Tag / florida

by Erin Nowicki

The Princess & The Beach

🏖🌊🌞🐬Going to the beach can be intense for a person with Sensory Processing Disorder. So, come with me and I’ll give you a few tips for some ways that help me enjoy my time at the beach AND come home with a smile and not a grimace. 🐬🌞🌊🏖

1. Mr. Sun

Getting burned by the sun, whether or not you have a skin disorder, is painful and uncomfortable for any person. When you have SPD, that pain is heightened and the process of healing can be brutal. The burn, the itching, the peeling: OUCH. I used to be known for getting terribly burned every single time I went to the beach. As of today, sunburn is a rare occurrence for me, but that is because I have adjusted some things.

When you get hurt, you usually don’t like the thing that hurt you, so you start to give off negative energy towards it. Even though I was applying sunscreen every hour on the dot, I still kept coming home looking like a cooked lobster. I started to fear, dislike and blame the sun for causing my pain. The pain and sunburn didn’t stop, but if you think about it…why would it? The expectation I set before going to the beach was that I was going to get burned no matter what I tried. I believe that it was one of the factors why I’d leave with that not-so-lovely cherry burn. Mindsets and words are so powerful and I was manifesting this negativity for my body….um not cool Erin.

A couple years ago, I decided that this has to stop. I started to shift that powerless mindset and I put some effort into my relationship with Mr. Sun. Instead of assuming I was going to get burned, I started to focus on my gratitude for all of the major benefits the sun gives me. The sun’s purpose is not to bring pain, but to bring life, light, and wholeness. It wasn’t the suns’s fault I was getting burned…there was so much more to it.

2. Screen Yourself

After shifting into this mindset, I started to try different types of sunscreens to see which would be a better partner to help protect my skin. I noticed that my skin would be better protected when I would wear a mineral-base sunscreen as opposed to the regular kind. I don’t like the feeling of lotion in my hands, so this definitely is my least favorite part about beach days, but it is important, hence why I use it anyways.

**Some tips for troubleshooting your own experience with sunscreen**

Make-Up Brush: If you don’t like using your hands to rub the sunscreen into your skin and don’t have someone to do it for you, try using a make-up brush instead. There are different kinds of brushes, so test out different ones to see which one works the best for your skin. This is also a “parent hack” for children who hate the sunscreen process. Give them the brush and watch how much fun they’ll have while also encouraging the lesson of self-care. Don’t forget to finish the job for them to ensure they didn’t miss a spot.

Pre-Screen: Put on your first round of sunscreen at home or in the parking lot before you get to the beach, that way you can get everything covered before sand gets in the way. I can’t stand the feeling of rubbing sunscreen on my face with sand mixed in, so if I can start my beach day off without that feeling, I’m all about it.

Lotion vs. Spray: Try different forms of sunscreen to see which one feels the best for your skin. Some sunscreens are heavy and some light, so paying attention to the different “feels” might help you figure out what you prefer the most.

Wipe Your Hands: Have some baby wipes or a hand towel to wipe your hands off after using sunscreen. Applying deep pressure while wiping your hands can help you reset quite nicely.

3. L’eau

Hydration is actually another way to help prevent sunburn. When your body is nourished and healthy, then it doesn’t have to fight so hard to protect itself from the Mother Earth’s elements. I’ve struggled with drinking water most of my life up until about 4/5 years ago. I have an amazing holistic chiropractor who did some energy work on me and helped me realize that I had too much copper in my body. Once I got treated for that, it completely shifted the way my body was responding to good ol’ H2O. All of that to say: drink your water….especially when spending time out in the hot sun.

4. Sea-Shellter

Jon and I bought a beach tent and it has rocked our world. We usually get to the beach and set up our shelter first thing, then go for a nice long walk. After a walk we come back and rest in the tent to give our skin a break from our buddy, Mr. Sun. If the sun has shifted and is shining directly on the front of the tent, we’ve come up with a solution by using a couple of chip clips to hang up colorful tapestry; that way we are in a shady spot while we get a break from those intense rays. It’s functional, fun and totally sets a chill vibe for some sweet beach hangs.

5. Sock-A-Row-Nees

My feet are the most sensitive part of my body when it comes to my SPD. Swimming in the water, walking on shells and getting covered in sand can be quite overstimulating. I’ve discovered that socks actually help me to relax a lot easier when I’m relaxing in the beach tent. The deep pressure that socks give allow my body to chill for a second and know that it’s ok. On days I have forgotten to bring them, I definitely noticed that my overall pain level was heightened and I had a harder time being able to relax.

