Overview

@BabyPoppyThank you for sharing such a genuine and heartfelt message. Life Struggles It’s comforting to be reminded that none of us are alone in what we carry, even when life feels heavy. Your words encourage honesty, compassion, and strength, and that can mean so much to someone who’s struggling. In addition to reaching out to someone supportive, a simple affirmation that may help someone keep going is: "I am stronger than this moment, and I will get through one baby step at a time." Thank you again for posting something so real, thoughtful, and encouraging. Keep up the good work!

you can also find some really great affirmations on pinterest! i put lots in my journal too :3 it's a great place to look when i'm feeling sad and struggling to say the words myself.

Many of us struggle a lot in life. In fact all of us struggle with something. It's something we all have in common! We all have struggles, frustrations, pain, suffering and it is hard for everyone to face. There are so many cliché things people say to others when they want to help them feel better, but sometimes it's our own words that mean the most. Affirmations! I use affirmations daily, well most days, to help me stay focused on my growth and to stop comparing myself with others. There are several ways affirmations can be done. I'll list a few. - Goggle a list and write the ones you need. Read them daily to yourself in a mirror while looking at yourself. (The Cleveland Clinic is a great resource!) - Write your own list of 3 - 5 affirmations. Read them daily to yourself in a mirror while looking at yourself. - Write a new list daily of 3 - 5 and read them aloud to a partner, friend, or in the mirror. - (I do this one) Write a new list of 3 - 5 daily. Write each affirmation 5 - 10 times each. Send proof to a friend on days you are struggling. - (I do this one) when feeling overwhelmed, anxious, uncomfortable, write preplanned affirmation 10 - 20 times to refocus attention. (I use "I am safe" "I am accepted" "I am likable" "I belong here" "I am lovable") I write one, then take a deep breath. - I taped a postive job review to my bathroom mirror and read the comments outloud as affirmations, too. This is a practice that has helped me get out of some dark places recently. I thought maybe we could share an affirmation that helped us below. Or maybe how you use affirmations to help you grow. Here's my favorite affirmations. "My past does NOT define me, it makes me stronger." "Being little is safe." "I am likable" "I am capable of...." (changes often) "Rest is healing. I am taking care of me."

Hi @babypichu5, I'm so pleased to see this topic covered so well with practical and helpful solutions. Exactly the kind of thing a community is for. I can't help with direct experience, but here is some information I thought might be helpful for you and others. - Some of the things you mentioned you like when stressed sound very related to Vagus Nerve Stimulation. If you don't know much about the Vagus Nerve here is a quick very simplified summary: Basically you can imagine that there are two competing nerve systems that manage how stressed or relaxed you are at a given time. The Sympathetic Nervus System is your 'fight or flight' response. Stimulating the Sympathetic Nervus System makes you more alert/active but also puts your body under more stress, increases heart beat, and raises blood pressure etc. The Vagus Nerve is the primary driver of the 'parasympathetic nervous system', which means it counters it. Stimulating the Vagus Nerve calms you down, slows down heart beat, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, reduces anxiety etc. Basically all of the examples you have been given of things to do are highly likely to work by stimulating the vagus nerve. Another example would be Ice baths, which are well know to stimulate the vegus nerve. Submerging your body (or even just your head if you can't do a bath) in cold water triggers 'The Diving Reflex' ancient survival mechanism that immediately slows down your heart rate and promotes calm. People who use ice baths believe they can actual improve their 'Vagul Tone' (care, this phrase is over used) by regularly exposing their body to the cold like a workout for their nervus system. Making them more resilient to stress over time, just like building bigger muscles at the gym. - I hope this information is helpful to you. I would love to know if you try it and it works for you. Many people ice bath once a day as a habit to stay destressed. Don't worry about it being an 'ice' bath from day 1, a cold bath run just from the cold tap is probably enough for your first try. It is something you ease into. A big bowl with water and ice may also work well for dunking your head. Enjoy hacking your nervus system. Wishing you all the best. ID

