The benefits of a garden are more than growing pretty flowers and organic vegetables. A garden serves many purposes, but on this particular day, it served a HUGE purpose I didn’t see coming. Walk with me into my garden, this just may be the best-kept secret to peace, gratification, and an anxiety antidote.
The garden draws
There is something about flowers and vegetables growing in your very own garden. The benefits of a garden beam from our yards with vivid colors and luscious greens. The garden is so soothing to the eye; it draws me to be a part of that picture.If my garden looks peaceful, maybe if I go to it, then I will become peaceful?
Let me ask you this: where do you go when your heart is a mess? I hope that place is a haven for you and not somewhere toxic. Our hearts need tenderness and embrace. Whether that be a cozy corner in your home, a decorative closet, or the bathtub for a long soak. Depending on the season, my safe place is my garden.
In 2018, I found myself walking to my garden, but I didn’t go there to do my normal tending of it. I went there to sit in the dirt. I had a troubled heart and felt like dirt, so why not sit in it too? That was my attitude. If you don’t have a garden, don’t think this post is for you. Every one of us has and needs a ‘garden’ for gardening, maybe for the sole purpose of what I needed it on this particular day.
Dirt meets dirt
I was completely dumbfounded by how I got myself in this state. Do you remember as a kid when you got in trouble with your parents…the flush of prickly heat bursting from your heart like a firework going off? Yeah. It’s that feeling when you know you really messed up.
Believe me, this wasn’t an easy post to write; in fact, I wasn’t going to write it. But it dawned on me that when my human self learns something hard and valuable, I should probably tell someone…maybe it will help them in some way.
So here it goes. I unintentionally hurt a dear friend of mine. I screwed up a valuable friendship. I messed up. Part of me wanted to crawl into a cave, but the other half wanted to go to a place that knew me. So I went to my garden. As I looked over the rows of flowers and herbs, I wrestled with scenarios. I tried to foresee the future. I played back my actions. Why did this happen? How did this happen? This came out of nowhere! My identity jolted.
In my garden that day, my gut was a trembling mess. My heart was anxious. I paced the paths and hid my face from my neighbors. As I dug for a tissue, I knelt down and stared at the dirt. “Dear God, forgive me. Help me see the root of this action.” I blew my nose, took a deep breath, and got my hands busy. As I plucked little weeds and churned up the soil, layers of thoughts peeled off and exposed the truth. Wow, I didn’t see that coming. How juvenile. We all have our adolescent times; this was one of mine.
What blooms from dirt is beautiful
His presence in the garden that day was strong; there is no doubt Jesus met me where I was. I felt His comfort and discipline. “What must I do to mend this mishap?” I asked Him. As I walked to the other side of the garden, facing a dripping mess, Jesus’ words “The truth will set you free” squeezed my heart. But I don’t want to tell the truth, I’m embarrassed, I said.
“If it is freedom you seek, the truth will set you free”. After I wrestled with it for about 20 minutes, I dusted myself off and wound up the courage to do just that…tell the truth. What do I have to lose that I already have lost? As soon as I expressed the truth of the matter to my dear friend, my stomach stopped tossing, my mind stopped spinning, and I felt the imprisoned shackles unlock. I exhaled and knew I made the right choice. Thank you.
The benefits of a garden
Gardening is a task where we get our hands busy. Our garden is a place where we can be alone. It is a moment in time when our soul is unguarded, where we can let it free and know it’s safe. A place where we cradled the unique ability our Creator gave us. So what’s your ‘garden’? What place knows you? A woodshop, craft table, mixing bowl, knitting basket, sketch pad, kitchen, garage, where is it?
The benefits of a ‘garden’, no matter what place that is, will take you to peace and resolution. It’s there where we can be raw, where we can lament, and feel safe. It’s the garden that serves as a therapy session, to think through our struggles, to problem solve, and let go of what’s holding us back.
When we’re feeling troubled, where do you want to go?
me in my garden
Our ‘garden’ opens its arms. She knows that when we get on our knees, we need her touch. She knows we need to get busy, so little projects present themselves. It’s quiet. We’re focused. As we work, the surface looks brighter. It feels good. But as we move through the ‘garden’ and dig a little deeper, we find a few deep-rooted invasives. These weeds have been there a while. Seeds from their fruit are ready to plant themselves. Is that what we want?
The thistles on the stalk pierce our touch. We may step back for a bit, but find that if we gently grab the very thing that hurt us, we’ll then have the power to wrench and wrestle it free.
Our garden understands the pain that comes with breaking free. So she prays. And because our soul is defenseless to her love, we feel the hope she prayed for. It’s within our gardening where tears nourish her beauty. Where truth is told. And where strength might persist. It’s a place to rejoice when we pull the weeds out and plant new life in their place.
Benefits of a garden: conclusion
Gardening does more than entertain and strengthen our talents. Our gardens listen, they heal, they comfort. I’ve got some questions for you: What is keeping you captive? When are you going to do something about it? Who do you need to talk to?
I encourage you to visit your special place this week. When you’re there, whisper loud enough for you to hear, and talk about what imprisons your heart. All you’re doing that day is getting the frustrations out. Then revisit your place later in the week. Get your hands busy. And ask God for help. You may not hear anything right away, but as you live your life over the next couple of weeks, be aware of your surroundings and open your senses. He’ll talk to you and give you the answer.
How to manage depression is something everyone should be aware of. It is not a fun thing to talk about, but we all, at one point in our lives, will feel its slippery slope. It’s an exhausting cycle, and at times, we just can’t see the top. But how do we climb out once and for all? Learn three surprising ways to manage this uninvited downer.
What is depression actually?
Depression is not a secret; in 2017, there were 17.3 million American adults affected by depression. Depression negatively affects how we feel, the way we think, and how we act. It can last a couple of days, a few months, a handful of years, or a lifetime. It is a perplexing state of not knowing how to shut it off.
