Journal Thursday

Every year around this time many people consider their New Year's resolution. We usually want so much to reach our goal and we are in the mood for some changes. Then, after a few days, or a few tries, or a few thoughts to get going we somehow get bogged down with other things in life and stop pursuing our resolution. How can we break this streak of not resolving what we set out to do?

In this journal exercise, write out and set out to

1. Determine what one thing that must change in your life that you are willing to set out and do
2. Identify at least 3 activities that you would be willing to stop doing for at least 21 days in order to meet your change
   
3. List in priority from 1-4 (with 1 being the most important) the one thing that must change, and these 3 activities you are considering to stop
4. If your one thing that must change is not # 1, then you are not ready to make the change and you must weigh your decision carefully to determine if it is needed and what will make it top priority for change in your life
5. If it is #1, then you are ready to set out a path for change.
6. Of the 3 activities you will stop, pick one that the new change will replace.
   
7. Replace it with the one thing you are changing
8. In the change keep SMART change in view

• S- Keep it simple and yet specific (Does it stretch me, is it worthwhile to do?)
  
• M-Keep it measurable (Can I measure in a tangible way the steps toward change?)
  
• A-Keep it able to be completed (can I see myself able to meet this change?)
  
• R-Keep it realistic to you (Is it within my ability, control to do?)
  
• T-Keep it time-limited (Will I see results in a realistic time frame? Example: 1-3 weeks, 1-3 months, 3-6 months, one year)
  

Tell at least 1-3 close friends, family, or co-workers of the one thing you are setting out to change
Ask at least 1 of them to check in with you daily or every other day or weekly as to how you are doing with this change...one to be accountable to for your change.

REMEMBER: YOU CAN DO IT!

Journal Thursday

Consider a time in your life when you were offensive or not the best of friends to a close friend, spouse or family member. Take a moment and journal your experience.

Now ask yourself, "Have I made things right with this person? If so, how is my relationship with him/her since that time? If not, what would I like to do with the unresolved matter?"

If you have no way of contacting this person and things are not resolved, take a moment and journal your thoughts and feelings about the relationship and determine what you'd like to say to him/her to resolve the matter for you.

Journal Thursday

Today's journal is about reflections. This is the month many students graduate from school and there is always much talk about "the future". However, taking time to reflect on all the milestone, hard work, dedication, and goals achieved are of great importance. If you are a graduate, have graduated in the past, are anticipating graduation, or have had a milestone achieved, please take a moment and journal about your milestone. Reflect on the key points mentioned above. Feel free to share the struggles, joy, pain, and victory of your milestone/s with others.

Journal Thursday

Once upon a time in a land far far away....

Today's journal entry is about creative fantasy. Either pick one of your favorite fairy tales and write about what you like most about it or write your own fairy tale. Discover or consider the who...what...when...where...how of the story as you write out your entry.

Time To Face It

You have stalled long enough...put it off until something else could be put in its place. Now, it is all that is left...it's facing you. What is it? What is this perplexing annoyance? What is the one thing that keeps popping up in your life that you avoid? Push away? Despise? Pretend it does not exist? Deny?

Take the time to...

1. Gather your resources
2. Look beyond yourself to trusted friend/s, family, mentor/s, spiritual leader/s, God
   
3. Seek counsel
4. Find strength in others who have faced "it"
5. Define your "it" in order to gain a clear vision of what must be done
   
6. Devise a plan of action toward your desired outcome
   
7. Take the first step
8. Don't give up...stay strong with the strength of momentum, your resources, the strength of others
9. Realize others can and many times do find strength in your willingness to face your "it"
10. Smile as you share your struggles, hurts, and victories along the way
11. Review your progress, your plan, those who you have helped
12. Be an encouragement, an inspiration to others who are needing to face their "it"

Journal Thursday

Using your imagination, take on the persona of a favorite cartoon character. Journal about your day today from his/her point of view.

Journal Thursday

Spring time is here already.

Journal about Spring time. What comes to mind? Maybe you reminisce about previous Springs that you enjoyed. Either way, journal about Spring....times, places, events, people.

Be Proactive

Make everyday a day to be proactive in your mental health and well being.

Here's a simple list to get started

1. Attitude check...what your attitude is determines your start and finish
   
2. Eat healthy...keep it simple, nutritious
   
3. Sleep...typical need is 6-8 hours (at one sleeping) daily
4. Be a problem-solver...if there's conflict, work to resolve it; be alert to potential snafus
   
5. Keep short lists...of activities, hurts, problems
   
6. Seek God...pray, realizing we live in a huge universe...it took some intelligent design to put it together and you're a part of it
7. Empower others...compliments, encouraging, helping others goes a long way
8. Smile

Give these a try for awhile and revisit the list from time to time as well as add some of your own to it.

