2014 Blogger Challenge #1: Inspiration

It's a new year, I'm one year older, and I'm ready to keep on working on my peace of mind, my happiness, and managing my OCD and anxiety this year.

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season! Cheers to the New Year!

Today is my first post of the #2014bloggerchallenge! The topic of today's post is to post a picture or a quote that helps to motivate me in my life. I had a bumpy few weeks not too long ago with my OCD and anxiety and wrote about how much music motivates me to keep on keeping on, to help me get my emotions out when I need to, and to remember that I'm not alone. 

I also hope the ideas in this post will help to motivate me to keep up with my art journal resolution for 2014!!

Two things that really motivate me are inspirational quotes and pictures. I love a good quote that can cheer me up when I'm down or keep my mind in check when I'm having a bad anxiety day. Anything to help me remember I'm doing what I can in life to be the best me helps make me feel like my goals for myself are always in reach. I also love looking at pictures. Pictures can say so much--words and stories and feelings can create so much emotion inside of you. That can really help you get through something when you need it most. 

Here are a few quotes and pictures that inspire me in different ways:

Quotes

In My Life:

The biggest thing lately that has helped me to calm my OCD and anxiety is to remind myself to step back from a difficult situation, from daily life, from a huge to-do list, etc., and JUST BREATHE. Sometimes life starts moving a little too quickly and my anxiety and my OCD loop just creep up on me. Taking a moment to stop what I'm doing and breathe allows me a second to get the distance I need from a situation or a thought to gain perspective and gain control back of my emotions or of my thoughts. 

This has been the first thought in my mind when I feel my anxiety coming on: breathe first and then figure out what to do.

Sometimes I forget about the many things that I've done in my life, and how there have been a lot of challenges that I've gotten through and overcome. I had no idea that I could make it through some of them, but I did. I'm here and I'm still going. I need to remind myself of this more often.

This is one of the biggest keys to controlling my OCD and anxiety. When life presents itself with a situation that makes me anxious or anxiety strikes without warning, I have to remember to use what I know to get it all under control. It's not trying to figure out where my anxiety is coming from or why it happened; I need to do my best to control it and keep myself calm. I've been doing really well with this. It's great to remind myself that it works!!

I love this one! It is a great reminder of why I created this blog!!

As a Teacher:

From Iqbal by Francesco D'Adamo. This is an amazing fictional account based on the true-life story of a child slave (Iqbal) in Pakistan. This part of the book where one of the characters learns to read is so inspiring to me as a teacher. It just reminds me how much I LOVE my job!!

from page 78:

Pictures

These pictures of my husband and my puppies motivate me to keep doing the things that make me happy and working on my OCD and anxiety, even though it isn't always easy. Ever since I started working so hard on my anxiety and doing the things that make me happy again, I've completely been a happier person. I've been calmer, more easy going (not that I wasn't before, but I didn't feel like myself). And I do feel more life myself. These pictures remind me why I'm doing this--I want to be happy, and I feel so much better. I don't want to go back to the way I was feeling.

Video

And finally, a short video of me and my sister that makes me smile and inspires me every time I watch it! When my dad was sick with brain cancer, he would always sing the song, "Dancing in the Moonlight" to me and my sisters and my mom. He got so excited every time he sang it; he would dance in his hospital bed, pretend to dance with my mom, and get so excited when he sang it. He was always so cheerful, even though he was so sick. When he passed away, we had "Dancing in the Moonlight" put on his gravestone with a picture of him and my mom and three roses engraved next to it symbolizing us, his three daughters. 

We hear "Dancing in the Moonlight" played in random places whenever we needed a pick-me-up. We feel like my dad is talking to us and telling us he's here watching over us. I love hearing this song. Here's a time Rachael and I caught it on tape. I love watching this video back. It makes me smile and inspires me to stay happy!

Happy January everyone! 

Love and happiness <3 Holly