There are times in our lives, we have all found ourselves feeling worn out, lost, at a standstill, uninterested, or downright blue. You wonder how or when you will get out of this funk?
Winters have always been a challenge for me. Dark outside when I rise and even darker before the end of the business day. Experiencing day after day, month after month, full of anxiety, lack of focus, no energy, sluggishness, hormones raging (want to cry but cannot cry). Praying each day for the sun to shine so I can shake this funk off, trying my best to hold it together and not snap.
I kicked off the year 2020 with the journey of rediscovering the gift called “Me”. I was so excited about the Vision of 2020, Spring has arrived. Little did I know, I was entering into the darkest and most prolonged winter of my life. Within a couple of months, we all were looking in the eye of a major storm, the pandemic Coronavirus. This winter would continue for over two years and yet continues to this day. At that time, I knew God’s timing of Christal Clear 2020 Vision was for such a time as this.
For survival, I had to continuously dig deep and tap into His Spirit within to discover the strength of the gift of “Me.” You see, I am an extreme feeler, the magnitude of sickness and deaths of those I love and the strangers I never knew felt unbearable. Oh, the pain and heartbreak I felt for thousands daily, as I prayed, and mourned for each one. In this journey of rediscovery, I discovered Rhythm in my Blues. As I explored different experiences, techniques, and systems I found newness in “Life,” inner sunshine, growth, self-appreciation, peace, and harmony. I continue to discover so many cool and not-so-cool things about this Gift Called “Me.” My Rhythm in Blues adventures are transparent/clear, simple, and pure, that breathe Life, brings Joy, and creates Christal Clear Moments. My prayer is that as I continue the discovery of the Gift Called “Me” it will overflow to encourage others to take their journey of (re)Discovering the wonderful Gift of “You.”
Listed below are examples of my Rhythm in Blues Adventures, Techniques, and Systems
When you think of April, May, and June, you probably think of Spring, the time for deep cleaning, purging, and decluttering inside the house. Perhaps it’s you cleaning the yard, pulling out all the dead to make room for the new growth. I want to challenge you to flashback to the beginning of this year and look at the goals and aspirations you set for the year. Now take the following steps necessary to do a deep cleansing of the who(s) and what(s) that have caused distractions in life to get you off course. Make a list of what worked well and another list of what did not.
Ask these questions: How are things going? How, what, and where can I improve to better move toward the goal? What do I need to let go of? This will direct the areas of focus to optimize your “cleaning” efforts.
7 Steps to Self Cleaning
Rediscover the Gift Called “Me”
You are a gift to this world. You are special, uniquely made for such a time as this. Explore and discover something new about your awesomeness and what gives you inspiration and joy. Through prayer and spending quiet time with the Creator, reclaim your strength and inner peace. Get back to the precious gift that you call “Me”.
Clear your Mind
Woosah, clear your mind as much as possible. There is always so much going on inside our heads. Daily meditation is a wonderful way to clear your mind.
Check your attitude, you create more of what you think, your mindset is everything. It affects you and everyone else. Try journaling your thoughts, even if you must shred them because you cursed someone out. Be angry and sin not. Breathe and let that, Sh*t Go!!! You will feel much lighter. Get it out, if you do not it will create a stench, that is unbearable. Reality check: Stop trying to fit everything and everyone in, focus on priorities and release everything else that sucks the life out of you.
Clean up your Relationships
Look closely at all your relationships? How are they doing? You may need to end unhealthy relationships or reach out and reconnect with old friends. Are your loved ones your priority? How are you utilizing your time towards your relationships, is it quality? Are you present, mindful, multitasking (working), or on phone/social media?
Tidy Up Your Habits
What unhealthy habits do you need to eliminate before they cost you dearly? Replace them by focusing on building new positive habits.
Examine Your Healthily Living
Time to get physical. Do you have a fitness routine? Springtime is an exciting time to get outdoors, take walks and do some gardening. What are your fuel sources? Hydrate… I have an app that reminds me to drink water. I am working at responding timely to the alerts, as I build new habits. I find it helpful if I keep a water bottle near me. Increase your natural whole foods, fruits, and vegetables.
