Support Is Important

Bringing awareness allows individuals to educate themselves about a particular disease, cause, or movement. Mental health awareness month has become widely known throughout the years and personally, I think it has helped promote education on self-care along with not judging people who have mental health challenges.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. We personally may not know how people are feeling who have suicide ideations, however, it’s critical to be present and let them know you care. Some people believe because they cannot “fix” someone’s issues, they cannot be supportive or any value to someone who is experiencing suidcide ideations. Negative thoughts can spiral down rapidly and when people feel alone or don’t have the support they need, it becomes challenging to fight negative thoughts.

How To Find Support

It’s important to have your support system and things to do when you are not feeling your best. Those days may come but having support can help and encourage along the way.

1. Identify your support system now: this is the best time to sit and think about who you can reach out to for support. You do not want to wait until you are going through a tough time, because support may not be what or who you are thinking about, especially when if you are in a crisis. A support person is something you talk to often and share your thoughts and values. Think of it like this…who do you call when you hear good news? That individual can be identified as one of your supporters.

2. Who do you talk to on the regular? Our friends and family have a way of knowing our behaviors better than we do. They are the first person we talk to when something happens. If something is not going right, they can more than likely feel it. Have a conversation with them and let them know you view them as one of your supporters. Don’t expect them to play this role without having that conversation first…this is important!

3. Inform your supporters how to best help you: this goes along with the conversation, tell your supporters what you want them to do if you are not feeling your best. Some people like to be left alone, others like to be engrossed amongst their friends. Provide your supporters with any contact information they may need, for example, your parents, spouse, or even therapist. If something is not right your supporter can reach out to other close friends of yours so they too can keep an eye out. If you have a therapist, your friend can give your therapist a heads up or provide any concerns they may have.

It takes a village and we all need support. At times we have challenges identifying who we can call our supporters, however, these tips are helpful and I encourage you to follow them. If you are looking for more ways to find support please know our magazine helps by providing content from clinicians, individuals with lived experience and others who make mental health a priority. I would love to know how do you find your support system? Have you used some of the tips I provided in this article, share your comments below as it may help someone in the future.

If You Are Afraid You Are Not Alone

Here is the problem:

There’s so much violence and shooting going on in the world that it’s making people numb. We don’t know what to do or how to have conversations especially when it comes to public shootings.

Sadly mass shootings have been common here in The United States. The shooting that took place in Uvalde, Texas at Robb Elementary School, leaves so many family and friends of the victims distraught. The survivors are dealing with this tragedy reliving the moments as it’s talked about on the news and other media outlets. There clearly needs to be a plan in place regarding gun laws and consequences for those who break them. Personally, I hope that I am wrong but I don’t know if there’s going to be a change in gun laws, as it appears the government talks around it and point fingers instead of taking accountability. How many more shootings are we going to deal with? How many families will have to continue to suffer as they rethink the last time they said bye to their loved ones?

It’s hard to know what to do as a parent, a lot of people on social media express their sympathy and condolences. As well as being afraid to drop their child off at school. This is a trying time and it seems as if we are living in a world where hurting is more common than healing.

So where do we go from here…

• Understand the media will talk about this story a lot and if there are times when you cannot handle it, be sure to take a break, grant yourself some grace and provide yourself with some self-care.

• Take a moment for yourself, no matter what that looks like, it’s okay to cry, process this tragedy with a loved one or most importantly talk to a therapist.

• There is no way to prepare for a mass shooting no matter where you are, yet it is good to talk about understanding your enviornment and if you do not feel safe somewhere…leave if possible.

• Surround yourself with support. They don’t have to have the answers but knowing there is someone you can lean on goes a long way.

Here’s a conversation starter:

How To Talk To Kids About School Shootings

Helping Children Cope With Frightening News

If you do not know where or how to find support understand that support changes all the time. Just because one person is in your life for a period of time does not mean they will always be there. They do not have to have the answers and honestly, support is just showing up and being dependable.

If you have challenges with having support understand that we provide that here. Be sure to check out our magazine and read about how others are dealing with stress and challenges that they are faced with in this world.

Our goal is to end the stigma and allow tough conversations to be had in homes, schools, and in our communities.

Was this article helpful? If so share it and let us know how helpful it was in the comments below.

HerStory: Celebrating Women's Month

Photo by Unsplash

We come in all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, ideas, visions and purpose. I love being a woman; the way God created us and giving us the ability to do extraordinary things with our bodies. We as the other sex have come a long way, from being in the back to moving our way to the front and onward. You see women in higher positions, making executive decisions and empowering the younger generation to live and do what they are destine to do in this world.

