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.