Misdirected Anxiety

I do not mean to offend or imply that depression is not serious by posting this quote. I respect your opinions on the subject, but respectfully disagree.

I suffer from mental illness myself. I do not intend to trivialize mental illness, but I do believe that focusing on living in the present is important. It is my experience that these statements do ring true. Anxiety and depression are serious, legitimate illnesses, but I have found my battle with them to be fought 10% in a doctor’s office and 90% in my everyday lifestyle (including changing how I think).

It is my goal to defeat mental health stigma, but a more important goal is to help people. I believe that thinking strategies such as the one that this implies are very important and helpful.

I apologize if you found this offensive. Lao Tzu came from a time when little was known about mental illness. That should be considered. Taken in the context of today, I can see how it could be perceived as offensive.

(via kellylynn730)

http://realignanxiety.tumblr.com/

Happy Holidays!

I am sorry that I have not been very active lately. I spent my Christmas in Myrtle Beach relaxing and enjoying life. I could not have asked for a better holiday this year and I hope that you all had a great one as well.

I have now come back to the world of social media to find some great responses! I absolutely love interacting with people in the mental health communities. You keep me going from day to day and help to give my life purpose! I thank you for that. Keep the responses, inquiries, and questions coming!

I hope your Christmas was as awesome as mine was! Although mine was very unconventional, I enjoyed it immensely. The New Year is approaching, and that brings a lot of reflection on the past year and projections for the upcoming one. I hope that you will allow yourself to see more of the good than bad in those reflections, and in those future projections. The future is a blank slate and you can paint on it whatever you choose! Please keep that in mind.

I have never been one to make “resolutions” for New Years. They seldom work because they are tied in with a holiday season that will soon fade away. You never hear anyone talking about New Years resolutions in April. But, I do believe in setting goals and striving for dreams. And I believe in making those goals realistic and those dreams BIG. Please make sure that you do not set expectations for yourself that are too high to be attained, but to make your dreams big enough to keep you motivated and striving for greatness.

An old boss of mine used to say “good is the enemy of great.” If you would talk of a “good week” in our weekly meeting, you’d quickly realize you said a dirty word. Why was it not a great week? Years later, I now still find myself typing the word “good” and then backspacing to replace it with “great.” I don’t want my readers to simply have a good 2013. I want you to have a GREAT year! Too often, we get complacent and accept good as good enough. This is why good is the enemy of great. If we accept good, then we will stop there and will never achieve greatness. Please keep this in mind in 2013. This is my resolution, and I hope it will be that of many others- make it a GREAT year, not good.

Dreams can be achieved. Anxiety has taught me just that. There was a time in my life when the only prayer or dream I had in my head when I laid my head down at night was to relieve me of this awful disorder that was ruining my life. At the time, this seemed as impossible as dreaming of a new Ferrari in my driveway or attaining my childhood dreams of being a pro baseball player. BUT I DID IT! And this taught me that anything can be done if you put your mind to it. No dream is too big. Stop talking yourself out of success! If you have things you want to see happen in your life, get to work. Make them happen!

I hope that you all keep this in mind going into the new year. For many reading my blogs, 2012 may have been rough. I know it was for me. Let’s make 2013 better!

Kindness Boomerang. Pretty awesome! If only the world was more like this..

jesus-jesse-and-me:

This is a long read, but so worth it! This is truly inspiring ♥

“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.
Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I…

(via lovewreaks)

Classic!

(Source: becauseofraisins)

(via sixsixtyfour)

We are all more than can be summed up in a statement.