Didn't Use Mood Sentry Until this Evening

I'm not sure why, but I think it was because I had a fairly clear picture of what I was going to do today.  My issues at work were on my mind for most of the day, but I managed to get in a short hike, some reading, and I've gotten back to working on the next update to Mood Sentry.  It will be a while before it comes out, because I'll be touching just about every module in the app, on both versions (android and iPhone).  I also spent some time documenting some thoughts regarding my work challenges and then e-mailing them to myself at work.  Sometimes, just doing something like that can take a load off my mind and help me relax.  Other than that, I just read the Evening Reminder and set some goals for tomorrow.  I'll probably go into the office for a bit to get one thing off my plate, which should really help me prepare for Monday. We'll see.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Trying Something Different

I've mentioned that I've been having some challenges recently.  After meeting with my therapist yesterday, I'm capturing my thoughts in an effort to help me identify what thoughts are really driving my mood, or perhaps driving my mood lower if the real culprit is my depression asserting itself for some reason.  Rather than using Mood Sentry, I've gone back to the pen and paper approach.  One thing I like about this approach is the ease with which I can write.  It's just as handy as the app, but the format feels a bit better for this exploratory mindset I'm in right now.  I could use either the observation or essay tool, but for some reason using pen and paper just feels like the best way to document what is going on in my head these days.  I'll see how this works.  Once I start narrowing down which thoughts are doing the most damage, I expect that I'll go back to using Mood Sentry to capture the thoughts and counter thoughts.  We'll see.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Did Better Today

Using the Daily Goals tool helped today. I had a lot of little things to accomplish today, and I hit just about all of them and then some.  The ones I didn't hit required other people to get back to me, which is something I can't control.  I've added another item and I'll hit that after this posting.  That other item has to do with preparing for a therapist visit tomorrow.  I may even do some light preparation for work if I have the inclination and time.  I've really been in a funk for the past couple of months.  I feel like I'm coming out of it and am not sure if it's because external influences are improving (mostly work related) or because something internal is improving (body chemistry?).  In either case, I'm feeling more like my typical depressed self rather than the really stressed out and anxious person I've been.  I believe working Mood Sentry has helped, but I have to admit that it gets tough to motivate myself to use the app when I'm really stressed.  I'll set some goals for tomorrow and prepare for my therapist visit.  That usually helps me manage my thoughts for Monday.  We'll see how things go tomorrow.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had an OK Day

I had a bunch of things I wanted to accomplish, but ended up "vegging" in front of the TV for about 3 hours which really impacted my motivation (negatively) and the amount of things I could accomplish.  I found myself thinking that I Should be working on other things rather than watching TV and feeling a bit depressed.  So what did I do?  I remembered that just getting started doing something can help defeat thoughts like this and nudged myself to get one thing done.  I picked up a magazine that I wanted to skim/read through and did just that.  Then I picked up another and read a couple of articles.  I only got to about half the things I wanted to get to, but that's OK.  I actually got several things done today and that was good.  I also made it a point to use my Daily Goals tool this evening and set some goals for tomorrow, which usually helps with things like this.  Having things written down is more effective than just trying to keep a list in my head.  We'll see how things go tomorrow.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

A CD Cocktail

I was just reviewing "My Experiences" with my day in mind and identified multiple distortions.  All or Nothing, Overgeneralizations, Magnification, Should Statements, Personalization, and of course Emotional Reasoning.  They seem to build on each other, so identifying which one came up first is not easy.  I don't think that matters because I was able to address each based on my entries in "My Experiences."  Note that I didn't eliminate the thoughts nor the associated feelings, but I was able to reduce their impact on my mood.  That's good enough for me and better than suffering in silence.  I'll next review some of my "Event" entries and maybe some entries in the other tools to see what I have that's related to my current situation.  After more than two years I'm sure I'll find something relevant.

Customer Concern

Had one of my customers contact me today with a concern that there appears to be a lack of progress on the project.  I've had the same nagging feeling about the project myself.  At first I was thinking that I've failed somehow and the the customer thinks the same.  But, I spent some time speaking with him and learned that this is partly due to how we're reporting things on our bi-weekly meetings.  My customer gave me some guidance on what we could do differently, and it meshed with some suggestions I received from the team yesterday.  I was feeling a bit better, but I still have these thoughts that I won't be able to get the team on track and that I'm doomed to be a failure.  I can address these thoughts, in particular the failure thoughts (how can I be a failure when the project is nowhere near complete?).  The main thing I need to do is seek help, from both my team and from other project leads.  Seeking help may lessen the forecasts of failure, primarily because I'll be actively trying to fix the situation rather than just feeling bad about it.  We'll see.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Never Set any Goals for Today

I intended to, but never got around to it.  I guess I didn't use Mood Sentry at all today.  I did pretty well in any case because I had an idea of the goals I intended to set today, which helped.  Regarding my thoughts, this was my first day back after my vacation and I had forecasts that things would get out of hand.  What I did was press on with the things I needed to do.  Accomplishing things is one of my best defenses against tainted thoughts.  That's something I've learned over the past couple of years.  Note that in retrospect, nothing got out of hand.

Just Reviewed my Goals

I just reviewed my goals for today, and I hit all of them except the ones related to this app.  I feel pretty good about that because the goals I hit were the ones I really needed to hit.  I can address the ones for the app over this upcoming week.  Note that I had a lot of anxiety inside me this morning and early after noon.  I kayaked this morning, which helped a bit and then went in to work this afternoon which helped even more.  Physical activity and actively addressing those things that drive my thoughts can really help me manage my anxiety.

Another OK Day

Remarkably similar to my previous OK day.  I did not set any goals for today, but still got a lot of stuff done.  I ended up going into the office and set a time limit of 2 hours for some reason.  I got plenty done in that time, and felt much more comfortable (I was feeling a bit anxious about work, and was forecasting that I would be inundated with things that piled up while I was out).  I'll probably go in tomorrow for a bit to do some clean up.  Regarding setting goals, I just set some for tomorrow that include play, work, and some updates to the app.  I need to get my focus back on the app and plan the next update.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had an OK Day

I'm still on vacation.  I did not set any goals today, which in hindsight may not have been the best decision.  I had this nagging feeling throughout the day that I wasn't getting anything done.  However, looking back on my day I can see that in fact I did get many things done, including a workout, catching up on work e-mail, catching up on my reading, updating my finances, and more.  Setting some goals up front helps me recognize when I accomplish things throughout the day and helps beat these thoughts of not getting things done.  I'll set some goals for tomorrow before turning in tonight.

Didn't Sleep Well...

