CHALLENGE!

Challenge yourself...to take care of yourself!

So many times we get lost in the shuffle of life. We forget to stop. We forget that we are human beings that need to be nurtured and cared for. We forget that sometimes, all of the worrying and negativity we send out on top of all the other things we endure in life is...well...just breaking us down.

It's SO important to find a balance. Find inner peace. For all of us who suffer from anxiety, depression, bipolar, OCD, and so on...we don't understand what it means to have balance. Inner peace? What...is a piece of my body missing? Am I getting an inner ear infection? Am I right...or am I right? We NEVER STOP! We make mountains out of molehills and create chaos in our minds and bodies. This is just about as unhealthy as smoking a pack of cigarettes. SO let's stop this cycle. Let's relinquish what strength we have (I know it feels like a few measly pebbles worth) and turn this all around!

First and foremost, you have to WANT to change. You have to WANT to feel better, have more energy, enjoy the things and people around you...

Decide NOW that you will take the journey to freedom.

Okay...now get out a piece of paper and pen, pencil, charcoal, dandelion, whatever and write three things that you want to achieve. Make them small. Nothing huge. Examples like: Go to bed by 10:30 every night this week. Work out once this week. Do one (whatever makes you happy) activity this month. See nothing too crazy, but all things that can slowly, especially if you make them habits, turn your mind and body into a much more habitable place for positive thoughts, for less achy necks, and more energy!

Now stick to the ideas that you wrote. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed with them either. If what you write down doesn't happen exactly as you foresee it...so be it. That's where the cycle ends. Our regular negative minds will want to take a sledge hammer, smash those ideas, and then crawl into a hole and shame yourself. Well DON'T. Just move on. Simple. It is not the end of the world if your one achievement was to go to the gym twice this month and you only drove there, but were too nervous to go in. Ha - I think it counts for something that you even drove there! Pat yourself on the back, try again tomorrow, and done. DO NOT sit there and let these things fester.

You are ridiculously powerful. The anxious mind is one that will do anything to spill down a canvas of it's own demise. So get out your paint brush take that drip of paint, and turn it into a beautiful swirl of color right in front of your eyes. I guarantee there will be more swirls to come!

I have struggled with the vicious cycle of trying to set goals to better my mind and body and then miserably failing. But guess what, I am here to say that, even though it hasn't been an easy one, I am slowly doing the things I am set out to do. All things that will get my health to a much better spot. Is it always easy? No. Do I always achieve the exact outcome I set forth in doing? Hell no! But I sure as hell try, all while learning something about myself along the way.

You are STRONG. You are CAPABLE. You are TALENTED. You are LOVED. You are IMPORTANT

Tell yourself this every night before bed...the more you tell yourself these very wonderful and VERY true things...the more you will believe it. And not only will you believe it...you will feel it!

Go ahead...take that leap of faith...for YOURSELF!

All my love and support - M

Broadening Your Minds Eye!

It's a new day! Be grateful!

Today I feel GRATEFUL. Something I think we often forget about. We say thank you and once in a while remember all of the good things in our life. But as a society, I think that we do a really bad job of staying connected and in the moment. In turn then, I think we forget to REALLY stop and smell the roses. There is nothing better than making yourself slyly smile as you think about a handful of things that you are truly grateful for. 

As I talked about before, I had been struggling to get my anxiety and depression to a good spot. I never felt connected and I always felt like I was on the 'outside' of the good times, just sitting there watching everyone else have the laughter and fun. Why is it so hard to just join in, let loose, and be free in the moment. Well like I mentioned in the last post it's because we (those who struggle with deeper mental struggles) tend to really, truly suck our own fun right out from underneath us. We do this by living in a vicious cycle of 'what if's". It's truly easy to sit there and think about all of the bad, especially if your brain is now more accustomed to that. 

You see, it is possible to gain control of your negative thoughts, your lifeless attempts at joining the fun, and in turn your hum-ho life that your just struggling through instead of actually enjoying.

This is my challenge I've begun with myself over the last few weeks:
I have simple started to integrate things into my life that I know for a fact make me happy. The things that if even for 4 minutes while engaged in them, I think of NOTHING. Nothing bad, nothing sad...truly nothing. I have started to see myself doing more photography, rearranging items in my house and sprucing it up with simple little treasures, and planning small little get togethers with friends or family (and making myself excited about it!) You see these are things that leave me with a feeling of euphoria after they are completed. I lost interest in doing those, along with so many others due to my state of mind and constant dread of basically all things in life. I am now slowly but surely finding myself getting 'lost' in these little pleasures in life once again and then either journal or think about each things I'm grateful for every evening.

SO now it's your turn...
Do you feel a bit more relaxed will cutting the grass? Do you like to sit in a quiet room and paint? How about cooking...does that make you feel good and accomplished? Whether it be a simple thing around the house or you decide to pick up a new hobby like remote control cars, yoga, or knitting - I challenge you to start putting these things back into your weeks. Find a time slot to keep for 'yourself' and just do it. You may feel reluctant, uneasy, or like you don't have time for something so trivial. But I guarantee if you start soul searching and finding something that makes you feel 'lost' even just for a bit, you will see yourself finding joy in life again.

Once you do this, begin to journal how it makes you feel, remember you're not going to feel like a brand new person by tomorrow morning...it takes WORK! But journal (another way to get it all out of your head), show your gratitude, and see how you can bring light back into your life!

Please post here about your journey, your chosen 'enlightenments,' your life...
If you have questions or comments or want more advice...ASK! I'm here. :)

I hope this post leaves you all on a path of happiness and that you truly try your darndest at it...because I am seeing such great progress with myself, so I know you can find peace too! 

☮- M