Suicide Prevention Awareness Month💜
Every year during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month I share this photo, because this was one day before I checked myself into the mental hospital! I sat like this for about 3 hours until they came back after running test, dismissing my complaints, and told me to go take it easy!😒
That put me over the edge, no one believed me, not my family, not even the doctors! I went home that night and created a plan to end my life. Now, let me be clear having suicidal thoughts doesn’t mean I don’t believe in God, it also doesn’t make me demonic! Just because you don’t understand why someone would think this way, doesn’t mean you get to demean it!
As I see everyone sharing every awareness month but mental health and suicide doesn’t mean it goes away! You have people right now that are afraid to share their thoughts and how they are feeling because they are afraid of the backlash and the rolled eyes! Guess what….I’M NOT!!!
Yes, I tried to commit suicide, not one but several times! And not one person ask me why? So the next time you see your strong friend, church member, family member, or co-worker who’s starting to slip away…please check on them!!!
And if you are someone who suffers from these thoughts, YOU are not weak, YOU are not playing, YOU are not overreacting. I believe you and will be here for you when you need someone to talk to!!! I’m a mental health advocate not because it sounds good, it’s because I AM MENTAL HEALTH💚
I’m also not brave for sharing my story, I’m have a right to! A right to save my sisters and brothers who are suffering in silence!!
▪️I’m only a phone call, email, DM away!
▪️If you are open to learning more about suicide I will gladly speak with you or your group or class about my experience!!!
Help is available, please seek the help you need! I did💚
Free Coloring Pages For Stress👇🏾
🔸Do you know that stress affects almost everyone at some time in their lives…Whether it’s business stress, work-related stress, or family! At some point, you will come to a point in your life that your body and minds tells you it’s time to rest because you are stressed out!
🔸Now there are tons of ways of coping with stress, but my fav of course is journaling…yep y’all all know by now I’m obsessed with journals🤦🏾♀️I journal mostly every day and night!
🔸Most people shun journaling because they don’t understand it and or don’t know where to begin, well guess what I can help with that! 💪🏾
👉🏾Join me next Tuesday – Thursday for my
‘The Importance of Journaling MasterClass
you sign up here:
https://mailchi.mp/e4340ed43dda/the-importance-of-journaling-3-day-masterclass
I promise you don’t want to miss it, I will give you all the ends and out on journaling and how it can be beneficial to your mental health!!
🔸Until then, download these free coloring journal pages for stress relief!
If you haven’t colored since you were a child, you may want to consider giving it a try – particularly if you’re feeling stressed and looking for a way to cope.
Happy Journaling,
🌟Also check out this week’s YOUTUBE VIDEO
💥On Sale Now💥
💥Super excited to announce my 2nd journal from the Girl, Cast Your Cares Series is available for purchase👏🏾
💥Girl, Cast Your Cares Affirmation and Prayer Journal is filled with colorful pages of affirmations, scriptures, and tons of writing space to reflect on your thoughts and to manifest your dream life.
💥And if you need help learning how to journal, want to know the importance of journaling, then join me August 31st- September 1st for a 3-Day MasterClass via Zoom: signup to be added to the list here👇🏾
https://mailchi.mp/e4340ed43dda/the-importance-of-journaling-3-day-masterclass
Or head straight over to Amazon to make your purchase👇🏾
Girl, Cast Your Cares Affirmation and Prayer Journal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CRLX3HV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HAE8B6STJR9Y12B27JWK
Thanks in advance💕
Would love to see you in my class,
Also, don’t forget to check out this week’s podcast episode👇🏾
Wellness Wednesday Tips👇🏾
👉🏾Work, family, financial challenges, Covid-19, and all the other stressors in the world can really take a toll on one’s emotional wellness. It’s not easy to be happy and enjoy life if your emotional health isn’t at a high level. While many of life’s ups and downs are beyond our control, there are a lot of things that are within our control.
👉🏾 There are several things you can do to increase your emotional wellness that won’t cost a penny or require a lot of time.
Practice these strategies and positively affect your emotional wellness:👇🏾
1️⃣ Move more.
Your brain and your body are connected. You feel your emotions in your body. If you move around more, your body will be healthier and better calibrated to your environment. Sitting around too much increases the likelihood of feeling stressed or depressed.
2️⃣ Address any financial challenges you’re facing.
There are only three basic strategies for addressing financial challenges: Worry about them, ignore them, or address them.
Find a solution to your financial woes and begin working on it. The other options only result in stress and misery either today or in the future.
3️⃣ Get enough sleep.
Your brain and body are a mess if you’re not getting enough sleep. Find a sleep schedule that works for you and stick to it. Everyone has different sleep requirements.
4️⃣ Let go of expectations and focus on gratitude.
