Are You Out of Balance?

Balance – © peterschreiber.media Stock.adobe.com

We spend our days balancing on a tightrope. Each footstep carries us closer to either wellbeing or unrest. If we stay balanced in our Mind, Body, and Soul, then we will spend our day in a state of good health and happiness. Stepping one toe out of place could mean chronic illness or depression.

Practice Mindfulness © Trueffelpix – Stock.adobe.com

MIND – Feed Your Mind the Right Food

• Learn new things
• Read good books
• Teach or share positive things you’ve learned

BODY – Feed Your Body the Right Food

• Give your body good nutrition – eat lots of vegetables and lean proteins. Avoid junk food
• Take your body for a walk. It needs exercise!
• Rest! Your body carries the weight of your physical form and all your internal stress. It needs a restful break each day

SOUL – Feed Your Soul the Right Food

• Meditate – Sit quietly and allow your soul to reconnect with the great essence of creation
• Acceptance – Understand that world events and the reaction of others are out of your control
• Peace – Walking through the hardships of life with a peaceful soul will bring you joy

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

Dignity Matters

Dignity – Definition

• The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect
• A sense of pride in oneself, self-respect

Dignity Matters © Nikki Zalewski – Stock.Adobe.Com

What do you think of when you hear the word “Dignity?” Do you imagine an old dowager with fancy pearls and servants? Maybe you visualize a war hero with a sharp uniform and metals.

What I Observed Working with The Dying

Several years ago, I worked as a clerk in a specialty care inpatient clinic and hospital. Our patients were the elderly and the terminally ill. My job was wrangling hospital forms. I had the unenviable task of collecting signatures from the dying. This was during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Naturally, there was an overabundance of fear and a serious lack of compassion for the suffering.

The meaning of Dignity became clear to me one day as I visited two AIDS patients in their hospital rooms. The first young man – in his early twenties – maintained a good attitude. He laughed and joked with his family. Though in pain, he was gracious to his care staff. This young man gave me hope.

The second young man – also in his twenties – was a bundle of screams and ugly crying. He was mean to his care staff and bitter toward his family members. I’d been around the ward long enough to have an inkling of how much pain these patients endured. I can only imagine how fear must have haunted their every moment. Both young men were close to the end of their short lives. Death was a terrifying reality.

The young men were expressing their true natures. They were both dying (painfully) of AIDS. They both had every right to rage against the disease. The first young man, however, chose Dignity. He maintained his self-respect and chose to die with courage – not just for himself. He stayed strong for his family.

It is not the circumstance that defines us, it is our reaction to adversity or fear that shows who we really are. Remember: Someone is relying upon you. They need your strength. Choose Dignity.

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

Be A Teacher

Be A Mentor! © aleutie – stock.adobe.com

You’ve stayed true to your creative journey. Looking back on the road you’ve traveled; the pitfalls and wrong turns seem obvious now. Are you satisfied with your destination? Or is your journey ongoing? Now is your time to pay it forward.

• Share your Knowledge
• Give Your Encouragement Freely
• Reap the Benefits of Fulfillment

Be a mentor to someone just starting their journey. Find the poor soul struggling in a pothole who can’t see the way out.

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

Be A Warrior

Be A Warrior! © serhiibobyk – stock.adobe.com

Anyone who has walked the Creative Path knows it can be rocky. We struggle with the pitfalls of the road.

• Lack of Inspiration
• Bouts of Self-Doubt
• Failure to Finish
• Failure of Our Art to Inspire

Now is the time when you must be a warrior!

Tough times demand absolute faith in your journey. Know you were chosen to share your art with the world. Someone needs to be inspired by what you create. Don’t give up!

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

Be A Seeker

Take The First Step! © Sondem – stock.adobe.com

Congratulations! You’ve had the courage to begin your Creative Journey. It’s an exciting time. Remember: Every journey begins with a single baby step.

• Learn: Hone your craft
• Mentors: Learn from those who are further along on the path than you
• Patience: Mistakes happen. Learn from them rather than becoming discouraged

Visualizing your goal destination is important, but don’t be too married to the idea. You have a lifelong journey ahead. Make it meaningful. The journey should be joyful. Be open to the exciting surprises you’ll experience along the way.

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

The Divine Bliss of Simplicity

Simple. Peaceful. © dampoint – Stock.adobe.com

“It’s complicated” is more than a Facebook status. Complexity is a way of life for many of us. We expend too much energy fostering complicated relationships that may not be good for us. Our brains are constantly overwhelmed by social media, texts, emails and those annoying notifications for every APP ever made. We allow ourselves to be tangled by negative issues.

Is all the angst and irritation necessary? Try a simple approach instead. Simplicity reduces stress and elevates our joy.  Make Your Life Simpler:

keep it simple © Song_about_summer – Stock.adobe.com

Set a Social Media Free Time each day: Log off and walk away. Take time for simple pleasures by avoiding the constant bombardment of information

Ignore the imaginary fists pounding on your virtual door. Go to a quiet space you set aside for your peaceful times. No computers. No cell phones. No noise from the daily grind

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.

Should You Listen to The Voices in Your Head?

Be Positive! © MarekPhotoDesign.com – stock.adobe.com

Let’s begin with a simple exercise. Have paper and pen ready. Or an accurate memory.

Shut your eyes (unless you’re driving or walking. Then keep your eyes open!). Take a deep breath. And release it.

Now. Think about your day. What did you do? Who did you meet? How did you feel?

Open your eyes. Write down the key things you remember from your day. Draw a smiley face or a frowny face beside each one depending upon how each line made you feel.

How many smiley faces do you have? How many frowny faces?

Ask yourself with Love and a low level of judgment, what are the voices in your head trying to tell you?

Happiness and Joy! © 9dreamstudio – Stock.adobe.com

Do you have more smiley faces than frowns? Great! Each day is a gift and I’m glad yours was a happy one.

Did you have more frowny faces? If the frowns are unusual for you, try the exercise again tomorrow. Everyone has an off day. You’re allowed.

What if your life is full of frowny faces? I hope this exercise encourages you to explore why. Negativity easily becomes a bad habit. It’s like a ratty old puffy coat that makes you feel safely hidden. Sometimes you feel so comfortable that you forget what it’s like to walk in the sun – no puffy coat.

Habits are hard to break, especially when the change is scary. Ending an abusive relationship. Choosing to stop addictive behavior. Leaving a job that’s horrible.

Be Fearless. Be loving. Be patient. It takes time. Remember: You are worth it! So, tune out the negative and embrace your inner optimist. Positivity gives you a lighter heart and makes you a joy to be around. Be joyful, even if you’re not feeling it. Tune out the negative. You’ve got this!

Be Positive. Be Happy. Be Well.