Creative Healing Through Writing and Art
This is one of the pages from the free coloring book I created, “Peace, Love & Weirdness“.
Affirmation for Intuition:
Click HERE to download the complete and FREE coloring book .
You might also enjoy my other book of affirmations and original art.
In the midst of my depression I relied on positive, upbeat music to lift my mood. There were many to choose from, but I noticed that many song lyrics are counterproductive with lyrics that reinforce negative patterns. So one day I decided to write a song for myself; to guide, remind and empower me to continue on this journey without giving up. Here it is.
Can you write a heartsong? It doesn’t have to rhyme, or be perfect. It just has to come from you, from your core.
Is writing a song for yourself too dorky? Or are you not creative enough? I know all the excuses. I’ve told myself enough excuses in three decades to recognizewhen I’m making one, but what does holding back really give us? My D.I.Y. therapy advice is to work past your fear and sing it loud, even if it’s with the doors and windows shut tight.
I share my D.I.Y. Therapy posts in the hope that my journey can help others find self-love and create a life free of depression. My advice is not a cure-all. I still have moments where I slip back into feelings of depression, but now can acknowledge my emotions and their cause as a way to find my way back to peace.
Read more of my journey out of depression and into balance with my D.I.Y. Therapy posts on this blog.
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Have you downloaded my FREE coloring book? “Peace, Love & Weirdness” is an offbeat collection of my original illustrations and affirmations.
Grab your free copy on my Coloring Book page.
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“Peace Love and Weirdness” is an offbeat coloring book with positive affirmations for cultivating healthier thoughts.
Grab your FREE copy at: https://impoweryou.org/color
***
You might also enjoy my book of word art and affirmations.
After years of being stuck in depression for over a decade I finally feel happiness once again. It is THE most magnificent feeling and I’m grateful to have it growing inside of me. It’s taken a lot of painful and not so painful work. I must be careful not to slide backwards into depression so it’s good to be reminded of the importance of happiness and learn about the various ways we can discover and keep it.
Gretchen was already happy, but felt like she “lost her temper” too often, “felt dejected after even a minor professional setback” and “suffered from bouts of melancholy, insecurity, listlessness and free-floating guilt”. She committed to creating a year-long project to discover a more sustainable happiness. Through research, advice from friends and strangers, and personal experiences she discovers many paths to increased happiness.
Here are my favorite highlights of the book.
-She sets a theme with specific actions to take each month and created a progress/reward chart to keep on track. A progress/reward chart is very helpful. I’ve learned that creating a To-Do List is only good if I follow through. So I do three things with my task list, send it in an email, write it on the notepad in my purse and add it to my calendar
-We stick to our goals better when we receive intrinsic motivation from ourselves as opposed to external punishments. We are also more likely to see results if we create or join a supportive “goals group”
-By decluttering our homes we receive more mental clarity since we are no longer bombarded with the stress of a constant mess.
-Being present and fully participating in each moment brings joy immediately as opposed to the hope of waiting for something. Once we reach our goals our happiness can fade as we wait for happiness from more challenging goals. By being in the present we enjoy both!
-Happiness is not selfish. When we feel good we are more likely to help others. When we feel bad we usually are focused solely on making ourselves better.
-Negative moods are contagious and constant criticism or petty arguments take a toll on us and others. “I didn’t want to be fake, but I could make an effort to be less critical.”
-Be adventurous! Try new things, learn a new skill, be silly and do things that you enjoy without focusing only on results.
-Be aware of what you are creating. From Buddhism she learned “The most important was mindfulness the cultivation of consciousness, non-judgemental awareness. For example she had the habit of “mindlessly picking snacks”. Each time she “felt uncomfortable twinges of self-reproach, because I knew that kind of food wasn’t healthy. Once I stopped that habit, that relentless source of bad feeling vanished”
-My favorite quote of hers is about how easy it is to get caught up in the negative. “…when I was angry or resentful, I searched for excuses to feel even more angry and resentful.” I’ve experienced this same awareness and it’s not pretty. However the great thing about awareness is we have the power to take charge and change habits that hurt us in the long run.
So there you have my opinion of the book. Have you read it? What did you think? Please leave a comment!
Who should read this? If you’re looking for ways to be happier, if you’re struggling with depression, are stuck in a rut or curious about various forms of happiness I recommend this book. Learn more at www.Happines-Project.com.
