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Happy/ Mental Health Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Just Justice

Category: Happy/ Mental Health

Happy/ Mental Health /

Be Present

HEYO friends. Happy new year. I hope you are feeling refreshed and excited about what this new year may bring you. One of my goals for the new year was to write more blogs because I truly enjoy sharing about my life. Also, the idea of a new year and resolutions REALLY stresses me out. So if you’re like me, and get stressed every time a new year rolls around, don’t worry, it’s normal. It’s just a good idea to think of some areas in your life where you want to grow. Maybe you want to be better on LinkedIn, talking to your grandparents more, or even making more soups this year. It does not have to be this huge life-changing resolution. Start small ?

As I am approaching graduation at Belmont, I feel a lot of stress and anxiety mostly. There is so much pressure! So much pressure to be successful and figure your life out. If you’re not about to graduate I am sure you can relate in some way. The future can be scary!

This is normal. The first thing I keep reminding myself of is to start being present. I had a friend text me this the other day. I was ranting on and on about how I was so stressed, and I am going to get cut off and blah blah. She said, “it is so important to be present in this season of your life.”  She was so right. I think a lot of us are preparing for the future, which is good, but we also need to live in the moment and enjoy where we are right now. Some of us are in the moments when we used to dream and pray about.

I also have noticed, when I start getting anxious about life/ future plans/anything… my mind starts spiraling with a million negative thoughts. This is so bad!! We must start being positive and feeding our brains happy things. If you need to go get ice cream, call your mom, or go on a walk. DO IT. For instance, you might be getting yourself all worked up because you have so much on your plate, you have no idea how you are going to get everything done. First, recognize the difficulty or stress. Next, you must figure out how you are going to overcome this. Maybe you could wake up earlier, or ask your boss for some tips on how to achieve this goal of yours. We can do hard things friends. 

The next thing I want to implement in this new year is just being really intentional in my conversations with people. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I am talking to someone and they are on their phone. & to be quite honest I am sure I’ve done this to many people. We live in a society where everything is on the screen in front of us. What would it look like if we started to implement that in our friendships? Actually listening in our conversations. I’ll be on the phone with someone while also working out or making dinner. I’m half listening, and I am telling myself I am just multitasking. LOL NO. Your friends and family deserve your full attention. 

As I was thinking about being intentional with my time, I decided to look up the definition. Intentional means that you are doing things in your life with intention and purpose (shocker) but….. in order to feel happy and fulfilled. You are actively doing things to make yourself happier. As I began to think about what I fill my days with, a lot of the time I am just doing something to please people or because I have to do something. SHOCKER!! This is not being intentional. This might come across as a little selfish to some of you, but I think that is simply okay. Some of us need to put our own needs first sometimes. Some of you are so exhausted from a 9-5, you don’t even know how to be happy because your entire day is crammed-packed. Let’s first, start out by carving out some time for ourselves. 

 

Happy/ Mental Health /

Self Affirmations

Hello friends!! I have had so many people request a new blog so here it is. I also love sitting down and writing out my thoughts because my blogs hold me accountable, believe it or not. If I am talking about ways to overcome anxiety, I kinda have to listen to myself. Today I wanted to touch on how important affirmations have been in my life. I know affirmations aren’t a new concept, but I want you guys to consider telling yourself motivating sayings. 

 

In times of stress, anger, or even times that I am disappointed with myself I have been speaking out loud affirmations about myself. Even if you don’t believe it at times, tell yourself these affirmations. 

I find my brain being so negative throughout the week. “You aren’t smart enough, you haven’t been working out long enough, you need to read your bible more.” Whatever your brain is telling you, take a moment to reassure yourself that you are enough.

Telling yourself these affirmations fires up your neural pathways and makes changes to those areas of the brain that make you happy and positive according to studies I found online. 🙂

 Many other studies can confirm that affirmations decrease stress, increase the number of exercise people do, and help you eat more fruits and vegetables. LIKE WHAT? Affirmations help you eat more fruits and vegetables, I’m so down for that. 🙂 

As I was writing this blog, I was of course scrolling through Tik Tok and came across a video of Jennifer Lopez. She was saying, “Your thoughts create your life, you have to force your brain to think positively.” It can honestly be difficult to be positive all the time. Something I have noticed is so many people assume the worst, try shifting your mindset and start assuming the best from people. For example, “She gave me a weird look at work today, so she hates me and thinks I’m ugly.” I know that is a silly example, but so many of us fall into that trap. Assuming the worst all the time. I think we would find growth within ourselves if we shifted that mindset. An affirmation that I have been writing down every day is “Today I am looking forward. As the past has been done, and all we can change is the future. I am worthy of loving myself deeply. I love the person I am becoming. I stand firm in valuing myself.”

Speaking on having healthy brains, I was drawn back to a time when I felt like I was doing everything right. I was waking up early, drinking a lot of water, working out, journaling, and doing all the right things! Let me assure you I wasn’t feeling like I was doing everything right. This all boils down to until you figure out your mind and your feelings you aren’t healthy. If this is you I would just encourage you to start spending time with yourself, figuring yourself out. I am the worst at this because I am a go go go, person. I like to be productive all the time. We have to start slowing down and recapping our day and our feelings. If not we won’t become better! Time to connect with ourselves friends. 

