Messages for When You Feel Hopeless

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Placing the power in your hands to practice how to improve your wellbeing

Since this is a Practice, and in a practice, we must build upon our knowledge—here, I am going to expand upon my 1st post about the Beginner’s Mind, the first post of this new group - click to join and not miss the interconnected 9 attitudes of the wellbeing mindset of Mindfulness.

There is an emphasis on the importance of cultivating this mindset in all aspects of life.

Has anyone practiced this Beginner’s Mind or think that you will give it a try?
Any thoughts about this particular part of the whole?

Let’s break it down again:

Holding onto a particular belief limits the mind.
We accumulate a lot of conditioning along the way.
We tend to create a world where our opinions and beliefs are fixed.
As soon as we are attached to that one side, we shut off the other side-we don’t see it or hear it.

Only when we are willing to show up in each moment with a fresh, curious mind, willing to listen, knowing that possibly everything we believed and thought -that perhaps that’s not true. And, if we can maintain that freshness of mind, called a beginner’s mind—

then we can create a space where the mind can absorb, can respect the way other people think— take in new perspectives, and all of a sudden, we start to see not only a transformation in our mind, but a greater sense of calm, of clarity, and also a positive change in our relationships.

By letting go of preconceived ideas, expectations, and attachments, we can fully engage with each moment, experiencing life as it truly is, rather than through the filter of our thoughts and beliefs.

Key concepts:

Openness to possibilities:
The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities.

No attachment to outcomes:
By approaching situations with a beginner's mind, one is less likely to be fixated on achieving a specific result, allowing for greater flexibility and adaptability.

And, the extremely critical skill of learning How to focus on the present moment:
This mindset encourages a deep awareness of the current experience, without getting caught up in past regrets or future anxieties; which we all know the negative consequences this has on our mental health.

We have to help ourselves to not be stuck dwelling on either the "what could have been" or the "what might happen", so that we can instead stay living in and fully enjoying the actual present moment. This is all a part of our role in managing our depression and anxiety and not letting these win and take from us and our potential and our lives that we can have.

It’s important to remember that all of this is not an achievement to be attained but rather a continuous process of self-discovery and self-transformation.

#MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #Mindfulness #MajorDepressiveDisorder #BipolarDisorder #BipolarDepression #MoodDisorders #Depression #Anxiety #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #Cancers #ChronicFatigue #AnorexiaNervosa #Selfcare #Addiction #Fibromyalgia #ChronicPain #Selfharm #Grief #SuicideAttemptSurvivors #SuicidalIdeation #SuicidalThoughts #Suicide #Trauma #Agoraphobia #ADHD #SocialAnxiety #SocialAnxietyDisorder #PTSDSupportAndRecovery #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Headache #Migraine #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Disability #IfYouFeelHopeless #EatingDisorders #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #MightyTogether #Caregiving #CheckInWithMe #DistractMe

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I can’t believe I just wrote this entire post about drinking tea 🤣😀 How could you not join this new group I created “Resilience and Mindfulness”?

TRY THIS PEACEFUL TEA MEDITATION TO BRING COMFORT TO YOUR DAY

Let me know in the comments who has tried this or will try it?

Read on to get the full picture-

I just did this and it was so much more than just drinking tea.

I chose to drink a mug of Vanilla Chai tea on this cloudy and rainy day to bring some zen into the ordinary thing of having a cup of tea.

I chose to not do anything else at all while drinking my cup of tea, except to live in the actual moment of this and broaden and build on positive thoughts and positive emotions.

I sat on the stool in my kitchen facing my backyard glass door and I took slow sips savoring the flavor and smell of the tea and I took deep breaths while just watching the raindrops coming down on the concrete of our patio. And seeing the beauty of the golden leaves 🍁 mixed in with the green leaves and some red leaves on one of the trees in my view.

I noticed and smiled a few times seeing one of my two kitties curled up sleeping in her “doughnut” shaped cat bed enjoying my presence next to her.

In the words of Thich Nhat Hanh:

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the whole earth revolves...
Live the actual moment."

“Tea is an act complete in its simplicity. When I drink tea, there is only me, and the tea. The rest of the world dissolves. There are no worries about the future. No dwelling on past mistakes. Tea is simple: Loose-leaf tea, hot pure water, a cup. I inhale the scent, tiny delicate pieces of the tea floating above the cup. I drink the tea, the essence of the leaves becoming a part of me. I am informed by the tea, changed. This is the act of life, in one pure moment, and in this act the truth of the world suddenly becomes revealed; all the complexity, pain, drama of life is a pretense, invented in our minds for no good purpose. There is only the tea, and me, converging.”

This is just one of the ways we can consciously choose to help calm and center our mind, and invite a moment of stillness and ease into your day.

You can practice a tea meditation during anytime of the day — perhaps you try it in the morning (or coffee!) to start your day with PRESENCE enjoy it in the middle of the day for increased FOCUS AND CLARITY, or end your day with the PRACTICE for a more PEACEFUL mindset for a better night’s sleep.

#MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #Mindfulness #MajorDepressiveDisorder #BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #MoodDisorders #Depression #Anxiety #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #Cancer #ChronicFatigue #Selfcare #Fibromyalgia #ChronicPain #Selfharm #Grief #SuicideAttemptSurvivors #SuicidalIdeation #SuicidalThoughts #Suicide #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #PTSD #Trauma #Headache #Migraine #RareDisease #Addiction #Disability #IfYouFeelHopeless #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #ADHD #EatingDisorders #MightyTogether #Caregiving

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1 of 9 Foundational Attitudes/Principles of Mindfulness

But, first a quote from Jon Kabat-Zinn who introduced these principles

“It is only when the mind is open and receptive that learning and seeing and change can occur.”
Kabat-Zinn, 2005, p. 31

Beginner’s Mind -The attitude of intentionally seeing things around you as if for the first time, by shedding our expectations and preconceptions and welcoming the possibility of a new moment, one that has never been seen before.

Curiosity, simplicity; Rather than coming to a situation with the weight of past ideas and experiences, the beginner’s mind asks you to arrive knowing that you do not know everything. As no moment is the same as another, every moment allows you a chance to learn. Being open and curious can help save you from being stuck in a rut.

#MentalHealth #MajorDepressiveDisorder #Anxiety #Depression #ChronicIllness #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #Mindfulness #BipolarDepression #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Trauma #ChronicFatigue #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #BipolarDisorder #Selfcare #Selfharm #Grief #SuicidalIdeation #SuicidalThoughts #SuicideAttemptSurvivors #Suicide #CheckInWithMe #DistractMe #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Cancers #ADHD #Fibromyalgia #ChronicPain #Caregiving #MoodDisorders #Addiction #PostpartumDisorders #Agoraphobia #SocialAnxiety #Loneliness #Headache #Migraine #AnorexiaNervosa #RareDisease #EatingDisorders #IfYouFeelHopeless

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Fragments of Me: A Personal Story About My Life with Borderline Personality Disorder

I can’t remember exactly how it began.

If I’m being honest, I blacked a lot of it out.

Was it the first mental breakdown I had at 5 years old, crying and pulling my hair out of frustration because I couldn’t figure out how to style my hair in pigtails? Was it when I surrendered to the cold razor blade for the first time at 12 years old? Was it when I had my first drop of alcohol at the age of 14, letting it consume my life for the next 18 years? Or was it my first toxic relationship that I desperately held onto for nearly almost two decades?

Couldn’t tell you.

All I know is I was born different.

I grew up in a household that seemed normal on the outside. Two conservative, hardworking parents that migrated to the U.S. in the 70’s. I was born in 1991. We had a house in the suburbs. I had two older siblings that were involved in extracurricular activities, and a younger sibling that we all adored.

I felt like an outsider though. Not sure why.

It could be the large age gap between my siblings and I, or the fact that my parents were too busy working and rarely home. Regardless, I was a natural-born loner.

As I grew older and developed a social life, I found myself in a cycle with unstable relationships and eventually burning bridges with nearly everyone in my life. I took things more personally than what a “normal” person would, and often had episodes of intense anger and emotional instability that drove people away from my life. It didn’t take much to set me off. It could be as little as not being in on an inside joke or included in dinner plans that would trigger me. I was labeled as selfish and dramatic. I used alcohol, partying, and sex to cope with my feelings of emptiness which of course did nothing but left me feeling even more lost.

I didn’t know who I was.

I changed my hair and wardrobe often.

I switched from one genre of music to another.

I would go from developing several hobbies to suddenly not being interested in anything at all.

Every day I longed for a purpose that I depended on romantic partners for.

It wasn’t until 2019 after a suicide attempt during a traumatic breakup that I sought professional help. I was diagnosed at 29 years old with Borderline Personality Disorder. I had all 9 main symptoms of a borderline: 1) fear of abandonment, 2) unstable relationships, 3) unclear or shifting self-image, 4) impulsive, self-destructive behaviors, 5) self-harm, 6) extreme emotional swings, 7) chronic feelings of emptiness, 8) explosive anger, and finally, 9) feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality such as constant feelings of paranoia about others’ motives.

Since then, I’ve been on my journey of self-discovery, healing, and love.

To be completely transparent, I still feel lonely at times even after years of therapy and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy). Today I am 33 years old. My life for the most part has improved. I cut down on alcohol. I’m in my first healthy relationship with someone who I went to high school with. He is a bright shining light in my life who always makes me laugh and motivates me to be better. I have two supportive best friends that love and accept me for who I am. I landed my first role in cybersecurity and am well on my way to having my dream career. I learned healthy communication skills and to not take things too personally anymore. However, I still struggle with managing my emotions. I get triggered from time to time, but I no longer let it cloud my positive thinking or take away all the hard work I put into building a good life for myself.

I accept that I may never be “fixed” or completely healed. Every day I’m going to have to put in more work than an average person to manage my life, and that’s completely okay. Accepting my diagnosis was the hardest part, but learning more about it has helped me understand myself better. Now I don't feel so misunderstood or alone anymore.

