Creative Healing Through Writing and Art
What will your intention be today? How will you start your morning? Or how will you rejuvenate a day that isn’t fulfilling your heart and mind?
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Writing my book wasn’t easy. Sharing what had always felt so shameful was scary. Even so, I came to a point where I stopped feeling shameful and started understanding that depression is just as important as any serious illness. Suddenly I realized I was no longer a victim. I was a survivor.
I published through Amazon so it’s available as both an e-book and a paperback. This is not my first book, but it is my most personal. I share my struggles and pain honestly. Openly and honestly sharing healing is my gift to the world. With 1 in 4 people in the USA suffering from mental illness I hope my story will help others to start their own journey to better health. Unlike a broken bone which heals in a matter of weeks or months, healing mental illness takes much more time and a whole lot of self-love.
If you’re suffering from depression I strongly encourage you to seek help. If you can’t afford a therapist find a supportive mentor, teacher or healer who can help you discover inner peace. Healing is possible IF you are open and willing to commit to a self-care plan. You’re life only has value if you decide it does.
And it’s okay to stumble and fall along the way. Healing takes time so BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF!
Peace and Hugs, Leah
One of the many ways I’m healing my depression is through nature. I live in the city with lots of parks, canyons and the ocean, but it’s still mostly concrete, pollution and a constant rushing of life. Since I don’t have many opportunities to escape into the mountains I escape into the garden where I volunteer and “ground” or “meditate”. Here is a simple meditation I’ve been using for over a year now.
Nature Meditation
Find a spot. Sit down or stand still.
Look at your surroundings. Is this a safe place to stop and rest?
If so, find a plant or tree to direct your focus.
Notice your thoughts and tell them that it’s time for a break. Just focus on the plant or tree you chose. Notice the shape and size. What is the color of the plant? What’s unique about it? Imagine what insects, reptiles or animals might live in it or like to nibble on it. Just allow your focus to be totally absorbed by the plant.
Every time you start thinking, bring yourself back with the word “return”. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been on a train of thought, just notice that you are out of focus. Allow yourself to release any thoughts, especially those concerned with what you need to do or what is causing you pain. Imagine all the unwanted things seeping out of you and into the soil. Let your worries dissolve into the earth.
Just be present. When you feel ready to move forward with your day then gently return to the world around you. Bring with you the felling of peace that you cultivated today.
The first time I tried this, I only lasted a few minutes, but gradually with practice I can allow myself to sit still and be present for much longer. Practicing mindfulness and meditation is a core for healing. If we don’t take time to slow down and allow ourselves to shut down we will constantly be working on ourselves and that is tiring.
Want more? Check out my DIY Therapy Posts or buy my book, “D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression” on Amazon.
“D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression” is available through Amazon; as both an e-book and a paperback.
If you’re suffering from depression I strongly encourage you to seek help. If you can’t afford a therapist find a supportive mentor, teacher or healer who can help you discover inner peace. Healing is possible IF you are open and willing to commit to a self-care plan.
For several years I have been working on healing my depression. It’s been a bumpy journey, but is slowly bringing me home to my true self. For a few years now I have been sharing my healing process through my DIY Therapy posts, which are free to read, here on my blog. I’m elated to finally share how I have healed in book form. Hopefully this will help me reach more people who are in pain.
I published through Amazon so it’s available as both an e-book and a paperback. This is not my first book, but it is my most personal. I share my struggles and pain honestly. Openly and honestly sharing healing is my gift to the world. With 1 in 4 people in the USA suffering from mental illness I hope my story will help others to start their own journey to better health. Unlike a broken bone which heals in a matter of weeks or months, healing mental illness takes much more time and a whole lot of self-love.
For seventeen years I suffered in silence because the fear of a mental illness stigma is SO strong. I hid it even from my closest family and friends, “knowing” they would not understand. Well as it turns out, my family and friends and event complete strangers, care a lot about my mental health. It is with their support and encouragement that I was able to openly share my own pain and the struggles of depression.
If you’re suffering from depression I strongly encourage you to seek help. If you can’t afford a therapist find a supportive mentor, teacher or healer who can help you discover inner peace. Healing is possible IF you are open and willing to commit to a self-care plan. You’re life only has value if you decide it does.
And it’s okay to stumble and fall along the way. Healing takes time so BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF!
Peace and Hugs, Leah
An important aspect of self growth and healing from depression is accepting yourself. If you want to feel balanced and healthy you can’t spend all your energy fighting who you are. Instead you must learn to be genuine and love the parts of you that are both embarrassing and wonderful.
Below are seven questions to give you insight into your genuine self. After you answer these questions meditate on your responses.
1) Who am I?
2) What labels have been assigned to me by others?
3) What about myself do I criticize?
4) What about myself do I celebrate?
5) What do I believe about myself that is not true?
6) Who do I want to be?
7) What can I cultivate to become my best self?
*Like this??? Read more D.I.Y. Therapy Posts. *
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“Peace, Love & Weirdness” is an offbeat collection of my original illustrations and affirmations.
Grab your free copy on the Coloring Book page.
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“More Than Just a Girl” helps girls build confidence with information, creative activities and loving acceptance.
Grab your free copy on the More Than a Girl page.
Go ahead and CRY. It’s okay to let out that pent-up pain. Yes happiness is one of our goals, but we are imperfect beings and we feel sadness. Our real goal is to find BALANCE.
