Space Between :: White Space = Pause

Happy Saturday. Don't forget to provide #whitespace. After this BLOG post - I am on a whitespace break for the whole weekend. 

:::::: Weekends (especially, summer weekends) are more enjoyable when #busyness isn't on the agenda. All that rush: Go here! Do that! Must do! ::::::

::What is Whitespace? ::
"Whitespace,” or “negative space” is the #spacebetween between elements & events. { It's the white-zones on your calendar OR within your day that is NOT planned but is purposely placed. } 

What does providing whitespace do for you? 
It heals. It connects. It repairs. It creates. It pauses. 
Whitespace is extremely important in maintaining a positive and healthy mental state.
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So many times we make ourselves ridiculously busy. We think we have to do everything and get as far as we can. If we provide whitespace. We provide a space for calm, creativity, connection & repair from busyness.

*** Also know as the {space between} hence one of the many reasons my therapy office has the name @space_between_counseling 

Please consider joining me in my "Whitespace Weekend"! If you do, tell me about how YOU felt after your "whitespace weekend" - on Monday 😉✌🏽.

Finding Your Flow - Instead Up Swimming Upstream

Are YOU frantically swimming upstream, bucking the actual flow of life? 

In my therapy room a lot of this uphill swimming is due to trauma, stress, struggles with self and purpose. However sometimes what seems like stress can at times be ANXIETY. 

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Anxiety Disorder Types

Everyone experiences anxiety in one form or another. However, there is a large difference between having an anxiety disorder and feeling anxious every now and then. For instance, it is pretty common and typical for someone to be anxious before they take an exam but becoming so anxious that they don't eat and decide to not show up to the exam at all could be a sign that that person has a disorder. 

Anxiety disorders themselves range from being mild to severe and it can also depend on what triggers a person's experiences and how often. In short, anxiety is a broad term that ultimately depends on the individual. 

It can be difficult to describe anxiety to someone who has never truly experienced it like the people who have disorders do. 

Social media is full of attempted explanations, but there are still those people who tell us to "get over it," "don't think about it so much," and "there's no reason to be anxious." 

One of the biggest misunderstandings about having anxiety is that most of the time we know that there isn't any real reason to be anxious, and that our minds are overreacting. The thing is though, it just feels impossible for us to turn it off and think logically in that moment. There's not a whole lot we can do.

As a therapist that specializes in ANXIETY - I get you. 

Anxiety is like swimming in the ocean with no land in sight: The mind has a keen way of magnetizing events of our lives. What can seem small and insignificant to one is massive in scale to another. Consider a 7ft man floating in an ocean 450ft deep. While he is large on land, the ocean proves a great challenge to his sense of size.  

Anxiety is diving deep underwater, then swimming back up to the surface, but the surface is farther away that it seemed so you suddenly feel as if you are about to drown.

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Side-Note: Did you know that --> Swimming is a great way to drown-out stress and anxiety as you embrace every stroke? 

*** Swimming can significantly reduce symptoms like stress, anxiety and depression. Swimming triggers the release of endorphins, the natural feel-good hormone while stopping the secretion of fight-or-flight stress hormones. It also promotes the growth of new brain cells that atrophies under chronic stress and anxiety.

Photo Credit: Nikki McClure & Unknown Source

Happy 4th!

Relationships & Fireworks have a lot in common. 

Both can be amazing & mesmerizing -OR- they both can be fragile & dangerous ((if handled without care)). 
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As we wrap up this long holiday weekend for most Americans and return back to work tomorrow - look around and ask yourself...

Are YOU handling your relationship with care?

Are you BOTH experts on one another?

Are YOU better skilled at navigating your relationship than your JOB? 
 

“Agree to be experts on one another. Be even better at your relationship than you are at your jobs.”

— Dr. Stan Tatkin

Mind FULL -OR- Mindful?

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{You always have a choice}

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:: Seeking Calm? Find a guided meditation provider, whom provides the power of Mental Stillness.

I find my calm via buddhify and lessen my chaos with the help of Tara Brach.

Plus, July 1st could be a great day to start a new habit ✌🏼✌🏽✌🏿

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Need Repair?

Stressed? Find your pattern. Find your lesson.
 

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A good way of recognizing patterns in your life is by listening to your feelings, your intuition. 

I’ve found that when I am involved in a pattern, my emotions run a bit stronger, kind of like a warning from my subconscious mind to pay attention to what’s happening.
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Many moons ago, as a young adult, pre-therapy, pre-mediation, pre-tuning in:: More often than not, I recognize the pattern (life lesson) when the situation had ended, or changed. 

Hindsight is 20/20 in this way. It can be difficult to recognize a pattern while it’s playing out. This still happens to me in present life. However, I have learned to better pay attention to MY patterns. 

Reflecting helps this. Awareness helps this. Time helps this. Being surrounded by caring and compassionate loved ones, family, and friends helps this.

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In life there will be continuous patterns and lessons sent our way. If we are aware and tuned in, we will learn to overcome our patterns and learn our individual lessons.
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The key is to be alert. When you’re open to recognizing a pattern, you can change it by learning the lesson, and in doing so, change your life. Equaling: less repeat and more JOY & Awareness.

Charm City Newbie?

New to Baltimore? Struggling with too much newness?

:: Maybe ::

New city? New relationship? New job? New to Grad school? and/ or New to Parenting?

The feeling of loneliness can be a painful reality for some people in transition.

Talking about these issues with a trained professional, can help.

You always have a choice.

Therapy provides a space to till YOUR soil. 

Everything you are feeling OR experiencing is rooted somewhere. Together, in therapy we prep YOUR garden for YOUR growth.

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“We are what we are because we have been what we have been, and what is needed for solving the problems of human life and motives is not moral estimates but more knowledge. ”

— Sigmund Freud

Are your habits empowering you -OR- are they getting you in trouble?

Habits: our manner in which we do something, our routines and/or customs. 
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How do your habits guide you? 
Inspire you? 
Limit you?

 

“You cannot change your future. But you can change your habits and surely your habits will change your future.” ”

— A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

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How are YOUR Relationships, going?

:: Are you struggling to be heard, understood and/or connected in your relationships? ::

If this feels familiar? Ask yourself... "am I fully available for authentic connection(s) with those I value and love?" 

Fact is: 
Relationships are harder in modern life because "conversations" become texting, arguments become emails and feelings become social media statuses. ::
If this is something you desire to change - small habitual patterns need to be altered.
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Start by scheduling face to face time with friends + your loved ones.
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If "face to face" is not ideal due to modern day obstacles of space & time --- schedule a phone call that is uninterrupted by distractions, noise, and multitasking. Hold space for this moment of connection. It's amazing what a meaningful conversation can do for our lives, moods, and relationships.
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Bottom-line: we're a distracted society that desires more connection. ::
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Be the {{Change}} in YOUR connection(S) + Relationship(S).