Mental Health Month Blog Party

There is a history of mental illness in my family, primarily depression.  I have suffered through bouts of it, been treated with medication, and ultimately learned to cope by changing my life in a number of ways.  Feeling depressed is not a party but recovery is worth celebrating.

How did I do it?  I learned to implement a set of skills that helped me stay mentally healthy.  I started taking responsibility for my life and my choices then quit blaming others for my problems.  I explored many spiritual paths, eventually discovering what works best for me.  I try to exercise regularly, eat well and get plenty of sleep.  I write in a journal and take pictures to express what's inside me.  I meditate and practice mindfulness.  I practice lovingkindness by helping other people.  I keep learning and growing.

Of course I still have down days and don't always do what I need to do, but I view my path as a spiral journey, ever evolving.

How about you?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

"When you are in your heart of hearts, you can see beyond appearances." -Carlos Santana

What do you know about mental health?  

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a "state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community."  

I think the feeling of well-being is the key to mental health. Mental health also requires resilience, balance, flexibility, and the ability to express who you really are inside.

Part of my work is to help remove the stigma from mental illness.  It's a brain disorder, a medical illness that affects one in every four people.  It's important to fight against hurtful representations of mental illness. The National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI) does just that. Get yourself educated, or get help if you need it, it's ok.

This week I will be participating in the Mental Health Blog Party.  Check it out!

And that's what's going on in My World this week.

April Showers

Eventually bring May flowers, right?  May 5 and we have one tulip blooming!

The last day of April looked like this:

Spring snowstorms are not always welcome but they are not unusual.  They do provide moisture so this week things are greening up and looking less brown.

This time of year the days are longer, the energy is increasing in the natural world,  and the earth is stirring again after a long winter's sleep.

Likewise, we start becoming more active and spend increasing amounts of time outside.  The pace of life picks up.

Best of all, kids come home from college!  Our oldest daughter is home now and I'm going to help my youngest daughter move home tomorrow.  We will be reunited as a family for the summer.  It's another kind of change, a welcome one.

Every day, every moment, our lives change.

Just like the skies at SkyWatch Friday.

No leaves, yet

This could almost be a fall picture except that I took it this afternoon.  It's the end of April.  We are having a very late spring but no tornadoes or violent storms, thank goodness. My heart goes out to those experiencing enormous loss and devastation.  The fact of the matter is that we never know when tragedy might strike.  We tend to believe that it will happen to someone else but in the blink of an eye it can happen to us.

Practicing gratitude helps us through our darker days.

Dr. Tom Costa says, "You cannot be grateful and unhappy at the same time!"  Try it and see if it's true.

I'm grateful for all the beautiful skies that show up around the world on SkyWatch Friday.

A day in my world

Spring weather in Utah is unpredictable to say the least. Early morning fog enveloped Castle Cove.  Last night and again in the afternoon we had rain, then hail.  As you can see, the snow is not entirely gone yet.

This view changes with the seasons, is always breath-taking in its beauty and is one of the reasons why we love living here.

I had time this morning to do a little painting project.  I am taking classes on art journaling called 21 Secrets.   Connie, from Dirty Footprints Studio is our talented hostess.  It's helping me get my creative juices flowing and it's a lot of fun. I love learning new things.

Every morning I let the ducks out of their coop and into their pen.  They don't mind the wet weather.

Amy is wondering why I am taking a picture of our little office.  That's my desk.  We try not to back into each other too often.  We work in a rural mental health facility.  Amy is a case manager for people who are seriously and persistently mentally ill.  I am a Family Resource Facilitator and work with families who have children with mental health and/or behavior problems.  It's a good thing we are compatible!

That's a little piece of My World.  Go see what the world looks like in other places!  It's never boring.

Strut your Stuff!

It's mating season for wild turkeys!

 Aren't they handsome?

Infinity

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.


When I was about 15 years old I contemplated the vast night sky and felt very, very small.  It was the first time I placed myself in the context of The Universe.  I was a little frightened and unnerved to feel utterly insignificant.

Now, many years later, I have a completely different perspective.  I feel perfectly inter-connected.  Scientifically it's been proven that we are composed of the same molecules as the stars!  It feels infinitely comforting to know that I am a part of something so beautiful, magical and majestic.

I feel extremely grateful today to be a part of everything that exists, to be able to recognize the nature of reality.  It's fleeting and ever-changing, exquisitely complex, and dazzling.