5 Lovely Ways to Celebrate LOVE

Love comes in many forms. It can be romantic, platonic, familiar, religious, or directed at the self.

Despite popular belief, one can celebrate this love EVERY DAY and in many different ways! 

=) With friends - This is always one of the most fun! Who says love has to be about romantic one-on-one occasions? Cheers to the people who are getting together with a few friends to have a good time! Spread the platonic love with little goody bags filled with candy! Nothing says I appreciate your friendship quite like chocolate.

 

<3 With significant other - You can take the traditional route and have a nice date with that "special someone." Get all dressed up and have dinner and watch a movie! I hear Jupiter Ascending was good. Try springing for a thoughtful or practical gift, something they can use for a while that will remind them of you!

>:) With family - They may drive you crazy, but at the end of the day you care a lot about your family. There is nothing wrong with spending the day with your parents, or with your children (pets count). There is no love more pure than that! The smiles of your toddler when you get to their favorite park will be well worth the trip. The laughter of your loved ones is better than any material present on Earth!

;) Alone - If you find yourself by yourself and maybe feeling a little down, stop those lonely thoughts right now! STOP! If you are going to find love you must first learn to love you! So today is a good day to get a manicure and a massage. Or get your favorite take out and watch all your favorite movies!

+ With Christ - When you think about it, there is no greater love than Christ has for his church,why not celebrate that? Dedicate part of your day to reading your bible and praying and then maybe find a way to volunteer. Jesus' second command was "Love your neighbor as yourself." 

Above all, remember the most important commandment given:

As I have loved you, love one another. John 13:34

5 Simple Steps for Shaking Off The Funk

 Many of us are probably feeling a little burnt out by now. The holidays are over and all of those happy Christmas feelings are long gone. The motivation we had to achieve our New Year's Resolution has dissipated, and we are back to the same tired routines of the year before. 

Those are just a few of the many causes of the build up of negative emotions that make up what I like to call The Funk. 

It is not quite as easy to overcome as the Winter Blues, and it is not as intense as depression, but it certainly is unpleasant. The Funk has a variety of symptoms including lack of interest, body soreness, apathy, fatigue, and a general hopeless feeling that nothing will ever make you smile again. 

A common belief is that the cure to The Funk is finding happiness. I don't think that is accurate. Yes, happiness can relieve some of those symptoms for a while, but it is a fleeting feeling that eventually wears off. Soon you will find yourself looking for the next happy high to pull you above the surface just long enough to catch a few deep breaths.

There is a more permanent solution to eliminate The Funk for good and I believe that solution is finding the joy within you. Joy runs deeper than happiness. It is a lasting emotion that leads to inner peace and psychological rest.

According to dictionary.com the definition of joy is the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.

What if I told you that "something exceptionally good or satisfying" could be found in your own mind? 

Many times, the key to lasting joy is trapped in our thoughts, but can be brought out by following a simple defunkification  process. 
(Yes I just made up a word)

 DeFUNKification:
 

Step 1: Kill all incoming negative thoughts. It is much more simple than it sounds. Whenever you have a thought that produces a discouraging emotion, counter it with a thought that produces a positive emotion. For example, if you are mentally putting yourself down for not sticking with you resolution, challenge that by remembering a time when you actually did follow through with something. Consider how good you felt and remember that one failure in no way defines who you are.

Step 2: Get some fresh air. It may be cold out there, but being inside, staring at the same walls you've been staring at for weeks, months, or even years, can be depressing. So is browsing Facebook, stalking people who are enjoying their lives more than you happen to be at the moment. Go for a walk and take 10 deep breaths. Every time you inhale, imagine yourself sucking up a bit of your Funk, and every time you exhale, imagine yourself letting it out. 

Step 3: Occupy yourself. Chose a few new goals; pick something long term and then plan a short term goal that will help you achieve the long term one. Get a new hobby, maybe something that you have always wanted to do. Plan an exciting vacation to a new country and learn a new language to help you prepare! Some times we can fall in to The Funk because our spirit is telling us that we are not making progress. Human beings are meant to do amazing things! If you are doing the same thing as last year, something's gotta give. 

Step 4: Take a break. You are back to school, the Christmas decorations at work have come down, and life is pretty much back to business as usual. So take a break from life. If you can afford to take a mini weekend vacation do that, but taking a break doesn't have to mean going away. If you have a flexible schedule, try taking a nice comfortable nap in the middle of the afternoon! If you are shackled to consciousness by your responsibilities, make time before going to sleep at night to get wrapped up in an exceptionally good book. (I recommend Liars Like Me by yours truly!)  

Step 5: Count your blessings. I mean this in the most literal sense. If you tried everything on this list and you are still trapped in the suffocating fog of sadness, start to make a list of your own. We all know that life is unfair, and, if we are being honest, we tend to realize that fact even more when we are not enjoying it. Life kicks you when you are down, so the best thing to do is get up as quickly as possible. On a piece of paper start to write down things that you are truly grateful for, even if it was a long time ago. Better yet, start a blessing jar, or jug, or bowl; pretty much any empty container you have around the house will work for this. Everyday write down something that you are grateful for, or a blessing that you have experienced and put it in the jar. If you can't think of one, start with the fact that you are alive and able to read this post! 

