incurable and a lifelong condition.

2. Multiple Sclerosis is unpredictable and can strike at any time without any notice.

3. Neuropathy is something that can cause issues such as pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and a pins and needles sensation.

4. Random and frequent headaches, which no one could ever get used to.

5. Numerous appointments with different doctors.

6. The expenses of medication are higher than they should be in the United States where free healthcare is not an option.

7. Vision changes can happen to anyone but seem more common with MS.

8. Multiple Sclerosis can be hard to control considering there are no answers to the causes.

9. Never-ending fears of losing mobility.

10. Constant daily changes.

11. Back Pain, which I have lived with for years in my lower to mid back.

12. Leg pain, mostly neuropathy. This can make walking challenging.

13. Heat intolerance, which living in the south can be miserable.

14. Weight gain due to the inability to exercise much because of the pain.

15. Sleeping troubles due to waking up with pain and not being able to fall back to sleep.

16. Frustrations! You can do everything the doctors recommend, but it does not appear to make a difference.

17. Memory issues.

18. Missing the feeling of being normal.

19. Adjusting to weather changes can be challenging. Too hot creates issues, but too cold can cause me to tense and cause even more pain.

20. Dealing with doctors that do not always listen or understand. Doctors may understand the disease as much as they can, but they have no idea what it is like to live with it. Studying and reading can only do so much.

21. Understanding what creates additional issues, such as food, lack of sleep, stress, etc.

22. Worrying about the possibility of progression. This has always been a huge concern for me.

23. No answers regarding the causes of the disease.

24. With the unpredictability, one needs to always have a backup plan. This may be easy, but it is not easy explaining to friends and family.

25. Trying to stay positive without any changes in medical progress.

26. Knowing the best medication for the disease can be different for each person.

27. MS Hug. This is a painful hug that no one would ever want!

28. Dizziness

29. Flareups and steroids can weaken teeth causing them to break easily.

30. Fatigue. It is difficult to always feel tired because you are unable to get enough sleep.

31. Trying to explain to others how one can appear normal but are always in pain.

I have always known that this disease can take away my mobility and it has terrified me since I was diagnosed. Of course, I am always aware that it could be worse because my form of the disease is minor in comparison. I used to believe this disease was a punishment for something I did wrong in life, but logically know that it is not. We all have negative moments in life and trying to push past those thoughts can be challenging, but also necessary. This disease does not discriminate and can happen to anyone.

It is always important to remember that no matter what we are dealing with in life, someone else is dealing with something worse. While I do detest MS, I do know that no of us will have to endure something that we cannot handle. Whether this is true or not, it does help me to keep moving forward. Plus, I did make my late grandfather a promise that I will never all this disease to get and keep me down.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and you are able to recuperate from last week because I know it was a long week. I hope you found what I have shared today interesting and I look forward to reading your comments. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Tranquil Tuesday

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The good news is we somehow managed to survive Monday, which tends to be the most challenging day of the week! Yesterday, was much busier than it has been for a few weeks now. More work meant there were many more customers who thought their orders and problems were the MOST important. Thankfully, I am good at providing good customer service and giving them my undivided attention. It does help that I have friends in the other departments that can help resolve issues quickly and seamlessly! I only wish that everyone I deal with did things the same way because my dentist still has not spoken to me about the issues I have been dealing with since my tooth extraction. The nonstop static sound playing in my ears and head is incredibly annoying!

Moving along to the second day of this week. Tuesday should be a lot calmer and not as busy, but we will see. I do not mind busy days because it makes the day go by SO much faster! Today, I do have a few meetings, one of which is my normal one-on-one with my supervisor, which I never mind because I adore her! Considering we made it through Monday, each day should get better until we make it through the week. I always think it is important to try to seek out calmness during the week and I hope the quote I am sharing provides that to you! It is not easy to find peace in this world because it is so chaotic and full of hateful situations that we see on the news. I do try my best to avoid the news because it is so depressing and there is not a lot that I can do.

How did your week start? I know it is not easy, but letting things get you stressed is not worth it. It is important to try to understand the things you do have control over and not waste your time on what you have no control over. The only thing stress does is make matters worst and can cause unnecessary health issues, and if you live in the United States costs more money because our healthcare system is very unfair. Of course, I say this, and I do allow stress to consume me, which causes MANY issues with Multiple Sclerosis. 

Thank you for visiting my site today! I hope you have enjoyed what I shared and that you found the quote a nice reminder of peace. Staying at peace and maintaining that peace is what will help us all through our time in this world. I hope you are having a good week and your Tuesday is filled with everything that makes you happy and content! I do look forward to reading your comments and I will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Tranquil Tuesday

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I think that a congratulations is in order because we made it through the least favorite day of the week yesterday😊. Monday is typically a day we all dread because it means the workweek began. The weekend seems so far away, but in all honesty, the days do go by rather fast. Of course, we do have to get through five grueling days just to make it to a weekend with two of the shortest days ever, but it will all be worth it. It does appear that as I get older, the days, weeks, and years go much faster!

How was your Monday? Mine was not bad at all and in fact was better than my weekend. I had almost forgotten about a one-on-one meeting with my supervisor in the morning and for some reason, I always get nervous about meetings like these. I must say, I have one of the most amazing supervisors and the best one I have had in a long time😊! This was our first one-on-one meeting and it was wonderful. I seriously wish there were more people like her because she truly cares! Not only is she easy to talk to, she listens, which is not as common as it should be!

