In turbulent times like these - and life in general - it's helpful to have some easy tricks up your sleeve to feel better more often.
Let's be honest, mental health is not what is focused on most, but I believe that it's as least as important as physical health. In fact you could argue that they are Siamese twins or two sides of the seesaw, balancing each other out or making each other worse.
I learnt the following today ( although most of is was already present, somewhere in my memory bank ), as depicted in the three photos I added here.
A recap and refreshener always comes in handy though, as most of us are processing so much information in this high speed, multimedia, multitasking era that it's often impossible to find what we need when we need it the most.
Hopefully this comes in handy for some of you. I expect that reading it ( at least once ) will brighten your day a little more. And if it doesn't, you're either doing fine already or - more probably - still have a lot of work to do.
If the latter is the case, let this be a first, little step in the right direction, towards an improved version of you.
If you think this looks ugly or is nonsense, you still have plenty of leveling up to do, before you become a ZEN master.
Believe me, I'm far from there yet myself but I'm working on it.
This ended up looking far from perfect. I had put a lot of pressure on these crayons / oil pastels lately. Apparently the heads had ended up so blunt that this is how my writing came out.
the results of going wild with these pastels can be seen in another intuitive art piece that made me release some negative vibes and in a number of my creative posts of the last two months or so
Not sure if there's some kind of sharpener for oil pastels ( @creativemary @clareartista @kristyglass @ryivhnn ? ) or should I just use a knife for that?
For those who have difficulty reading the above, here's a neat version ( though less colorful ):
- Remember ( that ) your natural state is JOY
- Your Thoughts, NOT the world, cause your STRESS
- Monitor your stressful thoughts by checking on your emotional state, right in the moment. Ask yourself: Do I Feel Good?
NO?Repeat this: I want to feel G(o)od?* - Make a conscious choice to select a choice / thought that will activate you feeling good
- Keep Rule #6 in mind
STOPtaking yourself so damn seriously- 7 Practice being in a state of silence
- Accept the guidance of your source of intention
*Good / God - the difference is 0 / zero and you don't need to be religious for that. Replace the word God by any word(s) you can relate to more easily: source, source energy, spirit, the power of the universe, etc.)
The above words were spoken by Wayne Dyer. I just wrote them down for you ( and me ).
They come from his work "The Secret of the Power of Intention." I heard them today, while listening to part 5 of a 6 part podcast / an audio book version of the aforementioned.
For those interested, this book ( and about thirty thousand more hours of audio on similar topics ) can be found in the Hay House Unlimited Audio app that costs about 5 US dollars a month.
It's one thing I decided to invest in in the last month, to spend my time wisely and level up. I also decided to improve my chess skills. Can't train the brain enough.
Find the Hay House Unlimited Audio app here. You can try a free 7 day trial and unsubscribe any time.
If you have a hand sharpener (not one of the ones with a handle and scary looking rotating razors inside and when you put the pencil in and grind it comes out looking like you could stab someone with it) with a hole big enough that should do fine. Otherwise knife works too but be super gentle and do very thin shaves as too much pressure might snap the crayon :)
or it could just be the fact I'm clumsy and the oil pastels I used to have were pretty soft
Make the choice that makes me feel good eh, well unfortunately that's drawing and I really have to keep organising the mess that is my house (and thinking about the outlaws coming over on Thursday is adding to stress as I won't be done by then unless I ramp up and I already don't want to do the amount I've set myself to do lol) XD
6 is easy XD
1 slightly more of a challenge, I seem to think my natural state is stressed atm and it's probably true for way too many people.
Thank you for the sharpener 'tips'
I get it and that believe isn't very helpful. Hope you feel some relieve soon. Don't forget that a single mindful breath already makes a difference.
Great post @vincentnijman!
I used to think the world caused me stress (or things happening in the world) more than my own thoughts.. So when reading this:
I was reminded that one thing that became clear during corona times, is that it's defo NOT the world causing me stress. While the world seemed to be in a huge crisis, in my life everything kept unfolding as I wanted things to unfold. I can seriously say that I have made huge steps forward and maybe even the most progress in years during these months with limited movement/lockdowns. I have not encountered one moment of stress about how is this going to work out, but felt a constant calmness that things were getting better instead of worse for me personally. The ultimate proof of the fact that my own thoughts are so important and not what's happening in the rest of the world.
Thank you for this reminder though!
Hope you are well!
I am happy to hear this. I like to think that I've leveled up myself as I have done way worse in past years when there was little going on ( aside from the drama in my own life and head )
Thanks for your thoughtful comment and keep up the good work
🤗
Lovely post dear @Vincentnijman!
