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 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 ...

Imagine that you have bought tickets to your favorite band's concert. You are beyond excited about seeing them perform, and you know all the words to every song by heart . As you are walking into the concert arena, you see the lead singer walking past signing autographs. Your heart skips and beat, and you think: "This is my chance!" The singer comes closer and you move to where you can see them better. They make eye contact with you, walk over, and sign your notepad: "You are incredible, keep on rocking!" I am lucky enough to have had the chance to meet my idol, Iskra Lawrence. For those of you who do not know, she is a British model who is known for her work with American Eagle Outfitter's Aerie lingerie line. Iskra refuses to have her photos retouched, and is an ambassador for the  National Eating Disorder Association  (NEDA). You can learn more about her background  here . When I met her a year and a half ago, I realized what my ultimate goals ...

Growing up, I’ll admit I had times where I was definitely not a nice person. Day to day, I was focused on one thing: taking care of my needs, in a selfish way. After living my life this way for a while, I started to realize that it simply was not working out. I was miserable all the time, and felt like I was in a continuous cycle where I never truly was happy. One day, after scrolling through my social media feeds and seeing several ads promoting kindness, I decided it was time to make a change. Why not start living my life being committed to showing people kindness and being that change? The world is in desperate need of more individuals who are not afraid to express love and kindness unconditionally.  Today I am challenging you personally to incorporate small acts of kindness into your daily life. Here are a few reasons as to why this would be a beneficial action to take. 1.  It can contribute to better social skills. A study taken by the National Institu...

It is no secret that some days are better than others. It can seem as though some days, or even weeks, are just not on our side. Feeling alone and down about the situation can cause us to stay in a rut where it seems like we cannot get out. I can attest to this due to personal experience, and I know how it can take over how we function. However, there are a few steps that you can take that will help you conquer anything that is trying to bring you down. 1. Choose to see the good in every situation. Recently, I was in a hit and run accident, where my bumper was completely ripped off. Instead of focusing on the bad in the situation, I chose to focus on that fact that I was safe, no one was injured, and that I was in a location where I had friends and family close by to help me. If you can transform the way that you think about the low points you can begin to control how you feel towards whatever the situation is. Life is all about growing and becoming who you are. Un...

It is not everyday that a special person walks into your life and makes a huge impact on who you are and how you perceive things. In fact, the rarity of this happening is so slim, that when it does happen, special attention must be given to that person. The words “unexpected” and “exciting” are two adjectives that you can use to describe my friendship with this special person who has come into my life. With a description like that, it only makes sense to highlight how truly intriguing and groundbreaking this young woman is. Sarah Olesnevich is a 21 year old nursing student at Edinboro University. She is currently working on completing her degree and runs a busy schedule, especially due to the fact that she is also working part time at a local Home Depot. “I have a lot that I am working on now,” mentioned Sarah. “However I am so excited to grow and become a nurse. It is such fulfilling work and I know in the end all of the hard times will be worth it.” Her work ethic has carried h...

In our busy lives, we are constantly exposing ourselves to all kinds of people. Though it may be hard to distinguish, sometimes the people that we surround ourselves with are toxic in nature. It is important to recognize this, and then follow certain steps to make sure that this negative energy does not affect who you are, and how you live your life. Whether the relationship is of a romantic or friendly nature, the same rules apply. One of the keys to making yourself happy and protecting yourself from such negativity is to realize that you do indeed have control of your life. You are in charge of what you accept and what you choose to let go, no matter the situation. It can be difficult at first to know if someone is having a negative effect on your life, but they will begin to show certain signs that you can pinpoint to know whether or not they are a person you want to place yourself around. Someone who at any point tries to control, manipulate, or diminish your character is more...

One of the first steps of learning how to achieve a happy and healthy lifestyle is to acknowledge who you are and what you want to accomplish. Being truly happy is a very personal thing, and the bottom line is that it starts and ends with you. How you treat yourself has a lot to do with the kind of outlook you have on life, and growing in this can help you find your path and purpose. Even though we are all on separate journeys, there are common techniques that can be used in order to aid you throughout your progress. Here are a few of my favorites, and I highly recommend you try out a couple of them just to get yourself started. 1.  Before any other steps are taken, I suggest that you take some kind of personality quiz. I have linked a great one here for you to test out. Personality quizzes can help you put into words the kind of feelings, thoughts, or tendencies you may have. It is possible that this can give you some answers you may have been searching for, but most spe...

Life can be tough. Some days are harder than others, and we all go through things that help us become who we are meant to be. No matter who you are, something in your life has affected you. Through all of these hardships, it is so important to always remember you are never alone. Practicing good habits and techniques can help even those who are struggling the most to find peace. Realizing who you are, and what you need, can go a long way in helping you mentally, emotionally, and physically. My name is Anne. I have experienced heartache that has caused me to have a real passion for helping others with their mental health. It is so important to take care of yourself and to be a little selfish sometimes. At the end of the day, you are the one who has to live as and love yourself. This blog is to be used as a guide for those who feel as though they are lost, or need some positivity in their life. Keeping in mind how you treat your body and your mind is crucial for living in a fresh...