Discover the Power of Journaling

The holidays are just around the corner, and for some of us we will be in the hustle and bustle of finding gifts, and spending time with loved ones, and for some of us we are not in the mood for the holidays due to the loss of a loved one. During this time it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of responsibilities and forget to prioritize our well-being. Today, I want to share a simple yet impactful self-care practice that has made a significant difference in my life: journaling.

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Journaling is more than just putting pen to paper; it's a powerful tool for self-reflection, mindfulness, and personal growth. During a really tough time in my life, and still now when anger, frustration, or irritation pop up I journal. Here are a few reasons why incorporating journaling into your routine can be a transformative act of self-care:

Mindful Reflection: Taking a few moments each day to jot down your thoughts allows you to reflect on your experiences and emotions. It provides a space for mindfulness, helping you stay present and aware of your feelings.

1. Stress Reduction: Writing down your thoughts can be a therapeutic way to release pent-up emotions and stress. It serves as a form of self-expression, offering a safe outlet for your thoughts and concerns.

2. Goal Setting and Tracking: Use your journal as a canvas for setting and tracking personal goals. Whether big or small, putting your aspirations on paper can help you stay focused and motivated.

3. Gratitude Practice: Cultivate a positive mindset by incorporating a daily gratitude practice into your journaling routine. Reflecting on the things you're thankful for can shift your perspective and enhance your overall well-being.

4. Emotional Exploration: Dive deep into your emotions, fears, and joys. Journaling provides a non-judgmental space to explore and understand your feelings, and fostering emotional intelligence.

To get started, set aside a few minutes each day to write freely in your journal. There's no right or wrong way to do it—simply let your thoughts flow. Whether you choose to focus on your day, express gratitude, or explore your goals, the key is to make it a personal and meaningful practice.

Remember, self-care is a journey, not a destination. By incorporating journaling into your routine, you're giving yourself the gift of reflection and self-discovery.

Wishing you moments of peace and self-discovery.

Mindfulness during the holidays

Do you practice mindfulness?

Mindfulness is simply being present in the moment. Sometimes, it can be very hard when we are so quick to pick up our phones to show others or create a memory for ourselves. Practicing mindfulness during the holidays can help you stay present, reduce stress, and enhance your overall well-being. Here are some mindfulness tips to incorporate into your holiday season:

Breathe Mindfully:

• Take a few moments each day to focus on your breath. Practice deep, intentional breathing to center yourself and calm your nervous system.

• Stay Present in Activities:

  • Whether it's decorating the tree, wrapping gifts, or enjoying a holiday meal, fully engage in each activity. Pay attention to the sights, sounds, and sensations around you.

• Gratitude Practice:

  • Take time each day to reflect on things you're grateful for. This can shift your focus from stressors to positive aspects of your life.

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• Digital Detox:

  • Designate specific times to unplug from your devices. Enjoy quality time with loved ones without distractions from phones or social media.

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• Create Mindful Moments:

  • Intentionally create moments of mindfulness throughout the day. It could be as simple as taking a few deep breaths before entering a room or pausing to appreciate a beautiful holiday decoration.

• Let Go of Perfection:

  • Practice self-compassion and let go of the need for everything to be perfect. Accept imperfections and appreciate the beauty in the moment.

• Mindful Reflection:

  • Set aside time for quiet reflection. This could involve journaling, meditation, or simply sitting in silence to process your thoughts and emotions.

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• Set Mindful Intentions:

  Before engaging in holiday activities, set mindful intentions. Decide to approach the situation with presence, patience, and an open heart.

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Remember, mindfulness is about cultivating awareness in the present moment without judgment. By incorporating these practices, you can enhance your ability to stay present and find joy in the holiday season.

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Why you need social media content for your business

Social media content is important for a number of reasons, including:

• To connect with your audience. Social media is a great way to connect with your audience and build relationships. By sharing interesting and relevant content, you can keep your audience engaged and informed.

• To drive traffic to your website. When you share links to your website on social media, you can drive traffic to your site and increase your website's visibility.

• To generate leads. Social media is a great way to generate leads for your business. By sharing content that is relevant to your target audience, you can attract people who are interested in what you have to offer.

• To build brand awareness. Social media is a great way to build brand awareness. By sharing consistent and high-quality content, you can create a positive impression of your brand and make it more memorable.

• To increase sales. Social media can be a powerful tool for increasing sales. By sharing content that is relevant to your target audience and that encourages them to take action, you can increase sales and grow your business.

If you're not sure what type of content to share on social media, there are a few things you can do to get started:

• Research your audience. The first step is to research your audience and understand what they're interested in. What are their pain points? What are their goals? Once you understand your audience, you can start to create content that is relevant and engaging.

• Use social media analytics. Most social media platforms provide analytics that can help you track the performance of your content. This information can help you see what types of content are resonating with your audience and what types of content you should create more of.

• Experiment with different types of content. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to social media content. The best way to find out what works for your business is to experiment with different types of content and see what gets the best results.