I just wanted to share some different types of affirmations that might be helpful to you this week!

Self-love Affirmations

  • I love myself as I am today
  • I choose to be kind to myself today
  • I deserve happiness and joy
  • I am a positive person who attracts positive things in my life
  • I honor my life

Self-Image Affirmations

  • My body is a gift. I treat it with love and respect
  • I love my body
  • I am beautiful
  • I love myself the way I am today
  • The positivity in my heart reflects on my face

Work/ School Affirmations

  • I am going to have a productive day
  • I choose to learn and grow from hard situations today
  • I am smart
  • I can excel 
  • I have a passion for my job/ classes I am taking

Affirmations I tell myself

  • I am full of endless potential
  • I am open to all the love the universe has to offer
  • I am a good friend
  • I am in good health
  • I am whole
  • Jesus is longing to have a deeper relationship with me
  • I am enough

 

I hope we can start teaching our brains some of these affirmations because they are all true!

Happy/ Mental Health /

Life is too Short

HEYYYOOO friends! It has been a while since my last blog post, but don’t worry I am trying to be better about posting more blogs. As I finished up my junior year of college, I realized the peace I felt after finals were over. I feel that I have nothing to worry about, and I feel like myself. Happy Justice! I know many of you can relate to this feeling, and as I began to ponder why I feel so peaceful and content in my life. I just realized that we oftentimes put so much pressure on ourselves to be the best all the time. Whether that looks like being the best mom, employee, boss, friend, or girlfriend. What would it look like if we all just slowed down for a little bit? This is easier said than done. I believe we must be cautious of our time each day and what we want to fill it with. Or else your day goes by too fast trying to accomplish everything off your to-do list. I fall into this trap way too often, I am obsessed with my to-do list. You can ask my friends if I have “get gas, go on a walk” on my to-do lists. My main point in this is we need to be intentional about how we use our time, and what makes us happy. If you’re unsure about how you can destress your life, here are a couple of things that I like to do that makes me feel less stressed and happy.

– Take a walk
– Journal
– Paint
– Call your mom/ friend/ anyone that will make you happy
– Put your phone down and enjoy quiet time

I am sure you have heard the saying “you’re stuck with yourself forever,” well it’s true. You’re with yourself 24/7. Make time for yourself every day. Check-in with yourself. Are you truly happy?
Life does get in the way at times, but let me reassure you that as hard as life may feel, your mental health and happiness are just as important. It is so easy to fall into a trap of stress and anxiety about your future and what is next, but God has you in a very specific place on purpose. In times of stress and anxiety take a moment to realize that everything happening right now is supposed to happen. God has you at this exact point in your life on purpose. Lean into your present time.

Let me ask you something. When was there a time when you felt your happiest? You felt the most content or felt the closest to God. You felt proud of yourself. What is in the way of becoming that person, or even becoming a better person? I found that when I spend time by myself, I can understand myself better and whom I want to become. It’s time to feel peace again friends!

I am going to make a large assumption that everyone reading this can agree that time goes by way too fast. “The older you get, the faster it goes.” You might feel this way. I want to remind you, that YOU can make a difference in your own life. It’s time to put yourself first. Time to make YOU happy. Life is too short for you to be unhappy.

Happy/ Mental Health /

Longing for a Better Faith

Today I wanted to talk about my faith journey, my peaks and valleys, and how to have stronger faith. Faith can be a very hard topic to write a blog about, but I hope that I can just help one person reading this. According to Google, there are over 4,000 different religions. So I think it is safe to say that our beliefs might fluctuate and look different. I want to speak to the individuals who might be longing for more in their faith journey. Have you ever been around people who love the Lord so much, that they just radiate happiness? You love being around them because they truly walk out what the Lord has called them to. Well, I am here telling you today that the faith you have always longed for, is attainable.

I grew up attending church every Sunday, and I have always loved the Lord so much. I can remember being 7 years old and raising my hands at church. Christ has always been a big part of the person I am today. It wasn’t until I went to college that my perspective on church and my faith changed. I didn’t have someone telling me we were going to church on Sunday. I had the opportunity to figure out what my faith meant to me. I can remember a point in college, I was having way too much fun on the weekends, and just not making church a priority. Now, I am not saying you can’t have fun on a Saturday night and go to church on Sunday morning. Because I do that all the time. It all boils down to what is important in my life, and I needed to be more intentional with my relationship with God.