What a lovely idea and a great reminder for us all that, even when we are in a moment of weakness or a darker place, we can still acknowledge those sometimes simple pleasures that help to keep us afloat and see us through to the next day of sunshine. I'm grateful for my sweet babygirl who has changed my life forever and gives me such love and devotion each and every day. She's continues to be a light in the darkness❤️ I'm grateful, too, for finding a warm and friendly place such as this, where we are made to feel so welcome and at least a little bit understood, and all of the great people on here, especially all of you littles who may not feel that you are so great at times, but are stronger and better individuals because of how you face the world and face the pain that life sometimes gives us all. 🤗 Finally, today I am grateful for the food and shelter I can enjoy, and being able to look out of my window to see the sky, trees, birds and flowers. 🌳🐦🥀

That looks really good glad you had fun doing it

Today I am greatful for modern medicine. I am also grateful for my puppies. They are super sweet and keep me company.

Today i am grateful for time with my kiddo to make a fun arctic diorama! 🤭 I don't sharr my glue gun... so I did more work than i should have, but it was fun... 🤷‍♀️ plus she had to teach me about the topic so I could glue it together...

Hi @Insanity_Stars_Birdie, my best friend has the exact trifecta you are talking about, so know you are not alone. Always give yourself the grace and understanding you would give someone else. Remember that your best is context depend. Some times your best is getting out of bed. Other time it is going to work and getting all sort of things done. Both are your best and both are valid. I wish you strength and grace to handle the situation your experiencing. Please don't be hard on yourself there are years ahead filled with joy! Hugs. ~💛 Pichu

Today I am greatful for the break I took at work to help relax and get away from the heat. We have a big walk-in fridge and I just sat there for a good ten minutes (my boss was cool with it). Btw i work on a farm. 😁 🫧I am greatful that I had the time and energy to clean my house. This morning. 🫧 I am greatful that I am not alone in this journy to find myself and balancing little and big. 💛

Thank you It's crazy to think I'm almost 27 when most doctors gave me until I was 5. I've been sick as long as I can remember so I'm not sure who I would be without it. Most days I'm good. I know who I am but once in a while it's harder to accept.

That's a lot to face 🫂 It's not easy being sick or dealing with chronic illness. Please know who you are is not defined by your illnesses. You are so much more! I have 10 - 15 safe foods I can eat and somewhere between 35 - 50 medical providers I've seen this year. I understand the doctor drama all too well, but I choose to celebrate that you made it 27 yrs with all that stuff going on! Your trifecta is terrible, but 27 is terrific! This will be the year of .... whatever you want it to be! Miracles happen and I am grateful for the miracle that brought you here to the forum to celebrate with us! Happy Early Birthday! 🎂🥳🎉🎈🎁🎊🎂🎂🎂🎂🎈🎈🎈🎈🎉🥳🥳🥳🎁🎁🎁🎁 Poppy 💕

You know a diagnosis is going to be unreal when the medical community refers to it as the terrible trifecta. POTS, EDS, MCAS Otherwise known as... Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome - Dysfunction with the autonomic nervous system in relation to circulation of blood. Results in dizziness upon standing/fainting. Rapid heart rate upon standing. Fatigue. Exercise intolerance and more. It exacerbates MCAS because the issues with circulation can worsen mast cell triggers. It is exacerbated by EDS because the flexibility of the blood vessels makes circulation even harder. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome - A connective tissue disorder. Seen as an umbrella disorder with all of its comorbidities. It affects all of the connective tissue in your body. This can lead to veins not circulating properly. Bruising. Dislocations. Fragile skin and organs. Frequent injuries. Stomach issues. Issues absorbing vitamins and much more. It affects every part of the body all at once. Often exacerbating its two sister conditions within the trifecta Mast Cell Activation Syndrome - This is Dysfunction with the immune system. An overreaction of mast cells specifically. Causing wide spread allergy like reactions to almost anything. Allergies can also form and go away at any point. Mine manifest mostly as stomach issues but there are also anaphylactic like reactions too. I have one to coconuts I developed when I was 18. Often exacerbated by POTS symptoms. With these three together it constantly feels like I'm one wrong step away from a hospital stay. I recently developed a new food "allergy". We think its beef but we're not sure if its a specific type or fat content so we need to keep trying different kinds to see. My heart rate hit 200 today at work. And my wrist got sprained opening a door. Sometimes it feels like this can't actually be real life. Add autism and OCD into the mix? Some days are better than others but man looking forward to birthdays is difficult.

