The skin you're in ...

[Fewormany]

have we mentioned getting enough sleep/rest???...

SO important!!!...
i am SUCH a grouch when i don't sleep well......

Very true. I have some sleeping issues that come and go, and I really don't appreciate my sleep enough. Until I can't sleep

It's all about taking care of yourself. Eating healthy, sleeping enough, laughing, doing the things you love to do, ect.

 

[softgrey]

i got an ipod...

* i know...i know...
i am really late to the party on this one...


but it's good to have music to 'keep me company' as i run errands and such...
it definitely helps my mood and i walk with more of a spring in my step when i am listening to a happy song...

or it keeps me calm to listen to thelonius monk while i am waiting for a train that is taking way too long in the sweltering heat...



music hath charms to soothe the savage beast...

 

[luluposh]

This is a great thread!

I have a few things that i do religiously that help me through the day, to make me feel calmer and clear my thoughts;

First thing when I wake up, and before I go to bed I have a cup of hot water w freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice. I always eat a banana first thing too.

I do about 30 minutes of stretches before I have a shower, along with exercises during the day so I am not too inactive.

I listen to music and sing (and dance too when I am alone) it really helps me.

I write letters, to my boyfriend or best friend just to get thoughts out of my head and onto paper to make them clearer, although I don't send the letters

 

[fashionista-ta]

I came across this today ... you've probably heard that there are only two basic motivations, love and fear, and everything's better when you're acting out of love ... but this little comparison from Martha Beck's column in O really spells it out better than anything I've ever seen ... an easy way to tell the difference.

FEAR
Always feels bad
Motivates grasping
Seizes control
Insists on certainty
Needs everything

LOVE
Always feels good
Motivates liberation
Relaxes control
Accepts uncertainty
Needs nothing

 

[softgrey]

so-

i have found an excercise program that works for me..
and i am shocked...SHOCKED...i tell you...
i cannot believe how much better i look and feel...
not just physically...but mentally as well...

as my body gets stronger..my mind is getting stronger as well...
and my confidence level has increased tremendously...
i just FEEL stronger and better...

this is great!
i could kick myself for not doing it sooner!!!...
...

all those people telling you that exercise is the most important thing are SO completely right!

 

[Modemoiselle]

really sounds great, softgrey what kind of exercise program is it which makes you so happy and feeling better about everything?

 

[ElleLesley]

all those people telling you that exercise is the most important thing are SO completely right!

So true, I know whenever I fail to go to the gym for whatever reason I feel so... frumpy. Just a week ago I was on a trip to Boston with my family and I ate an incredible amount of bake goods. Seriously, I gotta stay away from Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks next time I'm in the States Unfortunately it's showing on my face, I'm all broken out from the sugar and not enough of drinking water over than juice and pop. Bahh, just when my face was clearing up too and school starts next week for me

Anyhow, Monday I'm back at the gym, the sweat and exercise should help out some, think I could use a bit of a wake up from post vacation eating habits and overall laziness.

 

[Belowen]

softie... what is this miracle workout?!

I have never felt more beautiful than when my daughter is in bed with me and stroking my hair and my face and I can hear her breathing in the dark. I honestly believe that love, and the connections we make with people really make us who we are. And the relationship I have with my daughter is so beautiful - which makes me feel beautiful in turn...

 

[ediewho]

i usually like to listen music that makes my mood going up... and try things... i tend to throw clothes away if i don't have an straight idea of the outfit itself haha... sometimes i do stick into the same song and i go here and there singing it...
the thing is you feeling right on your skin depends on your mood... and what are you gonna do... usually when i picked up a temporary depressing job i used to dress depressing hahaha... which made it more depressing...

i think the way you wear and how comfortable do you feel on what you are wearing it... makes a lot difference in how do you move, act or even take decisions... and i don't want to make like a big deal of dressing up but even being a big time refuser of the coolness.. i don't mean that of wear cooool...i mean whatever you wear feel yourself and not like you are putting some other peoples clothes... or some clothes of a person that you don't really wanna be... I hope it didnt turn into a rant too cryptic

 

[fashionista-ta]

I have never felt more beautiful than when my daughter is in bed with me and stroking my hair and my face and I can hear her breathing in the dark. I honestly believe that love, and the connections we make with people really make us who we are. And the relationship I have with my daughter is so beautiful - which makes me feel beautiful in turn...

I love that

 

[softgrey]

:...
it's no miracle B..
i read online that the best exercise is anything that you will actually DO...

so i did some research and i just tried a bunch of things..
running, bicycling, lots of walking, etc...

until i finally hit on something that stuck...
it's just a 1/2 hour fitness program on tv that i do in my loft...no biggie...
but it focuses on just what i need and it's not so overwhelming that i can't deal with it..
plus i like what they wear and the music...

and i don't have to schlep to the gym and back


and i tried to do something each day, even if it's just taking a long walk or short bike ride...

and as my body started getting stronger...
i just started feeling better..

plus i am super into proper nutrition and making sure that my brain gets enough good nutrients...

when you combine this with a healthy, positive attitude, it's a combo that can't really lose...

i am also really organizing my 'stuff'...which is also good for 'clearing the cobwebs'...
getting my stuff in order feels like i am getting my life in order, by extension...
and my head on straight...
feels mighty good, my friends...

...


B- what you said about your daughter is truly beautiful...