I want you to know that God himself longs to have an intimate relationship with you. Do you realize, that even when you might not think about him during your day, you are always on his mind? He hand-knitted you in your mother’s womb. He knows the number of hairs on your head. He truly loves and adores you. God is waiting for you to run back into his arms again. God is also so proud of the person you are and will become. Psalm 91:4 says, “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”

Something that amazes me is when I reflect on certain seasons of my life, and see how he worked in those times. I can see how I am a stronger human now, because of my past. If you are thinking, “Justice, faith scares me. The Christian faith has all these rules, and I don’t think I believe in all of them. I want to be close to God but I don’t know how to be.” Well, let me start by saying it is completely okay to question your faith, dig deeper into the word and teach yourself. 

I also acknowledge that a lot of people have different beliefs and views in their faith, that is OKAY. God did not intend for people to think the bible is a list of rules. The bible is a guide for a beautiful and fruitful life. There are many different interpretations in the bible, and that is why I do not believe, “if you do this, you’re bad and going to hell.” God loves every human, bug, dog, whatever it is. He loves you. Everyone’s relationship with God is evolving as we grow, meet new people, and experience different life circumstances. One thing always remains the same, is God’s love.

So, if you are longing to deepen your relationship with God or just wanting to explore for the first time what that relationship might look like for you, below I share a few suggestions.

  • Make time for Him

This was the biggest game-changer when I felt the closest to God. Being intentional about the time you spend with him. Whether it’s time in prayer, doing a devotional, or spending time in his word, it’s all about connecting with him. There are wonderful bible apps that are extremely helpful. Your relationship with God is no different from a relationship with a friend. If you are not spending quality time together talking and getting to know one another…it’s not going to be the quality relationship you long for. Like any relationship, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This will be the best investment of your time…I promise you!

  • Express Gratitude

This might sound silly. But try and talk to God during the day like a friend. A lot of time people don’t know what to say to God or feel like they have to be formal when they pray. Sometimes I am like, “Holy cow God, today is a beautiful day outside, and you’re so freaking amazing.” No joke, I was on Broadway last Saturday, and I began to look around at everyone enjoying the live music. Watched as so many people just smiled and danced. I thanked God for the blessing of music and that it brought joy to so many. Praise him in the most random moments. 

  • Surround yourself with like-minded people

This might be one of the most important things you can do. It will be so challenging to live out your faith journey if you don’t surround yourself with other people who have the same goal. You must have people in your life who encourage, challenge, and make you better every day. I realize this isn’t always easy or doesn’t happen overnight. I challenge you to start asking God to put people in your life that he wants to have in your circle. I promise you if you are open to this, you will see him at work. Always remember, we grow like the company we keep!

  • Be a light

Everything God has put in you is exactly what the world and the people around you need. Be the light.

My encouragement for you is to set your timer for 2-3 minutes. Just talk to God. Share something about your day with him. Whether it’s you stubbed your toe today, or you are looking for new friends. The next time you are alone driving in your car, rather than turn on the radio, spend that quiet time talking with God. In the morning, instead of grabbing your phone to scroll through social media, spend that time talking to God about your upcoming day. Make time for Him. 

I have been wanting to write a blog about faith for quite some time, but I felt like I would say the wrong things, or even that I didn’t have anything worthwhile to share. Let me break it to you, I don’t have everything figured out. What I do know is that God is in the middle of it all and he loves me no matter what. I am living, sinning, learning, and trying to become better every single day. Let’s do this together, friends. 

Please leave a comment if you wanna talk or have any questions, and hopefully, I can help you in any way I can. (or just leave a comment if you think I should talk about a certain topic) 

 

Happy/ Mental Health /

Therapy Time With Tyler

Hi friends!!

I have been so excited to share my first interview and YouTube video with the one and only Tyler Martin. (my cutie brother) Tyler is currently a master of social work graduate student at UCLA and a psychiatric social work intern at a high school in downtown Los Angeles. 

This is by far the most personal and transparent blog I have shared with y’all. On my quest for living my best life, I recognized I had a few areas that I wanted to work through to achieve that. With some gentle nudging and encouragement from my siblings, I decided to give it a try. I asked myself, “what’s the worst thing that could happen?” In all honesty, at first, this felt a bit unnerving and a little embarrassing. I always had the misinterpretation that therapy was for other people experiencing serious issues or uncovering dark aspects from their past. Big misconception! It’s been over a year since I started working with a therapist and I can not say enough good things about this experience. I am so grateful that I didn’t let my ego and fear keep me from starting this journey. Therapy can be intimidating at first. However, if you allow yourself to be a little vulnerable, you will quickly reap the benefits. 

Therapy provided a safe space for me to evaluate and navigate my relationships and to understand how they affect my well-being. I realize that I could have kept my therapy journey private and to myself but it’s been such a positive experience…why would I do that? I think if we were more open and transparent, this topic wouldn’t be so taboo. I strongly encourage you to lean into this idea. It’s important to know that working with a therapist isn’t necessarily a lifetime commitment…it certainly can be, but often we just need help as we navigate through life experiences. 

Thanks to all of you who submitted questions via Instagram for Tyler and I to answer throughout the YouTube video. I hope you enjoy our honest conversation about how therapy can truly help you become the best version of yourself. 

I would love your comments and or questions about finding a therapist. I am more than happy to share more about my therapy journey with you.