The benefits of positivity always lead to growth. Positivity and positive thinking are the best ways to deal with stress, handle anxiety, and send you on the path to better mental health. When I practice this one thing my everyday anxiety is counteracted with the effects of positive thinking.
When your mind gets into a negative rut it’s hard to find a way out and hose off the mud. In the past I have been stuck fighting my anxiety all day, being sad for no reason, and left feeling depressed as I tried to get out of the rut. I tried audio affirmations, daily affirmation apps, articles with “50 positive affirmations,” but nothing helped my anxiety problems and anxiety worry.
What is it that stops my anxiety in its tracks?
The answer is putting pen to paper and changing my perspective by putting positive thoughts on repeat in my head instead of letting the negative thoughts run amuck. But how can you do this when the negative thoughts are screaming at you?
Combat the negative thinking with short positive affirmations & mantras that are easy to remember, unique to you, and can fit on a sticky note.
The only thing that helped me was writing down my own affirmations that spoke to what I was feeling, seeing, experiencing and going through.
Developing a positive inner dialogue is one of the most actionable and productive ways people with strong mental health take care of themselves. They flex that muscle of positive thinking, over and over, repeating positive and attainable affirmations. This is the key to drowning out the negative thoughts that were holding them back and that you might find are holding you back too.
A friend of mine often says to her husband, children and students, “Whatever you’re feeling is okay.” Sometimes all we need is a little reminder that it’s okay that we are feeling. This message alone “Whatever you’re feeling is OK.” is a powerful simple positive affirmation and mantra that we all need in our back pockets.
“Whatever you’re feeling is okay.”
Tara Sytsma
Positive Thinking in the form of Positive Affirmations and Mantras are some of the foundations of certain therapy models and can be found in C.B.T. Cognitive Behavior Therapy and in 12 Step Rehabilitation Programs.
Affirmations for Mental Health can help combat extreme anxiety attacks, managing panic attacks, the manifestation of depression, and help with feelings of despair. Positive Thinking Affirmations & Mantras help you find happiness, reduce stress, improve confidence, develop a positive attitude and triumphantly overcome stress.
So what is the difference between a mantra and an affirmation, aren’t they interchangeable?
man·tra /ˈmantrə/
Mantra comes from Sanskrit, Hinduism and Buddhism. A mantra is a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation and can be found in Vedic Hymns. In Sanskrit, literally ‘a thought, thought behind speech or action’, from man- ‘think’, related to mind.
Today in modern times we use the word “mantra” as a mission statement or slogan that is used frequently. People also adopt personal mantras as part of their brand and to personify who they are and how they live.
Mantras of religion, concentration, and in modern times are all motivating chants. Mantras propel our thoughts and practices towards a goal. Mantras are short phrases that you repeat over and over to yourself in good times and during dark days. In addition to being a repeating phrase, a meantra can also refer to a word repeated in mediation like “OM” and “RAM.”
There is a beautiful “RAM” meditation technique that I like to use when I’m feeling excruciatingly stressed and anxious that comes from Ram Dass’s book, Journey of Awakening: A Meditator’s Guidebook. This is an excellent book for the modern human beginning their meditation journey, you can get the book here (the newer editions are blue, mine is an older pink copy).
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af·firm·a·tion /ˌafərˈmāSH(ə)n/
Affirmations are positive declarations by a person that feature emotional support and encouragement. Affirmations are not wishful thinking. An affirmation is an actionable and practical statement that you aspire to weave into your life and day to day. Affirmations are statements that YOU want to and take action to truly embody. They are statements aimed to inspire, motivate, and to attract the things we want. Remember an affirmation is a short, powerful statement.
What we think we become. The reality in our minds always comes into form on the other side in the real physical world. Everything that we repeatedly say to ourselves out loud or in our thoughts are affirmations. Why not make it a positive affirmation instead of a negative rumination? Affirmations are sentences aimed to affect the conscious and the subconscious mind so that in turn, they affect our behavior, thinking patterns, habits, and environment.
Daily affirmations are simple, positive statements declaring specific goals in their completed states. They allow you to consciously be in control of your thoughts. An affirmation is carefully constructed to have the most impact. When you say them or think them, they become the thoughts that shape your reality.
How affirmations help shape our perspective
Our lives, what we think about, our existence, and inner monologue are all affected by our negative and positive thoughts alike. When our inner world and minds are affected by ruminating negativity our outer world is affected too. These negative nancies seep their way into how we see the world, our experience of existence and our outer dialogue with others.
How we’re shaped and what we think about and how it affects our life, existence, inner monologue and outer life experience and dialogue.
Affirmations and Mantras rewire our brains and amplify our feel good hormones and reduce stress levels. I recently started a new daily affirmation creation process that begins with a short journal prompt about my feelings and thoughts, and ends with writing a unique to me affirmation. This affirmation prompt begins with “today I affirm….”
I’ve found that this particular way of writing affirmations makes me feel human and helps me accept my flaws, frustrations, and emotions on the bad days. On the good days it helps by giving me the much needed boost of motivation to affirm my dreams, goals, and desires longterm and shortterm for the day.
This simple act of writing my own affirmations in a daily cadence has transformed my mental, emotional and physical health. I notice that I have more energy because I’ve let go of the negativity. More time because I’m working faster and not feeling weighed down by work or responsibilities, and that I have more space in my heart to hold for others and that I am a kinder, more compassionate human to others. This is the power of mantras and affirmations.
“As we transform suffering into compassion, we realize our interconnectedness with all of life…”
Tara Brach
Practices that support mantras and affirmations
The best practices that support the daily use of affirmations and mantras are, mindful breathing that helps us connect our bodies to our minds, repetition, which is the key to the implementation and use of affirmations, and positive ruminations that get us out of negative thought patterns, ruts, and negative ruminations.
Our thoughts and beliefs shape both our perception and experience of ourselves and the world around us. Research indicates that nearly 80% of our self talk is negative. If we are going to ruminate, why not ruminate on positive thinking instead of hate filled speech that muttles our brains when we are caught in the negative cycle and tailspin downwards into the depths of anxiety and depression?
Impermanence is another practice and concept that supports mantras and affirmations. I have anxiety and this is really hard for me to grasp and choose to lean into on the really hard days, but it is also the concept that I keep closest by in my mental health and self care tool box.
Impermanence is one of the essential doctrines in Buddhism. The term expresses the Buddhist notion that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is in a constant state of flux.
“Wisdom is the clear seeing of the impermanent, conditioned nature of all phenomena, knowing that whatever arises has the nature to cease. When we see this impermanence deeply, we no longer cling; and when we no longer cling, we come to the end of suffering.”
Joseph Goldstein
We all go through phases, ebb and flow, wane and wax, just like our emotions. But it’s important to remember that we are not our emotions. We are separate from our emotions. Our emotions are something that we experience. Our emotions come and go, they are never lasting like our true selves and our souls. Remember you are not your emotions.
Autogenic training, a form of relaxation therapy involving autosuggestion, also helps support the use of affirmations and mantras. The most common form of this is guided meditations and the continuous repetition of your affirmation.
These tools are most effective when IN use. What do I mean by that? It’s not enough to only read this article and say, “oh that’s nice, I should do that,” and never act on it. We must practice what we preach and put into motion through daily practice to see the greatest and most benefits of positive thinking and affirmations to shift our perspective into a positive one.
“Thoughts become things, choose the good ones.”
Mike Dooley
If you are operating from a baseline of negativity, then it’s not enough to have wishful thinking. To change your mental state and shift the needle on your baseline when waking up, you need to show up for yourself and practice what your ideal self would practice. You need to put in the work. Remember these tools are most effective when IN use.
