OMG, lol I couldn't help but laugh. I used to sneak snacks in with me in my gym bag, and would always have so etching to much on after a workout, sometimes in the middle of one.

The Air Force frowned of that.....a lot! I know your pain! Lol.

I'm still giggling about you being kicked out of a gym for eating dessert though, that's just darned funny.

Hi Kclynne,

I exercise by playing with Matt and Cory and by walking them everyday. I also get a lot of exercise from cleaning too. That's mostly because I always listen to music while I clean; and I always end up singing and dancing along to the music, which then makes me really tired after I'm done. 🙂

I went to the gym with my boyfriend once, and I accidentally ended up getting us kicked out of the gym. 😀

Apparently the gym frowns upon people who like to multi-task by eating "desert type" foods while exercising. LOL. 😀

Maymay, I felt like you for a long time. I was forced to work out daily during my time in the military and I hated it. I haven't worked out in 6 years. I found something I enjoy, and I got myself a partner, and it makes all the difference in the world. I swim 3 times a week, approximately 40 mins a day. My boyfriend holds me accountable by meeting me at the gym every day we work out. Getting me there is the biggest issue. So today I did a fitness assessment and was certain I was going to do horribly. I got fair to average on every category but one. That I got the highest score the personal trainer had ever seen. My biggest issues is getting my body fat percentage down, but I am feeling good. Saw my physical therapist today, and I have a 20% increase in my range of motion in my shoulder, and I'm finally cleared to start lifting weights. My stress levels are down, my endorphins are up. I haven't felt this good in a long time.

One thing to remember, exercise doesn't have to always happen at the gym. Cleaning is great exercise. Take your pets out for walks, that is an amazing workout!

I'm gonna say it here, because the more I write this, and the more I tell it to people, the less likely I am to give up. I AM swimming in a triathlon in September. 1500 meters...1 mile. I've been doing that a lot lately, writing things down for others to see. It then makes me accountable. I don't always recommend anyone going full force at things like I am. I just don't know any other way to do it. I hope I'm not setting myself up for failure though. I get big aspirations, and then one thing will go wrong and I break down. Now that I found this, and everyone here, I hope instead of breaking down I will be able to stop, say what is bothering me, without fear of judgement, and then pick myself back up and continue on.

Sorry for the ramble. I am pretty amped full of adrenaline and am seriously considering throwing my kicks on and going for a run!

Maymay you are hilarious. Massage therapist actually don't care about hair on legs, honestly, they focus on the muscles under the skin, not whats on skin, voice of experience here.
Tillie, I was delighted to read about your day today, you deserve a pamper day, glad you can relax and enjoy all that you have done. Your doll house sounds wonderful. I get nervous just thinking of relaxing and pampering myself. I was criticised as a child for taking care of myself, my mom never took care of herself. When I read what you wrote, I realized, life is too short not to change that faulty belief. I know the importance of giving to myself to have more to give others, but I give to others and then get resentful no one is helping me, when I should be the one taking care of me and less focus on fixing others. So blessed to have you gals in my life now.

YAY! My post finally showed up! 🙂

I'm no longer annoyed! 🙂

Here's some advice for anyone who has just injured their legs. 🙂

If you have just injured your legs, then don't shave them the day after you injured them. Because it will HURT really badly if you do. 🙁

I just did; and it HURT really badly! 🙁

I had no choice though. I had to shave my legs. They were starting to get all prickally and I'm getting a massage tomorrow. And I don't want the lady who will be giving me the massage to think that she is massaging a porcupine. Lol.

I am so annoyed right now!

After everything I have gotten done this past week I need today to concentrate on me.

I am still in bed, not going to get up till I am ready to.
I am tired, physically and mentally.

My finger nails are split, chipped and sorry looking. Going to do a manicure.

My feet are tired and sore. Going to soak them in a nice bubble bath then massage them with lotion.