I enjoy this time of year because it is all about embracing us as women. This is the time where people all over the world take a moment and celebrate. Acknowledging what we have been through and giving us credit and rightfully so. I thought growing up becoming a woman was going to be the greatest thing ever, being on my own and calling the shots. Little did I know life came with challenges and will continue to do so as life goes on. However, its all about embracing and going through those challenges that makes you a better person. We go through life lessons and it teaches us about ourselves. It provides another layer of skin and gives us another level of experience we can build off of.

For the mothers, wife’s, sisters, best friends, aunties, step-moms, mother-in-laws, single women etc. just know you are loved. This month is for us and for whatever you have going on in your life know that it’s temporary and not to rush through it but take it all in.

To the younger generation understand this: your future awaits and be sure to take some time to invest in yourself, your dreams, and your ambition because you too will be providing direction to a younger generation.

How We Celebrate Ourselves

1. Make Yourself A Priority: no matter what that day or time looks like be sure to put yourself first at some point. Work will always be there, friends will understand, and family members will just have to be patient. Whatever that thing is that you like to do, spend time doing it, whether its dancing, listening to music, taking a bath, spending time in nature, reading a book etc. DO IT. You owe that to yourself.

2. Learn To Say Mo: you don’t own anyone a yes all the time, this includes our children. If you don’t have the capacity or the strength to do something don't commit to it. The first time might be hard especially if you are use to saying yes to someone, but understand that this is something you can do!

3. Treat Yourself: we can be so consumed with obligations and daily routines that we forget to treat ourselves. This could mean buying that outfit or item you have been eying for some time. Or calling up a friend and going out to dinner or simply taking yourself out and enjoying your own company.

There will be days where we want to relax and not do anything and that’s fine. Do not get so consumed in chasing money that you lose sight on your health. You are important in this world and we have to remind ourselves that we are. Our magazine have many articles with tips and ways you can celebrate yourself, there are articles about stress management, how to talk about issues, and even wellness activities you can engage in. Be sure to click here and check it out. So remember to celebrate yourself this month and every month. I look forward to your growth and let me in on any suggestions that you do when it comes to putting yourself first. I would love to hear it!

Here Are 4 Ways To Embrace Our Blackness

Photo by Unsplash

We have come a long way when it comes to embracing our blackness, just think years ago a lot of us wanted to change our looks to fit the status quo. Now we embrace who we are and set the new standard. Black people celebrate being black all year round, however in February, this country acknowledges our culture. Some companies may have special products in the front of their stores to celebrate Black History Month, stores like Target and Bath & Body Works just to name a few.

It’s hard for any other culture to keep a blind eye to what we have overcome over the last couple of decades. I admire the challenges and how we persevere despite the closed doors or disgruntled looks people give when they doubt our doings. Our ancestors are so dope! They paved the way and instilled grit in a lot of us. However, this does not come easy, being turned down moment after moment, doors being shut in our face, and the judicial system constantly reminding us that we don’t matter is quite frustrating. So how do we do it, well I can tell you one thing that I do when I am feeling doubtful or discouraged. I extend self-love to myself.

Self Love Is The Best Love

1. Reflecting: I reflect on the most challenging thing I had to do and thus far. I think of the steps I took and how motivated I was in not giving up. This encourages me to move forward and know that if I was able to get through that challenge, I can get over the next one. Challenges help you become who you are, and it reminds you of why you started doing that thing you are so passionate about.

2. Affirmations: reading, writing and saying affirmations is key. At times, I say the affirmation, others times I put I am…in front of whatever affirmation I want to say to myself. We say I am tired, I am sick, or I a frustrated. Change the narrative and put I am in front of the word and it helps change the mindset.

3. Planning: putting myself on the schedule is key. There is a saying that states; if you don’t choose a day to rest, your body will choose it for you. This is critical, I’d rather pick a day I want to rest as opposed to the latter. Pencil yourself in because no one will do it for you. Schedule a day where you don’t answer calls, you watch tv, read a book or go for a walk, whatever it is, allow your mind to rest. If you find a hard time to pencil out a day to do these things, pencil out 20-30 mins or even an hour if possible, you deserve it. We have a tendency to think we are running this race and have to do things immediately, but who says that you have to do that? This is your life and you can go at a pace that is convenient for you.