Didn't sleep well last night.  Was tossing and turning, thinking about work.  This morning I made the time to review My Experiences with the thoughts that were in my head last night.  I caught a bunch of distortions, such as all or nothing and overgeneralizations.  I tried countering those thoughts, but was still anxious throughout the day.  I kept challenging those thoughts throughout the day and this evening I reviewed a couple of essays and observations that related to my thoughts.  Right now, I'm feeling OK.  Not great, but definitely better than earlier today.  I'll keep working this.

Slept Well, but...

Returned to the inn after a great day, only to find a voicemail on my work phone related to the issue I'm having at work.  I felt really bad that this issue came up in the first place, driven mostly by a should statement.  I didn't quite understand the question the caller asked, and thought I wouldn't be able to fix it from my current location.  I returned the call and left a message for him to contact my alternate and see if he can help.  I then opened up Mood Sentry with these thoughts in mind and reviewed My Experiences.  I recognized the should statement, but also some labeling, magnifications, all or nothing, and forecasting.  I then opened the Event Log and worked on the item related to the issue at work.  Doing these two things didn't eliminate the stress and anxiety I felt, but they definitely reduced these feelings.  I'll keep working on these.

Woke Early Again

This time it was forecasting.  I was thinking about how things would go today, and anticipating phone calls and bad news related to my job.  I was able to counter those negative forecasts by substituting positive and even neutral thoughts and also by reframing some of those forecasts to be neutral.  I managed to get back to sleep.

So how did things go?  There were no phone calls to me with bad news, and the call I made to check on things revealed that things were going OK back at the office.  I have custom entries in Mood Sentry related to this and will review them this evening.

Woke Up Early

I'm on vacation and woke up early this morning thinking about work.  I was feeling depressed and anxious, and was able to track it down to a couple of distortions: overgeneralizations and all or nothing thinking.  I had a challenge on one program that was more than just a challenge, it was an error on my part.  The overgeneralization involved believing that I was going to make the same error on my other two projects.  The all or nothing thinking involved believing that the whole project was ruined.  Once I recognized both of these distortions I was able to counter both.  Countering these thoughts was fairly straight forward and made me wonder how I got these thoughts in the first place.  Who knows.  I'm glad I caught these thoughts and was able to get back to sleep.

Going on Vacation for a few Days

My posts will be infrequent at best over the next week.  I'll have access to my e-mail, so if you need support try contacting my via the support link in the Contact Us section of the app.  Other than that, consider taking the time to review the hints that are associated with each of the different pages and see if they help.  If not, perhaps you'll have a suggestion that might help me improve the hints.  You can send a note to the support e-mail link mentioned previously.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Lots of Forecasting Today

I have multiple tasks going on, all involving interactions with other people and thus driving forecasts of conflict and failure.  I found myself feeling a bit anxious about tomorrow, and realized it was these forecasts that were driving my anxiety.  I reviewed my experiences with emphasis on the jumping to conclusions entry.  It didn't eliminate the feeling, but it reduced it.

Today Improved

I started out stressed over this latest issue at work, but by the end of the day I was feeling far less stressed.  I think it was due to recognizing the should statements that were driving my mood and seeking advice on how to handle my situation.  Addressing the should statements is fairly straight forward for someone reading this blog (or so I assume).  Seeking advice was a significant help in that it put the lie to some of my forecasts of total failure and doom.  It's odd, but when I enter a crisis mode it often takes a couple of days for the thoughts to run their course before I really get a handle on them and doing things like challenging the should statements and seeking advice and guidance.  Once I get a handle on my thoughts, things tend to trend toward the positive.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Didn't Sleep Well Last Night

I didn't sleep well last night.  I think I figured out one of the things that's been keeping me up, and that is being stuck in my current position.  I've been trying unsuccessfully to get a different position for a couple of years and realized that I have these distorted thoughts related to that effort.  Basically, I've been thinking that I'll never get another position and that I'm doomed to fail.  These thoughts were lurking below the surface and I didn't realize I had them.  However, while reviewing My Experiences this morning these thoughts came to the surface.  I was able to recognize these thoughts as distortions and countered them with other thoughts.  I still had negative feelings but they weren't as severe.

Had an OK Day

My stress level has been elevated for most of the day.  This has mostly been driven by feeling overwhelmed by all the things I'd like to do.  The prioritization scheme helps in times like this, by helping me identify things I really don't need to work on.  Also, the daily goals tool helps in times like this by helping me scope my efforts to something I can manage. However, I did not use either of those tools today.  I just didn't feel like I had the time.  That's kind of odd, because in my experience, taking the time to work the various tools in Mood Sentry is usually worth it.  So why didn't I?  I think it was partly driven by emotional reasoning and partly by getting distracted by some of the many things I was working on.  Looking back, I completed just about everything I wanted to complete today, which is a good thing.  I'll make the time to plan some stuff for tomorrow (using the Daily Goals tool) and then call it a day.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Been on Travel

I was on a business trip for a couple of days.  I had a major review for a project that's coming to an end.  Yes, I used Mood Sentry to collect my thoughts and prepare.  For meetings like this I usually have to deal with forecasts of conflict and failure.  If you review past entries in this blog you'll see that these thoughts come up quite often.  As such, I have entries to address these, which typically involve reflecting on previous events with the people I will be dealing with. In this case, those previous events went very well.  There really was no conflict or failure.  That helped alleviate the feelings but didn't make them go away.  That was good enough, because I really just needed to function.  Regarding this blog, the reason I wasn't posting was because I was quite busy.  My apologies if you're a frequent reader and feel you missed something.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

How are the Hints?

Every now and then I try to prod comments from the user community and ask questions like this.  The hints are there to help people understand the basics of using Mood Sentry.  The hints are somewhat tailored to the different tools, though some are essentially the same because the tool functions essentially like some of the other tools.  I just about always recommend working with your therapist when trying to figure out how to use the tools, so I'm also interested in hearing how that went if you tried.  Go ahead and let me know what you think of the hints, and if you have recommendation.  Thanks.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had an OK Monday

I got some stuff done today, which is usually a good thing.  I'm getting ready for a meeting later this week and thus have a lot of little things to get off my plate (the meeting requires travel) not only for the meeting but for the other tasks I have to do.  I definitely made time for Mood Sentry this morning, and again at lunch, which helped.  My biggest issue today was a poor night's sleep last night, caused in part by finishing the prescription sleeping pills I had (it was just a two week supply with no refill).  It seems when the prescription runs out the first night's sleep can be restless.  We'll see how tonight goes.  So why the pills?  I had been super busy in February and never really caught up on my sleep.  My therapist, primary doctor, and I figured a short supply of sleeping pills should get me the rest I need such that I can get back to my regular routine.  The pills didn't work as well as I expected.  I was still sleeping less than 6 hours, but the sleep I got was really good.  Like I said, I'll see how tonight goes.  Perhaps I'll get a better night's sleep.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Spent Some Time Reviewing Past Entries Again

I spent more time on the Observations this evening.  Yesterday I spent more time on my Essays and Event Log.  I didn't spend as much time as I did yesterday, but it still helped to review a bunch of previous entries.  I came across a couple of entries related to social events, which were kind of appropriate as I went to just such an event this past Friday evening.  Looking at my entries, I realized that I could have prepared a bit better for the event on Friday.  Live and learn.  I could kick myself with Should Statement, but I won't.  I'll continue to make the time to review my existing entries.  I've been somewhat stressed these past couple of months and haven't made as much use of Mood Sentry that I could have, and I can rectify that.  It really does help me to make the time to review the multiple years worth of thoughts I've journaled.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Spent Time Reviewing My Entries

I do this every now and then.  I find it helps.  In some ways I can see how I have progressed and in some I can see some common threads in my challenges.  I've been recording my thoughts for a couple of years and have a lot to review.  I'll spend some more time reviewing my entries tomorrow.

