by | Apr 11, 2022 | From the Heart, Lifestyle |
Living with chronic illness is overwhelming. Your illness can at times affect every aspect of your life, making it feel like a full-time job, on top of everything else you have to deal with.
You will have a difficult time coping with the uncertainty about your future and the unpredictability of day-to-day living, even after you have accepted your diagnosis. It does not take much to send someone suffering from a chronic disease “over the edge as it can overwhelm you socially, mentally, emotionally, and physically — taking a serious toll on your health and wellbeing. Even if you are able to manage your condition on most days, there are occasions when you may swing from being overwhelmed yet able to function to being absolutely destroyed by it.
Make a list of your worries and prioritize them.
When you are feeling overwhelmed, everything might seem like a crisis – to the point where you feel like you can not deal with anything at all. However, not all projects require the same level of urgency. Compile a list of your issues and arrange them in descending order of significance. Decide to deal with only one issue at a time and to do as many tasks as you have the energy to complete.
Keep a record of your emotions.
Some people prefer to express their emotions in a more linear manner, for as by writing in a journal or diary. Keep a notebook in your purse or open the notes app on your phone and jot down a few bullet points if you feel overwhelmed to refer back to later.
Research
Having a sense of being overwhelmed can sometimes be caused by a lack of understanding about what is going on with you and your body. Educating yourself about your condition and treatments – perhaps you could read more about potential things that could help – can help you feel more in control and relaxed. However, put a limit because it is possible to become dragged into infinite rabbit holes of study and suffer from information overload as a result of this.
Make a connection
The experience of living with a chronic disease may be isolating and exhausting if you attempt to deal on your own. Gather with a friend for coffee, take your youngster out for an evening stroll, contact your folks, or send a brief text to a loved one to let them know you are thinking about them.
Attend a meeting with a support group.
No matter whether you meet online or in person, being in the company of individuals who have the same condition as you or who are going through a comparable experience may be tremendously beneficial. Knowing that others have been in your shoes and witnessing how they dealt with their difficulties might help you deal with your own challenging sentiments.
by | Mar 23, 2022 | From the Heart |
Loneliness is a near-universal human experience, felt even by those who have a supporting and loving community surrounding them. When left untreated, it can become isolation that more profoundly affects our lives. We risk losing our point of connection with the people around us, but it can also affect our relationship with God. However, God can also be the solution. Here are a few ways that faith may be able to help you with loneliness.
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Using the opportunity to deepen your relationship with God
Though it can be hard to feel it, having a relationship with God means that you’re never truly alone, and, indeed, sometimes the quietest moments can be your best opportunity to reach out to him and feel his presence in return. Aside from simply reading the Bible, some people go further with practices like Biblical meditation, which involves taking parts of the scripture and having time alone to think about them honestly, their interpretations, and how they should influence our lives. With the help of a study Bible, you can go even further, learning more about your faith and developing a stronger relationship with God and a deeper understanding of your beliefs.
Find communities to discuss and interact with
The lack of community and group institutions in modern life is why isolation is becoming a widespread problem nowadays. Not only can you find some community life in your local ministry, but you can also look at other means to get involved with people not just of your faith, but with different points of view, and to further your understanding of your beliefs as well as building relationships with a wide range of people. Taking a Christian course can help you do just that. It’s crucial to create new relationships continuously, not only to help maintain connections in an ever-changing world but to be able to share your faith with even more people, too.
Perform acts of ministry in the community
There are plenty of good reasons to participate in charity and volunteer around you. You help to spread God’s kingdom on earth and be a sterling example of ministry to others in your religious community, but you can also make connections with people of a like mind. Whether it’s local volunteering efforts or things more far-reaching like overseas missions, you can build meaningful relationships with the people you work with. What’s more, faith-directed volunteering is a great way to feel like you are genuinely manifesting the goodness of God for the people who need it the most. You can become an important community figure for the people that you are helping, as well.
Loneliness is a serious problem, and it’s not just one that can be solved by prayer. However, faith can open other roads in your life to help you find the community you’ve been missing while also helping you deepen your confidence in your quiet moments.
by | Mar 16, 2022 | From the Heart |
Nobody can afford to overlook their mental wellness, especially in the modern world. Whether you’ve noticed symptoms of poor mental health or you want to keep yourself in a better frame of mind doesn’t matter. Only a conscious effort to protect your mindset will work.
