Feeling Healthy Inside and Out, Feeling Happy, Feeling Beautiful

Feeling healthy doesn’t just mean looking good on the outside, but also feeling good on the inside.  When you look at people, and they look healthy, you should ask if they feel healthy on the inside.  Feeling healthy is one of those things that we don’t really recognize, but we should.  Putting healthy things in our bodies like vegetables, fruits, water, good drinks, can really change the way we feel.  When we feel more energized, we feel like we can accomplish things and we not only look good on the outside from doing our normal exercises, but we also feel good on the inside.  With feeling healthy on the inside, we also feel happy.  We are filling our bodies with nourishing, healthy foods and drinks, which in return makes us feel happy about what we are doing and what we look like. And with this, we also feel beautiful.  Just like when we put makeup on or put on pretty clothes, we also feel beautiful because everything we have done has led up to how we feel.  Even if others don’t think we are beautiful, we know that we are and that’s what matters.  So fuel your bodies with amazing drinks and foods, feel happy from the inside out and in return the end result is that you will feel beautiful and that will show through.  Looking back, when I didn’t eat well, or try and fit some form of exercise in, or drink a healthy drink like green juice, or water, I didn’t feel good on the inside, which didn’t make me feel good on the outside.  But when I did strive to fuel my body with healthy nutrients, and all of that, not only did I feel healthy on the inside, but I felt healthy on the outside, and therefore I felt happy because I felt good, and in return, I felt beautiful with who I am and more confident.

Recap:

Nourishing your body with healthy nutrients = makes you feel happy, which in return = makes you feel beautiful.

Hope this gave you some encouragement and some food for thought :) 

Question for thought:

How do you feel healthy, happy and beautiful?

My 5 tips on dealing with stress

So I'm trying something different and instead of just writing a whole post, I'm going to try a video.  This video will be all about my 5 tips on dealing with stress.  I'm just going to list the 5 tips, and you can listen to the video and know more.


1) Understand why you are stressed.

2) disconnect from whatever is making you stressed out.

3) Meditate or do yoga.

4) Have some (Me) time.

5) Spend time with friends and family.


So I hope this what a little bit different for you and that the tips helped you.

In the comments below share what ways you deal with stress.

Find you when I'm on my knees

I haven't written in a while and I'm sorry for that.  I've been going through some hard times, within myself and other things.  There were times when I felt like I could not go on.  My mind was troubled, my mind was filled with doubt, pain, regret...but no peace.  I longed for peace, but could not find it.  It wasn't until today that I tried to really do something for myself that was good.  I did yoga while listening to worship music.  It was very peaceful and calming.  It reminded me of a scripture that I keep going back to...Psalm 34:14 which says "seek peace and pursue it." I know for a lot of people, the bible or Christianity doesn't mean much, but for me, it is comfort.  It reminds me that God is still with me even if I stray or lose him. When we seek peace, and we get down on our knees and pray for guidance, comfort, strength and love...he lends his arms out and he is there. Sometimes we feel that he leaves us to fend for ourselves, but really he doesn't.  I think that he likes to test our faith and trust in him, to see if we will follow him and put our full trust in him. So if I could share anything with you, and myself today, it would be to seek peace if you need it, and pursue it.  Don't forget that God is there right beside you if you need him.

4 favorites: Tips on taking a bad day to a good day

 Sometimes we have days where we feel like we are in a funk or we feel like life is just going to never be ok.  Well, I’ve got some tips that I use on my days to help me become happier and forget the bad things that have happened previously.  So let’s jump into it.

   1)  Get up and get dressed-I know when you are not feeling your best, you just want to stay in your pajamas and watch Netflix or something.  But one way that helps me get out of a bad mood or a bad day is to put on some clothes I feel good in and get up.

   2)   Put on some music-Music helps cure bad moods.  Put on some music that makes you want to dance, and get dancing.  It will make you happy and put your bad day vibes to rest.  Good vibes come in, bad vibes be gone J

   3)   Go on some sort of a retreat-These are probably my favorite things to do when I’m not feeling myself, or my day has just been bad; I plan a retreat.  I figure out what I want to do, whether that is to go out into nature and take photos, go to a museum with a friend, take my kid to the park and spend the day and then afterwards have a picnic…Or whatever you want to do, plan a day for yourself and enjoy that day.  Even if that means taking a personal day or a sick day from work, do it and let the bad day be gone and the good day swoop in and take over.

   4)   Get creative-get your markers out, or all your creative things and make something.  It can feel really good to just color or cut up paper or paint.  Just let your creativity shine through, even if you are not that good…let your mind be a kid again and enjoy it.  Put on some music and have a creativity session…maybe even invite some friends and family and make it a party.