Empower Your Own Health

With much talk, discussion, debate, marches, protests, and tension around the health care of those in the states, who is responsible for my health? Your health? If one or a group of people seek benefit or privilege from another who has the power to do so at the expense of yet another, then who is in charge of those people's health? Those who control that privilege become decision makers in those "privileged" people's health care. However, if one takes responsibility for his or her own care and he or she joins with a group of like-minded people who wish to collectively help in the care of each other, then this is a collective responsibility and choice. Thus, the individual and the collective group empower themselves to be in charge of their own heath care.

In the mental health arena, you hear many counselors, social workers and the like touting much of self-care, self-responsibility, and empowerment in your daily decision making and those decisions effect you and those around you.

Who decides how you think, how you feel, how you act, what your attitude will be? Empower your own health!

Journal Thursday

Most everyone enjoys celebrations in life. A lot of times we share this with a specific or special group of people. As many just celebrated St. Patrick's Day, it got me thinking about cultural celebrations.

For this journal entry, consider your cultural heritage and pick a celebration that you either enjoy or one that best fits with your heritage and journal about your experiences or daydream for a moment of how you'd like to be a part of the celebration.

Who Do You Talk To First?

We all have happy, exciting moments in life we like to share with others about...celebrations, birthdays, sporting events, getting a great deal on sale, and many other everyday life events. So where do we go to share our excitement? Facebook? Twitter? Text our friends or family? Phone call? Email? Postcard?

What about when life hits us hard? When we're just not our best, or feeling sad or depressed? Or just stressed out? Where do we go then? Do we share with the same people about our rough times as well as our good? Or do we withdraw or withhold how we are really feeling? Sometimes, friends and family may not understand or they are too close to the situation to be open, honest, or objective with us. This is where we may find ourselves at the doctor's office because we may have some physical symptoms that have popped up along with how we are feeling. So we may tell our doctor about how we are doing...after all, the doc's in the healing profession so he'd be a good choice. Or perhaps a priest or pastor, or religious leader may be where we go. And of course, there is a counselor.

When it's time to share "private" matters, go to someone who you can trust...who will be able to listen and hold in confidence your hurts and hopefully for you to gain solace and refreshment through it all.

Journal Thursday

Freestyle journaling day. Pick up your pen and paper and start writing whatever comes to your mind. After you're done set done your pen take a day or two and return to what you wrote.

Journal Thursday

"Love is in the air". A saying we hear all so frequently during this Valentine's Day time. But what does this mean? What comes to mind? Take a moment and write your thoughts.

Is what you wrote the way love is in your life right now? How would you like to see love demonstrated in your life? Take a moment here and write down your answers.

Are you loving the same way you wished to be loved? What might you change in what you are doing? Continue journaling your answers.

Now take a moment and reflect on your journal entry.

3 Ways Music Impacts Our Mood

What is it about music that sets the mood? Or what mood sets the music? Music has great influence in our lives.

Weigh in on these 3 ways it impacts / influences...

1. Empower us-- To take courage, stay the course, be strong, motivate to thought, feeling, and action
   
2. Stir / Influence us-- Moves us to a particular mood or action (whether negative or positive) as well as entertains us
3. Soothe us-- Bring comfort, peace, calm and revival to a weary soul.

Whatever reason or reasons you listen to music and any particular genre, recognize what mood you are in before, during and after the music. How do you feel? What thoughts are stirred? What action/s are you finding yourself doing?

Journal Thursday

What mood are you in? Happy? Sad? Angry? Energetic? Frustrated? Peaceful? Jealous? Content? Etc... Write it down.

Take a moment and begin to hum.

Now, consider what music genre, group /artist or song you would like to sing or listen to? Write this song title or genre down. Pull up the song or group/artist off your "techie device" (mp3, CD player, website, etc), pick the song and listen to it.

Did the song you listened to match your mood? Or was it a song to counter (change) your mood?

Journal a bit about this choice and your reason/s.

