My recent conundrum... I have felt disappointed in myself. I have been looking back on decisions or mistakes I have made in regards to every little and big moment of my life. I feel like we all fall into these states where we micro-analyze everything we've ever done. The largest rabbit hole to ever exist-- overthinking what is already done. While my thoughts wandered, I took a few days alone and really sat in this idea and came to a conclusion that I think we all need to hear.
We are in a constant state of evolving at all times. We are constantly learning from mistakes or wrong doings and my goodness, that makes us so beautifully human. However, realizing that what you have done in the past DOES NOT define you but rather what you've learned and how you have readjusted that tells all. Mind you, a lot of this work is done behind the scenes, so not everyone will note these changes and phases but all that matters is that you are in a constant state of evolution. Be your own cheerleader, because you are the only one that truly knows what you battle every day. I have been looking back on who I was all the way back to middle and high school and have been blaming myself for incidents that I have learned so much from. Learning things like, how to speak to someone you love, how to have those difficult conversations, how to adapt in stressful situations, and so many more things. I am not nearly the same person I was a few months ago, let alone many years. And it is because I have learned. I have adapted and I have changed. Be gracious to yourself, just as you are gracious to others. Allow yourself to learn from all that has crossed your path and all that you've experienced. Do not limit yourself to the person you USED to be. Things change, people change. Realign your worth as you change, readjust your priorities as you change, and learn to forgive yourself for things that happened in the past. Because without those challenges, you would not be where you are today. Thank yourself, because you have made it this far despite those things. We are constantly evolving and that is the true value that is held within the depths of life. Love you always, Bre <3
0 Comments
What if I had stuck to my normal routine. What if I had taken a different route to go to school. What if I had trained a bit harder. What if I studied more for that exam. What if aliens came down and landed on Earth. What if the moon exploded and unicorns roamed the Earth like humans.
We all have the tendency to "what if" ourselves into oblivion. Questioning our choices, ideas, or actions. Why do we do this? Well, we were hoping for a different outcome. We were hoping by a simple action on our behalf, that things would be different. Yet, here we are. With everything out of our control. What is done is done. So why torture ourselves with the pain of the unknown? Often times, when feeling out of control we think of these things. Marinating in these negative thoughts and comments about how we chose to do things. Do not get me wrong. Self-reflection is the key to all success however, sometimes enough is enough. My roommate, Mandy, said to me, "control the controllable". Not always are we able to change things, we wish we're different. We cannot wish more on things we cannot control. We cannot go to the past to refurbish what once was. It simply is, now. Think of these moments as opportunities for growth. An opportunity for us to take a situation that is usually undesirable and make it better. Pushing forward even when it feels the hardest. Opening our thoughts to the present rather than looking at the past. Because the best standard for change, is not letting your past self define who you are today. Things happen, events that are set-backs and push-forwards, but why sit somewhere that time has already moved away from you? Whatever decision you made, is a reflection on your thought process then, not now. Prosperity is key, choose prosperity, always. Take life by the horns, and run with it, because what if things are brighter just a few steps away? With love, Bre We have all heard and been told that "it is what it is". A statement that puts our goals out of reach because it is as if we have no control. While yes, sometimes "it is what it is". Contrary, it doesn't always have to be what it is.
To dive deeper... There are moments and challenges in life that are simply out of our hands. Whether the result had already come about or the actions are those of others, there are things we cannot control. However, it doesn't always have to be what it is. There are many times we dismiss our capabilities to submit to our subconscious telling us "it is what it is". We have an endless plethora of skills and traits that regardless of the predicted outcome, we can change. Let's say we got fired from a job. In that exact moment, it is what it is. There is nothing you will be able to do that will change this outcome for it has already passed. But, is this supposed to deter you from future opportunities that may come your way? Is this going to stop you from driving forward even with the multitude of roadblocks? Well, it can't. We lose out on so many opportunities by allowing things to happen TO us rather than FOR us. Viewing things as concrete and not an opportunity to grow only limits our capabilities. You are absolutely capable of all you hope and dream to do. You were put on this Earth and given each seed of creativity and hope to capitalize on. You wouldn't have thought it if you didn't think it was in your realm of things you could accomplish. So yes, I understand sometimes it is what it is, but does it always have to be what it is? That is for you to determine. With love, Bre “Onward and Upward”... Simply put-no. But please let me explain.
