Tag: list

Create the Perfect Apology With These Five Tips

On By epil(epsy)ogueIn Health and Wellness, lifestyle, Mental HealthLeave a comment

‘Tis the season of forgiveness.

We all have said, and done things that we regret. We know we messed up. So how do we start the apology process? Sometimes it seems impossible.

If we break down the process into steps, and gather our emotions, it’s not.

Here are five ways to communicate that you are sorry, and have the other person feel your sincerity. 

Express your regret or remorse. Something happened, and it didn’t turn out well. How do you feel about what happened? Were your actions something regretful? Do you feel utterly empty without the other party’s presence in your life? Be honest and open about how you feel about the result of what happened.

Explain what you think went wrong (without pointed phrases). Pointed phrases are statements that shift responsibility to the other party. They invalidate the other person’s feelings. An example of a pointed phrase is “I’m sorry that you were offended” or “I’m sorry, but you…” They have every right to feel what they feel, as do you. As much as you wouldn’t want them to dismiss your feelings, don’t dismiss theirs. 

Request forgiveness and allow as much time as the other needs to process their emotions. Putting a time limit, or expressing an expected date of when the other person should forgive you, will most likely cause the other person to not want to even begin the forgiveness process. 

Before composing: Give yourself time to be in a space where you feel ready and able to apologize. Being sincere is more important than rushing an apology. Emotions of remorse best translate in a face to face interaction. in times of COVID-19, that may not be an option, but consider a video visit. Likewise, just your voice can convey sincerity over the phone. 

If you want to say sorry but feel like an in person or over the phone apology would cause more issues (ie. Interruptions, raised voices), a hand written one is better than none. No deed is too small if the relationship is worth restoring.

You are ready forgive/apologize, and move forward. How do you know the other party is ready? You won’t necessarily know. But don’t let assuming that the other party is not ready to forgive, hold you back from reaching out with an apology.

Do you feel like you need to apologize to someone? Are you going to use the tips above? Let us know, in the comments, how your apology was accepted (or denied).

Photosensitive Epilepsy and Halloween Movies

On By epil(epsy)ogueIn chronic illness, Health and WellnessLeave a comment

The original idea for this post was to create a short list of Halloween movies that were safe for a person with photosensitive epilepsy. Photosensitive epilepsy is when sudden light/contrast changes trigger a seizure. 

What this post quickly turned into was a list of movies that were not safe for photosensitivity. Learn more about photosensitivity and seizures from the Epilepsy Foundation.

The spooky season comes with dangers when you live with epilepsy or migraines triggered by flashing lights. Strobe lights seem to be a staple in haunted houses. Lightening flashes are a common scary ambiance in Halloween movies. 

I watched each of these movies (I did so safely) to find these flashes. There were many of the classic movies that you wouldn’t expect that were disqualified from being photosensitive friendly. 

Although the movies below do contain some amount of flashing, watching the movie in a bright space lessens the likelihood of triggering a seizure or migraine. This is because the contrast difference is lessened. The 🌞 indicates that the movie is most likely safe for daylight viewing.

Disclaimer: Not all photosensitivity is the same.  You can use the below list as a reference if you are unsure of the photosensitivity safety. Please use caution when watching ANY movie if you are triggered by light changes.

Family Friendly Halloween Movies:

  • Nightmare Before Christmas
  • Hocus Pocus 🌞

  • Adams Family (1991)
  • Edward Scissor-Hands 🌞
  • Beetlejuice

Halloween Classics:

  • Halloween

  • Poltergeist
  • Ghostbusters
  • Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn

Modern Halloween Movies:

  • Underworld

  • Silent Hill
  • Tucker and Dale vs Evil 🌞

My goal is to watch almost every horror, thriller, slasher, and monster movie, in western culture, to grow this list.

There are movies that you can enjoy in the dark that do not have flashes. But that will be a (much smaller) list for another time.

What is your favorite Halloween movie? Is there a movie listed above, that surprises you that it is not photosensitive safe?

5 Things to Keep You Safe During Reopening

On By epil(epsy)ogueIn Health and Wellness, Uncategorized2 Comments

The world is beginning to open back up. However, this does not mean that the virus is gone and everyone is safe again. Here are 5 simple things to keep yourself as safe as possible while entering into the new world.

  1. Practice good hand hygiene. You have done so well in the past 2 months teaching yourself to wash your hands efficiently and completely. Don’t let that great habit die! 
  1. Continue to wear your mask while in public. Don’t touch your face or mask unless you have freshly washed hands.
  1. Keep physically distanced in public spaces. Is the beach absolutely packed and you have to sit within 3 feet of 3 different groups of people? Maybe you can soak up the ocean fun another day. Be flexible on your adventures, and aim for more open space and less crowded places. It may be disappointing that plan A was a no-go, but plan B is just as exciting! Just be sure to plan for both before leaving the house.
  1. Take advantage of contactless pick up/ delivery. As more people are out and about, more people are exposed. It is great that your favorite restaurant is back in business; but the best way to support the community is to keep yourself and others safe and healthy.
  1. Trust your gut. Only you know what is safe, and what is too risky for you. Don’t feel pressured by friends and family to go out if you feel like it is too soon. Be honest to the people in your life; if they love you, they will understand.

What are your plans now that things are opening up? Feel free to share in the comments.