4. Reward Yourself: grant yourself some grace. Take a moment and buy that thing that makes you smile. It can be something as small as a treat or a major gift you had your eye on for months. You deserve it, don’t wait for someone to reward you, you should be rewarding yourself.

Most importantly make sure you are getting YOU together. We can’t pour from an empty cup and although people may be depending on us, they deserve our best selves. Heck, we deserve our best selves! Not every day is going to be great and yes we will have our down days, but when we put ourselves first it feels good. Here at Helpful Living Magazine, we are a resource people can dive into and learn how to better themselves and others around them. How and what conversations to have and most importantly how to listen and how to be heard. These are all important factors and we have the resource that is needed. Find out more here, start taking action and learn how to embrace yourself. If you don’t do it then who will?

We All Benefit From Mentors

For as long as I can remember mentors have been a great resource for many youth in our communities. It’s such an honor to have mentors in your life, and to be honest you can never be too old to have one. I am glad to know there is a month dedicated to them, mentors take time out of their day to help someone along this journey called life. I remember The Boys & Girls Club so vividly, the commercials and the relief of parents when their child was assigned to a mentor.

I wasn’t fortunate to get a mentor during my youth but I did have one during my first year of college. She help me navigate campus and understand the ins and outs of college life. It’s critical to have someone who can identify with what you are going through, to give you advice.

As a content creator and Founder of Helpful Living Magazine, I have learned to appreciate advice from people who have been where I am striving to go. There are many platforms where we can connect and network with people now more than ever before. There’s social media at its best, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and let’s not forget Clubhouse. There are ways we can connect with people we want to learn from, and it’s important we take advantage of the accessibility and reach out.

How To Find A Mentor For Your Child- Youth Mentors of the Pee Dee

It is also a critical time for our youth to engage in mentoring programs. There is so much going on in our communities all over the world. With everything that is going on it can lead to confusion as an adult, I can only imagine how our youth feels. It’s imperative for us to involve ourselves as well as our children into mentorship programs. It can be hard to know where to start but reaching out is always a good place.

3 Things To Consider

1. See what your child is interested in. This can help navigate what direction you want to go in choosing a mentorship program. You want to make sure the mentor can align with your child’s interest.

2. Reach out to your network. When you are at your child’s extra curricular programs talk to parents and see what they know. A lot of parents are open to sharing their resources because they understand what it’s like to seek help.

3. Reach out to your child’s school. You can talk to a counselor to see if they have any resources or recommendations in the area.

Communication is best and when it comes to helping our children or ourselves for that matter. However for some of us communication doesn’t always come easy. Family dynamics are different for everyone and sometimes we can miss the mark by not paying attention to our child’s needs. There is help when it comes to communication and building better relationships. Our magazine focuses on building relationships for a better quality of life. We all want to do our best for ourselves and our children. Check out our resources to learn ways to build relationships, identify behaviors, and educate ourselves when it comes to behavioral and emotional health.

If you have a mentor share below how much of an impact they have made in your life. I would love to know about it!

3 Reasons You Should Consider Therapy For Your Mental Health

Prior to the pandemic talking about mental health was not at the forefront of everyone’s mind. As a matter of fact, people didn’t talk about it too much because they didn’t want to be labeled due to the stigma. The pandemic caused a shift and honestly I think a lot of people changed the way they viewed counseling.

I’ve heard people talk highly about their therapist and recommended them to family and friends. The pandemic cased a spike in mental health treatment leaving some therapist booked and referring potential clients to their colleagues, which is amazing because I think it’s important that we all see a therapist at some point in our lives.

However some people are still reluctant, some say because of the cost, others are still concerned from the stigma. Either way it is important to put yourself first and sometimes that considers therapy. I can talk for personal experience therapy is life changing and here’s how.

1. Makes you accountable: we all have to be accountable for how things pan out. Therapy makes us look at ourselves differently. We commonly go to therapy because of something or someone else like a stressful job, finances, or someone who appears to cause frustration in our lives. However, therapy allows us to view our challenging situations differently.

2. Process situations: we all need to process a situation when it happens. That’s one of the reasons we go to that best friend or appointment family member when things occur. Processing is critical because it allows us to rethink what happened leading us to express ourselves. However, you cannot process with anyone…that’s why its imperative to do so with the right person. Some people you reach out to for support won’t be much of a support at all. Have you ever reached out to someone and they criticize you or said, “your stupid,” or “you’re better than me I wouldn’t tolerate that,” we all know that one person that we refused to go and share our business with. Or worse yet, you reach out to someone and then another person calls you because they heard about what happened from the person you shared your story with. We have all been there. I am sure you are reading this recalling your own incident. Therapist on the other hand have confidentiality, (unless you plan to harm yourself or others) they have to respect your privacy and you do not have to be concern about someone you know calling you due to what you shared with your therapist.

