Arnica Anonymous

I feel like the title of this post is overreaching. What I am about to share will not magically fix every situation of overthinking, it won't even fix all of mine. But...it sounds good, does it not? ;) So I overthink. If you've been reading Arnica Anonymous for very long you probably already guessed that. I get on this circular train of thought when I'm anxious and can't seem to stop it or bailout. Too panicked. This picture PERFECTLY describes my life. Raise your hand if you have been here too. (I know you have.) I stumbled across an article today that discussed exactly what overthinking is. The author defined it as focusing on the problem continually and letting yourself be paralyzed by that perception. If all we are staring at is the problem, of course it's going to seem insurmountable! To my surprise, the article did not list a solution for this misplaced focus--which seems ironic to me. But we are smart people and can think for ourselves (when not p...

Tonight at supper we had been going cheerfully along when Grandma suddenly announced, "You know how I've been telling people how lovely a family you all are to take care of me? Well, I don't feel like that anymore." She continued, "I get stuck away in a corner at supper and no one talks to me. No one helps me do anything. I ought to just stomp off to my room and slam the door." It made me mad. Mom and I have both been very sick this week and despite that, we have cooked good dinners, given her a shower, and helped her to the bathroom, which was the new demand today. (Mostly Mom) I know she is not logical anymore. I know she is not herself. Some other gremlin has taken over her mind and my sweet, loving, servant-hearted Grandma is not the one talking. But it still makes me mad. My biggest fear when we first arranged to move her in with us was that I would come to resent her. I think that time may have come. Which also makes me mad at myself. ...