Had an OK Day

I'm still having a tough time at work.  I'm making good use of Mood Sentry in the morning, which is helping me start my day on good footing.  To be honest, I'm not making good use of the app later in the day.  I just feel too busy and don't think about using the app later in the day.  I'll see how things go tomorrow.  Sometimes when I get like this, just posting about it motivates me to use the app throughout the day. 

Thinking of Stopping this Blog

I'm thinking of stopping this blog.  I don't think I ever really figured out how to make the best use of this, and have only had a couple of responses in the past couple of years.  I will probably cut the link from the next app update.  I hope this doesn't impact any of you.  I'll continue posting for the time being.  I'll keep the Contact Us options in the app so you can get help if needed.  The hints will need to suffice for new users.  If you have suggestions to improve the hints, feel free to let me know.  You may be helping future users.  Thanks.

Tough Getting Motivated Today

I'm not sure why.  It was another day in which I know I accomplished some things, but don't feel like I accomplished much.  I started the day off reviewing My Experiences, which helped.  But for some reason I just had a tough time this morning getting motivated.  At lunch I reviewed the few Cost Benefit entries I have, which also helped and made the afternoon feel a bit more productive than the morning.  Looking back on my day I'd say it wasn't my most productive day, but it probably wasn't my worst either.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.  I'll review some entries this evening and set some goals for tomorrow and try this again.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

I Had this Nagging Feeling Today...

That I wasn't getting anything done.  Intellectually, I know that I did get things done.  I just checked my Daily Goals tool and see that I hit just about everything I had listed.  There was one item that I did not get to, but it was overcome by a couple of other things I did that I didn't think of when I made the list that were more important.  So why the feeling that I didn't get things done?  I've been in a fairly deep funk for the past couple of months, which you might have ascertained from some of my posts.  The little things the app does, helping me reflect on my own experiences, reminding me to take action, setting goals, etc, help me get through days like this, but are not curing my condition.  I've dealt with depression since I was a kid, but I'm not letting it rule my life.  Sometimes it's a struggle for me, and this is one of those times.  I guess I just want to make it clear that Mood Sentry has not cured my condition, but it does help me get through days like this and accomplish things.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

How Did Things Go Today?

They went pretty well for me.  I accomplished everything that I wanted to accomplish and had some fun along the way.  I ran into a work friend this morning and had a pretty good discussion with her.  I kayaked, and even worked on the next version of the app.  Note that the update is a ways away as I'm still trying to figure out what I want to include in this release.  I didn't have any issues with my thoughts today, which is typical for a Saturday.  So, I'll lightly plan some activities for Sunday and see how tomorrow goes.  I'll set a few easy goals in the Daily Goals tool and call it a night.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Not Much to Report Today

Getting more sleep these days, but not as much as I'd like.  That helps, and actually helps me make better use of Mood Sentry simply due to feeling a bit better when I start the day.  Today was fairly uneventful at work, no major meetings.  I had things pop up and tended to forecast conflict and doom which delayed my responses but didn't stop me from responding.  Looking back, I think I delayed more than I should have, or better yet, it might have been better had I not delayed as much.  In the end I did get everything done that I needed to get done.  I used Mood Sentry in the morning and again at lunch, but not this evening.  I'll review some entries before I go to bed and set a couple of goals for tomorrow.  I think I have better weekends when I set a couple of goals, just to help me feel like I got something done.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had a Better Day Today

I basically followed my own instructions and reviewed My Experiences at the start of the day.  I think the main thing that helped was that I got one of the better night's sleep I've had in the past couple of months last night.  That started me off a little more motivated to make to time to manage my depression at the start of the day.  That seems odd to me, in that the days that I need to really work my condition the most are the toughest to motivate myself to do so.  Anyway, I'm glad I made the time to review My Experiences in the morning, and also review some entries at lunch time.  Regarding the tool I was working on the other day for analyzing my thoughts related to interactions.  I haven't done much with it since.  I think I'll pick it up on the weekend and see if I can develop the concept a little bit more.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Using My Experiences

Just reviewing My Experiences can really help me tackle a degraded mood.  The reason I bring this up is sometimes I'm pretty busy at work and just don't feel I have much time to engage the app.  I can often find enough time to read through My Experiences, and just doing that can really help improve a degraded mood.  I know my reminders suggest reviewing My Experiences and reviewing entries in some of the other tools, however if you're pushed for time, you might find that simply reviewing My Experiences (tailored to yourself) is good enough to help.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Did Something Different Today

I worked on my issue with interactions today.  I created a multi column technique with headings like who, when, topic, thoughts, and preparation.  I was filling it in at lunch time and think it was helping me get a better feel for the thoughts that drive my mood in regard to interactions.  I didn't fill in the whole table today and will pick it up again later this week.  I think it's going to help me with this issue.  I don't think this tool will make it in the app because Mood Sentry is designed for a phone, and this tool is just not designed for the small format of the phone.  However, if it works well for me, perhaps there's a way to make it work on the phone.  We'll see.

Mental Filter

I was reviewing My Experiences this evening and had a realization regarding Mental Filtering.  In the example, which is from my own experience, I state that this distortion usually involves an event or result.  This evening I realized it can involve an aspect of my job or life that can trigger this distortion.  The specific aspect involves interacting with others, which can drive anxiety and depression.  Once I start thinking about interactions I can find myself focusing on all the negative aspects of my job.  I have some observations and essays related to interactions and I'll see if any of those can help with these thoughts.  I've been reviewing my experiences for years, but every now and then something new can pop up and help me better understand what drives my mood.