3. Sense of relief: talking to a professional gives one a sense of relief, once you build that report with a therapist you can be honest without judgement. Therapist are about facts and they only know what you tell them. Knowing someone hears what you are saying and can find a way to help you through the challenges is worth any session…if you ask me. We can’t always figure things out on our own, especially when we are living it. Having someone view the situation from outside the box helps because it’s hard for them to be bias.

I hope this was helpful. I am going go on a limb and say that it was. There’s a lot of good things that come from therapy, yet these three are the ones that stick out to me the most. There’s also a resource of information to help you along with educating yourself on mental health and therapy. You can do so by checking out this link here.

We have multiple magazine issues along with articles that can help you, grasp a better understanding on mental health. Don’t just take it from me, read what other therapist and even clients say about treatment. There’s personal stories you can read up on, so take a moment and grab a copy for yourself today.

3 Reasons Writing Helps You Mentally

Let’s face it life comes with its challenges. Some days things are going great, we are taking care of ourselves, bills are paid and our confidence is through the roof. When we feel good about ourselves our energy is high, our mood is sufficient and we feel like we can take on anything. At least that’s how I feel at times. But then things take a shift, something happens and our thoughts are provoked and we feel or mood shifting. This happens to everyone some more than others, but there is something we should do about it.

In addition to talking to someone there are some things we can do internally…writing.

You may ask, “what can writing do for me,” or you may have an idea of how writing helps. I am sure there may have been a time where you were frustrated and wrote in a journal about your feelings. Or maybe you called someone to vent and that trusted person never brings it up to you again. Writing is something like that. We all learn to write during grade school, we told stories and more than likely did a presentation once or twice causing us to use our writing skills.

Through it all there are some benefits to writing. Here are three reasons writing can help you with your emotions and mood.

• An Outlet: we all need that! A space that provides clarity, and sometimes writing without hearing a response allows us to focus on our thoughts. And let’s face it, your writing doesn’t have to make sense. It can be one word or several, it can be a paragraph or pages of your feelings. Despite what it is, you are providing an outlet that is helpful and that’s what matters most.

• Sort Out Emotions: whether you are aware or not, we sort out our emotions while writing. We write how we are feeling and sometimes we write what triggered us to feel this way. The more you write the better you become at processing your feelings. And that is an accomplishment to be proud about!

• Provide Reflection: reflection is key when it comes to identifying past events. Reflections causes you to think about your past and what you’ve overcome. We all should take a moment to reflect on things, especially if we are facing similar situations that we dealt with. You would be surprised of the outcome and trust me that’s all worth writing about!

Writing how we feel transferred the feelings internally as we express it externally on paper. You have the option to throw it away afterwards, keep it to view growth, or turn it into a blog or book to help others. Either way, writing has the ability to help us move forward with our mental health. I encourage you to take a moment and write your thoughts at least once a week. If you can write it after you read this blog. If you need support check out our magazine to get some ideas. Our goal is to help people understand the dynamics of mental health and find ways to cope. View or digital or soft cover copies today and be on the way to writing and sorting out your feelings. Also, when you do let us know about it below in the comments.

Your Support Means Something: September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

So what is suicide ideation? We hear this word a lot and it wasn’t until I started working at a psychiatric facility, that this word was something I heard daily. I was a young adult ready to dive into the workforce. I recently graduated receiving my bachelor’s in psychology and I was ready to put all of my book knowledge to work. Only to be faced with things that were not discussed in class, which was the different ways to talk about suicide.

Now I have heard about depression, bipolar, and many different personality disorders but I didn’t recall hearing a lot about suicide. Prior to me even going to college I didn’t know anyone that was successful with suicide, therefore the conversation was not discussed in my home. I would hear stories on the news maybe once or twice in my teenage life time, but working in the psychiatric facility gave me a different set of lenses. I was now faced with talking with patients who recently tried to end their life but was saved by someone calling 911 or taking them to the emergency room. This was eye opening for me and I knew having the conversation about suicide was something I had to get use to discussing.

