Motivation Monday: Don't Worry, Be Happy

Simple song, simple manta. So why is it so stinkin' hard to be happy sometimes? Maybe stop trying so hard! And..stop doing the following:

• Comparing
• Complaining
• Criticizing/Judging
• Whining
• Preaching
• Dwelling
• Fearing

And just submit to your internal happiness! There you go - issues resolved. You are welcome. =)

New things, places and eateries. OH my!

Bored with the same old routine? Check out these new activities and venues!

New thing? Geocaching. Okay, maybe not new to the scene but definitely a different activity for the hubby and me to try out! Last weekend, we ran (Rather, I ran, ahem jogged and the hubby rode his bike) along the bay to track down, hunt and discover four caches. It's such a fun way to explore your town while channeling your inner Nancy Drew. I even scheduled a team building activity centered around Geocaching for this Monday!

New eatery? Draft in Mission Beach, Belmont Park. Remember the old Canes? Well FINALLY that building was remodeled into this awesome new venue with a gigantic screen for football viewing pleasure, 69 beers on tap and a delicious salad...and other great menu items as well. Hitting up the spot tomorrow for the BIL's birthday!

New place? Whether you are a bookworm or not, you must check out the SDPL Central Library downtown. It has the most spectacular views of San Diego and unique architecture. Words Alive recently hosted it's 2014-2015 Words Alive Westreich Scholarship Awards ceremony in the Shiley Event Suite. Check out some photos below!

A week of fears...

From the outside, I appear to be a fearful, trepidacious person - anxiety ridden - overly dramatic. While those are accurate and a part of my internal make-up, I'm also silently courageous. Things like change, beginnings, endings, public speaking, responsibility, conflict, tragedy, silence, solidarity and death do not rattle me; in fact, it's in those moments that I feel the most strong and confident. But I'm not outward with these aforementioned emotions - I tend to reserve for me and me alone. (Until now...)

Inversely, I am more comfortable showcasing my weaknesses - it's a character trait (some would argue flaw) I learned from my mother. Self-deprecating was a method of acceptance and approachability.  People tend to be more open to those that wear their weaknesses on their sleeves, not realizing that in itself is a sign of confidence and strength. I knew my mother was more of a lion than a sheep - but she wore that strong personality privately. As do I.

But in this past week, fear has been the name of game as I have been forced to face one of my many fears, namely needles, medical professionals and hospitals. While many think this is an irrational fear, it stems from a traumatic incident coupled with the notion of being vulnerable and seemingly out of control.

So, in effort to face my fears, I'm employing the following steps, which can be used in any situation.

• Change my thinking.
• Visualize positively.
• Meditate.
• Breathe.
• Practice.
• Finally, employ.

While I have skipped out on my blood lab twice in one week, I have another opportunity this Tuesday after my Cystoscopy.  Luckily through research - reading the process, reviewing videos and speaking to professionals - I'm no longer fearful of this procedure. Sure, my heart rate will rise, my palms with sweat and I'll be lucky if I mutter two words to the Urologist, but I'm no longer fearful. Conversely, attempting to have my blood drawn will leave me crying embarrassingly in the reception area of the lab - yep. But here's to trying to face that fear...sharply...again!

Thrifty Thursday: Transition

Fall is not only my favorite time of year because of the crisp weather, delicious food and holidays but also because of sweaters, scarves and muted colors.

All summer long, I look forward to transitioning my wardrobe into fall - adding layers, accessories, leggings, and boots.

Check out easy ways to transition into the best season of all: fall!

Layer with military green

 
Add tights to a summery dress

 
Pair a blazer with jean/polished shorts

Motivation Monday: Letting go

I'm an overly passionate, dramatic, over-protective, fight-for-the-underdog, stubborn to fault kind of person - this is my internal make-up which makes letting go a challenge. 