Why do we stop ourselves from expressing negative emotions? If you’ve lived as long as me or are an emotionally intelligent person than you have noticed by now that denying, ignoring and stopping ourselves and others from expressing negative emotions only gives those negatives more strength.
There is a healthy strength in allowing yourself to cry when you can’t hold in the pain any longer. Crying releases the toxic negative buildup residing in our bodies. Crying gives us relief.
For me I used to cry so easily. The tiniest prick would have me slumped on the floor. So I nagged and berated myself about it. I was so cruel, calling myself a “stupid useless idiot”. The more frustrated I became with my pain and tears the more I cried. I trapped myself in a nasty cycle. I felt like I would be stuck in it forever.
But then I started reading wisdom from others who had felt similar pains, who held in hate and sought revenge for the pain others caused me. I listened openly to their words and found a comfort in learning two very important lessons.
The first lesson was that I was not alone in my pain. There were many more like me. Some of them survived and some gave up under the weight. I decided I wanted to survive.
The second lesson was that I could heal if I learned to go, to focus on what really matters be it good or bad. I learned that not every prick deserved a cry. I learned to shed my tears for the gut punches. A small cut requires medicine and a bandage. Those big painful knock-outs require much more. They need a cleansing.
Crying is a cleanse. It allows you to rinse away the lingering disease and heal.
So go ahead and CRY!
DO YOU FEEL BETTER AFTER YOU CRY?
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Find my BOOKS on Amazon.com and Bookemon.com.
Purchase my ART on Zazzle.com/OviedoStyle.
Ready to HEAL from depression? Read my D.I.Y. Therapy posts.
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We are social animals. Because of this, feeling disconnected is an opening for depression to seep inside.
Looking back I can see that connection has always been something I felt missing. Perhaps because my family moved so much I have always craved connection with others so that I could plant my roots and grow. A constant feeling of being out of touch with my peers (and intense bullying)contributed to feeling like an outcast. Now I understand that connection is not about being in one place or popular, but finding those who share similar thoughts hopes, dreams and aspirations for not just ourselves, but the world. It seems to be a matter of planting your roots in those ideas.
Compounding the need for connection is the amount of violence that is ever-present in our lives and our entertainment. There’s the school bully, deep seeded prejudice, racist governments, police brutality, war, genocide, etc. How does anyone heal from that?
They seem to do it out of a deep knowledge that WE have so much potential. That WE can heal together and each of us are in control of our response to the world.
Have you ever…
…joined a support group?
…volunteered?
…talked to a therapist?
…joined a team to solve a problem?
…attended a rally or marched for justice?
If so how did you feel?
Did you feel connected, make friends and become more involved?
Despite violence and fear that overwhelmed my youth, I’ve learned to heal, to release the pain. Why? Because I feel like all is good because there is an abundance of energy that is ours for the absorbing. Isn’t this what wise women(and men and children) have been teaching us throughout the ages, to surrender to the idea that we always have access to this abundance if we CHOOSE to access it? I definitely feel inner balance when I believe there is an abundance of peace and love that I can always access, if I choose. Most of the time it is a concentrated effort, but it’s slowly becoming an automatic habit. There are still times of doubt, fear, grief and pain, but I know healing is possible.
Throughout my years of depression I did socialize, but not often with those whom I felt a deep connection. I tended to need acceptance so much I would force it on whoever was closest and eventually that faux relationship would crumble. So I volunteered which gave me more opportunities. Still even that wasn’t enough to make me feel connected. Unknowingly I had to find my “tribe” of people who were on similar journey. Finally I did. I found them through being myself and pursing what is most significant to me. I attended activism rallies, volunteered and offered support to people I genuinely liked, moved to a new area of the city and said YES more often to invitations. I started offering my self-defense classes free. I accept gifts of support and ask for help. As shy as I can be, I even attended a party, convinced that if I simply acted like my true self I would enjoy it. So I went to a party where I didn’t know anyone and felt relaxed enough to create genuine connections.
This new tribe is not all in one place and not all are close friends, but just being surrounded by people who accept me, as is, gives me energy. It’s just like finding solace at home. Family has always been my solace because it feels safe and loving. All the years of faux friendships hindered my growth because I was not being true to myself. I was simply trying not to be alone, not to be an outcast. I wasn’t trying enough, I wasn’t exploring or moving past my comfort zone.
I’m so amazingly grateful for these new friends and neighbors who have created a safe space for me to thrive. I know if more of us can learn to feel connected we can stop the apathy and fear that plagues or world. It’s a knowledge deep in my bones.
Are you ready to connect?
This isn’t random advice, these are all actions I took toward creating a healthier life. It was challenging at first. When I started doing this I was scared of judgement and being cast away, but it made me stronger. Now when I am true to myself good things are attracted back to me. I’m not financially wealthy or über popular and haven’t accomplished all my goals, but I’m finally living.
I hope this helps you to live a happier life as well. Like this? Read more of my D.I.Y. Therapy Posts.
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Find my BOOKS on Amazon.com and Bookemon.com.
Check out my ART & DESIGNS onZazzle.com/OviedoStyle.
Want freedom from DEPRESSION? Read my D.I.Y. Therapy posts.
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Here are two affirmation videos I recently made. If you like either one, please like them on YouTube and share with your loved ones.
What’s your favorite affirmation?
Have you used affirmations to change your attitude?
Preview this book on Amazon.com
Individual Empowerment 