I want every borderline to know that you can live a happy and healthy life. Don't give up. It'll get better. I wholeheartedly believe that because it happened to me, as I know it will for you.

#BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #BPD #Recovery #MentalHealth #IfYouFeelHopeless #selfcare #Selfharm #MightyTogether #Anxiety #Depression

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Gasp! The human is giving me scratches!!! Can she read my mind?! 🤣

Cute Lil Rosie Fluff on a lazy Saturday ✨️✨️

I do love my puppy snuggles 💕

Thinking of each and everyone of you, my Mighty's, as we do all we can to improve our lifes, however that looks.
Life is brighter knowing we are Not in this alone, knowing that there is hope, and that we can Lways find beauty on our darkest of days.

We were created this way because our life needed to specifically be ours. We always have the opportunity to improve ourselves and heal past hurts.

One day, tomorrow a new dawn. Deep breaths, bring it on!!!

Or rest up for tomorrow 😉 you know yourself best! ❤️❤️❤️

#AmplifiedMusculoskeletalPainSyndrome #Arthritis #Asthma #Anxiety #AnkylosingSpondylitis #bedbound #BoneSplints #CheerMeOn #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #CheckInWithMe #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #ComplexRegionalPainSyndrome #IfYouFeelHopeless #Upallnight #Depression #Disability #DistractMe #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #Endometriosis #Fibromyalgia #GastroesophagealRefluxDisease #Grief #gallstones #HypothyroidismUnderactiveThyroidDisease #Hypersomnia #HighBloodPressure #Headache #chronicheadache #Insomnia #JuvenileRheumatoidArthritis #Lymphedema #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #PTSD #Psoriasis #PsoriaticArthritis #Psychosis #plantarfasciitis #PanicAttack #PanicAttacks #MentalHealth #MightyPets #MemoryLoss #MightyTogether #Migraine #musclespasms #MultipleAutoimmuneSyndrome #RareDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #SuicidalThoughts #Scoliosis #sciatica #ShinSplints

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What do you do?

What do you do when you tell all family members and reach out to get help for mental health problems and they tell you to have you tried not being sad. I even had my mom knowing I'm using a cane, and on bed rest 90% of the time tell me, well you should just clean and do more housework.... As I'm uncontrollably sobbing. I'm just lost in life. I feel like all my hopes and dreams what I loved to do and what I've wanted to do is all gone. I can't even shower because it hurts the pressure to hit my skin. Heading to homeless in.. 12 days. I have still tried to get help. And idk what to do. I honestly just want to lay in a ditch and just give up. #ChronicFatigue #MentalHealth #Anxiety #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #CheckInWithMe #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #IfYouFeelHopeless

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I'm NOT okay #Depression #Anxiety #ChronicPain #IfYouFeelHopeless #CheckInWithMe

The past two months I've been having severe breakdowns. I'm going to be homeless October 15th. I'm waiting for disability acceptance. I have no help from parents, no help from distance relatives. I've signed up and called not kidding,over 100 different places and online forms to try to get any help. I am on a cane and can hardly walk. I'm usually on bed rest 99% of the times for I have multiple chronic illnesses. I've reached out to the closest people I have to tell them I'm not okay mentally... Even posted on Facebook to get some kind of even validation of feelings or to be heard and nobody cares. I'm so stressed it's just making my flares worse. I don't even have a winter jacket or any clothes to wear in coldness. I've looked around for places like that to. I have no children so most of them all I get pushed to bottom of all lists. I'm not ok...

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My best Rosie girl who is so dear to me!

Seeing that big grin on her face even as she sleeps makes my whole soul happy 😊

Knowing I can't have children makes my fur children ever more dear.

So many blessings in looking for the light behind the clouds.

I gave her a nickname of Pill because she is what my doctors should have ordered! 🤣

It still makes me laugh when I think of the reason of her nickname. She is also sassy so sometimes she is a pill 😂

When life is hard, humour helps you laugh away that stress and fear!

Rosie always tries to make me laugh so we have a Lot of games that only us two get.

I am very blessed to have this sweet darling by my side 24/7!
We have each other's back and it is a priceless friendship to get to enjoy 💕💖💕💖✨️

#AmplifiedMusculoskeletalPainSyndrome #Arthritis #Asthma #Anxiety #AnkylosingSpondylitis #bedbound #BoneSplints #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #CheckInWithMe #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #ComplexRegionalPainSyndrome #Depression #Disability #DistractMe #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #Endometriosis #Eczema #Fibromyalgia #GastroesophagealRefluxDisease #Grief #gallstones #HypothyroidismUnderactiveThyroidDisease #Hypersomnia #HighBloodPressure #JuvenileRheumatoidArthritis #Insomnia #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #PTSD #Psoriasis #PsoriaticArthritis #Psychosis #PanicAttack #PanicAttacks #plantarfasciitis #MentalHealth #MightyPets #MightyTogether #Migraine #Upallnight #IfYouFeelHopeless #RareDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #SuicidalThoughts #Scoliosis #Sleepwalking #sciatica #ShinSplints #WakingNightmares

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