Tag Archives: self love

Mar17

Peek A Boo Pop OOTD Bloopers

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Peek A Boo Pop OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Peek A Boo Pop OOTD! Although my best face isn’t forward in the pictures you’re about to see, it is definitely my funniest lol. Saturday is mine and Johnny’s designated picture day and these past two outfits have been pretty casual because tired! So much so that we didn’t even venture out to find a good brick wall and just took pictures at our apartment. But, hey, you do what you can and our streak of Saturday OOTD shoots is still going strong! Let’s take a look at the pictures that didn’t make the first cut and, if we’re all being honest with each other, probably wouldn’t make any cut:

I LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Lol, I have no idea what caught my attention in this picture but it clearly took me by surprise

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Sending a friendly howdy doo to the haters haha

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Beep beep! Sassy lady coming through!!!

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Just out here oozing sex appeal and charisma 😉

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Not sure what face this is but remind me to never make it again!

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Looking nice and terrifying for all of you xoxo ❤

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One of the better pictures of me retrieving my phone from the clutches of my husband

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My Peek A Boo Pop OOTD was my first time breaking out a crop top since this past summer and it was an interesting experience. Bodies change. During the warm weather, I am extremely active and love to run with the family dog and play outside with one of my clients. I can’t wait for us to hit the pickle ball courts again! During the winter, however, is a completely different story. I am a gigantic freeze baby and it’s not surprising when I gain some hibernation weight as I trade outdoor activities for binge watching marathons!

When I first put my Target crop top on, I was most definitely not feeling myself because my body looked different in it. I was thrilled to button up my button down and vowed to myself that I wouldn’t take crop top pictures if I was still ambivalent. But where is the fun in that? As Johnny and I proceeded with our day, I reminded myself that I planned this OOTD for a reason; to show a cold weather look that could be modified for summer. I also kept telling myself like a mantra that bodies change.

By the time it was picture time, I had hyped myself up enough that I didn’t even care when we got around to crop top pics. So what if my tummy isn’t as toned as I’d like it to be? Once again, bodies change and they can change again. While I originally thought I’d feel self conscious, I felt more confident than anything. There was a time when I would have fought my body tooth and nail over weight gain but that is the old me. Regardless of if I added on a few pounds this winter, it is still my body and I deserve to feel proud of it. And, in that moment, I was.

If you ever feel like you can’t wear something due to changes in your own body, then my best advice is to wear it anyways and rock it. It might be uncomfortable at first, but I know firsthand that it gets way easier and I know that you can do it too! ❤

What is something you are self conscious about? What makes you feel confident anyways? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Feb14

Celebrating My Inner Goddess

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Celebrating My Inner Goddess

Hi!! I love making new friendships through lifewithlilred and I am so thankful to have “met” Libby from The Goddess Attainable who so graciously guest posted on my page a few weeks ago. I was so honored when she contacted me shortly after her post published asking if I would guest blog for her and am excited to explore her prompts of what being a goddess means to me.

Libby encourages and inspires people to not only be the best version of themselves but to love who they are, too. In my post, I wanted to touch on two of her topics, one of which is how I access my inner goddess and the other is how my mom helps determine my definition of a goddess. Let’s get to it!

Celebrating My Inner Goddess

The word “goddess” is often affiliated with a beautiful woman and, while I do feel like a goddess when I am all dressed up, I feel even more so when I am working hard to achieve my goals. Goddesses aren’t just a pretty face but they are also ladies who are determined, strong, and motivated to keep going forward even when things are difficult. A goddess strives for greatness for herself and loved ones while letting her inner beauty shine brightly every step of the way.

My life has been dedicated to working with people with special needs and I have still been seeing all of my clients throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other than when I’m just hanging out with my boyfriend on the couch, I feel most like a goddess when I am at work. I love the families who I help and seeing my clients smile or hearing them laugh makes all of my hard work one hundred and fifty percent worth it. I know that I am doing something meaningful for my clients and myself and the passion I feel for the field I work in and improving people’s lives feels like goddesshood to me.

