what i read in september

plus what i've learned in september regarding my mental health

i have to say, after starting journaling, my mental health has been so much better. i’m one of those people who hold grudges forever and can’t let things go and go off on a tangent when frustrated or angry (thanks borderline personality disorder!). but journaling has been like a big mind dump for me.

my daughter’s 12th birthday was friday and we had her birthday party that evening at a local indoor trampoline park. normally, my frustration would be at an all time high due to the stress of throwing a birthday party, grabbing all the things for it after work, and listening to other peoples’ children scream all night. but this party was different. i was relaxed and smiling and laughing at all the antics of my daughter and her friends, even when there was drama between them (so much drama in 2 and a 1/2 hours between 7 little girls). i even joined my ex on the trampolines with the girls where we showed off our flips and tricks for them, even when i haven’t been on a trampoline since i was a kid. all i felt was joy and happiness.

this fall i’ve opened my mind up to being more relaxed and open to new and exciting thoughts, feelings, and things i have no control over. i’m focusing less on the negative and more on the positive. i urge you to do the same. find a mantra that works (mine is “i am cool. i am calm. i am collected”) and repeat it each time you feel your emotions getting too big and uncontrollable. if a mantra doesn’t work, find something that does. i promise you it’s worth it. it’s taken me 31 years to learn this.

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• The Anonymous Hookup (Easton Grammar #4) - Milana Spencer - 4/5

• Ballads of Lines Blurred (Ruined & Relinquished #3) - Michelle Dare - 3/5

• Ignited (LSU #3) - Becca Steele - 3/5

• Colin (Vampire’s Mate #6) - Grae Bryan - 4/5

• Stacked (Mars Fitness #2) - Linden Bell - 5/5

• Pucking Screwed (Thin Ice #3) - Charity Parkerson - 3/5

• Sweet Refuge (Midnight Falls #8) - Lynn Hagen - 1/5

• Except You (Our Exception #1) - Cora Rose - 4/5

• Primal Dangers (Midnight Falls #9) - Lynn Hagen - 3/5

• Savage Titan (North Shore Titans Hockey #1) - E.V. Olsen - 4/5

• Bloom: Part One (The Smokey Vale Alliance #3) - Gianni Holmes - 5/5

• The Fireman and the Flirt (Single Dads Club #4) - A.J. Truman - 4/5

• Sinister - West Greene - 3/5

• Caught by Their Bosses - West Greene - 3/5

• Grandaddy’s Law - Skyler Snow & Brea Alepou - 5/5

• Nerdy Boy - West Greene - 2/5

• The Virgin (Breakfast at Bennett’s #1) - E.M. Denning - 2/5

• Boss of Attraction - Kimberly Knight - 3/5

• His Guilty Pleasure (West Coast Mobsters #5) - Leighton Greene - 4/5

• Phoenix Chose Part 2 (The Phoenix Guardians #2) - Ashe Moon - 2/5 - DNF

• Pucking Mess (Thin Ice #4) - Charity Parkerson - 5/5

• Just a Gay… Roommate (Just… Straight Enemies #1) - M.M. West - 2/5

• His Help - Part 3: A Hand, A Hope, A Hike - Bink Cummings - 3/5

• Ignite - Abigail Glenn - 5/5

• Stepping Up (City Boys Never Sleep #2) - Jay Leigh - 4/5

• Karen’s Roller Skates (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #2) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Karen’s Worst Day (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #3) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Karen’s Kittycat Club (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #4) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Karen’s School Picture (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #5) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Second Grade Baby (The Kids in Ms. Colman’s Class #4) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Snow War (The Kids in Ms. Colman’s Class #5) - Ann M. Martin

• Twin Trouble (The Kids in Ms. Colman’s Class #6) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Science Fair (The Kids in Ms. Colman’s Class #7) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Summer School (The Kids in Ms. Colman’s Class #8) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Halloween Parade (The Kids in Ms. Colman’s Class #9) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Kristy and the Walking Disaster (The Baby-Sitters Club #20) - Ann M. Martin - 4/5

