Anyone else have issues with falling asleep? Here are some tips and tricks I learned in my Defying Shadows Article!
Weird Tricks that Really Do Help You Fall Asleep
What are some helpful techniques you use to fall asleep?
Category: Mental Health
Therapy Takeaways: Reclaiming Self-Love Through Passion
Going Back to Therapy
For the last month and a half or so I’ve been seeing a therapist for the first time since that one semester in my senior year of college. Although it’s difficult to manage all the emotions that come up as I talk through all of “my stuff”, I’m continuing to come in contact with the parts of me that were previously tucked deeply away. The more I talk and navigate my experiences, the more I’m able to identify the parts of me that need healing.
In these few weeks I learned three big things about my personality, habits, and tendencies:
1. I’m a highly sensitive person and a hopeless romantic.
2. I have issues with feeling good enough and loving myself in the same intensity that I love others.
3. I’m a recovering perfectionist and still struggle with “doing” too much to feel seen. I try to “stay busy” in order to distract myself from feelings unlovable, worthless, and enough. I crave outside stimuli to try to fill a void inside.
The Creative Cure
As I’m learning about what it means to be me, the good and the bad, I found that creativity and writing are my most helpful tools for feeling better.
Because I’m aware of my perfectionism, I’m trying to reverse and redirect the energies I put in “doing”, “pleasing” and “overexerting” back into myself. As I practice what feeds my passion, I’m beginning to realize what love means for me. The more I see what love is for me, the more I can pour back into myself the void of practicing and feeling self-love.
Passion and Learning Self-love
Passion is the manifestation of self-love — It’s love in doing. Passion is one of the only feelings (along with ambition, for example) that can not be given to someone else. To feel passion is to come in contact with something in yourself that feeds your needs and fuels your purpose.
When I create, write, and tell my story I feel passion. Doing what I feel passion for allows me to access peace and satisfaction perfectionism never can.
As I move closer to reclaiming my self-love, allowing it to travel to all parts of me (including my perspective of myself), I will use writing and creativity to help heal me of my self-love wound.
Some Advice
Find your passion. Find what helps you feel good and accomplished. Learn about yourself and learn what love means to you. Feel and access the energy of love. Once you’ve found the peace that comes with love, you can practice love for yourself and with others.
Self-care with unbreakable self-love is powerful and can help you build a healthier you.
See this collage on my Mighty page.
Unpacking Your Emotions
Allow yourself to feel even when it gets uncomfortable. Experience your emotions. Understand what is happening and grow in self-awareness.
When experiencing uncomfortable emotions ask yourself questions:
- What am I feeling?
- Why am I feeling this?
- Have I felt like this before?
- Do I need some help processing this emotion?
- Who can I ask for help?
- Is creativity helpful? (Should I write this down? Maybe draw it out? Make a collage?
- Is this emotion influencing my behavior? Is this behavior helpful or harmful?
- What does self-care look like for me when I feel this emotion?
- How can I increase my mindfulness when feeling this emotion?
- What are my next steps?
**Question graphic! Sticker set will be available in my Etsy shop.**
Experiencing certain emotions can be scary, but allowing yourself to feel shows you how best to support yourself or ask for support.
Feel and not dismiss, reject, or ignore how your body is reacting to your environment and experiences. You can learn so much about yourself by reflecting on what is happening.
Practice self-compassion by giving yourself permission to feel.
Bulletin: Reclaim Your Power and Energy
You are in charge of your power and energy. Notice what you are investing your time in and ask if those investments are serving your needs.
If you find your needs not being met, reclaim peace of mind by honoring your needs and resetting your standards and boundaries.
You are in control of your power. Use your energy wisely. You are important.
From now on, we nourish and care for our needs too.
A Mighty Mindfulness Exercise: Pause
Ever wanted a moment to yourself? Ever wished you could push a “pause” button on life when you feel overwhelmed? I can relate!
I’ve recently learned a mindfulness technique that can help when you feel overcome by negative thinking. Instead of spiraling into a tough place mentally, pause. Mindfulness techniques such as this can help to build self-awareness as well as practice the art of acknowledging without spiraling.
Here are four steps you can take:
#1: Once you witness a negative thought entering your mind, pause. Say it out loud if necessary. Interrupt the thought.
#2: Acknowledge the thought. Notice why you’re thinking it.