From sitting down at my laptop to write to the good old days pre-pandemic when I could hit the skating rink for practice, exploring my passions makes me feel immensely proud of myself. I have struggled with mental health issues for a majority of my life and being able to acknowledge that I am doing a good job is something that has never come easy to me. Goddesses not only love the world around them but they love themselves and continuing on with my passions has given me a newfound appreciation for myself that I have never had before. Who knew that that feels like goddesshood, too?!

As I continue on in my own life journey, I turn to a seasoned goddess when I need encouragement: My mom! I am so lucky to say that my mom is my best friend and there is really nothing that a quick phone call or text to her can’t fix. My mom is strong, smart, and simply beautiful inside and out. As a doctor, she has been dedicated to seeing her patients online throughout the pandemic and she was still working even as she underwent cancer treatment. Goddess much?

My mom is so beloved by everyone she meets because she takes the time out of her day to chat with, compliment, and get to know whomever she encounters. She shares her inner light generously and it is absolutely infectious. Whenever I am feeling down, I think about my mom (and dad!) and my favorite memories with them that I treasure so much. My mom sees the best in everyone and not only does that make her a goddess but it makes me feel like one, too, whenever I am around her. ❤

I want to thank Libby so much again for giving me this opportunity of reflection and I highly encourage all of you to get in touch with your inner goddess on her page. You will be glad you did!

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What makes you feel like a goddess? What is something that you’re proud of? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan5

How You Can Be Kind To Yourself In 2021

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How You Can Be Kind To Yourself In 2021

If there is one good thing about a new year, it’s that it gives you a clean slate to try something new. For some people, this is kicking bad habits. For others, it’s being more in-tune with their friends and family. This is all well and good but it’s also important to remember to be kind to yourself in 2021 too. We all know how tough the previous year was, and while there are still reverberations from 2020, it’s still possible to put yourself first for the new year:

Keep a journal:

Keeping a journal is not just a great tool to keep track of your days, it can also help you reflect and work through any problems you encounter throughout the year. This will give you the chance to recognize how insignificant such problems were, even if they seemed too much to handle at the time. A journal will also help you see how much you have grown throughout the year and give you something to look back on fondly. Ideally, you want to write in your journal every day so your memories don’t fade.

Try something new:

Humans are not designed to stand still, but many people will get to a point where they don’t explore anything new. There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable, but it can mean that you get dissatisfied with life. This is why it’s always useful to try something new, whether you want to try something you’ve always wanted, like running a marathon or losing weight, or even doing something that you’ve never done before. This could be rock climbing, dyeing your hair a different color, or testing out foods that you have never had.

Make new friends:

It’s tricky to make new friends as an adult. Everyone seems too busy, and they have so many responsibilities that it feels impossible to find the time to hang out with someone else. However, the potential for new friends is out there. You just need to know where to look. If you’re trying new hobbies, look for online communities who can advise you on whether a Shimano Tyrnos conventional reel is the right fishing tool or whether a sub-five minute kilometer is something to celebrate, which it is, by the way!

Spend more time with yourself:

One of the most effective ways to be kinder to yourself this year is to spend more time with yourself. It’s nice to hang out with friends and family, but you also need the chance to recharge and do what you want to do. It’s important to get comfortable in your own company, so put your feet up, pick out your favorite book, and relax. You’ll find that you enjoy your own company much more than you expected.

Be kind:

Some people will spend all of their time trying to be kind to others and forget about being kind to themselves. However, it is impossible to fill others’ cups when yours is empty. So, don’t be afraid to give yourself some time to recharge and be kinder to yourself. Once you feel one hundred percent, you can start thinking about helping others, too.

2021 can’t be as bad as 2020, right? Use the tips above to help you start this new year on the right foot!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Nov3

The Best Ways To Surprise Yourself

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The Best Ways To Surprise Yourself

Life can get pretty stale sometimes. Most of the time, if we want to be surprised, we have to wait for someone else to do it by arranging a spontaneous trip or giving us a gift. But what if we didn’t wait? What if, when we wanted to be surprised, we did it ourselves? It might not sound possible since being surprised is all about not knowing what’s coming, but we think it can be done, and we think it should be done. Here are some of our ideas:

Join A Subscription Box:

A subscription box is definitely something you can surprise yourself with. You’ll be sent a new box each month, and you’ll never know what’s going to be inside it. So, although you organized the box to be delivered, and although you’re paying for it, it’s still going to be a surprise. At the same time, it’s something you can look forward to, and this is a scarce combination indeed.