For five years+, I suffered from depression due to infertility. To make matters worse, I became frustrated during those years because depression was messing with my identity. I felt like I just existed.
People don’t like to talk about depression. But people don’t talk about it enough. These days, depression is swallowing up our children, yes, children who are already on depression meds. It’s heartbreaking on many fronts.
How does depression happen?
There are several factors…too many to list, but usually, it’s when one event piles up after another. We’ve heard social media is a player (or layer) in depression. Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, says, “It’s not an exaggeration to describe iGen as being on the brink of the worst mental health crisis in decades…it’s largely because of Smartphones.” Social media is a false measure of our identities; she is totally right!
This isn’t just for iGen, it’s happening to other generations. Why? We want to be accepted yet be ourselves, and for people to ‘like’ us no matter what. When this happens, our values collide. Could this desire alone be the root of all depression?
Depression makes you stronger?
Here’s something I bet you didn’t know: Depression can make you stronger. This post isn’t about how to get through depression or manage Smartphone apps; it’s about what to do with depressionwhen you’re climbing out of it.
Our dark days can either bring strength or weakness; it’s how we see it. Do you know how I said I just existed? I’m going to feel that way. But as I look back, I noticed this period of life wasn’t to hurt me; it was to strengthen me.
When we’ve been there, we start to see people’s eyes of people differently. Let me reiterate, depression can make us stronger or weaker by how we use that experience in our lives.
Using our troubles to help rather than hide in produces strength. Our strength in moving forward, in doing more than existing, is having the courage to help people who are going through the same trials we’ve been through. This heals.
3 ways to manage depression
1- Seek God, seek the Truth
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. It is then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will” -Romans 12:2.
God is love; He is light. The Romans 12:2 verse gives me permission to step away from the world, its expectations, and false hope; and to instead seek the truth, strengthen myself, and use my experiences to do God’s will for my life. Reading a short daily devotional can help. I recommend Jesus Calling. Reading a study Bible is super helpful. And don’t forget the Bible App, which has a lot of great study plans and more.
2- Look for someone who gets it
This isn’t easy. People don’t talk about this stuff. We need to take the first step here. As hard as it is, pursue people who have gone through the same thing and talk with them about it. Talking with someone who ‘gets it’ brings comfort. This can be scary and vulnerable, but also very healing. If you belong to a church, ask them about a group to join.
If you need more than a conversation with someone, please seek out a professional, but make sure it is someone you trust and who is a follower of Jesus Christ.
One other way to know how to manage depression is to dig deeper into who you are. Your identity matters. There is no better place than to ask your Creator. Pray and stand firm with Ephesians 2:10, For I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that he has prepared for me to do. Listen up, you are valuable. The talents and abilities and the gifts God has given you help shape you and equip you to do some pretty amazing things. Tap into those things. Explore. Find joy.
In John 15:11, Jesus says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” He’s saying come to me, know me, and I’ll sustain you when adversity hits.
Get your personal values working. Abiding by your personal values will instantly bring you a sense of peace and direction. I have a freebie about how to know your personal values here.
Take better care of your body and understand the best way for you to manage stress. We will all occasionally be visited by Depression. But at least we know how to climb out a little faster and stronger than we did before.
Depression ain’t no joke. There are many layers of depression; the key is to keep moving forward to heal those layers and revive the core of your existence. Seek Jesus to navigate through this season. He loves, he heals, and he has equipped you to stand firm in the faith. Have hope, friend, and continue to go after it, for HOPE will get you through step by step.
How to get unstuck in life? Do you feel like you’re going nowhere? Are things not going your way? I get it. It’s a frustrating season to be in. With that said, let’s get a game plan to know how to navigate through these tough times. I’ve got five essential tools you’re going to want in your back pocket. Plus, read about my personal experience that wraps this all together. Let’s break free and keep moving forward.
Where I got stuck
In the autumn of 1998, I took a mountaineering class near Vail, Colorado. I felt lost in life and wanted to get back to nature to get a fresh perspective and restart. To say simply, I was seeking clarity in life. Being a young adult, I had the time to head to the mountains and take a breather; surprisingly, I found a piece of my puzzle that helped me move forward.
My group consisted of eight people. The dynamics were a bit of a mishmash…many personalities and many opinions. As you know, this can make it very difficult in any situation. Survival tasks weren’t easy. We weren’t in cozy cabins with a coffeemaker. We had tarps to sleep under, water filter tablets, and food rations. Yes, I signed up for this!
A few challenges we embarked on were rock climbing, summiting a 12,500 ft. peak, learning how to identify a storm, experiencing solo time for two days, and knowing how to do search and rescue. All great stuff when you’re with the right people. It’s crazy how people can affect an experience and change its whole vibe.
On this particular day, our task was to follow a topographical map and use a compass to get to the next camp. Sounds simple, yet it was to be done without our guide and not follow a trail. According to our instructors, it was a six-hour trip. Easy peasy.
We got this, right?
The day started crisp yet sunny, and things were looking good; the challenging aspect of this task was to follow the leader. You see, each person had to take a turn to lead the group. We had to follow their direction; needless to say, it was a mess.
Let me reiterate: being stuck in life isn’t all about our circumstances. Another factor that contributes to our situation is knowing WHO is around us. People matter. Are you around toxic people or encouraging and loving people? On this day, our instructors should have added a rule for everyone to shut their mouths! After six hours into our trek, the sky began to darken. A bit of panic settled into some folks, including me. We knew what was coming; we just didn’t know how powerful it would be.
Within minutes, rain, hail, and wind pounded our bodies. It felt like the heavens opened up and barfed on us. We thought about quitting; yet, the risk of getting hyperthermic was high, and stopping would put us in danger. Our backpacks felt like cinder blocks, and our boots were filled with water. We felt stuck. Exhausted from arguments, weather, and complaining, we wanted to signal our guides to find us…to give up.
