Operation Self Care

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...

Too often, people are only focused on the end result when working for something. Money, flashy cars and expensive objects are usually the status symbols that we try to obtain. Even though there is nothing wrong with desiring these things, they can get in the way of creating the healthy mindset you need to actually obtain them.   The reality is that the journey is not about the material things or satisfaction that we gain from being successful.  Train yourself to acknowledge that this is the first step towards forming a mature outlook that will project you on towards bigger and better things. Many times, we can become frustrated with how long it can take for things to start happening in our lives. Our patience runs thin, and we feel as though nothing is really moving forward for us. It is easy to feel discouraged. However, you have the choice of whether you are going to sit back and let those feelings control you, or if you are actually going to do something ab...