The key to enjoying your subscription box is to pick something you know you’re going to love, whatever the box’s actual contents might be. You could choose a Me Time Box or something that delivers food or cooking ingredients. There are boxes of clothes, bath salts, perfumes, and books. There are subscription boxes for pretty much everything, so search around and you’re sure to find one you like.

Write Yourself Notes:

We might think we’ve got good memories, but the human brain doesn’t remember everything. It only keeps the most important things where they can easily be reached through memory, and everything else is stored away much deeper. These things can usually only be triggered by a certain smell, photographs, or perhaps stories from friends and relatives.

This is why writing notes to yourself can be a great surprise. Write some positive notes and leave them in places where you know you’ll find them later on – maybe months down the line. When you find them, it will be a pleasant surprise and something to make you feel good. Some examples of what you can write include:

  • Stay positive
  • You are beautiful
  • You are loved
  • I’m proud of you
  • Keep going

Place the notes into drawers, under cushions, in coat pockets, in books, or even in outside places that you’re going to return to time and again.

Say Yes:

When we are asked to do something or given any kind of opportunity, there are two responses. You’ll either say yes or no. It’s easier to say no. Saying no means that nothing has to change, and we don’t have to try anything new. So most of the time, that’s what we’ll say.

Why not surprise yourself and say yes, instead? This will give you the chance to try all kinds of new things. Some you will dislike, some you will enjoy, and others you might fall in love with, and your life might change (for the better) because of it. Unless you say yes and give yourself a surprise, you’ll never know. Staying in your comfort zone is not surprising and will only cause stress and anxiety over time. At the very least, you’ll be bored!

Say yes to the ideas above and give yourself a surprise today!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Aug25

How To Take Better Care Of Yourself

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How To Take Better Care Of Yourself

It’s not always easy to take the best care of yourself. Even though you know deep down that you need to look after your health and wellness, that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, life gets in the way. And when that’s the case, you may find that you put yourself and your care to the bottom of the pile. But this is never a good idea. Because, before long, you will find that it catches up with you and you will find yourself feeling sick or run down. So, it’s important for you to make sure that you know how to take care of yourself. This can be especially important if you are feeling stressed or burned out. Here’s what you can do:

Get More Sleep:

To start with, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. It’s easy to think that you are, but it’s more likely the case that you are not. Especially if you are feeling off! However, you may find that when you sleep better, you’re going to feel great too. You will feel healthy and much better in yourself. So do what you can to make high-quality sleep your priority.

Look After Your Body:

From here, you’re then going to want to make sure that you are looking after your body as much as you possibly can. It’s important for you to keep your nutrition in check and to keep on top of your exercise. This is something that will always make you feel better in yourself. So make this a big part of your routine.

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Get Your Check-Ups:

You’re going to want to make sure that you are getting yourself medically checked out too. You know that you need to see a doctor when you’re sick or for a general check up, and you have to do the same with your dentist too. So why not access their website and make an appointment. It’s something so small but it can really make a difference to your health.

Be Kind To Yourself:

It’s also important for you to make sure that you are as kind to yourself as possible. If you feel stressed or you are beating yourself up about something, it’s going to have an affect on your health. So, you need to make sure that you are working on your mental health so you can keep viewing yourself in a positive light.

Finally, you are also going to want to make sure that you’re making self care a priority. You can’t just rush through life stressed out and feeling overwhelmed – it’s not going to do anything for your health. However, if you can slow down a bit and make sure that you’re having some me time, it will really help your health. Things like taking a bath, pampering, drinking more water, having cozy evenings, and just relaxing can really help you to take better care of yourself. Enjoy!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

 

May26

Is It Time To Get Your Confidence Back?