So back to my question: what is suicide ideations? It’s having thoughts, ideas, or rumination of ending one’s life. This isn’t something that is easy, most of the time people feel like they have exhausted all of their resources, whether that’s family, friends, or even trying to obtain some kind of help. Anyone that is successful with suicide is such a huge tragedy and it leaves people wondering what could they have done to avoid this from happening.

1. Listen without passing judgement: life has its challenges and the last thing we need to do is judge someone for what they are dealing with in life. Over the years I have learned that you get more out of someone if you just LISTEN. Often times people are talking and venting and processing their feelings. It’s important to let them do that instead of holding it all in, because honestly we don’t know how much stuff and how long someone has been holding in negative thoughts.

2. Be there: being present plays a critical role, and sometimes that doesn’t mean only when they ask for help. If someone is on your mind and you know they are having challenges, find ways to help them. Go over their house and see if they need help cleaning, there is always a service you can provide for someone. Fold their laundry or check up to see they ate today. Sometimes when people who are in treatment visit their provider, conversations can arise that can be a trigger. Check in to see if they want to go for a walk, talk about something, or take them to go get one of their favorite treats. Having someone shows up is key.

3. Send affirmations: let them know you care, if you see something that may brighten their day send it to them. There’s always something funny on the internet that is worth sharing. Let them know that they too are loved and how important they are to you and their family.

4. Help find help: they may not have the energy to go and find a provider, but you do. Find some information and resources you can show to your loved ones. Most of the times we trust those who we are around the most. Research a therapist or health care provider and even talk to them to see if they are taking new patients.

5. Be intentional: don’t just do things as a check off of your list. Being there for someone requires you to be intentional and showing up for them. It’s also important to not throw your help back into their face. That doesn’t help anyone and it makes one wonder why you were there in the first place. If things become overwhelming for you be sure to take some time for self care.

Try To Help: Supporting Someone Who Has Suicidal Thoughts - Kate Dube’

Also do not be afraid to hear them out. That’s one thing about not passing judgement. Having the conversation about suicide can be concerning. If you feel things are getting out of hand it is critical, contact 911 and if there are somethings you know your loved one has that can be harmful, make it inaccessible to them. Suggest any workgroup and also provide them with the national suicide hotline 1-800-273-8255.

Also, for additional support for you and your loved one you can always check out our magazine issues, we have digital and soft cover copies available for purchase. Our subscription service is also available and will automatically be sent to your home prior to each launch date. This is a great resource to obtain information on mental health, and purchasing something like this for your loved ones will help them and know that you care about how them! It’s a win win. Let us know how our magazine has changed your life!

If this article has been helpful or you have experience with helping someone who had suicidal thoughts, what are some things you’ve done that has helped? Please share as your comments may help others.

Adulting & The Frustration Of It All

I know I am not the only one that wished back I could go back in time and play outside, and not be concerned about food and bills. ADULTING IS OVERATED AND THEEE MOST AT TIMES! There are so many things we have to think about time and time again. Let me just say this, if you have had it you are in the right place. We do everything we are told just to get olde and be annoyed by going to work, paying bills and occasionally buy something for ourselves. Might I add, when we do buy something, it’s from the clearance rack, or food we scuffle down just to be annoyed about it later.

I relocated from my hometown the same year I walked across the stage after receiving my Bachelor’s in Arts Degree. You couldn’t tell me anything, I mean what could you tell a 21 year old with a degree? I was ready to conquer the world, and after being done with school for about 16 years I just knew I had things kinda figured out. I had my eyes on the prize, an apartment, car, job, and freedom! Only to realize that freedom came with a pricetag…ADULTING.

Does this sound like you? I mean seriously, there comes a point in our lives that we think we have it figured out and then BAM! Reality hits us. I noticed I was lonely…a lot. My relationship was stagnet, I wasn’t close to home, at least I didn’t have the money to go home as much as I wanted, and like I said…I was lonely. There was no sugar coding my feelings. I was going to work, existing…literally day to day doing the same thing just to pay the bills. I started to think moving from my hometown was a bad move. At work, I was surrounding by listening to everyone’s problems and I was starting to feel like their problems was just the way things were in life. Frustrating with no positive outcomes.

Have you ever felt this way? I am sure if you open up this blog post. It’s frustrating right? Just sinking into your thoughts not knowing what the outcome is going to be. Its like no one knows what you are going through and when you explain or try to explain yourself to someone one may say you are seeking attention. Now where’s the sincerity in that?

