Category: Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration

Posted in Confessions, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Power, Quotes, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, What Just Happened: Personal Anecdotes

Purposeful Pain

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Some morning are particularly hard, but this morning made it to top 5. I had to write myself out of a potential downward spiral into depression. I forced myself to see my self-worth and value even in the midst of heartache and self-doubt. A love letter of sorts to keep going even when feeling emotionally weak.

The face that I look at every morning is powerful and deserves peace of mind and joy amongst other things, but most important she deserves to know that her life is worth something.

As long as her heart beats, purpose flows through every vein all the time. Standing is hard, but I can’t stay down for too long.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration

Breathing

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

In times of distress or overwhelm, one natural sensation we can count on is breathing. The breath we inhale as important as the breath we exhale, we make every breath count. As we use this as a gesture of self-help we value the life that flows through our lungs and the control we begin to gain. We allow self-compassion to re-enter our minds and calm the chaos with its peaceful voice of reason, logic, love, and hope. Just breathe.

Posted in Confessions, Defying Shadows Articles, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Other Publications, Potential and Worth, Power, Self-Care, Self-Talk, What Just Happened: Personal Anecdotes

Defying Shadows Article: What I learned After Neglecting My Mental Health

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

What did I learn after I neglected my mental health? What does neglecting my mental health look like? Why is prioritizing your mental health important? How can you improve your mental health?

In my Defying Shadows article, I navigate and discuss my difficult moments with my mental health, how I learned about what mental health is, and why it’s so important.

What I learned After Neglecting My Mental Health

Posted in Events, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health

The Mighty and SparklyWarTanks Presents “Storytime”

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Time for round 2! I will be hosting my second Mighty and Sparkly event in New York City!

Description:

We all have a story to tell that needs to be heard. We have a voice that needs to speak.

Storytime is an open, creative, and safe space where we will tell our stories unafraid and unapologetically. As we open up and express what we’ve experienced in our mental health journey, we will reflect on our transformation and growth.

You will have 5 to 7 minutes each to pick an important moment or memory you have in your mental health journey. To supplement your individual storytime, you can bring an important artifact/healing tool (drawing, writing piece, notebook, sculpture, part of a song, creative creation, helpful website etc.) that has helped shaped that moment for you.
As you reflect, don’t forget to be gentle with your journey.

Details:

Date: February 17, 2019

Time: 12 pm – 3 pm

Address: 38-12 30th Street Long Island City Queens 11101

If you are interested or in New York send me a message, rsvp on The Mighty, or simply click “going” on the Facebook page.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration

The Mental Breakdown

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Mental. Break. Down.

Broken.
You are broken.
Not good enough.
Keep to yourself.
Be quiet.
You’re dramatic.
Relax.
It’s not that serious.
Get over it.
Be quiet.
Pain.
Fake.
You are faking.
You have a fake illness.
It’s not that serious.
You are being difficult again.
No one wants to hear you.
You’re talking too much.
Be quiet.
Your fault.
Look what you did.
You’re poor.
Failing.
You’re failing.
Be quiet.
Quiet.
Be quiet.
Quiet.

Silence….

What is it to have a mental breakdown? To feel the gradual overflow and overwhelm. To give in and allow the thoughts to consume all of you. The mental breakdown that takes you with it. That you believe everything it says. To be overruled by sadness and anxiety. To judge yourself so much it becomes who you are. To you it becomes truth. Every problem is your fault, and every mistake yours to make.
The mental breakdown.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Power, Quotes, Self-Care, Self-Talk, Tips

Start With Yourself

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

In this context of healing, you are progressing, letting go, moving on, and allowing yourself rest from constant mental turmoil. What does that look like for you? What do you need to come to terms with to allow the healing process to surface and take its course?

Say whatever is bothering your peace of mind out loud. Speak in order to establish the pain. Do not remain in denial or give excuses. What is it that bothers you the most?

When you put together the pain you feel into words affirm and declare something different. Speak in terms of what, why, and how in order to establish contact with the pain and negative thoughts.

What now? What do you need in order to let go? How will you take a step forward from that point of pain?

Start with yourself. Turn pain into peace. Establish peace in pain.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Notes

BayArt Article Yearly Transitions: A Continuation

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Rethinking the New Year

The new year is not an excuse to try to do something different. The new year is not the only time where you have to start something better. We are faced with difficulties every day and every day is a continued chance to do something different and better. How can we think about our lives in ways that are progressive?
The more we procrastinate and remain indifferent or complacent with our current struggles, the less we will attempt to progress and learn from our mistakes and misfortunes. What are we going to do right now? How are we working toward our goals? In what ways will we set ourselves up for a steady transition for our next big moves?

How to Make Reasonable Goals and Next Steps

As we navigate our schedules, we must include additional next steps and add them to our past accomplishments. Let’s continue building instead of starting something new and different than stopping. As we create new goals, we must motivate ourselves to finish them. How can we make our bigger goals into smaller goals? What can we do now versus later? What is our overall goal to accomplish? How can we continuously work on our resolutions and not abandon them? What are we doing that prohibits us from accomplishing what we want? How are we breaking up our resolutions and goals? What can we accomplish in a day versus in a month?

To change how we think about the year and beginnings, we must first know why we are starting something new and if we want to actually accomplish that goal. Are we continuing our toxic behaviors or working on them? What are our professional, personal, and emotional goals? What about our next moves will lead us closer to our bigger aspirations? Are we serious about this resolution?

As we think critically about what we will do next, remember that every moment is important. Downfalls, failures, and setbacks are apart of the process. Grow, learn, and change your approach until you achieve the results you want.
The new year can be a great time to improve yourself, but it’s not the only time. Don’t forget all the progress you’ve already made. Add on to that progress. Build yourself up. Make your goals, resolutions, next steps, and aspirations a priority.

Find article in link below

Yearly Transitions: A Continuation

Posted in Declarations, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Power, Self-Care, Self-Talk

#WriteItDown Declaration to Live by and Internalize: Something I Learned About Life in the Past 365 Days is…

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

@JacquelineWhitney_ posted this open-ended prompt on her Instagram story.

While debating whether to participate, respond, and complete this prompt, I thought about lessons I learned in the past year. What new perspective and positive self-talk do I want to continue and pursue during this year and after? I decided I wanted to continue on through the new year with confidence in my ability to believe in myself and my strength. Using ongoing active positive statements to lead in further progress, I’m able to achieve my goal of pursuing, believing, and working toward all I’m able to.

The word of the year is confidence.