njbloggers – Thkeya's Reflections on Life

The Blogger Recognition Award

I have received a nomination for The Blogger Recognition Award. I am incredibly grateful for this nomination, and I am happy that my writing resonates with people out there. I want to thank Pamela at https://rollinwiththerollins.net/ for this nomination. Pamela’s blog is about spreading love, light, and positivity into the world. Be sure to check out her blog as I know you will enjoy it as much as I have.

My Journey

I started my blog due to my severe issues with depression at the time. I recently started therapy again, and I was a bit embarrassed that I had allowed myself to get back to this point. Discussing mental health is always a touchy topic to bring up. I kept hearing and seeing stories about other people who were dealing with similar issues. I wanted others to know that they weren’t alone and there’s nothing wrong with seeking help. Then I decided to discuss further on how to improve all relationships in one’s life including family, friends, romantic and the most important one with yourself. The best way to develop these relationships is through self-love which is the route of true happiness. I want everyone to live their best life now!

My Advice

Plan out your content as early and often as possible. The purpose of this is to ensure that you keep your blog up to date with the latest content. Once you are building your blog, you want to ensure that your readers have the most recent information to read. You don’t want to have too many gaps between your posts. That will interfere with the following you’re trying to build for your blog. Consistency is critical to continue your growth and to make your brand.

Be sure to network as much as possible to grow your blog. The #writingcommunity on Twitter is a great place to start with building your network. Having a secure system can have your blog grow, and these are people who can be mentors to you. It can be a lonely world out here in the blogosphere so having strong support is very helpful. Also, work on becoming a guest contributor on another blog. That will help to increase your exposure to more groups of people as well.

The Rules:

Once you receive a nomination, there are rules for the Blogger Recognition Award:

Thank the blogger for nominating you and give the link to their blog.
Write a blog post on your site displaying the award.
Describe the story of why you started your blog.
Write two pieces of advice you have for new bloggers.
Nominate 15 more bloggers.
Notify each of your nominees of their nomination.

My nominations

Please check out the bloggers below. I enjoyed their work, and I’m sure you’ll love it as well.

1. https://jnycoleh.com/

2. https://sunshinewithsavannah.com/

3. https://tammysreadinglife.wordpress.com/

4. https://sunshineandrobins.wordpress.com/

5. https://jessierenea.com/

6. https://mytrinketsoflife.com/

7. https://momminintherealworld.com/

8. https://writtenbyca.wordpress.com/

9. https://averageluke.com/

10. https://makeitultrapsychology.wordpress.com/

11. https://nyxiesnook.com/

12. https://nishlovepink.com/

13. http://rheaevangelista.com/

14. https://thismansjourney.net/

15. https://gingermomandcompany.com/

New Year, New Beginnings

What a ride 2018 was for me and I’m sure for many of you as well. As I look back on the past year, I made a lot of strides both personally and professionally. I started a new job which next month will make it a year within the role. My blog is turning one year old next week. I traveled to four different places. I met new and old friends along my journey throughout the year. I further my love for horror by attending three horror conventions. As humans, we tend to focus on the negative and completely negate the positives that have occurred. One thing, in particular, is how much I’ve grown throughout the year. I first started this blog as a way for me to help others by sharing similar situations and feelings. Little did I know that the person who would benefit the most would be me. I learned so much about myself through this journey of being a blogger for a year. I learned that to be successful; I would have to open myself up to how and why I’m at this point in my life. There were things that I allowed to hold me back from accomplishing my goals. I had to go through a self-discovery where I had to look myself in the mirror and be honest. I had things about myself that I didn’t like and I needed to correct. I’m still a work in progress, but the most important part is that I’m working on making the necessary changes.

Instead of waiting for the “New Year.” I started to implement those changes before the start of 2019. It was the best decision I ever made. It’s not perfect by any means, and unfortunately, I do fall short here and there. The critical piece to remember is to continue to try your best at whatever you are doing. Obstacles will come your way but keep it moving as not to derail your purpose. Keep your eye on the prize and never forget the reason why you are going for the gold. The difference between the person who goes after their goals and the person who doesn’t is all about willpower. Mental willpower to be exact. Mentally you will have to push through as there will be times when you will want to give up. There will be times when you are tired, unmotivated, uninspired, and don’t want to do it. Those are the times when your mental willpower will have to kick into overdrive. We are human, and of course, you may want a break. However, taking a break can turn into a few days, weeks, months, and then years. You don’t want time to pass by, and you are still waiting for “next year” to achieve your goals.

