Ahhh, Summertime! Summertime is one of my favorite seasons of the year. I think it goes back to my childhood, as I grew up in New York with cold winters. When summer came, it was no school time, no cares, and lots of playtime with my long life friend, Cheryl, who lived next door and other friends in the neighborhood. We rode bikes, walked around without worries (we lived on Long Island, not the city!), and stared at the sky on our backs watching the clouds…or at night watching the stars and the fireflies! Such…
“Confidence is the only key. I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.” —Emma Stone The Power of Self-Love! In the previous article, I brought up the subject of cultivating a positive body image. I gave you 2 different exercises/processes you could do to support a more healthy body image for yourself, as having a negative body image is way too common in our society today. Did you try them out? I hope so. Today, I have some more “tips” for you to continue cultivating a more…
“You can’t hate yourself happy. You can’t criticize yourself thin. You can’t shame yourself worthy. Real change begins with self-love and self-care.” — Jessica Ortner How do you think and feel about your body? I recently read that over 73% of men and a whopping 86% of women are unsatisfied with their bodies. I’m not surprised, as it’s fairly common in our modern culture to feel pressure to look a “certain” way. That “certain” way is often unrealistic standards of what our bodies are supposed to look like, leading us to feel “less than,” “not…
Understanding the Importance of Mental Health Awareness Month Mental Health Awareness Month plays a vital role in eradicating the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraging open discussions about these topics. It provides an opportunity to educate and inform us about the prevalence of mental health issues and the available resources for seeking support. Although Mental Health Awareness Month leans toward promoting more understanding about the many diagnosed mental health issues, it can also focus on upleveling our “everyday” mental well being. Stress and anxiety, ever so prevalent in our current culture, play a huge role…
Happiness is more than just a fleeting emotion; it is a state of being that encompasses overall well-being, peace, and contentment. It is not a constant state of grinning, and it is natural to experience other emotions like sadness, fear, anger, or disappointment and even stress. However, being in tune with our inner happiness means that we do not let those emotions control us or hold us back. Merely desiring more happiness will not magically make it appear. The happiest people are those who take control of their attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with intentionality.…
“A thousand mile journey begins with the first step”. – Lao-Tzu Personal Note: As we come to a close on April and its Stress Awareness Month, I hope you’ve had some time to be aware of what your stressors are and to cultivate some strategies for reducing your responses to them. I always like to keep this in mind: Awareness is the #1 key, the first step, in making ANY changes you desire. If you’re not aware of what is stressing you out, or how your body is reacting to the stress and anxiety, it’s…