Determined

I've been in my new location for almost a month now, though it's felt more like a few weeks. The pace of my life has been hectic. I've gotten to know a whole new group of people, which has been mostly enjoyable but sometimes stressful. I have been getting far too little sleep. I have picked at my skin 3 or 4 times over the past month. It's cold enough now that I need to wear long pants and long sleeves all the time, even at home. My arms don't look so bad that I couldn't wear short sleeves if I needed to, though. I'm pleased with the progress I've made in not picking my skin. Of course it would be best if I could avoid all picking and stop totally. The few times I've picked have been when I've been very tired and have had a bit of extra time before I've needed to move on to the next activity. As I settle in to my new routine and things (hopefully) quiet down, I am determined not to fall back into old patterns. I've learned to ignore the negative thoughts that arise when I do start picking, and will continue trying to push through and past my slip-ups.