ME

MEblog

 

 

In this season of new beginnings, a metamorphosis of our life emerges whether we’re ready for it or not.  Another birthday will take place this year and our bodies, mind and souls, will change with our age/lifestyle.  How do we keep up with all that is going on with us personally?  There is no right or wrong way.  However, there are ways in which we can assist the process and guide the direction in a self-loving manner called self-care.

 

Self-affirmations help us be grateful for the positive things that we have in our lives and the ways positively affect those changes.

 

In our busy lives we take care of our professional responsibilities along with our homes and those in our intimate circles.  It’s hard to schedule time, finances and relaxation for ourselves.  This sometimes has a negative connotation attached to it called selfishness.  It’s not until we’re run down mentally or physically that we stop and show ourselves the care that is needed. We deserve to commit ourselves to making ourselves first.  Remember, we need to give out of our surplus and not our reserve.  We can’t do this without depositing back into our own life reservoir.

 

  • Make a ME list. We can write things down that calms and relaxes our body. 

 

  • A great mindfulness exercise is inhaling positive energy and exhaling stress.  Allowing our mind to be at one with our body. We can treat ourself to a yoga or dance class.  We’ll learn new skills, get exercise in and give our physical body some love.
  • We can stay home and watch a special show that we normally wouldn’t have time for. 

 

  • Get our favorite snacks, or a cup of tea, grab a blanket and put the phone on silent.  That time is solely ours.

 

  • Another great idea and is cooking a special meal that you’ve been wanting to try.  Go a little overboard.  Set the table up and light a candle.  You are about to dine with the most important person in your life, yourself. End the night with a relaxing bubble bath or hot shower and watch how peaceful you’ve slept not taking the day’s worries with you to bed

 

  • If you’re a mom or caretaker, it’s alright to ask for help.  Take a couple of hours for yourself to take a walk, see a movie, etc.  Call out from work and spend the day in your pajamas doing whatever it is that you want to do, the day is yours.

 

There is no formula for self-care except to make the time for it on a consistent basis.  The reality of this world will go on whether we’re ready for it or not.  Why not prepare ourselves for it a little better mentally so that we aren’t overwhelmed by it?  A little given today can help us stand much stronger tomorrow.  Happy spring.

 

RUNNING THROUGH DARKNESS
MEMOIR OF A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR

BY SANTA MOLINA-MARSHALL ‧ RELEASE DATE: MAY 3, 2022

This debut memoir chronicles a woman’s spiritual exploration and growth as she overcame a disturbing childhood and helped others heal.

Brought to America from the Dominican Republic as a youngster, Molina-Marshall should have led a happy life. Her father was a diligent worker, and his large family wanted for nothing. But the author recounts that her dad had a drinking problem and was a serial philanderer. Molina-Marshall’s long-suffering mother left him for a woman. Then it was all downhill for the bright, 12-year-old girl, who was shuttled between foster care and relatives. According to the author, she was sexually abused by the husband of one of her siblings. This resulted in Molina-Marshall becoming alienated and moody. By 15, she simply tried to survive. In her favor were grit and a restless intelligence. She quit school, rented a room, and found a factory job. Time went by, and for a while she was happily married. Yet when her husband left her, her life truly began. She turned to religion for answers but decided that blaming God for her woes was a cop-out. 

In this absorbing and moving memoir, Molina-Marshall’s vivid storytelling is fearless. She frankly discusses the truths she discovered and the indignities she suffered. These admissions are disclosed with a touch of resignation and plenty of bite. However painful, everything she experienced was a lesson, and she bravely realized that she was part of the problem: “The fear of being hurt, rejected, or abused often led to me feeling lonely and misunderstood. No one knew the agonizing pain I felt being trapped in my thoughts and anger. I was becoming my biggest threat.” 

The author skillfully recounts her intricate spiritual journey. To deal with her psychic wounds, she searched for an inspirational system. Her open-mindedness led her to the interfaith concept—cherry-picking from various religions and spiritual movements, yoga, and Indigenous beliefs as a way of finding peace. Along with her female partner, she built a therapy practice, making use of every spiritual element that aided her and others. The road was bumpy, and she found that women of color in same-sex relationships were not welcomed everywhere. To do good works—and finally live on her own terms—she effectively overcame bigotry.

An engrossing, cathartic account of empathy and success through determination and confidence.

Pub Date: May 3, 2022   |    ISBN: 978-0-578-38315-6  |   Page Count: 264    | Publisher: From Trauma to Triumph  |   Review Posted Online: June 13, 2022