Get these positive affirmations and mantras below in a beautiful, easy to read, free printable, that you can cut out and post all over your home, mirrors, car, work station, desk, coffee bar, refrigerator and by your door. I’d love to see where you put these positive affirmations and mantras! Make sure you tag me @owlsandindigo on instagram and use the hashtag #owlsandindigotribe so I can see them.
This free download contains a collection of 51 of the best mantras and daily positive affirmations that you can start using today to improve your mental health in beautiful typography ready for you to use immediately.
Find Self Acceptance & Confidence
These little printable signs of positive affirmations and mantras come in a beautiful, easy to read, free printable, that you can cut out and post all over your home, mirrors, car, work station, desk, coffee bar, refrigerator and by your door. Download this FREE printable below!
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Here are a collection of 51 of the best mantras and daily positive affirmations that you can start using today to improve your mental health.
positive affirmations for mental health
I am strong in my values and confident in my abilities.
I can handle feeling uncomfortable.
I am in control of how I think, feel, and behave.
affirmations for depression
I will turn negative thoughts into positive ones.
my life is a gift.
I have what I need to get through this.
affirmations for good health
healthy food fuels my body.
I give myself room to grow.
I am well-rested and full of energy.
affirmations for happiness
living according to my values is what really matters.
failure is part of the road to success.
I am on the right path for me.
positive affirmations for self esteem
I take the time to care for my body, mind, and spirit.
I am strong in mind, body, and spirit.
I love my body as it is today.
affirmations for love
I love and accept myself just the way I am.
I freely give and receive unconditional love and acceptance to myself and others.
I am thankful for the love in my life.
positive affirmations for self love
I will come through this challenge with a better understanding of myself.
I am powerful.
no one can take your joy.
affirmations for peace
I am relaxed and at peace.
I am calm, cared for, and connected.
I am a living breathing example of the world I want to live in.
affirmations for strength
I have the courage and tenacity to overcome any challenge I face.
I step into my power regardless of what anyone else thinks.
ok, next point.
affirmations for stress
I let go of the past, surrender concerns about the future, and openly receive the experience of the present moment.
This Is a Moment of Suffering.
There Is No Danger.
affirmations for positive energy
just for today.
I am so grateful for my life and all its blessings.
I love my life as it is today.
affirmations for success
I will take action and accomplish my goals.
success is mine.
everything happens right on schedule.
affirmations for change
things are not being done to me, they are just happening.
nothing lasts forever. not the good, and not the bad.
soon this will be.
affirmations to release criticism
I lead by example not judgement.
the only person I need to keep up with is myself.
I am whole as I am without add-ons.
affirmations for self esteem
what I’m feeling is valid and okay.
I release anything that doesn’t serve me.
I believe in my abilities and express my true self with ease.
affirmations for work
I have everything I need to create my own opportunities.
I am comfortable allowing my light to shine in all situations.
I trust my intuition and listen to my inner voice.
affirmations for trust
all is well in my world.
I let go and trust in the universe.
my inner child always leads me in the right direction.
Affirmations are more than just repeating words, they actually help to shift and set your perspective so you control your mind, instead of your mind controlling you.
It may seem silly at first, god knows I felt ridiculous when I first started this practice, but positive thinking affirmations have the power to improve your life not just ten fold, but a million, billion, trillion fold, releasing you from the chains of your self doubt. Using positive thinking affirmations is a practice of manually shifting your perspective and thought patterns on a daily basis to change your baseline. As you continue this practice your detrimental cognitive patterns and negative thoughts become less prominent. The more that you actively change your thoughts by choosing them and not letting them choose you, the better your life can and WILL be.
Looking for more ways to stay positive?
Discover how to improve your mind-body connection with these mental health resources.
These little printable signs of positive affirmations and mantras come in a beautiful, easy to read, free printable, that you can cut out and post all over your home, mirrors, car, work station, desk, coffee bar, refrigerator and by your door. Download this FREE printable below!
June always reminds me of my favorite flowers and my birthday. June is a time of continuing blooming, summer, and relaxing summer nights spent outside watching the fireflies flicker across the blades of grass and in the trees.
If you are new to bullet journaling, I’m so excited to help you get started! Below are some of my favorite June bullet journal layouts, cover pages, and calendars to inspire your own bujo pages.
Grab some iced sun tea and settle in with your bullet journal, markers, washi tape, colored pencils, and watercolors and get ready to make some beautiful spreads that are sure to feed your creativity and artist’s soul.
June BUJO Themes & Ideas:
Food BUJO Themes:
popsicles
ice cream
donuts
banana splits
ice cream sundaes
summer cocktails – moon shine & bourbon (but not together!)
iced tea
sun tea
corn on the cob
cotton candy
cupcakes
fruits
melons
honeydew melon
watermelon
muss melon & cantaloupe
lemons & citrus
lemonade
iced coffee
strawberries
pineapple
Summer BUJO Themes:
longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice and Summer Equinox.
Botanical Theme: Honeysuckle Watercolor painting with only 3 colors, one brush and one pen, that’s it! This monthly stack also features faux dutch doors and a double rolling weekly task log for personal tasks and two businesses tasks and to do’s.
Botanical Theme: Cornflower & variation of Bachelor’s Button. This is a little flower that you can see along the roadside in the Midwest and is one of my favorite wild flowers.
June is another really special month for me (personally) because it’s my birthday month! Normally I’m spending time in nature for my birthday camping, at the cider house, or at the beach, but this year will be a bit different. Check out the 33 Things I’ve Learned Last Year and 32 Spiritual Lessons I’ve Learned In 32 Years the year prior. I’ll have a new post coming your way on June 27th about the 34 Things I’ve Learned About Change & Uncertainty. But lets get back to why you’re here, June’s Monthly BUJO Plan With Me!
supplies for today’s monthly bullet journal stack plan with me:
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
Last year I started making bullet journaling a lot more accessible and easier for me with the use of stamps. You will see a lot of stamps in my videos this year in addition to my D.I.Y. Moon Phase Stamps + Coffee Cup & Tree Stamps. Stamps are going to make things so much easier and so much faster for me and I’m really excited to have a handmade set that I made with my own hands AND that I love to the moon and back. Its so special to me to have made something with my hands and love it enough to use it on a regular, and lets me honest, frequent basis.
This month and last month I am utilizing a simple method to decorate my journal. And boy does this make it go fast! I created a page of abstract watercolor designs that I have been tearing up and gluing down into my journal to make decorating my pages go quicker. I really love this art journal method. It’s made journaling a lot faster for me when it comes to creating the actual design elements of the bullet journal pages. I love it so much that I am going to fill up an empty sketchbook that has been laying around for almost a decade with abstract watercolor pages so I have this on hand when it’s time for my monthly bullet journal set up.
This month’s watercolor honeysuckle cut away cover page is also inspired by a pin that I found on Pinterest. Make sure you follow me over there, I share a lot of really awesome inspiring content for bullet journals, moon goodness, and magical witchy things. I also share secular spirituality things that are good spiritual tips for anyone of any faith, and for people who are not religious but want to tap into their spiritual side more.
Along with my monthly cover page I’m also doing a cover page for my tarot card that I pulled for this month. I did a year ahead spread that you can see here! This is the card that I pulled for June, Death from the Wild Unknown Deck. The Death card represents closure and transformation.
The Death Card: Something in your life needs to change. It needs closure. This will happen voluntarily or involuntarily. Either way you will feel a positive transformation begin after the initial forms of suffering have passed. I’m also pretty stoked to have a card of transformation in my birthday month. Who wouldn’t want to transform each year on their birthday?!
The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck and Guidebook (Official Keepsake Box Set), by Kim Krans is a really great introduction into tarot cards that feel more approachable than the classic Rider Waite deck for those who are just starting their tarot journey. I love just looking at the artwork and tucking the cards into my mirror so I can see them every morning.