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Is It Time To Get Your Confidence Back?

One of the most frustrating things about living in the modern world is the fact that, for many of us, it seems dedicated to making us feel as bad about ourselves as possible. The world sets such incredibly high standards for many of us that it’s unlikely any of us could live up to them. Because of that, developing any kind of self-confidence can be a real challenge. Of course, just because something is a challenge doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do to bring up your confidence levels, even just a little:

Take care of yourself:

If you want to start feeling better about yourself, then one of the first things that you’re going to want to do is to start taking better care of yourself. After all, if you don’t feel good physically, then your perception of yourself is going to end up pretty skewed. This could involve anything from eating better and sleeping more to treating yourself to some pampering with a spa day or a treatment to remove body hair with lasers. Whatever you do to look after yourself, not only are you going to feel better physically, but it’s a good reminder that you deserve a treat from time to time.

Get off social media for a while:

Social media can be a really amazing thing. After all, it gives us the chance to connect with one another no matter where we are and keeps us up to date on the current goings-on of the world. However, it can also be a pretty negative influence on many of our lives. Seeing the carefully curated images that people put of themselves on social media, it’s easy to start feeling somewhat inferior. But the truth is that these images simply aren’t a reflection of the real world. Getting away from social media from time to time is one of the best things that you can do to start feeling better about yourself.

Get used to your body:

One of the things that far too few of us actually take the time to do is to look at ourselves in the mirror. Many of us have some kind of perception about our bodies that so heavily colors what we think that we don’t pay attention to the reality of how we look. Taking the time to actually look at yourself and get used to your body can help to remind you that you likely look totally normal and that there’s nothing wrong with how you look.

The reality is, that a lot of aspects of the modern world are built around making you think that there’s something wrong with feeling confident about yourself. This is often because it’s a whole lot easier to sell you stuff when you feel miserable about yourself. Remember that you’re not doing anyone any harm by feeling good about yourself and, in a world that is designed to profit from making you feel as bad about yourself as possible, there’s something pretty radical about loving yourself.

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Sep12

Self Care & Me

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Self Care & Me

Helloooo everyone! Today, I thought that we would talk a little about my self care journey. And, believe me, it’s not an easy thing to do when you run two businesses and are constantly running around like a mad woman! At first, I used to consider “self care” as going shopping and having a spending spree… and, although that’s nice, it doesn’t get to the root of true self care, which I take to mean as doing something mentally or physically stimulating to help improve your mood.

I think the main thing that has helped me become more conscious of trying to incorporate self care into my life is my weekly skating practices. Being on the ice and riding that high of an invigorating work out and doing something that I’m good at always makes me feel my best. And, since I began weekly instead of biweekly practices, it has made me realize that I really don’t do enough for myself. So, I decided to change that.

When I began my career as a service provider for people with special needs, working evenings were just part of the deal. But, now that I’m more established, I thought that it was high time to treat myself to a normal schedule. And, come October, I will only be working one evening a week!

This is a change that I have been craving for a long time now and I’m looking forward to actually having time for myself when I get home from work. Whether that be practicing my languages, reading a book, binge watching a show, or taking a bath – I finally have that option now! And, maybe *just maybe*, I could start having a regular social life. Because, trust and believe, it’s hard fitting in hang outs, errands, and skating all in one weekend. This caused me to enter my work week feeling even more exhausted and it grew into a vicious cycle.

There are so many things that I plan on doing with my evenings off but, what I’m most looking forward to is finding an American Sign Language class to attend. Weirdly enough, there are no weekend classes at the centers for the deaf in my area but evening classes are available. So, that is definitely going to be on my agenda very soon! It feels good to do for me while still maintaining my caseload at work and lifewithlilred and I am ready for work free evenings to commence!

How do you practice self care? What do you do during your free time to relax? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul17

Lil Red For The Little Mermaid!

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Lil Red For The Little Mermaid!

