thanks guys for cheering me on! my boyfriend (of a few months) and I broke up yesterday and now I have no plans for the remainder of the weekend. and though I feel kind of sad and empty, I’m actually relieved to have this time and quiet to clean and tidy my apartment before school starts back up, a long-time project that never seems to move forward more than a few inches at a time (I still have boxes of books unpacked from when I moved here in December.) contacted some girlfriends. cooked a big meal today (motivated to eat whole and healthy, at least for now). ON TOP OF THE DISHES, which is huge. my boyfriend, yesterday morning, washed all my dishes yesterday morning to help me out…. I will miss that part.
the thing that’s been working for me: every time I need a dish and it’s not clean, I wash that dish, plus 3 more from the sink. or 5 more, or 10 more, depending on how much time I think I can spare. but 3 dishes actually takes very little time, guys! and it adds up, if you wash more dishes than you use. also, my new rule is, if it just needs to be rinsed, I rinse it out right away – saves space in the sink, saves hassle.
the whiteboard I hung up in the kitchen is working well too. now my to-do list (not my grand to-do, just the most immediate stuff) is right there in front of me. I cross stuff out as it gets done and I don’t actually erase it until I make a list for the next day. that way I see that I got stuff done!
thanks again to everyone for posting in here and encouraging each other. there’s no other place with support like this.
LAKELLY: I hope you feel better soon and figure stuff out. take care of yourself. by the way, calling an ambulance and calling your doctor took effort and motivation and self-care so high-fives for that!! PS: I am only 24 and I take 3 pills every day to feel like myself. ain’t no thaaanngg. 
QUIZZICAL: good luck! let me know how it goes. trying to work out the chores thing myself right now! remember guys, little steps, little steps.