These are just some of the things I do to get out of my bad moods.

Question of the day

What are some ways you get out of a bad mood?

music is the voice of the spirit, the heart of the soul

Music is so powerful.  Have you ever heard a song that you really loved?  The instant you started listening to it, it took you to another place, it entered your mind and took control, but it was ok because you felt so in tuned with the song...well that is how powerful music is.  I've had that happen many times, and I'm telling you, it's amazing that music can do that.  Music has been around for so long; ancient countries, cultures; everyone has used some form of music, whether that was instruments, singing, telling stories with songs, whatever it was. I love music for that very reason...it's a never ending voice...but it's not an annoying voice that you want to leave and never come back, it's a voice that everyone wants to listen to over and over again.  I have music for many things I do...I listen to classical, jazz, instrumental, or coffee music when I'm blogging, writing or reading.  I listen to upbeat music when I'm cleaning or want to dance and just become happier.  I listen to calming, spiritual music when I do yoga. It can make you feel things that you don't want to feel, and things that you want to feel.It can capture your inner- most feelings that no one likes to tap into. It can solve many things, but it doesn't leave unless you stop listening to it. Music is part of my self-awareness/self-reflection journey.





Music is the voice of the soul.  It speaks, we listen, and our emotions overflow.



My question for you today...
   What does music mean to you? In what ways is music incorporated in your life?

My 5 secrets to a great morning

So we have all had those days where we wake up and we are like "uggg." Ok well, I will share 5 secrets that have helped me have an amazing morning. Here we go....

1) wake up with a positive attitude.
         -We have all heard that a negative mind brings a negative attitude, and a positive mind brings a positive attitude.  Well, that is so true my friends.  If you try and wake up each day thinking something positive, your morning will be happier and more calming then if you started off arguing with your spouse or friend or significant other, or you just were in a bad mood.

2) Shower
       -So this one is obvious, but if you shower in the morning, it wakes you up, you feel refreshed and ready for the day, which makes for a great start to the morning.  I mean who doesn't like to feel clean and smell good?

3) Remember that each day is a new day for a new adventure
        -So whether you are a stay at home mom, or a student working all the time, just remember that every day is a new day.  And most likely, there will be some sort of adventure or something you will like from that day, whether that is playing with your kids, putting on your make-up so you feel pretty, putting on that nice outfit you just bought, or as simple as getting to see a friend or family member you haven't seen in a while.  Whatever it is, each day is new day with a new adventure to celebrate.

4) Have a healthy breakfast
       -Always eat your breakfast; great start to a day.

5) Do something you love
      -Sometimes you don't get time to do things you love, so take a morning when you don't have to rush around, and do something just for you, whether that is a form of exercise, writing, reading, listening to music or podcasts, (which is my favorite to do in the morning), watching a tv show; whatever it is, do it in the morning for you.


Question of the day:

    What are your secrets to a great morning? 

Seeing Grace and love Through the Pain

So I haven't blogged in a few days and it's been even harder to find inspiration with everything that has been happening in our world lately.  I haven't let myself cry over this whole situation and I think that it has really hurt me in more ways than I thought.  You know we are so consumed in our jobs and social media that we don't stop to think about what our world is going through on a day to day basis. We are all children of God and whatever our nationality is or race or whatever, God loves us all the same.  There's a scripture in Romans 12:15 which says that "We rejoice with those who rejoice and we mourn with those who mourn." It's really sad, and it breaks my heart to know that people have to deal with this all of the time, and our world is just losing the love that God had intended for this world.  He didn't intend for his people to destroy lives and to hate, he wants his people to love another.  But I wanted to write this post because I feel that sometimes we lose the grace and love that this world really needs.  God's grace is more amazing than you could ever imagine and his love is just as powerful if not more powerful.  When we learn to see grace and love through all the pain and tragedy that keeps happening, we start to feel the love of God and who he is and what he stands for.  God will fight our battles for us, and we don't have to be afraid anymore. So to end this post, I just want to pray for everyone who feels that they can not see the grace and feel the love of God right now.
Prayer
Lord, I ask that you just be with those whose lives were lost this past weekend.  I pray that you be with their families as they are going through this pain that we just can not imagine.  Lord, I know that you love them no matter who they are and I ask that you show them grace and love through all of this pain that they are all feeling.  Lord be with the rest of the world, as we go throughout our days and remember that sometimes bad things happen, but you alone are the one who fights those battles for us.  Lord be their strength, and comfort in this time period and never let them go. In your name, I pray AMEN.