On the Inside of the Monthly Spirituality Journaling Prompt flip out I have moved in my habit tracker. Since I visit the spread daily I thought that it made sense to have my daily tracker here instead of in what felt like a random spot in my journal in the past months.
This circular habit tracker is my favorite habit tracker EVER. Its so creative and visual. As the month goes on I will mark a little dot on the day for my steps and daily walks outside and connect the dots as the days go on. It will look like constellations or a ring around a planet when the month is over. Check out my instagram to see what this habit tracker looks like at the end of the month.
Moving across this spread I have my daily tarot card draws. Every day I draw a tarot card and recreate it here and list the meaning over in the margins. I love seeing this spread fill up as the month goes on. To see the deck I’m using this month and what this spread looks like when it’s all filled up check out my instagram. You can also see my past Daily Tarot Draws here!
The last page on this flip out spread is on the back side of my monthly tarot card. This is where I’m writing my end of the month journaling questions.
At the end of the month is where I do all of my journaling and my reflecting. I have sections for, what I’ve learned, how I challenge myself, what is a time-saver and what isn’t, and what am I most grateful for.
The questions I ask myself at the end of every month are:
what am I grateful for most?
how did I challenge myself?
what did I learn?
what is working and what isn’t?
And finally, the most important question of the month, the monthly spirituality writing prompt:
This month’s spirituality journaling prompt: Get it HERE!
Set Your Goals via The Moon Calendar w/ a Moon Wheel
I do goal-setting in alignment with the moon. Every new moon is when I set my goals and intentions for that lunar cycle. These goals always relate back to my overarching goals for the entire year. If you want to set goals with the moon check out one of my most recent New Moon Goals Setting Rituals Here.
Next is one of my favorite spreads. This is my mental inventory spread. I like to use this to get all of my ideas out of my head. It really helps with my anxiety……. This is like a brain dump page, I like the way that mental inventory sounds much better though. So this is where I’m going to be writing all of the notes that are floating around in my head so I can get them out and not have to worry about them anymore… AND not let them clutter up my mind and my anxiety.
And here we are at my first weekly spread of the month! Instead of a to-do list or a task list, some weeks I like to title this “things I get to do.” This is a rolling weekly spread where I keep all of my tasks.
Check Out my video below to see what’s on my mind, what I’m up to and what I’ve got going on for this month!
Affirmations and Mantras have changed the way I look at my life. They always shift my perspective to a positive one, and that’s because I am actively and consciously making a change in the way that I view a situation or problem that I am grappling with. Some days when the pressure of what I’m struggling with is too great, these affirmations and mantras feel more like blessings that I can give myself. Who wouldn’t want to rain down blessings on themselves? This self care technique works for big and small problems. Today I’d like to share with you my favorite way to use affirmations and mantras throughout my entire day. I’ve also discovered a new thing that I want to share with you too! It has made this practice even more special for me.
I like to use mantras and affirmations in a few places in my daily life. I start in the morning with my coffee, then in my bullet journal, in my body care, and in my office.
At my coffee station I have a sticky note affirmation mantra that I see every morning that says “may my day be filled with peace, love, and awesomeness.” I like to say this to myself while I drink my coffee and imagine the words being infused into my coffee with each sip. It’s a really beautiful way to start my day.
In my bathroom I like to use the affirmation mantras to boost my self confidence and cultivate love for my body. Everytime I lotion or oil my body I repeat the following mantra until I am done moisturizing: “I love my body as it is today.” To see the full ritual and mantra go here.
In my office there are two places that I like to keep my affirmation mantra so I can see them throughout the day, beside my desk just a glance away and in my bullet journal goal setting section so I see them every time I open it up.
The affirmation mantra that has carried me through the bad mental health days the most is “soon this shall be.” I have depression and anxiety, and that affirmation mantra is perfect for my unique brand and flavor of craziness on any given day. Oftentimes I am anxious because I can’t make a change fast enough. In the past I have even had breakdowns because of this anxiety.
Since this is such a special affirmation mantra to me, I wanted to give it a place of prominence in my home. I wrote it on a beautiful chalkboard that fits in seamlessly with my style.
This chalkboard and chalk pen set is from Chalk-ola and I couldn’t be happier with it! The chalkboard is very sturdy, has a beautiful trim and ledge with a stand on the back. Thankfully it is not wobbly and stands securely on its own. This Rustic Chalkboard Sign is 15″ x 12″ with a Smooth Wooden Frame and Non-Porous Magnetic Surface that I can see fitting seamlessly into Home Decor, your Kitchen, Wedding, and at Restaurants & Bar Table Tops.
The chalk pens come in a beautiful array of colors and had the perfect dusty green and purple that I was looking for, for my affirmation mantra board. Once the chalk pen ink is dry it has an opaque finish with very clear clean lines. The chalk pens are really easy to clean up too, I used water and a cloth, and it wiped away the quick and easy, lickety split.
I am really excited to use this chalkboard and chalk pen set to step up my lettering game and change out my affirmation mantra every month. If you’re looking to give your affirmation mantras a place of prominence in your home I highly recommend the Rustic Chalkboard Sign and Chalkola Chalk Markers from Chalk-Ola. You can find the chalk pens here and the rustic wood sign here, make sure you use the discount code CHALKOLA10 when you order.
DISCOUNT CODE:
CHALKOLA10
DISCLAIMER: I was sent this product by the company. Turns out I really love it and think you will too.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
Find Self Acceptance & Confidence
These little printable signs of positive affirmations and mantras come in a beautiful, easy to read, free printable, that you can cut out and post all over your home, mirrors, car, work station, desk, coffee bar, refrigerator and by your door. Download this FREE printable below!
Do you want to know how to stop having negative thoughts? And how to stop thinking bad thoughts?
Are you struggling with how to stop negative thoughts from entering your mind and how it affects your mental health? Do you want help with negative thoughts?
I’ve discovered how to keep negative thoughts away and want to share it with you. This self-help technique to stop racing thoughts and stop doubting yourself is something that I think will help you get rid of negative thoughts and anxiety too.
It’s time to talk about mental health struggles:
how to stop negative thought loops
how to get rid of negative thoughts and fear
the issues that are affecting us
how to seek help in whatever way that will support us.
It is time to talk about de-stigmatizing mental health so we can finally find our way back to being ourselves again and be who we are really meant to be. To be our inner, most true selves and help us become happier, healthier human beings, and productive members of society.
For the longest time, I couldn’t silence the negative voice in my head and keep negative thoughts away. It was just too loud and I couldn’t scream loud enough in my own positive voice to squash out the negative self-talk. I just couldn’t stop thinking negative thoughts. There really was just no controlling the bad thoughts. In the past I used meditation to get rid of negative thoughts, but this particular day there was no way I was going to get rid of negative thinking, anxiety and depression. I needed to understand how to stop thinking depressing thoughts and how to deal with anxiety and negative thoughts on my own.
Recently I had a depression relapse. I thought that I had the tools to pick myself up and crawl out of the dark hole of depression that I experience. We all have our own personal brand of hell, and this day was a particularly dark one for me.
In my relapse, my anxiety was starting to build and build. Eventually when my anxiety peaked, I wasn’t able to combat the negative thoughts that were in my head, with positive ones. Not being able to drown out the negative voice in my head led me to a point where I tipped over into a full-blown depression episode.
My depression in this episode looked like something that I haven’t seen since the beginning of my journey, two or three years ago. I found myself on the floor crying, sobbing, hyperventilating and having a full blown panic attack complete with internal negative self talk and very scary thoughts that come along with my depression.
But something was different this time. I had found a tool to combat my depression and anxiety, stop the self sabotage and get rid of negative thoughts. Using a technique called “flipping the script” I was able to stop negative thinking in its tracks.
