Toxic Positivity: “Smile”

Three 'Smile' songs Toxic Positivity defined: the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations. The process of toxic positivity results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience. (taken from this article, 'Toxic Positivity: The Dark Side of Positive Vibes' by Samara Quintero and Dr. Jamie Long) I've...

Anxiety Buster: Talking It Out

I really had to come to the end of myself before I was ready to find and go to a counselor. I've known for the past few years that I likely needed some focused therapy, but there was always something... excuses... I live in the country; it's too expensive and we don't have insurance; I...

Anxiety Buster: Supplements

Disclaimer: I am not a professional. Just a regular person who has researched and tried natural supplements as well as worked with my doctor(s) to try medicine to alleviate anxiety and depression. These are my experiences and in no way should they be taken as advice. Please do your own research, talk to your medical...

Anxiety Buster: Time to Think

How do you spend/invest your time? Who do you spend your time with? Do you have any guilt over your answers? I think our personality types play into how we answer these questions. For me, as an INFJ, I struggle with what I have to do versus what I need to do. In my list...

Anxiety Buster: Advanced Meal Planning

After many years of planning meals more on the fly than with forethought, and feeling the need to reduce my anxiety and stress in every area possible, I started working on meal plans last November. My first goal was to attempt to plan meals for 2 weeks in advance. As we live in the country,...

Speaking your truth

In my research into hypothyroidism, I came across the Hindu teachings about chakras. To be clear, I don't ascribe to Hinduism but my interest was piqued by their belief that thryoid issues were due in part to not using your voice. Acquiescing to others when you know you shouldn't; staying silent instead of speaking up;...

Honor

Honor: Noun: high respect; great esteem. adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct. Verb: regard with great respect fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement) I recently read a Bible devotional that talked about how God honors us.  Initially, it rubbed wrong and I had to stop and ask myself...

Pink Glasses of Hope

"Honor your own pace. "Walk, don't run." Recovery doesn't care about your ambition, only on your current ability. Mental illness is trauma and trauma takes time to heal."             Sam Dylan Finch The problem with knowing the basics of something, is forming assumptions about how long it should take to master...

Winter’s Balm

There is something lovely about the insulating snows that pile up outside my home. They obstruct view and though cold, I feel warm and cozy inside. A white cocoon of protective isolation. I finally opened up and asked for prayer from my smallest group of people on social media who I trust. I didn't keep...

Just as He was

"That day, when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him." Mark 4:35,36 Isn't that such a lovely phrase, "just as he was"? How often in...