Pep Talk and Daily Affirmations

Regardless of the outcome, I will always be good. I will always be divine. I will always be okay. I'm still alive. I'm still breathing. I'm still Marlisa Rock. I'm still strong. God still loves me. I'm so very good. I'm still worthy of love. I'm still worthy of acceptance. I'm still a daughter of God. It's not the worst. You got this. You can do hard things and you can endure hard things. It's a good day. I'm still good. I'm still loved. It's really not the worst. Breathe, you'll be okay. It's going to be a good day. All good things, all good things.

Beat The Blues: Goals & Anxiety Management

Goal making is something I love. I love to make to-do lists and checking off them as I accomplish them. I make daily, weekly, and long-term goals. The issue is I have very little to no motivation when anxiety and depression hit. I look at my to-do list as a burden. It's hard to find motivation when you feel down. I've learned that it's important to have small goals for the day. Here are a few goals that I do and anxiety management to ensure that I have a good productive day.

• Make your bed! You'd be surprised, but while it may be such a small thing, there is a sense of accomplishment in making your bed every morning. It makes it so that I don't feel tempted to climb back in bed and it looks clean. I love a made bed and I love the feeling of climbing into a made bed at night.
• Make a short to-do list. You don't have energy or motivation to do a lot of things. Don't add to your anxiety, by adding more than you handle. It's not a good idea. Pick simple things to do that you can handle.
• GET. OUTSIDE. If you're like me, you don't want to leave your house. Especially during the winter months, I don't want to go out in the cold. Here's the thing, getting some fresh air and being active can really boost your mood. It's winter here and I have been bundling up in layers and going for a walk. I like a burst of cold crisp air, because it wakes me. I walk for however long I want to (even if it is just a block) and sometimes I listen to music while I walk. You do you. 
• Less screen time. Technology is can be so distracting. It's easy to pull out our smart phones or tablets and binge watch Netflix, check Facebook and Instagram. I'm always guilty of this. But here's the thing, I always feel worse about myself when I'm constantly plugged in. I feel unaccomplished or I compare myself. Turn off the phone, TV, laptops-whatever! Unplug, disconnect, and do something. I used to struggle with FOMO (fear of missing out) and would always check FB or Instagram to see what people were doing with their lives or what is happening in the world. I got to the point where I was either tearing myself down or living vicariously through other people's lives. But that's just it, other people were living their lives and I was just sitting there stalking their social media. Not good. Limit your screen time.
• Make your own meals. There's a feeling of accomplishment when you cook your own meals. Don't opt for fast food. Even if it's throwing everything in a crockpot and turning it on. That's an accomplishment that you  are going to enjoy!
• Take deep breaths/meditation. When my anxiety hits, I tend to shut down. I always have to walk myself through deep breaths. I used to hate mediation, but as I've been doing it everyday for 5-10 minutes, it's helped me slow down and simply be. Even if you're at work or in a public place, just take a few deep breaths. It helps.

There are so many ways in which you can manage your anxiety or have more effective goals when you're dealing with mental illness. We're all in this together, so if you have any tips or tricks go ahead and comment below or send an email. Stay tuned for post 3 of the series tomorrow and have a great day! BBBBBBBBBBBBBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Preparing

With the new year coming, I've been prepping for my 2015 goals. I'm ready to get back into the saddle. I've slowly been putting my life back together. Now that I feel like I'm mentally and emotionally stable, I can now start working on other areas of my life.

If you follow me on Pinterest, then you've probably seen my "2015 Goals" board. I've been pinning all sorts of things from clean eating and work outs to organization. I've put the final touches to my goal plans and am ready to carry them out. Let's take a sneak peek:

Physically: It's not about how many pounds and inches I lose. I can't look at it that way. I feel like if I set a certain amount of weight to lose, then I just get discouraged. I'm fortunate enough to have a mother who loves health! She's been a wonderful example to me. Even then, I still had to know for myself the 'why'. I have been doing an extensive research this past month to learn about why eating clean is necessary and why daily exercise is important. You bet I've been watching all sorts of YouTube videos and reading health articles and blogs. I've done my research and have carefully put together my goals. Running will be a bittersweet beginning, but I love to run, so it shouldn't be too bad. And vegetables? I actually love vegetables, I just need to eat them more. But thanks to the recipes I've collected, I'm actually ready to eat clean. I'm looking forward to detoxing.

Mentally: My mom (who is a health fanatic) sent me an email about meditation. Meditation can actually change your brain and enhance your overall well-being. (Read the article here.) I'll also be continuing my relaxation techniques. I don't know about you, but my mind is constantly running and it takes me a long time to fall asleep. I came across a relaxation app that I love and have been using it every night before bed. It soothes and calms my mind, so that I am able to fall asleep. It's been wonderful!

Emotionally: I have been seeing a counselor for about a month and she is absolutely amazing! I always thought that counselling was good, but just wasn't for me. I've done counselling before, but it wasn't working for me. I'm 24 and finally decided for myself that I needed a counselor to talk about my problems. My counselor was not only kind, but has helped me overcome some of my weaknesses. By doing this, I've been able to take more control over my emotions and to deal with them in a positive way, rather than bottling them up. (I'm not saying that counselling is for everyone. However if you feel like you could use some professional help, counselling may be a good option.)

Spiritually: I really want to continue on coming to know my Savior. I've been re-building my foundation on Him. I need Him more than anything right now. I'll be going back to the basics. You know, reading my scriptures (especially The Book of Mormon), praying etc. I've however decided to do the Young Women's Personal Progress program. I received my Young Womanhood Recognition about 9 years ago, but for some reason, I felt impressed to do it again. I'm kind of really excited!

That was a lot. I assure you my goals are few and simple. I think the simpler the goal, the easier it will be to accomplish it! Do you have your goals for the new year? I want to hear about them! Perhaps we could swap ideas, tips, and tricks. Also, do you have Instagram? You can find me as missmarlirock. I post quite regularly there. You get to see a smidgen of my life there. :) Let's do this!