Need to find a "Happy" today to help erase this sadness.
Going to dust the interior of my tiny little vintage doll house.
I like looking in there because it is never cluttered and everything is always as it should be.
I use Q Tips to dust in there. 😀

Need to get rested and ready for the weekend. Hoping my hoarder will be motivated to do something.
Not getting my hopes up too high so I won't be too dissapointed if he doesn't.

Hi Kclynne,

I think it's great that you found someone to help you clean up. 🙂

Good for you for going to the gym. 🙂

I hate going to the gym. I tried it once and after I left I was like, "Never Again!" There were too many people there. I felt like I was being watched the whole time I was there. Plus I can't force myself to exercise; My mind doesn't work like that. Either I want to exercise, or I don't. Whenever I exercise, it always has to be unintentional. For me playing with my 2 dogs, Matt and Cory, is my exercise. They are really hyperactive. 🙂

I get massages once a month to help reduce my stress level and depression. I actually have a massage scheduled for tomorrow. 🙂

diane WTG!! You got that appt fast!

Congratulations Kclynne!!

You're right personal care includes everything that helps us take good care of ourselves.

Wow you have really had an awakening!! Nice you found someone to help you clean up. Yes, this site has helped me so much, happy to hear you are doing so much better.

Being new here, I'm intrigued by this thread. Personal care hasn't always been a big issue with me. At least I didn't think so. I may not shower daily, I was my hair 2 or 3 times a week. I rarely leave the house without my hair done or having make-up on. I sell Mary Kay as one of my three jobs, and I founded an organization to help families like mine with autistic children. But the more I read the more I realize there are personal things I am neglecting. For me it's mostly emotional and mental issues. When I am feeling down, unmotivated, depressed, I won't leave get out of my pajamas, even if I need to go to the store, I will spend a lot of my time in bed or on the couch, and can go up to three days without leaving the house. I recently got a gym membership, and decided that I'm going to take my health back, lose weight and just feel better in the process. After the first day, Tuesday, I was sore, and felt as little better, but not much. Today however, my second visits helped so much. Being active again has really kinda brought me back to life. Now I'm spending over an hr at the gym, at my stress levels are much less than they were. Mentally, I'm not as exhausted. My body is, but my mind is not. I was able to get in touch with a company today, who will come out and help me with my "mess" and help me with organization, and even sit down and help me work out a schedule for my days, which will include my personal time. I'm very strong willed, and stubborn, and now that I've decided to make this change, I have nothing stopping me. If I hadn't happened on this site and these message boards I don't know if I would be feeling the way I am now. My mood and mindset has changed over night, and the few people who have said hi, are very kind, and I'm glad to know I'm not alone.

Went to the doctor today,finally.

Thanks Dianne. 🙂

I will. 🙂

MayMay you have wonderful self-esteem. A great deal of that has to do with good parenting so be sure to thank them. 🙂

Hi Dianne,

I've never really tried to fit in or tried to do everything to be what someone else wants me to be. I've always marched to the beat of my own drum. 🙂

The way I think about it is, "If someone likes me, then that's great! And if someone doesn't like me, then they can just kiss my ass!" Because I'm not going to change who I am just to please someone else. 🙂

Dianne, I appreiate you openness, we are here to heal together and learn about whats behind some of our behaviours, I could relate to alot of what you wrote, thanks so much

Hi MayMay,

Wow Dianne,

That's a lot of different personalities. 🙂

I'm like (the stoner, beach party girl who can really hold her alcohol). 🙂

Because I love to party. 🙂

At first I was afraid of this thread. Now I'm glad you started it Tillie.

I guess I can work on being cleaner.

I hate make up and experimented with it when I was in junior high school.
Decided that I hate it so much that I refuse to do that any more. Ever.

I have never colored or permed my hair.
Keep it at waist length. Sometimes loose, sometimes in a bun but mostly in one braid down the back.

