The Thorn Hedge

The Stories of a Self-Rescuing Princess Creating Fairy Tale Beauty in Everyday Life

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Dealing with a Bad Day

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Today, I had a bad day. Actually, I didn’t, but I almost had a bad day. I was laying down trying to sleep before work and I realized that my anxiety level was very high today.

I recognized some of the factors that were probably making my anxiety worse. There were likely activities that I could have thrown my self into which would have sublimated my worries, partially relieving them. I could have definitely given in to the desire to be doing something, anything (whether anything was accomplished or not) and sacrificed sleep.

Instead, I acknowledged that my anxiety level was very high. I recognized that it was making me uncomfortable. Then, I realized that I had to go to work in a few hours and I really needed to get some sleep. Sleeping was a more productive goal than my anxiety in that moment.

Neither is easy for me – letting go of my anxiety, or accomplishing sleep – but I did both today. As a result, an almost bad day wasn’t actually that bad.

Release Stress and Check in with Your Body

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I have a ritual that I do daily, almost without thinking about it anymore. As I am walking to or from the time clock at work, I take a deep breath (sometimes closing my eyes, sometimes not) and work on trying to relax and release some of the stress that I am physically holding in my body. I try to relax my overly tight muscles, correct my posture so that my body is more open, and moves more freely, and let go of all the things that are bearing down on me after a long shift.

I do this other times too, but this is the most regular. It has become an ingrained habit with me, to sort of shed the stress of the mundane world as I go into work, and the stress of my work life as I head home, so that I enter each space with a clear head able to give my best. A quick check in throughout your day, perhaps as you pass the threshhold of your home, entering or exiting your car while running errands, or before you lie down to bed at night can be a good way to judge and mitigate the stress and tension that we each hold onto in our physical and mental selves.

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Affirmations as Phone Wallpapers

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What are Affirmations?

Affirmations are often encouraged as a part of self-care/self-love, as they increase positive feelings, can improve one’s outlook and can encourage one to make positive changes in their life. An affirmation is a statement of emotional support or encouragement, and the act of stating or declaring it to be a truth. Affirmations can be any simple positive statement that enourages positive feelings: “I am beautiful.” “I am kind.” “I will let go of the pain of my past and let myself heal.” The focus of the affirmative statement is whatever change you are trying to encourage in your life.

Affirmations often work well, accompanied by meditation, if that is part of your spiritual wellness work. This allows you to examine the statement with a quiet mind, and observe what it means to you. It also allows you to observe, address and dismiss those negative thoughts that may be detractors. Perhaps you are trying to work on your self-confidence and self image. Your affirmation may be, “I am beautiful.” In meditation, you may decide to think on seeing yourself as beautiful, as glowing, as happy. Know that when you have negative thoughts… “I’m fat” “I have crow’s feet” “My hair is frizzy” … whatever your particular worry is, know that you can let it go, that it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is your affirmation.

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