Get rid of the Clutter
Spring clean, all your spaces, the junk drawers, the closet (if it does not fit do not force it), the car, workspace, and all the spaces you spend time in. How many of the apps on your phone do you actually use? How many contacts and photos are on your phone that you do not need? What do your mail and emails look like? Have an unsubscribing session for those that no longer serve you. Delete!!! Delete!!! Delete!!! Unfriend and unfollow all negativity.
Polish your Finances
Yes, I am a witness that our God will make a way out of no way. But there is something called Stewardship. Are you a good steward of your finances? Is there a need to rob Peter to pay Paul? This means it is not enough money to go around, so you are taking from one source to pay another. Review and refresh your Financial Plan. Proverbs 21:5 – The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Is the goal debt elimination, savings, retirement, home, travel, adjusting to living within your means, or all the above and then some? Take a close look at your money coming in and the money you got going out. How is it working for you? Is there a need to adjust your budget?
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, it’s Springtime. Open up the windows of heaven and let your freshness blow, filling my mind with clarity. Let me experience the fragrance of your divine healing, emotional and physical. Help me to be the amazing gift that you created Called “Me”. Restore me, renew me, and cleanse me. I long to be a person after Your own heart, show me how I ought to live. Instruct me in Your ways, and walk beside me every moment of every day. ~ Amen
As we continue to journey into the year of 2021, it was pressed upon my heart that this should be the year that all of mine and your visions shall come to pass. In 2020 we had a time of rest, a time to reflect upon our visions. That is why I created the 2021 Visioning Worksheet, this was meant to help you manifest your goals in 2021. There are four sections contained within this worksheet and I will be giving you all a quick tour of how to use the worksheet to the best of its ability.
Let’s Start!
Self-Reflection
In the first part of the worksheet, I ask that you reflect upon 2020. This is your opportunity to just freewrite and allow for the thoughts that you may have had stored up through last year spill out on the page. Now is your time to release those visions, thoughts, questions and manifestations. Additionally, you are able to write down simply what you are looking to manifest in 2021, this could be a simple word, mission or an action.
2021 Manifestation Goal Setting
I am a big believer in setting SMART goals. I live by them actually, it really helps me to keep myself accountable by setting specific, measurable, achievable and time-specific goals. This second part of the worksheet is where you will keep yourself accountable. Be sure to refer to this section of the worksheet daily, weekly or monthly. Assess the 3 goals, let them be reminders that your goals are attainable and achievable this year because you planned well.
2021 Visioning Workbook – Manifest Your Goals
Enjoy this free download of the 2021 Visioning Worksheet. This 5-page booklet includes 3 worksheets that will help you to plan out your goals for 2021. Allow this to be the guide for the new year. After downloading you can print the pages and add them to your existing collection of The Gift of Called “Me”- 90 Day Planners. Or just use the worksheet on it’s own.
This is probably one of the hardest, but most freeing portions of the worksheet. I know that as I was working through this worksheet, I felt freed by confronting my negative and limiting thoughts. Truly, it is not our lack of motivation that gets in our way, it is the struggle to keep away those negative thoughts. I implore you pray and meditate on those challenges, negative or self-limiting thoughts that you may struggle with. RELEASE THEM! Those thoughts no longer have a place in your mind, heart or hands and to keep them from creeping back set 30, 60 and 90 day goals to rid yourself of them!
4.Vision Board
I love this part of the worksheet. Allow your creativity to shine. Use this space to place quotes or pictures that help you to visualize your goals. I am a firm believer that you can accomplish what you can’t envision.
“Write the vision, make it plain on the tablets, so he may run who reads it” – Habakkuk 2:2
Internet resource Medical News Today describes mental health as: “cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being.” It is a reflection of our overall healthfulness. Women, because of their busy schedules and attention to the needs of others don’t always leave time to attend to their mental health. But it is important for women to make space to engage in their own emotional, mental, and physical fitness in order to be around to help others.
