Salley's Mile ∞

Featured

Speak Gently and Be Brave

To embark on a healing journey is no minor undertaking. Many are so preoccupied with the day to day hustle of life that healing is the farthest from their mind. Unfortunately with trauma and internal—psyche, spirit—wounds, running away (avoiding) does not make the memories or their impact go away. One of the biggest practices I developed in my healing journey is gentle self speak.

I can remember the darkness of my depressions in younger years where I was not only sad, I would beat myself down until I became so down I would not move from my bed for weeks. I didn’t deserve food or to be clean. I -believed- I was lazy, useless, stupid, never going to be good enough, doing all of this to myself. I felt worthless. Today, I know I am psychologically disabled, that I experience intense emotions and my moods are a moment of my existence. I need emotional support for my well-being.

The reality is in my younger years I was depressed and making my depression monumentally worse by believing these hurtful words. Words which, in truth, came from the world around me not understanding or ever asking me about my internal experience. All my life I have been told I am sensitive as if my sensitivities are not apparent to me or that I am choosing to be sensitive and needed to stop feeling so much. In adulthood I remain sensitive and I have developed systems, practices and coping skills to manage my big feels.

The practice of gentle self speak is a simply complex one. We can understand being cruel to ourself is not a helpful practice and still default to it because it’s familiar. This was my existence, I felt most comfortable in my familiar sadness. It took me years of redirecting my thoughts and curating my environment for me to stop thinking any of that shame and unworthiness automatically. There are still times those dark thoughts will creep in and it’s being in a safe and loving environment that helps me stay in existence. I am fortunate to have support systems now.

To get yourself started on gentle self speak, recognize that those internal criticisms we repeat as a self harm practice are not even our beliefs. Someone outside of us who likely does not understand our internal experience and does not ask or want to understand does not know our lived experience better than you know you. Allow yourself to connect with your authenticity, who you are in your core being, before the world around you had you believing hurtful lies of not enough.

The practice of self connection can vary from one person to the next. Seek out passion and comfort, analyze the things that bring up discomfort. Do things that challenge you and make you uncomfortable to embrace the bravery of doing difficult things and making it through. We all have emotions and attuning to your feelings, how you exist in this life will change as you change your practices with awareness and accountability. Sit with yourself and discover your worth, then guard your well-being with the bravery of a guardian.

Be well, sweet souls. 💛

—

My blogs and rambles commonly have a mixture of mental health and healing messages. Blogs are more focused on sharing information to help the reader and rambles are journalistic, sharing memories for the sake of sharing.

Any questions, comments, concerns
Leave a comment below

If you embrace neuro diversity and would appreciate an (18+) adult space online with focus on compassion over cruelty : consider goodvybe.gg 18+ | Neuro Diverse Haven! “Keep it a goodvybe” embodies a vision of adults socializing online in pursuit of personal betterment and connection with like minds. Photo ID age verification is not required unless suspected of being a minor or accessing our (21+) MATURE nsfw section.

Anxious Eating : Louisiana, Houma, Song Phi Nong Thai Restaurant

5 / 5 💛

Mister and I were in Houma running errands and I heard from a few locals this place has quality Thai options. When we’re able, we sit outside to eat—it’s a more entertaining environment for my service dog, Xena and we all like being outdoors.

At the front desk the lady was very polite in letting us know the tables outside may be wet and it’s not water proof to sit out there on a rainy day. We agreed to take our chances and walked through to the patio space outside the building.

A view of open water at the back of the restaurant with strings of lightbulbs across the ceiling, I imagine the nighttime aesthetic to be captivating when they’re all lit up overhead. Fortunately we did not experience rain while we ate, food arrived quickly and we are often out the door within an hour.

I am far from a Thai expert and asked for a plain chicken pad Thai with spice on the side. Mister ordered himself coffee and mentioned it was good, black no additives. That’s always good news to me because my fella likes his coffee and I like variety dining.

Our table server, Allison (if you should come across this correct me if misspelled) was very polite and courteous with us, she offered to wipe down the table and even encouraged us to try their cheesecake, which I’ll now think to try when we visit again.

Xena did well, the staff were all respectful of her and she sniffed the air while I ate on chicken pad Thai chatting with Mister sipping on his coffee. No issues or incidents to note. The staff did interact with me and not her and that was greatly appreciated.

Enjoyed my to go portion of the meal at home on the couch watching a show at some obscure hour. Definitely recommend giving them a try if you’re a fan of pad Thai and around the Houma, LA area. I suspect that’s a beginners dish overall and it’s what I’ve had before to compare with.

—

💭 Have you been here before?

Tell me about your experience in the comments. My reviews could detail the establishments decor, service animal accommodation, staff services, meal details and the quality of their to go containers. Recommendations are very welcome, prone to traveling nearly anywhere with a good (or food) excuse. 💛

If more reviews would be of interest, leave feedback below
Suggestions are always welcome

Anxious Eating : Restaurant Reviewing

Mister and I went out for lunch and I had a thought for posting reviews. I grew up in Acadiana area of Louisiana and through my military enlistment, I traveled the world. I lived in S. Korea, Germany and traveled Spain, France, the Caribbean’s and more. It’s my most broad creative portfolio: travel and scenic photography.