Stuck and the power of the mind
Listen up, friend; the mind is a powerhouse, meaning that when you feed the mind with doom and gloom, you’re going to get what you put into it. We were not in a good place. Yet, we didn’t want to give up. How were we going to change our attitude to keep moving forward? Someone knew what had to change.
This is how we got unstuck
Out of nowhere, someone yelled, “Come on, Nina, hot drinks. Christy, dry socks. Seth, spaghetti!” That person was a genius. He rocked us from ‘stuck’ to ‘moving forward,’ and all it took was a little visionary picture. We pictured ourselves eating a warm meal, sipping hot tea, and wearing dry socks. As we continued to hike, we kept talking about how good the spaghetti was going to taste and how cozy our feet would be in warm, dry socks. This picture naturally encouraged us. Our attitudes shifted. We got along, laughed, and grew stronger. Our goal of being cozy became a reality within two hours.
5 essential tools for getting unstuck in life
The backpacking trip is a small example of what a new picture (vision) can do. Having a forward-thinking picture of our future is one of the keys to surviving in this complicated world, most importantly, through our personal storms.
1. Focus
Get focused.
Take a few minutes each day and think “big picture”. How are your decisions today going to affect tomorrow, and who will those decisions impact? Jot down and journal what you want your future to look like and who is in that picture. Play around with ideas on how you’re going to get there.
2. Pray
Pray about where you are right now and where you want to go. Prayer is a very powerful tool that can change things. Prayer heals and it protects. When we are vulnerable, we need to be on alert. To rephrase, the Enemy has a heyday with our thoughts, attitudes, and who knows what else. Please, stand firm in Christ. I have a post on Spiritual Warfare you might want to check out.
Ask God to help you align with His will and to help you have perseverance.
3. Know your personal values
Line your vision up with your values, passions, and strengths. Personal values play a huge role in managing stress. Joy and confidence will fill us if our personal values align with our decisions. Be sure to check out: How to Reduce Stress in Your Life: 10 Breakthrough Tips
Ask yourself these questions: What is important to me? What do I love to do? What would be the best day ever? Values play such a big role in our happiness; pay attention to how you’re using them. To learn more about your personal values and to know what they are, I have a free exercise in Freebies.
4. Talk
Talk with someone who understands your big picture or what you’re aiming for. This is huge. Just talking with someone who genuinely listens and asks the right questions can be a game-changer. Certainly, do your homework before calling from a Google search. Simply, find a professional whom you trust. Ask your church or a friend you trust.
5. Get creative
In times of how to get unstuck in life, get your hands busy and start crafting a vision board. I personally like to call them a “Big Picture Board”. Put pictures with what you want to pursue to make it achievable and motivating. There is power in ‘seeing is believing. There is a free guide to making your Big Picture Board (vision board) in my Freebies.
Daniel Harkavy says, “Vision defines what you stand for, why you exist, and who you will become.” Having vision in a storm will make you stronger, wiser, and clearer about how to move forward.
This isn’t new news, friends. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 not to put out the Spirit’s fire. Vision is bringing the picture out of our minds and experiencing it with our senses. The first step to getting unstuck in life is to know you are stuck. The second is to want to get unstuck; this is where creating a vision for your future steps in and moves you forward. Know what you’re going after and envision it happening.
The pace of life is unsustainable. Do you find this statement true? Technology is moving so quickly, it’s hard for the tech-savvy to stay on top of it. How about that statement? Social media is ridiculously distracting, addictive, and toxic that unless firm boundaries are in place, it will consume you. What about that statement? Quick fix is our motto. Facts?
People wonder why anxiety levels are high, stress-related health issues are surfacing, and generations are getting lazier and lazier. Let’s face it, this world we live in thrives on stress, and it’s literally killing every part of us, turning ourselves against each other, and being fully distracted from what really needs to happen. So, how do we function in a fast-paced world and remain focused on what really matters?
5 tips on how to pace yourself
Tip #1. Get grounded
This is not sitting with your legs crossed, touching your fingertips together and humming…absolutely not what I’m talking about. Many people use the word grounding for different purposes. In this case, grounded means to be present and to keep things in perspective.
Simple ways to remain grounded are:
Journal. Vent on paper rather than in someone’s ear. Journaling also helps you process things that are distracting your mind. It’s important to not just complain in your journaling but to also write about good things. Doodling and poetry are beautiful things to put in your journal. It’s incredibly healthy. Many people I know have a prayer journal in which they date their prayers and then date when the prayers were answered. If you need help getting started I have some journal prompts to help you.
Get outdoors and walk in nature.I have many posts about how nature heals and rejuvenates. Being in the outdoors helps you be grounded. If you have access to a park filled with trees, I highly recommend you spend some time there. Here are some great nature quotes to get you motivated. With that said, let’s talk about bare feet.
Earthing. Earthing is essentially being barefoot outside, standing on the ground or in a body of water. There are a few books on the benefits of earthing, primarily due to the electrons in the earth and how it all works through the body. Earthing is quite interesting. I’ve tried it, and it definitely forces you to slow down. For me, it brought back memories of playing outside, good stuff. You’ll have to test this out yourself.
Don’t forget these two other ways to be grounded:
Give yourself a time-out. Take some me-time and protect that time. Do filling activities and leave the draining activities for another day. Do not allow the world to make you feel guilty for taking an afternoon off, or even a couple of hours. Turn off your phone, get outside, and journal.
Do something productive in which you can see results. Accomplishing tasks feels good. To feel more grounded, get something done! Some examples include: vacuuming the house, cleaning the garage, doing the dishes, painting a wall, mowing the yard, and just doing something where you can see the results from your work.