Flipping The Script To Combat Anxiety And Negative Thoughts
I’ve learned how to control my negative thoughts, why I am getting negative thoughts, and how to defeat negative thoughts. You can learn how to get rid of negative thoughts too. This simple technique will give you a road map on how to overcome negative thoughts and how to remove negative thinking from the mind.
I’m sure you can think of examples of negative thoughts, lists and lists of negative thoughts and see the negative thought patterns that can seep into your day. It’s incredibly hard to be dealing with constant negative thoughts all day. There was a point for me where I felt like all I have are negative thoughts. But I knew that there had to be a way to stop negative thinking. I had to find out how to combat negative thinking.
So I asked myself:
Why do I always get negative thoughts?
How do I stop negative thought patterns?
And how do I get rid of negative thoughts?
A.K.A.
Why do I get this, how can I stop it, and how do I get rid of what is still there?
Getting back to this particularly bad day… Even though I was in the deep throws of a very bad episode of depression and anxiety, I was able to find a way out and break the cycle of negativity. I flipped the script on my depression and was able to stop negative thoughts.
The Power Of Flipping The Script On Your Depression & Stopping Negative Thoughts.
The power of flipping the script on your depression and stopping negative thoughts comes from the will to keep living, and the want and hunger for change in our lives. None of us want to wallow in our sorrow, and if you do, then you need to take a good look at what is going on behind the scenes and understand what it is you are really aching for that the attention of your pity party fulfills.
Negative Thoughts & The Brain
Negative thoughts about yourself are difficult to combat at different seasons in our lives. We can find ourselves in stretches of time, weeks, months, even years of no negative thoughts, and suddenly find ourselves at the bottom of a dark well of sadness. Negative thoughts affect our emotions, physiology and cause our mental health to crumble. This is a recipe for disaster and can even lead to poor physical health that can shorten our lives without us realizing it.
Negative thoughts and self sabotaging talk amplifies our sorrow and punches up our fear based thinking making it skyrocket. When we find ourselves in a loop of negative thoughts that we can’t stop, like in those of us with depression and anxiety, it can lead to our brains rewiring and solidifying negative connections making it almost impossible for us to get rid of negative thinking. It all becomes unbearable and we crumble under its weight as we wander into the dark corners of our mental health.
Why negative thoughts come into the mind
Negative thoughts come into mind when we are at our most vulnerable. Negative thoughts and anxiety can lead to debilitating episodes of depression like it does for me. Constantly having negative thoughts can leave a person feeling worn out, worthless, and like there isn’t a point to it at all anymore. This is dangerous territory. To get out we must learn the best ways of dealing with negative thoughts.
How Positive Thoughts Help Shape Our Perspective
We actually have control over our perspective of the world. We can change the lens through which we see the world and try to make it a brighter one. Think of rose colored glasses, when you put them on, all is right in the world. Unlike rose-colored glasses, flipping the script, is about actively shifting our perspective and staying grounded.
How To Stop Negative Thinking & Let Go Of Negative Thoughts
Flipping the script on your depression helps you to stop negative thinking and self sabotaging internal dialogue. It helps you get out of your head and forces you to look at a negative situation positively.
Make sure to download this free printable for your journal below to help you flip the script on your depression and replace those negative thoughts with positive thinking. This download will guide you as you flip your own script and conquer negativity.
Quiet The Negative Voice In Your Head
Replace negative thoughts with positive thinking and find confidence, acceptance and connection again. This download will guide you as you flip the script on your negative thoughts and feel whole again. Download this FREE printable below!
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Here’s how it works:
Before you begin, download the free printable above so you can discover how to get negative thoughts out of your head.
Step 1: Write down your negative thoughts.
What are negative thoughts? Negative thoughts are those beliefs or feelings you have that put yourself down and in the end lead you spiraling down into a dark abyss. Negative thoughts are also intrusive and mainly fear and apprehension based. In other words, the big dark and scary fear of the unknown. This can also be anything you fear that can trigger negative thought patterns in your head that lead you spiraling down into your own particular brand of hell.
Example of Negative Thought: “I am a worthless, stupid idiot, which is why everyone hates me.“
Examples of negative self talk:
There’s no way it will work. I’m worthless. What’s the point? I wish I was __. It will never get better. No one wants me.
Step 2: Write the direct opposite of that thought in a positive statement.
Look at the negative thought you wrote down and flip it. Say the exact opposite.
Example of The Direct Opposite Positive Statement: I am full of worth, smart and have amazing things to contribute to the world, which is why people like me.
In my video below I talk about a really bad episode of depression that left me wishing that I didn’t exist. I had to learn to let go of this negative thought and tell my depression “I wish to live” instead of listening to it shouting the opposite at me. Through mindfulness, I consciously decided to take my depression head-on and say, “I am excited to wake up tomorrow.”
Then I refined that statement even further to say, “I am excited to wake up to tomorrow to do X Y & Z.”
Examples of positive self talk: “I am excited to wake up tomorrow to see the Sun Rise, read my book, and see my kids’ smiling faces. Or to pet my cats or to walk my dog or whatever it is that you really find joy in doing and experiencing.
Flip the script on the negative self-talk your depression is saying to you, and say the opposite. Say that you are excited to live, you are excited to get up in the morning, and you are excited to get out of bed.
Step 3: Write Your Affirmation Mantra
The affirmation mantra contains the supporting evidence and reasons why the positive thought is true. The affirmation mantra, as you say it over and over to yourself, is what shifts your perspective to a positive one. This is the tool that helps you uncover the evidence and sends you off on the positive track.
Try writing your affirmation mantras with the beginning “I am __”
Example of Positive Affirmation Mantra To Combat Negative Thoughts: I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me! – Stuart Smalley
Comment down below if you know who Stuart Smalley is!
Whatever that negative thing your depression is telling you, flip it and say the positive opposite. Practicing positive thinking every day can feel silly at first, but trust me, it’s worth it, and you deserve a bright sunny happy mindset everyday.
Tell your depression NO.
Tell your depression that you are doing the positive opposite of what it’s telling you to do.
If you find yourself asking, “why do I have negative thoughts?” Try to remove negative thoughts by changing negative thoughts into positive ones that are the direct opposite. You can figure out how to get rid of overthinking and negative thoughts. It’s not easy to stop repetitive negative thoughts, but I know you can do it. I’m here for you. Remember to practice positive thinking every day.
You are not alone. I am not alone. We are not alone. We are a community. Even though we are separated by miles and miles we are all connecting. That is why I write these articles and make videos, so that we can find each other, because no one who is hurting has to go thogut it alone. I am here for you and we are a community.
If you are struggling with depression, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, or PTSD. There is help. Please call for help:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call:
1-800-273-8255 or call 911
They’re available 24 hours everyday and even have an online chat if you can’t bring yourself to talk about it out loud.
I have depression, anxiety, & PTSD. Thankfully after years of help, I’m able to identify my triggers. Living with depression is draining, deafening, and can be deadly.⠀
Are you struggling with your goals and looking for a way to achieve them?
Try monthly goal setting with a twist… instead of the calendar month, set your goals in alignment with the moon phases for something different and truly unique. This moon wheel calendar is inspired by the ocean which is fitting since it’s raining today. Check out how I created these watercolor pages here in my May Plan With Me.
Set Your Goals via The Moon Calendar
This is a moon wheel spread. Every single month in addition to a monthly plan with me that you’d find in any bullet journal, I always make sure to have a monthly moon calendar. Mine are always set up in the form of a wheel. See my past moon calendars here. I do goal-setting in alignment with the moon. Every new moon is when I set my goals and intentions for that lunar cycle. These goals always relate back to my overarching goals for the entire year.