But recently, I have been sitting comfortably in a new role; a more zen, quiet, calm and stress-free Chrissy. Sure, I still have my moments - probably daily if I were being honest with myself. But the idea of releasing frustration, ridding negative energy, being more selective of those I surround my time, avoiding perfection and forgiving the past creates a more simplistic, happy and fulfilled life. And thus a more simple, happy and fulfilled Chrissy. Please join me in this revelation and review/absorb/live the 30 ways to let go and be free from blogger, Tiny Buddha:

Let Go Of Frustration with Yourself/Your Life

1. Learn a new skill instead of dwelling on the skills you never mastered.

2. Change your perception—see the root cause as a blessing in disguise.

3. Cry it out. Crying away your negative feelings releases harmful chemicals that build up in your body due to stress.

4. Channel your discontent into an immediate positive action—volunteer, give, love.

5. Use meditation or yoga to bring you into the present moment

6. Make a list of your accomplishments—even the small ones— and add to it daily. You’ll have to let go of a little discontentment to make space for this self-satisfaction.

7. Visualize a box in your head labeled “Expectations.” Whenever you start dwelling on how things should be or should have been, mentally shelve the thoughts in this box.

8. Engage in a physical activity. Exercise decreases stress hormones and increases endorphins, chemicals that improve your state of mind.

9. Focus all your energy on something you can actually control instead of dwelling on things you can’t.

10. Express your feelings through a creative outlet, like blogging or painting. Add this to your to-do list and cross it off when you’re done. This will be a visual reminder that you have actively chosen to release these feelings.

Let go of Anger and Bitterness

11. Feel it fully. If you stifle your feelings, they may leak out and affect everyone around you—not just the person who inspired your anger. Before you can let go of any emotion, you have to feel it fully.

12. Give yourself a rant window. Let yourself vent for a day before confronting the person who troubled you. This may diffuse the hostility and give you time to plan a rational confrontation.

13. Remind yourself that anger hurts you more than the person who upset you, and visualize it melting away as an act of kindness to yourself.

14. If possible, express your anger to the person who offended you. Communicating how you feel may help you move on. Keep in mind that you can’t control how the offender responds; you can only control how clearly and kindly you express yourself.

15. Take responsibility. Many times when you’re angry, you focus on what someone else did that was wrong, which essentially gives away your power. When you focus on what you could have done better, you often feel empowered and less bitter.

16. Put yourself in the offender’s shoes. We all make mistakes, and odds are you could have easily slipped up just like your husband, father, or friend did. Compassion dissolves anger.

17. Metaphorically throw it away

18. Use a stress ball, and express your anger physically and vocally when you use it. Make a scrunched up face or grunt. You may feel silly, but this allows you to actually express what you’re feeling inside.

19. Wear a rubber band on your wrist and gently flick it when you start obsessing on angry thoughts. This trains your mind to associate that type of persistent negativity with something unpleasant.

20. Remind yourself these are your only three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it. These acts create happiness; holding onto bitterness never does.

Let Go Of Stress

21. Use a deep breathing technique to soothe yourself and seep into the present moment.

22. Immerse yourself in a group activity. Enjoying the people in your life may help put your problems in perspective.

23. Consider this quotation by Eckhart Tolle: “Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.” Questioning how your stress serves you may help you let it go.

24. Metaphorically release it. Write down all your stresses and toss the paper into your fireplace.

25. Replace your thoughts. Notice when you begin thinking about something that stresses you so you can shift your thought process to something more pleasant, like your passion for your hobby.

26. Take a sauna break. Studies reveal that people who go to sauna at least twice a week for ten to thirty minutes are less stressed after work than others with similar jobs who don’t.

27. Imagine your life ten years from now. Then look twenty years into the future, and then thirty. Realize that many of the things you’re worrying about don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.

28. Organize your desk. Completing a small task increases your sense of control and decreases your stress level.

29. Use it up. Make two lists: one with the root causes of your stress and one with actions to address them. As you complete these tasks, visualize yourself utilizing and depleting your “stress supply.”

30. Laugh it out. Research shows that laughter soothes tension, improves your immune system, and even eases pain. If you can’t relax for long, start with just ten minutes watching a funny video on YouTube.