Had an OK Day

I made some progress on the next version of the app.  I think I would have done more had I set some goals, but it's Sunday and I wanted to take a break and just let the day flow.  I did the important things, such as calling family and make some progress on the next update.  I learned something too regarding the iOS version and 32 vs. 64 bit functionality, that I may need to address.  Finding something like that often creates anxiety and the thought that there will always something that I have to fix before the next release.  However, I'm getting better at realizing that those thoughts are exaggerations and can be challenged.  Regarding that 32 vs. 64 bit statement, you'll notice that I said it "may" need to be addressed.  The first thought was that I have to address it.  I challenged that thought and realized that I didn't have to.  Good stuff.  I'm taking tomorrow off, so I'll have a bit more time to work on the next update (which won't be out for a few weeks).

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Haven't Been Getting My Sleep for the Past Couple of Months

I've had some challenges over the past couple of months, and one impact has been a lack of sleep.  That's part of the reason I've been so stressed at work.  I don't think there's a lot that Mood Sentry can do in that situation because it's mostly a physical thing.  I'm sure Mood Sentry helped me keep my thoughts somewhat in order, but it certainly didn't help me get my sleep.  I had only been getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night, for a  couple of months.  After speaking with my therapist last Monday, I ended up seeing my Primary Care Physician on Thursday and getting some sleep aids.  We were thinking that if I could get some decent sleep, that might help with the more severe depression I've been battling over the past month or so.  So far, I still haven't gotten more than 6 hours of sleep, but I feel a lot better.  My head isn't a groggy throughout the day, and I feel like doing things, such as reading and working on the next version of Mood Sentry.  Sometimes, you gotta fix the problem before you can really do anything else.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Talk to Your Therapist

If you've read the hints, you may have noticed that I often suggest that if you don't know where to begin, talk to your therapist.  That's kind of a dangerous suggestion, because I have no reason to assume that your therapist will know what to do.  The tools I have are fairly straight forward for people in cognitive behavioral therapy, which made me think that you and your therapist will be able to figure out how/if the tool will work for you.  I guess I'm just curious as to whether anyone has reviewed this tool with his/her therapist and how that review went.  Was your therapist able to help you?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

The Event Prep Tool

This tool is one of the newer ones I added to Mood Sentry.  I added it for myself, to help me prepare for upcoming events.  I guess that's kind of obvious.  I've used it a few times and think it's helped get my mind prepared for what are typically group events.  Sometimes I have a tough time in group settings and a little preparation can really help.  I typically use it per the instructions, filling in the top and middle text boxes before the event and the bottom text box after the event.  I'm not sure what this tool's main benefit for me will be in the long run, but it may simply be that I always survive these events and have developed a couple of coping strategies that really help.  How about you?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Do You Find the References Helpful?

I put the references in Mood Sentry because I thought having references built into the app would be helpful.  I chose articles that were freely available.  Two relate to the concept of Cognitive Distortions and the other to the concept of Resilience.  I like all three and have found them useful when using the app in a remote location, such as a coffee shop.  How about you?  If you have a handy, on-line resource you'd like me to consider including in Mood Sentry, send me the link an I'll check it out.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Having a Tough Time these Days

I've been having a tough time over the past few weeks, mostly caused by stress related to work.  I've been using Mood Sentry to challenge my thoughts which are mostly related to my anxieties associated with contacting other people as well as overgeneralizations related to getting stuck in the same job for the next decade, which helps a little but still leaves plenty of stress and anxiety in me.  One symptom is a lack of sleep, which really doesn't help with situations like this.  I discussed this with my therapist today, who helped me explore some of my thoughts and start thinking about what else I can do.  One thing I'll do if I don't sleep well tonight is talk to my primary care physician about my current challenges.  Perhaps a sleep aid might be in order.  Another thing I'll do is start working on a career change.  I may be able to orchestrate such a change with my current employer, but I also might take a leap and go back to school for a more substantial career change.  I have to figure this one out.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Set Some Goals for Sunday

As suggested yesterday, I set some goals for today which helped me focus a bit today.  Note that I didn't get to everything on my list, but that's OK.  I came up with other, more important items to address and got those done instead.  I made time to review My Experiences this morning, which helped quell some thoughts related to all or nothing thinking and should statements.  Tonight I prepared for tomorrow by thinking about my day and setting some goals.  We'll see how tomorrow unfolds.

Weekends

On weekends I find that I'm a little inconsistent using Mood Sentry, at least when I have weekends that are fairly free of my regular work.  This is one such weekend.  I have stuff I want/need to do, but tracking it with the Daily Goals tool hasn't entered my mind.  I'm not sure why, because looking back on today (Saturday) I see that I got a lot of stuff done, but there were some things I would have really liked to address that I did not get to.  These things were related to Mood Sentry and whether or not I'll create an ad supported version.  I'm thinking about doing that, but need to figure out how it will look to the user.  I'll use my Daily Goals tool to capture this goal for tomorrow.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Using the Task Timer

I have to admit that I haven't used the Task Timer that much.  I think I only have one custom entry in that tool.  When I created it, I had this vision that I would use it for multiple things I do on a regular basis to create a log of how long these things really take.  However, in practice rarely ever think of using this tool when I'm feeling lethargic or when I'm feeling overwhelmed.  I think it is my most complex tool.  Have you tried it?  How does it work for you?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Using the Daily Goals

When I first created the Daily Goals tool, the idea was that each line of the Accomplish list would contain one item to accomplish.  I figured that as you completed items, you could replace what you had listed with another item as appropriate.  However, that just didn't work that well for me.  Rather than adding more lines and updating the database, I realized that I can have multiple items on each line.  I tend to group similar items on a line as a convention.  It works for me because I don't usually need a lot of detail for each item.  Typically, just the item name is sufficient for me to know what I have to do.  Do you use the Daily Goals tool in this way?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Been Dealing with a Lot of Forecasting at Work

I have a project that was neglected due to another commitment recently, and I'm now realizing that the project may be a little off track.  This is feeding forecasts of conflict when reporting the project's status and herculean efforts to get the project back on track.  That last forecast seems to have some of my typical all-or-nothing bias.  These forecasts and drive procrastination.  Fortunately, I have some entries related to these thoughts.  One of the main things I can do is reflect on recent experiences which really do not support the forecasts in terms of conflict or effort to get something done.  I got some things done today, and I'll see what I can do tomorrow.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Getting Ready for Monday

I have some anxiety about tomorrow, a bit more than typical due to some comments made about a project of mine.  As I reported a couple of weeks ago, I was engulfed in a task that consumed much of my work and even home time.  As a result, one of my projects didn't get the amount of attention it really needed from me.  Some people noticed and commented to my boss about it.  The result was a weekend with periods of jumping to conclusions regarding the commenter's intentions.  For the most part, I was able to counter those conclusions by recognizing that I really don't know what the commenters were thinking, if they think I'm doing a bad job or simply concerned that the project appears a little off course.  I know I now have plenty of time to direct to the project and can make any necessary corrections, which is a good thing.  I have a little anxiety about tomorrow due to my uncertainty about their motives, but I think I can contact these people and give them a heads up in regards to where I'm taking the project.  Action often helps me deal with anxiety.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