Misery largely results from unmet expectations. Spend some time each day focusing on gratitude rather than being annoyed that life, you, or others, have failed to meet your expectations.
5️⃣ Limit your obligations.
A simple and meaningful life is the best option for most people. Keep your life simple by avoiding optional obligations that don’t add anything to your life.
▪️When your emotional health is high, you have a solid foundation for enjoying many other aspects of life. Review the tips above ☝️🏾and pick one to implement today.
Happy Wednesday,
Sunday Self~Care Tips
Sunday isn’t the only day for Self-Care; this is actually something you should be practicing daily. There are weeks I often forget this, and my mind, body, & spirit will become weary.
So let’s look at some ways you can start practicing self-care! 👇🏾
✴️Take Care Of Your Spirit:
Prayer and Meditation often go hand in hand; I usually do this every morning 🌅 reading scriptures and meditating on His word! This is also an excellent time to practice mantras and do a little journaling.
✴️Take A Social Media Break:
I’m usually on social media for business, but often there are times that I will take a break and shut my phone 📱 off for a few hours! Trust me; you’re not missing anything! This gives you a chance to read 📖 or be creative.
✴️Take Care Of Your Body:
🗣LISTEN TO YOUR BODY; if you are not sleeping, running on E, you need to rest 🛌!
Not sleeping can cause all kinds of problems; your body wasn’t meant to do it all! Set boundaries with yourself and say NO! And don’t forget to make the necessary doctor appointments!
✴️Take A Break If You Need To:
If you want to sleep all day, do it! If you want to curl up with a good book and not fold the laundry, it’s ok! Taking a break can actually be really helpful; it gives you a chance to recharge and refresh! Remember, let go of the guilt over taking care of yourself! (Go listen to Friday’s Podcast Episode about this topic)
👉🏾 It’s essential to your well-being that you consistently take the time, even in small and simple ways, to support and care for yourself.
What are some ways you practice Self-Care? How often do you get around to doing so?
XoXo
Monday Motivation👇🏾 6 Ways To Conquer Lack of Motivation
😁Happy Monday, guys, and gals…hope this new week finds you well!! If you lack motivation to get anything today, I hope these little tips will help kick you into motion!!!
Ugggh, is it Monday again😩
Remember, you don’t have to see it as a drag, but if you lack motivation, use these tips to help move you along this week:👇🏾
✴️ PRACTICE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS:
Y’all know I love 💟 me some affirmations, be positive and as realistic as you can possible. Negative talking will sway you away from your goals. Speak positive affirmations as a way to boost your mood. Remember words used properly are a powerful force.
✴️MAKE AND WRITE A PLAN:
When you take time to plan, you allow yourself to process the beginning and the end in your mind. This can spark ideas, and improve productivity, and ensure a great outcome you can be proud of! Once you have a written agenda, you are going to be motivated.
✴️CELEBRATE YOUR MILESTONES:
Whether big or small, celebrate your accomplishments at every milestone you reach. Rewarding yourself has a way of keeping you motivated; who doesn’t like a reward 🤷🏽♀️
✴️LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND LET IT GO:
Everybody in this world 🌎 makes mistakes. The key 🔑 is to learn from them and keep them moving. Avoid sulking about your past or regretting it.
✴️BUILD A SUPPORT TEAM:
There’s a saying, “you are the sum of your five closest friends.” Having the right friends around you can make a huge difference in your success! Having accountability partners will keep you motivated and on the right track.
✴️GO OVER YOUR VICTORIES AGAIN:
Very often, we forget how far we have come and all that we have accomplished. Take time to go over your achievements, and remind yourself constantly that you are a WINNER!
It’s a new month and a new week; make sure you stay on top if your goals and continue to stay motivated for success!!
Have an awesome week!
Affirmation of the Day
Happy Monday
Hey there, hope each of you enjoyed the weekend! I did nothing of importance, just laid around catching up on my DVR recordings!!
It was a bit rainy ☔ here, so staying in was kind of nice!!
Well, to my post for today, while I was sitting around, I had an interesting call with one of my good friends, and it was all about self-doubt!
See, we both are in the t-shirt business, and both are pretty crafty, her more than me! But we were commenting on all the talented women we see in our crafting FB group!
Then this got me to thinking that there are tons of us who suffer from self-doubt, so this week, I have decided to dedicate the next few days to help my clients and followers overcome this ugly habit!!
If you are one of these people, let’s look at what would happen if you let that ugly thought go!!
‘Self-doubt means to lack faith or confidence in oneself’
Believing in yourself (or not) literally makes or breaks your success or healing in life.