Mental health can be measured by how well we manage our anxiety, mood, and stress levels. Experts point to a healthy lifestyle as the key to emotional, mental, and physical wellness. For example, eating healthy, sleeping well, and exercising is key.
First, what we eat does play a pivotal role in helping us to improve our moods, our ability to sleep, and may increase our ability to move our bodies more.
How? When we eat a well-balanced diet of healthy fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, heart-healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and seeds, and moderate amounts of lean meats, seafood, and poultry, research shows we feel better.
Also, experts recommend that if we make sleep a priority, it will be easier to maintain other
health behaviors. Restorative sleep will help us to be more alert and energized. When we have a sufficient amount of energy, we can better manage unhealthy anxiety and stress. Dr. Andrew Weil author of the book Mind Over Meds exhorts the following, “Evidence for the health benefits of exercise is overwhelming. Increased physical activity can effectively prevent and treat depression, help normalize high blood pressure, and, along with dietary adjustment, but many cases of type 2 diabetes into complete remission.” (pg. 6) Although most people move around for school and work (inside or outside the home), we could all stand to add some intentional physical activity specifically for our heart and mental health.
Finally, if you are unable to get the nutrition, rest, and exercise that your body needs, I encourage you to seek the support of a nutritionist. Sometimes we need a little additional guidance. The heart of the matter is that a healthy diet, restorative sleep, and regular exercise can help women improve and maintain great mental health.
Often when we hear the word beans we think of flatulence (a.k.a. gas). It’s true that some people do experience intestinal intolerance when consuming beans. But, the benefits of eating beans far outweigh this minor discomfort.
However, we can mitigate the severity of the experience by maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle. Which includes healthy eating, regular exercise, restorative sleep, and staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
As long as you do not have a health-related condition that will preclude you from eating beans, then consider adding this heart-healthy, high protein, complex carbohydrate, folate, and iron packed food to your diet.
Black Bean Tortilla Soup (Serves 4)
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels (do not thaw)
1 cup water
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled tortilla chips, plus more for serving (optional)
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving.
1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with their juice), beans, broth, corn, and the water; season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips; cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, and season with salt and pepper.
Dr. Michael Greger in his book, How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease writes, “Eating greens nearly every day may be one of the most powerful steps you can take to prolong your life. Of all the food groups analyzed by a team of Harvard University researchers, greens turned out to be associated with the strongest protection against major chronic diseases, including up to about a 20 percent reduction in risk for both heart attacks and strokes for every additional daily serving.” (p. 312) So, become a mean, greens, eating machine!
1 ½ lbs. Swiss Chard (1 large or 2 medium bunches), stemmed, leaves torn into large pieces (substitute other greens if you prefer)
1. Heat the 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the stock, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 6 minutes.
2. Transfer the onion to a bowl and return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil; then add the Swiss chard. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook, tossing, for 2 to 3 minutes. Return the onion to the skillet, toss to combine, and serve.
Picture for a minute a giant bowl of fresh fruit such as: berries, citrus, melons, and stone fruit. What a luscious imagining? The mere thought of fragrant, fresh, juicy, succulent fruit causes our salivary glands to activate.
Fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy antioxidants. In fact, some research shows that eating certain fruit can even help lower blood pressure. Dr. Oz in Food Can Fix It: The Superfood Switch to Fight Fat, Defy Aging, and Eat Your Way Healthy explains, “fiber in fruit slows the absorption of sugar, and that’s a good thing because it prevents that sudden spill of glucose into your bloodstream.” (p. 43)
Spicy Apple Snack (Serves 2)
1 lg. Granny Smith apple, halved, core removed
2 Tbs. peanut butter, divided
Cinnamon, ground
1. Cut apple in half vertically, and with a melon baller or small spoon scoop out the core and seeds.
2. Spread each apple half with a tablespoon of peanut butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Enjoy beans, greens, and fruity things as part of a heart-healthy diet!
