How are you feeling? How many times have we been asked that question? How many times have we asked it? How many times have we given or received an authentic answer? Most say, I’m good, great, and that’s also what we expect to hear in return. What if we really tuned in and named our “true emotion?”
When you can understand and name your emotions, something magical happens. The mere fact of acknowledgment creates the ability to shift. When we don’t have the words for our feelings, we’re not just lacking descriptive flourish. We’re lacking authorship of our own lives….taken from Permission to Feel from Dr. Mark Brackett.
Not saying you have to really have to share your true emotions, but it is important to really explore in any given time, especially when you are struggling, what emotion you are truly experiencing?
How are you feeling today?
If you are having troubles identifying your true emotions or have someone you care about that may need some assistance, please feel free to pass on my #, (414) 881-7401, or my web page. www.alwaysabetteryou.com
The fear of the unknown. Being confined to little movement, brought upon by the Covid-19 is a recipe for heightened worry and possibly the re-opening of past traumas. If this is you or anyone you know, please reach out. (414) 881-7401
When I read this post this morning it gave me a real good perspective how some people see this “Stay-at-Home” order. For some, it’s let us out of here now. For others, it’s let be safe. For some, being at home or limiting where and when a person does leave the house. To understand more about what I am saying, please read this post from Lora Farmer-Sullivan. I went to Jr. High and High School with Lora.
I just have to say that this stay at home order and the isolation that comes with it has been a way of life for me for the last 18 years. I use to try to go shopping with my kids, try the zoo, try a park, go to the mall but it was events that took much planning and carry on items that you’d think I was planning for the apocalypse. It was easier to drag my boys places when they were younger and I could put them in that double stroller ( that was a life saver) and try to get out and socialize. But as they got older, well let’s just say older autistic boys get a bit harder to move along. And I am not alone ya know in a life of semi isolation; decisions to make whether or not its worth all the anxiety they get and myself trying to get through all the sensory obstacles the world offers an autistic person. You begin to really think like an autistic person and have to decide how much fun or relaxing it’s going to be to go to a fair or festival. And grocery shopping, heck my boys haven’t been in a grocery store for a weekly shop in 10 years! When curbside pickup and delivery finally came about I really felt and still do that God heard my prayer. A prayer I prayed about for over 10 years. Why am I telling you all this? Well, I see how people are so freaked out about losing income because their jobs are closed; when my boys were diagnosed I knew right then I would never work outside the home again, and what a major decrease in income my small family would have to suffer and the toll it’s taken on my husband to have to work two jobs in order for us to get bills paid. What a toll it has taken on my marriage knowing there would be no “empty nest” someday, no adult vacations, hell hardly a date night. All said, it worked out and is still working. It is work everyday. When you grow up to be a responsible person you know that you don’t come first anymore, you care for the ones that can’t care for themselves. I watched my Granma Farmer do it my whole life when she cared for my Aunt Trudy. I think the empathy I was taught at a young age, seeing what life was like having a disabled relative, really set the ground work that helped and still helps me today. So the little things in life are the feel good stuff. Love, empathy, trust and perseverance that is the nest of life. Not a leased car, or an expensive vacation, or even money! That shit comes and goes and you can’t take it with you, you can’t even build your legacy on it. So take a step back when you think someone is not giving you what you think you deserve, take a breath before you speak about someone else’s way of living cuz you don’t really know where they have been. And be kind to your fellow man. This is the stuff that human heroes are made of, not complainers, not selfishness, not gloating. Maybe it is Gods will for all of us to take this time and really reflect and live with less, to see if we really are living, not just moving in the motions. and .