I write S.M.A.R.T. Goals every month. Sometimes there are multiple goals in one month and every once in a while they are goals that I have already achieved that I want to keep working on to level up and refine further or to ingrain into habits. Even though my S.M.A.R.T. Goals are created a smidge out of order, they are always Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
2. Define the duration of the goal, which is always 28 days. (Time-Bound)
3. State How I’m Going To Accomplish My Goal. (Specific)
4. Break The Goal down into 3 actionable steps. (Attainable)
5. Schedule & Track My Goal’s Progress In My Daily Life (Measurable)
I track all of my goals on a 28 day cycle, because it allows me to align my goals with the moon phases. I set a new goal on every new moon, celebrate the goal on every full moon, and review my progress on the last crescent moon of the lunar month.
Setting goals in alignment with the moon phases also gets me outside to observe nature and the moon itself. Looking up at the moon every night when I’m thinking about my goals is very inspiring and helps my mental health stay strong and keeps me motivated to accomplish my goals. But you can certainly set your goals by the calendar month, quarters, or year timespan. If you choose a year timespan, remember that you WILL have more than one S.M.A.R.T. Goal that makes up the yearly B.H.A.G. (big hairy audacious goal).
L I N K S M E N T I O N E D (in video below)
May Plan With Me https://youtu.be/FoxoQlk9CvA DIY Moon Stamps https://youtu.be/Sm8Se7P9pms 2020 Bullet Journal Set Up https://youtu.be/xozKYwQ0_78 Fix Your Bullet Journal Mistakes https://youtu.be/LJtxm_qTpQE
Are you struggling with your mental health right now? Do you feel like your mental health is slipping? May is mental health month which is very important to me now that I have discovered my own struggles. We all struggle with our mental health from time to time, and as I write, the world is in lockdown due to the coronavirus global pandemic. We are all facing social isolation like never have before and it’s affecting everyone’s mental health.
One of the keys to calm down anxiety in your personal life and for dealing with anxiety at work is writing better goals. This is one of my top coping strategies for anxiety (and that’s because I am a planner, prepper, and fixer by nature, which can get me into overwhelming anxiety ridden territory from time to time.)
Good goals to have are ones that are S.M.A.R.T. and help you level up in life.
Refining your goals and writing S.M.A.R.T. Goals are natural ways to deal with anxiety, natural ways to reduce anxiety that directly address stress and mental health, and the stress impact on health overall.
Who Do S.M.A.R.T. Goals Work Best For?
S.M.A.R.T. Goals work best for anyone and everyone. This is goal setting for employees, goal setting for students, goal setting for families, and goal setting for self improvement and self growth. S.M.A.R.T. Goals can even be used for Spiritual Growth and Development tracking. S.M.A.R.T. Goals will also give you clarity, understanding, and refinement on goals to set for yourself at work. This technique can also help create a list of goals for students at work, in classes while learning, in personal lives, and for moving into and out of dorms. Seriously!
S.M.A.R.T. Goals should have a place of prominence in your selfcare toolbox and mental health toolbox right alongside anxiety relief techniques.
The Problem With Goals That Aren’t S.M.A.R.T.
Life will always throw curve balls at you and throw you for a loop, sometimes multiple times in one day. But that’s life, it’s part of the shared human existence that we all face. The problem is that life gets in the way of setting, maintaining, and achieving our goals. Oftentimes we are left feeling overwhelmed by life and like we don’t have any room left to actually live life.
There are days where my goals feel like an obligation and that I just don’t have the time or room for them in my life and that they are getting in the way of me actually living.
This is because the goals I set weren’t S.M.A.R.T. When I set my goal and wrote it down, I wasn’t specific enough, had no way to measure it, and didn’t make it attainable or easy for myself. I also found out after some soul searching that the goal I was failing to make progress on wasn’t relevant to my larger goals in life and didn’t have a deadline. Every time this happened, I failed and felt completely overwhelmed.
I’ve learned there are 3 types of goals that lead to me feeling overwhelmed:
B.H.A.G.’s The Big Hairy Audacious Goals
B.H.A.G.’s are overwhelming, well, because they are so big. It’s hard to know if you’re on track based on day-to-day tasks. A great example of this is “Make the world a cleaner place”. The world is very large and anything I do on a day-to-day basis is small. Knowing whether you’re on the right track is difficult to discern. B.H.A.G.’s are very important, because they inspire us and are what we shoot for, so I tend to break them down into smaller goals that all build on each other.
Missing Metric Goals
These are vague or not clear about what it means to be complete or reach a milestone. For example: “Read more”. What is “more”? Is it 1 book, 1 article? Is it 10? Not knowing how to measure a goal’s completion definitely gives me anxiety! I never know if I’ve reached the mark and then I push to do more, but realize it might not be enough and keep going in circles. It’s maddening!
Unrealistic goals
Unrealistic goals are, well, unrealistic. They can’t be accomplished. Like, “learn to breathe underwater”, or “grow a third arm”. Fantasy aside, there are many realistic sounding goals that are probably unrealistic. These are particularly devastating to my mental health because you just don’t always know if you can reach them, so when you fail, you feel really bad about it.
Unrealistic goals that lack refining because of how complex they are, cause stress. Many goals are not realistic goals. I don’t know about you, but I wish they taught how to set S.M.A.R.T. Goals in highschool, along with being taught how to do my taxes! Wouldn’t it be great if they taught you how to solve for this in high school?!
When we haven’t refined why we want to accomplish our goals, we can have feelings of inadequacy or incompetence and that has a negative impact on mental health.The more this happens it can turn into emotional baggage we carry into all areas of our life. Negatively impacting relationships, work, hobbies, etc. Leaving us to feel like we’re constantly failing, and persuade us to begin believing that we are a failure.
Stupid Goals, Bad Goals, and Poorly Written Goals impact your life negatively in all areas of your life. The stress and anxiety of bad goals can upset your personal life, work life, and mental health on an individual level. Bad goals always touch every area of your life, but there is a way forward to make a change for the better.
Writing Better Goals Will Manage Your Stress And Reduce Your Anxiety
The reason why you’ve failed to achieve your goals is not you, or your mental health. Yes, your mental health impacts your ability to complete a goal, stay focused, or see the world in a productive light. Though, in my experience it’s usually an unclear goal that creates confusion, leads to feeling overwhelmed, or uncertainty over what it means to complete it. And that impacts my mental health. The reason you failed is because the goals were too hard, unclear, or too complicated. The solution is better goal setting.
On the really bad days, ridden with anxiety and depression, I found myself asking “Why do I have so much anxiety?” “Why does anxiety happen?” “Does everyone have anxiety? Or am I the only one?” Some days I was even asking from a dark rainy place in my mind “why is it important to set goals? Why should I even care?” My lack of clarity and intention regarding my goals left me feeling overwhelmed with anxiety in my personal lifegoals and feelings of anxiety about going to work.
I knew there had to be healthy ways to deal with stress and ways to get rid of anxiety or at minimum ease anxiety with coping strategies and methods when it comes to my goals.
“Hi, my name’s Jenny, I have anxiety and I am a perpetual fixer.” I truly fell into a rabbit hole like I always do when I am trying to fix something in my life.
So, I set off on a google search: “how to calm my anxiety.” “how to decrease anxiety.” “how to manage stress and anxiety.” “how to reduce stress and anxiety.” “how to set goals and achieve them.” “how to simplify life.” “how to simplify your life.” “how to write goals…”
To save you from going down the rabbit hole, I want to share how I am managing stress and anxiety and mental health days at work that don’t start off on good footing.
Refine Your Intentions
Refining and honing your goals and intentions will help you actively care for your mental health. It’s really important that we get under all of the sub layers and subtext and finally arrive at the why behind the why behind the reason we want to achieve a goal.
If it sounds complicated, you’re right, it can be. But once we understand the deeply rooted reason we want something to change, then we can and will understand our true desires and truest inner self. We need to dig deeper into our motivations and let the unneeded layers fall away. Through exploring how to set better goals and what to do when you feel anxiety over your goals you are creating new neural pathways and tools to add to your selfcare toolbox. Writing S.M.A.R.T. Goals is how I refine and hone my goals, intentions, and dreams to help take care of my mental health.