The power of the mind is mighty as well as the power of the tongue. Think it and then speak it into existence. You manifest what you get in life. It sounds insane to say that your mind is powerful, but it’s a very true statement. If you think and speak negatively, that will consume your life, and that’s all that you will become. Change your mindset towards a more favorable outcome, and you will yield different results. Manifest what you precisely want and watch it blossom. Nothing good will come unless you believe it first. Cheers to 2019 and to all the wonderful blessings to come!

Until next time,

Prescription for Self-Care

When you hear the word self-care what comes to mind? For me, it’s something that I don’t do enough. I’m always running around but never take the time to focus on myself entirely. We all need time to ourselves to unwind from the stresses of the day. You can’t be fully present for others if you have yet to be there for yourself. I’m learning that I can’t give my all and saying no is okay. I still feel guilty when I do however not being there for myself is even worse. How can you say you love yourself if you don’t give yourself the same care as everything else? Internally you deserve the same amount of attention as your job, bills, etc. No more excuses! From this day forward self-care will no longer be a slogan but a complete lifestyle change.

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I concluded that I lacked self-care while being on this leadership council for a non-profit organization. I tried to make myself available to all the meetings and any activities that came up. Due to my work commitments being on this council was proving to be quite challenging. It didn’t matter however because I was determined to give back even if meant hurting myself in the process. Since this council is new, it requires a lot of time and effort. I could provide support but only in a limited capacity. I started to see that my availability and the council needs weren’t in alignment. I kept forcing myself to fit into a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit. I realize that honestly, I could give my all but at what cost? Sure I would be giving back, but I won’t be fully present as I would be exhausted. I have to take better care of myself if I’m going to be an asset. Until I cater to my needs, I can’t possibly be there for others.

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Putting others before yourself is selfish because as a human you have needs as well. Not catering to your own needs creates resentment. Taking time to recharge your batteries gives you the space you need so you can get in touch with yourself. Also, it’s okay if you can’t be involved in everything. It’s better to dedicate yourself to a few events as opposed to every occasion and not enjoying it. Be honest about what your schedule permits. People may expect more but don’t let guilt deter you. Don’t let others have free reign over your time as you don’t get that back. You should be happy and excited anytime you are spending time on something. If your energy is continuously depleting that means you are neglecting your needs and you need to look into that. I’m practicing self-care currently, and unfortunately, it’s taking some adjustments on my part. I’m hoping you do the same if you haven’t started already. What are some of your self-care methods that you tried? Please share your comments below. Don’t forget to fill your daily dose of self-care or seek your treatment as needed.

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Until next time,

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Social Media Cleanse

I know it’s been a while since I wrote a blog post. I was running around getting ready to head to Miami and then it was time to leave for my trip. Now that I’m back it’s time to write another post. I went to Miami for the first time for five days, and I loved it. I had the best time, and I can’t wait until I go back again. I did something that I rarely do which is not to take pictures and then post them to social media. I lived in the moment for once and didn’t stop to post the photos every five minutes. It was a very liberating experience to live in the moment and not be so preoccupied with social media. It made me realize how much social media has impacted our lives. I guess to a degree we have allowed it. We sometimes feel the constant need to post images and tell every detail of our lives. We need to practice more of living in the moment. I enjoyed my Miami trip more because I wasn’t trying to gain likes or please my followers. I did something healthy which is to experience the moment, as it was occurring.

Living in the moment allowed me to have more freedom and experience my trip a lot more. I would post here and there but nothing how I would typically. Life was so simple before social media as people were present and lived in the moment. In the days before social media people would communicate with their company more instead of being on the phone. I believe it is insulting to be on your phone while in the company of others. It signals that not only are you uninterested in the folks around you but that whatever you are doing on your device is more interesting. However, putting your device down and taking in life as its happening is such an invigorating experience. You don’t get those moments back, so it’s important to be present in that given moment.

I think taking time away from social media is essential especially if you see you are getting too caught up in it. One must remember that social media is a form of entertainment, but it’s not real life. It is a way for you to connect with others from different parts of the country and the world. However, it can’t replace living your life. There is much to see and do out in this beautiful thing called life. Please don’t allow social media to take away from that and make you forget what is significant. I would recommend that everyone at some point goes on a social media cleanse. It will allow you time away to focus on the real world and not the fake. A bonus is communicating with the people around you. With social media, people forgot how to speak when they have people in front of them. Purging from social media gives you time back with loved ones and the world around you. I’m not saying stay entirely away from social media but don’t forget to live your life to the fullest while using it.

Until next time,