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From Burning Out to Breaking Free: Why I Created Gentle Nook
There’s a moment when everything breaks. Except for me, it wasn’t really a moment. It was a slow undoing that unfolded over months in a fluorescent-lit office, staring at case files while my capacity quietly dissolved. I couldn’t concentrate. My executive functioning had vanished. All I could manage was going to work and coming home. That’s all the energy I had left. Then my psoriasis flared worse than it ever had, angry red patches spreading across my skin like a map of my stress. The inflammation triggered psoriatic arthritis, and suddenly my joints were screaming along with my mind. I was 37, a therapist, a single mother. And I was…
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How to Stick to a Skincare Routine When You Struggle with Executive Dysfunction
Sticking to a skincare routine can be tough in the best of circumstances. Throw in executive dysfunction—when your brain decides that starting, organizing, or even thinking about a task is equivalent to climbing Mount Everest barefoot—and suddenly, your three-step skincare plan feels like a NASA-level mission. If that sounds familiar, welcome. Grab a seat (or lie down, because comfort is key), and let’s talk about how to make skincare work for you—not against you. Why It’s Hard (And Why That’s Okay) First, give yourself some grace. Executive dysfunction doesn’t mean you’re lazy or incapable; it just means your brain has a unique way of operating. That “I’ll do it later”…
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Stress Management for the Chronically Overwhelmed (or Just the Slightly Frazzled)
Life is stressful. Between work, family, and that questionable pile of laundry that’s definitely achieved sentience, it’s honestly impressive we’re functioning at all. The good news? You don’t need to become a meditation guru or give up your favorite comfort foods to manage stress. You just need a little humor, a lot of self-compassion, and some practical strategies. Stress? Yeah, You’ve Got It. Now What? Stress is as inevitable as that friend who spoils movies in the group chat. Maybe it’s a looming deadline. Maybe it’s the mini existential crisis you had while trying to pick cereal at the grocery store. Either way, here’s the truth: stress doesn’t have to…
