How to Stop Negative Self-Talk Would you tell one of your friends that they’re “stupid?” “Not good enough?” That it’s “too late” for them to go after their goals? That you “don’t like” their body, nose, skin, fill-in-the-blank? That you “hate” them? (and not in the “omg-I-hate-you-why-would-you-do-this” kind of way, when they do something silly) Well, if you’re a good friend (and I do hope that you are :) ) you wouldn’t say those things to another person, let alone someone you love. But you don’t always have a problem with being unkind or mean to yourself, do you? We say all those things to ourselves without hesitation. The way you talk to yourself can help you stay motivated, driven and inspired. Sometimes, it can be a source of solutions to your problems. It can, however, also be a source of a lot of excessive negativity- that’s when it becomes harmful. I spent years struggling with this and it wasn’t just me telling myself that “I’m so stupid” when I did something… well, stupid. It was a constant, ongoing battle. I would tell myself things that made me doubt myself, things that made me feel bad about myself, things I […]

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Mindfulness is a lot more than just a habit. It’s more of a lifestyle change, a way of living, seeing and doing things. And, just like a lot of lifestyle changes, it takes time and effort to introduce it into your life. It requires effort not because it’s a particularly difficult thing to practice, but it can be a little uncomfortable at times. Most of us lead very busy, sort of “loud” lives where there’s a lot of distraction, plans for the future, but also things like disappointments, failures. The latter two have a tendency of lingering around and we often spend too much time worrying, playing and re-playing different scenarios on a loop. Wanting to hide from or not think about our negative emotions and fears, we cling on to those distractions. That resistance can sharpen those feelings, giving them more power. By practicing mindfulness you are allowing yourself to feel, not resist, observe and let go. Having a lot going on and being busy shouldn’t be an excuse for not being mindful and running on autopilot through every single day. The busier your life is, the more you can benefit from practicing mindfulness, as it’s something that will […]

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When I first began practicing mindfulness, it seemed like a chore. Staying mindful, paying attention to every moment, being always present, learning not to judge my thoughts… I mean… that is a list of things an anxious person does not do. Like, ever. There are so many different thoughts, scenarios, plans, outcomes running through my head- how can I focus on and find joy in simple things like doing my dishes, or drinking tea? Not possible. Or so I thought. Mindfulness is a way of engaging in the present moment. It’s a way of being present without judging, without attachment. It can be a difference between moving through your life, running on autopilot where you wake up, go about your day then go to sleep and do the same thing the next day, and fully living your life. You don’t have to spend your days, weeks, months and years waiting for “something” to happen. Every little moment is only as special as you make it. We spend over 45% of our time thinking about something other than what we’re doing. When you start being kind to and pay attention to the present moment, something amazing happens; you become happier. 4 […]

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I get in my car after work and go home. I listen to the radio or turn on my iPod and drive. As I pull into my driveway, I think to myself “wow, how did I get here so quick?” My 30-minute commute seemed like a 5-minute ride. It’s kind of scary if you think about it. My mind was so distracted, that I didn’t even realize I was already home. I was probably thinking about what to make for dinner while also planning out the next day. Maybe I was worried about something, or re-living something that happened at work. I’m sure this happens to you a lot, too; you’re having a conversation with someone and then suddenly, you find yourself asking “wait, what? say that again?” because you weren’t paying attention. Life moves at a fast pace. We spend most of it worrying about the future or re-living things that happened in the past. Is there anything wrong with thinking about the past or the future? Not necessarily. But, you can’t change the past, and you cannot control the future, no matter how hard you try, so why spend so much time worrying about it? If you’re not […]

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… or in other words, let’s talk about staying sane when the shit hits the fan. Sometimes you might find yourself feeling like your life is spinning out of your control. It can be so hard to pick yourself up when experiencing a major setback. Even though most days I continue to feel inspired, there are also days when I feel almost as if I’m still trying to pick up the pieces. It’s about a lot more than just feeling stuck. It’s about wanting to do things, to get things done, to move forward, but not being able to do so physically or emotionally. Sometimes both. Experiencing a major setback is not only frustrating. There are days when you feel like you’ve actually lost a piece of the person you used to be like you just can’t catch a break. One thing seems to go wrong after another. Usually, when it comes to these things, you have two options; you can give in and give up, or you can push through, learn to be more resilient, and pick yourself up as many times as it takes. HOW TO STAY RESILIENT DURING A SETBACK & TOUGH TIMES MASTER YOUR EMOTIONS Tough […]

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