Tip #2: Pray daily
Prayer is the most important action you can do to manage your pace in life. Think about what truly matters in this world. Everything else is meaningless… read the book Ecclesiastes in the Bible. Ask Jesus to give you wisdom in your time management, for him to reveal to you what is yours to do, and to release everything and everyone else to you… This short prayer is from author Holley Gerth. To learn more about prayer, check this post out.
Tip #3 in pacing yourself: Distractions
Nip distractions in the butt. There are LOADS of distractions, and they come in many forms and from many people. No one cares about your time; they only care about their time. Be aware of manipulations and the false emergencies that people make you try to believe. We’ll talk about boundaries in a minute. Ask yourself if this person is in need of attention. Is this their agenda they are pushing on me? Do they really need help right now? If you answered ‘yes’ to the first two questions, then that is a distraction.
Take a break from scrolling. This is a total and complete distraction, and the Devil is loving it! If it’s that important, you’ll hear about it. Don’t get sucked into your phone; you’ll never keep up. Never!
Tip #4: Know where you’re headed
What do you really want? Understanding what you want will help you pace yourself! Write some ideas down in your journal and draw up a small plan to accomplish at least one action towards that goal every day or at least every week. Working towards what you want in life step by step is massively important! This not only helps manage your time, but it’s an activity that fills you up rather than draining you. Ask God to help you, guide you, and show you how to glorify Him. When you really think about it, there is nothing more important than Jesus. Please ponder that. You can find how to set goals in my freebies.
Tip #5 in pacing yourself: Set boundaries
Stand firm with your boundaries. If you’re a “yes” person, start practicing saying “no”. This is critical in your peace and pace of life. You are not a doormat. You are not someone’s servant. They are no more important than you are. Wealth and fame don’t matter, and don’t allow the people who have it to control you or manipulate you.
Wrapping up how to pace yourself in an accelerating world
Let me just say it, Satan does not want us to be focused. He wants to steal every waking minute, let alone pop up in our nightly dreams. He will poke us, lie to us, and get in the middle of our relationships to divide us. Stand firm next to Jesus, who owns this victory and always will. For more about spiritual warfare, check out this post.
When you feel attacked, praise God for good things, thank the Lord for good things, say Bible scripture out loud, command in Jesus’ name for evil to flee, and sing songs of praise. The Devil hates these things, and by doing these things in Jesus’ name, we can overcome darkness.
I got a little spiritual with this last paragraph, hang with me. If we want the world to change, we need to start with ourselves, then family, community, and so forth. It starts with you. Do more than exist, friend. Now is the time.
Come January and February, the winter blues gradually sneak up on us. Winter blues disorder is a thing. According to the Cleveland Clinic, having the “winter blues” is actually normal. You’re totally fine to feel a little down during the colder months. They refer to it as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Um, yeah, I know I get it. No matter where we live, we’re bound to crave sunlight. But it’s not all about sunlight.
What can we do about the winter blues?13 Tips
Here are the best 13 ways to naturally reduce the ‘winter blues’. The bonus tip is HUGELY important, please read through them all. The list goes from the most common tip to the most unique. My personal favorites that are most effective are #9, #13, and the BONUS.
1- Get Outside…even if it’s cloudy.
There is power in the outdoors even when it’s cloudy. Stepping outside to get the mail can even help fight off the winter blues sad symptoms. Stepping out in nature helps you feel like you did something today, and that, in itself, a feeling of accomplishment can mend the blues of winter. Do yourself a favor, and give yourself a change of scene, even if it’s a stroll in your neighborhood. Get some fresh air. Yo, getting outside may even help you sleep better at night. Here are a few nature quotes to get you motivated.
2- Open up the shades and pull back the curtains.
Increase the amount of sunlight in your home, again, even if it’s cloudy. Open the shades and curtains! Being closed off to the incredible beauty of creation is depressing. Stop it! Simply opening the curtains or shades during the day is so incredibly healthy for your mind and well-being. This little act makes a huge impact on your psyche. Say goodbye to the winter blues disorder!
3- Take Vitamin D
There are many benefits to vitamin D. One is that it improves mood. Taking vitamin D3 also reduces upper respiratory infections. Other vitamin D benefits include bone health, helping the immune system, managing blood sugar levels, fighting heart disease, helping regulate hormones, contributing to memory, supporting skin health, and more. Dr. Axe has more info here. “D” gives you a dose of goodness.
4- Exercise
Beating the winter blues means working hard and outsmarting it! Who cares if it’s cloudy and gray outside? Bundle up and get out there. A bit of fresh air does a body and soul good. There have been studies on how exercise can boost mood. Have you heard of a runner’s high? It exists. But what if you don’t run? Lace up the walking shoes or slip on the biking shorts! Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes; an hour would be fantastic. Winter blues sad symptoms have no room in your everyday minutes when your heart gets pumping. I like to visualize the negativity leaving my body as I work my body.
5- Set a sleep schedule
When you’re on a sleep schedule, your body will naturally flow with it. It takes a little time, but within a week or two, you should be feeling the positive effects. Stick to all-natural ways to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Things like avoiding electronics an hour or two before bed, dimming the lights, taking a hot bath, setting a routine, reading before bed, exercising in the morning instead of the evening, and avoiding caffeine after lunch hour. I went as far as changing out my LED light bulbs to incandescent; yet, it’s hard to find those light bulbs these days.
6- Look at what you’re eating.
A special diet to help with the winter blues? Yeah, kind of. Change up your diet and eat more Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, walnuts, flax seeds), berries, dark chocolate, and bananas are beneficial too. Source: Healthline. These types of foods give off happy vibes. I’ve got a great recipe for salmon in a skillet. Find my recipe here. What you put into your body does affect how you feel. Get clear with cleaner foods and reduce inflammation with foods that calm. If you have digestive issues, be sure to check this post out. It has great information coming from someone who knows! (me).
