Just imagine how much more energy I’d have to work toward what I want to be working toward if I wasn’t using it all up being anxious and/or angry with myself all the time

Keywords: anxiety , false narratives , inner voice , inner work , lies , mental health , progress , psychology , self care , self criticism , self help , self improvement , self love , therapy

I feel so much freer after realizing the absurdity of just that one lie my inner voice was preaching. I’m sure there are many more false narratives in my head to unravel. The next time my inner voice is telling me something that makes me feel badly about myself, instead of just accepting it as fact, I want to challenge it. If it’s too hard to disengage from in the moment, it might also be a good idea to simply write down what your inner voice is telling you in that moment. Then once you’ve gotten some space from the situation, you can come back and take a look at what you wrote down. I hope we can all learn to listen to our own inner voice in a neutral, passive way so that we may learn something new about ourselves and hopefully discover new ways to improve our lives and our relationship with ourself.
https://amethystlamb.wordpress.com/2021/06/27/false-narratives

I fear that my grasp on happy is so fragile that it is tested every single day

Keywords: Cece V , Cece’s Voyage , happiness , Happy , Self-care

Now that I have a revised definition, the hindrances to my happy are glaringly obvious. I crave quiet time, free time, and writing time but rarely have either. I crave being surrounded by things that make me smile. My job is filled with more tasks that frustrate me than those that make me feel fulfilled. And, no matter how much I try, I find it’s difficult to feel present in my body even if my mind is present in the moment; the two are rarely aligned and in agreement. Nearly everything in my life is a responsibility or obligation. The list of things that bring me joy is pretty small, and the furnishing and items around me do not bring me joy. And despite my best wishes, I am practically a sitcom mom. You know the one. She loves her family but is five seconds away from losing her ever-loving mind. It’s not my family, but rather the imbalance of not meeting my own needs, which are so simple yet elusive.
https://cecesvoyage.com/2021/06/23/im-just-trying-to-be-happy

If you want a cheerleader, go to a football game, or join a Facebook echo chamber

Keywords: philosophy , abuse , emotions , lcsw , msw , responsibility , therapist , therapy , validation

These kind of groups are everywhere, on every platform and in every aspect of life. Echo chambers for every possible perspective, political, emotional, societal … like attracts like after all. We run to people who will validate our pain, who will say “yeah, fuck them!” and we will avoid people who have contrasting viewpoints because we see challenges of our viewpoints as personal attacks instead of examining the ideas in a objective way (because emotions are anything but objective). But refusing to be challenged in any way? Where are the catalysts for growth? Of course no one should be berated in a support group and people should be validated … but what happens after the validation of experience?
https://bambooandbananas.org/white-girl-therapy

I’m not just trying to build a new business, I’m trying to reprogram my brain!

Keywords: change blog , change , make change , mindset , new years resolution , should

Productivity is one of the strongest motivators in my previous life. I’m very proud that I’m a hard-working person who will always give you the quickest and best output in the office. This stems from years of traditional Asian education which prioritises good grades/achievement over the process and progress. This particular neural pathway that values the result-based measurement of success makes it very difficult for me to become an entrepreneur.
https://yogawithebe.wpcomstaging.com/2021/06/08/why-is-it-so-damn-hard-to-make-change

I realised that we are able to manipulate ourselves, not just into bad habits – even into good ones!

Keywords: Daily Thoughts and Inspirations , happy , inspiration , loveryourself , positivity , selfcare

My past didn’t change but I changed how I look at it. Im still on the other side of the world separated from everyone BUT myself – and that was one of the biggest realisations of my life I guess is that there’s no point in feeling alone because I never am, never was and never will be because I got me. And that’s a gift we all have – we have ourselves, always.
https://lisasimpressions.com/2021/06/02/love-yourself-for-who-you-are

I don’t know where it comes from, but new ideas are flourishing in my [mind]

Keywords: depression , growing up , life improvement , new projects , self improvement

Some things in our lives are like muscles. When you lift weights, your muscles get stronger. Writing every day is making me desire to do it more. I want to create new blogs about different subjects.
https://empassosdeformiga.wordpress.com/2021/02/20/new-projects

correction: the link above no longer works — but the same text is still available via https://padefo.wordpress.com/2021/02/20/new-projects (at least for now 😉 )

When our crown is crooked, we need to adjust it ourselves and remember the Queens that we are!

Keywords: find yourself , healing , heartbreak , inner work , life , loss , love yourself , pain , wellbeing

The unf*ckening is when we take our power back-with absolutely no point to prove. It’s deciding the pain no longer serves us and that our truth is all that mattered. That we know in our soul, we gave it everything we had. We were honest about our feelings. We didn’t bury or hide our truth and we had the courage to dig deep, dance with our shadows and do the f*cking hard work to heal.
https://spiritual-queen.com/2021/01/31/the-unfckening

It makes everything that’s happened and everything I’ve thought incredibly real

Keywords: reflection , vulnerability , daring greatly , brene brown , writing , vulnerable , writer , storytelling , lgbtq , trans , authentic , authenticity

Hopefully, by letting myself be seen and by sharing how being who I am has made such a difference in my life, someone can find themselves in my writing, connect with me the way we connect with books, and know that it can be safe and possible to be themselves. It provides them with a little hope, and maybe the strength they need to make it through their present moment, to continue living another day and know that what they’re dreaming of can be a reality. Sometimes I still pinch myself because I can’t believe my dream is real, either.
https://wheretheheartandmindmeet.wordpress.com/2021/01/27/why-i-share-my-writing-even-though-its-terrifying

I can’t always say that I was proud of most things I did or do, but I really would like to work on how to become a person who is proud

Keywords: {0}

Someone who doesn’t make an excuse because I’ve accomplished something or downplay it. Always trying to downplay something or make it not seem as “amazing.” I guess part of me feels like I’ve made it hard on myself, so it’s my own fault which leads to the accomplishment to be not as important.
https://betterocker.com/2021/01/07/the-post-that-gets-published

We should be proud that we did it, and honor those we lost

Keywords: New Chapters , Good Things Jar , Gratitude , Hope , New Year , New Yearʹs Resolutions , Optimism , Year In Review

In the past I’ve reported the contents of my Good Things Jar. The first time I wrote about it was January 2015. Any time there is something good, it gets written onto a scrap of paper and tossed into the jar. Back then, Tara was living with me and we both contributed. We had intended a tradition of reviewing the good things to start off our Januarys, but we skipped a couple years, then Tara moved away for college.
https://crystaltrulove.com/2021/01/02/good-things