Hello!
Welcome to my podcast! This brief episode is all about reflection on the new year and the quote of the day by Anthony Robbins. You can check it out below!
Category: Thoughts For Blooming
How to Reframe Your Thoughts with Gratitude
What We Think Matters
The quality and content of our thoughts impacts us on many levels. The way we think has an impact on our mental, emotional, and physical health. It can be easy to develop habits of negative thinking and self-talk. Like any habit we can change how we think and develop new thought patterns. Take a minute to reflect on these questions:
- Do your thought patterns tend to be more positive or negative?
- When thinking negatively how does it impact your day? How does it impact your actions and reactions?
- Think of three things you are grateful for. How does it make you feel to practice gratitude? How does it change your perspective in this moment?
Positive thoughts and thoughts of gratitude can have many benefits to us. According the the Mayo Clinic these are just some of the benefits positive thoughts can have (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022):
- Longer life span
- Lower rates of depression
- Decreased stress, distress, and pain
- Better overall well-being and quality of life
- Better coping skills and increased resilience
Paying Attention To Your Thoughts
It takes practice to pay attention to and change our thought patterns. Some of the ways we think are so ingrained in us that they come to mind subconsciously. These are called automatic thoughts and for a lot of us they tend to be negative (Hoshaw, 2020). The first step to changing these thoughts is to notice them. There are a couple of ways to do this including:
- Write down all your thoughts in a journal throughout the day.
- Simply pause and paying attention to your thoughts throughout the day.
Once you notice your thoughts you can then make efforts to change how you think.
Reframing Thoughts With Gratitude
You can change your thoughts by intentionally correcting negative thought patterns with positive thoughts. One way to do this is to reframe our thoughts with gratitude. Replacing our negative thoughts with grateful thoughts allows us to be present in the good things around us.
In the image below is an example of how you can do this.
This takes practice! You can practice by journaling your negative thought patterns and then writing a replacement thought of gratitude. Even simply confronting negative thoughts in our mind with grateful thoughts can make a huge impact to our thought life.
The more attention we put into having thoughts of gratitude, the easier it becomes to think grateful or positive thoughts naturally. To practice this now you can write out in your journal five negative thoughts youâve had today and five reframed thoughts of gratitude.
References
Hoshaw, C. (2020). âAre You Kind to Yourself? Tracking Your Thoughts Might Surprise Youâ https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/are-you-kind-to-yourself-tracking-your-thoughts-might-surprise-you
Mayo Clinic Staff (2022). âStress Managementâ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950
Gratitude & Journaling
Gratitude is so powerful!! When we practice gratitude regularly it can be beneficial for our mental health, can help us achieve our goals, and allows us to see the good in our lives!! There are so many ways that we can integrate gratitude in our daily lives!
Origins of the Word Gratitude
The word gratitude comes from the Latin word âgratusâ, which means pleasing or thankful. It is also related to the Latin word âgratiaâ, which means grace, graciousness, or honoring the kindness youâve received (Harvard Health Publishing, 2021).
Knowing the origins of this word allows us to have a greater understanding of gratitude. I love the concept of it being a way of honoring the kindness we have received. Appreciating kindness or grace we receive can allow us to develop deeper awareness of the good things around us and the positive aspects of our lives.
Practicing Gratitude
One way of practicing gratitude is by utilizing it in your journaling. Whether you journal every day, several times a week, or a couple times a month, gratitude can be a great addition to your journaling routine. Here is a technique to consider using!
In this journal prompt you will write four things you are grateful for, but all four are related to a different area of your life!
- What are you grateful for in your home?
- What are you grateful for in your relationships?
- What are you grateful for in your work?
- What are you grateful for in your day?
Reference:
Harvard Health Publishing. (2021). âGiving thanks can make you happier.â https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
Making Physical Health Goals
We are constantly being told by society how we should look, what we should weigh, and how to have the âidealâ body. Today we will discuss making physical health goalsâŚbut not goals that someone else has for you. Today we will reflect on your goals and whatâs important to you!
Defining Physical Health
When thinking about self-care for your physical health, this can include anything regarding taking care of your body and itâs biological system. All of us have a unique system and our goals can be unique to what our body needs. Here are some questions to consider when thinking about making goals:
What areas of my health am I wanting to change to take care of my body?
What does my body need to function at itâs best?
For me personally when making physical health goals, I often get overly focused on my weight or my appearance. But Iâve been learning to instead focus on my internal health. Asking myself questions like what would help me manage my multiple sclerosis better? What will help me have more energy? What is a good way to take care of my bodyâs internal functioning? What makes my body feel good and healthy?
