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    I'm a sufferer of chronic sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is when you can't move or talk while falling asleep or when you are trying to wake up. Horrifying is an understatement to describe these experiences. You are very aware that you want to wake up and can even hear your own thoughts, but you can not gain full consciousness. It's really terrifying because no matter how bad you want to wake up you just can not. On top of that usually there's a crazy nightmare taking place while you are going through this. This occurs because of the sleep stages we experience. A person with sleep paralysis usually is not going through the sleep cycles normally. This lapse in the sleep cycles causes this phenomenon. It's something I've dealt with for years. When I was younger I didn't put much thought into this having a name. I honestly just thought I was having regular nightmares. I would pray and wake up like nothing happened. Around 2012, I decided to Google search t

     My highly sensitive trait is contributing to my workplace anxiety tremendously. I don't do well when I'm dealing with  unorganized work instructions and add a little bit of thick animosity between co workers, and it's a wrap! I can't function in the midst of drama. It makes me feel angry, nervous, antsy, paranoid, etc. I don't like feeling like I'm thrown into the middle of people problems with one another. I was extremely excited about being at a new job! I've just hit a month and it's officially the end of my reign at this job. I've spent the whole day  in deep reflection about it. I take work extremely serious! No matter what wages I earn, I treat each job the same.  I put my best foot forward, and just do what I know I'm suppose to. However, I don't like when I don't see workplace respect in places I work. I know the work world is cut throat, and it's a place of business but I still expect not to be treated like an inferior

    It's always tough when my spouse and I work different work shifts. We have had our share of working different schedules. This is extremely difficult mentally and emotionally sometimes. It's hard to find quality time with one another when our sleep schedules are opposite due to work and the other demands of life. Over the years we have worked very diligently on finding ways to repair our lost time. When possible, we eat lunch together, talk on the phone rather than text during work breaks to catch up on each other's day, play board games, exercise together, cook together, clean together etc. We use to wreck our brains on how to make time for one another when we were off work and complain about how little time we had, but then it occurred to us that spending time doesn't have to be going on our date nights( which we do enjoy) but it's making time to touch base and connect with each other throughout our days when we're not together. It's about doing things

    It's been about a month of virtual learning for my household. Every other week is tougher than the other. We get my step daughter every other week and it gives me two children needing to be signed into their virtual classrooms at one time. This has been extremely annoying to say the least. Between my ever changing work schedule and my husband's exhausting over night shift the stress of forcing time to get them logged in is tremendous. I feel that parents who don't have a set working schedule are struggling with this time imposed sanction. Last Spring, we just had assignments that had to be turned in by the end of the day and the teachers had videos recorded for them to look at. I think that this was more considerate for my  kids under the age of 12 rather than having them sitting on a Zoom meeting for an extending time. My pre - schooler is doing well because his teachers have cut their schedule up decently. It's still inconvenient,  due to the fact I'm constant

My career plan is in retrograde. Owing tuition, fighting for a dignified job in the meantime, studying for the TEAS test, and dealing with a host of rude potential employers with raggedy work conditions awaiting once an orientation is scheduled has me feeling like I CAN'T WIN! I'm at a crossroad and I'm about to make a decision. This year I've prided myself on being "proactive and not reactive." I promised myself I wouldn't fly off the handle no matter what traumatic issues I faced. I'm ready to throw in the towel. I feel like I've push so much to get my pre reqs but yet still I feel stuck. It's nearly impossible to get a job at the hospital at this point and I've had all I can take working in adult assisting living homes. It's not the pay but it's about not having adequate clinical experience. When I took my CNA II class, I was so inexperienced at patient care (relating to hospital concepts)  I'm considering going back to the d

    Hectic days and a hungry baby keeping me up at night describe the basis of my last few months. I haven't had much time with my friends at all. We try to utilize technology to keep in touch like most people. Sometimes our phone convos are long with juicy gossip, and other days we barely get anything out before one of us rush off the phone. We've all been diagnosed with super busy lives since high school. Jobs, college, significant others, and kids now demand our attention. Everyday we'd consistently touch base in school, be inseparable after, and spend our weekends as if we were nocturnal. It's so amazing how fast time flies by! Literally, it doesn't feel like all these events in life would pass so quickly. I really miss our adventures to the mall and our downtown walks. We'd listen to street performers and ride around for hours. I know one day we will be able to enhance these moments to fit our lives now. Occasionally, we host girl nights and cook for each o

    It's almost election time in the US. Therefore, it's the time of year where the worst sides of both political parties start to show. However, political banter doesn't usually spark my interest. It's the same thing every four years. This candidate will do this and this one will not do this....blah, blah, blah. Conventions are thrown with corny jokes circulating. It's literally the same thing every time, just a different year with different people.  Both parties get tons of people to endorse their campaigns, so I wasn't that sure why Candice Owens (an ex democrat, current republican) was so outraged by Joe Biden having an interview with Cardi B ( tv personality/rap artist) I just wasn't sure why the confusion with "pandering" That is very common when you're trying to appeal to different Americans to secure votes. I'm not saying I agree with the strategy, but to go out of the way and insult an artist just because their background is extrem

    No one likes marital conflict. However, it's unlikely you'll never bump heads in your relationship. Sometimes these arguments can cause so much tension between you two and increase your stress levels. It's easy to speak out of anger during these times and lash out in the heat of the moment. Here's a list of some do's and don'ts of arguing with your significant other. DO'S Listen empathetically and think before you speak. Practice deep breathing techniques and self discipline during arguments.  Remember your spouse is not your enemy.   Forgive and forget small matters. DONT'S  Say or do anything you'll regret in a few minutes. (You can't take words back)  Try to be spiteful and seek revenge on your spouse if they offended you in someway. Gossip harshly about your spouse to others. (Limit what intimate details you choose to share) Resort to violence during arguments and lose control. (It's not worth it!)

    Reading has always been my favorite hobby. Since I was a child, I have always been in love with reading! As an adult, I still force time in my busy schedule to do so. Reading can be entertaining and educational of course. During my marriage, I have found myself researching so many different concepts relating to the psychology behind relationships to the spirituality of relationships. Here's a list of my favorite top 5 relationship books and why: 1.)  Five Love Languages: Gary Chapman is one of my favorite authors. This book gives the simple formula of how to show your significant other love based on how they define it and what makes them feel admired. 2.) 7 Principles of Marriage: This book is really informative and gives 7 principles found in most effective marriages. 3.) Power of a Praying Wife: This book is a great option if you believe in the power of prayer. It emphasizes how to stop fighting in your marriage, and how to take those frustrations to God. This can be a challe

 I've been researching and dreaming of my oldest child's first day of school for years. After months of stalling and miscommunications, I got an email confirmation for his virtual learning. I am so stirred with emotions about this! This isn't exactly how I pictured things to be. I always imagined my husband hauling me away as I cry my eyes out seeing our son tackle a huge milestone in his 5 years of life. His first year starting his school record, his foundation for his years following, a day I'd reflect on at his high school graduation! I know I'm way ahead of myself, but my vivid imagination has had this vision for years. Now that it's pretty much here I just picture myself grudgingly waking up, trying to look alert on our webcam, fighting my ever changing work schedule so I can get him signed on, and how many instructions will I need to give my husband so things will run smooth when I'm absent. Whew, my brain is overworked just thinking about it!!! Luckil