Self-Love

Self-Love

love

Happy Valentine’s Day! On today, I want you to concentrate on self-love. Self-love is taught to us as children and as we grow we begin to nurture everything within us, both good and bad. Self-love requires you to be honest about your current choices and thought patterns. Self-love is not selfish, but it forces you to undertake new practices that reflect self-worth. Now, here’s something to think about. Self-love, self-respect, self-worth…What do these words have in common? There is a reason they all start with “self” because you cannot find them in anyone else. Remember, you cannot truly love another person until you know how to love yourself. Loving yourself enough to realize you deserve a happy and fulfilled life. Well, I challenge you today to practice self-love and appreciate yourself just the way you are. When you learn to love you, then others will love you the way you deserve to be loved in return.

SELF-LOVE OPTIONS
• Find some ME TIME
• Write in your journal
• Read an inspirational book
• Take a long walk
• Exercise
• Take a nap
• Take a hot bubble bath
• Relax and do nothing

SELF-LOVE PEP TALK
Look in a mirror today and say these words out loud – I love myself today because I am beautiful, I am strong, I am powerful, I am fabulous, I am unique, I am blessed, I am smart. Repeat 3 times.

Now, be creative and create your own personal affirmations to describe yourself. Allow this to be your pep talk in the morning, repeat it throughout the day, and you can even post them at home/at work.

7 DAY SELF-LOVE & JOURNAL PROMPT ACTIVITY
For this activity, you will need a journal or notebook, something to write with and honesty. This is a time for personal reflection. I guarantee you will learn something new about yourself.

Day 1 – Journal Prompt: What do you think about you? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Day 2 – Journal Prompt: What are you feeling right now in this very moment? What makes you happy?
Day 3 – Journal Prompt: What are your values? What do you believe in?
Day 4 – Journal Prompt: What are you grateful for? List at least 5 things and tell why.
Day 5 – Journal Prompt: What are you having a hard time accepting? Why is it hard to let go?
Day 6 – Journal Prompt: Write yourself a love letter. Make sure to talk yourself through a struggle.
Day 7 – Journal Prompt: How can you create space for self-love in your life right now and in the future?

QUOTES
When I accept myself, I am freed from the burden of needing you to accept me -Dr. Steve Maraboli

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are -EE Cummings

 

The Soul Within

The Soul Within

Scriptures:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Do you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. I Corinthians 6:19-20

wait, fear

Once again, I want to thank you for believing in me and supporting my writing endeavors. I don’t know about you, but I am putting last week behind me and planning to have a much more productive week ahead. Sometimes I just sit and think about everything that life throws at us from day to day…from hour to hour…from minute to minute! For some of us, this experience can be very difficult to manage throughout our journey. We depend on support from family and friends to help us through those challenging times. For me, I pick up a pen and just start writing. Whichever way you choose to release this negative energy is good, the most important thing, is to release it. However, some people are not that fortunate. They have to face these hard times alone or just don’t have the means to find ways to handle the pressures of life.

The Soul Within was written with you in mind. Even if you are not experiencing a difficult time right now, just keep living. It is important to learn how to mentally withstand difficult situations presently and in the future. According to the Webster Dictionary, soul is defined as the principle of life, feeling, thought, and an action in humans, regarded as distinct entity separate from the body. Your soul is the part of you that consists of your mind, character, and thoughts.

strength, wisdom, peace

The soul within is like an instrument playing a special tune to everything that life throws our way. The soul within clears our mind in the midst of chaos and confusion. The soul within offers a sense of comfort and peace as we go through challenges in life. The soul within at times, get filled up with our emotions especially when we experience heartache and pain. The soul within often times try to protect us from the negative world we live in. The soul within runs so deep that some people have out of body experiences that only they understand and can explain. The soul within is your protector, your guide, your teacher, your angel, your friend. The soul within can be a mother to the motherless and a father to the fatherless. The soul within can be your companion, comforter, and helper. The soul within showers you and those around you with love, peace, joy, and gratitude each and every day. The soul within will always be there tucked deep inside just waiting for the right time to assist you, but we have to learn how to get out of the way. No matter how difficult it may be, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and enjoy the soul within experience.

Quotes:
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. -Maya Angelou

Maybe you’ve been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved. -Unknown

Positive Thoughts:
Stop trying to calm the storm. Calm yourself, the storm will pass.

It is well with my soul.

Her soul is fierce. Her heart is brave. Her mind is strong.

Walking for Fitness

Walking for Fitness

woman, walking, exercise, fitness
pexels

Walking for fitness is such a great way to get in your exercise. Depending on the weather, you can walk outdoors around your neighborhood or you can visit your local park to walk through the nature trail. Well, in Michigan the weather can be somewhat tricky, especially in the winter, so I choose to do my walk workouts in the comfort of my own home. One good thing that I have found, is when you choose to walk for fitness, you are in control of how fast you move or when it is important for you to slow down and rest. Remember, a consistent, moderate pace offers good cardiovascular benefits, but interval training delivers those gains sooner and in a shorter workout. Also, there is no wrong or right way to do a walk workout, just get up and start walking for fitness!

walk, leslie, sansone, tone, zone, body, workout
Just Walk – Leslie Sansone

There are many walk workouts to choose from online, but I love to do walk workouts from Leslie Sansone and Jessica Smith which can be found on YouTube or you can purchase DVDs right from Amazon, whichever you choose, just get moving and enjoy walking for fitness.

My favorite Leslie Sansone Walk Workout DVD’s:
• The Tone Every Zone Walk – Upper Body Circuit, Lower Body Circuit and Fast Walk
• Walking OFF the Pounds – 3 Different Miles – Total Body Fitness Walking
• 5 Boosted Miles – Customize your walk workout time and intensity
• Walk Away the Pounds – 4 Mile Burn – Ultimate Power Walk

My favorite Jessica Smith Walk Workout DVD’s:
• Walk On – 5 Fat Burning Miles – Fit in your 10,000 steps a day
• Walk Strong – 6 Week Total Transformation System – Lose inches & build fitness

Here are some additional health benefits when walking for fitness:
• Boosting your spirits and creativity
• Helping to clear your mind
• Protecting you from heart disease
• Lowering the rate of weight gain
• Strengthening your memory
• Decreasing your risk from some cancers

Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s start WALKING for better health and fitness!

Quote:
Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast. -Thomas Jefferson

Words of Inspiration:
When you walk with purpose, you collide with destiny.

Walking gets the feet moving, the mind moving, and movement is life.

Your journey will be much lighter if you don’t carry your past with you.