The Task Timer

I added the Task Timer tool a couple of updates ago and must confess that I've only used it a couple of times.  I had this idea that I would use it for several things I do on a weekly basis, but to be candid, I just don't think of using it that often.  When I forecast that an activity is going to take an inordinate amount of time to complete, I usually address the thought through past experiences and task breakdown (looking at individual pieces that I can better estimate in regards to duration).  The reason I use those methods is because my symptom is a reluctance to start the task, something that using the timer really doesn't help with.  I'm not going to remove the tool, and will consider using more often in the future.  I just felt like sharing that this is one of the tools that I don't use that often.  Any of you use it?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

The Prioritization Scheme

The Prioritization Scheme is the tool I have the most uncertainty about.  It just seems that there are so many considerations when prioritizing things that one really can't capture them succinctly.  The scheme uses safety first, and then time.  That's it.  The odd thing is that every time I've felt overwhelmed and needed to prioritize my activities, the scheme worked pretty well.  I think this makes sense because I created it and thus of course it should work for me.  So, I'm curious as to if you've needed it and if so, how did it work for you?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Kind of a Regular Day

I checked in with Mood Sentry in the morning and again at lunch.  I had some challenges in the afternoon when a computer upgrade posed some challenges with respect to restoring my e-mail.  Looking back on the event I can see some distortions in regards to thinking that I wouldn't get the issue fixed today (it's mostly fixed, there are still a couple of open items to resolve), that I'll need to stay at work late to fix these issues (I did not), and that stuff like this always happens (it doesn't).  I did an OK job of handling these and the associated thoughts at the time, but feel I could have done better.  It feels like these thoughts ran away a bit before I got hold of them and reined them in.  I think reflecting back and envisioning myself doing better next time is a good thing to do before turning in for the night.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Spent Some Time on the Journaling Tools

I spent some time this evening working with the journaling tools.  I was reviewing some existing entries and started a new one related to contacting people I haven't spoken to in a while.  This is a big issue with me and I think some self reflection might help.  It usually takes a week or two for me to figure out how to capture my thoughts in a succinct and coherent manner.  I'll see how it develops.  Other than that, reviewing previous entries is a good thing to do at the end of the day.  I have so many entries at this time that I'm often mildly surprised by how appropriate some of them are for whatever is on my mind.  I guess I can forget what I wrote after a while.

The Differences in the Tools

A couple of updates ago I split the Tools into two types of tools, what I call Journaling tools and also what I call Thriving tools.  In reality, both sets of tools are Journaling tools and both are Thriving tools, so why the division?  One set of tools look backward, to observations and events that happened in the past.  That's the group I refer to as Journaling tools because their purpose is to capture or journal what has been going on with my (your) life and thoughts.  The other set of tools is forward looking and focused on capturing how we want to be or how we want things to go.  Those I call Thriving tools because their purpose if to help me (or you) live better in the future.  The main reason I split the tools was because I felt that having all the tools in one scrolling list would be a bit much on a cell phone, so I split them in two for convenience.  I hope the separation makes sense to you.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Going to Start on the Next Update

I'm going to work on an ad supported version, just for kicks.  As long as I'm working on an update, let me know if you'd like any features added or enhanced.  I'm thinking about making a version optimized for tablets that will use a lot of the same code as the phone version.  I'm not sure how that will work, but that's one of those things on my mind.  That would be something I work on later this year.  Other than that, I mention a lot in the hints that you should work with your therapist if you don't know where to begin.  Has anyone done that? If so, how did it go?  Have your therapist drop me line and give me some feedback if you think that will help.  See below for the contact information.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had an OK Day

Used Mood Sentry in the morning, but without all that pressure from work, I really didn't have that many distorted thoughts to deal with today.  Sorry I don't have more to report, but I'm just kind of worn out from the events of the past few weeks.  How about you?  Do you have any feedback on the app for me?  I've only had one suggestion to date, which was for the ability to e-mail different items.  I added that feature about a year ago and have used it myself to e-mail things I'd like to put on the web.  Any other features you would like to see?   Drop me a line.  I'll keep your identity confidential.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Got Through the Week

We delivered our product this evening.  That was later than planned, but it was still on time.  I did pretty good managing my thoughts.  I think being very busy helps because my mind get very occupied with what needs to get done.  During the late afternoon I found myself waiting for some data, so I took the time to review My Experiences and thought about what thoughts were running through my head at that time.  I had all or nothing thoughts running through my head, and had some magnification going on too.  I caught those and did pretty well countering them.  I think that's what I like best about having this tool on my phone, which is the ability to access the app pretty much wherever I am.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Today was OK

Today was OK from a Mood Management point of view.  We're still in the hectic phase at work, and there are plenty of opportunities for distortions.  One thing I noticed is that it's not uncommon for my thoughts to get the better of my mood at first, when something unexpected happens, but I'm getting better at challenging those thoughts and getting them under control.  For example, this evening I realized that one of the places I need to enter data to submit my project has a lot of detail I'm not sure I can get.  I've never gotten those data.  The first thoughts were that the whole thing is ruined, and I should have checked on this data entry earlier.  These thoughts really cranked up my fear and anxiety.  However, I was able to get them under control, in part by recognizing that I really don't know how bad it is, and won't know until tomorrow.  I thought about what I'll do tomorrow, and how I'll figure out how bad it is or if it's bad at all.  Recognizing the possibility that things can go well helped a bit.  I'm more relaxed now and think I'll be able to sleep tonight and start the day fresh and ready to tackle this issue.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Ended the Day with a Potential Challenge

My day ended with a potential budget issue on the project I'm working on.  This started forecasts and should statements and even magnifications.  The thing is, it's only a potential issue at this time.  I really won't know the impact until tomorrow morning.  It's funny, but I think I'm handling this better today than I would have a year or so ago.  I feel stressed, but I'm not ruminating as much a I used to.  Tonight I reviewed My Experiences and was able to catch some of these thoughts and deal with them.  That's a good thing for me.  I'm getting better at recognizing distortions in "real time," which I believe is partly due from my frequent use of Mood Sentry to monitor what I think and how I can address those thoughts that need addressing.  Two more days to go, and this crunch will be over.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

I Keep Working the App

I started the day working Mood Sentry, thinking about my upcoming interactions while reviewing My Experiences, and checking some of my other entries.  It really helped me prep for my day.  That's about all I have to say tonight.  It's been a tough day, looking forward to Friday.

