Before I even pressed play on the podcast, I noticed that it was 23 minutes long. 23 minutes! I’m so happy that the Freewrite has given you more writing freedom, and that you had the strength to bless us with 23 whole minutes of Hal this week. ♥️
I started a new job in January. I now make more money than I ever have, in a position that is much better aligned with my health. (I have fibromyalgia and an unspecified heart condition. It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that my last job was slowly killing me, and for a wage I could barely survive on.) As someone who faced food insecurity and neglect in childhood, I now often stare in wonder at the well-stocked shelving unit I use as a pantry. I actually feel more motivated to be strategic (not unlike yourself) because I actually have it, and budgeting doesn’t feel hopeless anymore. This isn’t to say that I have complete freedom or that all concerns are gone, but I’m still basking in gratitude for how much things have improved.
I was recently tempted to get a new car. I even put a hold on one. But after pausing and thinking it through, I decided that what I really needed was to get the car I have looking better. Just got it detailed, new seat covers, and floor mats. A wise move since I really don’t drive that much and it has no mechanical issues. Learning that pause step is good.
Hi Hal! Episode 82 and I’ve only just found you. I’ve got so much catching up to do.
I’ve got Very Severe ME. Like you i suspect? I’m 90% disabled housebound and bedbound since two 116 miles round trips to the only major hospital in Cornwall last February 2023.
I’ve been at this since 1998. I’m in my second relapse. The last one continued for 10 years. So I’ve a way to go yet.
I’ve been through the AlAnon programme. Started in 1995. Lived with an increasingly violent narcissistic alcoholic. For 22 years. It’s a very long story of hunger, spiralling debt , total destitution and of course, having to place myself between my kids and his punches.
And then it got worse. Knives to my throat and to that of my younger son. The police did nothing. Classed as a ‘Domestic’ so they wouldn’t get involved.
One day he tried to murder me. 5ft 0 weight 7 stone and him 5’ 8. But I fought him off and ran down the road to the phone box. The police arrived within 10 minutes. One of the guys said “He’s crossed the line. The next time you’ll be dead.” I needed that wake-up call. That guy saved my life.
But again1994 and no protection from the legal system. He was neither cautioned nor arrested.
He’s long dead and gone. And no loss. But all 3 of us have lifelong conditions as a result of his behaviour.
My eldest son has OCD, no confidence and Asberger’s.
The younger one has OCD, PTSD and ADHD. God knows how he gets through each day with all of that going on at the same time.
And I’m here. Like you. In bed 23 hours a day.
The acquisition of Stuff is a trauma thing.
If you haven’t already, watch Dr Gabor Mate on YouTube. Perhaps have it on and listen.
He’s extraordinary. Incredible insight and filled with wisdom and compassion.
He says that the major chronic long term conditions (although I prefer the term disabilities) are all caused by trauma.
He suffered greatly as a child. And talks about his compulsive acquisition of classical music records.
And me? Books, books and more books. It’s all eBay’s fault! They’re so cheap.
I have two floor to ceiling large bookcases and they’re absolutely rammed.
The Japanese have a word for it. The Japanese always do:
Tsundoku: The habit of collecting stacks of books that you haven’t read and may never get to.
You can avoid crashes by installing the Visible app.
Check ins morning and evening. And it measures your heart rate variability. This gives you early warning of an impending crash.
The morning measurement of HRV generates a score between 1 and 5. 1 being the worst. But you’re knowing in advance and you can therefore take steps to avoid it with the guidance that the score gives. Based in the US so you won’t have any problems.
Another app I use every day: Headspace. LA I think.
Easy meditation based on Buddhist practices but not overtly Buddhist.
I started last June. Overwhelmed , isolated, in solitude and feeling wretched.
After two weeks there was a shift and I ceased to feel desperate. And the positivity keeps building.
It’s essential to keep showing up. Day after day, week after week. Continuity is everything.
I’ve almost achieved 9000 minutes since last June.
My mind is calm and clear. No intrusive thoughts. Barely any thoughts at all.
I’ve been living alone and I’ve never been happier. Life is great.
I’ve very much enjoyed your podcast. Your easy style and your gentle American accent.
I get put off because some of them are so strident . I just turn them off.
My heartfelt wishes that your days improve. At the very least that you get through each day as best you can.
Thank you Hal. I was on the buying instruments train for a while. I’ve given most of them away. Most times the thrill of getting doesn’t last long. Thanks for sharing the PAUSE strategy. Praying for you too.
Good word about the technology and how it can distract us. We all need to take more time to be still. Need God’s help in that area too in addition to handling money. Praying for you Hal. ❤️🙏
Since Mom died, we have not wanted for money. Quite a change from our old hardscrabble days. Funny thing though… we don’t spend much more from day to day than we used to. But we have the comfort of knowing that when we need something we can afford it. I’m grateful for that almost every day, and I hope I never take it for granted.
For example, when Dad went into hospice in 2010, a friend urged me to take the first flight to Ohio to say goodbye. We shopped around for cheap tickets for a week later flight—by the time we got there he was gone.