 

3 Ways to Strengthen Your Relationship

Life in 2015 is moving at warp speed! 

There is just so much to do in a day and it seems like the hours are falling away. Working, cleaning, keeping up with friends and family can all be exhausting. Not to mention, school will be starting again for many of us. With a schedule that is bursting at the seams, it is no wonder we often feel overwhelmed when we try to add a serious relationship to the mix.

Everyone knows that spending time with each other is an important part of being a healthy and happy couple. But, when we do find time to spare to be together it is usually spent dealing with the situations that present themselves in life. You argue, you plan, you contemplate, you reason, and still you might find your relationship is not as strong as it was when all you did was talk on the phone for hours about nothing. Relationships need regular maintenance. It is important to not let it fall beneath other things in your life that are far less meaningful.

When you feel interference with your emotional connection there are a few things you can do to mend the weakening bond.

1. Read the bible LOUD & PROUD - I know I have said this before, and I will probably say it again, because IT WORKS! You don't have to read the entire gospel of John, but do take the time to read a few verses out loud. For a steamy bible reading I recommend passages from Song of Songs.  Not only does reading aloud help adults fully understand the material being read, it also can improve our focus on other tasks. Paying attention to each other as you read makes you both feel important, understood, and it encourages positive communication. 

2. Take the same "chill pill" - Spend time cuddling and kissing, knowing that it will not escalate to sex. When you first started dating you used to do that all the time! You made out for the joy and excitement of kissing, there was passion and freedom behind it. Make out in the back of a dark movie theater, or before you leave for work! On your day off, lay together for a hour, kiss, and  occasionally talk about random passing thoughts.

 3. Define the relationship - Oh, the dreaded DTR. Most of you are probably cringing, thinking about relationship status conversations that have gone horribly wrong, and some of you probably can't stop smiling about the ones the didn't. For each milestone you and your significant other have passed, you have had a moment when you sit down to discuss the next step. This is not what I mean when I say DTR. You don't necessarily need to talk about life changing decisions. Simply tell each other your current feelings about the state of your relationship. If you are blissfully happy, share that! If you feel like you are headed in the right direction, the other person has a right to know! It can be encouraging to hear that your partner is feeling secure and satisfied. On the other had, if there is a problem, this can be a way to find a solution without it escalating into a fight or argument.

The important thing to keep in mind is that relationships are not always perfect. There are high highs and low lows, but fortunately you have the rest of your lives to find a balance and to create a nearly perfect harmony. 

Much Needed "Me Time"

This time of year has to be one of the most stressful of all. On top of everything else you normally do, add making lists of things to get people, shopping for hours, cooking for hours, extra holiday cleaning, and so on for what seems like forever! 

I don't know about you, but all of the additional little tasks have me pretty tightly wound. It can be more difficult than ever to find time for yourself, to relax, which makes it more important than ever! Sleep is simply not enough anymore, as I find myself waking up sore and stiff.  

In order to feel better throughout the day we have to focus on establishing a time of rest for our bodies and souls. 

Fortunately there are 3 minor things that we can do to keep our batteries fully charged!

1. Devotional first thing in the morning - What is the first thing that comes to mind when you wake up in the morning? Usually, a long list of things you have to get done! What if, you turned off those automatic reminders, and tuned in to the Lord? Instead of casting all of those burdens and worries on to your own shoulders, remember that God is present and in control of EVERY situation. He cares about the things that trouble us throughout the day! Upon waking up, pray, and ask him to help you to relax, because He has it all in His capable hands. I like to use the YouVersion Bible App because it has endless devotions to help you listen to, and become aware of what God is trying to tell you today; which is far more important than what you will have for breakfast.

2. Stretch!!! - As I mentioned before, I have recently found myself waking up in worse shape than I was in when I went to sleep! The stresses of work, home life, and these end-of-year holidays have finally caught up to me. As a result, I found relief in an extremely mild daily exercise. If yoga is not your thing (it is definitely NOT mine) stretching works just as well! I found a video that works for me on YouTube; it is the first thing I do after my time with the Lord and it has gradually been loosening my tight muscles! 

3. Do something mindless - No, I don't mean go out and do something crazy and reckless just because you can! By mindless, I mean, do something that does not required much though or concentration, something that makes you feel good! I like to buy a cheap fun color of nail polish (97 cents for NYC Color at Walmart) to do my nails. It is easy, relaxing, and it forces me to stop for a minute to recollect my tranquility. It also makes me feel pretty! If you don't like to do your nails, pick your favorite song and listen to it without doing anything else. Close your eyes, and enjoy yourself!

 

When life gets overwhelming take a few steps back, and a couple hundred deep breaths! 

Things always get better!