These goal setting tips and techniques are perfect for personal and professional goals. As a jittery person, relieving anxiety is paramount to setting goals at work. If I’m anxious, my ability to do my job and work performance goals are going to suffer. So, if you’re like me, these goal setting tips and techniques are going to be perfect for you.
What Is A S.M.A.R.T. Goal?
Writing better goals will manage your stress and reduce your anxiety because it forces you to get to the root of what is most important to you. This helps you really face why you want to accomplish your goals and sheds light on whether or not you are doing it for the right reasons. This new way of writing your goals leads to “S.M.A.R.T. Goals.”
What is goal setting and what the heck is a S.M.A.R.T. Goal? The S.M.A.R.T. Goal technique creates goals that you are going to be able to actually accomplish. S.M.A.R.T. Goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Writing better goals to manage stress and reduce anxiety to take control of your life is extremely important and empowering when taking care of your mental health. Caring for your mind this way is a form of self care that helps aid the management of anxiety and depression.
It’s important to set S.M.A.R.T. Goals because they help you achieve your greatest aspirations in life and accomplish those life goals that seem too far off to think about, or even consider. If our goals are easier to understand we can prevent the feelings of stress. With clarity about what it means to complete the goal, you will never be confused about where you’re at, and can manage your stress. Remember: Think of S.M.A.R.T. Goals as a form of self care that helps aid the management of anxiety.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals can help you gain traction and make forward motion easier on your goals, intentions and dreams, but only if they are aligned with your life goals and yearly goals. Using the S.M.A.R.T. Goal setting technique and checklist help take big hairy audacious goals (B.H.A.G.’s) and turn them into smaller manageable actionable steps. Sometimes you will even realize that the B.H.A.G. is actually made up of many smaller S.M.A.R.T. Goals that might have shorter timelines that are all linked and lead up to the B.H.A.G.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals ease your anxiety because they are clear and easy to understand. S.M.A.R.T. Goals change the way your mind works and the way you think about your intentions. S.M.A.R.T. Goals reveal the why behind the why, behind the why you want to achieve your goal.
When I have a goal, I start by thinking about the end result and what that should look like. This allows me to visualize what we will achieve and map the most direct route to accomplish that goal.
Lack of refinement causes confusion and lack of understanding our real, and deeply held, motivations. When writing your S.M.A.R.T. Goals be sure to know how you measure success. Is it the number of times something is completed? A percentage of completion accomplished? An emotional feeling? A physical feeling?
S.M.A.R.T. Goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Every time you write a goal, intention or dream, you need to make sure they are S.M.A.R.T. and ask yourself the following questions:
Specific: What specifically do I want to accomplish?
Specific means an actual exact amount or level you’d like to reach. It should be a number or percentage: 1, 10, 80%, 3 out of 5. If you have words like “more” “better” “less” “lighter” etc then your goal will not be specific. You can also select exact feelings and emotions that you want to achieve as well. You just need to be sure to have a consistent defined way to measure them. In my fertility tracking journal I also track my mood on a five point scale that I have been using for many years now.
Measurable: How will I measure the achievement of my goal?
Measurable = Metrics and Data! (we are data nerds in our house in our own distinctly different ways.) It’s a thing we can count or measure, something tangible we can keep track of. If you can’t measure it easily and obviously it’s not specific. ie: books, leads, sales, journal entries, friends, plants, etc.
Attainable: What are the specific attainable steps to reach my goal?
If you can’t map out the exact steps to get to the goal, or if any of the steps will always be beyond your grasp it probably isn’t a S.M.A.R.T. Goal. For example: if my specific measurable goal was to be 6′ 0″, but I’m 5′ 2″ and not growing anymore, it’s not a S.M.A.R.T. Goal (fun fact: I am actually 5’ 2”). ALSO, this kind of goal is beyond my ability to control. I can’t take action to make it happen.
Relevant: How does this goal relate to my long-term goals, intentions, and time investments?
IF your SMART goal doesn’t relate to achieving one of your B.H.A.G.’s or life goals you’ll find you won’t have motivation to complete it. It will lack meaning in your life and if anyone else was counting on you, you’ll just let them down. So being very clear about this is important. No one will fault you for being honest, especially yourself.
Time-Bound When do I want to complete my goal? / What is my deadline?
Many people set a goal but forget to put a time frame down. Without a time frame you lose accountability. Completing a goal in a week has a very different intensity from completing the same goal in a year. So give yourself a realistic time-frame, but not so long you’ll lose interest or just get bored.
After you have asked yourself these questions it’s time to break down your goal into easier bites. This is where you write down “How I’m Going To Do It” and break down your goal into 3 achievable steps. These three steps need to be attainable and each help remove barriers to accomplishing your goal in the long run.
Now that you have three actionable steps that support your goal, it’s time to transfer them into your daily routine and integrate them into your daily task list. This is also the perfect place for a habit tracker to help keep you accountable and prevent you from falling off the bandwagon. I’ll talk about habit trackers, daily lists, and routines in another article, because those topics can get unruly and overwhelming!
I’m sure this sounds like A LOT to keep in mind when you’re writing your goals, which is why I’ve created this free printable checklist and journal pages for you to help you write S.M.A.R.T. Goals. This free printable has a checklist to make sure your goals are S.M.A.R.T., related goal setting ritual ideas, journaling pages that help you reflect and break down your goals, a 30 day tracker, and a 28 day moon calendar tracker for your goals. Remember, less is more, especially when you’re goal setting, too much stuff and unrefined detail causes overwhelm and anxiety.
Achieve Your Dreams & Find Confidence
This checklist will guide you to ensure your goals are S.M.A.R.T. and actually achievable. Rebuild your confidence and hit your goals! This free download contains: journaling pages to help you reflect on and break down your goals, and 30 day tracker. If you live by the moon there is also a 28 day moon calendar tracker for your goals! Download this FREE printable below!
Yay!!!! The link to this free download in waiting in your email!
How I Write S.M.A.R.T. Goals
I write S.M.A.R.T. Goals every month. Sometimes there are multiple goals in one month and every once in a while they are goals that I have already achieved that I want to keep working on to level up and refine further or to ingrain into habits. Even though my S.M.A.R.T. Goals are created a smidge out of order, (R.T.S.A.M. I’m not sure who is retweeting Sam…), they are always Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
2. Define the duration of the goal, which is always 28 days. (Time-Bound)
3. State How I’m Going To Accomplish My Goal. (Specific)
4. Break The Goal down into 3 actionable steps. (Attainable)
5. Schedule & Track My Goal’s Progress In My Daily Life (Measurable)
I track all of my goals on a 28 day cycle, because it allows me to align my goals with the moon phases. I set a new goal on every new moon, celebrate the goal on every full moon, and review my progress on the last crescent moon of the lunar month.
Setting goals in alignment with the moon phases also gets me outside to observe nature and the moon itself. Looking up at the moon every night when I’m thinking about my goals is very inspiring and helps my mental health stay strong and keeps me motivated to accomplish my goals. But you can certainly set your goals by the calendar month, quarters, or year timespan. If you choose a year timespan, remember that you WILL have more than one S.M.A.R.T. Goal that makes up the yearly B.H.A.G.
Every single month in addition to a bullet journal monthly plan with me that you’d find in any bujo, I always make sure to have a monthly moon calendar and a habit tracker to track my goal’s progress. My moon calendars are always set up in the form of a wheel and my habit trackers vary depending on how artistic I’m feeling. See my past moon calendars here. If you want to set goals in alignment with the moon phases like I do check out one of my most recent New Moon Goals Setting Rituals Here for measurable goals examples.