Sanctuary

What comes to mind when you hear the word "sanctuary"? Perhaps, a sacred building, temple, cathedral, or mosque or a place of refuge, safety or harmony. Do you have a place you go to find that "sanctuary"? Maybe home, or a quiet outdoor spot, or possibly a chapel to go and pray. If you don't have a place to go consider some options. Now this is a place that may be an escape from life's problems but look at it as more of a retreat...a place to relax, yes, but to recharge, reflect and seek guidance. This guidance can come from inner reflection, a friend, family member...yet there are many times we could use a "higher power" perspective that goes beyond natural reasoning or knowledge. Give yourself time during your sanctuary and with many times of "calling out". Seek the Lord while He still may be found.

When there is time you want to give up, throw in the towel...remember "SANCTUARY"!

Journal Thursday

What a day!

For today's (this week's) journal...

1. Close your eyes and take a deep breath...in through the nose and then out through the mouth....then repeat the deep breathing exercise once more.
   
2. Now, open your eyes and write the first 3 words that come to your mind in a vertical (up-and-down) row.
3. For each word, write about what each of them means to you at this moment.
4. Review what you wrote...if anything seems negative or out of sorts with you, give yourself a few moments to reflect on how you may improve from the thoughts and feelings that flowed out in your words.
   

If things seem overwhelming, then find a trusted friend to talk to or consider setting up a counseling session or 2 with a counselor to sort things out in a private, confidential setting. Go to our pathways website for more information.

Feelings...nothing more than feelings

Feelings, feelings, we all have them. Some of us express them more than others but we all have 'em. Are feelings right or wrong? Good or bad? No. It's about what inside of us that triggered the feelings. It's what we do with our feelings. They are invaluable to us and act as an internal barometer telling us what's going on inside us.

What do your feelings tell you about yourself? Do you tend to avoid or ignore them? Tell everyone around you about how you feel?

If there's times you can't seem to make sense of them or them keep coming up with internal turmoil or distress, then it may be time to seek some help with a counselor to sort them out and get some peace of mind back in your life.

Journal Thursday

For your journal...
Keep this in mind: How will a better me be a blessing to those I love?

Now, take a moment and list 3 things you can do to better help take care of yourself :)

Getting Help Myself So I Can Help Others

It doesn't take long to look around and see the need for help...the economy, loss of jobs, bankruptcies, tornadoes, results of wars, foreclosures, and recently the devastation in Haiti. We also see how resourceful people become during these times and many lend a helping hand to others. The need for reciprocal relationships is huge especially now and especially in a local face-to-face community. But what if I can't trust others? If I am surrounded by takers and few givers? How much should I give? Do I give my last dollar or the shirt off my back in order to help others? When do I ask for help? Who can I trust? Many questions come to mind as we face uncertainty.

When it comes to counseling, many times we use the analogy of the flight attendant giving instructions just before take off. The attendant explains the exits, seat belts, laboratories, and then about the oxygen masks in case of low cabin pressure. They show us how to put them on and if we have small children to put our mask on first, then the child's mask. Why? I want my child to breathe and survive, right? A natural parental instinct. But in times of crisis I need to be stable and breathing well so I can in turn help my scared, frantic child. As I am calm, gain a sense of direction, am assured, the more I can be of help for others. When you feel and are more confident, you will be more ready and able to see clearly enough to assist and bless others.

Journal Thursday

On this Journal Thursday, consider just one goal you would like to reach. Dream about it for a bit. What would it be like to achieve this goal? See yourself working toward it. Visualize it being completed.

Now, write out your one goal and include the value and importance of this goal for you.

What Drives Motivation?

A question of the centuries. Many factors come to mind...

• Self satisfaction, gratification, pleasure, fulfillment, greed, and for some self-deprecation

• Kindness, peace toward others or environment

• Guilt, shame, fear, anger, bitterness, rage, hate

• Restoration, health, healing

• Urgency

• Love
  

What motivates you? Perhaps a mix of each of these at different times in your day, week, year, or life. Consider carefully what motivates you, the actions you take out of your motivation and the outcome/s that may follow. What, when, where, how, and who will be affected by your decision/s?

Journal Thursday

Along the line of motivation...Identify 3 things that motivate (or unmotivate) you to set goals.

Write these 3 things down and journal a bit about each one.

Now read over what you just wrote. What out of this can you learn about yourself? Jot these observations down as well.

New Year...New Goals?

Well, here we are.. the 2010 year is in full swing...but have you set a goal for yourself? It sure is easy to say and dream of having a goal to meet but what keeps us from believing in goals, setting goals, creating a step by step plan to achieving them?

M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N.

Take a moment and weigh/consider your motivation for goal setting.
Hope, value, passion, love, peace, joy and other reasons may be motivators for pursuing goals. What will yours be?