How do you even find someone that you could trust when it comes to talking about your issues. I mean we all have them and some of our friends know how to run their mouth as opposed to listening to our issues and helping us come up with solutions. Then there’s those competitive friends, you know the ones you vent to and they tell me abut their issues and we go back and forth as if we are competing for the negative trophy award, please let me know I am not the only one who have been through this?!

I know you know what I mean. But the big question is, how do I get support? Espcially if I am not in therapy or if I am having a hard time finding someone to talk to? It gets tough out there, internally and externally and there has to be a way out of that…right? There are topics I would love to engage in online, or even with friends on the phone but sometimes it can be hard, especially when everyone has a lot going on.

Let me know what your thoughts are. I must say sometimes reading an article or two can help, especially if it is relatable to what I have going on. At times, when I come across the right article, I mean the one that is word for word talking about my life, it lets me know that I am not alone in this world called life. It gives me guidance on what other people’s outcomes and reading about other people isn’t so bad. I mean that;s one of the reasons we like to watch reality shows right?

I got a few solutions to feeling frustrated and so far, its worked. I am feeling better about it and learning to identify who I need to talk to, and who to show support to, because less face it, who we give our energy to is just as important as who we vent to. There’s a few articles that I know you would love, just head over to our digital content or if your jazzy and want to get the physical content you can check that out as well. I am certain you will read something in there that will be relatable. And when you do, send me an email, I would love to hear your feedback about it!

Let's Start Here...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is also a month where we acknowledge “No Sock Day” “Nurse’s Week” and “Memorial Day”, just to name a few. May always reminds me that summer is right around the corner. I look forward to the greenery, blossom of the flowers and trees. However, I am extremely proud of how far we have come regarding mental health. There are a lot of people having conversations about depression, anxiety, stress, panic attacks, medication management, therapy, treatment etc. It’s a good thing to hear because once we acknowledge it, it provokes others to do something about it.

Talking about mental health is not easy, I mean look how long it took for people to become comfortable discussing mental health. The traumas that people face, the issues that are encounter in homes are all pre requisite for treatment. And no, you do not have to have a crisis to see someone, as a matter of fact it’s good to see someone early on to learn how to cope whenever issues arise. When we can recognize what triggers us, we can figure out ways to work on ourselves.

For the month of May I want you to start loving yourself again. That’s right…I you read it. LOVE YOURSELF. This past year has been rough, and it still is. Some people are going places and traveling while others are still at home playing it safe. Vaccines are being administered to a lot of people and the world honestly can be a scary place right now. Social injustice is still a thing…and police brutality has seem to heighten for some reason. In this country many of us sit on edge not knowing what’s going to happen next. That alone is triggering, but please understand you are not alone and you do not have to go through this journey by yourself.

Talking about mental health can be challenging for some. We may not know how to approach a loved one that we believe should receive some kind of help. I get it, you don’t want to offend anyone and sometimes if you are the one that needs help, you don’t want people to feel awkward. Mental health has come a long way… and I do mean that, but we still have some who are not on board so and the resources are still limited.

How To Show Love To Yourself

Sometimes we have to be intentional about loving ourselves. That helps us mentally which can allow us to feel confident and do the things we need to do with less distractions. Anytime we are distracted we are not moving towards our purpose. And well I can tell you now, that’s not a good thing.

1. Affirmations: Read them out loud and say them to yourself in the mirror. You can start by using one a day, saying it out loud throughout the day and being intentional on how often you say it to yourself.

2. Spend time with yourself: You are a dope person and its time you know about it. Do things with yourself like going out, people watching, and staying in tune with your likes and dislikes. If you live near a grocery story, take a walk next time if you are just picking up something light for example two or three things from the store. Be in tuned with your thoughts and how often you are thinking about the same thing. Also spend time doing things and being mindful of it. Appreciate the now and how you are feeling, sit in that and if it causes you to smile you have the right people in your life, if not…well you’ll have to make some changes.

3. Support systems: Learn who you can count on with your thoughts. Not just someone who is going to tell you want you want to hear, but what you need to know. Someone who can check up on you with no judgement because we can typically judge ourselves into negative thoughts.

Having these things are critical because they all help you, especially when it comes to going through a tough time. If you were like me a few years ago, this information was like gibberish to me. Having insight on what I need to do is great, but having resources are better. To learn more or get additional insight download any of our digital magazines, or check out our soft cover magazines. This will allow you to obtain content, learn about additional support, and meet some cool people that created the content. It’s a win win, and honestly a game changer.

But before I go, how do you show love to yourself? I would love to engage in a conversation with you so we can help others learn about self-love.