Onward. A concept that seems all too familiar to us all when it comes to any major event we may reach and endure. A word that has been spoken in a way that we are supposed to forget the past and move "onward". While, in today’s day and age, I think it is fair to say that onward is not always the best word-of-comfort when encountering a hardship. Now do not get me wrong, moving towards a better future and healthier-self, is everything I agree with. However, taking into consideration the weight that onward has in the idea that we are supposed to forget and move on, is just not how the world works. I prefer the edit to the quote, made by me, “Working towards upward and moving with aim”. Don’t worry, I won’t leave you on a whim. “Moving with aim”: Moving with aim means that through hardships and daily life, we choose to keep moving. We keep moving with aim. Aim is the idea that we go through life and with each day we discover a goal, perspective, or idea that pushes us forward because we want to see a brighter day. For example, losing my grandma. I kept moving during those tough times with the aim that one day my grief process would have been completed and I would live a brighter day. Keep in mind, during the journey I had an aim in mind, I never just moved completely forward. I remembered the hardship that I had and used it as motivation to keep moving with that goal I had in sight. Not all days did I move forward. Some days I found myself lost and distressed but regardless I allowed myself the opportunity to feel and keep in mind all I was hoping to move through during that time. The aim and movements look different for everybody and every different situation. However, the beauty behind that is that we are given the opportunity to feel, experience, and live a life where these challenges and hardships allow us to grow. “Working towards upward” Working towards upward is taking the idea that while we sit in a stage of life that differs nearly every day, we soon reach what we had aimed for and are allowed to move forward. It is like stair steps. You can move any direction you want when on them, however, when you are ready to move up a step, you are able to. Once I had reached my destination (moving through the grieving process) when it came to my grandma’s passing, I had decided it was time for me to move upward and start tackling life in a new perspective. I was looking at life in a new way, I had moved up a step. Then, I began moving again and working towards my next destination. I challenged myself to look at life and its challenges in this manor and my perspective on hardships took a turn for the better. Maybe this perspective is not for you, and that’s okay. However, even to see how others may go through their personal struggles differently than you, is eye opening in itself. Forever wishing you the best. With loads of love, and remembering that There’s Always Room For You, Bre Analogy time. Stick with me, I promise it is worth it. Picture your life as a tree. The roots keep your life nourished and provide a foundation for all growth within life. Then, the trunk of the tree that is representative of your life as a whole and your individual being. While the branches of the tree represent each of your relationships.
Starting from the roots. Roots are the foundation for all life. The roots are each of your personality traits, your culture, and everything that makes you-you. Specifically, they are the components to life that you cannot see. Hidden under the ground, and soaking up nutrients from the environment around them. Moving upwards, is the trunk of the tree. The trunk of the tree is all you experience as you move through life. The substantial events that are inevitable. All of which are controlled by each of your roots. The roots of the tree control your subconscious thoughts that allow you to make decisions and grow the trunk of your tree. Finally, we reach the branches. The branches are the relationships you develop as life moves on. Branches may fall but the right people will always find a place to grow with you. Enough of the blabbering on my behalf. The moral of this story (or analogy), is that without proper nourishment to your roots, the rest of your tree will fail to exist in the way it once did. Allow yourself to spend time on you and prioritize all that is of utter importance to you. Nourishment to your true self will allow your tree to grow taller and more branches to form as more relationships form and persevere. Not saying that the tallest tree in the forest is the best, but rather the strongest tree is most frequently the tallest because of its extensive roots. The taller the tree, the more beautiful the view from the top. Work on you for you, you deserve that beautiful view. A gift that only you can give to yourself. With love and kindness, Remember there is always room for you, Bre Kids mental health. A topic not frequently discussed but needs to be talked about 1000 times more.
Often times kids are dismissed by those older than them when discussing their mental health. Society has created this standard where "Kids are in their prime days, they have nothing to worry about" or "Kids have minimal responsibilities, how could they be struggling with mental health". These are ridiculous standards that couldn't be further from the truth. Kids struggle with mental health issues just like anyone else. The importance of mental health awareness as young as middle or elementary school is so important. (Keeping in mind the type of awareness will differ based on the age group). The chemical imbalance in a child's brain is something they frequently do not understand, they notice they are not feeling normal but can never understand why. They are not aware that their feelings can become out of their control if some kind of chemical imbalance is taking place. This is when they begin to feel alienated and feel like they cannot talk to anyone. What I stress to you is... Check up on your children, friends, and families. Let them know that their feelings are valid and that you are an ear or a shoulder for whenever the need you. I am not suggesting to dismiss the mental health problems of the older population but rather, emphasize the importance of mental health awareness for children. The future of our world is children. Allow them to grow and flourish in a society where they feel heard and acknowledged. No child should ever feel alienated or alone. With almost a year and a half of online school taking place, departure from normal life has occurred for everyone, be mindful of the toll that can place on anyone, especially those who are younger. To anyone reading this: REMEMBER there is always a place for you in this world. You are so important and special to so many people. AND to the children: I am always here if you feel no one else is. Email me, find me on social media, anything. Your voice is heard, your presence is acknowledged and you are our future. Do amazing things and prioritize yourself in the process. With love and kindness always, Bre Life has a mysterious way of slipping through your fingers at times. Time will keep ticking away yet, you feel as if you are stagnant. No matter if you are ready for it or not, life goes on. In a colossal mess of due dates, appointments, and 'to-do' lists, you often begin feeling small and insignificant because the meaning of your life has become that of fulfilling those other obligations.