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7- Try Light Therapy
Light therapy also helps manage the winter blues, but talk to your doctor first. There are a few lights to look at on Amazon. Here’s one that’s inexpensive to try: Miroco Light Therapy Lamp.
6 More Fun Things to Calm the Winter Blues
8- Add plants to your indoors
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Some other fun things we can do to brighten our blue months (January and February) are to bring green plants into your living spaces. Having plants, even if they’re fake, gives off a fresh feel to the room. Try putting a houseplant or two in your kitchen. If you don’t do well with plants, and what I mean is keeping them alive, head to your favorite hobby store or hop on Amazon and pick up some fake greens. Find other ideas on how to brighten a room here.
9- Light it up inside!
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Move your Christmas lights from your tree to other areas of your home. I have a fake tree in my house; year-round I put a string of white lights on it and turn them on in the evening and early morning. The fireplace mantel is also a great spot to have a string of lights. A few lights can go a long way! If you don’t like the typical dark green string, get the white one! You can find them on Amazon.
10- Turn on your sniffer
Fill your home with lovely smells. Honestly, I don’t know what it is about the smell of banana bread baking, but it brings warm hugs to my soul. Chicken soup does the same thing. Whatever your childhood favorite smell, make that smell happen! This is a low-cost method that goes a long way.
Play nature sounds. There are a lot of great nature sounds you can download. My personal favorites are the ones with birds, something that mimics my backyard in the warmer months. If the ocean is your favorite spot, tune into the sounds and close your eyes.
12- Embrace the season
Welcome the stillness of the winter. Every year, I find myself craving time alone when it’s snowing outside. Since I live in Michigan, we get our share of snow. The snow has this magical way of quieting life down. Enjoy the silence of nature. One of my favorite places to be in winter is sitting in the snowbank at night…especially if it’s snowing!
13- Warm up the bones
Don’t forget to warm up your bones. If there is ever any sunshine, grab a camp chair and camp out in front of the window or door where the sunbeams shine through. I did this just the other day, and my soul immediately felt better. No sun? Try your fireplace. No fireplace? Light a candle. No candles? Take a hot bath. No bathtub? A cup of dairy-free hot chocolate or tea works too…with a pair of cozy socks.
BONUS – Pay attention to what you are watching
What you put in your mind affects what you think. Your mind is where you think, and what you watch is, of course, going to affect what you think and believe! Your thoughts affect what comes out of your mouth, not to mention how you make choices. Please, please think about this. Better yet, experiment with how you feel and what you think about after watching particular shows. Are you numb to violence? Foul language? Do you think that it’s okay? What about your kids watching those things? Your kids’ behavior might not be stemming from the red dye they just ate, but it might be coming from the show they just watched. Do those shows or reels energize you, get you angry, freak you out, fill you up, make you feel depressed, give you joy? Be watchful and aware!
Victory over the Winter Blues
Let’s beat the winter blues at its game. Shine light where you can and warm up your soul using all your senses. Be aware of your surroundings and how you can change them. You got this!
Your living spaces have a direct impact on your well-being. Your physical health matters, and even more so, your mental health. When you feel good about your living space, it affects your mood, choices, and relationships. If you want to be a happier person, take a look around and change the room! Check out my easy, inexpensive tips on how to brighten a room. I’ve got 8 great suggestions you can do today to transform a room.
There is greatness in DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects. For one, it helps your mind work more creatively. You have to pay better attention to what you’re doing, which makes your brain work a little harder and smarter. The second benefit of DIY is that it builds confidence. If you can make something happen with your hands and skills, it magically gives you more self-esteem!
The third plus with DIY is personal gratification. It’s okay to say “I did that!” When you transform a room, an object, or a landscape with a little sweat and hands-on, you’ll instantly feel fulfillment! We all need a bit of that in our everyday lives.
Let’s get to work and make a space more cheerful! For where there is light, darkness can’t reside.
8 Amazing Tips on How to Brighten a Room
1 Clean up
First things first, clean up. Sure, you can pay for a cleaning service to clean your house, but it can get pricy. When you clean your own home, you not only get instant gratification but also a workout! You might also find some things you misplaced, including money in the couch, pants pockets, or laundry. Do yourself a favor and take charge of your living space by cleaning it yourself. Cleaning the House: 5 Factors to Understand
2 Open the shades
Draw back the curtains, twist open the blinds. Natural light is healing to the soul. It improves your mood, helps your natural clock sync with nature, encourages you to be more productive, and natural light even helps us focus. The absolute beauty of this tip is that it’s $0.00.
What if you don’t have a window? A nice-sized mirror can help! A mirror’s reflections mimic a window’s feel and make the room feel bigger than it really is. Shop around for a large mirror; garage sales, secondhand shops, and discount stores are good places. You can even purchase smaller mirrors and create a design like the picture below.
3 Buy yourself some flowers.
This doesn’t need to be a $40 bouquet. There are great flower deals at ALDI’s, Trader Joe’s, and even Costco. Don’t forget about your local roadside flower stands! You can get some amazing flowers for under $10. Why flowers? Flowers brighten a room immediately. They bring bright colors or softness into your home. A vase of flowers is a welcoming centerpiece. Grab an old mason jar and arrange a little sunshine for your kitchen island or end table.
4 String lights
String lights aren’t just for Christmas. String lights bring light to the darkness. How to brighten a room without windows? You got it, string lights! String lights are inexpensive for what they do. You can get your standard Christmas lights for around $12, if you purchase after Christmas, you can get some amazing deals! I like to string them in a faux tree or along the fireplace mantel. You can also decorate around a window, line them vertically on a wall, or outline them along the ceiling. There are endless options for string lights. There are, of course, the LED moving lights; those are fun, but they are not what I am talking about. I’m talking about the standard simple white NON-LED Christmas tree lights.
