Number Sixteen

Lydia,

I love your ideas for Sunny’s Little Bear party! It sounds like it will be so sweet and precious and will create some really lovely memories. It’s so hard to believe that she’s almost two.

It’s true that kids don’t need nearly as much as they are often given. So many kids have too many toys–Alder and Poppy’s collection is going that way–but this is an instance where less really is more. So much more creativity can happen when you don’t have so many things that entertain you and honestly? Too many things can be SO overwhelming. I get stressed and overwhelmed when there are too many unnecessary, clutter-y things lying around. All of my many moves in the last two and a half years have been very beneficial as far as decluttering and figuring out what basics I actually need and use.

Caffeine definitely doesn’t feel quite as effective as it once did. My coffee consumption has been higher than normal lately and I don’t have any more energy than before. If anything, I have been more tired. I’ve never heard of Nora tea but that sounds delicious! I know nettle and red raspberry leaf have a lot of benefits but don’t know as much about oat straw or alfalfa.

As far as supplements go, all I take is iron (I recently learned I’m deficient) but I used to take a folate and B12 supplement that my therapist recommended. It was really helpful when I needed it and could be a good thing for you to look into as far as supplements for mental health. 

I’m sorry to hear that your mental and physical health hasn’t been good lately. Hopefully you’re able to get to the root of things and things will improve. It’s so tricky that physical exercise can improve mental health but mental health struggles can make you not want to work out, even though that’s something that would greatly help! I’ve always found that interesting. I wish we could work out together and encourage each other as we go. 

—Janie