On Taking a Mental Health Day, Mindfulness, and Goodbye

04 Jul 2012 ⋅ by Linda Esposito ⋅ Comments Off

Hello Gorgeous!

Thank you lovely reader for your support, insight and energy for the past two years.

If you’re new here, Welcome! and sorry to say goodbye when we just met.

The shame.

It’s time to change the format of TalkTherapyBiz in order to grow and reach more people struggling with anxiety. And the stressed out parents, too. Because if THAT job doesn’t kick your ass every third day, what does, right?

My badass rookie therapists might argue it’s the TEENS that jack up the anxiety levels…(Give it time, baby doll–those light bulb moments will come ).

So now what?

I’m not so sure.

But THIS I KNOW after 12 years working as a psychotherapist:

You Know You Need a Mental Healthy Day When…

1. Your opening line for one blog post is, “If you don’t have mental health, you don’t have shit.”

2. Your closing line for the same blog post is, “If you don’t have mental health, you don’t have shit.”

3. The next week’s blog title is, “Why Hope’s a Bitch.”

4. Despite the lack of therapeutic tools and cited research, there’s plenty of AWESOME comments and supportive email. Go figure.

5. You don’t fret about alienating loyal readers with profane language (which comes as naturally as possessing two arms for the rest of humanity), because Damnit! you’re overwhelmed with the responsibility of carrying others’ mental health.

When the next minute you want to poke out your left eye as one gracious reader posts a heart-wrenching comment about losing a child and ends with, “You’re making a difference. Keep on doing what you do.” OMG–I was complaining is what I was doing .

6. You sprinkle Trader Joe’s Sea Salt Fine Crystals on your kitchen tile and wait to see if the ants who invaded your house in the middle of the night fry to death…(They don’t–so hardy and durable, you almost respect their intrepid bloodlines).

7. You recall the long-standing PETA membership, and wonder, When did this insect bloodlust begin?

8. You google “Starbucks barista + salary” twice in a week.

9. You half consider asking Benson the Sales Manager at Equinox Fitness, Pasadena if you can be a “front desk girl” for the simplicity of scanning IDs and validating parking tickets as members rush in for that 5:45 a.m. cycling class. Because wouldn’t it be great to be 23, with no mortgage, no belly fat, and nary a treatment plan?

10. You see this picture of Britney, and think, Well, yeah, from that angle she does kinda look middle-age.

11. Your spy the desk clock at 4:49 p.m. and hope your client wasn’t listening to the discussion last month about the importance of reading body language, as you consider whether that one glass of Fess Parker Viognier ’09 in the fridge will be sufficient…

So on that classy note,

Goodbye Gorgeous!

The plan is to come back in September with renewed energy and focus. Maybe even videos?

Make sure to stop by on Mondays for a short mindfulness, Buddha-esque tip, and maybe Wednesdays, too. I was thinking a psychological quote, like “If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother.” Funny, of all the topics I’ve written, Google page ranks me #1 for the quotes and sayings…

Lastly, I’m closing the comment section for July and August. I know–really smart people comment regularly and many of you have come to expect their insightful nuggets, and free therapy . Hopefully lovelies like Alison, Delena, Kathy, Kris, and Patrick will return to WOW us. Maybe you will, too.

I love reading and answering comments because the INSIGHT really begins after the post. I’m amazed at how much smarter the commenters are than me. But something’s gotta give, and responding is time consuming when creating products in a crunch.

Yup. I’m writing an emotional intelligence curriculum for the little ones, recording another relaxation mp3 + collaborating with an AMAZING band of therapists on a parenting project–Yay!