But have you ever wonder what would happen if you lost those limiting beliefs⁉️🧐
Here are 5️⃣ things that happen when you do away with Self-Doubt ⤵️
▪️YOU BEGIN TO BELIEVE IN YOUR GOALS:
Believing in yourself means you have confidence in your ability to achieve your goals
▪️YOU BEGIN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Believing in yourself makes you take ownership of your behavior and situations
▪️YOU HAVE NEW FOUND CONFIDENCE:
Believing in yourself encourages you to be kinder to yourself, and you begin to show up for yourself
▪️YOU BECOME MORE POSITIVE:
A positive attitude lets you dream the impossible things, which leads you to a positive result more often than not.
▪️YOU TAKE MORE RISK
You are now able to do the things you have wanted to do, but we’re afraid of
When you start to believe in yourself, so many amazing things happen, and you become unstoppable 💪🏾
👉🏾If you would like to track your self-doubt to better understand it, here’s a Free Printable:⤵️
Also, if you would like to checkout my tees 👚http://www.teeztoinspire.com
Tuesday Tips: 3 Powerful Ways To Healing Yourself
Healing yourself is a job for you; no one can do this for you! I had to learn this the hard way; as much as we want our loved ones to be by our side during this time, they can’t!!
Here are 3️⃣ powerful things you can do right now⤵️
▪️FORGIVE YOURSELF:
It is time to let it go. Forgive all parts of yourself to be whole and perfect. Forgive yourself for any past mistakes or shortcomings; forgive the child within for being afraid; forgive the teenager that spoke words of anger; forgive the young adult for not being a risk taker. Forgive others in the past. Forgive your parents, your siblings and relatives. Let go of all grudges. Forgiveness is about coming to peace within yourself…
(this was a hard one for me)😩
▪️ STAY IN THE PRESENT:
Live in the now. The past is gone. You can never go back and make it right. You can never re-live a life that was yesterday. Live positively in the present moment, no matter what is occurring. It is All right and perfect. Do not look ahead and dread what may come. Our mind creates a lot of chatter and makes us afraid in order to keep us safe. Tell your mind “Thanks for sharing” and affirm “I am here, I am present”. You are always at choice, and you know how to make this day beautiful…
▪️ LOVE YOURSELF BOO ❤️
Love yourself and use positive words of encouragement. Compliment strangers and make others smile. Speak from a loving heart and shine with joy. Remember, talk to yourself like you talk to your best friend who needs uplifting. Putting YOU first is a must if you are going to take care of others…
You won’t heal overnight, just be patient with yourself; you will get there!!
You got this👏🏾
Happy Fourth of July & Self-Care Sunday 🇺🇸
Happy Fourth, just dropping in to say Hi…. Do you have any plans? Not me I’m just resting and watching Crime Shows, which are my fav, plus it’s a form of Self-Care for me just to do nothing!
I call it Boring Self-Care; yes there is such a thing!☺️
So I actually have been doing this for a while but didn’t know it was an actual thing which excites me!
Usually when we think about self-care we’re often provided with extravagant examples of pampering—full body massages, day trips to the beach, fancy 4-course meals, and monthly mani-pedi appointments complete with champagne.
But sometimes, self-care is kind of boring…🤷🏽♀️
When we’re stuck in a rut or so depressed we can barely get out of bed, just simple things like brushing our teeth, washing our clothes, eating 3 full meals can be very daunting! Trust me , I’ve been there!
Now while all those fancy things are ok, Boring Self-Care can actually make you feel just as good!! Those of you know that the housekeeper in me loves a clean home, but believe it or not, I sometimes let a lot of things get out of hand when my depression takes over.
So don’t get discourage you are not alone, and enjoying Boring Self-Care can actually be just as beneficial to you as well!
Here are few things you can do today if taking a bubble bath 🛁 isn’t in the cards for you:
▪️FOLD LAUNDRY: Yes,😩I know we all hate this, especially if you have kids. The loads can be massive, but I promise you will find some comfort in getting this done!! It will give you a sense of accomplishment and keeps you organized
▪️CHANGE BED LINEN: There is nothing like fresh, clean sheets on your bed. After you finally muster up enough strength to shower, put those clean sheets on the bed, and even spray them with a lavender resting spray to hel you relax
▪️CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN: Cleaning your kitchen is pretty important; it helps to keep the bacteria down, which can also keep you from getting sick! Just a good scrub down at least once a month; yes, cleaning is therapeutic
▪️CLEAN YOUR TOILET: Just like with your kitchen keeping your bathrooms 🚽 clean can prevent germs and also give you a sense of accomplishment; I know this sounds crazy, but when your house is clean, it takes one thing off your list of things to worry about which will calm your anxiety.
And there you have it, Boring Self-Care…nope, it isn’t glamorous, but necessary!!!
▪️What does Self-Care look like to you?
However it looks, I hope it’s a good one!!
🌟Also, catch my new podcast episode right here: Girl, Your Journey Starts Here
Olivia B. Shepherd 