Now our son is in the hospital in Oregon with liver failure. We are flying out tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon to see him before he dies. Maybe he will hang on a long time, but we’re not taking any chances.
I love P.A.U.S.E.! Something AlAnon taught me: "Humility is just being open to the truth."
Being 70, I am looking to give my possesions away now or letting them go to a good home when I die. Luckily, my son, Drew wants all of my musical instruments (3 guitars, a Celtic harp, a djembe, a bodhran, various bells and rattles). And if I buy any objects, they are only what will make my life better/safer. Love you, Hal.
But the shiny, black, penny loafers I just bought on Amazon are SO cool. Hurumph. I did spend many weeks looking for just the right pair. With increasingly wide feet it’s real exercise to find good shoes to wear, ya know… for all the places I go when I get out of bed.
Sometimes I buy my Dad audio books bc he’s in NJ going blind and deaf with my Mom as his only, very reluctant, very grumpy, caregiver. Sometimes I buy another pack of shelf stable milk- there’s bird flu in Texas, ya know. Sometimes I buy cute clothes that remind me of who I used to be, when I was unstoppably romping around the NYC & Chicago streets, at all hours of the night, in clunky, million pound, doc martins or shiny, black, penny loafers.
I know it’s a problem. Mostly I know this because I only feel good for a little while and then the guilt seeps in. I don’t work & my husband never stops. I rarely leave my bed & it’s even rarer that I leave the house or see someone other than my husband. And of course, I’m fat. Why would someone so obese, who must care so little about their body to let it get this way, need nice clothes. All crap & still, I know the online shopping beast is on my back. My husband is my only caregiver but it’s not sustainable. Our home needs A LOT of work. And, my husband is middle management in tech so who knows when the oligarchs will decide they need more for less and start axing people.
This is all to say, I’m thrilled someone’s talking about money! It’s just a huge problem for everyone in this country & for early sickos like us, it’s another level. I’m ok money-wise now but it’s certain I won’t be in the future. And so compulsion sets in and I do just the thing that makes now feel good and later worse. <deep breath> I said it. Heeeaaavvy. And true. And cathartic. Thanks so much 🙏💪
Thank you Hal for more insights from your life. My parents use to ask me too, early on in life, “how is your money situation going?” Enjoyed that nice memory.:)
Wanted to say that your pictures were a delight to my curiosity.
Before I even pressed play on the podcast, I noticed that it was 23 minutes long. 23 minutes! I’m so happy that the Freewrite has given you more writing freedom, and that you had the strength to bless us with 23 whole minutes of Hal this week. ♥️
I started a new job in January. I now make more money than I ever have, in a position that is much better aligned with my health. (I have fibromyalgia and an unspecified heart condition. It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that my last job was slowly killing me, and for a wage I could barely survive on.) As someone who faced food insecurity and neglect in childhood, I now often stare in wonder at the well-stocked shelving unit I use as a pantry. I actually feel more motivated to be strategic (not unlike yourself) because I actually have it, and budgeting doesn’t feel hopeless anymore. This isn’t to say that I have complete freedom or that all concerns are gone, but I’m still basking in gratitude for how much things have improved.
I was recently tempted to get a new car. I even put a hold on one. But after pausing and thinking it through, I decided that what I really needed was to get the car I have looking better. Just got it detailed, new seat covers, and floor mats. A wise move since I really don’t drive that much and it has no mechanical issues. Learning that pause step is good.
Hi Hal! Episode 82 and I’ve only just found you. I’ve got so much catching up to do.
I’ve got Very Severe ME. Like you i suspect? I’m 90% disabled housebound and bedbound since two 116 miles round trips to the only major hospital in Cornwall last February 2023.
I’ve been at this since 1998. I’m in my second relapse. The last one continued for 10 years. So I’ve a way to go yet.
I’ve been through the AlAnon programme. Started in 1995. Lived with an increasingly violent narcissistic alcoholic. For 22 years. It’s a very long story of hunger, spiralling debt , total destitution and of course, having to place myself between my kids and his punches.
And then it got worse. Knives to my throat and to that of my younger son. The police did nothing. Classed as a ‘Domestic’ so they wouldn’t get involved.
One day he tried to murder me. 5ft 0 weight 7 stone and him 5’ 8. But I fought him off and ran down the road to the phone box. The police arrived within 10 minutes. One of the guys said “He’s crossed the line. The next time you’ll be dead.” I needed that wake-up call. That guy saved my life.
But again1994 and no protection from the legal system. He was neither cautioned nor arrested.
He’s long dead and gone. And no loss. But all 3 of us have lifelong conditions as a result of his behaviour.
My eldest son has OCD, no confidence and Asberger’s.
The younger one has OCD, PTSD and ADHD. God knows how he gets through each day with all of that going on at the same time.
And I’m here. Like you. In bed 23 hours a day.
The acquisition of Stuff is a trauma thing.
If you haven’t already, watch Dr Gabor Mate on YouTube. Perhaps have it on and listen.
He’s extraordinary. Incredible insight and filled with wisdom and compassion.
He says that the major chronic long term conditions (although I prefer the term disabilities) are all caused by trauma.
