Adhesive Remedy

As age advances on a person, assorted worries develop foremost in the mind, with a few vital to thwart. I fret most about neurodegenerative disorders that would disable and corrode my mind’s ability to think, recognize the world around me and respond accordingly. Living in this venerable life form would require immense amounts of care from, and trust in others. I am not proficient in either of those dispositions. I too, realize and appreciate the burdens of care takers are many and heavy. What health concerns I can prevent or manage for myself as age insists on moving forward is the best contribution I can make to both myself and society.

Participating in holistic beliefs for healing, one of my philosophies is to facilitate my wellbeing with sticky post it notes. I am not joking with you, and before you give in to a belly laugh anyway, ponder my reasoning. A universal fact in either the world of physician-based medicine or herbal based remedies is that stress can deter healing and even cause you to become unwell. A physical body and responsive brain cannot do its best to remain healthy and balanced under conditions of sustained nervous tension, hassle and worry.

For many months after an electrical fire in my home years ago, I became obsessed with turning off and even unplugging appliances and devices before I left the new apartment to shop. I would get to my car and before I put the key in the ignition my mind would begin to wonder if, in fact, I did turn everything off. Getting back out of the car and going back inside to check became a disagreeable nervous twitch. I began to feel physically unwell at the thought of leaving the apartment because of this forecast reaction and knew it must be remedied. Sticky post it notes to the cure. On the entry way table by the door where I fetched my keys, I placed a sticky note pad and sharpie. After I finished my NOT normal routine of checking the entire electrical situation, I wrote one word on a sticky note and put it in my purse. “Done”.

This one word of visual validation I could check without going back into the apartment established enough space for me to gradually reduce the emotional stress and physical ill feelings experienced from not remembering and the whole ordeal of getting back out of my car. Because many a time, once back inside, I would stay in the apartment and not go anywhere. This event had its own sense of negative sensations of isolation, personal failure, and being a scaredy cat.

While trauma related memory issues do not present as specific organic neuro disorders, the outcomes of stress and anxiety on a person’s overall physical health and mental wellbeing can resemble them quite a bit with sickness of mind and body. I have studied and applied to my own healing the philosophy of the power of mind over matter and believe in the underlying notions – that my theories, sentiments, purposes and behaviors can shape my reality to make or break me. And that it is imperative to remember these attributes in times of pressure for them to benefit me. From eye to mind is a motto that guides me and I believe inspires preservation of the fortunate gift of memory.  

I have been told a I have ‘odd’ sense of humor. I won’t disagree. But I will defend to all and sundry my dedicated belief in ‘sticky post it notes’ ability to be my friend and advisor. With the unsophisticated and low-cost remedy of ‘post it notes cures’ I cracked the code and unlinked a past traumatic event from my intense emotion driven physical reaction. Shopping became a joy again and I stayed away from the apartment for longer periods of time. Distressful situations take time to recover from and require support in any way you can deliver.

Recognizing living life involves a multitude of occurrences, incidents and such I may need advice on…my collection of sticky post it notes, and sharpies for both home and auto, is distinguished and colorful.

– Leika