Happy day after Thanksgiving Everyone! Anyone have pie for breakfast this morning?! I may or may not have had a piece and washed it down with an energy drink, but this is a judgement free zone...I whisper to myself...so I am okay with my decisions.
I have been practicing being more mindful of those things in my life that I am grateful for, so yesterday was no exception, but I did take the time to unwind a little and try to enjoy the simplicities of life. I was extremely grateful that my family only wanted to watch one Marvel movie (whyyyy so long?!?). I conquered cooking my first ever real turkey (we usually have a turkey breast) and it didn't turn out like the one on National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and actually was very delicious. I was even more grateful that I found that a whole bottle of wine fits into one of my coffee mugs and if you drink it fast enough it doesn't have time to get warm (my healthy tips are just overflowing with this blog).
One thing I realized more than ever is how incredibly lucky I am to be surrounded by such amazing humans near and far. I try to express my love for them daily in one way or another and wish that I could have them all close to me every step of the way, but "special" days throughout the year really drive home their importance to me and how I would not be me without each one of them. It's nice to have days to "force" you to reflect on those things that truly mean the most to you, but it's also nice to carve that time into every one of your days.
As humans we tend to take those who mean the most to us for granted because they have always been there and are a constant in our lives, but I know how very special a simple text, phone call or message means to me from whomever I receive it from and I like to believe that they would feel the very same if I did exactly that for them. It doesn't have to be a "special" day to show someone how much you care, make every day special by pouring your love into all those that mean the world to you. I might eat pie for breakfast, drink too much wine, but love and making someone feel like they matter, I got that.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and every one who take the time to read my blog. The messages, the kind words, the shares; all of it means everything to me. It's always been a dream of mine to write and I could never put into words how incredible it is that some of you enjoy what I have to say. So, thank you, you have helped make one of my dreams come true. Make today special, do a random act of kindness, tell someone you love them, give a compliment; lead with your heart and watch the world within you and around you become magical.
💜💙💕
Unwind the Mind
If I have said it once, I have said it a million times...I LOVE MUSIC!!! I go to a lot of concerts because it is a place where my heart is truly the happiest. Live music is an amazing way for humans to come together where they can feel their feelings, dance, sing and get caught up in the moment. Music really does have the power to unite us and heal us, live music just amplifies that to an extraordinary level. I will be sharing my concert experiences here and giving my reviews of them when I go. One of my dream jobs would be to become a concert reviewer...I am not sure that there is a job out there like that, so I will create my own here...haha!
A couple of my best friends and I have been frequenting concerts for a number of years now, we have a group chat called "Concert Goers! The Fab Three!" where we discuss our next concert trip, our dream concerts and share fun songs. This summer when we were discussing our Summerfest trip, looking at the lineup, not one of the artists sounded that appealing, but I saw that Cam was going to be there and knew that was a day I for sure wanted to go. I have been a fan of hers for quite some time and she has actually been on my concert bucket list for a few years now, so I was ecstatic to see her name as an artist for one of the stages. I am grateful that my friends cut our Milwaukee exploring day short so that we could roll up to the Summerfest grounds just in time to see her take the stage.
Cam did not disappoint, she made us laugh, cry and gave some memorable speeches. If you are going to a concert for all the bells and whistles, she would not be your jam, but if you are going to hear heart and soul poured into a mic, this one is for you. I will see her again, but for that moment in time, my heart was full. She has an awesome discography (music lingo for musical recordings)...but these are three of my favorites...of course all of her songs are amazing, but if I had to choose, these three would be the ones I would play over and over again.
Believe
This one was just released a couple of weeks ago and I fell in love!
"If the stars deep in the dark can find the light to glow, then even on my darkest day I too can find the hope"
Till There's Nothing Left
This is the song that moved Cam to my concert bucket list. I really wanted to hear this live and sometimes when you hear it live it doesn't sound as good, but man she blew it out of the water. If I could name one of the most romantic songs ever, this would be my vote.
"I'm gonna call love what it is and give you everything I've got to give."
Girl Like Me
I was a little disappointed that she didn't sing this song, but as a side stage act, they are limited to how many songs and the amount of time they can be on stage, so unfortunately this song didn't make the cut, but the lyrics with this one are gold and one you can find me belting out in my car often.
"Some people know how to live with a heart that's broke, but that ain't what you're here for, take it from a heart that knows."
Stay;
As the bells toll and Mariah Carey starts her descension from the Heavens singing those magical words "iiiiii don't want a lot for Christmas..." signifying the start of the Holiday season, I would like to talk a little bit about mental health.
As a person who suffers from depression, OCD, ADHD, anxiety and probably many more undiagnosed mental conditions, I am excited to see that the discussion of mental health is becoming a more comfortable topic to discuss.
Every day presents unique challenges and pivotal moments that can alter our mindset, creating obstacles that make it challenging to be human. This time of year when the days seem longer, the weather becomes colder and the sun goes into what seems like hibernation, those difficult days become even more excruciating.