• Mallory and the Trouble With Twins (The Baby-Sitters Club #21) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Jessi Ramsey, Pet-Sitter (The Baby-Sitters Club #22) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Dawn on the Coast (The Baby-Sitters Club #23) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Kristy and the Mother’s Day Surprise (The Baby-Sitters Club #24) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Mary Anne and the Search for Tigger (The Baby-Sitters Club #25) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Claudia and the Sad Good-Bye (The Baby-Sitters Club #26) - 3/5

• Jessi and the Superbrat (The Baby-Sitters Club #27) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Mallory and the Mystery Diary (The Baby-Sitters Club #29) - Ann M Martin - 3/5

• Baby-Sitters’ Summer Vacation (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #2) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Baby-Sitter's’ Winter Vacation (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #3) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Welcome Back, Stacey! (The Baby-Sitters Club #28) - Ann M. Martin - 3/5

• Taking Charge (Sweet Valley Twins #26) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Teamwork (Sweet Valley Twins #27) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• April Fool! (Sweet Valley Twins #28) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Jessica and the Brat Attack (Sweet Valley Twins #29) - Francine Pascal - 2/5

• Princess Elizabeth (Sweet Valley Twins #30) - Francine Pascal - 2/5

• The Big Camp Secret (Sweet Valley Twins Super Edition #3) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Surprise! Surprise! (Sweet Valley Kids #1) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Elizabeth’s New Hero (Sweet Valley Twins #33) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Double Exposure (Hardy Boys: Casefiles #22) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Trouble in Tahiti (Nancy Drew Files #31) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• She Started It - Sian Gilbert - 3/5

• Disaster For Hire (Hardy Boys: Casefiles #23) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Shock Waves (Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: Super Mystery #3) - Carolyn Keene - 4/5

• The Case of the Rising Star (Nancy Drew #87) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• The Search for Cindy Austin (Nancy Drew #88) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• High Marks for Malice (Nancy Drew Files #32) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• Breakdown in Axeblade (Hardy Boys #94) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Danger in Disguise (Nancy Drew Files #33) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• Danger on the Air - (Hardy Boys #95) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• The Borderline Case (Hardy Boys: Casefiles #25) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Trouble in the Pipeline (Hardy Boys: Casefiles #26) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Vanishing Act (Nancy Drew Files #34) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• Bad Medicine (Nancy Drew Files #35) - Carolyn Keene - 4/5

• Nowhere to Run (Hardy Boys: Casefiles #27) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Over the Edge (Nancy Drew Files #36) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• Wipeout (Hardy Boys #96) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Cast of Criminals (Hardy Boys #97) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• The Puzzle at Pineview School (Nancy Drew #90) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• Countdown to Terror (Hardy Boys: Casefiles #28) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• The Deadliest Dare (Hardy Boys: Casefiles #30) - Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• Last Dance (Nancy Drew Files #37) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• The Case of the Disappearing Deejay (Nancy Drew #89) - Carolyn Keene - 3/5

• Dangerous Games (Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: Super Mystery #4) - Carolyn Keene & Franklin W. Dixon - 3/5

• The Five-Star Weekend - Elin Hilderbrand - 4/5

• Phatasma (Wicked Games #1) - Kaylie Smith - 3/5

• White Lies (Sweet Valley High #52) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Second Chance (Sweet Valley High #53) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Two-Boy Weekend (Sweet Valley High #54) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Perfect Shot (Sweet Valley High #55) - Francine Pascal - 2/5

• Lost at Sea (Sweet Valley High #56) - Francine Pascal - 2/5

• Teacher Crush (Sweet Valley High #57) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• Deadly Summer (Sweet Valley High Super Thriller #4) - Francine Pascal - 2/5

• The Fog (Point Horror) - Caroline B. Cooney - 4/5

• Trick or Treat (Point Horror) - Richie Tankersley Cusick - 3/5

• My Secret Admirer (Point Horror) - Carol Ellis - 2/5

• Brokenhearted (Sweet Valley High #58) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• In Love Again (Sweet Valley High #59) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

• That Fatal Night (Sweet Valley High #60) - Francine Pascal - 3/5

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Let me know what you read by messaging or commenting below! I would love to hear about it :)

Hope to see you here again,

Kirsten