Note
If you so choose to, please add your prayer request or prayer below.  God loves everyone and he hears our prayers even if we feel he doesn't. I will definitely pray for you and whatever your prayer request is even if it's unknown. Yes, something needs to be done, but that is not up to us, that is up to the ones who are in the power and up to God who has the final say in how this world ends.  Without God, this world would be chaos and I feel that's exactly what is happening. This blog post as with many others I have written is friendly, not hate...and if you don't agree with what I have said, you are free to comment that but please do it in a respectful way for i will delete comments that are hateful.

Let my heart overflow with God's blessings

We all want to feel good about life...but for a couple of weeks, I've been feeling lost and confused.  I'd like to say this blog is all about feeling ok and refreshed, but this blog isn't called "it is well...with my soul" because things are always sunshine and butterflies.  Sometimes things are rainstorms and disastrous tornados lol  But those disastrous tornados are what humble me to say that I'm always learning and proud to be learning from our father in heaven.  I'm not perfect, nor was I made to be perfect...I was made to learn and let my heart overflow with the blessings the lord has been given to me and shown.  Even when I don't understand things, even when things are as stressful as possible, I atleast know that my father in heaven is there, with his arms out, holding me and never letting go. Lord, I let my heart overflow with your blessings, and I ask that you humble my heart and let me see the sun through the storm.

Want some advice on where to take this blog and if I should

Hi everyone...so today is just going to be a chit chat blog because I have some things I want to talk about.  I've had a few thoughts about where I wanted this blog to go and whether I wanted to try and expand it into some other areas.  One of my ideas is a book.  This book would be my blog in a book form.  It would talk about tips and ways to help you become a better you and live a life you enjoy that you have created. I would have my ideas in there and more.  

Option 1: book

Living a life you created and love

       -So this would be the cover of my book.  I really like it and this is what I'm thinking about.  Obviously, my journey this year has made a huge impact on my life so far and this book would talk about it.  I'm not sure if it would be a self-help book but I guess you can say it like that.  I wanted to know what you all thought about this idea.

Option 2: podcast or youtube channel

      -My other idea would be to see if I could start a youtube channel about the things I talk about on my blog or do like a podcast, which I've never done but it would be something new and exciting.


So I'm looking for feedback from anyone who has read my blog or anyone who checks it out....let me know what you think about any of these ideas or any ideas on how to expand this blog.  Also, let me know if any of you like this blog and if it is helpful at all. I love this blog and I have more content coming soon.  Have a great day :)

5 ways to free your mind; nurture your soul

Understanding when to free your mind and nurture your soul, I feel is crucial in living and loving a life you created.  This year has all been about my journey of self-discovery and loving my life.  I’ve been noticing how much our souls need our attention. However before you can begin to nurture your soul, you need to learn how to free your mind from everything that is stressful and distracting.  

Your mind is a complex piece of equipment as we all know.  There are so many things going on all at the same time, and there is only so much that it can hold before it becomes a puzzle; scrambled, jumbled into a million pieces, floating like a ship in space.  The only way to make sense of it all or anything for that matter is by letting your mind be free.  So today I’m going to share 5 tips or ways that I’ve wanted to practice, or that I really want to do, or that I’ve already done, that will help you do just that.

5 ways:

   1. Plan a retreat.  I’ve always wanted to do this, and this year, I’ve noticed that I’ve really been wanting to do this.  I’ve had a rough past few years, and I just wasn’t happy with who I was, which I will get into in another post, and is why I named this blog “It is well, with my soul,” and is also why I’ve been thinking of writing a book, on this very topic and my journey.  But anyway, planning a retreat can help you just clear the clutter and the stress from your mind, and let you release and absorb the peace that you need to live your life.

   2. Get out in nature.  I love doing this.  I love walking and sitting by a stream and just taking in the fresh air and listening to the birds and all the animals that are out there.  It brings me back to reality, with the realization that things are going to be ok.

 3. Write everything.  Writing everything can make you feel so much better.  Just taking a notebook, or your phone or something, and jotting down how you are feeling or what you hear or whatever, can instantly lift a weight from your shoulders.  This is one of my favorite ways to free my mind.

  4. Spend time with friends and family.  Ok so for all of you social butterflies out there, this one is for you.  Go out and have fun with friends and family members.  It is so nice to just take a day and go shopping, or to an amusement park, or to a regular park or just out to breakfast, lunch or dinner and chill.  Who says you have to have your crap together? No one, just go have fun, and when you get back, make sure your mind is clear and ready for the next day or week ahead.