Helloooo! I swear, my newsfeed on THE BOOK has been filled with bullshit on the casting for the Little Mermaid and it is the most annoying thing on planet Earth. So, when I busted out my new Little Mermaid themed bikini for the first time this summer, I knew that I had to create a joke post about me being cast as Ariel. I mean, come on, I have the red hair which should compensate for my singing voice that sounds like a dying cat! 🤣

And Ariel did have a buttload of tattoos and piercings right… or am I thinking of a different movie?

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^^^ The resemblance is uncanny! 😀

But, in all seriousness, this post isn’t about my cheeky sense of humor or a casting decision that I am 150% for. This is about bikini body positivity because, let me tell you, I have not felt confident in a bikini in a very long time. I took a client to one of our local Metro Park lakes this past Monday and saying that I was nervous to be in public in my Little Mermaid number is the understatement of the century.

I have a very love/hate relationship with my body, especially considering that I struggled with an eating disorder for a long time. And, I still have a hard time grasping that my body at twenty-five is going to be different than what my body was at sixteen. Do I love that I have bigger breasts than what I would like? No. How about the fact that I can’t seem to get rid of my little tummy no matter how healthy I eat or how often I figure skate? Absolutely not.

But, then, I remember that I love my legs and badonk that are super toned and muscular from over a decade of dedication to a sport. I love my piercings and tattoos that make me happy whenever I look at them. And, it could always be worse lol!

Even with those friendly reminders, though, I was still anxious for the grand reveal of my towel coming off. But, my client wanted to swim and that’s what was going to happen that day. So, I took a deep breath, dropped the towel, and began to walk towards the water. That’s when something amazing happened…

The first person who saw me told me that I looked awesome and little did she know, that changed my attitude for the entire lake outing. What felt like a literal blanket of insecurities for my first time in a bikini in years was lifted instantly by a stranger’s kind words and I felt good… better yet, I felt confident.

And, because I felt so happy and okay with myself in my own skin, I wanted to share the gift that the guardian angel stranger shared with me. If I saw a bikini that I thought was darling or if one of my fellow ladies was working it, trust and believe I let them know. And, watching their faces light up instantly was the best thing.

No matter what their body type is, I don’t know many girls who are thrilled about being in bathing suits. That’s why it was important to me to offer the same kindness to others that my stranger did for me. Part of being a Disney princess is having confidence and, in my Ariel inspired suit, I finally felt that way. The least I could do was help other people feel that, too.

What makes you feel confident? How do you help others to feel that way? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun19

The Digital Era’s Effect On Our Insecurities

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The Digital Era’s Effect On Our Insecurities

It’s hard to exist in a world with access to social media ‘round the clock. Instead of seeing real people, you see idealized versions of beauty and celebrities with unattainable airbrushed looks. Try as we might, natural beauty is not natural enough when they need to be on the cover of magazines. In this digital era, it seems like everyone’s insecurities are magnified. If all of the constant focus on beauty is making you feel insecure, here are some tips that you can do to start loving yourself a little more:

Hair Care:

Your hair is your crowning glory, they say. It makes sense that people want to care for their locks because of how much it affects their appearance. However, no matter how shiny you think your hair already is, when you see hair product advertisements, suddenly your hair is not smooth enough, colored evenly enough, or straightened sufficiently. Ads and commercials get some editing help, of course, but the message is already evident. You need to change your hair products, perhaps consider switching to herbal hair care, and love your curls rather than killing them with heat from styling every day. All of these changes you’re considering will be helpful because they are overall good for your hair and will show positive results over time.

Body Image:

Hair is just one part of the body, and it can already give you so much insecurity. What more if you don’t have the “perfect” body? Lots of people have uncertainties stemming from a negative body image, and this is brought on by the lack of love for different body types in the beauty industry. Even now that there is room for plus size models, we still see them conforming to the hour-glass shape that the industry has deemed ideal. Thankfully, some big names in the industry are choosing to release their unedited photos to show their fans that, though it might look like it in magazines, they do not have a perfect body. Everyone’s body is different and beautiful, and the more that this is normalized, the better for body positivity movements.