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5 Get some greens
Add some plants or faux greens. Putting a touch of green in your room brings the outdoors inside. Even if it isn’t a real plant, there is something about green leaves that presents freshness and peace in a room. Plants can lower stress and anxiety, they can boost healing and energy levels, and plants can improve your mood. You can get some great faux ferns or pine boughs online or even at the dollar store.
6 Paint!
There’s nothing better than a coat of fresh paint. When some people think of cheerful colors, they might pick red, yellow, orange, or purple. But in all honesty, simply go with white. If you want to know how to brighten a room with paint, especially without windows, choose white! White flows with the seasons and gives you a sense of cleanliness, freshness, and peace. Painting can be a bit more expensive, so it depends on the size of the room and the type of paint you buy. When you DIY, you’re saving even more money and honing in on a skill!
Music is a great way to set the tone of a room. Play some music that will lift you up! Find your go-to tunes that will bring peace and calm to your heart. Music is essentially free if you have a radio. I know that’s old school, but it’s free. There are, of course, Spotify, iTunes, Sirius XM, and other music subscriptions, but when it comes to managing money, know what subscriptions you have!
8 Wall prints
Need some simple yet powerful wall art? Head to Etsy and download some awesome wall prints. There is nothing more powerful than the Word of God. Displaying His truths sets the tone. When something feels off in your day, speak the Sword of the Spirit and command the darkness to flee in Jesus’ name! Seeing His promises daily helps you live out His promises, not to mention memorize them. His presence is with you all the time. Why not display it on your walls? You can easily download scripture art at the Do More Than Exist Freebies. Dig out an old frame from your closet, and you’re good to go!
Love the space you live in, it matters greatly! Brightening a room is a fun transformation you can be proud of. And when you carry out the do-it-yourself mojo, anything is possible, not to mention money-saving! Try these simple tips today and lift up your well-being in a bright and beautiful space.
How to heal your body is time well spent. There are a lot of things in life that are priceless in navigating our length of time on this planet. One of them is taking care of your only vessel…your body. We all go through a lot of ailments, my goal is just that…to go THROUGH and not to settle and stay. Learn 8 things you can do to get your body on the road to healing. Let’s get you back on your feet to do more than exist!
Getting started with how to heal your body
There are times when taking care of our bodies can be pretty complicated. Not only do we seek professional help and get tests to make sense of it all, but what’s frustrating is that sometimes I want more information and understanding than I get at the doctor’s office.
Keep moving forward
Your incredible body is mysteriously amazing! No two bodies are the same, even though they are treated the same in a doctor’s office… God made our bodies to work a certain way, your body knows this and will try its hardest to stay aligned. The problem is, is that sometimes, your body needs a little extra help…consistent help…before it remembers what to do. And that’s where we come into play in knowing how to heal your body.
To know how to heal your body, we need to do a few things; whether it’s a general sickness, muscle imbalance, disease, inflammation, or whatever…we need to take a stand against this distraction and do our part so God can do His. Keep moving forward every day so He can do His healing.
How to heal your body with these 8 extremely powerful actions:
1. Hydration.
Hydration is ridiculously important in the healing process. Drinking fluids flushes our system out, keeps things slippery and moving, and powers our cells to function correctly. Technically, we should drink half our weight in ounces. To make the math easy, let’s say you weigh 100 pounds, you should then drink 50 ounces of water a day.
100 lbs. / 2 = 50 oz. per day
160 lbs. / 2 = 80 oz. per day
2.Diet low in sugar, sodium, and saturated fats.
All these things are inflammatory to our system. With inflammation comes illness and disease. I know these ingredients taste good, but please be conscious and aware of how much you are consuming these treats.
3. Movement.
Movement is magic. Keep moving. Go for a walk, bike ride, do yard work, and just get your bones and muscles working every day. Think about a river versus a pond and compare the water quality over time. The river keeps moving and flowing, and a pond is stagnant and rots. This rings true for our bodies as well.
4. Sleep.
Sleep is so good to help your body restore and refresh. It’s in the slumber where we get better. It’s recommended to get 8 hours of sleep a night, well, some of us need a little more and others a little less. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t reach those 8 hours. Permit yourself to rest as much as you need.
There are times when our illness or condition may seem all physical, but we often forget the spiritual component in healing. This is a huge part, if not the most important part, of our healing process. The One who created you can heal you if you want to be healed. There are numerous stories in the Bible about healing and faith. Healing was and is a big part of Jesus’s ministry. Faith alone can heal. And to have faith is to get to know Jesus. To know and meet Jesus is to read about Him in the Gospels and to ask Him to come into your life. When you have that one-on-one experience with Him, things will change for the better.
What is so awesome about His healing is that it is mysterious and true. Mysterious as in you don’t know when He will, and true because He is the way, the truth, and life (John 14:6). His promises are true, and his promises are promises. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” This is filled with incredible promises. Jesus is the source of healing; He will heal in more ways than one. Please open your eyes to His amazing love. Here are some Bible verses for healing to reflect on and memorize. I have found these extremely helpful!
6. Mental goodness.
Filling your mind with positive vibes affects your thoughts, which affects your choices, and your heart. This is SUPER important in knowing how to heal your body, especially now. Our world is broken. And the only way to make it better is if we make a change by putting good, healthy things into our minds. Add affirmations to your morning routine, listen to good music to and from work, read positive books, eliminate the daily news, remove horror movies even though you know they’re fake, and be aware of who you’re hanging around and what those conversations are filled with.
It’s incredibly good to get outside and go for a walk, especially if you have access to a park or trail with trees. There are numerous studies about the power of nature and how it helps ground us, relieve stress, and simply be a vitamin for our souls. To motivate younger generations to get outdoors, some people call it Forest Bathing (a Japanese term). It is a pretty cool term, kind of like “earthing” a.k.a. walking barefoot on the ground.
