10.c Tools for coping

I need to cope. Like, a lot. I guess that that's not really unique though; we all cope with various things. 11.a I am traumatized but so are you.

Anyhow; this is an ongoing project of mine as part of the "getting my life together" initiative. I'm tired of having to try and track down this or that, or forgetting about things, or trying to explain something to someone all the time. This was inspired by a story I made on instagram, before realizing that it was robust enough to warrant a place in the canopy proper. I'll paste the text from those stories here, but after that I will plan on adding some other things.

Hello! This is a wellness check from me to various people in my life.

I've been having a really tough time with things lately. Managing my bipolar and ADHD has been challenging and I'm not always doing a great job. When I'm in that place it's really hard for me to be communicative about it, so if you've hit me up and I haven't gotten back that's why. I'm sorry about that.

I've had a lot of folks check in on me and I appreciate it very much. I'll try to go through all my messages and stuff to get back to folks individually but it might take a while.

On the bright side, I've been developing some things to make my life more functional/easier, and you can tap to see what that looks like, plus a new project of mine I'm sending out into the world (at the end). A lot of it involves the way I use my iPhone, so if that's what you're into read on.

1. I got an app called Dumbify (It's like $3, one time, I hate subscriptions) that helps turn your phone screen into a simple launcher. It's great for reducing screen time. That's what this screenshot is. You can pick what you want it to say and launch from there.
2. There's another app called ScreenZen (it's free) and it helps create schedules for certain apps. I like it more than a time limit bc I can just ignore my limit every time and get habituated to not caring. I like that it also lets you customize what kind of stopping rule it gives you (gives you an alternative activity, or a reminder to breathe, etc.). Highly recommend.
3. I use an app called Clear (free) for lists and todos. It basically turns lists into a game, with challenges and stuff to keep you coming back to it. Simple and beautiful. Their sound design is also pretty good.
4. I got a matte screen protector for my phone. It doesn't seem like a lot, but holy moly does it really change how it feels. It's way less enticing, and feels better imo. This is the one I use but there are others.
5. I actually have a pretty extensive collection of shortcuts (little computer programs) and other tweaks that I've built and use on my iPhone to make my phone experience more balanced. Let me know if you want, I can share some of them. You already have the app on your phone, and they're also free. Here are some highlights:
   1. Triple click side button -> activate grayscale
   2. Disable "raise to wake" in settings (tap the screen to wake it up)
   3. Turn off notifications for 90% of apps
   4. More involved scripts (when I press a button -> turn on a focus mode, reduce transparency, reduce motion, increase contrast)

this is all part of a strategy to have my phone work for ME rather than the corporate interests that govern this digital hellscape. And finally:

I've started a digital garden! It's a collection of writings of mine. Unlike a blog, i go through and rewrite things over time the same way one tends a garden; nothing is ever "finished" and everything informs everything else. Each piece is interconnected in some way to the other. It's kind of janky right now, and I am still working on it, but it's live. Check it out: http://canopy.ajrn.net

it's something I'll be slowly adding to for (hopefully!) a long time, so I'd appreciate it if y’all could check it out, pass it along, etc.

Anyhow thanks for reading all that!
Love, Alex

Crossings