Category: Lifestyle Blog

How is your mindset? Are you a positive or negative person? Is the glass half-full or half-empty? It may surprise you to know that I tend to be negative and think the worst at times. Probably due to anxiety or something. Who knows. Could be from childhood or in adulthood just dealing with so many health issues over the years. It does wear you down.

Once I learned that I have some control over my thoughts and managing my reactions and emotions, I can say that I have a better outlook. But it is in no way easy. Takes a village! Surrounding myself with supportive people and following positive role models helps a lot. Plus my biggest positive influence is my personal relationship with Jesus which is my number one go-to for comfort.

The last few months of the year is tough for a lot of people. The holidays and the weather being colder and becoming darker outside can make you feel BLAH. Sometimes we need to take extra measures this time of year to manage stress. You are not alone! I feel it too.

Be Encouraged

I think it’s important to be encouraged consistently especially when you are feeling low or going through a struggle.  The emotional aspect of health is all about thoughts and emotions. There is a special part of our brain that takes in all of the information, conscious and unconscious, and communicates it to the rest of our body. This is how the powerful mind/body connection works!  There is so much to cover on that one but we will take it piece by piece. Remember, I like to keep it simple!

Let me ask you this… What would your life be like if you could overcome negative thoughts and have a more positive outlook on life? What would be possible?

Help with Gaining a Positive Mindset

I’ve noticed people who experience a lot of stress or suffer from chronic pain or illness often struggle with anxious and negative thoughts. They feel stuck, hopeless, and don’t have a positive outlook on life.  I think we all feel like that occasionally. As you know, my passion and purpose in life are to help anyone suffering or in pain.  Did you know that I created a  DIY self-care product called The Positive Mindset Workbook?

A while back, I was invited to present a workshop to a local Cardiac Support Group and it was a wonderful experience! Using the steps that I outline in this self-care workbook, I was able to coach them in a group setting and share my experiences with them.  We had a lot of laughs, shared some great ideas and it was enjoyable for these cardiac disease survivors. I really enjoyed coaching in a group setting and was honored they invited me to join their private support group.

It is good to have a plan to fall back on when things get crazy and out of control. I developed this workbook with fellow sensitive and introverted people in mind. Some of us may not have a stress hardy personality and need some nurturing guidance. I always feel my best when I follow these guidelines for a positive mindset.

However, these days a lot more people are experiencing anxiety and are being bombarded with negative messages all around. That is why some extra assistance is needed!

What is Covered in the Positive Mindset Workbook

• Discover 10 Ways to Improve Mindset Instantly
• Identify Obstacles that Hold You Back
• Uncover Tricks to Stay on Track with a Positive Mindset
• Complete Discovery Journal Questions
• Train yourself to See the Positive in Stressful Situations

Click here to learn more!

Invest in YOU

Gaining a positive mindset is no easy feat especially when you suffer from a chronic illness.  It takes a lot of practice and effort to make it happen.  I believe we all have it in us. We just need a helping hand and a little push!  Why not try and do at least one thing that makes you forget about the daily grind.  Invest in your mental health and know that you deserve to live a life without negativity and pain.

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage Stress, Chronic Pain, and Anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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How are you feeling today? Happy, sad, excited, depressed, angry?

There are so many emotions we can feel as humans regularly.  God gave us these different emotions and they are truly a gift.  Speaking as an empath, I know what it is like to feel emotions deeply and how they can affect the body physically. An empath is basically someone who is in tune with their own emotions as well as others. Cool… right. Not so much all the time because we tend to take on the emotions of others… both good and bad.  So, add on to how you feel with all the other stuff going on around you. Intense… yes, but there are ways to reel it in before it gets out of control. And believe me, you can control your emotions and keep them in check. It just takes practice and a little bit of self-love.