Another Hectic Day

My days are pretty hectic right now due to a major deadline this Friday.  There are a lot of things to get done and I found myself reviewing Mood Sentry for a longer period of time this evening than I typically do.  I spent about a half hour tonight reviewing multiple entries that I've made over the past couple of years.  Doing that helped me reduce my stress.  I'm trying to think how I want to capture what's currently going on and what things I'm doing that help, but it's tough for me.  I"m not sure why, but sometimes the words that describe what I'm thinking just don't come to mind.  I'm going to start an Observation and see if I can grab just a couple of words to get the entry started.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Did OK Today

I made sure I took the time to use Mood Sentry this morning, set some goals, and made sure I took some time for myself before going in to work.  Looking back on my goals, it seems I hit just about all of them.  I did pretty good managing my mood too.  I didn't have too many distortions.  In fact, I found myself forecasting a potential interaction that went well, rather than blowing up into an argument.  For some reason I thought it was pretty good that I caught myself with that positive/neutral forecast.  The impact on my mood was neutral which is something I'll take anytime.  I'll get ready for tomorrow.  We're in crunch time.  My current task ends on Friday, win, lose, or draw.  I'm thinking things will be hectic this week, but I'll be able to manage.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Busy, Stressful Day

All I can really do these days is make the time to use Mood Sentry and do my best to keep my thoughts in check.  I'm using it as designed, and all I can say is I believe it's helping.  Of course, that makes sense because I designed it for myself.  As I get through this week, I'll probably have better posts.  I'm just kind of tired right now.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Another Rough Day

I stated previously that I'm going through a hectic time at work these days.  Using Mood Sentry I'm sure is helping me manage my thoughts, but it's a constant struggle.  I have to push myself to use it in the morning rather than get right to work when I get to the office.  One thing I did the other day was review Mood Sentry in my car before going into the office.  It gave me a sense of privacy.  Sometimes I feel a little self conscious using Mood Sentry at my desk because I believe to others it looks like I'm playing with my phone.  I guess that's a form a mind reading, huh?  I have so many things coming at me these days that I'm sure the app is helping me prepare and manage my reactions to these challenges.  I've got about a week to go and then it's over.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Been Very Challenged Recently

Things are hectic at work and my thoughts are running a little rampant.  I made time to use Mood Sentry both in the morning and at lunch time.  At lunch, I looked back on my morning and took a moment to reflect on what was good about my morning.  That helped get me recognize what type of thoughts were manifesting, which were mostly forecasts fed by all or nothing thinking.  I spent some time developing counter thoughts and preparing for the meeting I knew were scheduled for the afternoon.  Doing stuff like this helps me get through days like these.  Another thing that helps is knowing the deadline is fast approaching, and after that things will get back to typical.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

An OK Day

I really have nothing to report today.  I used Mood Sentry in the morning, checked my goals, and had a very busy day filled with meetings and work.  There really wasn't much time to forecast, I was just too busy.  I was able to reduce my workload by focusing on " good enough," which I also think helped.  At the end of the day I realized I had gotten a lot done, and just about all the stuff I wanted to get done.  This is probably a data point I should remember.

Had a Better Day

I lucked out a bit due to the holiday, which resulted in a lessened workload.  That helped, as did the preparation I did last night and again during my workout at the gym.  The workout itself helps just because it's physical and gets me moving.  I also took the time to address those thoughts that were driving my mood and recognized a lot of forecasting.  Tonight, I prepared for tomorrow and sketched out how I want my morning to proceed.  I'm not worried that things might not go as planned, because for me, just having gone through a notional plan helps me feel more comfortable and respond when things go off course.  I'll make the time to review Mood Sentry in the morning and see how things go tomorrow.  I'm going to forecast a hectic but manageable day.  We'll see.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Struggled Today

I had this feeling of being overwhelmed by the things I needed to get done today.  I reviewed My Experiences, and thought it had to do with all or nothing thinking related to believing I have to complete everything on my to do list.  I think there were some other thoughts related to asking for help and forecasting what other's would think about that.  There was actually some relevant guidance for me in the Magnification - Minimization entry, in that people don't hold asking for help against the requestor.  I also followed my advice regarding emotional reasoning and got out of the house to be active this morning.  I had these thoughts that I "should" have gone into work this morning, but I also had a thought that I was letting my job run my life.  There actually is plenty of time to get done what I need to get done, I think.  Today I had to keep on top of my thoughts with more rigor than typical, and I think the rest of this week will be the same.  I'll set some goals for tomorrow and see if I can stay on top of my thoughts.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Took it Easy Today

I took a hike this morning and planned to go to work in the afternoon and develop some tasks for a project we'll propose.  Part of my reason for wanting to work today is due to the amount of stuff on my plate and a feeling of anxiousness regarding my day job (app programming is my night job).  However, the more I thought about what I needed to do, the more I realized I didn't have to do it all today.  The end result was that I took it easy today.  I used Mood Sentry to set some goals, one of which I set to "relax."  I spent some time on a work task, but didn't finish it.  I realized that it was a bigger task than anticipated.  That's fine.  I think I need an easy day more than I need to hammer away at work.  Right now, I'm a bit more relaxed than I have been over the past few weeks, and I'm going to see if I can enjoy this.  I never thought of setting a goal to relax before, I'll have to keep this in mind.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Made Good Use of Mood Sentry This Evening

I had another rough day, lots of stress going on at work due to high workload and pressing deadlines. I didn't make the time to get away from my desk today because I just couldn't find the opportunity.  However, while strolling with my wife after dinner we stopped by a coffee house for a couple of decafs, and at that time I pulled out my phone and reviewed My Experiences with my dat in mind.  Doing that helped me decompress a bit, which is a good thing.  I was able to recognize how All or Nothing thinking was influencing my mood to a great extent and identified some mitigation thoughts, I also noted how a Mental Filter was being applied which made me stop for a second and reflect back on the things that have been completed on this hectic project.  Sometimes I get so focused on what has not been completed that I forget all the things that have been completed.  I also noted a couple of other distortions that occurred.  My point is that even on those days that I don't make the time to use Mood Sentry during the day, picking it up at night can still help me battle the thoughts that seem to taint my mood.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Been Going Soft on this Blog this Week

I'm in one of those very hectic times at work and thus taking it easy on the blog this week.  By easy, I mean that I'm covering basic usage of Mood Sentry.  I covered how I created the app and where one might begin using the app, then I covered the color scheme because I like to remind people why the colors are the way they are.  Today I'll talk a bit about the Daily Goals.  I only have three lines for what to accomplish.  I've debated adding a couple of more but have yet to do that.  I realized a couple of years ago that I can enter multiple items on one line.  Because I can do that, I figured I really don't need to add more lines.  Typically I will have up to three items on each line.  Another thing I can do is delete items on a to do line as they are accomplished or during the mid-day review.  Because I can enter multiple items on a line and edit the line during the day, I figured I would leave the to do list at three lines.  Does that work for you?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Color Scheme

Why the dark background?  Because when I created Mood Sentry I knew that I would spend a lot of time composing essays and other types of entries.  I was concerned about battery life, so I decided set the background color to black to save battery life.  Why the fade from blue to yellow?  It's kind of hokey, but think of it as blue to sunny.  Note that when a text field is editable the color gradient reverses, going from yellow to blue.  Did you notice that effect?

