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I Have No Idea What I’m Doing & Link Up On the Edge #155
I have no idea what I’m doing. For real. This has become the natural state of things for me lately. But on the flip side, I do know exactly what I should be doing. And so, with the loving support of my husband, I have made a decision that is scary and intimidating but I think (fingers crossed) it will be much to my benefit in the long term. Let me give you some background…when I was in Asheville a few weeks ago, I felt more creatively inspired than I have in a really, really long time. When I came home, I cycled into a pretty severe depression for that…
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The Benefits of Altruism & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #127
Did you know that practicing altruism benefits the giver as much as it does the receiver? Maybe even more. Caring about other people and acting in the interest of others with no expectation of reciprocity fulfills and energizes us in a unique way that no other behavior really can accomplish. While it is proven that exercise releases dopamine which helps to improve our moods and make us feel happier, the act of giving and helping others unconditionally also releases endorphins that activate the part of the brain associated with trust, happiness, and social connection. When you perform a good deed for someone else, it really does make you happier. This…
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The Importance of Making Changes
Have you ever felt like you are stuck in a loop of the mundane? Like nothing is really improving or moving forward? Feeling kind of…stagnant? This is a normal wave in the ocean of life, the waxing and waning of the tide. And it is times like these when we are forced to reevaluate the way things are, the way we do things, and where we want to be going. These are the times when changes are important. Life Changes to Improve Your Mood If you simply have not been feeling great lately, maybe it is time to make some changes. Getting trapped in the same routine or feeling burdened…
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5 Self-Care Practices Everyone Should Try
When it comes to looking after your mental health, self-care is one of the hardest things to do. Whether you feel like you don’t have the time or you don’t know where to start, self-care is definitely something that shouldn’t be ignored. Not only will it allow you to spend quality time focusing your yourself, but it also gives you a chance to pause and reflect, which is definitely something we all need every now and again. While self-care means something a little different to everybody, here are 5 self-care practices everyone should try. 1. Enjoy a Long Hot Bath and a Pamper Session Although it may seem as though it’s…
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My Bipolar Life & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #109
Oh dear. Here I am again sitting in an ugly cycle of Bipolar. I hate to share that information in this space where my goal is to keep things light and happy. But another mission of my blog is to be transparent and raw and real as well. Bipolar Disorder sucks. Plain and simple. There is nothing glamorous about it. Even when it is controlled, episodes still occur. And. It. Just. Sucks. I can’t even be eloquent about it. I can share a very helpful resource, however, if you find yourself stuck in a bad place…visit BetterHelp.com. Afte decades of dealing with this disorder and years and years of introspective…
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My Happiness Chocolate & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #107
Recently, I shared with you my experience with hemp oil extract for treatment of headache pain, menstrual cramp pain, and aiding better sleep patterns. An added bonus that I noticed with daily use of White Cedar Naturals Organic Full Spectrum Hemp Extract Oil was that I was able to maintain a much clearer focus on my daily tasks all day long. I had stopped taking the oil for a few days and tried to take it on an as-needed basis, but I don’t find that it works as effectively for me. I basically need to take one dropper full twice a day to maintain my level of clarity as well…
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Explaining a Soldier’s Suicide
If you read yesterday’s Sunday Morning Quarterback, you know that my husband recently lost a good friend and co-worker to suicide. My husband is a man of a few words…especially when it comes to things that are very emotionally heavy. The Army and multiple deployments spent on the front lines taught him that. So I am so very proud of him for touching on the subject in his weekly post. But I believe it warrants a deeper conversation, a conversation that is obviously important to me as I frequently discuss issues of mental health in my blog space. If you are struggling with mental health issues of your own or…
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Shelbee Says…”Forgive yourself.”
If you type in a simple Google search forgiveness quotes, you will find a plethora of profound and valuable statements from a vast array of wise individuals throughout the history of mankind. Forgiveness seems to be one of those virtues that allows us to let go of the wrongs that have been done to us or by us in order to move forward through the journey of our lives. Some wrongs may have been intentional with malicious purpose, some may merely be mistakes due to lack of insight, and some may be so incredibly minor as to have not much bearing at all on the grand scheme things, yet we…
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Finding Gems in the Rubble & Link Up On the Edge #107
I know I have been sharing a lot recently about my Bipolar journey and I apologize if the topic is becoming redundant. You see, writing about it is the healthiest way I have learned to cope with it. Writing has been my main source of therapy since the very beginning. It allows for a process of purging. All of the destructive thoughts and internal demons get expelled by memorializing them into actual words. It’s a paradox of sorts…giving them life is the only way I can destroy them. I used to only write about it in my private journals, feeling like it was just too dark and fucked up to…
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Shelbee Says… “Trust the process.”: 8 Steps for Managing Bipolar Mood Swings
On Friday, I wrote about the battlefield that is Bipolar Disorder and I discussed how I have developed a great capacity for managing the mood swings when they start. Often when I share my story, I am met with the question of how I manage my Bipolar Disorder so effectively without medication. Every time I am asked this question, I am left without an adequate answer. All I can ever come up with is, “I don’t know. I just do it.” However, I am fully aware that this answer helps absolutely no one. So I decided it was time to sit down and really think about how I navigate my…