I understand feeling scared. Us littles are a lot. We're happy and bubbly and silly and then dissolve into tears when we drop our snacks or spill on our clothes or accidentally color the wrong color on our picture.... 😳😱🫣 But we are people, just like you. We are all looking for acceptance of who we are and that is so frightening. It means sharing a small part of ourselves with someone else, then building a relationship. So pause a minute. Take a deep breath. It doesn't have to be no little or suddenly a full dynamic. Start with making one friend. Maybe post one thing you enjoy doing in your free time on your about me page. Start there with something simple like type of music or movies you like, gaming, what you like to read, do you like nature or indoors, or foods you enjoy. It could lead to a friendship and friends is where it all starts. Take time to feel safe here in our safe community. No one will attack you here, and if they do, the admin will take care of it.

Hi @clamchowder, I'm happy to see you here! I hope this thread is helpful to you, and brings some joy into your life. I am greatful for the energy I have had today to get so much house work done. I am greatful for the amazing BFF I have and that we have been blessed with so much time to spend together. I am greatful for my Daddy/husband, for being patient with me as I figure out who I am and for accepting all of me.

To damn scared to

I think thats my point. If you want to find a little here, then please start interacting with us.

I don't interact much so you won't miss anything

i am grateful for the friends i still have and will make in the future

Thank you @babypichu5 that's very kind of you! I am grateful for this space, too! I am grateful for being brave today I made several important phone calls, emails, and a trip to Walmart...

Your very welcome. 🤗 As for my favorite food, spaghetti squash and meat sauce or meat balls. I usually pair it with some veggies, today I did peas. Thank you for asking!🩷

@babypichu5for giving us this space. Im so happy we have it to support each other. Can I ask what your favorite food is? Grateful for quiet time The ocean as it seems to wash my spirit clean. Puppy loves to make the sun shine.

Hi @BabyPoppy, it sounds like you had a productive day. I'm happy to hear you're feeling better and are able to do more things bc of that. Also thank you and @innerchildtml for consistently sharing your gratitudes and wins. I hope it sheds some light in your lives as much as it has mine. I'm thankful that I got to eat my favorite meal for lunch today. I take alot of comfort in have my favorite foods on repeat so that brought me joy. 😁 I'm so greatful for my boss. He's very understanding with me and let me take on a more accessible task when I was feeling worn out today. 😁 I'm really greatful my mental health has been improving. The obsessive/ intrusive thoughts have reduced and I am better at identifying my triggers. 😊

Hi, Im a little and I dont tend to look at personals. I want to see your about page and how you interact in the forum. Others may just look at personals. I would encourage you to fill out the rest of your profile and interact with us in all the spaces. Once we get to see who you are, you will attract more people.

Hi @andy332, Honestly I have been there, and honestly it doesn't matter if you think you are 'a loser' - I think I'm amazing 😄. I think I'm fantastic and caring, intelligent and kind, attentive and supportive... and still I nearly gave up just like you. I felt terrible. It felt impossible. I was miserable. I think a lot of Daddies have been through trauma that we don't often speak about, or not deeply. It's our experience with being hurt that can make us such good carers. Some of us are well aware of what it is like to suffer for our cause, to endure through darkness, to question hope. Know that all this pain is temporary, and when it passes, and it will, you will only be a better CG and better Daddy for having been through it. You are not alone. It is so hard to find someone who is a good match. For me the connection is so important. I want something very deep and true. Something real and beautiful. We have to recognise that when we are looking for something so beautiful and special it will take time to find - and we must remember that when we do find it, it will be worth more than all the time that could ever exist in the universe to have found it. If you need to take a break, then take a break. I say never give up. Keep bumping your personal. Keep being kind and helpful. Keep showing the community who you are. One day out of nowhere the perfect Little for you will appear. She will give no advanced warning. She will just materialise into your life as if she has always belonged there. ... and you will forget the time when she didn't. I am still looking, but I know she is out there. Believe in yourself, and believe in her. ID