Atypical Erin

Be honest, how many days does it take you to unpack a suitcase?

One of the easiest ways to be instantly more likable is also one of the simplest: use someone’s name when you greet them. Whether it’s “Good morning, Sarah,” “Hey Mike,” or starting an email with “Hi Jordan,” it signals that you see them as an individual, not just another interaction on your list. Research consistently shows that hearing or seeing your own name increases attention, warmth, and positive perception, and using it once in a greeting is enough to create that effect without sounding forced or scripted.

There’s consistent evidence showing that when people are informed about potential side effects, they report them at significantly higher rates even when they’re taking a placebo. Its called the nocebo effect. Anticipation can produce real, measurable symptoms like nausea, dizziness, headaches and fatigue. Once I read the label, my brain does what it’s good at…pattern detection. It starts monitoring my body for confirmation so normal sensations get elevated to signals and unrelated feelings get linked back to the medication. So, my husband reads the label instead…so if any seek medical attention thing pops up he knows.

Did I cry yes. Mostly through laughter. Mostly. That groomer did him dirty.

In 2020 I lost two people in rapid succession, and my world closed in on me. I don’t think I REALLY knew you could lose people and all of my coping mechanisms failed me. COVID forcing everyone inside didn’t help, because when you’re agoraphobic you need exposure not a warm and cozy bed to hide in. Intensive therapy with multiple therapists later, life started to make sense again. I got into makeup and started making silly videos that I was incredibly embarrassed to post, but I considered it all part of practicing exposure. Makeup evolved into sharing life and I quickly developed the mantra that what people think of me is none of my business and I’ve met so many amazing individuals along the way, who’ve navigated similar struggles and just needed someone else who understood what they were going through.

If you know you know and I know.

Why do we become so water insecure when we’re in anxious situations? I never don’t have my emotional support bottle.

Shhhhh