#LiveForTomorrow Photo Challenge Day 7: I am Grateful For

"Gratitude turns what you have into enough."

 One of my favorite grounding exercises at the end of the day is to spend five or so minutes to slow down and sit with my gratitude journal. This time allows me to step outside of my cluttered mind and recall all of the things I was appreciative of throughout the day.

This process helps me during the low points when my depression threatens to resurface, leaving me feeling drained, empty and alone, to remember how much good is already in my life that I have been turning a blind eye to.

"Is it simple? Can you not see it now? We are worth it all." -Tyler Knott Gregson

 

 

Here's just some of what I found:

 

-The ability to get a quality education and further my knowledge in a subject I love, while honing my craft through extracurricular clubs on campus. Overall, I am always grateful for opportunities to learn something new, whether it be through reading, a formal class, conversation, a documentary, or actual experience.

 

-Going to work every morning and feeling like I have a sense of purpose, genuinely enjoying what I get to do every day, and coming home with a feeling of accomplishment that my work has the potential to make a difference in my community and many individual lives.  

 

-Fresh flowers at the farmer's market

 

 

-Unplugging and going on long walks

 

-Reading a good book

 

 

-Spending the day with my family

 

 

-When the cooler night air takes over the Florida heat

 

 

 

-Lazy afternoons

 

-Sleeping in, and waking up to the sound of the rain bouncing off the windows

 

-Swimming on a hot day/feeling the sun kiss my skin

 

 

-A strong cup of coffee or tea

 

 

-Holiday/nature scented candles

 

-Having meaningful conversations

 

-Sharing a meal with friends

 

 

-Seeing a rainbow on the drive home after a long day

 

 

-Hearing an old song on the radio that I used to love and singing it at the top of my lungs

 

-Not waking up to the sound of the alarm on the weekend

 

-Feeling present, like I am exactly where I need to be

 

 

What are you grateful for? Join me for the remaining three days of the #LiveForTomorrow Photo Challenge, leading up to World Suicide Prevention Day on September, 10.



#LiveForTomorrow Photo Challenge: Day 6: Advice I Would Give My Younger Self

Dear Brianna,

Growing up, you spent a lot of time thinking about the paths other people have chosen to take in life; a mature thought process for such a young girl. Of all the people in you have encountered in life, you have always looked up to your older sister somehow certain that she was on the right one. She was on to big things and it left you in awe to watch.

You often thought hard about the kind of woman that you would grow up to be. Would you live in your sister's shadow forever? Hopefully some of the heart and strength your nanny possessed would rub off on you, so you too can embody the qualities it took to be a strong woman.

You thought about it often, but for some reason you didn't see a future in the cards for you. You saw the future to a certain point, and then it went blank. Would you make it as far as the people that you have looked up to for so long?

You couldn't see white picket fences that surrounded the yard you shared with your 'dream husband' or 'two kids and fluffy dog' daydream. The dark cloud of depression that seeped into your brain at such a young and impressionable age temporarily robbed those dreams of the future for you, leaving you fearful to make any plans. What if you didn't make it? What if it wasn't in the cards for you? Maybe you were only meant to be here for a short time, and that time in itself would be impressionable to the world?

You truly believed that you were put on the Earth to serve a greater good, and check out before you put up white picket fences to make sure your white fluffy dog didn't escape the yard.

You were wrong.

You were destined for much more than- and it'll take an entire lifetime to figure out what. You are worth an entire lifetime, just as much as anybody else.

While you're figuring it out, here are some tips to get you through the occasional storms (keep in mind: they will pass).

-Don't worry if 'you don't have it all figured out: social media will make it look like everyone has their entire life's direction planned to a T, but it's all an act. We are all highlighting our best days, most flattering angles and biggest achievements. A picture isn't the only thing you see that's filtered; some people are living their entire lives through a filter. Anyone who thinks they are in complete control over the course of their life is only kidding themselves. If we knew how it'd all play out, there would be no journey worth taking. 

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."

