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| Mom never stops being your mother |
Throughout my life, I had the desire to be all I can be. Many times, I stayed in my comfort zone without realizing that I am passing up opportunities to do something that I truly enjoy.
I worked to make my life better, but wasn't sure what to do. Here's what I did do.
Even these small changes improved my life beyond what I could have imagined. It took over 10 years. Even longer to realize the changes actually make a significant difference... for the better. Don't wait. A few small steps do make life better.
1) I discovered that the first step to improving my life is to change my thinking. I started statements that begin with "I need" rather than "I want" For example, I need to be a good honey. I need to eat healthy. I need to lose 15 lbs. It made a huge difference.
2) I forced myself to say, No, I can't. I have sort of this ingrained chip that makes me want to help. When someone asks me to do something, I naturally say OK, especially a family member. But this is not always the best avenue (for me). What happens is that I often end up sacrificing my own needs in order to be agreeable. Sometimes, this is okay and other times, it's not.
3) Choosing when to say, No, was a first step. Then, I focused on taking time to say Yes to myself. I set aside an hour each day to pamper myself. Read a book. Soak in the tub with candles lit and soft music playing. Paint my toenails different colors. Just something that feels good to me and isn't a work out.
4) I learned how to pump myself up with affirmations. This may seem odd. Some people don't think it works, but I can tell you from experience, affirmations do work. Here's how I made them work for me.
I wrote 7 affirmations down on a small piece of paper. An example is, "I am great. I look fantastic. I am a fabulous person." Then, I used a small slip of scotch tape to tack it to the mirror. Every morning when I brush my teeth, I see my note and repeat my affirmations. It makes me feel energized and raring to tackle the day. I highly recommend it. Try it for a month and notice the difference in your mental health and attitude.
5) There was a period in my life when I thought I would never get to where I want to be: I felt bad because I was convinced my dreams would never come true. I think it is a dash of depression and a pound of self-pity.
Life has a way of tossing these bitters into our salad. It can result in poor self-esteem and that hinders the quality of life. I worked on this a lot, and finally discovered the ideal solution. I need to be my own life coach.
My puppy really did make me wake up to this. Dogs are famous for their unconditional love. I have all the power. Now, I immediately turn any negative thoughts I have into positive ones. I turn any destructive thinking into possibilities that empower me. I straighten up my posture, take three deep breathes and repeat [to myself] "I love myself just the way I am. I am the best person I know."
With my puppy by my side, panting his happy breath, looking at me through his adorable big brown eyes, it's easy to feel good about myself. I do. Dogs rock.
That's it for now, blog. Till next time.