These are some of my favorite habit trackers that work really well for tracking B.H.A.G.’s and S.M.A.R.T. Goals:
The habit trackers are from my monthly personal goal setting practice and my personal goals examples list. Sometimes I am able to create personal goals examples for work because my personal success goals and work goals for Owls&Indigo are so closely tied together. Recently I shared a habit tracker, which is the measurable part of goal setting over on instagram that has become one of my favorite trackers todate. This planet inspired habit tracker helps me stay on top of my exercise goals.
I have certainly felt anxious about my goals and even depressed when I wasn’t seeing progress being made on them. When I feel this way I have a good hard look at my goals to make sure that they are indeed S.M.A.R.T. Goals. If they don’t pass this checklist test, then I either let them go or pivot and rewrite them.
However, IF they pass this test I proceed with a G.Y.S.T. Day or Afternoon to get back on track. Which helps me to re-align with my goals. Sometimes I find that they are in need of simplifying, and being broken down into smaller S.M.A.R.T. Manageable Goals.
Rituals are another powerful way to regain control over your emotions and squash the anxiety you are feeling about your goals. Try to develop or find a centering ritual that calms down your thoughts and brings you back to the current moment. This could be meditating, cleaning, journaling, or something more spiritual.
When I feel this way I tend to focus on the concept of “cleaning” and “clearing away the physical and mental clutter.” Check out the ritual ideas in my free printable download How To Write S.M.A.R.T. Goals here:
Achieve Your Dreams & Find Confidence
This checklist will guide you to ensure your goals are S.M.A.R.T. and actually achievable. Rebuild your confidence and hit your goals! This free download contains: journaling pages to help you reflect on and break down your goals, and 30 day tracker. If you live by the moon there is also a 28 day moon calendar tracker for your goals! Download this FREE printable below!
Yay!!!! The link to this free download in waiting in your email!
I’ll talk about journaling and C.B.T. acceptance & reframing Techniques in another article, because those topics are much more in depth, complicated, and deserve their own prominence in a devoted article.
By stopping the unintentional practice of writing haphazardly half baked goals and replacing them with S.M.A.R.T. Goals you will gain self-confidence, better work performance, and better relationships, not to mention the glowing feeling of achieving your goals. This is how I refine and hone my goals, intentions, and dreams to help take care of my mental health.
My goal in life is to help you become a happier healthier human being, and I hope that this article helps you make a goal, make a list of goals to set for yourself, reach your goals, and gives you new mental health goals to strive for that make you stronger.
How are you Refining and Honing your Goals to manage stress & reduce anxiety to take control of your life?
May is a pretty special month in our home. This month is the anniversary with my husband for when we started dating. I know that it might seem silly to celebrate your dating anniversary after you’re married. But it’s special to us. Not only is May 1st Beltane, but we also pretty much started dating and were inseparable for years starting May 1st. We were together for many many years before we got married, so letting this day pass without celebrating our strength as a couple, feels weird and wrong.
May is always a special time on the farm too. I really look forward to the flowers that come back in May back home. My mom has these beautiful irises that are a pale purple that come back every year at this time. I love the look of them and the scent, they bring back so many happy memories.
Unfortunately this year we’re not going to be able to visit the farm in May like we normally do due to the current state of the world. I am definitely going to be thinking of the farm a lot this month. I am really looking forward to the lock down being lifted and things being a bit better next year so that we can travel to the farm in the spring like we always do. The spring visit to the farm always feels like a pilgrimage that I look forward to, and it feels weird not being able to go back home to see the spring babies and stretching farm country.
Last year I started making bullet journaling a lot more accessible and easier for me with the use of stamps. You will see a lot of stamps in my videos this year in addition to my D.I.Y. Moon Phase Stamps + Coffee Cup & Tree Stamps. Stamps are going to make things so much easier and so much faster for me and I’m really excited to have a handmade set that I made with my own hands AND that I love to the moon and back. Its so special to me to have made something with my hands and love it enough to use it on a regular, and lets me honest, frequent basis.
This month I am utilizing a simple method to decorate my journal. And boy does this make it go fast! I created a page of abstract watercolor designs that I have been tearing up and gluing down into my journal to make decorating my pages go quicker. I really love this art journal method. It’s made journaling a lot faster for me when it comes to creating the actual design elements of the bullet journal pages. I love it so much that I am going to fill up an empty sketchbook that has been laying around for almost a decade with abstract watercolor pages so I have this on hand when it’s time for my monthly bullet journal set up.
My husband and I have been together 14 years and that’s just insane to me. We were inseparable from the day we met, which is a really amazing thing to have in a relationship. It’s one of those romantic movie things that you don’t think will ever happen in real life. BUT… every once in a while those things do happen. I’m really grateful for my relationship with him and how long it’s lasted.
Since May is so special to me I wanted to create a blessing for my cover page instead of just writing any old quote. This is a blessing that I am going to add to my grimoire so I have it for years to come.
“May we continue to grow like the trees each year. May our love continue to multiply each year like the flower bulbs in our garden. May we continue to bend as the grass does in the warm Spring wind. May our love grow with each May we share.” – Jenny Proczko
This month’s cover page is also inspired by a pin that I found on Pinterest. Make sure you follow me over there, I share a lot of really awesome inspiring content for bullet journals, moon goodness, and magical witchy things. I also share secular spirituality things that are good spiritual tips for anyone of any faith, and for people who are not religious but want to tap into their spiritual side more.
my quote for this month is a special blessing I wrote this year for our anniversary…
“May we continue to grow like the trees each year. May our love continue to multiply each year like the flower bulbs in our garden. May we continue to bend as the grass does in the warm Spring wind. May our love grow with each May we share.”
– Jenny Proczko
Along with my monthly cover page I’m also doing a cover page for my tarot card that I pulled for this month. I did a year ahead spread that you can see here! This is the card that I pulled for May, The Father of Wands from the Wild Unknown Deck. The Father of Wands represents being charismatic and creative.
The Father of Wands is a man of mystique and charisma. Others are drawn to him naturally. He is deeply compassionate and in tune with life and nature. He is able to hold steady and still during conflict. These are all qualities that I hope to remember to embody this month, especially during times of stress and conflict, even if it’s just internal conflict.
The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck and Guidebook (Official Keepsake Box Set), by Kim Krans is a really great introduction into tarot cards that feel more approachable than the classic Rider Waite deck for those who are just starting their tarot journey. I love just looking at the artwork and tucking the cards into my mirror so I can see them every morning.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, this means I earn a small commission if you use them! Affiliate Links are one way I am able to provide videos, articles, and resources for free. Other links go straight to the Owls & Indigo Shop where you can support me directly.
This month I am switching up my bullet journal stack pages a bit.
On the Inside of the Monthly Spirituality Journaling Prompt flip out I have moved in my habit tracker. Since I visit the spread daily I thought that it made sense to have my daily tracker here instead of in what felt like a random spot in my journal in the past months.
This circular habit tracker is my favorite habit tracker EVER. Its so creative and visual. As the month goes on I will mark a little dot on the day for my steps and daily walks outside and connect the dots as the days go on. It will look like constellations or a ring around a planet when the month is over. Check out my instagram to see what this habit tracker looks like at the end of the month.
Moving across this spread I have my daily tarot card draws. Every day I draw a tarot card and recreate it here and list the meaning over in the margins. I love seeing this spread fill up as the month goes on. To see the deck I’m using this month and what this spread looks like when it’s all filled up check out my instagram. You can also see my past Daily Tarot Draws here!
The last page on this flip out spread is on the back side of my monthly tarot card. This is where I’m writing my end of the month journaling questions.
At the end of the month is where I do all of my journaling and my reflecting. I have sections for, what I’ve learned, how I challenge myself, what is a time-saver and what isn’t, and what am I most grateful for.