He suffered greatly as a child. And talks about his compulsive acquisition of classical music records.
And me? Books, books and more books. It’s all eBay’s fault! They’re so cheap.
I have two floor to ceiling large bookcases and they’re absolutely rammed.
The Japanese have a word for it. The Japanese always do:
Tsundoku: The habit of collecting stacks of books that you haven’t read and may never get to.
You can avoid crashes by installing the Visible app.
Check ins morning and evening. And it measures your heart rate variability. This gives you early warning of an impending crash.
The morning measurement of HRV generates a score between 1 and 5. 1 being the worst. But you’re knowing in advance and you can therefore take steps to avoid it with the guidance that the score gives. Based in the US so you won’t have any problems.
Another app I use every day: Headspace. LA I think.
Easy meditation based on Buddhist practices but not overtly Buddhist.
I started last June. Overwhelmed , isolated, in solitude and feeling wretched.
After two weeks there was a shift and I ceased to feel desperate. And the positivity keeps building.
It’s essential to keep showing up. Day after day, week after week. Continuity is everything.
I’ve almost achieved 9000 minutes since last June.
My mind is calm and clear. No intrusive thoughts. Barely any thoughts at all.
I’ve been living alone and I’ve never been happier. Life is great.
I’ve very much enjoyed your podcast. Your easy style and your gentle American accent.
I get put off because some of them are so strident . I just turn them off.
My heartfelt wishes that your days improve. At the very least that you get through each day as best you can.
💙Andrea
Cornwall
UK
Thank you Hal. I was on the buying instruments train for a while. I’ve given most of them away. Most times the thrill of getting doesn’t last long. Thanks for sharing the PAUSE strategy. Praying for you too.
Good word about the technology and how it can distract us. We all need to take more time to be still. Need God’s help in that area too in addition to handling money. Praying for you Hal. ❤️🙏
I will never forget David Ford. oh my gosh, what an amazing human! And the rest of the community that made the Concert & GoFundMe possible.
Since Mom died, we have not wanted for money. Quite a change from our old hardscrabble days. Funny thing though… we don’t spend much more from day to day than we used to. But we have the comfort of knowing that when we need something we can afford it. I’m grateful for that almost every day, and I hope I never take it for granted.
For example, when Dad went into hospice in 2010, a friend urged me to take the first flight to Ohio to say goodbye. We shopped around for cheap tickets for a week later flight—by the time we got there he was gone.
Now our son is in the hospital in Oregon with liver failure. We are flying out tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon to see him before he dies. Maybe he will hang on a long time, but we’re not taking any chances.
I love P.A.U.S.E.! Something AlAnon taught me: "Humility is just being open to the truth."
Being 70, I am looking to give my possesions away now or letting them go to a good home when I die. Luckily, my son, Drew wants all of my musical instruments (3 guitars, a Celtic harp, a djembe, a bodhran, various bells and rattles). And if I buy any objects, they are only what will make my life better/safer. Love you, Hal.
Also, the songs & concert lifted me up. Amazing.
But the shiny, black, penny loafers I just bought on Amazon are SO cool. Hurumph. I did spend many weeks looking for just the right pair. With increasingly wide feet it’s real exercise to find good shoes to wear, ya know… for all the places I go when I get out of bed.
Sometimes I buy my Dad audio books bc he’s in NJ going blind and deaf with my Mom as his only, very reluctant, very grumpy, caregiver. Sometimes I buy another pack of shelf stable milk- there’s bird flu in Texas, ya know. Sometimes I buy cute clothes that remind me of who I used to be, when I was unstoppably romping around the NYC & Chicago streets, at all hours of the night, in clunky, million pound, doc martins or shiny, black, penny loafers.
I know it’s a problem. Mostly I know this because I only feel good for a little while and then the guilt seeps in. I don’t work & my husband never stops. I rarely leave my bed & it’s even rarer that I leave the house or see someone other than my husband. And of course, I’m fat. Why would someone so obese, who must care so little about their body to let it get this way, need nice clothes. All crap & still, I know the online shopping beast is on my back. My husband is my only caregiver but it’s not sustainable. Our home needs A LOT of work. And, my husband is middle management in tech so who knows when the oligarchs will decide they need more for less and start axing people.
This is all to say, I’m thrilled someone’s talking about money! It’s just a huge problem for everyone in this country & for early sickos like us, it’s another level. I’m ok money-wise now but it’s certain I won’t be in the future. And so compulsion sets in and I do just the thing that makes now feel good and later worse. <deep breath> I said it. Heeeaaavvy. And true. And cathartic. Thanks so much 🙏💪
Thank you Hal for more insights from your life. My parents use to ask me too, early on in life, “how is your money situation going?” Enjoyed that nice memory.:)
Wanted to say that your pictures were a delight to my curiosity.
Thank you for prayers Hal✨ praying for you too.✨
~Janet
Glad you followed your own instincts, not mine. There still is so much to take in !
Gosh, I related to your past relationship with money so much. I am so grateful for your tips, taking them and putting them to use! Thank you xx
Hi