 

[chanelnumber5]

softie... what is this miracle workout?!

I have never felt more beautiful than when my daughter is in bed with me and stroking my hair and my face and I can hear her breathing in the dark. I honestly believe that love, and the connections we make with people really make us who we are. And the relationship I have with my daughter is so beautiful - which makes me feel beautiful in turn...

Gosh, that is so lovely (I'll admit it made me tear up a little!)

I am currently trying to begin a major 're-structuring' of my life as I have been going through a 'rough patch' recently and hoping that it will finally let me accept and feel better about myself and generally be a happy person again!

I have started some what by 'culling' some so called 'friends'. For a long time I stayed in what are probably best described as 'toxic friendships' (one for 15 years, which made me so unhappy) that were just so negative and urghh. I finished school in July and cut of contact with most of these people - 15 year friend included - as the main reason why I maintained these friendships was in order to prevent it from being uncomfortable when we had to see each other on a daily basis. I am now civil to these people when I end up seeing them (either by coincidence or at an event where we are all together), but other than that I don't see them and it is such a relief - I feel physically like there has been a weight lifted off my shoulders. Until recently I did feel guilty about it, but then I realised that I deserve so much better than people who constantly try to put me down and who only take rather than give. Although the 'cull' does mean I only really have four close friends, I actually find this preferable as it is amazing to have genuine friends who really care about me and like me for who I am

I'm also about to embark on a major decluttering of my things as like softgrey said it really helps to bring clarity in my head. I'm going to try to start thinking positively about myself and my life - hopefully yoga and meditation will help me do this - as well as starting to do 'positive affirmations'. Hopefully, I will also get motivated to eat more healthily and start exercising again, as this makes such a difference physically (I feel so lifeless and unenergised right now) and mentally (particularly with self image). I need to get creative - start reading, writing and listening to music again. I think I'll also take up the idea someone posted of listing goals for today/the week/month/year/life(!), as I've been falling so directionless and out of control of my life I figure it is high time that I start to seize control again and this is a good way to start doing that and living my life again.

I love this thread and the advice everyone has given (particularly fashionista-ta, you seem to have everything figured out!)

(Applogies for the length and non-style relatedness of this post )

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Always a work in progress

You make an excellent point about friends ... I have had to do that myself. I'm not sure if I was getting more positive or they were getting more negative (or both), but ... it was time. Sometimes ya gotta do it ...

We have a clutter-clearing thread btw that you may like ...

 

[Melisande]

:...

and as my body started getting stronger...
i just started feeling better..

plus i am super into proper nutrition and making sure that my brain gets enough good nutrients...

when you combine this with a healthy, positive attitude, it's a combo that can't really lose...

i am also really organizing my 'stuff'...which is also good for 'clearing the cobwebs'...
getting my stuff in order feels like i am getting my life in order, by extension...
and my head on straight...
feels mighty good, my friends...

...


B- what you said about your daughter is truly beautiful...

Ooh, I love being on an upwards spiral! When the positive changes just seem to feed each other. I had that very same excercise revelation recently too. And that's when you realize for the first time how amiss things were before, "how could I have lived like that?? "

chanelnumber5, sounds good! I guarantee that yoga and meditation will help you in ways you've never dreamed. I've doing yoga/breathing/meditation most mornings for over six years, it's totally changed my life. Good luck with the changes! I'm also at a very big transitional time... major de-cluttering and taking care of past "karmic debts" can seem daunting sometimes...but as I see no other way forward, no choice but to grit my teeth and plod on...and well, I try to see it as exciting.

I've taken a tip from this thread and started listening to upbeat music mornings, it's great!

and yes, what a beautiful image Belowen...

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ It is exciting

 

[softgrey]

hmm...
i got the flu or bronchitis and totally got off track...
couldn't work out and got stressed...
plus i lost my bicycling buddy...she's not available these days...
...

i need to re-focus and get things moving back in the right direction...
...

have started doing work around the house to be more active..
am painting part of the apt
*12 foot ceilings means this is no small feat

 

[laika]

softgrey, i got the same flu thing at the end of last week.
I was on such a roll and had even added a couple
extra long walks to to my workout schedule,
but then i got really busy, had to travel and finally got sick from exhaustion.
So i've done nothing but walk to and from work for the past three weeks.
And of course the stress of not exercising is piling up with all the rest...



Next week will be better though....

 

[Lilystorm]

painting the appartment will certainly change your mood, when i painted my appartment I ve spend an hour just staring at the walls...
Today I ve discover that I have some serious health issues. I have a thing that am not sure if it’s curable, actually I think its not. I don’t know how to handle it. I used to think that I could mentally handle anything but I don’t know what to do now

 

[softgrey]

lily- i hope that everything is ok with you since you wrote your last post!


well -
the painting is done and so are some other things that have come up along the way...
and yes- i did sit and stare at it for awhile and am really pleased with the results!
it was all worth it!!!

i have a LONG list of things that i want to do around the house really...
but it is getting shorter and shorter and every time i cross something off the list it gives me a boost!...

setting goals and achieving them is a great feeling...
it doesn't matter how big (or small) the goal is...

 

[papa_levante]

I love this thread, softgrey.

I feel like a bad a** when I just dance around the room while getting ready for school/work/going out. If I can do a sexy hair swoosh somehow, as if I were a celebrity with a fan blowing my hair around to take a sexy picture, I feel hawt. B)