Restlessness, Noise, and the Dog Days of Summer

Restlessness and Noise

*Formatting fixed*

I am normally pretty restless during the month of August and this year even more so.

The uncertainty of how school will begin here is still in discussion.  

I had an opportunity to apply for Midget to attend a local charter school in July. 

 While I haven’t received an acceptance letter, I was emailed that she had been accepted. 

Midget is really looking forward to her new school but we don’t know what it will look like yet.  

Normally there is a new student orientation in August. We aren’t sure what supplies are needed as it’s a blended format but I’m going ahead and getting the basics now-backpack, calculator, pens/pencils, etc., things she will definitely use.

Even the sky is restless at this time of year with the Persied Meteor shower peaking tonight!

https://www.space.com/perseid-meteor-shower-2020-webcasts.html

Fun August Fact: 

 

I turned off all electronics for several hours this afternoon and it was uncomfortably  quiet.  I am really making an effort to do reduce the ‘noise’ around me. (As I type this with a Star Wars movie in the background).

I hadn’t realized how dependent on the background noise I’d become. 

 I’d been making sure I have a tablet charged for day and for night. I had been putting on a YouTube video to be able to fall asleep and it is usually a documentary on volcanoes or some other disaster.

I also realized that I have been using melatonin, Benadryl, or a sip of cough syrup every night to go to sleep.   #confessions

 

I am fairly certain that this noise has been a contributing factor to my anxiety. 

My brain simply hasn’t had a chance to truly disconnect for a long time; toss in the extremely chaotic time we are living in it’s no wonder I’m a mess this week!

Last night I decided to make some changes.  It was surprisingly difficult to do it and it felt very uncomfortable.  I tossed and turned a LOT but I eventually fell asleep at some point. 

I probably only got a cumulative 4 hours of sleep but it has to start somewhere!

 

I will be shutting everything off at 9 pm and will read to wind down instead. It’s important for me to establish a healthier routine.

 

I will be heading out to my patio for self care in just a bit.  (taken this afternoon)

 

I want to take my camera and take a day drive this weekend.  I want to keep it a bit spontaneous so I’m not really planning anything. It will be a ‘the tank is full let’s see where the road leads us.” 

I usually do a summer photo shoot and haven’t really done that this year. I took a vacation to the Oregon Coast and shot a few but I’d like to post more than ocean waves and boats in a harbor lol.

                                  *obligatory ocean wave picture*

 

I’ve also been working on writing a bit.  It’s only a note to my outlines, or maybe a paragraph or two. 

 

I’m hoping that by reducing the noise around me I will be able to quiet some of my restlessness.

 

Are you more restless this year? Are you finding yourself hiding behind noise?  I’d love to hear how you are doing. 

We are in this together!

 

Until next time,

-R