What about your internal health is a priority for you in this season of life?
What are your physical health goals?
Setting Goals
When setting goals itâs important to be specific and have a plan to put your goal into action. Here are some questions to consider:
What actions will I need to take to accomplish my goal?
How will I know if Iâm making progress?
What routines can I put in place to support my goals?
Any form of change takes time! Be patient with yourself and remember taking care of our physical health is a life long journey.
Tips for Boundaries
Boundaries can be difficult to implement. Especially in relationships or situations we have been in for a long time. It can feel overwhelming, vulnerable, and scary to start using boundaries. But it is totally possible and often is absolutely necessary! Today we will discuss some tips for how to put our boundaries in action!
1. Use Assertive Communication
Assertive communication is key to setting boundaries. This form of communication allows us to clearly state what we feel, think, and need. Being assertive means taking ownership of your feelings and using statements that clearly say what you need. A simple way to do this is by using âIâ statements. This is a statement that starts with âIâ and then is followed by how you feel and what you need. Here is an example:
âI feel like Iâm not being heard when you talk over me. I need you to listen to me.â
This is a simple example, but these statements can be used in a variety of ways and situations. This type of communication is effective, but if you are talking with a person who is toxic they may not be able to respect your boundaries or hear your needs. Stay safe and consider if making boundaries or simply separating from that person is necessary.
2. Be Specific About Your Boundaries
Make sure to be specific when setting boundaries. Sometimes when we are not clear about what we need, the boundary can be misunderstood. Take time to think about what boundaries you need ahead of time so you can communicate them specifically. There will not always be an opportunity to plan ahead. Sometimes we donât know we need a boundary until someone has violated our trust, space, or expectations. Whenever you do know your boundaries feel free to advocate for yourself and your specific needs.
3. Stay Firm In Your Boundaries
There will be people who push back when you set a boundary. This may look like a guilt trip or someone criticizing your boundaries. Stay firm! It doesnât matter what they think about your boundaries. You are important. Access to you is a privilege not a right! If you feel you need to set a boundary to feel safe, take care of your health, or simply for your quality of life then do that! No apologies needed! I am writing this to myself as well because I am always apologizing, but itâs not necessary.
Something to consider is that we all have responsibilities to tend to throughout our lives. There are some seasons when boundaries will look different because of where we are in life; such as when parenting, being a caregiver, or in the midst of any significant life experience. Because of these changing circumstances the boundaries we have and the way we implement them might change. This is totally normal!
4. Acceptance As A Tool
I personally struggled with this for a long time. It can be very hard to accept the boundaries we need, especially in relationships. There have been relationships that I have had to set firm boundaries in that really turned my world upside down. But they were situations that werenât healthy and needed to be cut off or changed. Accepting that relationships you have or had were not good for you or needed to change can be hard. Here are some statements of acceptance to practice when struggling with this:
I accept the relationships Iâve had and have. I accept not all relationships are meant to be long-term and there are times when boundaries have to be set for my well-being and self-care.
I accept how Iâve gotten to this moment. I accept my past, present, and future. I accept in this moment I need boundaries to live well in my present and prepare for my future.
I accept boundaries are a tool to use in my self-care. I accept that I am worthy of having boundaries. My needs are worthy of being met.
Check out more blog posts below!
Tips for Managing Stress
We all face stressors in various ways throughout our days and lives. Stress can have impact on our physical, emotional, and mental health.
How do you feel the effects on your mind and body when the stress is mounting?
How have you managed stress in the past?
Stress Inventory
When we are wanting to start managing stress itâs important to do a stress inventory. This just means taking a step back and looking at your life to see what areas are causing you increased stress. Here are some questions to reflect on.
What areas of your life are causing the most stress?
What areas of your life are least stressful?
Is there a change that has happened recently that is stressful?
Managing Stress
In the brochure pictured below I wrote about the five categories for managing stress. I wanted to discuss these in this post!
- Changing our behavior: this could mean setting boundaries, changing our responsibilities, scheduling breaks, and making time for activities you enjoy.
- Engage in Physical Activity: this could be in an active form of doing exercise, going outside, or getting a massage. This could also be done in a passive form of meditation, deep breathing, or stretching.
- Tune Into Your Feelings: to do this you could consider journaling, talking with a friend, or listening to music.
- Think Positive: practice positive self-talk, gratitude, and positive thinking.
- Strength in Faith: activities to do this are different for all of us. Some ideas could be praying, singing, or reading scripture.
