Letter to My Young, Highly Sensitive Self

 
Letter to my young, highly sensitive self

Letter to my young, highly sensitive self

Dear Young, Highly Sensitive Person,

The world is hard for you right now, and you have more questions and emotions than answers. The people around you may not understand, and they feel overwhelmed for you and your future. They are concerned. They wonder if the world will break you and that beautiful heart of yours.

Everything feels so much; everything is so much for someone so young.

You wonder why you were born to feel and think about the world on such a larger scale. It is intense, confusing, and frustrating. People call you a crybaby, or sensitive as if it's a bad thing. People start treating you differently or targeting you because they think that's how sensitive people are supposed to be treated, like targets. You hide from the world because it's easier than being hurt, misunderstood, or overwhelmed. It's easier than trying to explain and being shamed for being different. You start to distrust people and their intentions. You wonder if it will always be this way.

Is this a gift or a curse? Why me?

You wonder why other people don't want to talk to you about changing the world.  You wonder why you hear, smell, or physically feel things other people don't. You wonder if you're exaggerating because other people don't experience the world this way. They tell you how the world is. Then again, you are only 8 years old, or 10, or 16. You're just a kid

You are just a kid, AND you see something more in this world. You see purpose, you live compassion, and you breathe possibility. There is more to you, young one. I see it in you, and I will support and nurture you now. 

  • I will honor and protect your innocence by having boundaries.

  • I will learn more about sensitivities and when our thresholds are being met.

  • I will make time to play and create: the most important ways of nurturing a sensitive soul.

  • I will find our tribe, reach out, and practice embracing our authenticity more often.

  • We will share our sensitive strengths with others.

  • We will write, speak, and share on this journey because it is something to connect others with, it is not to be ashamed of.

  • We will be realistic about how much we can do every day. Each person is different. We can grow in our own ways, not comparing ourselves to unattainable ideals.

  • We will learn to embrace our sensitive self while building a thicker armor to live in a world that can be harsh at times.

The journey is tumultuous, and I am thankful to be here to grow with you now. It was worth every effort to nurture you so far.

Boonie

 

 

Pokémon Go - Safety Tips and General Playing

Pokemon Go is a free augmented reality (AR) mobile game released this week. It is currently in beta version, so there are kinks to work out. The data generated by users will definitely help developers guide the evolution of this game. There are plenty of sites devoted to the ins and outs of playing, so the focus of this writing is safety and general observations related to playing pokemon go.

Be Mindful of Your Surroundings.

When you open the game, this is your first message. From playing and watching others, here are some things to consider:

pokemon-go-safety

Stopping While Walking

In public, and crowded spaces, stopping unexpectedly can make people bump into each other. It may not be a big deal to some, but it might upset others and cause trouble.

Objects, and Tripping

Watch where you’re walking. Some gamers walked into walls, each other, or missed a step on a flight of stairs while walking. Two players have already walked off cliffs catching Pokemon. Please be mindful of where you are walking. 

Crowding in Areas

This might also lead to pushing. This game is meant to be fun, and some gamers are more serious than others when it comes to catching pokemon.

300 Yard Radius

When you’re tracking a pokemon, you may potentially wander from your group. Let friends know before wandering off, and identify a meet up spot when you do get split up.

 Private Property

Sometimes there will be pokemon in areas you cannot reach. Please think about boundaries and respecting the space of others.

Respecting Small, Quiet Communities

There are already locations being swamped by players hoping to catch rare Pokemon. This is changing and disturbing the quality of life for those who moved away from the big city for a quieter life. Please find another location to hunt Pokemon, and petition to have pokestops and gyms in areas that can handle larger numbers of people. 

Trash and the Environment

The sudden influx of people into many cities will lead to noise pollution and trash. It will happen. Please represent the gamer community well by doing your part to clean up after yourself, and leaving a space the way you found it, or even better. 

Pokemon in the Street

This is a beta version, so there are kinks to work out. I’ve seen pokemon in the street, and people walking into traffic to get their pokemon. Wait. It’s not worth getting hurt, or hurting others. 

 Driving While Playing

Please do NOT do this. People have a hard enough time driving without checking their texts. This is a potentially huge safety concern, and it can lead to more accidents and untimely deaths. (This is not the same as having a passenger play while you drive.) A player crashed his car trying to catch a Pokemon while driving. DON'T DRIVE & PLAY

 Well-known Public Spaces

pokemon-go-irvine

Malls, downtown areas, and universities are busy areas that tend to have lots of pokestops and gyms. Walking in the middle-of-nowhere can be a safety concern, and it may not be as fun as meeting other players in public spaces. 

 Working and Playing

It depends on how flexible one’s work environment is, but losing a job over catching a pokemon, or accidentally taking a photo of confidential information is a huge risk. Pokemon GO player almost loses job

The Camera When Snapping Photos 

Some people may not want their photos taken and plastered on the internet with pokemon on them. Be mindful of offering this respect.

Children & Searching for Pokemon 

It can be easy for enthusiastic younger pokemon trainers to run off when they’re tracking. It can also be easy to talk to younger gamers because of this connection. It will be important for parents and community members to talk to, and keep an eye out for the safety of little ones.

This meme is a joke, but it raises a very real concern about the safety of children when playing. 

This meme is a joke, but it raises a very real concern about the safety of children when playing. 

Safety & General Playing:

  • Wear comfortable shoes, socks, and clothes. You will be traveling for a while. Your body may be sore from this new level of activity.
  • Rest often, and drink water. Lots of us get carried away when gaming. There have been stories when gamers exhausted themselves to death, or they got really ill from playing too much without self care. Drink water, take breaks. The pokemon will be there another time. Your health and wellness is important.
  • Bring a charger, and map out rest stops. Some places will have outlets and quiet spaces for you to rest in between catching pokemon or battling in gyms. As any athlete will tell you, rest and nutrition are as important as training. Familiarize yourself with each area you travel to, and note resting places.
  • Safety in numbers: It’s safer with a group. Keep an eye out for each other, and have meeting spots and times if and when the group gets separated.
courtesy of legit lady gamers community united fb group <3 

courtesy of legit lady gamers community united fb group <3 

  • Scout your area before settling down to explore. Drive around, check with other players, or walk around before playing. Look for the pokestops and see if there are people lurking nearby. Trust your gut, and walk away if things don't feel right. 
  •  Sportsmanship: This is a game. Some of us may take this game more seriously or personally than others. Please consider how others may feel when they lose or do not catch a really rare pokemon when you do.
  • Turning off AR: This may help with extending the life of your battery.
  • Check your data usage before, during, and after playing. This will help see if you will overuse data. 
  • Look for public spaces with free WiFi. Malls might have free WiFi while you play.
  • Battery-saving mode: Turn your phone upside down for this feature to work. It will dim your screen while in this position.
  • Share the love: This is a game for people of all ages; new pokemon players, and well as those who’ve grown up with the cards, cartoons, and games. Encourage each other, and share the joys of success. This world has enough negativity in it. This game can bring people together (even when we’re on different teams).
pokemon-go-list

So far, it seems these are the classifications of pokemon from how common to rare they are to find. Have fun catching all those Rattatas and Pidgeys! :P Some Pokemon GO Gameplay Tips | BuzzFeed