-Your parents/relatives/siblings are not embarrassing and they won't be there forever: spend more time with them as often as you can. Familial bonds are those that never leave you, regardless of the time and distance between you.

-Explore your truth and bask in it, even if you're doing it alone: What was 'on trend,' what other people said or thought about you will not matter two months from now. Their preoccupation with what you're doing says more about them than it does about you. Stick to your goals and stay true to who you are and what you value. Adopt tunnel vision if you have to. People respect uniqueness over sameness, because it's inspiring, allowing others to become comfortable in their own truth rather than a carbon copy of someone else. 

-The only regrets you'll carry are the risks you didn't take, the words you never said, and the doors you never even tried to open. Take every opportunity that comes your way. The worst thing that can happen is you can say you tried and gave it your all.

-You're not as alone as you think you are in the feelings you've been feeling. Everyone will feel bouts of sadness, anxiety, or feeling like they don't belong at one point or another in their lives. It's normal, but if the feelings persist or feel particularly obtrusive, never be ashamed to speak up and ask for help. 

You're doing the best that you can, and to me, that's pretty damn respectable. 

Love, 

A Brianna I hope you can be proud to become 

Join me in the remaining four days of TWLOHA's #LiveForTomorrow Photo Challenge leading up to World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10. 

#LiveForTomorrow Photo Challenge: Day 5: Beauty in My Community

I've decided to jump on the bandwagon halfway through the #LiveForTomorrow Photo Challenge from To Write Love On Her Arms.

In this case, just like many others, I say: better late than never, especially when the message is so incredibly important.

According to a recent study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, suicide rates have steadily increased from 1999 through 2014, up by 24% than the rate in 1999.

The Live For Tomorrow Photo Challenge encourages participants to celebrate life from September 1-10, leading up to World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10. This year, TWLOHA's theme is: "And So I Kept Living"

Day 5: Find Beauty in Your Community

Self-care tip: buy yourself flowers! They not only brighten your house, but also your mood. Plus, you deserve it!

There is beauty everywhere we go, if only we could open our eyes a bit wider, put our phones down a bit longer, and silence the rambling thoughts simultaneously ravaging our minds long enough to appreciate it.

Regardless of what city you live in or your current circumstance, challenge yourself to go on a walk and look around.

Use your five senses while you walk, this will help you appreciate what is around you in entirety and encourage you to notice things that have been in front of you all along that you have been overlooking.

Here's some ideas:

-Walk barefoot through the grass... how does it feel rubbing against the bottom of your feet? Is it rough? Is it soft enough to lay down on?

During one of my walks, a mother duck ran in front of me, leading her baby ducklings back to the lake. 

A quiet walk in nature is a great way to reconnect with your surroundings on a deeper level without all the white noise we are often bombarded with throughout the school or work day.

-Do you hear the birds as they fly from their homes up in the trees? Do you hear the neighborhood dogs barking, waiting impatiently to go on their afternoon walks?

Stepping out of the car allows you to slow down and notice things you wouldn't normally notice on your morning commute, as you become accustomed to your surroundings, you tend to take the beauty you pass on your everyday route for granted.

-What flowers were planted in your neighborhood? How do they smell? This is a great way to appreciate the changing seasons and all the wonderful smells that come with it: fresh cut grass in the summer, fruits and vegetables at the farmer's market, freshly planted tulips in the spring, etc.

I drive by this bush of flowers every day on the way out of my apartment complex, but have never appreciated the sheer beauty until I got up close, and leaned in to smell the fresh aroma. 

I make it a habit every night to look up at the sky as a grounding exercise. I close my eyes, reach up to the sky, take a deep breath in, then open my eyes to experience all of the beautiful colors the sky has gifted me with at the end of a long day.


What beauty can you discover in your own community? Get outside and take a walk; you'll notice it's all around you. 
Join me for the remaining five days of the #LiveForTommorow Photo Challenge to raise awareness about World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10. 
For more information on TWLOHA's mission, visit: twloha.com/blog/welcome-to-national-suicide-prevention-week-2016/