step one

1. first classes since spring break ended--pretty depressing but still classes that i enjoy, so they weren't all bad.
2. played my first of several intramural softball games today! it was pretty fun, but still rather embarrassing at times. the plan is for me and my friend to start a kickball team, so that should be much more fun!
3. so busy all day tomorrow--volunteering from 10:30-4:30, meeting from 4:30-5:30, another meeting from 6-7:30. yeesh!

so i said that tonight i would get serious and talk about psychopathology. but i want to take this a different way and talk about stress management. i have become stressed as of...today...about a few things in my life. while i am still enjoying every minute, it's not like i don't have bad days or stressful times in my life. just because i'm overall really happy right now doesn't mean i don't also get sad/upset/stressed. but i just read this cool article about chinese medicine tactics for falling asleep. but it made me think about how i am dealing with the personal stress i am feeling right now (and will probably stick with me for awhile). i think that blogging helps, though i can't be really explicit with describing my problems. that is why i need to start a for real journal that only i have access to. but anyway, writing helps me get out any lingering thoughts from my day and see how they look on paper, as well as go back and read those thoughts later. but what is most pertinent for me is how to manage my career goals and my personal life. i want to help people, but am afraid i will feel too much and won't know how to separate myself from my work. also, i need to figure out how to not think about stressful decisions that are not facing me right now. i should stop thinking about may and the changes it will bring, graduation and graduate school, and writing a dissertation and getting a job. like really, what the heck is wrong with me that i'm worrying about things so far away? okay, may isn't that far away, but i still can't let the thought of may coming mess with my mind right now. i need to compartmentalize my life--something i have always been horrible at doing. i'm very organized and structured, but it is hard for me to compartmentalize my thoughts and my life into manageable segments. i have always been jealous of the male mind for this reason: they can shut out or allow in thoughts at will. how can one just...stop thinking? i would be terrible at meditation. and the lady from eat, pray, love was convinced she would be terrible at it too, but eventually became proficient. hmm, maybe there is hope. so this has been a bit rambling, but i am starting to take that as meaning it was inspired.
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/24717/sleep-solutions-from-chinese-masters/