Inspire You!

The idea behind today’s post is to find inspiration in yourself. I know how hard it can be sometimes. Especially when you doubt yourself, feel your ideas are stupid or feel that maybe no one may like what you create. Here’s the thing though, your ideas, opinions and creations are valued and there is someone out there who shares the same feelings. Inspire yourself to think greatly. Give yourself time in the day to just think. Write down your thoughts and demonstrate them positively. It is easy to feel hard on ourselves, but the best thing you could ever do is give yourself the time of day. Go the extra mile with your ideas.

I have a really good example for a situation of what “inspire you” should mean. The other day I wanted to paint and thought that it would be a good idea to try and find some inspiration by searching google images, hoping it would get my brain going. Nothing and I mean nothing was working, it wasn’t getting my imagination going and I couldn’t decide on a subject to paint. There I sat, in my thoughts, possibly overthinking such a small topic. Then I decided to just sit back for a minute, take a breath and just imagine something beautiful. I asked myself, what will look beautiful? I grabbed my yellow paint, which was an odd choice for me but I decided to follow my gut. I covered the ENTIRE canvas in yellow. From there, somehow I created a beautiful painting complete with a flower. I was surprised with the finish product since from the beginning I wasn’t sure what to expect. Along with being surprised, I felt accomplished and inspired. I know I can create beautiful pictures, my ideas are amazing and just like everyone else I tend to forget that.

Everyday you may be faced with challenges, large and small. Some may feel like the weight of the world while others sit in the back of your head and taunt you as you try to make the ‘right’ choice. My point is, inspire yourself to feel great. Inspire yourself to feel strong. You are an amazing person with great ideas. The only thing that is stopping you, is the courage to execute those ideas. You are an inspirational being.

 

Write in the comments ways you have inspired yourself. Have you created something beautiful that was a result of your inspiration?

 

Always,

Megan

Real Talk: Stress and Anxiety.

To start, you feel lost.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve been through these emotions. It’s something many people suffer from on a daily basis. Some triggers can be prevented and some cannot. Triggers are different for everyone but the way we cope or try to make ourselves feel better may be very similar. When trying to explain my anxiety to someone, it’s very difficult. The times I’ve been at my worst, the only way it could be explained was: “My mind feels what it looks like when you scribble on a page with a pencil. It’s a mess.”

My anxiety started between 7-8th grade. Not only was I getting nervous about high school, this was a time in my life that bullying had begun. I’d go home crying more days than not, but I never had talked with anyone about it or asked for help. I was a very shy child. It felt like no one liked me or wanted to even be around me. I’d play the sick card so many times because I just didn’t want to face the potential torment of being around those mean kids. In high school the bullying continued, some years worse than others along with my anxiety. It wasn’t until my adult life that I had begun experiencing breakdowns complete with shaking, labored breathing and more tears than I could count.

After suffering with anxiety for many years, multiple tries at medicating, self-help, all the reading in the world I still have those days where I can’t even begin to get out of my own head. I continue to live with my triggers day in and day out but haven’t dropped back to rock bottom. Rock bottom was an awful place, I had never felt so helpless in my life. I didn’t know who to turn to, talk to, how to ask for help or even begin to explain what I was feeling. Despite this, I’m in a much better place than I use to be. Medication is no longer an option for me as a personal choice. The side effects I had made it not worth it for me. When under stress for a long period of time, my anxiousness does rear its ugly head and it becomes very hard for me to focus. You can’t talk me out of it because my mind doesn’t want to listen. The best thing for myself I discovered was finding what makes me comfortable.

Here are five techniques that I have used for many years to help manage my stress and anxiety.

 

1) Warm Shower/Bath

There is just something about a nice, warm shower. I find comfort in the warmth. Playing music and singing add to a more relieved feeling. The great thing about a warm shower or bath is afterward when you finish toweling off, you can put on some comfy PJ’s and fuzzy socks. Surround yourself with textures that you find comforting and soon you body will start to feel relaxed.