The questions I ask myself at the end of every month are:
what am I grateful for most?
how did I challenge myself?
what did I learn?
what is working and what isn’t?
And finally, the most important question of the month, the monthly spirituality writing prompt:
This month’s spirituality journaling prompt: Get it HERE!
Set Your Goals via The Moon Calendar
This is a moon wheel spread. Every single month in addition to a monthly plan with me that you’d find in any bullet journal, I always make sure to have a monthly moon calendar. Mine are always set up in the form of a wheel. See my past moon calendars here.I do goal-setting in alignment with the moon. Every new moon is when I set my goals and intentions for that lunar cycle. These goals always relate back to my overarching goals for the entire year. If you want to set goals with the moon check out one of my most recent New Moon Goals Setting Rituals Here.
Next is one of my favorite spreads. This is my mental inventory spread. I like to use this to get all of my ideas out of my head. It really helps with my anxiety……. This is like a brain dump page, I like the way that mental inventory sounds much better though. So this is where I’m going to be writing all of the notes that are floating around in my head so I can get them out and not have to worry about them anymore… AND not let them clutter up my mind and my anxiety.
And here we are at my first weekly spread of the year! Instead of a to-do list or a task list, some weeks I like to title this “things I get to do.” This is a rolling weekly spread where I keep all of my tasks.
Check Out my video below to see what’s on my mind, what I’m up to and what I’ve got going on for this month!
Are you having a hard time coping with the state of the world right now? I know it’s hard right now here in April of 2020, but you are going to get through this, and I want to help in any way that I can. I’ve found that these 9 things really help me cope with isolation.
The thing that is bothering me the most right now is not the news. What bothers me the most and causes me the most distress is being so far away from our families. If something were to happen to them we wouldn’t be able to go to them, attend their funerals, or grieve together.
But among all of this distress I have found a few things that are helping me to cope.
1. scheduled video calls.
Along with the rest of the world, we have been taking to video calls to conduct meetings, business, and to connect with family. It’s been great! But to be honest It’s a bit frustrating that it took everyone in our life this long to catch on. We have been asking for video calls for years, at least 5 years now, and we would always here, “I don’t want to download and extra app,” or “Eh, I don’t know how to do that.” We’d offer to help them get everything set up and walk them through it but they would still say no. SO, I am EXTREMELY glad that everyone is on board now and that this is a new normal for everyone to do video calls. I hope that it’s something that sticks around after the lockdowns are lifted.
2. randomized video calls & messages to surprise our friends and loved ones.
In addition to family video calls we have been randomly video calling our friends in town and it has been awesome! I still have the same gripes as above, but our friends were quicker to say yes to video calls over the years. The best part about it is that the program that we use lets you send video messages to the person you are calling if they don’t pick up, its like a voice message, but its a video message! When we miss a call it is like getting fun packages, cards, and letters in the post mail! It’s a really fun and exciting way to connect with our loved ones and friends.
3. virtual gaming with friends and family.
Along with video calls instead of phone calls, my brother and I have started up a virtual game together. We are playing Ironsworn, its a bit like Dungeons and Dragons, but a different game mechanic all together. Speaking of D&D, my brother in law and our cousins have started a “Cousin’s D&D” virtual game that we play the same way. We all jump on a video call and play RPG games together. If RPG games aren’t your style you can also play virtual board games with people online as well, which is what we’re doing with another group of friends that we normally had a board game night with each week before the world changed. It’s really so much fun to still be able to play games together even though we aren’t in the same room. I say this lovingly, “the World of Warcraft and Xbox headset gaming nerds had it right!”
4. learning about plants.
I recently realized that I had been severely under watering my plants. I swear…. I can’t win either way, because its that or over watering. So I got out my handy green witch wand, my plant moisture meter, and started checking my plants every morning. The cats know exactly what it is and get really excited to check the plants with me each morning when it’s time. I am also trying to save my first orchid, well not my orchid…. it was a gift from me to my husband because it’s one of his favorite flowers. And he stopped caring for it so I became caretaker and I have no idea what I’m doing. I nearly lost the whole plant to root rot, but some how it’s still showing signs of new growth. So I did some research to save it and now it’s trying to grow in river rock… we’ll see how that goes. Outside I have seen the first shoots of my lilies breaking the soil from my container garden, I am going to be checking to see if a few other sets of bulbs overwintered well (or if I lost them) in the coming weeks if nothing comes up.
5. pets
Zoya and Olena have been getting some extra love from us while we’ve been stuck at home. Along with extra pets and snuggles, we have been discovering new ways that they like to be pet and played with. On one of the recent warm days we had I brought them outside onto the deck with me while I was tidying up. It was so sweet to watch them lounge in the sun and then wiggle back and forth in it, a sign of true happiness. They have also both changed a bit since we’ve been stuck at home. They have new sleeping spots and have even started getting alone time away from us during the day too. It’s funny and super cute to see their personalities change and open up more since we have been at home. I’m also trying to show them that I respect their “space” too by letting them have extra alone time or let them go even if I’m not quite done snuggling yet. I’ve been rewarded with overnight and morning snuggles in bed with them, which have been such an amazing way to wake up.
6. naps
“Hi, my name’s Jenny, I’m a professional napper.” I nap like it’s nobody’s business… there is no such thing as a 15 min or 30 minute nap for me. My naps are always 3 hours long. Yeah you read that right, 3 hours long. Take a nap if you need one. Take a nap if you’re stressed. But be careful, oversleeping multiple times a day for many days in a row can be a symptom of depression. It was for me. I have two types of naps, “stress naps” when I’m so stressed that my brain just shuts down and won’t let me do anything but sleep and “restorative naps” that leave me feeling refreshed and happy. During this time I am trying to minimize the amount of “stress naps” that I take in a week, and opt for naps that my body actually needs instead of giving into my stress levels. The key is to wake up happy instead of still stressed when you crawl out from under the covers.
7. putting down the news.
I watch a lot of news because I like to be informed. And I decided to responsibly reduce the amount of news I’m consuming. Instead of watching everything that I can get my hands on as it pops up through out the day… I tried drastically reducing the times I consume news each day. First I consolidated my news and picked three sources that I check each day. I watch the national news each morning from the night before and then don’t seek out the news for the rest of the day. I have notifications set up from one other national / intentional news source that sends me updates through out the day that I can consolidate or turn off if its too much. I get 3 updates a day on average. Finally I have one local news source that sends me 2 updates on our state each day via text. These are the most important to me because it is the news that impacts me the most directly.
8. getting medication delivered to my door.
When the world changed due to the virus pandemic, along with a few other key first actions, I immediately counted the pills left in my prescription and called my pharmacist to see if I could get it filled early. While on the phone I found out that they have a delivery service that runs through the post mail. I immediately signed up. When it’s time to refill again I will get a notification and then it will get sent to me after I approve the transaction. Check and see if you can get your medications delivered. It’s been a literal life safer for me.
9. utilizing local delivery services for food.
We have been trying to be strategic with what we choose to get delivered and from whom. Make sure to support your local businesses in this time so that they are still there when the stay home advisory is lifted. We like to order food from our favorite local places and tip extra because the risk that the delivery people face while out delivering food. Next up we are going to find a local farmer to support to get a garden box from. It is really important to support those around you and in your local community. That is your home, and where you will feel the most impact and benefit when you help others in need. Its also really encouraging to put a face and a physical place you have been, into what you are supporting with your money.
BONUS
Lastly the thing that has been helping me cope is journaling. To kick start your journaling practice check out all of the journaling prompts on my website here and download my free 52 Week Journaling Prompts below. Normally…. I’d say take your time and do one journal prompt a week or reflect on it with mini entries throughout the week before you move onto the next prompt, but we all have much more time on our hands, so it’s okay if you blow through them. Just head back over here to get more journal prompts to keep you going through this crazy time that we are all living through.
