March Photo A Day Challenge!

Thank you to C. from You’re Not Alone In This World for nominating me for the March Photo A Day Challenge! C. is such a wonderfully kind and talented person! The following are the photo challenges for each day! If you don’t want to do them all, you don’t have to. Please only do those that you feel comfortable doing. If you do choose to participate, feel free to let me know!

P.S. I think this challenge is really good for those of us with anxiety. It helps us challenge ourselves to get out of our comfort zones to get these pictures!

Rules:

Thank the blog who nominated you on your first and last day!
Post a photo each day for that category.
On the last day, I’ll post Aprils photo a day challenge and you can participate in that as well and you can nominate others to join in!

My Nominees:

Mary from Mary’s Average Adventures

Matt from In Silence We Suffer

Kim from Peace, Love, and Patchouli

Carla from The Melodramatic Confessions of Carla Louise

Jen from Motivation For Today’s Reality

Miriam from Out an’ About

Anyone Who Wants To Participate!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

I LOVE this and I can definitely relate!

fightorflights

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Energizing Songs

I’m in a bit of a musical mood this morning, so I thought I’d suggest some songs to help you feel motivated! You can check out videos to these songs by clicking on the links!

Wind It Up – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape

Now That You Got It – Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape

*I know these songs are older, but Gwen Stefani and No Doubt have some great upbeat songs!

American Girl – Train – My Private Nation

Fergalicious – Fergie – The Dutchess

Paint It Black – Vanessa Carlton – Be Not Nobody (I know this isn’t originally her song, but I LOVE this version!)

Yes You Can – Jewel – 0304

Call Me – Blondie – Greatest Hits Redux

*Like any of these songs? Have any songs that make you feel energized? Feel free to mention them in the comment section. Please do not post any videos though. I have nothing against other blogs that do, but I don’t wish for my blog to become really slow due to this. Thank you for understanding!

Some Needed Reminders!

Most Images found on The Seeds 4 Life

Hope

When dealing with anxiety and other mental health issues, it can sometimes be difficult to have hope. I know that for me, while sometimes I feel extremely hopeful that I will get through my anxiety and be able to do the things I want, other times I feel the exact opposite.

Anxiety has a way of making us feel like we can’t do things. Anxiety also has a way of making us feel weak. The thing is though, that neither thing is true. I know this. I went to school, I graduated college, I got a B.A. in Arts and Sciences, I used to go shopping, I’ve been to restaurants and been fine, and so much more. There is physically nothing wrong with me.

However, I have lived with anxiety for so long now that it is sometimes difficult to see beyond it. I have tried for so long to get through my anxiety, and although I have made a lot of progress, I still struggle immensely. Sometimes I wonder if I find it difficult to do simple, everyday things, how will I accomplish bigger tasks?

We have to have hope though and the truth is, that we should. There is no real reason not to have hope. Why? Because we can get through our anxiety and other mental health issues! We just have to keep working hard and keep proving to ourselves that we are stronger than our obstacles and challenges!

I know this isn’t always easy. Sometimes we wonder how, if we’ve tried for so long to get better and still struggle, we’ll ever get through this. However, getting better is not an overnight thing and it’s not always something you can put a timer on either. It’s not always possible to say “in ten years, this will all go away”. Life doesn’t work like that. We just have to keep having hope and working hard on a consistent basis. We can and will get through this!

Image found on Google Images

If You Could See Me Now – A Book Review

Copyright: 1977

Rating: 4.7/5

My Synopsis:

On July 21, 1955, two cousins make a pact that in twenty years, whether married or not, they will meet back where they grew up. However, what the two cousins don’t realize is that something will happen that night that will change their lives forever.

Twenty years later, Miles returns to the town where he grew up. While he says that it’s to write a book, he knows that the real reason for his return is much more meaningful, to meet up with his cousin.

Young women around town start to be found both killed and raped. Due to his slightly devious past, all eyes are on Miles. From the women in the stores to the farmers, side glances and rude remarks make their way towards the man who has returned after several years.

My Opinion:

This is the first book I ever read by Peter Straub and let me tell you that I was impressed! From start to finish, the story keeps you on edge, wondering why everyone acts the way they do.

The characters in this book are easy to both fall in love with and hate. The book goes beyond examining the spiritual and strange, and shows just how truly interesting humanity can be. Not only does Straub talk about topics such as death and suspicion, but also about the human condition, the minds of criminals, secrets amongst humanity, and much more.

The way that Peter Straub writes this story is wonderful. He uses imagery well and while some images are disturbing, it evokes just how cruel some individuals can be. Also, as in many ghost stories, movies, and shows, the book studies the idea of the smallest towns being the ones with the citizens that hold the biggest, deepest, and darkest secrets.

While there may not be action in every single page, the good writing and the thrilling topics in this story such as humanity, suspicion, and paranormal activity, keep the reader more than interested. This is a good solid read!

Awards!

This morning I was nominated for not one, but two blog awards from C over at You’re Not Alone In This World! Thank you so much, C! Please check out her wonderful blog. She is a very talented and caring person!

The Rules:

Thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
Share five facts about yourself.
Nominate 15-20 bloggers and add their links
Notify each blogger’s you included.
Keep the rules in your post.

The Facts:

1.) I’m currently reading If You Could See Me Now by Peter Straub (great book so far!)

2.) My first pet ever (other than fish) was a rabbit and my most recent animal (who passed away) was also a rabbit.

3.) I just recently started liking ghost/horror stories

4.) My favorite breakfast food are hash browns from McDonalds! 🙂

5.) I just ate at IHOP for the first time last year and was very impressed! (I had been there before but just with my mom and her friend and hadn’t actually had anything to eat).

The Nominees (As always, in no specific order) :

1.) Becky Due

2.) Curious Queendom

3.) Cafe Book Bean

4.) Poetry-Jo’s World

5.) Fight or Flights

6.) The Melodramatic Confessions of Carla Louise

7.) Bookmark Chronicles

8.) Dash of Fashion Girl

9.) Jade Moore

10.) In Silence We Suffer

11.) Reads and Treats

12.) Motivation for Today’s Reality

13.) Dear Hope

14.) We Are All Scared

15.) Tangled Up In Music

16.) Anxiety in NYC

17.) The Anxious Penguin

18.) My OCD Voice

19.) Joys of Joel

Really everyone who creates a blog is creative, but if I listed everyone, I’d never finish! To see if I’ve nominated you before for this award, click here!

The Rules:

Thank the person that nominated you and include a link to their blog.
Nominate at least 15 blogs of your choice.
Link your nominees and let them know of your nomination.
Share 7 facts about yourself!

The Facts:

1.) My birthday happens to fall on a holiday this year!

2.) While I hate to admit this, I occasionally like newer versions of songs more than the originals (for example, I love the versions of The Beatles songs in the movie Across the Universe! I do like the original versions too though!)

3.) My favorite song from The Beatles is Come Together

4.) When I was younger, my mom didn’t want me to listen to Bryan Adams’s I Wanna Be (Your Underwear). I LOVE that song and now even have it on my iPod!

5.) My music interests have a lot to do with my parents’. I like some disco music like my mom and I like a lot of songs that my dad likes.

6.) I do NOT like Jazz music! To me, it pretty much sounds all the same! Trust me, I tell my dad who loves Jazz all the time!

7.) I love all animals, but I’m not a huge fan of gorillas and apes.

The Nominees:

1.) Azilandleah

2.) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

3.) Diary of a Compulsive List Maker

4.) Be Inspired..!!

5.) Personally Me Blog

6.) Befriending Anxiety and Depression

7.) Dearest Someone,

8.) I Am My Own Island