Due to Covid-19 or the Coronavirus has changed the way many have to conduct business. Besides grocery and hardware stores, sadly many businesses have closed, or many are working remotely. As a therapist, March 13th changed things for me too. Instead of my clients coming in to see me, we now do what they call telehealth or teletherapy. Here’s a good article that explains the ins and outs of it. Take a look: https://positivepsychology.com/teletherapy/ Need some assistance or know someone who does, have them give me a call (414) 881-7401 or visit me here, or www.alwaysabetteryou.com
We are about a month in to the Covid-19 Stay at Home Order here in Wisconsin and pretty much through out the country. They say that being aware and careful about this virus until there is some type of treatment, some aspect of what we are going through, may be our “new normal.” Here’s a good article that discusses how this may effect us emotionally. Not saying it will but if you or someone you know is struggling now or struggle with the fall-out of this later, please feel free to contact me, or pass my number along. (414) 881-7401. Thank you!!
Although most of us heard about the Coronavirus before it hit the United States and put a stop to what was our normal routine, none of us were prepared of how it would impact us.
So today’s question is: what are you doing everyday to keep yourself sane? I’m not talking about hard things, I’m talking about easy things. Here are some ideas on what you can do daily to keep yourself sane (and have a little fun while you’re at it!) ✔ Play with your kids or dog every day ✔ Make your bed every day ✔ Get outside for 15 minutes every day ✔ Drink water every day ✔ Dance every day
Let’s focus on what we can control. Struggling to make it through this? You are not alone. Feel free to share and to reach out (414) 881-7401.
Being in a time of the unknown, how are you feeling right now? Deeper yet, why do you feel that way? To be able to label and understand one’s emotions is crucial in moving past them. The book Permission To Feel by Marc Brackett, Ph.D. is an excellent resource.
Need help sorting through things? Let me know. I can be reached at (414) 881-7401
It doesn’t take a whole new routine to instill a dose of happiness into your day—but it does take a little self awareness.
1. Be grateful for the good & the bad.
Research shows, grateful people are happy people. It’s also important to understand that happiness is not the absence of negative feelings. Gratitude is a focus on the present and appreciation for what we have now, rather than wanting more. Embracing gratitude, as a state of mind, can have a positive affect on all aspects of life including our happiness and overall satisfaction.
Up your mood by taking a moment daily to think of your world with gratitude. Start a gratitude journal or take a walk in nature paying attention to all the gifts around us. Think of a person that helps you on a daily or weekly basis – a spouse, parent, friend, pet, teacher, cleaner, or babysitter.
Quiz: How grateful are you? Take the Gratitude Quiz published by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.
2. Flex your creativity muscles.
Do you have a passion or hobby? It doesn’t have to be a formal activity, simply engaging in creative thinking can enhance well-being by enhancing cognitive flexibility and problem-solving abilities. A recent study out of New Zealand, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology explains that creative activities can trigger an “upward spiral” of well-being.
“Practicing an art — no matter how well or badly — is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.” – Kurt Vonnegut.
Make some space in your day to create, even if it’s just for the sake of it. Try exploring unique textures or even natural and recycled materials to make something for your home or a friend. Looking for some tips on how to add more creativity into your daily life? Read this list of 101 creative habits to explore.
3. Get connected, Stay connected.
Being apart of something larger than yourself can help bring perspective as well as a sense of belonging. Scientific evidence strongly suggests that feeling like you belong and generally feel close to other people is a core psychological need; essential to feeling satisfied with your life. The pleasures of social life register in our brains much the same way physical pleasure does.
So take the time to nurture a friendship that is important to you. Make an extra effort to show you care, send a card, make a plan to have lunch, or give them a call and really listen to what they say. Smile and say hello to a stranger. Tell a story when someone asks how your day is going. Notice how you feel when you share something with someone new.
Struggling and need support? Join a support group and talk to others that can relate. Find your tribe: support.therapytribe.com – a free online support community brought to you by TherapyTribe.
Tip: Check out the wellness tracker. It’s a simple but powerful tool designed to help you remember the promises you make to yourself. As you complete wellness activities your tree will blossom, and so will you!
As an experienced licensed professional counselor, it is my honor to assist you in exploring your core issues and move toward a healthy, fulfilling life.
I offer couple, family, group, individual therapy sessions in and around West Allis, Wisconsin.
