Mountain View
Crystal Jackson
One-Sided Relationships and How to Leave Them
For months of that relationship, I held my breath. At least, that’s what it felt like. I wasn’t just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was waiting for everything I’d ever wanted to come crashing down. I could see the pieces falling — even as he assured me that nothing was wrong, that something was wrong but it had nothing to do with our relationship, that something was wrong but it was him and not me.
Trauma Rewires Your Brain-- So Does Healing
I would have described myself as passionate.That’s how I characterized the way that I felt everything —from ecstatic joy to unholy rage.I didn’t feel anything by halves, andI was as quick to feel emotions as I was to react to them.
True Friendship Means Being Honest with Your Friend When You Don't Like Their Partner
“Are you sure you want to do this?” These aren’t words you want to hear while wearing a wedding dress and preparing to walk down the aisle in a room filled with friends and relatives. The timing wasn’t just spectacularly inappropriate. It was also too little, too late.
Every Fall, I Fall In Love
Autumn conjures many images for me. Falling leaves, bright trees, pumpkin patches, hayrides, bonfires, and s’mores. It’s scary movies and haunted houses, cozy evenings by candlelight, and wearing my favorite sweater when I curl up with a book. Balanced between the glaring heat of summer and the cool greys of winter, Fall feels like a slice of perfection.
I'm Researching Bulletproof Backpacks for Elementary School
Yesterday, my community was rocked by a school shooting in nearby Winder, Georgia. Two children and two teachers were killed at Apalachee High School by a 14-year-old shooter. Today, I dropped my kids off at their elementary school and went home to research bulletproof backpacks.
5 Self-Sabotaging Habits That Keep Us from Moving On and Healing
I’ve never been very good at moving on or letting go. There are reasons, of course. There are always reasons. But the truth is that the reasons don’t matter nearly as much as we think they do. We can intellectualize why it is we hold on so tight while ignoring the self-sabotaging behaviors that prevent us from healing and moving forward with our lives.
4 Surprising Things I’ve Learned from Working as a Delivery Driver
The last year has been incredibly challenging for me financially. It doesn’t help that writing platforms keep changing, leaving me unable to anticipate my earnings. I decided to become a DoorDash delivery driver to help supplement my income. I also signed up for Uber and Lyft to cover my bases. I live in a small town, and I know that there’s more demand for delivery than available drivers from my own experience of trying to have food delivered.
4 Steps to Making Real and Lasting Change
Do you feel powerless over some aspects of your life? It’s easy to believe that life happens to us and that our choices are limited, but we have more power than we ever imagined. Arguably, one of the most powerful choices we can make is to choose to make a fresh start.
5 Ways Past Trauma Poisons Healthy Relationships and How to Heal From It
We are all masters of self-sabotage — and most of us don’t even know it. Sometimes, I wish I had realized the impact of my childhood earlier. It would have made me a better partner in my healthiest relationship. But we don’t know what we know … until we do.
Triggers Serve a Healing Purpose
I think we might have taken trigger warnings too far. They were always about showing sensitivity and alerting people to the nature of sensitive material so that they could choose whether or not they wanted to be exposed to that. Makes sense, right?
Your Triggers Are Your Responsibility: Why Policing Content Doesn't Work
I have strongly mixed feelings about policing other people’s social media content. I certainly see the value of pointing out racist, misogynist, or other discriminatory content. It’s important to point this out when we see it, but lately, I’ve been seeing posts asking for compassion in our content based on other people’s triggers.
Signs Your Partner is Quietly Quitting Your Relationship
It’s interesting to consider that about half of the American workforce is currently quietly quitting their jobs according to a recent Gallup survey. Quiet quitting happens when dissatisfied workers start doing the minimum of their job requirements while they look for other jobs. They aren’t trying to climb the career ladder at a job they hate. They aren’t working harder for jobs that have few pay increases and even fewer benefits.
14 Ways to Supplement Your Income
If you’re not reeling from sticker shock, it’s possible that you haven’t been to the grocery store lately. It’s rare to visit the store without hearing someone comment on the rising prices or flinch when the total comes up on their purchase. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reports that 2 out of 3 Americans have had household expenses increase over the last year while only 1 in 4 have had their income increase alongside these rising costs, according to an article for CBS News. With this in mind, you might find yourself looking for extra ways to make some cash this year.
5 Easy Things You Can Grow to Be More Self-Sufficient
It doesn’t matter if you have a green thumb or not. There are plenty of things you can grow year-round indoors. Having an all-season garden can help you become more self-sufficient. Plus, it’s a great way to add healthy supplements to your diet.
Using Yoga to Cope with Chronic Pain
I have been waging a war with my body and mind. It sounds dramatic, but over the last few years, I’ve felt like I’m fighting the pain and mood changes that come with my chronic illness. I developed Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a cyclical disorder that comes with mood disruptions and chronic pain.
Get Paid to Save Lives: The Benefits of Becoming a Plasma Donor
There are many benefits to donating plasma. The most obvious benefit is that it pays. Eligible donors can make two donations each week, and most plasma clinics offer new donor and referral bonuses. It’s one of the many ways to make extra money during these challenging economic times. Plasma donations are also necessary and lifesaving for many medical issues. Additionally, your plasma donation can benefit your health.
[OPINION] 4 Reasons We Keep Returning to Dating Apps We Hate
I have to admit that I experienced a moment of temptation to create yet another dating profile. It’s insanity at its finest — repeating the same actions and yet expecting different results. I’m a rational, logical person. Why would I even be tempted to return to the flaming dumpster of online dating?
DoorDash Delivery is Available in Madison and Buckhead, Georgia
Food and grocery delivery has come to Madison and Buckhead. Some of your favorite local dining establishments now offer this service. Get your order delivered right to your door from any of the following stores or restaurants:
Crystal Jackson
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Crystal Jackson is a mental health clinician and writer. She is the author of the Heart of Madison contemporary romance series. Her work has been featured on Medium, Elite Daily, Thought Catalog, The Good Men Project, and Elephant Journal. When she's not writing, you can find her traveling, paddle boarding, cycling, throwing axes badly but with terrifying enthusiasm, hiking, or curled up with her nose in a book in Madison, Georgia. Crystal writes about relationships, mental health, parenting, social justice, and more. Never miss an update. Subscribe to emails: https://crystaljacksonwriter.substack.com/
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