   5. Relax your mind.  Let your mind be still and your soul soak it all in.  It is ok to just take a minute and sit there.  Or ask your boss if you can have 2 minutes to collect your thoughts, or if you can just sit in silence.  Sometimes all we need to do is to reassure ourselves that life is going to be ok... we just need  to just relax our minds. Just like our minds, our souls need to be nurtured as well, which is why I feel these two elements go hand in hand.  One of the best ways to do this is by meditation.  I know some people are not into this, but it is a really great practice to start.  Just put on some Zen music, or I use instrumental classical or piano music for this and my yoga sessions and I just sit there with my eyes closed.  I let my mind relax, releasing all of the stress, worry, anger, whatever out and letting my mind be still.  By doing that, I can let my soul soak everything in.  You can do this outside, I love doing that, because I can be with nature, but if you don’t want to, just do it in your bedroom, or wherever there is peace and quiet in your home, and relax.

Question:

    -When you look at the title, how do you feel? Is your mind free, have you taken time out of your week or day to nurture your soul, or is it still cluttered?  

Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below, and also what do you think about me writing a book about this topic and my journey.  I am going to be 27 years old, so this very interesting to me and is a journey.

3 ways to Exhale the negative and Inhale the positive

Being positive is so hard at times.  You get a bad grade, your car won't start, you forget something you need for work or school, etc...things just are not looking up for you...and all that negativity just drains into your entire day.  How do you pick yourself up from that? Today I'm going to give you three ways/tips on how you can exhale the negative and inhale the positive.

Tip # 1: Write or say one thing you are grateful for that day.
                  -This can be something as simple as...I'm grateful to be alive, or I'm grateful my hair looks good.  Something that will make you feel better about your day...even if the rest of the day goes horrible for you...you can remember what you were grateful for.

Tip # 2: Smile/laugh
                 -This might sound weird to some of you but if you smile or laugh at least once in your day, your day will go so much better.  Smiling and laughing help to make you happy and also helps you forget about the bad things that have or has happened in your day and lets you smile or laugh to bring in the positive outlook on life.

Tip # 3: Music
                 -Music makes you happy...it really can bring your mood from 0 which is bad to 10 which is amazing.  You just need to put on your favorite dance music, party music or music that gets you happy and prepared for your day, listen to it and just enjoy.  You don't need to let things ruin your day...find something in your day that makes you happy, and enjoy it.  Music gets you in the positive mood and helps you forget about the negativeness that is in your life...at least for a few hours anyway.

EXHALE THE NEGATIVE...INHALE THE POSITIVE

Question:

     -What tips do you use to stay positive?

You can always find a flower, in a large pile of grass

Sometimes we get caught up in always being perfect.  We get caught up in always making sure we don't lose our focus, or to not just be happy for the things that make us happy.  We lose our focus, and when we do that, we start to feel like happiness will never come to us.  It's like we are searching in a pile of grass for a flower or a sign and we never seem to find it.  But, I'm here to tell you that "You can always find a flower, in a large pile of grass."  What I mean by this, is if you just keep looking, keep searching, try and find some peace within your crazy life, you will find the happiness that you have been looking for, and that flower that you thought you couldn't see, will be right in front of you.  It is so freeing when you finally find that happiness you have always been looking for...your soul is finally free...you can be who you want to be and continue to feel happy and enjoy the life that you have finally found.  Find your flower...find your happiness.

Where you are now, doesn't have to be your future

Hey everyone and welcome back.  I got this idea for a post from listening to a podcast,  The lavendaire Lifestyles...look her up on youtube at Lavendaire, and there you can find a link to her new podcast.  I absolutely love her, she is so inspirational and you should all check her out.  I will leave a link to her youtube channel at the bottom of this post.  Anyway, since I'm on this journey of rediscovering who I am, and making myself a better and more positive person, I wanted to do this post.  So I'm a stay at home mom, which I love...I have an amazing beautiful little boy who will be 3 here soon and will be going to preschool this coming school year.  Before that, I worked at a nursing home as a certified nursing assistant which of course I loved, and before that, I was just living each day alittle bit depressed because I couldn't see where my life was going. But looking back now, I have started to see that where you are now, doesn't have to be your future.  You are at the point where God wants you to be, but your life is whatever you want it to be.  As I say "Life is art and you are the creator, so make it a masterpiece that you can be proud of later." You may not know what you want to do right now, and that is ok.  You are allowed to explore life and just enjoy it and figure it out as you go.  Right now I'm a stay at home, but later in life, I would like to do something with nursing homes or music.  I'm not sure what right now, but I want to do something where I can help elderly people because that is what my passion is...however I'm enjoying life because it is so short and I am creating my future.  I am the artist...I'm the creator and life is a journey that is to be enjoyed and explored.  Don't stress about where you are now, because it doesn't have to be where you are in the future.  You can change it up...you may be in school right now, but in a few years you may be working in a corporate office, or have this amazing family with this amazing job.  You may be working at a horrible job right now but in a few years, you may own your own business or be traveling the world.  You are not stuck forever, this is all temporary and your life will be amazing, I can promise you that.  So this is what I was thinking about, and I just want to leave you with something to think about...