Grew up with being allowed only one whole bath & shampoo a week.
With nightly washing up at the sink before bed.

I will wear the same clothes the next day if I didn't do anything in them to get them dirty.

Here is a little secret about me.
Everything I learned about home making and personal hygeine I learned from my Grandmother who learned from her Mother.
My Grandmother grew up in the woods, far away from civilization. No electricity or indoor plumbing. No car, only horses. We are Ojibwe. 🙂

Her stories were much better than Laura Ingles Wilders stories. 😀

She taught me how to live with what we have at hand and to keep close to the earth.
Keeping my self clean was taking care of my health. Skin needs to be washed regularly to keep it healthy.
Clothes and linens touch our skin so they need to be kept clean too.

All those fancy expensive grooming and cleaning products are not necessary.
We can do a great job with just the basics.

Doing the basics keep us healthy. Prevents infections and other issues.
Before antibiotics came about simple infections killed many people.

Now days we have super bugs that antibiotics can't cure.
Our skin is a shield against bacteria and the healthier it is the healthier we can be.

thanks MayMay and Dianne, helpful reading how and why you do and don't do basic self care. When I was 23, I showered daily, lipstick and mascara daily. Now that people don't see me daily, I have let it slide, and there is comfort in wearing clothes I slept in, yikes, that sounds gross. Yes it is true, I will wear the same clothes to sleeep in and get up and wear them up to 4 days. Hey, that explains why I dont' want to, try on pants, would have to change my routine of leaving the same clothes on for days. Writing this, I see the insanity of having more than 50 pairs of pants, when I wear so few. Thanks everyone

I love taking showers and baths. 🙂

I take a shower 2 times a day; and every Friday I always take a nice long bath. 🙂

I've never really been into wearing perfume. But I do love body lotions. My favorite store is actually "Bath & Body Works". I've also never really liked wearing a lot of make-up either. For some reason every time I put on a lot of make-up, all I want to do is immediately take it off. Plus people always tell me that I look younger without make-up. Like sometimes when people who aren't "regulars" come into the bar that I work at, they'll ask me if I'm even old enough to work there; because I look so young without make-up. I'm 23. But sometimes when I'm not wearing make-up, I'll be mistaken for a 17 year old or an 18 year old.

When I decided to devote my time doing animal care without dealing much with people I deliberately decided to stop wearing my daily perfume, deodorant, hair spray and mouthwash.

Part deliberate, part depression, part laziness, part comfort ~ whatever the reasons I'm going to try and do some basic personal care regularly.

Lets start working on the basics.

Hoarding, illnesses and depression all cause us to neglect the basics.

Getting into a routine takes paying daily attention to doing the basics. Soon they will become good habits that we do routinely without having to think much about it or force ourselves to do.

In the morning we should always brush our teeth.
This freshens our mouths and allows us to smile freely without worry.

Brushing our hair is something to do for ourselves because it improves our self esteem.

After I am finished drinking my morning tea I brush my teeth.

Every morning I get my hair brush and start brushing my hair.
But when my little girl cat sees me with my brush she cries and cries until I put down my brush and pick up her brush and brush her first.
Then I can get back to brushing and braiding my hair. 🙂

does that mean I should brush my hair daily? Ok, usually brush it but never take time to style it anymore. Have a cowlick in back so have bedhead that looks like I did some spins on the back of my head before getting up. I often go days without shower and stopped doing daily face washing even, except when I am going to be seen by others. Wow, I didn't realize how badly I treat myself, yikes. Helped reading about not brushing teeth for a week. I used to brush am and pm. Now just pm, and have to talk my self into that, reading the weekly, made me realize I will be there too if I don't start the am pm and part of my self care. I will start by brushing teeth twice a day and tackling back of my hair daily even if only my dog sees it. I could easily go on, but will stop here and go brush head and teeth. Thanks so much for starting this, I really didn't know this was part of letting things go as get deeper into hoarding.