For those that suffer from mental health issues, a small hiccup in everyday life can spin thoughts and emotions into a downward spiral that often feels like you are being crushed from the inside out. To know that you are loved, but having the mind gremlins try to convince you that you are not is something I could never put into words. To be surrounded by so many, yet feel a sense of loneliness is hard to fathom, let alone try to describe to anyone. Many who first meet me, would be thrown off by my bubbly disposition, the smile I often portray and would never know the war that was happening inside of my mind. I am deemed the "Rainbows and Sunshine" human because I always try to see the best in everything. I actually pride myself on this viewpoint. But just like everyone else, I have insecurities, doubts, fears and more often than not forget my worth. It's extremely hard for me to type those words out because I am exposing my flaws, something I don't like to do because I am fearful that I will be judged or even worse rejected.
I am the "funny one". I am the one with "solid advice". I am the one that other's turn to for guidance, support and the rock they are looking for when times are tough. This year is the first time I understood that it is okay for me to fall apart and still be worthy of love. I didn't just understand this, I was proven this to be true. I also learned that it is okay to cry in front of others because it lets them know it's okay to cry too. And allowing myself to lean on those in my life, gives them courage to lean on me too. I always thought I had to be the strong one and hold everyone else up, but I am learning that it's okay to struggle and allow others to hold me up too...that by doing this doesn't take away my strength, but only enhances it.
I never used to be a big advocate for therapy and have "dabbled" a little bit with it in the past, but the more that I am diving into who it is that I am and what limits me from becoming even greater than what I can imagine, I am finding a new appreciation for what therapy has to offer and believe that everyone should allow themselves this opportunity. Fun fact, those that seek out therapy, the average person has to go through seven of them before they find the one that clicks. So don't be discouraged if you do seek out professional help and it takes a bit to find the right one who speaks to your soul. I for one am on my 5th and for the first time feel right at home.
I have a big heart and have learned that I am an empathetic person and these two qualities are amazing from an outside perspective (my friends, my family, the "homeless" lady with the dog on the side of the road I gave my last 10 dollars to), but unfortunately can be very damaging from a personal level. I am learning that I am me and whatever the day throws at me, I am still me. For those that have a "healthier" mindset, this idea seems pretty normal, but for those that have a bit more "complicated" mindset, this idea is hard to grasp. If I had a dime for every time someone told me "Don't let it bother you." I would be a millionaire. Telling an overthinker not to let something bother them is very similar to telling someone to calm down when they are upset, we can't help it, it just is.
Our mind is beautiful. It is intricate and very unique to who we are and how we see the world. It can limit us and it can propel us. It has the power to create stories, both good and bad and it has the ability to keep us alive and also the power to crush our soul. It allows gremlins to take over and fabricate our importance, giving the illusion life would be better without us and sometimes it turns us into the villain with no evidence to back up this idea. Just like a broken limb or any other part of the body that is damaged, our mind when being fed negative thoughts or is not working in a positive way needs the appropriate care to help repair it. Whether this be support from our loved ones, kind words from strangers, professional help or all of the above, when we are lost and "broken" we deserve to be found and loved.
Holidays are hard and bring out some of the worst thoughts and feelings. Some are lonely and see nothing but couples and families only enhancing those feelings. Some are missing humans that are no longer with us in one way or another making our heart hurt more than ever. As joyous as this time of year can be, there are a lot of internal struggles people are dealing with. That person smiling at you, might be thinking they no longer want to exist. That person who just gave you the finger might have just lost someone they love. I know that it is hard to put ourselves into other's shoes, but as we shift into the season of hustle and bustle, let's practice kindness, compassion, grace, patience, support and love. Be the person you needed on your worst days to all those that you meet. And please check on your loved ones and let them know that you are there, you might assume they know this already, but a small gesture of, "I'm thinking of you", might be exactly what they need.
For those that are fighting internal wars, lean in on your humans. Ask for help. No one is ever given a war within to fight alone...remember strength is knowing you are worthy of help and asking for it. There are so many waiting to surround you with the love that you deserve. If you are reading this and want to reach out to me, please feel free to email me anytime at sheastyle143@gmail.com, I'd love to be there for you and always want to hear from you.
This won't be the last time I will go into great detail about mental health as I believe that it is an important topic and always needs to be in the forefront of our minds. I share my thoughts and personal experiences regarding this subject because there are so many that believe that they are alone with this feeling and I am here to say that you are not. Mental health isn't just one human, it's many. It isn't a particular face or certain actions; it can be anyone you meet or someone you have known forever. We all deserve humans that constantly remind us of the good that we are and give us unconditional love no matter how we are feeling. A bad day or many doesn't end our story or even define our character; it's just another reason to stay and find the good that is waiting for us.
We are all given storms to face and the rainbows and sunshine can often be hard to find, but I promise that they are there, occasionally they are hidden very well and sometimes it takes someone extra special to care enough to point them out, but whatever your day brings, always know you are needed and wanted on this Earth, so whatever you do, don't ever give up!
All right Mariah, take it away...
Be Kind. Be Love. Be You.
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