Posted in Confessions, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Notes, Potential and Worth, Power, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty

#CheckInWithMe Mighty Thought Note 35: Learning to Sooth My Inner Child as Someone With Depression

My Inner Child and Perfectionism
Growing up I was a perfectionist. And while I’m now able to regulate my impulses to go well past my emotional and mental limits, as a child my self-worth depended on overachieving to feel seen and heard. Whether it was a school assignment, cleaning my room, or comparing myself to everyone else, I found that my high expectations built an inner bully that still rests in the inner child inside me.

When situations happen or certain phrases are spoken to me that affect my inner child, a wave or impulse of pain passes through my chest and my heart drops to my feet. I could instantly remember a similar situation or feeling from one in my past. Examples of these are being ignored, feeling as though my voice isn’t being heard, being pushed to the side, feeling alone, not knowing who to talk to, or feeling less-than and not good enough.
Depression, Connection, and Growing in Self-Awareness
The more I grow in self-awareness, the more I’m able to connect and identify the situations, experiences, self-talk, and thoughts that hurt my inner child. Much of my depression, I now realize, rest on the pain and experiences of that hurt little girl. I’ve learned that the more in-tune I am with soothing my inner child, the closer I get to understand the best ways to take care of myself through depressive episodes.

Connecting with my inner child is a bit painful, but it allows me to begin to let go and progress to a more workable and healthy relationship with myself. I want to love myself more in my recovery with depression. As I feel the pain resurface, I’m learning to let it go. I imagine speaking with my inner child while building trust and honesty with myself.

Soothing as a Process of Moving Forward
Workable self-talk and writing are two soothing tools I use when experiencing mental turmoil. Detaching my thoughts from my mind onto my phone or paper helps me to see what I’m going through using words. I’m able to soothe myself and create something positive as I switch negative thoughts into more positive ones.

The more I write, the more I can show my inner child that it’s okay to feel hurt. My worth is no longer connected to what I do but to who I am. In my journey of healing and recovery, I’m accepting all parts of myself without judgment. An increase in self-awareness is also an increase in self-love. Self-love means I will do what I can to be better and feel better.


Find it on The Mighty here

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

What are You Doing About it?: Approaching Limiting Beliefs and Moving Ahead

Often times we find ourselves stuck and unable to move forward. Whether it’s a split second of confusion or longer amount of time, we grapple with obstacles both conscious and unconscious that are prohibiting us from achieving what we want.

How we approach those obstacles, however, will guide our next steps and will help us to be more proactive in who we want to become. Asking insightful questions and motivating ourselves to do better can help to push the change we want to see.

Self-doubt and Limiting Beliefs

When feeling unable or unfit to achieve a goal, we may already be telling ourselves we can’t achieve what we want. This may be in the form of procrastination, lack of motivation, negative self-talk, avoiding responsibilities and tasks, or constantly feeling discouraged/depressed when it comes to picking up new opportunities.

Because limiting beliefs are ingrained in how we think, its often difficult to identify them. To combat this issue in identifying how we are holding ourselves back, we must practice self-awareness and critical thinking. How are you really feeling? Who do you want to be?

Questions to Help Identify Limiting Beliefs/Fears

Here are 8 questions you can ask yourself if you feel stuck due to limiting beliefs or self-doubt and want to move forward:

  1. What do you want to achieve?
  2. How important is that goal to you?
  3. Do you have fears that might be stopping you from reaching your goal?
  4. How do the fears make you feel?
  5. Do you feel that the belief/fear is protecting you from pain?
  6. Are those beliefs and fears serving a purpose? Can you move on from them?
  7. How can you overcome those limiting beliefs and fears?
  8. What are new ways to think about your fears/limiting beliefs in order to progress?

Moving Forward with Affirmations and New Creations

Now that we are thinking about our limiting beliefs and goals we want to achieve, how do we change our mindset to wanting and striving to be more of who we want to be? Affirmations and new ideas are some ways we can get ourselves in a more workable mindset.

Here are some affirmations you can practice to get started:

  • I am good enough.
  • I am capable of achieving my goals.
  • I learn and grow from every opportunity.
  • Challenges I am faced with are great learning experiences.
  • I am worthy of new opportunities and I am where I need to be.

Changing how you see yourself in your current situation will help you to move ahead despite challenges and obstacles.

You can also build on those affirmations by creating something new. Writing a poem or article, drawing, creating your own blog, practicing arts and crafts, cooking can aid in feelings of accomplishment boosting your sense of self-worth.