BE THE CHANGE IN THE WORLD...IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR LIFE...REMEMBER THAT THIS IS NOT FOREVER...IT'S TEMPORARY AND YOUR PRESENT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE YOUR FUTURE. CREATE A MASTERPIECE THAT YOU CAN BE PROUD OF AND NEVER LOOK BACK AND REGRET IT.   :)



Go check out Lavendaire....

    **https://www.youtube.com/user/Lavendaire

6 Tips to Self Love-New Year - Better You

Hey everyone and welcome back to "It is Well, With my Soul" blog.  So as some of you know, this year is all about making myself better...and if you want to go on this journey with me, then feel free and tell me how it's going.  Tonight we will be talking about Self Love. Finding yourself love, or myself love is like dating someone new.  When you put all your trust and love in someone, and then your break up or something happens, you have to find that trust and self-love again, and kind of make yourself happy again.  You have to kind of re-date yourself and really make yourself fall in love again, with yourself.  I went through a lot in the past few years, losing an amazing friend, and I went through not knowing who I was, and just being depressed and when January 2016 rolled around, I told myself that I wanted to work on "me."  I wanted to get my self-love back and become the happy bubbly amazing person that I once was.  So to help myself and others along, I came up with 6 tips to help get your self-love back.  So here we go:

1) Learning to love yourself-Learning to love yourself is a journey.  The relationship you have with yourself, is the most important relationship, because if you can not love yourself, then you can not love others, and you can not expect others to love you.  I never want people to forget that because it's not a selfish aspect.  Some women find this as selfish, but it is not selfish at all. You should be your biggest hero and your biggest supporter, and this year I'm slowly discovering this and I'm so happy that I am because it is making me a happier person to not only be around but to love me as well.

2) Spend time alone with yourself-What I mean by this is to give yourself 10-15 minutes to just be with yourself.  This is only for you, and it can really start your mind and your heart in the right place.  So do this in the morning when you wake up.  Take a few minutes to just breathe, read a devotional or a book, write, do some yoga or an exercise you enjoy, but whatever it is, give yourself those few minutes to yourself.  Recently I've been doing yoga in the morning because it wakes me up, makes me feel energized, and after yoga, I end the yoga session with some meditation.  This is the time before my son wakes up, and it's only for me so that I can feel good about the day ahead.

3) Give yourself a date night-When you go on a date, you get all ready and the whole nine yards.  You make sure that you look presentable and comfortable for your date and you put in the effort.  Well just like those dates, do the same for your date night.  Put in the effort, make some tea, draw a bath or a shower, do your favorite face or hair masks, paint your nails, stick in a movie, and just have a date night that is for you.  This is ok, even if you are a mom; don't feel like it's not because you totally deserve it.  I actually do this once a month; when my husband goes out of town for the day, I'm with my son, and when he goes to bed, I decide to have a personal date night with myself by myself because it really helps me feel like I'm taking care of myself.  I put a lot of effort into this, as I do with the date nights with my husband.  My favorite thing to do is, is to give myself a mani or pedi, put in a good movie, make me some tea and a snack, and just enjoy my night until my husband gets home.  It is really relaxing even with candles and it really does make me feel great.  So try it.

4) Start a journal-Start journaling whether that be on your phone or computer or a notepad.   I journal every night, just about random things...I recently started doing "evening pages," which I have a description of that on my blog.  Writing can clear your mind, get out all of that distraction that is in your head, and it's all sorts of beneficial for you. With a journal, you can be open and honest with your feelings and no one has to read it but you, unless you want them to.  Sometimes it's a lot easier to write things down than it is to tell people... so start a journal.

5) Stop comparing yourself to others

Basically, don't compare yourself with others.  You are perfect the way you are.  As the bible says in Psalm 139:14 " you are fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."  God has created you the way that you are, and there is no reason to ever compare yourself to others because you will never be happy that way.  Just be happy with who you are inside and out, and get rid of the negativeness around you.

6) Forgive-Always forgive yourself and others.  I've recently been doing this and it's really helped me make this year and myself better.  When you forgive, it opens  your heart to acceptance and appreciation, making you realize that people are not perfect, not even you, and if you really want to see change in yourself, then forgive yourself, and then forgive others.