How Emotions Affect Your Health

You may also feel intense emotions when you are sick or going through a tough time with work, a relationship, or a chronic illness.  This is completely normal! Please don’t listen to those people who say just get over it or RELAX.  Listen, as an Italian woman from New Jersey, the last thing I ever want to hear when I don’t feel good or when I am emotional is to calm down and relax!! That drives me crazy!! I could go on and on about this topic but let’s move on for now. 😉

Another important aspect of health that contributes to your well being and the likelihood of getting a disease is the Emotional component. This one may be the most critical aspect. Do you ever struggle with a negative mindset? Are you all over the place with your emotions? Is the glass half-full or half-empty?  Most of us lean towards one or the other depending on how we grew up and the programming we learn from childhood influences.

Did you know that for every single thought or emotion we have there is a physiological response in our body?

This means that when we are sad or happy our body responds in either a negative or positive way. Imagine how our health could be if we consistently had good thoughts and positive emotions. Oh please, after all, we are human and that is just not realistic!

Tips on How to Control Emotions

To all my fellow half glass empty friends… it is OK to have negative thoughts or emotions occasionally. The trick is to make an effort to not be like that all the time. I know it’s a difficult task for some of us. But it is possible! With practice, anything is possible.

The next time you have a negative thought try this affirmation exercise… replace that negative thought with a positive one.  I like to picture a STOP sign to remind myself to turn around the negative thought.  And if you need help, research some affirmations online. Check out the Positive Vibes board on my Pinterest page for some ideas.

There will be plenty of times in life when you feel negative or very emotional. Allow yourself to feel these emotions but then sooner or later it’s time to move along.  You are the biggest influencer of your mindset, mood, and demeanor. Honor yourself, your feelings, and your desires but then have an action plan of how to combat negative emotions as they arise.

Be KIND to yourself! Take some time to jot down some positive affirmations so you have them handy just in case! I have some of my favorites including some comforting scripture verses that work well for me.  I will be sharing a lot more on mindset and tricks to overcome negative thinking. And if you need some extra help… just ASK 🙂

Talking to a family member or friend is helpful to express those negative thoughts and emotions. I found it helpful to seek professional help even as a Coach. It has helped me so much along the way.

If you ever need extra help with managing pain and stress, I am just a phone call away 🙂

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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Do you make time in your day to be active? Making time for some physical activity is a necessary part of managing stress even if it is only a few minutes per day.  Luckily, I did get to go to the gym for some interval training. I haven’t been able to exercise that much because detoxing from Lyme disease makes me so tired and weak sometimes. But thankfully each day is getting better and better as long as I make time to rest.

Being Active to Reduce Stress

One of the most important factors in managing stress is being active. This doesn’t mean you have to work out for 2 hours per day because really who has time for that! To be honest, intense workouts are really not that good for you. In other words, exercise is still considered stress on your body.  As we get older, we need to change our workouts to meet our body’s needs.

Pick one physical activity you enjoy and start slowly.

For example, it could be as simple as going for a walk. Being in nature is extremely relaxing for the nervous system and will boost your mood as well. Let’s just say if I go without working out for too long I am extremely moody. Just ask my family 😉 Let’s face it… I am a crabby Cancer sign and in my 40’s so yes I NEED to move to help improve my mood swings!

Physical Aspect of Health

In my last post, I mentioned the 5 Aspects of Whole Health – Physical, Emotional, Nutritional, Environmental, and Spiritual™© and how I would explore each of them in my blog. My job as a Whole Health Educator™ and Wellness Coach is to provide my clients with a big picture understanding of health and disease and to explain how STRESS affects us.

For most of us, understanding health and disease is a puzzle. There are so many moving parts to figure out the best ways to age gracefully, stay healthy, and avoid or manage a disease. I am here to help and keep it simple for you!

The first of the Five Aspects of Whole Health™ I am going to share with you is the PHYSICAL component. This aspect is made of the physical body which consists of systems, organs, and tissues which are all fully interdependent. The physical body is integrated through the function of our central nervous system which consists of our brain and spinal nerves. OK don’t fall asleep yet!

It is good to have a basic understanding of how our bodies work to know how to keep it going and live life to the fullest.  Simply put, the nervous system allows our brain to communicate with the rest of our body. Keep that in mind. It is pretty amazing how it all works!

So be nice to your body and make it a goal to engage in some physical activity daily to stimulate that nervous system.  I promise your body will thank you for it 🙂

xo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

Subscribe to my Lifestyle Blog!