STOP letting yourself get to that point. We all fall victim to this mindset, trust me I have been there. But I challenge you to this..... Take time for you. Take time to recognize why exactly you have been feeling out of sorts. Take time to notice when you began loosing balance. The time you take for yourself to self-reflect and really listen to what your heart has to say is when you can recognize and dial back those negative emotions and feel comfortable with where you are at. Life is not about making those deadlines or completing a to-do list, because each of those would not exist for you if you DIDN'T EXIST. In the least cliche way possible, you are what matters most. You are in full control of your emotions and you are the only person capable of truly taking care of yourself. There is no perfect guide to life, however, if you begin letting your mental health become that of minimal importance, you will no longer be the person that you once were. PRIORITIZE YOU! Who cares about any other subjective things, because this world without the mentally present YOU, is a world that feels. dull. You come first, you always have come first, and you always will come first. Give yourself the grace and kindness that you give to everyone else when you start feeling small. Life is an unforgiving time clock and the more time you spend losing yourself the less time you will have to embrace all that makes you... YOU. There always has been, and always will be room for you in this beautiful world. Never forget it:) XOXO, Bre Life goes on. People and events will consistently go on around you as if you are a statue in the center of chaos. However, where you decide to lie your priorities is what determines the true meaning and plot of your life. While putting all your energy into those around you is inspiring, without true love and energy put into yourself life loses meaning. The constant outpouring of energy into everyone else will ultimately drain you. You have to be sure the foundation of your own self-love and care is sustainable before you begin to disperse your energy. I am not saying that you could never place your energy into someone else, however, it is most important that your foundation is strong and healthy to be sure that you do not run yourself dry. There may be days where your foundation is strong and there may be days where you do not have enough energy for yourself to give it to someone else and that is OKAY. That is life. The ins and outs of everyday life will cause fluctuation in your foundation. However, at the end of the day, your priority must lie with yourself and your well-being.
I truly believe a life full of meaning stems from where you set your priorities. Putting yourself first will allow your emotional foundation to be stable enough to spread your energy. You deserve happiness, you deserve love, and you deserve to live a life of abundance. xoxo, Bre The importance of abundance in life goes deeper than what it may come across as.
When thinking of abundance it is common to associate it with money or objects. However, I associate abundance with emotions and feelings. Living life plainly may get you by, however, it will not leave you living a life you are excited and passionate about. I choose to see life as an opportunity to better yourself and grow. Adventuring the multiple platforms of different emotions is pivotal to living an abundant life. Exploring what makes you happy, so you can pursue that feeling, pushes you closer to abundance. Acknowledging what makes you upset will allow you to keep yourself in a healthy mental state as you stay away from those unhealthy situations. Choosing to partake in situations where you feel most yourself pushes you towards bliss and feeling the abundance you deserve. Abundance is not a measure of objects you have or wealth you acquire. Abundance is the emotional adventure that will lead you to a life that you feel most yourself in. Life without abundance is dull, and you owe it to yourself to feel and pursue all that makes you feel whole. The life you live is centered around interactions of all types.
The interactions you have with others, the Earth, your surroundings and yourself. Keeping those interactions genuine and pure will provide you with a life full of meaning. Recognizing that those interactions are important and impact many people and things positively is imperative. Without you, there is a void left in this Earth. You were created for a reason. You are here to have those interactions with others. All you bring to this world, including your energy and grace, leaves the world a better place. To have bad days, is part of life. To feel you lack importance is common when you do not acknowledge all the interactions you partake in. Never forget your worth, and remember that even on the bad days, your existence makes the world whole and with that being said-the room for you will never cease to exist. xoxo, Bre |
AuthorBreanna Stewart Archives
May 2023
Categories |