Evening/Morning Pages

Hey all and welcome to another It is Well...With My Soul blog post.  I know that some of you read my posts and that it can be inspirational to some of you.  I hope that it inspires others as well as you.  So I haven't been blogging lately, and really it's just because I've been pretty busy and just getting things done.  But today's post, I want to talk about Evening or Morning Pages.

Morning pages are basically when you brain dump. You do this in the morning before you get your day started.  You get a notebook or a piece of paper, and you just write.  But you are supposed to write 3 full pages of words; even if all you do is say "I don't know what to write," for the full 3 pages, you are just supposed to write, because it's a way for you to get all the things out that you are going to do for the day, and what is on your mind.  If you want to know more, I will leave a link at the bottom of where I learned about this.  Since I normally do my bible study in the morning, I decided to do Evening Pages. Again this is the same thing, but just in the evening before you go to bed.   After listening to a lot of inspirational videos, I decided to go to my local dollar store and get a composition notebook.  I ended up getting 2, one blue and one purple.  I got it and started writing in it.  I didn't think that I would have  a lot to write about, but I wrote 4 full pages of just stuff that was on my mind.  I wrote about my blog, my journey of making this year a better year and a better me, which I will talk about in another post.  I learned a lot about myself from writing this way.  I learned that I had a lot to say when I let my mind just say what was ever on my mind, and I learned that it's very peaceful. Now I've kept journals, but those are more about my day or what I was going to do that day or any issue that I felt, I needed to journal about; but for some reason, this concept of just "brain dumping," is just so much more peaceful and effective.  I'm going to see how this continues, and I will keep you all updated on how it is going.  But just from tonight, I absolutely love it and it really helped.  I wrote things that I didn't realize I was even thinking about.  Here's a picture of what mine looks like. I encourage you all to start one and see how it goes.  That is all for today's post.




















Question:

    -How do you start or end your day?


Morning pages Resource:

    -https://youtu.be/3DA45eebMCg

Are you a Promise Keeper or a Promise Breaker?

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.

Hey everyone...So today's topic is promises or vows.  Have you ever made a promise or vow to someone that you didn't keep?  Have you made a promise to someone that was hard to keep and had you wondering if you should keep it?  Well, I have, and I'm sure many of you have as well.  We all make promises to people and sometimes we blow it and spill those promises on accident or on purpose because we are angry.  However, once those promises or vows are out of our mouth, how do we feel afterwards...Happy, Glad, Sad, Fear of what that person who told us the promise will do or say?  God says, that if you make a vow/promise to someone, do not delay on fulfilling it; however it is better to not make that vow to someone than to make one and break it.  If you say that you promise to clean your room when you come home from school, and then you go shopping with your friends, or go skateboarding after school, instead of cleaning your room like you promised, you are breaking the promise or vow that you made to your parents.  If you make a vow to be faithful to your spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend, and then you break it, then whatever consequence that follows, is yours to deal with.  Point...is that if you CAN'T fulfill the promise you made or the vow you made, then DON'T make one.  Maybe instead, say " I will try, but I can't make any promises, or say I'm sorry but I just can't make that vow/promise,"  That way, if you slip up or accidently break it, then you are not going to feel as bad as you would if you said "Promise or I vow," and then you break it.

Question for all of you:
    -How do you feel about vows, and promises?  Are they worth it?  Also, besides from the Christian point of view, how do any of you who don't believe in God feel about vows or promises? 

Share your answers in the comments below.

(What is your Focus on?)

Hey everyone and welcome back to another blog post.  we are going to talk about "what you are focusing on."

What have you been putting all your focus on lately?  Has it been on things that are going to make you happy, or things that keep dragging you down?  Life is supposed to be enjoyed and cherished. We only have one life, and focusing on all the wrong things can make it hard to enjoy.  This year I made a commitment to myself that I wanted this year to be a happy year for me.  I want to do positive things and influence the world in a positive way. I've decided to cut out anyone or anything that is a negative influence on my life.  That means friends, family, job, etc.  I want people around me who are going to lift me up, encourage me, tell me when I'm doing wrong and tell me when I'm doing right.  I want friends and family around me who are going to lift my son up and be there for him when times are hard.  This year I want my focus to be on HAPPINESS.  When we put our focus on what is important in our lives instead of what is not important, we become happier, more satisfied and we find our purpose in life.  Sometimes shifting your focus can help you understand what has been wrong in your life or why you have felt a certain way.  I'm a Christian so I want my life to be focused on God, and I will admit, I have fallen off a little bit. I haven't been studying the word as much as I should, but that is ok because God is always there to have us pick back up where we left off.  But even if you are not a Christian, there are things that you can focus your attention on.  Maybe you want to focus your attention on your family, or your career or whatever.  If that is what you want, have you been?  Are you where you want to be yet or do you still have a ways to go?  Whatever you focus your attention on, make sure that it's what is going to make you happy in life.  Make sure that your focus is what is going to drive you to do better and live the life that you want and deserve.

