❀ Basil's Blog ❀

But, I know we'll wake up tomorrow and be happy that someone finally made the bed, and we're finally going to bed warm. I know that there'll be a little less anxiety going into the laundry room. We'll feel so relieved because someone remembered to put our pills in a spot where we can see them. I think of our younger alters being able to find their comfort items with ease, our frequent fronters being less overwhelmed... and it makes me happy that I can be the reason.

Will they thank me? No. Will they think about me when they open the drawer and notice it's all neat and they can finally wash their face and feel clean? Probably. It's fine even if they don't.

1. That bottle/wrapper that another headmate swore they'd throw away and didn't? Get that for them, especially if they're prone to feeling shame over forgetting. Let them forget that they ever forgot.

2. Make a to-do list with add many or as few tasks as you need to. Too many small tasks making it hard to start? Use fewer. Big tasks feeling too daunting? Make a bunch of mini tasks to keep motivated. I personally like the mini tasks because it feels like you're getting through it faster and overcoming the block way more easily.

3. Start a clothes pile when you see something out of place. Literally just... that sock? Put it on top of the shirt that's next to the door. When you pass by the beanie that needs washing, add that. You don't need to take it all as soon as you see it; just keep it in one place so laundry isn't such a daunting task.

4. Going off of the above, remove an entire step in the process, if you can and if it'll help. Gathering up dishes/laundry so whoever does those can grab them in one go (or even taking them yourself to remove two steps!), putting dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher instead of the sink, hanging all of the hangers in your closet so all someone has to do is bring the basket in and grab one- you get the point.

My system has a tendency to "recycle" the consciousnesses that no longer serve a defined purpose... so while it's true I wasn't always "Basil", I was always... me. This pocket of memories and functions just got a new coat of paint (identity). It all kind of fits into place, you know?

I feel like I like a lot of what we liked then, and dislike what we disliked. I have a lot of vivid memories of things like summer camp and school that blend in with my source memories very easily, to make up for the things my brain forgot about or dissociated from (such as going on camp trips and, instead of sitting next to my friend of the day, I'm next to Sunny... or instead of our past campmates, I'm playing dodgeball- and dodging for my life- against Kel and Aubrey... or Kel getting banned from the fire pit for obvious reasons... or the snapping turtles! I know Sunny loved them; he'd just stare into the water looking for them, and I- wait, okay, this isn't memories story time, I'm sorry!).

It's all really light and nostalgic. I don't have everything from back then, of course! I know others in my system have things that just don't fit with my "lore" (our brain loves very neat categories, so anything that doesn't really align with the experiences I most relate to don't get given to me; it creates a very linear, separated narrative where nothing can be out of place).

It's camping outside and thinking I was going to get eaten by wolves or bears or coyotes. It's the taste of inhalers, and the feeling of my lungs being frozen and coughing until the muscles around them finally relaxed enough to breathe again. It's my first panic and anxiety attacks. It's the fear of deep water and being punished by having to retrieve a bowling ball from nine feet of pool. It's feeling like I wasn't good enough for anyone. It's going to the hospital to see my dad when, you know... he's not dead or anything-! It's... being scared, and alone, and desperate.

My system has a tendency to "recycle" the consciousnesses that no longer serve a defined purpose... so while it's true I wasn't always "Basil", I was always... me. This pocket of memories and functions just got a new coat of paint (identity). It all kind of fits into place, you know?

I feel like I like a lot of what we liked then, and dislike what we disliked. I have a lot of vivid memories of things like summer camp and school that blend in with my source memories very easily, to make up for the things my brain forgot about or dissociated from (such as going on camp trips and, instead of sitting next to my friend of the day, I'm next to Sunny... or instead of our past campmates, I'm playing dodgeball- and dodging for my life- against Kel and Aubrey... or Kel getting banned from the fire pit for obvious reasons... or the snapping turtles! I know Sunny loved them; he'd just stare into the water looking for them, and I- wait, okay, this isn't memories story time, I'm sorry!).

It's all really light and nostalgic. I don't have everything from back then, of course! I know others in my system have things that just don't fit with my "lore" (our brain loves very neat categories, so anything that doesn't really align with the experiences I most relate to don't get given to me; it creates a very linear, separated narrative where nothing can be out of place).

My system has a tendency to "recycle" the consciousnesses that no longer serve a defined purpose... so while it's true I wasn't always "Basil", I was always... me. This pocket of memories and functions just got a new coat of paint (identity). It all kind of fits into place, you know?

I feel like I like a lot of what we liked then, and dislike what we disliked. I have a lot of vivid memories of things like summer camp and school that blend in with my source memories very easily, to make up for the things my brain forgot about or dissociated from (such as going on camp trips and, instead of sitting next to my friend of the day, I'm next to Sunny... or instead of our past campmates, I'm playing dodgeball- and dodging for my life- against Kel and Aubrey... or Kel getting banned from the fire pit for obvious reasons... or the snapping turtles! I know Sunny loved them; he'd just stare into the water looking for them, and I- wait, okay, this isn't memories story time, I'm sorry!).

It's all really light and nostalgic. I don't have everything from back then, of course! I know others in my system have things that just don't fit with my "lore" (our brain loves very neat categories, so anything that doesn't really align with the experiences I most relate to don't get given to me; it creates a very linear, separated narrative where nothing can be out of place).