7. Perseverance.
This will see you through in knowing how to heal your body. Think of perseverance as a daily vitamin. Perseverance is doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Whether you’re in physical therapy, fighting an illness, or dealing with an addiction, every day you must do your part to keep moving forward. Keep doing the exercises, continue to eat healthy and drink fluids, and fight and resist the temptation to get off track…this is perseverance. How bad do you want to get better? If you want it, it will happen.
The Bible talks about perseverance. I especially like Galatians 6:9, where it says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” The other truth I surrender to is Romans 5:3b-4 “…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” There is nothing more powerful than hope. Hope keeps you moving forward.
8. Grit.
You gotta want it. Healing isn’t for people who think they are entitled or that someone else is going to do it for them. For you to heal, you must do your part so He can do His. Grit takes courage, grit takes strength. It’s asking for a second opinion, researching on your own, trying different approaches, being persistent, having perseverance, trusting in Jesus, and doing what it takes to make things happen! Grit is “STRONG” and refusing the Enemy to take a foothold in you or in your mind. Stand firm. In 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, the Bible says this, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”
Wrapping up how to heal your body
For you to know how to heal your body, you need to do your part, so He can do His. If you want to frolic like well-fed calves, get your ass off the couch and make it happen! God put you on this planet for good works that He has prepared in advance for you to do! Use what He gave you, take care of it as much as you possibly can, show Him you want it, and ask Him to help you get moving. Healing happens. Healing gives you clarity, hope, perseverance, confidence in Christ, freedom, compassion, wisdom, and love.
Keep moving forward, friends, even if the doctors say differently. Do your own homework, get second opinions, look at the holistic route, use trial and error, and keep moving forward. Simply said, do more than exist.
Simplifying my life is more than just throwing my stuff out. We’re getting rid of stress and welcoming happiness into our home. Simplifying and organizing are sometimes used interchangeably, but we’re not going to organize today. We’re going to focus on simplifying our space by knowing how to do it without stress or frustration.
If you want to have peace, experience freedom, and have more space, let alone functional space, it starts with who you are and how you operate. You are a smart person, you’re creative, and you have an amazing future. So this task of simplifying is going to need your mind, creativity, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of yourself.
Are you ready to reduce stress in your life? Come on, do more than exist; this will be a game-changer for your stress level. And you’ll feel good about it too.
The top 5 pieces of advice to simplify my life
1. Simplifying your life is a lot harder than you think.
To make simplifying work for you, you must include your brain. To make this experience a fantastic one, you’ll want to do two things: get in the right frame of mind and understand your motives.
Do you want to find things more easily? What about getting rid of sour memories to make room for sweet ones? Do you want to create more space? Clean up? Do you want to live lighter? Or do you want to downsize? What is your motive for simplifying?
2. Ask yourself questions.
Grab a cup of coffee and get to work. Since I’m on a roll with questions, we’re going to keep going! When asking yourself, “How do I simplify my life?” Ask more questions. Let’s say you come upon your old t-shirt from high school. Let’s ask ourselves a few things:
– Why am I holding on to this?
– How is this going to change my life for the better?
– When was the last time I used it?
– Can someone else use it?
– Is this something I could sell this week?
– Is it worth the space in my house, let alone my mind?
– Are there positive vibes from this item or negative?
It’s important to ask yourself these questions when you run into something that might be hard to let go of. When push comes to shove, just remember you can’t take it to heaven.
3. Simplify my life step by step, but not too slowly
Okay, so decluttering and cleaning isn’t a fun thing for you? We all have our dislikes, but we still need to do them if we want something done. For instance, I don’t like washing the kitchen floor. However, what helps me get it done is scheduling it. Simple yet effective. I can then mentally prepare myself and start visualizing how awesome it would be to have a clean kitchen floor. With that said, take a look at your schedule and block off some time to start your decluttering project. Get serious about your space.
Yes, this kind of task is a big deal. Have you seen those shows about hoarding? There’s a little hoarder inside of us all. Go about this step by step. Maybe tackle the kitchen one day, then the bathroom another day, and so forth. You got this!
4. Get it out of your living space.
When you start to sort through things, get them out of your living space. By removing it from your living space, you’ll get a taste of how much you miss it or don’t miss it; plus, you’ll see how much stuff you are getting rid of. This is an easy technique that is extremely helpful. It helps brighten a room! Get more tips on how to brighten a room here.
This can be a big eye-opener and can even change your spending and collecting habits for the better! I have been known to make snow angels on the floor after a declutter day.
5. Make 4 piles.
Make piles: keep, donate, sell, and pitch. When you plan on having a garage sale, designate a space to keep all those things…like your garage or closet. Same rule for things to donate or to sell online. As for pitching, start a pile and fill your garbage bin every week until it’s gone.
Wrapping up how to simplify my life
We’ve lived in the same house for over 17 years. Within those years, we have had four garage sales and numerous trips to the donation center. Every garage sale blew my mind with how much stuff we were keeping and not using! With our quarterly clean-out, I am still amazed at how much stuff we accumulate in a matter of months!
When you get in the right mode for simplifying, you’ll be surprised at the things you have kept over the years and the things you still want to keep. This is YOUR living space we’re talking about, make it the way you love it. When you enjoy how you’re living, you’ll be a whole lot happier.
Jesus says the truth will set you free. Is anyone else hungry for truth? Truth in knowing who you really are? How about truth in knowing what is actually real, compared to lies, fake news, AI, or simply human manipulation? What about gaslighting and how the effects of it leave us questioning our own identities and self-confidence?