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Ready to HEAL? Read my D.I.Y. Therapy posts.
Find my BOOKS on Amazon.com and Bookemon.com.
Purchase my ART on Zazzle.com/OviedoStyle.
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Love is a way of being, of living and is a direct reflection of your beliefs. I used to feel like a loser, worthless, ugly and as if I would always feel sad. When I became aware of why I believed that way I begin to take the steps to change my belief. I began the practice of self-love.
At first the thought of writing messages to myself was corny and ineffective, until I paid attention to how I felt afterward. Now it’s enjoyable and reassuring to write self-love affirmation that I post around my room and social media pages or read to myself first thing every morning(almost every morning). I recommend writing about 3-6 sentences. Not too short that you can’t connect to your affirmation, but not too long that you feel overwhelmed at the thought of a daily reading. I added mine to the notepad on my phone and set a calendar reminder to read it every morning as soon as I wake up. This only takes a minute so it’s easy to add to my schedule.
Whether the messages are from TV, those intrusive magazines in the checkout line or who you follow on social media, becoming aware of negative marketing and evaluating the media you consume will allow you to focus on interactive learning as opposed to just consuming news. I stopped watching and reading the major news outlets (and their advertisements that promote low self-worth) who are invested in drama and negativity as opposed to simply educating about events and the world. I stopped obsessing over fashion and begrudgingly ended my addiction to (most) womens magazines and began to read positive media like YES Magazine and activism inspired news like Ms. Magazine.
Take note of what you learn. Whatever you realize is making you happy or unhappy, what feels good or unhealthy and any moment of clarity that allows you insight into being your best self should be recorded. This will allow you to stay focused on creating a solid foundation of loving yourself.
I love to meditate on a positive affirmation. It’s as simple as repeating an affirmation repeatedly with regular focused breathing. I also take walks and stop to create art from debris, trash, leaves and rocks, whatever is lying around that might make a fun pattern or design. I made the heart below from discarded candy wrappers littering the sidewalk. I also journal whenever i feel the need to write my feelings or record an important event. I also enjoy actions that force me to focus such as yoga, breathing exercises and sitting still in the evening to drink tea and doodle.
If you need help with practicing self-love check out the Love Warrior Community(the Self Love Diet). This online community offers free tools and events designed to help us love our bodies. It’s my favorite resource and was started by Michelle Minero a licensed therapist and is supported by her daughter Emelina. www.lovewarriorcommunity.com
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Have you downloaded my FREE coloring book? “Peace, Love & Weirdness” is an offbeat collection of my original illustrations and affirmations.
Grab your free copy on my Coloring Book page.
Affirmation for Adventure
My intent for this new journey is positive. I am ready for this new adventure. I am learning and growing. I am capable and confident. I am eager and enthusiastic. I am ready for this new adventure.
“Peace Love and Weirdness” is offbeat and includes positive affirmations for cultivating healthier thoughts.
Grab your FREE copy at: https://impoweryou.org/color
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You might also enjoy my book of word art and affirmations.
“Oh Flux How did I get Here: 8 Simple Strategies to Begin Transforming Your Life Today” by Patricia Rundblade.
What really stood out to me in “Oh Flux” by Patricia Rundblade was the authors honesty. So many books in the self-help genre are so impersonal that I don’t connect with the message, lose interest and feel as if I wasted my time and money. In this book the author talks about how her fears scare her, “My own fears would require a separate book all in itself! But my fears are just like yours, and they truly scare the crap out of me most days.” She opens up about divorce, gaining weight, crying, struggling financially and feeling as if she had no real reason or purpose for her life. In the beginning of the book she says, “So here I am, approaching fifty, and in the process of re-creating my life.”
The parts of the book that resonated with me were issues I have experienced.
-Freedom from the common addiction to material wealth and the difficulties of letting go.
-Feeling that moment when I knew that my life was changing, “I felt a shift happen in my world, and in my heart.”
-Realizing that I need to build healthier and stronger friendships, “When we look for friends we should be cognizant of what they add to our lives.”
I appreciated the ponder points exercises at the end of each chapter. My favorite was from chapter 6: The Study of Self Mastery. See the excerpt below.
“My five key strengths are…
• My most meaningful experience has been…
• What drains my energy?