There is one day completed this week and four left, but I think the days will pass with ease. Considering we survived Monday😊, I do not think the rest of these days will be too bad. I am hoping the quote I am sharing with y’all today will provide you with a sense of peace and calmness. Life can be stressful and we often need a reminder of how to live a calm and peaceful life. One thing that always brings me peace is the sound of the ocean. The sounds of the waves rolling in and back out are glorious and extremely peaceful.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed the quote and it brings you the same peace it has given to me. The good thing about Tuesday is, we survived Monday and we are well on our way to the weekend again😊! I would love to know what you thought about what I shared today and will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Irritating Sounds!

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Each person has unique qualities that set them apart from everyone else. These qualities are not something negative or to be ashamed of, but they can create challenges for the person to handle. Since I was a young child there have been certain sounds that I found extremely irritating, which I thought made me strange. It is not loud noises, but small noises such as people chewing gum, chips, popcorn, ice, or anything else that crunches. I remember a time being in the car with my mother or anywhere else when people were chewing gum and it caused an intense feeling of pure and utter irritation. Are there any sounds that you find irritating?

There is a rare disorder known as misophonia that affects about 20% of the population. Scientists suggest that one in five people suffer from this disorder to some degree and less than 1% experience extreme symptoms. This disorder can trigger emotional or physiological reactions to sounds. Of course, those that do not suffer from this view the reactions as an unreasonable and illogical response to sounds that can range from anger and annoyance to panic with a need to flee.

Those that live with misophonia have explained they are triggered by oral sounds, such as the noise a person makes when they eat, breathe, or chew anything. Other sounds people have found to be irritating can include the tapping on a keyboard, table, or steering wheel, or the sound of windshield wipers or blinkers. Some have said small repetitive motions are the cause, such as someone fidgeting or wiggling their foot.

Those with misophonia have said they respond to visual stimuli accompanied by sounds and have an intense reaction to repetitive motions. It has been suggested by researchers that those with this disorder have issues with the way their brains filter sounds and one feature of “misophonia sounds” would be their repetitive noises, which exacerbates other auditory processing issues.

Misophonia appears to range from mild to severe. Many have reported various physiologic and emotional responses. Mild responses can cause people to feel anxious, uncomfortable, disgusted, or have the desire to flee the situation. The more severe response may include rage, anger, hatred, panic, fear, and or emotional distress. 

Doctors are unsure what causes this condition but have stated it is not an issue with the person’s ears. They do believe it may be related to the way sounds affect the brain and trigger an automatic response in the body. The onset is not known, but symptoms have been reported to begin between the age of 9 and 13 and last a lifetime. This is more common in girls and comes on quickly and does not appear to be related to any specific event.

A recent breakthrough study discovered that misophonia is a brain-based disorder. Researchers have referred to a disruption in the connectivity in parts of the brain that processes both sound stimulation and the fight/flight response. This is said to involve parts of the brain that code the importance of sound. 

If this is something any of you deal with, I am sorry because I know how incredibly frustrating it can be. There have been times I had to cover my ears to avoid the annoying sounds because it causes me massive amounts of frustration and anger. It was so hard to deal with when I worked in an office setting because many people loved chewing gum and that is one of the most annoying sounds in the world. Thankfully, I am not working in an office setting, so I do not deal with this anymore, but my husband does love chewing ice and tries to say it is soft ice. It is NOT soft ice! If this is something you must live with, how do you handle it without losing your mind?

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope what I have shared is something you do not live with, but if you do, please know you are not alone. I am looking forward to reading your comments and I will respond as quickly as I can. I hope your weekend has started pleasantly and you enjoy these two days! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Sunday Thoughts

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It is hard to believe that we have so few hours left of the weekend, but at least we are alive and were able to have a weekend. As y’all already know, I have been battling with a massive headache for far too many days. I can only speculate what the cause is because I have lived with them for many years. I have discussed the headaches with doctors before, which includes my MS specialist, and they were not successful in an adequate or effective treatment option. Even though I have been advised that it is not normal to have a constant headache for 7 days and that I “should” go back to a doctor, I do not see a point and feel like going back to a doctor about these headaches would be a waste of time and money.

I have never claimed to be a genius, but I am smart enough to know that having a constant terrible headache for as of now is 7 days, is not normal. I do know that Multiple Sclerosis has been one part of the headache issues before, but during the present time, I think stress might be a key factor. Yes, I know there are many things in life we have no control over, and therefore we should not stress over them. I also believe that everything in life happens for a reason and things have a way of working out for the best. Of course, knowing this and not allowing myself to be engulfed in worrying about things in life are challenging. 

There are things in our lives that do not discriminate, stress is one of them. It does not matter who you are, where you are from or anything else, stress can invade your life and try to take control. How do you handle stress in your life? I know the things in my life that cause me the most stress and some of them can be eliminated. Unfortunately, most of us must work and pay bills, so those are two that cannot be ignored or removed. During this weekend, I have been thinking about what causes me the most stress and what I can eliminate from my life. To make things easier for myself, I might start with removing one thing at a time and see if the headaches subside! I am willing to try just about anything at this point because I am in desperate need of a break from headaches!

I would like to believe that I am strong, and I refuse to let stress or these headaches dominate or control my life. I might be a little like my cats, we do not like being told what to do and in turn will do the opposite of what we are told😊! I am hoping by eliminating things gradually from my life that I know cause me stress will help to eradicate my headaches or at least reduce the frequency and severity of them!

Thank you for visiting my site today! I hope you had a lovely, relaxing, and safe weekend😊! I know our weekends are never long enough, but I guess it could be worse and we are not able to have a weekend at all. Monday mornings are always a little daunting, but the new week might hold what we have been needing😊! I am looking forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as possible. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa