Tag: therapy

Time for a Change? 5 Ways to Transform Your Life

Have you been feeling stagnant and stuck lately?

Sometimes, we all need to change things up to feel motivated again – especially when we’ve spent the last year coping with a worldwide pandemic.

Guest Post by Phillip Carr, Photo Source: Unsplash

If you’re unhappy with where you are now or the direction your life is headed, you always have the opportunity to try something new. 

The idea of shifting your habits and routines can seem daunting, but if you focus on small, achievable goals, you’ll be surprised at how easily you adapt.

You may not notice a difference overnight, but with time, patience, and dedication, psychologist Stacy Reuille-Dupontbelieves that taking these steps to transform your life will pay off. 

Get in Shape

Finding a sport that suits your interests and lifestyle makes exercising feel like fun rather than a chore. After a couple of months of exercising regularly, you’ll have more endurance, you’ll sleep better, and you’ll definitely tone up. 

Starting a fitness routine doesn’t have to mean lifting weights or running miles every morning.

In addition to weights, exercise bikes, and treadmills, joining a gym typically gives you access to lots of classes, like pilates and yoga. 

If you’d prefer to work out at home or you’re simply looking to save a little money by forgoing a gym membership, you still have plenty of options when it comes to exercising.

For example, you can follow along to workout videos on your TV with a streaming device.

Find some channels and apps featuring instructors you like, and it can feel like you have a personal trainer in your living room!

To boost your motivation, you can also put together custom workout playlists to stream while you exercise.

Choose an easy-to-use streaming device so you can flip through channels and songs effortlessly while you work out.

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Cook Healthy Meals

Working out is just one aspect of living a healthier lifestyle.

Stocking your pantry with healthy staples and committing to cooking most nights rather than eating out can have a significant positive impact on your physical and mental health.

Packaged, processed food and restaurant meals are often loaded with excess sugar and sodium.

You don’t have to be a skilled chef to whip up tasty, nutritious meals – with a little practice, you’ll have the basics mastered in no time. 

Not sure where to begin? Harvard Health Publishing suggests incorporating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains into your diet.

Next, experiment with new recipes that combine ingredients you already love and find healthier alternatives to dishes you enjoy.

You’ll have more energy on a daily basis, and you’ll save money in the process!

Make a Budget

Want to take control of your financial future? Creating a realistic budget that helps you stay on track to your savings goals is the first step.

With countless apps that help you watch your spending, sticking to a budget has never been easier. 

If you’re ready to figure out your personal budget, begin by taking stock of all of your necessary expenses, like rent, utilities, insurance, and other monthly bills.

Next, account for eating out, shopping, and getting drinks with friends.

Look for ways you can save money each month, such as:

  1. Refinance loan rates remain low, so now is the perfect time to lower your monthly payments.
  2. Reducing the number of services you subscribe to. For example, if you use Netflix and Hulu more often than you watch live TV, it might make sense to cancel or cut down your cable package.
  3. Cutting down on your grocery budget. As noted above, eating an excessive amount of packaged foods can impact your physical and mental health – and buying them can put a dent in your wallet.

Any ancillary funds you can save can be put toward a long-term savings or emergency account.

Having this financial cushion will give you peace of mind right away, not to mention in the event you need to use it.

Talk to a Therapist

If you’ve been struggling with depression or anxiety and your symptoms are holding you back from living the life you really want, it’s time to talk to a therapist.

A therapist can help you understand why you feel the way you do and teach you coping strategies that will help you manage your stress and move beyond depression. 

It may take a little while to find a therapist who is right for you.

Begin your search by looking up providers in your area, and make a few phone calls to schedule your first session.

Committing to therapy for even just a few months can dramatically transform your mindset. 

When you decide to take responsibility for your path in life and move confidently toward your goals, gradual changes are the key to lasting success.

With the right tools and support, you have the power to transform your life. 

If you are looking to optimize your life book your FREE consultation session now.

I Saw God Today

I saw God today. I also saw God yesterday, and I am pretty sure I’m going to see God tomorrow. Everywhere I look, God is present. Everyday, I sit with people and listen to their stories. Deeply listen. I listen under the crustiness of day to day operations and listen into the core of who they are. Everyday, I see examples of amazing resilience and this thing we call being human. As a result of being intensely connected to another I see the pulse of our universe. I see God. 

Those of you who know me well, know I’m not what you’d call a religious person, however everyday I feel this pulse and feel the universe breathe. Everyday I hear the beauty that surrounds us and dive deeply into the moments that matter. Mostly through words and physical sensations – our innate human experience. What’s incredibly curious to me is the way we think and feel so different than everyone else, yet we are so much the same. 

Each story in my day is unique, often I have no idea how the plot will twist yet the themes of the day remain the same. Am I good enough, can I be loved, will I make it, what if I fail, will people show up to help me, can I trust myself, am I safe. When I can’t figure out the nuanced theme, I just go for the big one – am I worthy, do I matter. 

Our personal brand of wounding lends itself to all sorts of manifestations in our lives. If I feel no one will help me, I’ll learn to do it all by myself. If I feel like I am unlovable, I’ll either work really hard to please everyone or I’ll become aloof and push people away. If I feel like I am not safe, I’ll make sure to be part of communities with very clear lines and defined roles so I can rest in the safety of knowing the “truth”. In the end … we are all ok. 

We are all lovable. We are all worthy. We all matter. When we can embrace our inner essence we open the door for others to embrace theirs. When we shine our inner lights bright, they get to shine theirs bright, too. This is very very very … very … important to the world. If I do not shine my light bright, I cannot fully bring my uniques gifts into the world. If you do not shine your fully your’s do not enter either. 

This creates a situation – kinda like the one where my grandma would lose the 1 puzzle piece that completed the 1,000 piece monstrosity. The world is incomplete when it’s missing pieces. We are each a piece and must show up fully to make the puzzle complete. 

Everyday, I am surrounded by the magic that manifests when we are authentic in our personal experience. It’s like standing in a dark yard quietly watching the fireflies light up the night. When one doesn’t shine I can’t see them, when too many don’t shine the yard is dark. When they are all busy blinking off and on it is breathtakingly beautiful. 

Please allow yourself the gift of living authentically in your gifts, shining your light bright. I want my dark yard to be lit up by your magnificence. 

And as always, if you are struggling you can schedule a 15 min Q&A appointment to see if it’s time to give yourself the gift of therapy. When else can you talk about yourself for an hour with someone trained to deeply listen to your core, not just the story you tell yourself.