To end this blog post, I want to leave you with something to think about....

In the comments below....What has been your focus?  Are you where you want to be in life, or do you have a ways to go?

DIY Inspirational Stones

Hey everyone...today we are doing a DIY.  I love being creative and making things.  And this year is all about becoming the best YOU that you can possibly be, and leaving behind all the negative aspects of your life.  That can include friends, activities, jobs, anything that you felt was negative and didn't make you happy in your life.  So since I have been really into inspiration, yoga, meditation all of that, I thought that I would share with you what I did to sort of have around my house, to inspire me every day.

1) Get Rocks

            -I got these rocks at a dollar store, but you can go out and get them in your yard, or the street or wherever rocks can be found.

2) Paint Them

           -I painted mine brown/goldish color because I really liked them

3) Paint on your inspirational sayings or quotes

These are mine:

Love, pray, live in the now, laugh, you are beautiful, peace, trust God, rest, breathe, be silent, hope, know yourself, and be still.

I love these sayings because they really help me just to always keep myself in check and make sure that I'm happy and living the best life I can live for me.  Remember this is not about anyone else, but YOU!  

You are free to create these same rocks if you would like, and if you have other inspirational things that you do, please leave them down at the bottom in the comments.

Meditation and 5 Tips

As we talk about mental health, we need to also talk about some things that you can do to help you deal with everything that is going on...so today we will be discussing meditation.

Meditation is something that I have been really into recently.  It's been helping me sort out my feelings and just be aware of whatever I'm feeling.  To me, meditation is quieting my mind, and being in the present moment.  Drown out all of the distractions, all of the thoughts that you may have, everything, and bring your mind to the center.  I am a Christian, but I  love meditation, ...because it's a way for me to quiet my mind and get my focus back on God and who I am as a person. however even if you are not a Christian, you can still meditate.  Often times we have so much on our minds, that we forget that if we just stop focusing on all the things that are making us go crazy, and we just sit still and breathe, then we can calm our body, our soul and mind and regain our focus and our peace.  One thing I truly believe and that I read was that:  "we don't get answers when our mind is busy, we get our answers when our mind is silent."  As humans, we need to have a balance and start to see that being still and quiet is a great thing.  It's great to just be by yourself and relax.  Meditation is great if you are dealing with anxiety or depression, because it shifts your focus from what is making you anxious or depressed, and calms your mind, soothes your soul and focuses your attention on your breathing and your inner self. So then you ask, ok Marvina, how do I meditate when I don't have time or when I don't know how?  Well here are some tips that I've just taken to help me explore this new experience and embrace it.

5 Tips:

1) Find a place, or create a place
            -Creating or finding a place in your home or room that you can kind of make your quiet area, is a great place to start.  Get a corner, and put a pillow or a chair, add some blankets, have some candles and quiet music and inspirational quotes, and use that as your meditation area.  That is what I've done, and I've added some really great inspirational DIY rocks and quotes, and I just sit, listen to the music, take myself out of the hectic life or world, and put myself in a calming, peaceful state of mind.  My focus is on myself and not on what others may think or are doing.

2) Get out in nature
             -Nature is great for meditation.  When we are out in nature, we are like one with  nature.  We see God's beauty around us, with the birds chirping or the waves crashing in the ocean, if you live in that type of area, or we see the beautiful yet cold snow.  Getting out in nature can really just make you feel at peace and make you feel grateful for living in a world with so many changing seasons, because that is what our lives are; changing seasons.

3) Pray
          -You can pray as your meditation.  "Praying is when you are talking to God, and meditation is when God is talking to you and you Listen" You have to be silent in order to hear what he wants you to hear.  He does not speak to you when you are bombarding him with noise and business.  In the bible, it says "be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10  The key phrase "BE STILL."

4) Stop and Be Silent
          -Just stop and be silent.  Easier said than done, right...but when we are silent, we are focusing on our inner being, and not thinking about all the things that are going on in life.  We are in the present moment...which is where we want to be.

5) Guided Meditation
           -Guided meditation is great if you are a beginner.  With guided meditation you can hear and focus on what the person is telling you to do, that way you don't feel like you are by yourself and overwhelmed.