• The relationships that have influenced my sense of destiny are… (explain how)
• My top three weaknesses/areas for improvement are…
• My Personal Purpose in life is defined as…”
Chapter 10 especially caught my attention with her message of forgiveness, compassion and self-love. “As I begin applying more self-loving methods, I notice something else happening: I am attracting positive attention. I know this sounds strange, but as I began to forgive myself, I also stopped passing judgment on my looks, weight, and other things in/out of my control. I am more present, and comfortable in my own skin—a feat that has eluded me for quite some time.” from chapter 10.
And finally in chapter 11 she talks about rebooting our lives. We need to ask ourselves, “is my comfort zone serving me, or not serving me in living the life I desire?”
I recommend this book for those who feel as if there is nothing new to experience and those who are on the brink of giving up and settling for less than they’re worth. Once we start the process of individual empowerment it’s important that we pay attention. An important lesson I’ve learned is that what we give through our thoughts, words and actions is exactly what we receive from the universe. I’m at a point in my personal growth where I know that’s an undeniable truth and it felt comforting reading a similar experience from the author.
“As I trusted more and more the process of change and revelation, I was open to more meaning and fulfilment in how I viewed and participated in the world around me.” Patricia Rundblade
Buy your copy at http://www.amazon.com/FLUX-How-Did-Get-Here/dp/1500624225/
Learn more about Patricia at http://thepersonaladvancementgroup.com
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Ready to HEAL? Read my D.I.Y. Therapy posts.
Find my BOOKS on Amazon.com and Bookemon.com.
Purchase my ART on Zazzle.com/OviedoStyle.
*** *** **
Ads directly below this post are not endorsed by this blog.
This is one of the pages from the free coloring book I created, “Peace, Love & Weirdness“.
Affirmation for Peace
Peace starts with me. I am living the change I want to see. Peace involves action and love, kindness and compassion. Peace starts from within. Peace is listening, leading compromise and forgiveness. Peace starts with me.
Click HERE to download the complete and FREE coloring book .
You might also enjoy my other book of affirmations and original art.
“DEEP INSIDE YOU ARE POWERFUL, USE IT”
Affirmation for Confidence
Deep inside I am strong and powerful. I am in control of this situation. My reaction is completely up to me. Strength, ability and knowledge, intelligence, balance and power all reside inside me and will always be there for me to access.
Download my FREE COLORING BOOK. “Peace Love and Weirdness” is offbeat and includes positive affirmations for cultivating healthier thoughts.
Grab your copy here: https://impoweryou.org/color
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See more of my books on Amazon!
Chances are you know some amazing people, people who despite the odds have overcome tragedy or worked diligently to improve their communities. Theirs are not exciting stories of exceptional danger, but still inspire. That is the premise in the book. “Some (Amazing) People I Know” by Keith Maginn.
The author Keith Maginn created this book because so many people he knew were struggling and wanted to “..highlight feel-good stories to give them hope.” From the seven stories in this book, two really stood out!
The first was about Joy and how she left her longtime and secure career for adventure, because that has been the story of my life. She overcame her fear of the great beyond, “I had little fears, but I told myself hey weren’t real. Things started falling into place and I kept getting signs and reassurance from things that happened.” On my own quest for individual empowerment I observed how once I commit to a decision, no matter what there are many “signs” that show I am indeed on the right path. I loved the part of her story where she went sledding down a volcano in Nicaragua. Her experience inspired her to become a flight attendant and travel the world.
The second was of Beth and her powerful grasp of not allowing anger to hold her back after a harrowing loss that shook her family to the core. Despite the overwhelming grief of losing her 3-year-old son in an accident caused by a distracted driver she says, “I never saw the point of being angry…The only thing I have control of is me – my choices and what I say and do.” That is THE most important lesson in the quest for individual empowerment. Once we realize that we can’t control life, but we can control our reaction we can become our best selves. The tragedy Beth endured inspired her to create the Jacks Forever 3 Foundation, which educates teens about distracted driving. Learn more at www.jacksforever3.com.
If you need a little everyday inspiration, like to read stories about overcoming the odds or are looking for an inspirational gift, this book would be a good choice. Learn more on KeithMaginn.com and buy the book at Amazon.com.
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Ready to HEAL? Read my D.I.Y. Therapy posts.
Find my BOOKS on Amazon.com and Bookemon.com.
Purchase my ART on Zazzle.com/OviedoStyle.
*** *** **
Ads directly below this post are not endorsed by this blog.
Individual Empowerment 