Using the Hints

I'm pretty busy at work this week, so I'm taking it easy with the blog to lighten my load.  Today I'll write a bit about the hints.  There are hints on both the Android and iPhone versions of Mood Sentry. I added the hints because I thought it would be useful for people not used to using apps, and this one in particular.  On the Android version, you can access the hints from the menu key.  The iPhone has them at the bottom of the screen.  I've tailored the hints to each tool, though the tailoring on some of the tools is kind of light.  What I mean by that is that for the tools that let you add an entry, delete and entry, edit and even change the title, the hints are essentially the same.  That's because there are only a few functions I use for all those tools, with customized text and database tables for each.  Make sure you check out the hints on each page to get a better feel for how to use Mood Sentry.  Let me know if you have suggestions.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Have You Tried the Reminders?

Yesterday I posted about using My Experiences and the Reminders, but I spent a bit more of the entry on My Experiences.  So, let's talk a bit about the Reminders.  As I mentioned yesterday, I used to have a sheet pop up in the morning with some thoughts about how distortions typically manifest during my day and how I could counter those thoughts.  My Morning reminder essentially tells me to review My Experiences with my day in mind, and tells me a couple of other things to do too.  That effectively replaces the sheet I used to have pop up on my computer.  I also used my computer to set a mid-day reminder that simply asked "What has gone well today?"  The idea behind that was to get myself to stop and reflect on the things that are going well.  My Mid-Day reminder is essentially that, though it too has a couple of other things thrown in.  The evening reminder was new to Mood Sentry.  I didn't really have anything pop up on my home computer because it was often off later in the evening.  All three reminders are meant to be tailored to the user.  I have no idea if you need to prompt yourself to action, and if so, what form that prompt may take.  Like My Experiences, there are hints to help, and of course I always recommend discussing this with your therapist.  Good luck.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Where to Start?

New to Mood Sentry and wondering where to start?  For me, I started with the My Experiences function and the Reminders.  I created both from a write up I created for myself and programmed (via Microsoft Outlook) to pop up on my computer when I started my mail service.  When I ported that function to the phone, I decided to split it into two functions, and then split each into multiple drop down menu items.  Doing that captured the gist of the original write up and worked better with the small format of the phone.  Regarding My Experiences, it's meant to be overwritten with your own experiences.  Yours are probably different than mine.  If you check out the hints, they just might help a bit.  Note that the hints usually tell you at some point to work with your therapist.  I don't say why, such as to better understand the specifics of each distortion or to help you capture in a succinct manner the text for the manifestation and mitigation for a specific distortion.  It's your app and your challenge.  Good luck.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Did Better Today

Used the app this morning and it helped get my day to a good start.  I didn't have any serious mood issues even though I had to go into work.  There were challenges at work because things didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked, but I handled them pretty well.  I believe reviewing My Experiences helps set me on the proper footing and helps be deal with stuff that's the fodder for distorted thoughts.  Today's challenges were the kind that can lead to Overgeneralizations and All or Nothing thinking.  I think there may have even been some Should statements lurking, but the thing is nothing set me off on a serious mood swing.  I have to work tomorrow too, but I'll make sure I make some time for me in the morning as well as make the time for the app.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Did Not Make the Time for Mood Sentry Today

Work was busy from the get-go this morning, and I just didn't make the time to use Mood Sentry today.  This is a rarity for me, primarily because I created the app to help myself.  I did pretty well in any event and I believe that is partly due to the frequency with which I use Mood Sentry.  I use it often enough that if I miss a day I'm still OK in regards to managing my thoughts.  I have to work tomorrow (Saturday), because I'm getting into one of those hectic periods in my work life, so I'll try to make use of the Prioritization scheme.  That tool often helps when confronted with a multitude of tasks and feeling overwhelmed.  We'll see.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had a Better Day Today

I made the time to review Mood Sentry early in the morning today.  Not the first thing in the morning, but early.  I found the time between a couple of tasks to go to my car and use the app.  What I did was review My Experiences, keeping my day in mind, then I reviewed a couple of Cost Benefit analyses (I don't have that many) and a couple of observations.  That helped even my keel I believe helped me through a fairly challenging day.  Sometimes I get so busy in the morning that I put off using the app.  The reminders help to prompt me to take action, but for some reason there are still those days that I put off using it.  I'm glad I made the time this morning.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Spent Some Time Reviewing Essays

I have a bunch of essays I've recorded over the past couple of years.  I've deleted some, I've rewritten some, I've left some unfinished or in a draft state.  Still, I like the take the time every now and then and just read a bunch of them.  I'll often find things related to my current challenges.  This week it's a lot of forecasting.  One of the advantages of having all this data on my phone is the access I have to my thought records where ever I go.  It helps to review what I've written to myself.  I must have review a half dozen entries or so that relate to my current challenges, most of them essays but a few were observations.  It made me feel a little better and I think helped me better prepare for tomorrow.  If you've been building up a library, take the time to reflect back on what you've written for yourself.  See what it does for you.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

A Day Full of Forecasting

I just had this day that seemed full of forecasting.  I had multiple interactions pending that I needed to address but for each I was forecasting confrontations, quagmires, or getting myself into something that I couldn't get myself out of.  NONE of these came true.  In fact, things either worked out well or were neutral.  I have entries related to this phenomenon but I neglected to review them earlier today.  Maybe it would have helped me deal with these thoughts/feelings, maybe not.  I did make the time to review these entries this evening which is now helping reduce my stress a bit.  One trick I've documented in my app for myself and something that I made use of today is that when something is bothering me, facing into it quickly is better than procrastinating and letting it fester.  I did that on a couple of things that were bothering me and I felt better when I did, until I remembered the next item I had to deal with and the forecasts started again.  I'll keep working it.  I don't need to be perfect.  I'll catch what I can and mitigate what I can.  That's good enough for now.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Super Bowl Stuff

The Super Bowl is just a game.  I know that, and figure you do too.  However, I found myself feeling really bad during the game and tracked it down to some should statements.  Before the game, I was talking to my dad and stated that I thought Denver was going to win.  If you saw the game, you know I was way off on that prediction.  I tracked the thought down to something like I shouldn't have said Denver would win or I should have known that Denver wouldn't win.  I captured this in an Event record after the game.  I challenged both thoughts.  Why shouldn't I have said that?  It's what I thought at the time.  Why should I have known differently?  I haven't been following football that closely this year, I didn't follow the sports commentary regarding the game, and I didn't read the sports columns either.  I see should statements here, but also a tinge of perfectionism.  This detracted from the game for me, but challenging these thoughts with counter thoughts has helped me feel a bit better.  I'll work on this entry a bit and see how it develops.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had an OK Day

