Interests and excitement come and go… here are some things I’m loving right now.
EMDR
My experiences with trying to find a therapist in this area are straight out of hell.
The first person I met spent at least half of each appointment talking about herself. I understand the value of rapport, but the maximum time allowed is 4 minutes if I’m paying for your time by the hour. Under no circumstances should I know about your divorce or your upbringing.
The next two were way too eager to diagnose anyone and everything. At first, I appreciated the solutions-focused approach until the solutions became more and more generic, and I could tell the therapist was less and less invested in what I had to say. One of these, I actually had to cut off because their time sharing was bleeding into my work meeting. You read that right, another provider I was paying to listen to.
3 times the charm? Not for me.
I abandoned all hope with my insurance and just looked for local therapists when I finally met lucky #4. Not only did I finally find someone who I vibed with, but I quickly learned she also offered EMDR, which I had always wanted to try.
I’ve only done it once so far, but it was so interesting to work through different experiences and the emotions and feelings along with them.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a structured therapy approach that focuses on resolving negative emotions, beliefs, and sensations associated with traumatic experiences. It’s often used to treat PTSD but can also be helpful for other mental health conditions involving distressing memories. This answer is copy and pasted directly from Google, btw.
Arnicare
Insomnia Relief
I’ve been struggling with insomnia for almost a year now.
I think it dates back to junior high, when I first noticed my restless legs, but that’s since evolved. It wasn’t until the past few years that I had trouble sleeping at all. But as of late, there are leg cramps, and then there are nights when I am just wide awake. I spend hours of the night tossing and turning. Sometimes until 4 am.
I recently came across Boiron Arnicare Leg Cramps PM, and I found relief for the first time in months.
I tried everything; teas, dairy, tart cherry juice, magnesium, kiwi, pillow spray (I also recommend), melatonin—but this is the only thing that has helped me fall and stay asleep, and I am over the moon grateful.
Dark Circles Solution
A surprise to no one… when you don’t sleep, it starts to show.
I recently went darker with my hair, and I felt it really enhanced the dark circles under my eyes. My friend informed me that she came across a video in which a woman shared that applying Arnicare gel under her eyes tremendously reduced the appearance of her dark circles. I don’t know if it’s because it’s supposed to be for bruising, or how it works, but it does. Okay—add to cart.
Plus, I wouldn’t have discovered the nighttime dissolves if she hadn’t shared this. She is unironically my hero.
American Airlines Credit Card
Growing up in Montana, traveling was never that easy. After traveling for work and being closer to larger airports, I became accustomed to booking with American since it usually had the best deals. There would be chatter amongst my coworkers about how they’d prefer to book on their own card as opposed to the corporate card to get the points. I didn’t really know anything about travel cards up until that point, but it was around that point I knew I wanted one.
I finally bit the bullet a few months ago and got the American Airlines card when they were offering some crazy point bonus when you signed up. And I love it! I get really good deals renting cars, booking flights, and additional perks like free checked bags and early boarding. It grows over time so I look forward to the next tier when I can start selecting my own seat on flights without whatever crazy fees are added.
Aside from that, there is an offering where you can take surveys for points. Some surveys offer as many points as a rental car. And I am always happy to take surveys, as someone who loves audience insights. It’s a win-win for me and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good travel card without having to pay an annual fee.
My Roommate’s Espresso Machine
I recently moved in with a roommate. It’s been an adjustment, but it’s been great.
One of the reasons it’s been so great is her most recent Facebook marketplace purchase – an espresso machine.
I love coffee. I love getting coffee, I love drinking coffee, I love trying out different coffee places… everything about it. However, it starts to add up. I started cutting corners, buying cold brew and fun cups to trick myself into thinking coffee at home was fun. And it was for a little while, but the need for a foamy, delicious latte just doesn’t go away.
But everything changed the second that thing was plugged in. We went to the nicest markets to venture through the aisles of beans, grinding them in the store, making our own syrups (my favorite was rosemary honey from my herb garden). It literally paid for itself within the month.
Pattern Hair Products
For those who don’t know, I’m a curly girly. I go through phases where I let humidity win and don’t put any heat on it and in those times, it is imperative I have good hair products. After reviewing Reddit, TikTok, and the big bad web, I decided to try Pattern’s shampoo and conditioner and I am obsessed with it. I’ve recommended it to every other curly girly I know.
Narcos
I think everyone has heard about Pablo Escobar. Up until a few weeks ago, the only thing I could pinpoint about him was the picture he had in front of the White House when he was one of the most wanted men in the world (iconic).
I somehow ended up watching the series on Netflix on a particularly dreary day and I got hooked. Like most shows, there is a lot of unnecessary nudity, and, unfortunately necessary violence in it, but it is so good. This guy was a textbook psychopath; calculated, greedy, merciless, and worst of all… charming. I feel like this show’s effect on me is comparable to the effect their product had on Miami.
Shut Up Madi 