Recipes for peace, self love,joy & fulfillment ♥️
Sometimes, in our suffering, it can be overwhelming to know how to proceed in order to manage our mental health so that we may experience greater ease and peace. Here are a few suggestions to help you manage your mental health, especially anxiety. With a few small adjustments to your daily routine, you can transform suffering into soothing solace.
Remember:
Even though it doesnt seem like it, we are always making some progress. It doesnt matter if the growth is small. It takes many strides to finish a marathon.
Practice taking time to REMEMBER and celebrate the small successes you have previously achieved and use them to build a more solid foundation to your goal.
I like to keep notes in my journal as well as in my phone to help me remember all the of the ways and times,I’ve responded to my limitations in healthier ways.It promotes a feeling of accomplishment when you document and remember, all of the improve ment you have made in the state of your mental health and to applaud your gradual personal development.
I have noticed,If success doesn’t get jotted down, I often forget and never notice the headway made(unlike how we keep condemning ourselves for erring)
Additionally, it can be helpful to buddy up with a friend. Ask them to notice and remind you when you are responding to old problems in new, more effective ways(If they are really a great friend, you wont even have to ask this favor….better yet…surround yourself with people who practice mindfulness. Find/Keep a circle of friends who are generous in their encouragement(I know, this isnt an easy task 😦
Align thought, feeling, action/behavior:
Have you ever experienced a misalignment between thought, feeling, saying and doing?
This can happen when we fear embodying our truth and settle for people pleasing. This action severely damages mental health.
I have recognized this issue in myself when I first started using affirmations without practicing really embodying the belief. This is a sure way to perpetuate anxiety and feelings of powerlessness.
It is much better to honestly acknowledge what you think, feel and do, even if they don’t align, then make a plan to address the discrepancy.
It is beneficial to be aware of keeping these elements connected. Even if you feel unsure how to change it in the moment, awareness is always key. When this malalignment occurs, It is a huge cause of stress and deeply impairs mental health. Don’t tell people what you WISH you thought/felt and then really feel differently and act in a way that is not in keeping with your Truth. It only makes for alot of confusion in a relationship as well as sometimes influencing physical health.
The body wants us to express honestly for best physical health as well as mental health. Furthermore, relationships(with self as well as others) is most enjoyable when honesty is practiced.
Small daily doses of manageable action:
It has been my experience that a commitment of one or two actions that will serve to propel you forward, per day is more then enough. It is not too much to overwhelm yet isn’t too little to seem insignificant(especially if you are jotting down what you did/how you did)
At the end of a week, it is quite possible you will have a long list of successes to motivate you forward.
Determine an action or two you are willing to commit to and then follow through. For example, you might want to write a reminder to yourself: Today I commit to ___
You can jot it down in your calender, journal, post on the frig, your mirror,or at your desk etc.
Establish a boundary, a space of time you plan to accomplish the task. For example: by 3pm I will submit 2 pieces of writing, by noon I will go for a walk, by 6pm I will practice being in an uncomfortable social situation for 10 minutes …whatever you might be experiencing as challenging.
To go deeper into these strategies, check out WORKSHOPS under the MENU button. I’d love to work with you so you may enjoy greater solace by moving through the suffering.
Contact Jenn at jlbrouha.com for more info.
The Conscious Creative Cook 