Addressing the issues that are currently holding you back will be essential. Focus on the five below, and you won’t go far wrong.
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Sleep
Before worrying about the positive changes that can be made during the waking hours, you should focus on your sleep. Aside from regulating the cortisol stress hormone, a good night’s rest will leave you feeling full of energy and ready to attack the day ahead. It doesn’t take long to adopt a new winning habit. Eating the right foods before bed and avoiding the blue light of your smartphone can work wonders.
It gives your mind and body a chance to ease into rest. This will provide the most powerful possible platform to build upon.
Financial Stability
Money worries can severely harm anyone’s mental wellness. Therefore, fighting any source of financial instability should be a priority. Preparing for unwanted situations with protection like cat insurance or home coverage will serve you well. Even if you never need to use the plans, the risk of those costs won’t play on your mind will make you happier. In turn, your mental health will improve too.
Financial stability can also be achieved through more innovative investments. Or by losing excess bills and waste.
Company
The people we surround ourselves with have a significant influence on our lives. They influence our positivity and outlook on life and our ambition and habits. So, learning to quit a toxic relationship of friendship could be one of the smartest moves you make. It could be the key to stopping bad habits or protecting yourself from a fellowship where they take, take, take. Crucially, it’ll help you move on.
Not least because you’ll be able to invest more time and energy into the people who deserve it the most. Perfect.
Home Security
Few things in this life will harm your mental health, quite like the feeling of vulnerability. As such, fixing any issues with your home security will influence your mental wellness. Adding security cameras, video doorbells, and tighter locks will all positively impact. Aside from adding value to your quality of life, it’s a move that’s sure to add value to the property.
A secure and stable home is truly one of the most influential features for building a better frame of mind. Now and for the future.
Dreams
We all have goals in various aspects of our lives, ranging from relationships to careers. Likewise, we all have a bucket list of things we’d like to do and places we’d like to see. It’s easy to let these dreams fade, but now is the time to start working on them again. See the world. Talk to your boss about a promotion. And finally, take the first steps towards running a half marathon.
These are the aspects of modern life that make you feel alive. Please put them in place, and your mental wellness will look better than ever.
by | Feb 17, 2022 | From the Heart |
Life doesn’t have to be frantic, fast-paced, and demanding all of the time. Slowing down can help you appreciate the small things in life, find beauty every day, and romanticize your life, making you happier and more fulfilled. There are many ways to do this, and they aren’t all the same for everyone because we all have different interests and desires, but here are some suggestions to get you started on having a more straightforward and calmer summer this year. Slow living includes winding down and purchasing more minor but better things – stepping off the treadmill and setting your own pace, challenging the current temptation to accumulate more and more stuff, and appreciating what we already have. Slow living argues for a more thoughtful view of life, opposing the assumptions that being busy equates to being relevant, that being wealthy necessitates more belongings, and that we must keep up with the relentless demands of modern-day life to remain effective.
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You never have to change every aspect of life to slow down, but eliminating activities you do not like is a great starting point. Out of a sense of duty, we all find ourselves going to parties or getting involved in things we don’t necessarily want to do. Make time to do the things you love, and relish the feeling of being left out. It’s all too easy to notice an open slot amid a jam-packed calendar and want to fill it. Give yourself some unstructured time to see what happens. Allowing your day to unfold spontaneously will leave you pleased in the end.
We consume food and attempt to be healthy and take care of ourselves while we daily. Comfort food and snacks may still be cooked healthily. Therefore it’s essential to ensure we appreciate what we eat. Remove all disturbances from the table and focus only on the sensory stimuli that a well-prepared meal provides. We’re all guilty of eating mindlessly, but slowing down can improve our health by helping us to recognize when we’re full. We naturally want to feel revitalized when summer arrives, so we begin eating more fruits and vegetables. You can still enjoy comfort food in a healthy and slow lifestyle. It is just about being more mindful of what you are having; things like pasta bakes and heavier dishes maybe swap for the wheat option. If you are making casseroles, soups, pies, and stews, you could be sure to pack them with good things like root vegetables and lean meats. Try to experiment a bit and try new recipes like a Hawaiian haupia pie recipe.