About oil pastels - I'd never sharpen one with any instrument, as it'd waste a whole load of the colour/ material that the crayon contains - but you could use a conventional sharpener or a knife if you wanted to - put the oil pastel in the freezer first though, as this'll make it easier to NOT turn into a mushy muddy mess :-D If you're sharpening them a lot, you may want to invest in a professional sharpener, as it'll last longer and sharpen better - you might get one in an art or graphics store/ website.
I tend to use oil pastels in the way I want them to 'sharpen' - as in, I press down on one side to create an angled point or wedge, allowing the next strokes to be more defined... Does that make sense? As you probably already know, once on the surface, oil pastels can be manipulated in many ways - even taken off with a solvent thinner for oil paint (or any oil) - if it's a solid surface not e.g. a soft papery one.
Happy creating, and thank you for these lovely positive thoughts... :-)
Thanks for the expert advice. Perhaps I should work on the way I use them or just deal with the consequences ;<) You know your workshop ( and the technique ) I learn there is to 'blame' for their current shape, right? hahaha
Interesting. That definitely makes sense.
You'r welcome and grazie mille for your kind words!
🤗
THAT was awesome and everything I needed to hear today.
Our feeling good - or not - is self-created. Power of the Mind is where our mental health begins and ends. It IS the way I think about things that creates the stress, and that's where my anxieties and dis-ease begin.
I feel inspired to watch some Wayne Dyer and sign up for the Hay House app. It would do my good to increase inputs to counter-balance the BS I have to engage with on a daily basis. And I cut out some unhealthy expenses for balance. Walking the tightrope perfectly, and feeling strong.
Dikke knuffel. Much love. x
#POSH
Awesome!
Nice to hear that this is setting some gears in motion and replaces some unhelpful habits.
Dikke knuffel,
Vincent
I just read the words written on the board and I feel a bit of relieve.
Natural health is something the world pay less attention to, many out there hustling for financial gains and ignoring their mental state.
I once told a friend who is always put his health down for funds, how will you get the better life you dream for if you are not mentally stable.
Great Post my friend
Relieve is the first step, it means that you let go of some resistance.
So true.
We have to work on ourselves first to make the world a better place. Health is so much more important than money.
✨
I believe I currently have a lot of work to do...
Admitting it is the first - and very important - step.
🤗
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and reblogged by the @c-squared community account.
If you are a community leader and/or contest organizer, please join the Discord and let us know you if you would like to promote the posting of your community or contest.
@c-squared runs a community witness. Please consider using one of your witness votes on us here
I appreciate it :<)
As always, you put a smile on my face. 💛
Even if I don't feel like breathing, you reminded me I can -and I will- CHOOSE to feel like it.
I will be my natural state of joy today. Thank you.
Un gran, gran abrazo,
Ney
-hahah, just being playful and copying your comment style-
Curated for #naturalmedicine by @neyxirncn.
We encourage content about health & wellness - body, mind, soul and earth. We are an inclusive community with two basic rules: Proof of Heart (kindness prevails) & Proof of Brain (original content). Read more here.
Our website also rewards with its own Lotus token & we'd love you to join our community in Discord. Delegate to @naturalmedicine & be supported with upvotes, reblog, tips, writing inspiration challenges for a chance to win HIVE and more. Click here to join the #naturalmedicine curation trail!
@neyxirncn being playful is very important :<)
Feel free to copy my style, it's positively infectious ( in a way better manner than the virus - of negativity and fear - that has been spread out in the last months )
🤗
I did not ever use a sharpener for pastels
Wow. Interesting to hear that :<)
😁
Thanks Vincent - I much needed this reminder today. My natural state IS joy, and joy is ALWAYS a choice. But damn doesn't the world punch you in the face every time you try huh? This week, choosing joy. xxx
MINDFUL LIFE is a Natural Medicine project which supports meditators on HIVE. Earn LOTUS & HIVE for your #meditation #mindfulness #yoga & #spirituality content! We also run twice weekly online meditations in our Discord server.
Discord II Community
@riverflows Glad I could be of help :<)
It sure seems like it but it's up to us whether we take it personal or not or whether we try to smile, shake it off and keep leveling up.
Big hug
❤️
This is my #1 problem 😂
Monitoring my thoughts has helped incredibly over the years :) But I still have a lot to learn and practice.
Lovely list ^_^
Lovely list ^_^
Same here. It's still daily work for me but this muscle is getting stronger and stronger and starting to become a habit.
Glad this message was of help to you
🤗
Love it, all very true and resonates with me greatly.
I particularly love no.1, it's been my way of life through this lockdown period, following my joy :)
Nice to hear this :<)