I typically bring two pairs with me so I have one for the actual beach trip and one for the ride home. When you’re already in an environment that not only is life-giving but also overstimulating, that can be a lot for your body to process once you have to drive home. For me, having a clean pair of socks to put on right when I get into the car (sandy feet or not), has really helped ground and remind my body that I am ok. It’s really powerful what a pair of socks can do.

6. Powder Your Nose…or Toes

This one isn’t something I do as much anymore, because the sock hack has been a better fit for me, but I don’t want to leave it out because it might help you out. Get some talc free baby powder fill up a sock wit it (I used my winter socks since I live in Florida and don’t need them as much). Before you get into your car to leave the beach, grab that baby powder sock and quickly dab it onto your skin and watch as the sand magically comes off. Once you’re done, just put it in ziplock for your future beach days. **Another great parent hack!

7. I’m Misty Over You

When I get overheated, my body tends to freak out, therefore, I freak out. Jon and I have this joke that if José, the name I have for my upper lip (go ahead and judge my quirkiness for naming literally everything, including my third eye who’s name is Kiki), gets sweaty, that means I’m about to hit my code red of overheating…which is not pretty. In Florida, especially the summers, it can get boiling hot. so I’ve found something that has helped prevent a code red for me and that is having a small fan that has a misting feature on it. This not only cools me off, but it actually helps me shift my focus back to being grounded and to remind my body that I am totally fine. I also make sure to have a bandana either to wear on my head or have in my pocket, that way I can have something to take care of José.

8. No Cowboys Allowed

As a fabulous, plus-sized gal, chaffing can be a real buzzkill, while having magical beach day…especially living with SPD on top of that. I don’t want to be the one walking like a cowboy while I’m trying to enjoy a lovely day at the beach. I’ve found that bringing an extra pair of comfy shorts is wonderful. You can just slip them on before you go for that walk to hunt for those treasures that are waiting to be discovered. Another thing that I’ve done in the past, that works nicely, is using a chaffing balm. I’ve tried a few different brands but the one I felt worked the best at preventing and even soothing the chaffing is a product called For Her by Body Glide (this is not sponsored, just a personal recommendation). It goes on very light and isn’t greasy like other products I’ve used. It also doesn’t clump up which is nice, because it’s not like you want to be walking around with white clumps in between your legs. Even though it’s called “For Her” and they have a “For Him” one, it honestly can be used by any human.

Conclusion

You might have noticed this, but a lot of the “hack” that I mentioned above aren’t out of the ordinary or unusual. Most of the things I mentioned could totally be a part of every person’s beach routine. The key for me is that having these things help to alleviate extra pain and let me feel a little more relaxed, especially since the beach is one of my favorite places to be.

Do you have any personal tips that help you to enjoy your time at the beach? Leave a comment below and I’ll try it out and let you know how if it helps!

𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝
by Erin Nowicki

Ouch! It’s Been A Long Time…

Can you believe I haven’t posted on here since 2020…I literally think about this blog every week so I didn’t realized that it had been quite that long. 🤭 My life has changed a lot since 2020, except for the fact that I still live with SPD, so I thought I would update you a bit and share some thoughts I have on the future of this blog.

Farewell Chi-Town!

After 7 years of living up north in Chicago, Illinois, Jon, Macaroni and I decided to move to Florida, to start a new adventure. We really enjoyed living in Chicago, made life-changing relationships, and made amazing memories that will always live in our hearts. There were many factors in our decision to move, but the main reason was because of our mental health. The winters in Chi-town can be grueling and each year we could see that our mental health was getting worse and worse during those dark, cold months. With the pandemic and other major life changes on top of those long winters, it was only right for us to go somewhere new and sunny to continue our journey in this life.

Why Florida?

Jon grew up in Florida, so we initially thought we’d land in Orlando, especially since his parents and a lot of friends are there. A month and a half after living with his folks and both of us not finding jobs we wanted, Jon got a job offer as a golf instructor for a company called GOLFTEC down in St. Petersburg, Florida. The day before Thanksgiving, with the help of Jon’s parents, we loaded up a U-Haul and drove to our new apartment. That same day, I had an interview with an amazing family for a nanny position, which I accepted and have been with ever since.

The west coast has always called our names and we really wanted to try and move out that way, but the timing wasn’t right. St. Pete, also known as “Sunshine City,” has really captured both of our hearts. We live 10-15 minutes from the most beautiful beaches and 10 minutes from a really fun downtown. There are tons of outdoorsy things for us to do and it’s been a great city to live in. It has a California vibe but on a smaller level, which for right now is totally great for us.

The Blog

In the past, when I was trying to collect info and write blog posts, I kept noticing that my sensory would always be heightened..so… I just stopped writing all together. Honestly, I put so much pressure on myself to get posts out that my body would shut down. Then I’d put so much guilt on my shoulders because I was “failing” at this blog or letting the world down.

