Proceed With Caution.

What do you do to have fun?

How do you make yourself feel good?  Some people clean. Some people organize. Some people make lists.

Some people get outside. Or work out. Or play a few rounds of something with small hard balls or rubbery bouncing balls.

Some people shop. Or eat. Or socialize. We all have our thing.

I have fun thinking of business ideas. It’s because I grew up in a house run by entrepreneurs. To me, everything sounds like the idea for a business. So I run with everything.

Basically, I think of business ideas and then start planning the businesses. Then I send emails or messages to a few people who don’t mind getting my crazy “I have an amazing idea” emails. Then I lament the fact that nobody is free to go all the way with me on these businesses because everybody is too busy doing other things.

But before I get to the lamenting part, I have a lot of fun planning the business.

Today’s business idea is a publishing company. Time Out Tidings will publish greeting cards perfect for sharing news in-between occasions. Because too much happens in-between the holidays, anniversaries and other occasions we celebrate.  And we want to be in touch with people, especially if being in touch might help one or both of the people.

And people want to connect with those they don’t see on the daily.

But sometimes it’s not a good time to connect. Sometimes it’s a bad time. Or it’s uncomfortable. Or awkward.  Maybe circumstances are tricky or rocky or sensitive. Maybe life is changing and the transition is fragile.  Maybe someone is going through something that you just really can’t understand because you are not in their shoes living their life experience.

But you want to say hi. And maybe you want to send a hug or some special helpful words. Words to inspire or fix or explain or soothe.

You know, helpful words that make life better. Sending helpful words that make life better is ALWAYS a good idea.

Well, with a perfectly timed note or “a little something” from Time Out Tidings, you can say “I’m thinking about you” in a way that really hits home.

“I’m thinking about you and hope all is well. But I don’t need for you to call me or make plans because I understand how much you are going through. I just hope you know that I am thinking about you a lot and looking forward to a time when things are easier for you.”

Now THERE is a helpful sentiment.

Or how about this one? It’s similar but slightly changed, so read carefully.

“I’m thinking about you and hope all is well. But I can’t really talk now or make plans because there is a lot going on around here. I just want you to know that I am thinking of you a lot and looking forward to a time when things quiet down and we can talk or get together.”

Or how about something more direct?

“I am sorry I am unavailable. I am crazy right now.”

Or change the tense to match the situation. “I’m sorry I was unavailable. I was crazy for a while.” or “Sorry I couldn’t make it. My old self kept my new self from showing up.”

“Sorry if I missed a few days/months/years of our relationship. Things were cray-ay-ay.”

You can see the broad spectrum of possibilities for meaningful greetings.

Now the words would obviously be fancier and nicer. And there would be fun graphics. Maybe some animation. But these could be really helpful communications. Because sometimes you have something to say to a person but no good occasion to say it.

Or maybe you have happy news when everyone is sad so you have to tread lightly.

Or you have sad news when everybody is happy so you have to tread more lightly still.

Maybe you want to communicate for the sake of staying in communication, but the exchange of information needs to be a bit careful given the circumstances.

“I know you are going through something and I’m here for you whenever you would like to join me.”

That’s a nice thing to say.

Or maybe a greeting card that says “I need to take a time out because life is just too much right now and I can barely get the regular stuff done that needs to get done. But I’ll keep you posted. I promise.”

Or maybe something more straightforward for the people who need a message that’s more clear.

“Leave me alone. I’m in a Time Out. If you talk to me, I’ll get in trouble.”

Now I certainly don’t want to be left alone. Well, I want to be left alone by some people – the difficult ones. But not by everyone.  I really just want to give a warning to people whose expectations of me are too high. Because my brain is in new territory post-TMS. So I’m not bouncing back to be the 100% ready-to-roll MTV-ready person I was before TMS. I need those expectations lowered, so I can learn how to drive this new brain.

But I guess that’s a t-shirt, not just a greeting card. So I guess we have to print t-shirts too. Mine will say “Proceed With Caution: New Neural Pathways Developing.” 

I think that’s a viral t-shirt right there. But I also may be the only person who gets it.

Or who knows? Maybe we’ll sell a million.

What would your t-shirt say?

What do you need to say that others aren’t hearing?

Say it. Say it nicely. But say it. If people need to hear it, you need to find a way to say it.

And if they don’t like hearing it, find people who can hear it more easily.

Because there is someone out there who will hear what you are saying.

“I’m sorry I can’t get together right now, but if you ask me how I’m doing I will cry because my emotions are RIGHT THERE AT THE EDGE even though I am doing well.”

Is that a greeting card?

No. That’s OBVIOUSLY a t-shirt. Duh.

Let us know what your t-shirt would say.

And Do Something Different.

I did two things different today. More on those tomorrow.

Thank you, TMS.  #TMS #hope

Happy Saturday.

xoxoxo, d (and bella)

🤎

Author’s Note: Posts are most likely (almost definitely) not written the day and time you are reading them. I’m sorry if they are a little scary. So is my head sometimes. You learn to deal with your thoughts when you have dark thoughts like that. The Author is probably walking Bella or working and eating snacks and having a great day even if this post sounds a little desperate. Apologies if the writing scares you. It’s just the writing of someone with a crazy head. But the Author is okay even though her head is a scary place sometimes. Thank you for caring. 🤎