By following these tips, you can create social media content that will help you connect with your audience, drive traffic to your website, generate leads, build brand awareness, and increase sales.

Do you need one on one help your with social media pages?

Join us at our next Content Creation Workshop

Suffering in Silence

Why do we suffer in silence?

There are so many people that suffer in silence, and sometimes we are not even aware of it. When you ask someone how are you doing and their response is, “ I am okay” sometimes they are not okay they are just afraid to talk or put their burdens on someone else. Sometimes people feel they are forced to suffer in silence and here is why:

Why do we suffer in silence?

1. Fear of judgment

It could be fear of judgment from family, and friends. Sometimes those closest to us can be the most judgmental. There can be situations where they have high expectations from family. I recently had a conversation with my friend and mother and we were discussing how some of the people in the African American black community can be so critical and judgemental. It is like an automatic response for some of our community. Instead of loving on the person or being happy for them, the automatic response is to judge. 

2. Fear of vulnerability

It can be so hard to be vulnerable in our society. Sometimes people feel “I can’t open myself up and share what I am going through because I can’t become vulnerable.” For some reason, some people believe it makes them weak. Some of us myself included having been told being vulnerable made us look weak. Fear of vulnerability also comes from perfectionism. We have had to live a life in such a way where mistakes were not allowed to be made. Sometimes people think they have held up this perfectionism personality for so long they do not know how to be vulnerable. So internally they say I am going to deal with this on my own, or no one will understand what I am going through.

There are other cases of fear of vulnerability when people think no one cares or they will only give me temporary visitation. Temporary visitation is when friends, colleagues, and sometimes family are only there as soon as the news break, but as you are going through this trauma weeks later they are nowhere to be found.

3. We also suffer in silence because we are afraid our business will potentially be shared with everyone.

Do not suffer silence but please be careful who you share your open wounds to. I know you might be thinking how can I go through this terrible time, and then go on a hunt of who I should share it with. Most of the time we know we know who to share our personal business with and who not to. Before you share it think about previous conversations you have had with this person. Are they always sharing someone else business? Do they always have something negative to say to other people or just negative all around? If the answer is yes to any of these questions keep it to yourself. Find a support group or a therapist. 

It is sad a lot of times we have to suffer in silence because some of our closest family members are the negative Nancys or negative Nathans. We often have to go through the hardest times in life without sharing with our family because we are afraid they are going to throw salt on our open wounds

What suffering in silence leads to

1. Thoughts, feelings, and emotions start spiraling. 

2. Depression

3. Anxiety

4. Isolation

How to move forward and stop suffering in silence

Always remember it takes 30 seconds for a thought to turn into a feeling, and then an action.

Take your thoughts captive when they arise. Find some affirmations related to what you are experiencing or need to hear and say them to yourself over and over again until you start to believe them.

Meditations and Visualization. As you are meditating one thing that will help stay focused is taking deep breaths in and releasing them and consistently visualize yourself in a better situation. 

Find a support group you are not alone. There are tons of supportive groups on Facebook. If you are uncomfortable with sharing you will see so many people sharing their stories or things tools, that they are using to help them. (HS-autoimmune disorder) 

Journal 5-10 minutes a day it does not matter what thoughts creep up today was awful, God I can’t trace you nor can I trust you, I know some of you are thinking Tamera that is a bit harsh to say to God in a journal. He knows our thoughts anyway and He knows our hearts He is just waiting on us to get honest with Him about how we truly feel. There is no sugarcoating needed with God. 

 Find a Therapist

Let go of perfectionism and judgment. The people you are afraid of being judged by has skeletons in their closet too. Some of us are just better at hiding them than others. Friends and family do not have the final say-so in your life. Their fake and false expectations do not matter let it go. Mistakes will be made, and everything will not go as planned but do not allow that to distract or cause you to quit.

We have to heal, learn from our mistakes, and keep pressing forward. 

Journal, podcast, therapy, write or find a supportive network online. You are not alone. 

Suffering in silence is a too big of a burden to carry alone. Our subconscious is a beast, and whatever we constantly give her she feeds into our consciousness and into our lives. 

Those thoughts of

• My life is out of control

• I don’t want to appear weak 

• I am tired of failing 

• I have messed up again 

• I can’t believe I let this happen 

• I will never be able to move forward from this 

You are not the only person that has felt like this, don’t walk around with that baggage by yourself, lay it down even if you have to take a little out at a time because of past hurt, but you can’t go around with all that trauma by yourself. 

Find the best form of self-care that works best for you. It does not have to look like what everyone else is doing but find what brings you peace. 

Healing will take time, it will not be an overnight process but you have to be willing to give it a try day by day. 

If you go out and injure your leg and need a knee replacement surgery after the doctor finishes are you able to immediately get up and walk again? Nope, you are sent home with pain pills, antibiotics, and a healing routine, and follow-up doctor appointments. It will take time for your knee to heal it is not an overnight process and your healing will be the same way. Do not give up, and do not walk around suffering in silence.

You are not alone.