Looking after ourselves
Xmas is rough on many of us with mental illness, @Teej. It's okay this year for me, but really has caused me trouble in the past. Part of the reason it's okay this year, I think, is that I basically gave up caring too much about it from past experiences. Also, because I'm not religious, it seems to have little significance really. But I get how it might be harder to take that attitude for you with family and girlfriends. Try not to beat yourself up about it. I'm guessing your family understands how difficult things can be for you, and still love and appreciate you (even if that's not always obvious, as happens with families). 
C and I will be heading down to the country town about an hour from here to visit our friends there on new year's day. That will be a good outing. Aside from that, I'm not that keen on outings in the car, as I still have a lot of anxiety about travelling that way, either as a driver or passenger. The friends in the town are worth it though and I'm looking forward to that visit.
A good morning from me too, @CheerBear. 
Snap, @CheerBear, we were posting at the same time.
I only wrote one more review yesterday, three to go today and still have part of Monday to do it too. Will be fine.
How are you this morning?
Night, @Teej, sleep well.
So good to hear your psych appointment was very helpful, @CheerBear. Great that you were able to talk about your relationship with friend in an open and nuanced way. Wonder what your psych's perspectives on it might have been, but feel free to not answer that one, as you wish. 
Today is looking quietish. Hoping to get myself in the shower and go visit close friend not far from here with C. Only other aim is to complete the rest of the writing I have to do.
How about you?
Thanks for sharing your psychologist session, @CheerBear. Good to hear he supports your decision, and is encouraging of your steps outwards in a relationship sense. It does sound like there is good in that friend.
I get it with preparation, though for me it's never as socially ambitious or demanding as what you are able to do. For me, I have been finding the more I plan ahead and organise my head about things beforehand, the better able I am to expand what I can manage. There's one thing that has really helped me with this: a little dates diary, where I write all my appointments and other things I'd like to get done. There's rarely a week when I get through all I have written there, but for such a little thing, it's helped enormously. I was given my first little diary by my first support worker at the start of working together. I thought nothing of it then, but it's now an end of year ritual to make sure I buy one ready for the following year. I already have 2019 and am adding items to it already.
