"I feel fat"... How hearing this has me feeling some kind of way

When I hear "body hate" verbiage, it has my skin crawling.

Tolerating hearing people say:

"My friend told me I am getting too round.."

"Does this dress make me look fat..."

"I am always trying to squeeze my body into..."

"I think I need to diet..."

"No pain, no gain..."

etc...

All of these statements continue the discussion and spread of body hate, fueling the negative self-talk in our heads, and depriving us from joy of where we are in that moment. Suddenly we become so body focused, we forget what other feelings we are experiences and the mind most likely goes straight to "what's wrong" with you. Its time to set boundaries, change the conversation.

The conversation can look like:

"I am valuable"

"I am important, in every size"

"My body is my own, and I will honor it"

"I feel strong and hopeful"

"I am me, and that is perfect"

If you can find yourself stating these things or others like it, these conversations that you'll overhear or maybe be a part of, will have less emotional and mental impact on you. You'll grow tolerant and may be able to change the conversation to something healthy.

Tapping into Creativity

Whether you believe it or not, we all have a creative side. Your creative side can look like building a project, paint, writing, drawing, singing, dancing, decorating, cooking, and even problem solving to name a few. By giving yourself time to express yourself in a creative way, you are fulfilling a need we all have to be different, to make something, to find a sense of purpose perhaps.

Have you found reasons on why not to let your creative self soar before?

Perhaps you don't believe you're "good enough" or you don't have the time or that its a waste of your resources.... Well I challenge you to confront those thoughts, and make a vow to yourself to break out of your routine and tap into your creativity. I bet you'll be glad you did!

Can't Stop the Feeling

As of now, you've probably heard the song by Justin Timberlake called "Can't Stop the Feeling". I was introduced to this song as I saw a trending video of a father and daughter in matching pink outfits dance to the song that went viral. My initial thoughts for the video was "aww thats cute", "I hope I can have a husband willing to dance with my future child" and "I wish my father would have danced with me, like that". So I went from present, to future, to past, in a matter of seconds. Enjoyment, to wishes, to regrets... well that was fast. Our thoughts and emotions are like that all the time if we are not mindful, or aware of them. Looking back to before I practiced mindfulness each of these thoughts may have been dwelled on, to analyze them, to judge them, to wish them away... Yet when you're mindful, you notice, and accept them as part of you. Look how much energy the latter experience takes. 

I encourage you to Ride the Wave, and look at your emotions and thoughts, as just that, emotions and thoughts....

Attacking Anxiety

With this title you'd think I'd be teaching you to slay a dragon named Anxiety. If you think about it though, anxiety can make you run, freeze or scream like a fire breathing dragon was attacking you. Our fear center response is in our Amygdala, here we also process decision-making, memory and other emotions. Anxiety can be a learned response or a natural response to situation, and the Amygdala is what helps control that. So next time someone flatly states to you "Stop Stressing", and offers no words of advice or shows empathy, flatly tell them that your "Amygdala needs time to process before that can happen!" 

Counseling humor may only be funny to me, so if you did't laugh thats okay, I laughed enough for myself to enjoy.

6 Ways to Ward off the Dragon named Anxiety

1. Do some yoga poses, such as Reclining Bound Angle (helpful for relaxing your mind and the central nervous system)

2. Rhythmic breathing

3. Mindful walking

4. Meditation/prayer

5. Journaling 

6. Creating something for yourself

Commitment, are you ready?

There seems to be a tendency to draw back or hesitate when it comes to being decisive or making a commitment to something. In this delayed time of us not knowing what to do, we are keeping ourselves from what we can do, or dream we can. This may look like not calling a friend back to go out on Saturday night because you're not sure you'll have fun, or reluctantly changing a food preference or something much more substantial like deciding on what degree program to apply to, or choosing who to be romantically involved with. We are faced with choices everyday, things we are asked to commit to doing, or being a part of. These beginning, are much like any ending in that they can be difficult and/or exciting. 

Often time we build up this idea of what we are "suppose" to want, or what he "have" to do. The truth is, we listen to a ton of different opinions besides our own when we first attempt to make a decision when we are full of anxiety. We've all been there, and we most likely will fall into the trap again. It's about how you deal with the trap, and allow yourself to make a commitment. 

Well now you may be asking, "what if I make the wrong commitment?!?!?" 

There are many belief systems out there that support the idea of "what is meant to be will be", or a message that conveys that when we make a decision that is align with out values, and heart that the universe will support us. In other words making a decision or commitment, is not just a logic/brain game....

You have to use your heart and confidence in what you believe to help you make those commitments, to take those risks....

Because truly you do need to utilize both the logical and rational sides of your mind.