Leaving âShouldâ Behind
Have you ever gotten stuck in thinking about how things âshouldâ be? Or feeling inferior because of all the things you âshouldâ be doing?
Being stuck on all the âshouldsâ can fill us with feelings of guilt, disappointment, and self-loathing.
What if we left behind the âshouldsâ? What if we just embraced who we are and the life we are living? In reality the only thing âshouldâ ever did was stress us out! Itâs like a visitor that over stayed itâs welcome and complained the whole time.
Letâs accept that âshouldâ never cared about all the great things we were already doing. Iâm letting âshouldâ go. Instead Iâm accepting myself and allowing myself to feel joy in the present. Will you join me?
Defining Holistic Health
When we think about being healthy we often have a hyper focus on physical health. Physical health is important but there are so many sides to who we are as people. Today is all about reflecting on what it means to be holistically healthy.
I made this graphic to show all the different sides of health! It is empowering to see all the ways we can be taking care of ourselves!
What do these areas of health mean to you?
- Mental Health: focused on the health of our thought process, story, the way we see others and ourselves, and personality traits.
- Emotional Health: processing feelings and focused on the emotions we experience. This can also include our ability to emotionally connect with others and to the work we do.
- Spiritual Health: our connection to something greater then ourselves. Can be connected to our sense of purpose.
- Sexual Health: our expression and fulfillment of our sexual needs.
- Physical Health: involves taking care of our physical body. This can involve nutrition, exercise, and sleep.
- Social Health: the health of connections we have with other people in our lives. This can also include healthy boundaries.
- Intellectual Health: this type of health is how we challenge our mind and memory. It can involve learning new things or practicing mental stimulation games.
Which of these areas of health are most important to you?
What are you health goals?
How to Budget Your Energy
One of the biggest lessons about life with chronic illness Iâve learned is how to budget my energy. For myself and a lot of people living with chronic illness our bodies experiences fatigue and energy differently. I canât speak for other people but I will share what this has looked like for me.
Iâve learned to think of energy budgeting as a series of deposits and withdrawals. Things that take energy are withdrawals and the things that fill you with energy are deposits. When living with a chronic illness there are types of activities that take a lot of energy for us that the average person does not consider taking any energy. This could be something as simple as a shower, getting ready for the day, driving to work, or cooking a meal. Deposits of energy are things that give us energy this could be taking a nap, taking rest breaks, or pacing ourselves when doing a difficult activity.
For me personally I am evaluating my energy levels throughout the day. There are days where I start the day at a yellow and have to be careful with how much I push myself that day. There have also been days when my day started out and I was completely exhausted and unable to go to work or do my normal life activities. Then there have been days when I start out with a lot of energy on one of the greens. But have had to be careful to not take too much advantage of the unexpected energy and deplete what I have.
The most important part of evaluating your energy is to simply notice. Notice what your body is telling you it needs. If you notice you are very tired is it possible to make a deposit by taking a small break or a nap? Itâs even good to journal about patterns youâve noticed in the week or month about things that have been draining or adding to your energy. Below are some helpful tips of what helps me budget my energy:
- Develop routines that support your energy. This could be going to bed and waking up at certain times. Eating foods that give you energy or doing light exercise to stimulate your energy.
- Be willing to say ânoâ. There have been times when there were fun activities going on with my family or friends and Iâve had to learn to be able to say ânoâ when I didnât have enough energy to go. There are activities that can be more taxing then others and itâs important to know your limits and when to say ânoâ and when to say âyesâ.
- Letting others help you. This is one of the hardest for me. There are times I donât have the energy to keep up and need help! Itâs okay to ask for and receive help from others. Sometimes it makes a world of difference!
Process For Creating
I wish creating could be a linear A to Z process. If you are like me this is potentially more what the process looks like:
I laughed as I made this image because it is so true to how the creative process goes. It often feels like you go back three steps to move forward one. This process drives me crazy and can be so incredibly frustrating. There are moments when I feel like Iâve wasted so much time just trying to figure out the process for creating something.
But the reality is that even though it can be challenging, I love the process. I love the puzzle and mystery that comes with getting creative. Often when Iâve felt like Iâve âwastedâ time trying to figure out a creative process, itâs really time invested in learning the material and the idea more in-depth. I also have to remind myself that there is not a wrong way to get creative. Sometimes projects turn out different then you expect but it doesnât make it wrong but instead something new and different.
Get creative and enjoy the adventure in the process! đ
Blooming Resilient 