What would the world, your community, school, or your home look like if we all lived in the true identity that God gave us? Think about that. There would be no more comparing, no more competitive “keep up with the Joneses”, no more judgment or gossip. We would all be living in the identity of who God calls us, confidently, courageously, and full of peace, radiating Joy!
Let me reiterate, we would be completely satisfied with how we look, walk, talk, and what we wear. Our identity would shine through our work and relationships. Our place of employment would not define us or what we do; our identity of who God made us to be would sparkle in our everyday happenings. We would complement each other in our talents and gifts, cooperating as one. No more jealousy, no more envy, and no more shame.
This sounds a lot like Heaven. Friends, it is. Heaven does exist on earth, and it starts with you pursuing your identity. Ask God personal questions, and listen to what He says about you.
How to get started!
1 Read
Get to know Jesus. Why? Jesus is the one who can set us free and who can show us how to live a life of truth. He is your refuge. Jesus is the source of life. He is Truth. Read the Gospels (New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), then read them again to get to know his character and how to love.
2 Watch
Watch The Chosen to give you the idea of what life was like in the years Jesus walked this planet. The Chosen is a combination of Biblical truth with some Hollywood theatrics to show you how the Bible is timeless in our modern times.
3 Study
Another tool is the Life Application Study Bible. This Bible can also be useful for studying verse interpretation. It has a helpful concordance to look up specific topics or emotions. Detailed charts, maps, and biographies are interesting to read in this Bible as well.
Use your imagination and visualize Jesus with you. We call this your “Safe Place”. You choose a place where you feel free and safe, like a beach, meadow, the woods, your living room couch, or so forth. Close off all distractions. Close your eyes and visualize this place. What does it look like, smell like, feel like, and what are you hearing?
From there, ask Jesus to join you and look for him in your safe place. Is he walking toward you on the beach? Sitting next to you on the couch? Handing you a cup of camp coffee while sitting next to the campfire? I think you get the picture. Simply ask Him what you need to know about _____. “Jesus, what do you want me to know about ______?” What is Jesus telling you or showing you? Ask him any question, be real, raw, and bluntly honest. “Jesus, who do I need to forgive? Please bring that person to my attention. What does that look like?”
This is your sacred space and place to be with Jesus. “Jesus, what lies am I believing about myself, about that person, or the event that happened to me?” He will show things your heart has been longing for. “Jesus, what is it that you want me to replace that lie with?” This is truly a transformative experience with our living God.
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5 Go
Go to church! It truly is best if you can attend in person. The Church is the bride of Christ. If you can’t attend in person, find a Christian church online and grow a connection with online small groups or Bible studies. Here are some of my favorites with solid doctrine that I have attended.
Ask Jesus into your life. Pray and ask Jesus to come into your life. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins, that you need Him every day, you believe that He died and rose again, and to fill you. Please know that Jesus will help your unbelief every step of the way. He will meet you where you are.
7 Do
Do what the Bible says to do. Get baptized! All the churches listed above will guide you and dig deeper into the significance of baptism. Jesus even got baptized by John the Baptist! He did this for you to follow Him. It was the beginning of his ministry. It’s a new beginning for you.
Truth will set you free. The truth about you and who you are in God’s eyes will unlock heaven on earth. First things first, get to know Jesus, the Son of God. It is through Him that you will find freedom, true identity, joy, peace, and true love. Jesus goes before you. He actually went WAY before you, all the way back to Eden. Trust Him. Stand firm next to Him. Follow Him. In Jesus’ Name.
Inspirational quotes are more than words. Words that breathe inspiration are meant for ignition. Think of inspiring words as a spark to fan into flame creativity, imagination, and to achieve a passion that is truly yours to go after. It’s amazing what a little bit of encouragement can do for our souls. See if any of these 10 inspirational quotes get you going.
Why words matter
When we’re inspired, fear and doubt are exchanged for excitement and clarity. Our minds imagine, emotions flutter, and at times our bodies react. Things happen when the right combination of words speaks to us. We are all unique people, motivated by a variety of different things. Finding what combination of words motivates you is often key to understanding more about who God made you to be.
Some of the most powerful words are the simplest words, like ‘Thank You’ or ‘Good job’. How does it make you feel when you hear, “Keep up the good work!” or “I believe in you”? What about “You’re really smart”, or “You’re full of creativity”? One of my favorites is “I appreciate you.” What about “I understand.”?
When you find a great quote, don’t keep it to yourself, share it on your social platforms or it to others. Words go a long way. I put together a list of some of my top 10 inspirational quotes from Holley Gerth, Laihal Gitty Akita, Harry S. Truman, Kat Cole, J Stanfield, Steven Covey, Bob Goff, Charles Dickens, Napoleon Hill, Dr. Andy Badwin, and Christy Troy. May these words inspire you or someone you know.
My top 10 inspirational quotes:
1 – Your dream is a gift God gives you. What you make of it is your gift to Him. – Holley Gerth
2 – Every great achievement is the story of a flaming heart. – Harry S. Truman
3 – Focus on things that are small enough to change, but big enough to matter. – Kat Cole
4 – I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do. – J. Stanfield
5 – Live out of your imagination, not your history. – Stephen Covey
6 – Most of us don’t need more instructions; we simply need someone who believes in us. – Bob Goff
7 – No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of others. – Charles Dickens
8 – The oak sleeps in the acorn. The bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul, a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of reality. – Napoleon Hill
9 – We’re here to make trails, not to follow ones. – Christy Troy
10 – When someone tells you it can’t be done, it’s more a reflection of their limitations, not yours. – Dr. Andy Baldwin
In closing
Words go a long way. A few words of encouragement or inspirational quotes can definitely change the course of life and open doors we didn’t even know were there. Brighten someone’s day by speaking into their goals; heighten your day by fueling your dreams.
Don’t know how to start? Here’s a post to spark your tinder: Gotta Start Somewhere. Check it out!