The more confidence you build, the more active you will become in believing you can achieve what you want. Move and become active in your progress. Belief in yourself is the first step in achieving goals.

Become who you want to become. You are your biggest critic but can also be your biggest fan. Prove to yourself that you can.

Posted in Creative Writing, Defying Shadows Articles, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Other Publications, Potential and Worth, Power

Defying Shadows Article: Thank You For Helping Me Through My Depression

Here is a simple letter. This letter thanks the person who wakes up every morning barely wanting to, but does anyway. This letter is to the survivor, the warrior, and the one who keeps pushing through. This letter is for you...”

Link: Thank You For Helping Me Through My Depression: A Simple Letter

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Notes, Potential and Worth, Power, Self-Talk

SWT 100 Notes Note 34: Listening to Your Intuition

Have you ever felt “weird” or uncomfortable around a person, situation, experience, or place? Has your body ever told you that something isn’t right but you didn’t know whether you were being paranoid, nervous, or anxious for no reason?

In most, if not all experiences you will evaluate what’s going both consciously and unconsciously. Your intuition is a sudden feeling or reaction that tells you something about what’s going on that’s not always conscious or logical. Once you become in tune with how to navigate your intuition, it will become easier to protect yourself and your boundaries.

Listen closely to what your body is telling you. Know when you are anxious, nervous, uneasy, or not feeling “right” and what that means. Take the time to strengthen that “gut feeling.” It will only get better the more you listen. Stop ignoring your body’s signals.

Posted in Bulletins, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Power

Bulletin: Avoid Expectation

Enter new situations with an open mind. As much as we think we are similar to those around us, we all have different experiences that shape how we behave and what we believe. The important part when it comes to new experiences, however, is to separate what we believe will happen or want to happen based on those preconceived beliefs from the reality of what’s going on. At times we may attach our expectations on these situations and in turn, ignore what is actually going on.

Sit back and observe instead of leading the experience with expectation. Who are we talking with? Where are we? How do I feel? Being mindful of ourselves and what is happening will allow us to make a decision whether this is a situation we want to continue engaging in or exiting.

Adjust to what is presented and allow the experience to flow as it may. What fits, will fit. What falls, will fall.

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

#MightyThoughts: A Message For Every Day

Keep going despite the bad days. Love yourself through the moments that are hardest. Even if no one understands what you are experiencing, you do. Get to know yourself, and in that process become gentle and compassionate.

Thank you for existing and continuing to try even when you are struggling. Some experience a silent battle and don’t understand how strong they are.
If no one told you today, I love you. Whoever you are, whatever struggle you think no one sees, I see it and I’m immensely proud that you are constantly fighting. Your life is worth far more than you can imagine.

Check it out here on The Mighty.

Posted in Defying Shadows Articles, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Self-Care, Self-Talk

Defying Shadows Article: Burnout, Stress, And Anxiety

Have you ever experienced burnout? Do you tend to overwork yourself without checking in on your self-care?

What are signs and signals to look out for that will show you that you are stressed and need to slow down?

Check out my Defying Shadows article Burnout, Stress, And Anxiety: Knowing How to Cope to learn how to deal with the symptoms of stress and burnout.

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration

To the Ones Struggling Silently

Even to the ones who hold the title of different, who struggle silently.

To the ones who push positively.

To the ones that show bravery although unaccepted.

The ones who feel unwanted.

The ones that cry alone at night.

The ones who struggle to keep up.

The ones who wish they were seen.

The ones who weren’t anyone’s favorite.

The ones who hustled to get what they needed.

The ones overcoming constantly.

The ones never in the spotlight.

The ones who don’t get acknowledged or thanked.

You are seen, you are important, you are valuable all on your own.

Your life holds purpose and all you do will reap its benefits.

***Because I’ve been struggling to see my worth and value, I write this piece as encouragement to all who feel like I do.

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

The Emotionally Strong

What are your emotions revealing about you? How can you listen to your emotional responses without reacting irrationally or dramatically?

To build and utilize your emotions as a way to understand your trauma and triggers, allow yourself to feel, followed by methods of introspection. Ask yourself why. The more you become in tune with your responses, the more apparent your next steps will be.

Read more on building emotional strength here!

Posted in Creations, Creative Writing, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Power

Here’s to…

There are moments where I sit and write and whatever flows out becomes something of its own. I want to make a toast to everything that’s been good to me, that’s shown me who I am even in conflict and discomfort. This is me. A work in progress, a never-ending process.

Continuously work on yourself even if the reality is uncomfortable….