I didn't use Mood Sentry until this evening today, and looking back on my day I probably could have used it earlier.  I had one of those days in which it feels difficult to get motivated yet I get things done anyway.  I'm not sure that makes sense to anyone but me.  It wasn't that I procrastinated the day away, because I completed some important things, it's just that I feel that I procrastinated more than I should have.  Hmmm.  There's a should statement.  Part of my lethargy was just a need to relax after stressing out this past week due to the issues with the website, MoodSentry.com.  Now that the issue has been resolved, I guess I just needed some time to relax.  Rather than thinking I should have procrastinated less, perhaps it would have been better had I planned a little more free time in my day. Why beat myself up for taking it easy after a rough week?  I'll think about that and reflect back on my week and accomplishments today.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Got the Website Back Up

I'm one of those people who has a tough time when things don't go as I'd like.  When I started having issues with the website, www.moodsenty.com, I became very focused on that problem.  I had a tough time figuring out how to fix the problem and really couldn't think about anything else.  Sure there were cognitive distortions, such as this shouldn't have happened, this is the worst thing that can happen, or even that this makes me look unprofessional.  Should statements, magnifications, and mind reading as well as a label.  I could handle the thoughts OK, but I really had a tough time putting the issue down.  The worst part of the problem was that some fixes required an hour or more to correct, which meant all I could do was wait.  It's fixed now, in part due to the efforts of the GoDaddy team and a Google support person named Paul, who even though the problem wasn't on his end still contacted me every day with advice on what to ask the GoDaddy team when trying to fix this issue.  Having a support team like that I think helped me handle my thoughts better.  This is something I should probably record in Mood Sentry.  Think it'll be an Event?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Building Up a Library of Entries

After using Mood Sentry for a couple of years, I found that I now have a library of entries in all the tools I use.  The best part is that when I review what I wrote I often find a couple of entries that relate to whatever issues I'm having at that time.  Tonight I found some entries related to forecasting and dealings with people, a couple of things that have been driving my moods over the past several weeks.  When this happens, I often take the time to revise, update, and/or clarify what I had written previously.  Entries I make in the tools were never intended to be static, one off, writings.  If I had intended that then they wouldn't be re-editable.  I find that reviewing and revising is a good way for me to get a better understanding of what thoughts are really driving my mood.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

How is Mood Sentry Working For You?

I'm curious as to how Mood Sentry is working for you.  I developed it for myself, so it works fine for me.  I wish I could say that it cured my depression, but I can't.  All I can say is that it helps me manage my condition and I tend to use it daily.  Sometimes I get really busy at work and just don't make the time to use it, which is a shame because those times are often the times I need to use it most.  When I use it, I usually use it twice a day and sometimes 3 times a day.  I usually respond to the reminders and since I created them, I tend to follow what the example specifies.  I made the reminders and My Experiences entries customizable because I figured most users would not be like me and thus would need to create their own custom entries in those tools.  So, how's Mood Sentry working for you?  Have you made the effort to customize it to yourself?  Have you worked with your therapist to customize it?

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Reviewing my Custom Entries - Out Loud

I was just reviewing some of my custom entries and decided to read them out loud.  There's nobody else in the house tonight, so I figured I would try this.  I think it helped drive the point of each entry home.  There was something about hearing myself speak the words that had more of an impact than simply reading the words.  Maybe it was the engagement of another sense, hearing, that helped.  I think I'll try this again sometime, when I have the house to myself.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Had a Squishy Kind of Day

I have not idea why the word "squishy" came into my mind when thinking back on today, but it did.  I had some goals set for today, which is an especially good thing to do on a Monday.  However, little challenges kept popping up throughout my day.  These challenges would hamper my ability to keep my mood in check.  For example, I realized I am overspent on one of my projects, not just a little, but a lot.  I have a new opportunity to pursue, which is going to chew up a lot of my time this month and impede my ability to take vacation.  Also, this new opportunity requires a lot of interaction with people I don't really know and thus don't know how to behave around.  And finally, the new program that just started still doesn't have all its accounting charge lines open.  Each of these nudged me into anxiety/depression, a bit.  Together they made it very difficult to maintain a healthy mood.  So, what did I do?  I just kept working my program, challenging those thoughts I could as best I could.  Sometimes I would do OK, but mostly I found myself depressed and anxious.  I'm going to try getting a good night's sleep tonight.  It's been a while since I had such a sleep, but I think it will help. It usually does.  I'll set a couple of goals for tomorrow before I turn in.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Still Working on the Website

This is consuming my thoughts, and getting in the way of addressing other things I'd like to address in regards to Mood Sentry, such as the next updates to the system and completing the documentation of the previous set up updates.  I'm frustrated, driven partially by should statements, such as this shouldn't have happened and the support team should be doing a better job of helping me.  I think there is some labeling going on, the label being "unprofessional" because a professional would have this resolved by now.  However, I know that "stuff" happens and the real test is how I respond.  I think I've done pretty well responding to this crisis.  Some things take a little while to update over the internet, so when I 'make changes to how I re-direct the domain to the website it can take up to 48 hours to have an effect.  I think I made the final fixes late this morning, so perhaps I'll see changes tomorrow.  Regarding the should statements and labels, I'll work on those tonight.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

Having Trouble with the Mood Sentry Website

I'm having trouble with the Mood Sentry website.  I'm not sure what's going on and am battling distortions related to this (e.g. this will take all night to correct or I'll never get this fixed).  I can handle those thoughts fairly well, but it's a constant struggle.  I'll manage and perhaps will create a new Event Record to track this.  If you'd like to see our site, here's the long site name that still works...
https://sites.google.com/a/moodappsllc.com/mood-sentry1/

The www.moodsentry.com site really just points to this one and masks the name.

If you'd like to contribute one of your experiences, reminders, any tool entry or just your thoughts to possibly help others make better use of Mood Sentry, please consider e-mailing the item (or your thoughts) to 4theblog@moodappsllc.com. I'll protect your privacy and keep the source anonymous.

If your therapist would like to contact me with questions or suggestions, have him/her contact me at info@moodappsllc.com.

I'm Back

My trip went well.  I made time to use mood sentry on the day of my big presentation.  I think it helped.  I reviewed My Experiences and then took a stab at an Event Prep entry.  The former helped get my mind ready for the day, the latter didn't do much in this instance.  Why?  Because when I recorded how meetings like the one I was attending typically go, I realzed they tend to go well.  Maybe that is just another way the Event Prep tool can help.  By getting me to realize that things typically go well.  I'll have to think about that.