Share this:

Thoughts Become Realities

 

Change Your Life   :   Get Motivated!

 

First, let’s find out what the importance of motivation exactly is. Simply put, motivation is the reason or reasons a person has for acting or behaving in a particular way. This basically means there is some driving force that pushes you to achieve your goals and go after what you want in life. As long as you have motivation, you can achieve almost anything that you want from life. However, for a lot of people finding motivation is easier said than done. One of the most common traps people fall into is looking for short-cuts to achieve their goals. According to popular opinion to be an expert in any aspect of life have the most time invested in their craft. This same concept of motivation applies to making changes in your life. The reality is that change is difficult because, in all probability, you have been in your current situation for a while and your habits are deeply ingrained in you. So how can you develop motivation in life? If you wish to accomplish a goal be it short-term or long-term in nature.  If you want to change your life for the better here are a few things that you should keep in mind:

 

 

 

Focus on one goal at a time:

This should be partnered with the fact that you should make sure that your short-term goals all help in achieving your long-term goals.

 

Block out any negative influences:

Make sure that you are completely blocking out any negative influences in your life. If you feel that you are being distracted from your goal by a problem which does not seem to go away, ask yourself what you can do to eliminate such a challenge and distraction in your life.

 

Conquering Your Fears:

We all have hidden fears or anxieties that can keep you from changing are lives. Once you isolate the unknowns and make yourself confident you can start on the path to changing your life.

 

Get excited:

This sounds easy, but most people don’t think about it if you want to break out of a slump, get yourself excited about a goal.

 

Think about it daily:

If you think about your goal every day, it is much more likely to become true. A quote I believe to be true is “Thoughts Become Reality”. This simply means that if you keep believing in something and speaking it into existence.

 

Overcoming problems:

The worst killer of motivation is facing a seemingly small problem that creates endless frustration. Reframe little problems that must be fixed as bigger ones, or they will kill any drive you have.

 

Develop a successful mindset:

This is a very key component to find motivation once you have a successful mindset you can easily find motivation.

 

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

Dr. M Williams PhD Psy

312-972-WELL

 

HealthWellnessAssociates@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=health%20and%20wellness%20associates

 

 

 

Being a Sober Mom is the Greatest Gift

Being a Sober Mom is the Greatest Gift

 

Story by Maggie Shores

Many people continue to believe that alcohol addiction is a character flaw or a weakness in a person. They may believe that the alcoholic simply cannot hold their booze and should just stop! But there are many factors as to why a person continues to use despite the negative consequences. This seems to be more prevalent when it affects women and mothers, which in turn makes it extremely difficult to come to terms with and admit the there is a problem. Many women drink in hiding in fear of the stigma from family, friends and the society, and especially being labeled as bad mothers.

 

The idea of possibly being an alcoholic was extremely difficult to accept for me, especially since my biological mom was an alcoholic and my family disowned her when I was only four years old. Not understanding the disease of alcoholism and confused about what made my mom choose drinking over taking care of me, I held the same uneducated beliefs towards her as my family did. Because mothers are supposed to be the rocks of the family; we are the nurtures and the peacekeepers, the tear wipers, and the scrape healers. We are not supposed to have “drinking problems.”

 

In the beginning, as I became a mom, I did not worry much about my drinking. I thought that it just helped me cope with the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting and taking care of an infant. I thought I was more relaxed and fun and not so completely worn out all the time. I thought that at the end of the day I needed to relax and have all the stress and worry melt away – just like we often see parents do on TV. Instead I found myself drunk and often in blackouts, and not capable of taking care of my daughter.

 

And yet, with a huge amount of denial, and not wanting to be like my alcoholic mom, I tried in any way possible to be a responsible drinker; there were rules, and times, and amounts, all to be considered in a sneaky plot against my insidious tyrant – alcohol! However, even with all this maddening planning, I was never able to drink like a

normal person.

 

I wish I could say that I was able to get sober for my kids, but I was not. It was a long struggle and I was stuck in a vicious cycle of beating myself up and not understanding my disease – my disease did not have any limits, my disease did not care who I was, or what I did, or who I hurt – my disease just wanted me drunk at all costs, and at the same time I did not want to be “that mother either.”

 

After a massive battle with my ego, I finally surrendered, and I got sober! I do know that the need for me to be a mom to my little girl was an enormous determining factor, yet it took me hitting my absolute bottom to finally accept my alcoholism and get help. I was fortunate enough, to go to women only rehab where I learned how to be a sober parent and how to live a sober life. I am so very grateful for all that I have gone through in my journey to sobriety; it has made me a stronger woman and a better mom.

 

Today, one of the most amazing things about being in recovery is that I now get to be a sober parent! I have a daughter who was born when I was still drinking and two boys who I had when I was sober. The difference between being a sober parent and a parent in the midst of alcoholism is immeasurable. Truly, I cannot even put it into a comparison. When I was drinking, the drink was the most important and nothing would stand in my way of it. I was constantly rushing to get things done so I could drink. I was not present for anything. I was not there for my daughter, or her needs, neither for any of my needs. I was unfit as a mother.

 

I have also found that sobriety alone is my biggest strength in parenting. Parenting is hard. It is non-stop, and it is demanding. However, being sober keeps my mind completely clear to take on the day-to-day challenges. It also allows me to have some amazing moments with my kids, moments that I will remember and cherish forever, moments that if I were still drinking, I would not be able to ever experience.

 

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

Dr. M Williams PhD Psy

312-972-WELL

 

HealthWellnessAssociates@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=health%20and%20wellness%20associates

Yoga for Mental Health

It is a well known fact that exercise is beneficial for stress relief, anxiety and  depression, but yoga is one of the best. Yoga combines strength and flexibility exercises with meditation and relaxation…a winning combination if you’re fighting depression or anxiety.

5 Reasons to use Yoga for Mental Health

1. Yoga slows down breathing and heart rates, which lowers blood pressure
2. It has been proven that yoga helps to boost GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which slows down brain activity, enabling you to relax. A one-hour session can increase GABA by 27% .
3. Research indicates that regular use of yoga can lead to improved mood, reduced anxiety and anger reduction in people suffering from depression .  One study found that one 12 minute yoga session daily, for 8 weeks, can reduce inflammation. Inflammation is a known risk factor for depression .
4. Yoga raises the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This is a type of protein that stimulates the development of new brain cells.
5. Yoga can improve memory and concentration. Doing just one 20 minute Hatha yoga session was shown to improve memory better than any other form of exercise.

Health and Wellness Associates

Archived

Dr. M Williams PhD Psy

312-972-WELL

 

HealthWellnessAssociates@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=health%20and%20wellness%20associates