The way you start your day usually determines how you will spend the rest of it. You’re more likely to feel pressured, irritable, and behind the rest of the day if you rush to start your day. Conducting your day a little more slowly and more purposefully from the beginning is a great way to learn how to slow down. It can be incorporated into your life in stages, but it can significantly enhance your enjoyment of life.
by | Jan 3, 2022 | From the Heart |
You can’t change the past, but you can change how you feel about it. We’re all shaped by our past, but there are times when it is essential not to let your past dictate your future. When your past haunts you, it can be not easy to move on and get what you want from life. By processing your past and coming to a place where you feel more comfortable, you can create the future you wish to, without being so focused on your past. If you want to deal with your past and start looking to the end, here are some tips that might help you.
Acknowledge Past Hurts
Sometimes the best way to deal with something that happened in the past is to acknowledge it and its effect on you. If you were hurt by something that happened to you in the past, admitting that it hurts you can be empowering. It can allow you to start to move on, rather than living in denial and not allowing yourself to examine what happened. Similarly, it can be beneficial to acknowledge when you might have hurt other people. It can help them to heal and allow you to heal too.
Image from Pixabay – CC0 License
Forgive Yourself for Mistakes
Admitting to the times when you mess up and make mistakes is essential to growing as a person. You need to be able to own up to things that you do wrong to learn from them. However, at the same time, it’s important not to dwell on your mistakes for too long. Beating yourself up for them and feeling guilty isn’t very productive, and it doesn’t help anyone. Learning from your mistakes is brilliant, but punishing yourself for them forever won’t help you build your future.
Seek Therapy
Everyone can benefit from a little help now and then. If you want assistance to deal with your past, you can find that therapy is helpful. There are different types of therapy that you might find useful and some are even intended especially for helping people to process certain events in their past. If your aim is to process trauma, rapid resolution therapy is one option that you have. It combines a number of techniques to help you address traumatic events and reach a healthier place. Therapy could help you to view the past in a healthier way and give you space to talk about your feelings.
Focus on the Present
Learning to focus on the present can help you to let go of the past and focus more on your future. There are various ways you might create a greater focus on the present so that you can create a better future for yourself. Some people use mindfulness techniques to help them stay present and avoid dwelling on the past. It can also help you to avoid getting too stressed about the future.
Dealing with your past can help you to create a better future for yourself where you feel happier and more focused.
by | Dec 20, 2021 | From the Heart |
Mental health is an important topic that needs to be discussed more openly. Whether you have a mental illness or know someone who does, it’s essential to understand the different ways in which we can support those with mental illnesses. One way of showing your support is through hobbies and activities that promote healing and self-love. In this blog post, I will share five helpful hobbies for mental illness.
Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
Yoga
There is a reason why yoga has become so popular in recent years. Not only is it an effective way to get in shape, but it’s also great for improving mental health. Yoga helps to increase mindfulness and awareness, which can be beneficial for those who suffer from depression or anxiety. It can also help you learn how to control your breath and focus on the present moment, both of which are essential skills for managing a mental illness. If you’re unsure where to start, I recommend checking out some beginner yoga poses. There are plenty of tutorials online that can walk you through the basics. Or, if you prefer, you can attend a yoga class at your local gym or studio. Just make sure to speak with the instructor beforehand to see if they have experience working with a mental illness.
Art Therapy
Art therapy is a form of counseling that uses art to help people express their thoughts and feelings. It can be beneficial for those who have difficulty verbalizing their emotions and those who want to explore their creative side. In addition to helping with mental illness, art therapy can also help improve overall mood and self-esteem. If you’re interested in giving it a try, there are plenty of online classes and tutorials that can get you started. You could also look into local art therapy groups, art supplies, or studios in your area.
Gardening
Gardening is a great way to get outside and enjoy nature. It’s also been shown to be beneficial for mental health. Gardening can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also improve moods and increase feelings of happiness. If you’re unsure where to start, I recommend checking out some gardening tips or watching a few how-to videos online. You could also join a local gardening group or visit a botanical garden in your area.
Cooking
Cooking is a great way to express yourself and relax after a long day. Not only is it fun, but it’s also a great way to get in touch with your inner chef. Cooking can also be helpful for those who have a mental illness. It can help improve moods, reduce stress, and increase feelings of happiness. If you’re unsure where to start, I recommend checking out some cooking tutorials online or borrowing cookbooks from the library. You could also join a local cooking group or visit a cooking school in your area.
The bottom line is that there are plenty of different hobbies that can be helpful for those who have a mental illness. The key is finding something that you enjoy, which feels safe for you. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and don’t be discouraged if you make mistakes. The most important thing is that you’re taking care of yourself and taking steps to improve your mental health.
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