The whole purpose of this blog was to share a glimpse into my life as a person living with Sensory Processing Disorder, possibly to help others with their own SPD journey, and to help bring an awareness to people who aren’t familiar with this disorder. If that was the goal, which it 100% still is, then there doesn’t need to be any room in my brain for guilt or fear. So, as of April 23, 2023, I give myself permission to write when I want, to be guilt free, and to let the pressure dissipate. Done and done.

All of that to say: I will still be writing blog posts, but I’m not going to put any pressure on myself or body to do it with a deadline. I’m going to be “free-blogging” a.k.a. writing when I feel inspired to. When I’ve done something like this with other things in my life, I have felt more fulfilled, so it’s only natural for that to be the case this time around. As a reader, I know that you want someone who’s writing with passion, a purpose and true authenticity, not someone who’s writing to just write. So, that’s what you’re gonna get!

Your Turn

I don’t want this blog to be all about me. There is a world out there filled with others just like me…I want to hear from you! Family’s or friend’s of people with SPD, I want to hear from you! If you have any questions or are interested in wanting to know something specific, I want to hear from you!

What do you want me to write about? As a reader, what are you wanting to read? Drop a comment on this post or if you want to keep your thoughts/questions anonymous, fill out the form on my contact page.

Over and Out

Thank you for choosing to use your time to catch up with me. I hope this post finds you pursuing a healthy, whole life, because you deserve that and SO much more. Stay magical. 🦄

by Erin Nowicki

The Prince

I don’t think Charles Perrault, the Brother’s Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, or even J.K. Rowling could’ve created a better prince than the prince who was put into my story. Jon Nowicki is his name and Prince Charming has nothing on him…sorry Char. :p

Here’s a little background on hunky and then I will ask him some questions for you to get a glimpse into what it’s like being married to someone with Sensory Processing Disorder.

Jon was born in Wisconsin and moved to Florida in 5th grade. He has a degree in Music Ministry with an emphasis in percussion and is an incredible drummer. Not only do I get to have him as my drummer for Hello Wonder, he also drums for another awesome band called Flatfoot 56. H enjoys golfing (any Chicago golfers looking for a golfing buddy??), traveling, camping, and cooking.

The thing I love most about him is how much he cares about me. He has never pressured me to do anything I didn’t want to do, he always makes sure I’m comfortable (or at least as comfy as I can be), makes me laugh, feeds my unicorn obsession and is the most selfless person I know. Living with someone who has SPD, can be extremely difficult and I appreciate him so much because he’s patient, always willing to learn, and loves me for me.

♕Interview with a REAL prince♕

Were you aware of Erin having SPD before you got married?

Prince:

I found out about her SPD while we were getting to know each other. I went along and asked and did all the things people do when they find out about it (sorry Erin :)). During the first few months, it was hard to disconnect my fear of “hurting” her or causing her pain.

In the end, it came down to the fact that sometimes the emotional pain of SPD can be harder than the physical pain. Treating her like a “sick” person or steering clear of any physical contact can be just as hard. It took a long time for me to fully process it, but I’ve come to a point where I can be aware of her SPD, but it doesn’t control how I treat her. 

How do you support Erin when she is in a flare up?

Prince:

The best thing I’ve found is to ask what she needs. Communication is a big aspect of steering through the waters of SPD. It’s something we continually try to improve. I can assume that I know what may help, and sometimes I’m lucky, but other times the things that sometimes help could actually make the scenario worse.  Always ask what you can do before you assume what’s best.  

What’s the hardest part of living with someone that has severe SPD?

Prince:

One of the hardest parts for me is not being able to fully relate to her when she is in pain.  Sometimes I feel completely useless when she is flaring up, because I literally can’t do anything to help. That feeling of not being able to do anything for her is always the hardest part. 

How do you cope with the lack of intimacy?

Prince:

There is no real easy answer for this.  It is difficult. As Erin previously said, physical touch is one of my main love languages. The first years of our marriage have been tough. Learning how to live together, become adults, and manage all of it with SPD as well as processing her trauma has been a challenge.

If you know me, I am a fairly easy going, laid back individual. This along with the blessing of patience has helped me a lot with the intimacy aspect of our marriage.  Through the years I’ve also had great friends/mentors alongside of me who have been there for me.  It never hurts to have someone to be able to talk to, even if they don’t fully understand the scope of SPD. Personal honesty and open communication will give you the best chance for success. 

Erin is great about pushing through the pain to meet my needs. An extra hug/kiss/holding hands moment means so much to me. 

Do you have another question for Jon that you’d like answered? Please feel free to leave a comment below or direct message me on the Contacts page. No question is too awkward or uncomfortable, so be free. If I get enough questions, I will drop another blog post with his answers for you all to have.