#3: Take a deep breath.
#4: Witness the thought as just a thought and let it pass. Do not give in or allow it to shift your perspective.
The idea is to learn how to “pause” at the moment a negative thought is introduced and build mindfulness around self-care and self-awareness. Whether it’s saying “pause” out loud or manifesting a pause in our actions, the act of pausing teaches us to manage our thoughts in hopes of creating a more workable outlook on our lives and experiences.
What’s one thought you can pause today?
“Pause” is an activity/graphic I’ve created for The Mighty!
You can see the community engagement post here.
You can also find this graphic as a sticker in my shop!
Defying Shadows Article: Why I Choose to Talk About my Mental Health
You see me express myself, I wear my emotional wounds for all to see. I’m building my self-awareness through my healing and it’s because I choose to write about my mental health.
“I write and talk about my mental health because I know what it’s like to feel alone, unwanted, worthless, hopeless, and unaccomplished. I know what it’s like to feel invisible, to worry to the point of a panic attack, and to feel trapped. I write and talk about my mental health because deep down I wish I can hug and show all those who suffer silently that they don’t have to suffer alone. I write to share and motivate others to keep going even if they feel they can’t.
I neglected my mental health and thought I wasn’t good enough or worthy of love and life unless I proved myself to be so. I didn’t understand my intrinsic worth or purpose and because of this lived in a constant state of depression and anxiety.
If you are reading this, know that you are more than. You are full of purpose, power, and worth and nothing and no one can strip you of this. No matter what those negative thoughts said, you are doing a great job and I’m proud of you.”
Link: Why I Choose to Talk About my Mental Health
SWT 100 Notes Note 39: Proof
Note to self:
The proof of worthiness is self-acceptance. To be worthy is to accept all that is you unapologetically. There is no need to go above and beyond to convince anyone of your greatness. You are great and beautiful all on your own. Be yourself.
Accept all that is you. Become comfortable with your self-worth separate from others and how they treat you or how much work you finished.
You
Are
Enough.
You
Are
Beautiful.
You
Have
Intrinsic
Worth.
Give Yourself Time
No matter how the clock ticks, or how much time elapsed since the last time I felt at peace, I give myself permission to take life slowly.
All that is for me will make its way to me and all that is not for me will exit swiftly.
I wake up and whatever I feel I will acknowledge and let pass. I welcome gratitude every day I’m able to experience another day.
Today is my day. Today I am brave. Today I am strong.
No matter what, I will give myself time.
*This quote will be a part of my sticker shop in Nov 2019!
My shop is currently being moved to another website.
Defying Shadows Article: Facing Recovery After Hitting a Low Point
“Growth and healing are a continuous process. While we may want our recovery journey to look linear, always progressing and improving, that is not what reality teaches us. Recovery, even when we see ourselves in great shape for long periods of time, sometimes come with low moments.
Learning how to accept sudden stumbling blocks can be discouraging, but those moments are what builds and crafts what recovery really looks like.”
Link: Facing Recovery After Hitting a Low Point
A Writing Splurge: Let It Out Note 38
When I’m not doing well or if I can’t seem to silence my intrusive thoughts, I write. So, here is me writing right now:
I know you believe no one will want you. You fear being alone. You can’t imagine being loved or appreciated. You don’t see anything but rejection so you’ve given up.
I know you can’t sleep, so you go to bed at like 3. Some tears roll down your face but no one sees.
I know you’re trying to hide in isolation. That’s how you deal with things.
All this is silly, right? You’ll be fine. What you’re sad about is not important, it’ll happen…eventually.
Just focus on you.
Focus on you.
On you.
You.
Me.
Me.
Me and my.
Me and my feelings.
Me and my feelings are valid.
This is how I feel and it’s been spiraling for a while.
I don’t need anyone to want me. This is me, me and now.
I’ve been hurting a lot and keeping it to myself. When I open up, I feel as though what hurts me isn’t important enough.
To be lonely and isolated, to not feel hope, love, or purpose.
That right there is the wound that needs mending.
I must love myself to move past this pain that comes from way back when.
I am important.
I don’t need validation.
I embody my purpose.
I am powerful.
I am worthy.
Love flows freely in my life.
So I know.
I know.
I just needed a moment to let all this out…again.
SparklyWarTanks 