Tag / outdoors

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

Packing List- SPD Style

For someone diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, going on a trip away from the comforts of home can be stressful. Now, I love to travel and I find it exhilarating, but that’s because I make sure to be prepared.

This list I’ve compiled is specific to my needs, but I bet some of them will be helpful for you:

1. Compression Socks

I would say this is the most important thing to bring. My feet are the most sensitive part on my body, so making sure I have a good pair of socks is clutch. When traveling, I never know what kind of sheets I will be sleeping on; having socks makes sure to protect my feet from any uncomfortable textures as well as giving me deep pressure. Compression socks are the best choice not only for sleeping, but they also help if I get overloaded with my sensory.

2. Superman Blanket

I get cold easily which in turn spikes my SPD so I always make sure to bring my superman blanket. I’ve had it since I was in high school (I think) and it’s gone with me all over the world. It’s a kid size blanket and the texture isn’t too bad, so it’s perfect for travel.

3. Hoodie

You never know if it’s going to rain (because rain=needles for me) or be chilly so I make sure to always bring a hoodie. Of course I bring a cute one but it also needs to be comfy. 😉

4. PJ Pants

Like I mentioned with the socks earlier, I don’t ever know ahead of time whether or not I’m going to be comfortable where I sleep. Making sure I have comfortable PJ’s at least protects my skin for the most part from uncomfortable fabrics.

5. Fingernail Clippers

If I let my fingernails grow out too long, it really triggers my sensory in my hands. I can’t stand the feeling after I take a shower and I have long fingernails. I get the chills just thinking about it now. So, before a trip, I always cut my fingernails. I still bring the clippers just in case for some reason I didn’t cut my nails well enough or if I accidentally break one. A broken fingernail is a no-no for this sensory princess.

6. Baby Wipes/Dry Shampoo

I never know what the water will feel like in the different places I travel to. If it’s too soft, I will most likely not take a shower more than once when I’m at that location. So, that’s where the baby wipes and dry shampoo come in. The wipes help keep me somewhat fresh and the dry shampoo tames the hair.

7. Shaving Cream

Shaving cream comes in really handy if I really have to take a shower and the water texture brings me a lot of pain. When I’m ready to get out of the shower, I wash my hands with the shaving cream. It helps take away the soft feeling of water or shampoo/conditioner from my hands. It’s been a lifesaver!

8. Lavender Oil

Sensory overload happens and can feel like you can’t get away from the pain. Something that I’ve adapted into my packing list the past couple years is Lavender Essential Oil by DoTerra. Lavender is a natural calming agent, so I’ll put a little on my neck and it helps remind me to take deep breaths and calm down. I won’t put it on with just my fingers because the texture of oil actually hurts my skin too, so I use a cotton swab or tissue.

Another thing this oil helps with is mosquito bites. You never know if you are going to get bit on vacay! No one likes a mosquito bite, but add a sensory disorder on top of it which makes the pain even worse. Thankfully, lavender takes away the itching which in turn takes the extra pain away too.

9. Chapstick

Traveling via car or plane, it’s inevitable that my lips will get extremely dry and chapped. If I get stressed out, I tend to pick at my lips, so chapstick is a must bring.

10. Converse

My favorite pair of shoes are my raspberry pink colored, low top Converse. When I was in high school, my mom bought me my first pair. When those died, she got me another pair. 😀 Thanks Mom!

I bring these specific shoes because they are comfortable, provide my feet with deep pressure and are reliable. If it rains, these shoes hold up very decently, which is helpful for me because I don’t particularly like my feet getting wet if I don’t have to.

Alrighty, that’s my list! I hope you enjoyed it! If you have any packing musts, please share them in a comment below! I’d love to see if any of your things would be helpful for me too! 😀

by Erin Nowicki

The Princess Chronicle vol. 2

Welcome to The Princess Chronicle!

Thanks to everyone who messaged me about how they loved the format of my little newspaper-style post; I think it definitely helps break up the flow from those longer blog posts. If you have any ideas of what else I could add to The Princess Chronicle, drop a comment or message me!

Bi-Weekly Journal Entry

Positive: The hunky and I went camping this past weekend at Chain O Lakes near the Wisconsin border. It was so fun, relaxing and invigorating. My SPD didn’t flare up too bad either, so that made it even better. I made sure to bring some compression socks, which helps my SPD in the evenings when it gets colder.

Real Talk: Now I love roughing it in a tent and sleeping on the ground, but the whole Princess and The Pea thing is legit. I can feel every rock, pebble and bump in the ground. Thankfully I have to take medicine to sleep, because I know I would’ve been up all night feeling the “pea” under my sleeping bag. I love to camp, so it’s totally worth it.

The vast majority of health professionals just want to help, so describing your challenges as accurately as possible is really the best approach. Plus, advocating for yourself is important…

-Some great advice from the Love, Your Brain blog

What You Missed Last Week

My hunky, Jon, took time to answer some questions about what it’s like to live with someone who has SPD. He did such a great job and it’s been really cool to see the responses to this. It’s also been neat to hear how his post has already helped others with their relationships. If you missed it, go check it out and if there is another question you’d like answered, make sure to comment on the post so we can do another round!

What To Look Forward To

Next week, I’ll be talking about how hard it is to rate my pain when people inquire about it (especially doctors). I sure am glad that I’m not Pinocchio, because sometimes I have to lie about my pain in order to really have them diagnose the problem…hmmm interesting eh? Make sure to check back next week for more!

If you aren’t a blog person, head over to Twitter and follow me there! I will post little blips from the blog, inspiring quotes, and other fun things.