I would have to say my favorite animal is a cat. I have 3 male cats right now, which is down from the 13 I used to have.
My boys are 5 (KitKat), 4 (Big Foot), and 3 (PJ). They are all related as KitKat is both of their fathers and the other two are half-brothers.
I enjoy cats because when they want attention they will let you know and all you have to do is keep the litter up and they are happy. I do enjoy dogs, but with my health I am not able to walk them. The difference is that dogs are excited to see you at the end of the day when you get home and the cats don’t really care.
I would have to say my most memorable road trip would have been the 3 summers I went on the road with my ex-husband.
He was a truck driver and I needed to get away from the kids so I spent 3 weeks living in a semi-truck going from state to state.
The first year, I was so excited that I was up in the front and took pictures of everything. I had so much fun going to different states and experiencing life on the road. It was different from being a full-time mom and student but it was a much needed break from single parenting.
The second and third year, I was still excited but I spent more time in the sleeper than I did the year before. I used this time to work on my writing and just relax and focus on my mental health.
What is my Mission? I believe my Mission is to be the best counselor and mother/grandmother I can be.
As a counselor, my job is working with individuals that are dealing with substance use disorders along with mental health issues. I use my education and experience to help my clients find their purpose in life and learn how to deal with their addiction and what caused their addiction.
As a parent/grandparent, my job is to support my children and grandchildren to the best of my ability. I have 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren with 1 on the way (will be here in June 2024). I try to spend as much time as I can with my children and grandchildren to the point where my self-care is usually put last.
I even have a mission to myself. I have to make sure I schedule alone time and self-care for not only my physical health but my mental health. I have learned that if I focus on work or family and not spend any time on myself I will experience an increase in depression, irritability, and restlessness. So I am trying to make 2024 the year I focus on my self-care. I am planning on taking 1-2 days a month off of work just to rest and relax. I will put the phone on Do Not Disturb and just spend the time I need to with myself.
So what is your mission in life whether personally or professionally?
Darla Carmoney LPC 