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Talent:

When you look at celebrities, they always seem to be oozing with talent. They have a good singing voice and can dance, too. They also look good in everything they do. Some are good enough to be chefs and others can speak several languages. When you compare your skills with them, you think you fall short. The thing is, you should not be comparing yourself with another person, be they a celebrity or not. Each person has different skills, and instead of telling yourself you’re not good enough, you should focus on self-improvement. Celebrities train rigorously to learn what they need for their craft; you should also try to improve your skills and not knock yourself if others do it better. They all started as beginners, too.

The digital age has given us some of the most advanced features and gadgets we could have asked for. However, it also highlights some of our biggest insecurities. It’s up to you to take that power away from them by loving yourself!

May14

“Bouncing Back” After A Personal Difficulty

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“Bouncing Back” After A Personal Difficulty

Suffering any setback in life can result in an influx of negative emotion. While it’s easy to say that you need a positive mindset in which to cope with these issues, it’s never that straightforward in practice. Regardless of what’s happened in life, be it a personal tragedy or a string of bad luck, there appear to be a few constants that can help us keep on:

Resilience (A Skill You Can Improve On):

Throughout personal difficulties, it can feel far easier for you to bury your head in the sand. People will tell you that you need to keep going on, as life does inevitably go on. The one thing we can learn through these difficult aspects in life is some form of coping strategy. But, when resilience is brought up, it can feel like it’s a thing that either we have or we don’t. And, depending on our reaction to the problem, it can highlight what level our resilience is really at. But resilience is one of those great skills in life that we can fine tune. The way we do it is by going through difficult circumstances and, gradually, as our comfort zone increases, we develop tolerance to these situations.

Self-Care Is Important:

When we suffer a setback, a personal problem, or we’re going through a really horrible time, we can neglect self-care. But, in even the most basic of ways, self-care can do wonders for ourselves. Fueling ourselves with the right foods and staying away from toxic friendships are two things that help to nurture our body and our mind. You know what is good for you because you will either feel good or you will feel bad. But what we struggle with these days is actually tuning into this and using the knowledge to help turn the situation around.

…So Is Getting Help When Necessary:

Help is one of those things that we can either feel too proud to ask for or we think it’s a sign that we are weak. Getting help comes in many different forms. Sometimes it’s professional ones, which makes life easier after a common problem like a house fire, where services like SERVPRO help with the cleanup of a property. Help is something that can make life easier. If you’ve done all of the hard work and you need a bit of help getting back on your feet, either through professional help or by just leaning on someone a little bit more than usual, why shouldn’t you?

Regardless of the difficulty, there’s an abundance of services to help people in their hour of need. And when it becomes too much, it’s these people that we will turn to. You only have to look at organizations like The Samaritans to see that there are people out there that can’t turn to their loved ones for help, but need an impartial listener, either to vent or for someone to actually help before things get out of hand.

Tragedy Can Bring Joy:

What’s interesting to note during tragic circumstances, especially when it comes to the death of a family member, is that there is a diverse range of emotions on display. Sometimes you see the grieving partner that’s completely catatonic, but you’ll also see the other side, where there’s so much humor on display, that from an outsider looking in, it can be very perplexing! Gallows humor is one of those interesting things because it’s a wonderful coping mechanism for those people who have had pent up emotions relating to negativity for so long. When you see family members get together for a funeral, and they haven’t seen each other for a long time, it can almost seem like a reunion. And the difficult circumstances we go through in life have little glimmers of joy that we may feel on occasion are the things that will carry us through the tough times.

You always hear about someone who listened to an album ad nauseam because it helps them. And in terms of therapy, laughter is one of the greatest. And this is underselling it somewhat. Laughter is a fantastic reliever of stress. But when you get a bunch of people together in the same room that is going through a terrible time, it’s amazing how much joy and laughter can come out. And, it doesn’t detract from the situation but, rather, it adds to the emotions experienced. So turn on your favorite comedy or chat with your funniest friend and enjoy the laughter.

Difficult situations in life make us realize who we really are and what is really important. While it’s never a good thing to endure at the time, through the darkness, light can come through.

Featured Image By: PxHere