Ok that is all for today's post.  Hope you all got something out of it :)


Question:
    -What are ways that you meditate?  Do you go for a walk, do yoga or exercise, listen to music, etc.  Share your tips and ways down below in the comments :)


sources:
    - pictures from pinterest

Anxiety and Depression are Real, & Scary But You Can Overcome It!

Today's topic is very close to me and so it's going to be a serious and probably long blog post. Also on my blog is mental health awareness month, so this is part of mental health. So grab your snack and tea or coffee and lets get started.

BREATHE

RELAX

THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!

Anxiety and depression are a mental state of mind type thinking that is all in your head, and they can be dealt with if you don't let it run your life.

 When did I begin feeling like this?

Most people don't know this but I have suffered or dealt with anxiety and depression.  I've suffered from depression and anxiety for a few years. But I don't tell people because it doesn't run my life.  It didn't really start until I believe my freshman year of college.  I had joined a sorority, I was taking classes at the time to be a social worker, which I'm not majoring in that anymore, but anyway...and I was just overwhelmed.  I was involved in a lot of activities with my friends, and youth group and bible study, that I just couldn't take anymore craziness in my life.  But in my freshman year, I believe, my cousin died...he took his own life, and it was really scary for me that someone could do that.  After a few weeks, it really hit me that I could not deal with this.  For some reason I felt really sad, I started to withdraw from my friends and my grades just went down hill. So I talked to my academic advisors and they suggested I see the school therapist, which was awesome, because she really helped me sort my emotions out.  Fast forward to a year later, I was still involved in a lot of activities, but I took more risks and did everything on my own terms.  But then I had a boyfriend, which didn't last long because well we didn't...and then I had a serous boyfriend.  It was going ok, but this guy also had anxiety and it really made me nervous.  We ended up getting engaged but because of some personal things, we didn't get married.

What it feels like and why people don't understand:

 Something happened, and I really just went into my first anxiety attack.  Now an anxiety attack is horrible.  You feel like you can't breathe, you cry, you are scared, you feel like the world is just going to end and you don't want to be in it anymore.  The only thing that helped was to call my mom so that I could realize that it's all ok.  Now you might think, how could a girl who seemed to have everything together in her life, have anxiety and depression?  I'm telling you, no matter who you are, you can have a disorder or mental issue that people don't know about but you or you and your doctor. And you should never let others look down upon you or think different of you because you have this.  Depression and anxiety, along with postpartum depression and other illnesses, I feel are looked down upon and are not being spoken about.  People are afraid to admit that they have it because others think they are crazy.  Something you have to understand and it's something that I heard, is that no one is going to know you have it unless they see valuable information from a doctor or a prescription saying you have it.  Like no one is going to know you have a broken leg unless you are wearing a cast.  So depression has been a part of my life for a few years, and anxiety is just as bad.  One thing about me,  as I have gotten older is,  I wear my emotions on my sleeve, meaning that I take everything to heart.  I care so much about the people in my life, that once they betray that trust and hurt me, it just sends my emotions out of whack. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think people are perfect, and I'm definitely not perfect, but I do put a lot of trust in the people in my life. So when my emotions get out of whack,  I cry, I get really sad, I feel like I can't eat or breathe or think, and I just feel powerless and that is not fun nor is it healthy.  I was afraid to tell people for a long time because they don't understand...even telling my husband is like useless because he doesn't get it.  I act like things are ok, I'm happy and all of that, but inside, if something is bothering me, it's bothering me until I figure out how to piece it together and make sense of it and move on.

How I cope with anxiety and depression:

 The way that I get through this, is I take it day by day.  I write, I sing, I read, I spend time with family and the people that mean the most to me...and I tell myself...it's ok.  That saying up top, is what I say every time I'm having an anxiety attack or I feel depressed: "Breathe, Relax, this too shall pass."  It's true.  This will not last forever.  Whatever you are feeling at this present moment will not last forever...it will pass...you just need to breathe and relax.  Something that I did was I changed all of my backgrounds on my computer, my ipod and Ipad and phone  to this:

This just reminds me to breathe and relax and it will pass.

What you can do to help you get through each day:

 I'm going to end the post here because I could talk on and on about it.  But if you need help don't be afraid to get it, whether medical help or just talking to a friend to clear your mind.  It's ok...you are not alone and don't let people make you feel less of a person because you deal with this. I also suggest to write out how you are feeling.  Grab a pen and a piece of paper, and just write your feelings.  Don't worry about grammar, just write.  Writing helps clear your mind and sort out your feelings.  It's also great for if you see a therapist, they can get an idea of when you started to feel this way, so that they can come up with a way to help you deal with it and hopefully overcome it. Hope you all have a great week and if you need to talk, I'm here..I'm your friend and things will be ok.