2) Music

If you don’t feel like getting wet, music by itself is still a great outlet for emotion. Genre is all your preference, whatever makes you feel most at ease. Singing is optional. Pandora, CDs or maybe you still have a cassette player, just get those jams going. I prefer Rock/Metal, there is just something about the electric guitar that is so soothing to me!

3) Drawing/Coloring

At a young age I could sit in my room for hours and just draw. It pulls your focus away from whats on your mind. It has been awhile now since I’ve actually drawn something, but I still will color time to time when I just need something to do with my hands. Changing your focus is beneficial. No need to buy a coloring book either, you can search for color pages in Google images and print off whatever your heart desires. There are some really beautiful pages if you take a minute to look around!

4) Candles

Candles don’t only smell good, certain scents such as Lavender can be very calming. I’m not embarrassed to say that I’m a Yankee Candle wax tart junkie and there are warmers in almost every room in my house. Scientifically, I don’t know why candles or scents work for me, all that matters is that there is a benefit from them. Warmers work great because you don’t have the actual fire if you are worried about pets or small children. Wax warmers run for about $10 at Walmart, but any candle with your favorite scent will work just as well.

5) Support

While this is one of the biggest pieces I fear it can also be one of the hardest. There is nothing worse than feeling like no one will understand you, no one will support you or being to embarrassed to ask for help. I’m here to tell you, that you need to talk to the person that you trust and it is okay to do so. My husband is my biggest supporter and a lot of my improvements I thank him for. Your spouse, friend, parent, grandparent, online friend, pet, anyone. I guarantee that someone will listen to you and support you. If there is something that you know you will need during an anxiety attack, tell that person. Whether its fuzzy socks, a hug, a cookie or a listening ear, just tell them and I’m sure they will be willing to help. This will go a million miles in your time of need.

 

Find your healthy relief.

 Always,

Megan

Planner Play Date

Finding the right planner..

It took me awhile to find a planner that I actually was dead set on purchasing. Between bouncing around the more popular and expensive brands, I found myself not willing to fork out a huge amount of cash no matter how creative or fun the planners looked. It wasn’t until I had heard about the Happy Planner that I finally felt like I was able to make a decision on my planner purchase. I bought a Happy Planner kit at my local Hobby Lobby that included stickers and a few other treats. What I like most about this planner is that its not only extremely cute with the graphics and covers, but it gives me complete control to be creative and design it however I wish. Happy Planner has a lot of their own products that are sold separately from the planner itself. I bought a package of extra covers and the home planner expansion. The home planner includes a tabs for budget, meal planning, to-do lists and house cleaning which will be super useful for me trying to juggle everything in the new year!

Creativity and Design.

After arming myself with some really cute stickers from a local discount store (All under $1.00!) I was able to start decorating to my  heart’s desire. Where this planner was completely blank to start with, right down to the “month” tabs, you have the entire canvas to create on your own.  I found it relaxing and fun to go through and decorate the pages. Of course I had to add some humor into it…

Wine and Chocolate Stickers!

In the end…

Every page I have finished so far I absolutely adore. Its a neat thought that no matter how many people purchase the same planner, they will all end up looking differently. If you want a great way to stay organized in the new year I would highly recommend investing in a planner, no matter the brand.

Always,

Megan

Why bother making a blog?

Well…

I think I may have an answer to that question! Sure, the idea has jumped around my head from the time I was a teen to now. Although, looking back, my life then seemed to have more of an exciting dynamic than it does now. (Even though I may not have felt that way, since I always claimed to be bored.)

That being said,

I think a blog is a great way to reach out to others who share equal interests. We could possibly share a laugh or you may just laugh at me for how awkward/pathetic this blog post is. In that case, I don’t blame you.

Really now…

Alright, alright. On a more serious note. I think that a blog is a good way to express yourself. Who you are, your passions, talents, dreams, adventures and the many experiences life has to offer. Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder and my goal is to share the beauty of life with others, even if they can’t see it yet.

 

Always,

Megan