The reality is I live with a lot of anxiety, having an array of mental differences from my disabling ptsd to adult diagnosed bipolar and inattentive adhd. I consider myself an alphabet soup of psychiatric labels and often talk on mental health because I have seen and experienced a lot in the world of mental health, good and bad.

This idea on “Anxious Eating” is my personal preference when we go out to eat, which ultimately I greatly enjoy trying new foods. However, I am always varying degrees of anxious and I prefer to eat privately, most preferably at home where I know I am secure and feel the most calm.

Our dining experience goes like this: myself, Xena (my psychiatric service dog) and my fella enter an establishment and ask for either a booth, corner table or outdoor seating if they have it. We’re both our own brand of smokers and while Xena will be well mannered anywhere, sitting outside she has more enjoyment with sights and smells.

The three of us sit down, I look over the menu to choose a meal and Mister will take a look at desserts and ask if they have coffee. This is and always has been our dining experience and it’s something I love about us. Our very first date we ordered coffee and dessert and were leaving within an hour.

I’m ready to leave most places within the time it takes for him to drink one or two cups of coffee. I get a taste for the food I order and take the rest to go as my meal for later when we’re at home. Maybe have dessert if something catches either of our attention.

My reviews could detail the establishments decor, service animal accommodation, staff services, meal details and the quality of their to go containers. I believe I would enjoy this a great deal and recommendations are very welcome, I’m prone to traveling nearly anywhere with a good (or food) excuse.

If reviews would be of interest to you leave a comment below
Suggestions are always welcome

Words Can Kill

To disregard feelings is to disregard a human being. We all have feelings and deserve to feel valued and appreciated by those we have in our life. Our society has a shame culture component that seems to be magnified online with belittling and devaluation in memes and trolling. All for the luls, right? Except it sometimes leads to suicide.

Yep, I dropped the S bomb. That is genuine reality: words do hurt and cruel words can poison our minds with lies of being unworthy. When your idea of humor is finding any quality to make someone feel small, you’re a problem. Bullying ought to be a grade school phase and adults ought to be capable of authentic accountability. Unfortunately many will choose denial and avoidance to hide from their own shame. This leads to shame projection, seeing the faults in others while avoiding self work.

Now we can bring up how the bully has trauma either at home or some other bully in their environment and that’s likely valid. Humans learn to be cruel, it’s not how children naturally enter this world. To be kind as an adult in a cruel world takes determination and discipline. Bullies are weak minded, incapable of facing their own darkness and tending their emotional wounds. The hurt of others provides a -temporary- sense of superiority. Calling out shameful things at others puts the focus away from their own.

The truth is that emotional and psychological healing is HARD, giving grace to people who are actively being cruel and refuse to reflect on their actions is HARD. Choosing to practice and live in kindness is not for the weak. This is why good, kind and authentic people are considered rare because so many will succumb to spreading shame to avoid their own healing. The internet serves as a breeding ground for hatred with so many believing they’re anonymous so their cruelties will not have any real world consequences.

We are continuously faced with choices in life, yay or nay. Some days I do not have the emotional fortitude to muster up kindness and I often focus on my own tasks to not put my foul mood on the world. I believe all of our choices matter and have consequences whether or not we’re aware of their cause. Reflecting on and making amends with the reality of our lived experiences is an adult responsibility. Those who fail to reflect inward are those who most likely project hurtful words or actions outward.

We all deserve to feel valued by ourselves and those in our environment. If you are feeling unsafe or unwanted where you are then you deserve to find a way out. Go where the love lives, where you feel validated and supported. I guarantee you it is life changing.

Be well, sweet souls. 💛

If you identify with the neurodivergent community or would appreciate an adult space online with focus on compassion over cruelty : consider my discord server! Designated mature (18+) and all known minors removed. Optional verification (ID required) for access to nsfw mature content. Multiple categories and activities on server can be (de)selected using reactions in the server 🔍INFO > #about-you channel (see ❗server-rules❕ for membership). You’re invited! “Keep it a goodvybe.”

HALLOWEEN ART CONTEST

If you are not in the discord community now, here’s some incentive!

Interested in hosting contests, donating prizes or suggesting future community activities… we welcome feedback! Join Us..

If you identify with the neurodivergent community or would appreciate an adult space online with focus on compassion over cruelty : consider goodvybe.gg ! Designated mature (18+) and all known minors removed. Optional verification (ID required) for access to nsfw mature content. Multiple categories and activities on server can be (de)selected using reactions in the server 🔍INFO > #about-you channel (see ❗server-rules❕ for membership). You’re invited! “Keep it a goodvybe.”