Operation Self Care

Some days it can be hard to feel our best. I know that I certainly have been there, and the times where my confidence is the lowest it can be the most difficult to stay strong. In a day and age where we are told that if we do not look like the models in advertisements, it is easy to think we are not as beautiful or worth attention. However, today I want to urge you to begin to live a life full of confidence. There are many benefits that come along with choosing confidence, and hopefully within this post you can begin to learn how to be confident and see these positives. Society tells us lies about how we should perceive ourselves. The truth is that we are enough exactly the way that we are, and we should firmly believe this. Why should we allow the world to steal our joy and peace? In my opinion a lot of the anxieties and fears that we have stem from not feeling like we measure up to unrealistic expectations. We must fight these expectations, and be ourselves. We were creat

Recently, I came to realize the importance of managing my mood. How I am choosing to perceive things has a direct effect on the way that I go about my day. If I wake up allowing myself to let the negative have an influence on how I feel, I will respond in a negative way. As I have discussed in previous blogs, we all have a choice in how we respond to things. I believe that by realizing the magnitude of our moods, we can more effectively make these choices. We must understand why we feel these ways in order to move forward and make good decisions that are beneficial to our wellbeing. Today I am challenging you to take a look at the past week of your life. I know for me I had many times where I struggled to believe that I was capable of completing a project or task. I did not want to become a person who gave up, but there were definitely times that I did not do my best. I suppose this is why I feel so strongly about helping others who do not know where to turn; I have been there a

Life is busy. There is always something that we can or should be doing. We can become so caught up in our to-do lists that we find ourselves in a position where we feel like drowning. I am guilty of this, as I tend to take on a lot of projects and responsibilities when I probably shouldn't. In the midst of a crazy schedule, it is not only important but necessary to take at least a day to decompress and put yourself back together. Avoiding a breakdown is better than having everything fall apart due to overwhelming stresses. Here are just a few reasons as to why I believe in the importance of taking a personal day. 1. They help us clear our minds. Having time to take a step back and remember all the good that you are will help clear your head of anything that is troubling you. 2. They give us the necessary rest that we need. Perhaps you have not been able to get the rest that you have needed in the past week or so. How can you be expected to keep moving forward and

Sometimes I like to think of the mind being almost like a garden. The flowers and other plants that exist in your mental garden are a reflection of how closely you care for them. Let's say that these flowers represent the thoughts that you have. If you take care of your thoughts and "water" them with goodness and happiness, your flowers will thrive. If you ignore what your flowers need, they will wilt and ultimately you will not function properly. I have decided to challenge all of you to find a new focus, and in doing so really try watering the flowers that you have ignored for so long. I am on the same journey, so you are definitely not alone in this. My focus recently has been on homework, exams and my job. While this is all good and well, I will admit I have made certain mistakes that have prevented me from living my life to the fullest. Even though I know I cannot ignore these things in my life, I have decided to make my personal health my first priorit

In my life I have definitely experienced many times where I simply wanted to give up. I am sure that this is a common feeling amongst many people, and it is certainly tempting to give in to those feelings. Constant stressors can take control of how we are living our lives, and can grip us into feeling as though we have no hope or direction. I know this may seem discouraging sometimes, but when we are the weakest and most exposed we truly learn who we are and what we are capable of withstanding. Here are three of my tips for realizing your inner strength, even when everything is fighting against you. 1. Realize you can take control of your actions. This is one of the most empowering moments of our lives. The reality is that we can choose to let the bad affect us, or allow it to steamroll over our hope and dreams. The power of perception is real, and if you perceive everything as something that will help you grow, you will grow. Choose today to begin controlling your actio

The Christmas season is a time for the world to be renewed. As the first snow falls, we see the world around us transforming into a winter wonderland. Decorations begin to appear, creating light even when the world seems to be full of darkness. For some, Christmas is a tough time. Perhaps there is a loved one missing from the table, or an issue has arisen that seems to be hopeless and impossible. It is easy to become discouraged during this time, when the world is supposed to be full of hope. In this day and age, our society has placed a large amount of emphasis on the need to buy things. We are consumed by the idea that material items will help us feel fulfilled and happy. As I have discussed in previous blogs, this is certainly not the truth.  Distracting ourselves with meaningless products and things is simply not the answer. You are probably asking yourself,  "So how do we find the answer?" This is a very good question, and I'll be the firs

In my own life I have recently experienced a lot of difficult situations. There were countless times where I wanted to give up and let my anxiety, worries and frustrations take control of who I was. In my opinion, this is not an uncommon scenario. I think that these are feelings that many of us have; we want to give up at the first sign of a daunting task or beginning of a conflict. As hard as they may seem, the worst days do not have to be impossible to get through. After all, we have survived 100% of the bad days that we have experienced before! It is crucial to remind ourselves that the bad we experience is meant to help us grow and learn. If there is one good thing I can say about the bad days, it is that I learned more about myself from them. Maybe you are at a point in your life where you feel lost, or that you are in the same rut you simply can't seem to get out of. It is easy to want to give up, but I urge you not to. Not matter what you are going through, there