Good Morning everyone! It’s been a little while since I’ve written… but it’s not for lack of trying. It took me a while to figure out what I was going to write about. Let’s just say, I’ve had some writer’s block. Finally, I settled on something that can be seen as a combination of spring cleaning and the season of Lent.
I want to talk about ways we can surround ourselves with a world that promotes happiness and a healthy mental state of being.
Our world is what we make it. We have the choice to make it what we want it to be, and there’s great power in that! Here are seven ways we can surround ourselves with a world that fosters creativity, growth and a sense of peace.
Create a supportive atmosphere: There are a couple levels to this, the first is through physical space, and the second is the company we keep. We can do this by tidying up our homes, and our workspace, or in other words: spring cleaning! I always feel better when my surroundings are clean and organized. Another way that affects us on a deeper level is surrounding ourselves with supportive people. We start to become like the 5 people that are closest to us, so it’s important to surround ourselves with people who we want to emulate, and who have our back and give us the emotional support we need.
Cultivating Mindfulness: This word has been thrown around a lot in the past few years. So, what is mindfulness? In simple terms, mindfulness is being in a state of awareness. It’s being present in the moment and being aware of your thoughts and feelings. It’s also about not being afraid of feeling your emotions. Many people use unhealthy coping mechanisms to mask or numb the pain of what they’re feeling; but mindfulness is about addressing these feelings and facing them, even if it’s uncomfortable or hurts. Emotional Intelligence is a deeper level of mindfulness, as we begin to understand our emotions and how they impact our interactions with others.
Prioritizing Communication: This is all about fostering a line of open and honest communication, in all areas of our lives. It can also involve the ability to say ‘No’ and set boundaries. But it’s not only about saying ‘No’ and setting boundaries but also nurturing relationships and promoting connection with those around us. We all live in this world together and share space, so we should all be comfortable communicating what we need and want. This is one of the hardest ones for me and can be extremely difficult for those of us with people-pleasing tendencies and who struggle with confrontation.
Setting Healthy Boundaries: This was addressed earlier, and several of these tips are somewhat layered together. If we have unhealthy boundaries, we may notice a change in our behavior or our habits. If you start to feel like your habits and behavior are changing into something you don’t recognize or feel comfortable with, this is a sign that you may have unhealthy relationships or boundaries in your life.
Encourage Healthy Coping Mechanisms: This sometimes comes with age, or through trial and error, but if you know yourself, you know what makes you tick. What is the first thing you turn to when you are struggling? If it’s something that makes you feel happy and fulfilled, then this is something to keep in your toolbox when you need it. If it’s something that makes you feel like you’re spiraling, or falling deeper into a hole of depression, sadness, hopelessness, etc… this is a sign to throw it out and find something that will make you feel whole again. Easier said than done, as it is extremely difficult to break a habit and change those neuropathways you’ve established over the years… but it’s not impossible to break a habit or retrain your brain. This is where having an emotional support system of people who love and care for you can help you get through the hardships of life.
Fostering Strong Relationships: This was touched on earlier but pay attention to how you feel after you hang out with certain people. Do you feel better or worse? Anxious or calm? Do you feel like yourself, or like you had to change for them? Pay attention!
Prioritize Self-care and work-life balance: I think we’ve come a long way in our society about making these things a priority. It’s important to not only pay attention to our emotional well-being, but also how we feel in our body. Now, we are fully aware now that the mind and body are linked together, but often times we ignore the signs and do the opposite of what our body needs in the moment. We must cultivate a relationship, not only with those around us, but also with ourselves. We need to listen to the signs our body is telling us, which sometimes means saying ‘No’ to someone we love, so that we can work on ourselves. We cannot pour from an empty cup… it is important to love ourselves first and foster a relationship with our mind and body, so that we can show up for others.
Which one of these seven tips do you encourage and foster the most in your life, and which one do you struggle with the most? Share your story!
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