Tag: writing

Blog

5 Ways to Incorporate Self-Care

Casey Mansfield

If one of your goals/resolutions is to practice self-care, here are 5 things you can do:

  • Go Outside. As little as 5 minutes helps to reduce stress and release dopamine.
  • Stick to a bedtime.
  • Yoga…even just 5 minutes!
  • Aromatherapy is wonderful for producing a calming sense of relaxation. Essential oils, scented lotions, or candles can be used.
  • Journaling helps keep us self-aware. Entries can range from reflection, gratitude, or even a to-do list. Here are some daily prompts to get started:
Blog

Building Resilience

Casey Mansfield

Sometimes “life happens.”  We must remember things/events are temporary.  Being flexible in life allows us to bend.  “If you do not bend, you break.”

Resilience is the characteristic of adapting and pushing through adversity.  APA lists 10 ways to help build resilience:

Make connections.  Accept help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you.  Being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope.

Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems.  You can’t change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events.  Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better.

Accept that change is a part of living.  Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations.  Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.

Move toward your goals.  Develop realistic goals.  Do something regularly — even if it seems small — that enables you to move toward your goals.  Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, “What’s one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?”

Take decisive actions.  Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.

Look for opportunities for self-discovery.  People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss.  They grow in ways including having better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.

Nurture a positive view of yourself.  Develop confidence in your ability to solve problems and trust your instincts.

Keep things in perspective.  Try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective.

Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life.  Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.

Take care of yourself.  Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing.  Exercise regularly.  We must learn to acknowledge when to take action to deal with problems and also when to step back to rest and re-energize.

Additional ways of strengthening resilience: 1) Writing about your deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in life.  2) Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.

Blog

Remember the Basics

Casey Mansfield

Teenagers are like toddlers. If they do not receive the “basics,” they throw a tantrum or become “moody.” A regular schedule, wholesome meals, plenty of sleep, and exercise are ways to help with children and teens’ moods.  Check Out the Three Basics

Also, consider brain development. The frontal lobe is the last area of the brain to develop, and this occurs in the early 20s. This region is where impulse control, judgment, and decision-making are found.

A Few More Tips
Encourage Journaling: Explaining what and why they feel the way they do can be difficult. A daily journal can help release overwhelming emotions and/or stress in a safe and productive way.

Be Available to Talk: Do more listening and try not to lecture or demean their experience. Judgment can cause feelings of alienation resulting in them being less likely to open up in the future.

Keep Calm: Do not overreact to their tone. Teach the importance of an apology, and give one yourself if you need to.

Give Space: Sometimes, parents want to solve the situation for their child. Try stepping back and letting them figure it out. This shows trust and confidence in their choices.