Mental Health as Part of Our Every Day Dialogue

 The words "mental health" might sound like buzz words these days. It has been the topic of so many articles, discussions, & studies this past decade. I personally think it is a GREAT thing. 

People don't talk about what they don't understand. People don't address, what they don't know how to explain. People don't accept behaviors and actions that are not familiar to them. 

I am a person that, my ENTIRE life - self improvement has been my jam....sometimes in healthy ways and sometimes not. That being said, I'm aware that self improvement is not everyone's "jam :)." Thus, the blog post. 

I started this blog about a week ago...and, there was SO much information to share. I knew it was going to wind up being too much for one post. So I sat with it. I came back and read the first part and I think that first part is SO important. 

I'm going to delve in here. I do have a lot to say and a lot to share....and I'm willing to, but we can't really skate over the above, because it is skated over all the time. This has become such an important part of my life journey. It has led me to explore new things and not because of any other reason, besides the fact that I KNOW how important it is. I know we all wrestle with it somehow and I know, for some of us, paying attention to our own mental health has had a weird funky light shining on it. 

So, the first point I'd like to make and HOPE everyone holds onto it, is MENTAL HEALTH is for anyone that has a brain :). It's not JUST people that wrestle with certain things. It doesn't mean you are "unhealthy," if you talk about it. It is an essential part of our being: spiritually, physically, emotionally. 

So many of us wrestle with comparison, shame, perception of others (a blog all in itself) and then some of us, hold onto our own way of thinking so hard that we are not even willing to entertain someone else's perception because, again: "People don't talk about what they don't understand. People don't address, what they don't know how to explain. People don't accept behaviors and actions that are not familiar to them." These are mental health issues. 

Children and adults with ADHD - they go through an entirely different approach to coping, processing information, and struggles, AND they go to school with other kids that do go through the same experiences, yet have a totally different way of coping. Also, things important to some kids are not as important to kids with ADHD and vice versa. Neither can really explain WHY, and one is not better than the other, but they are different. These are mental health issues.

Overworking and belief that we have to "hustle" or "stay busy" or "be involved" in all the things is also a mental health issue. I just did a speech on the importance of making "Think Time" essential. You know, allowing your brain to REST. Listen, I was this person. I didn't listen until my body made me listen. Here are some facts for you. Since Covid, on average, people are clocking an additional 9.2 hours of UNPAID overtime (increasing by 2 hours a week from last year). If that is not enough: working more than 55 hours per week is found to increase the risk of stroke by 35% AND increase the risk of heart-related DEATHS by 17%. (You can find all the facts Here: Unpaid OT ---- Health Risks). So here.....mental health is affecting our physical health....and our mortality. (DATA SOURCES: Meg Walters - "Hustle Culture & Shame" - Made of Millions Blog, Adele Jackson-Gibson - "How to Identify Hustle Culture and What You Can Do to Break Away From It" - Good Housekeeping Health & Wellness Blog, World Health Organization "Long Working Hours Increasing Deaths from Heart Disease and Stroke: WHO, ILO")

Mental health NEEDS to become part of our dialogue. Everyone needs to lay their perceptions, shame, fear, and blind unknowingness to the side. Leaning into the discussion doesn't hurt anyone, but only helps. 

A new project is on my horizon. I'll be sure to share this with you all, as the project unfolds and my confidence builds :). It is one of the products that I deem essential, in my mental health journey. When you neglect something for so long, you really do have a lot of catching up to do. 

Guys....The most well known Biblical figures struggled with mental health issues, including Jesus. If you don't think you do, get over yourself. (I say that lovingly.) 

The enemy is real and we live in a fallen world. We are given free will, because our God does not want to force anything on us. Sins go back through the generations. Yes, this could be an entirely separate blog post, BUT we all must accept our lot and KNOW that God can use EVERYTHING for our good, if we invite Him in and let Him. The kid with ADHD will learn essential skills that bring glory to God that others will not. The person that survived an emotionally and mentally abusive situation, will have testimony that no one else has. The, now adult, that grew up and was affected by a broken marriage, will be able to help others by walking through to the other side of their experiences. We all must accept our lot AND know that we all have a lot to accept. Everyone has one, everyone's is different and we must Buck Up Baby & Ride with Jesus! 

Operation Get Healthy: Slow Progress

So....it's been a couple weeks since I finished my 24-day challenge with Advocare. Here is what I want to share.....

The stricter diet was TOTALLY do-able, but hard. I mean....FOOD is SO ingrained in EVERYTHING....our decisions, our comfort, our schedule, our ability, our knowledge, & for some (not me :)) what we take pride in. So....RIGHT before I started this 24-day challenge....I took a looooooooong, hard look at my diet, the food we bought, & what I was feeding my family & KNEW that I needed to make some adjustments.

I remember buying The Daniel Plan & Journal & although I REALLY wanted to make it work & for my will power to stay strong......I just didn't have enough FAITH in myself that I would stick with it, unless I was held accountable..... Like.... REALLY accountable. By, paying for the challenge, taking the BEFORE pictures & knowing I wanted my AFTER picture to look better than the first & REALLY giving the program a chance....NO EXCUSES! One of my best friends believed in this, had been asking for me to try it for some time & was WILLING to take my phone calls, text messages, & honest opinions about EVERYTHING from diet plans, to my doubts, to my struggles, to: "What the heck is in this stuff?" IF I was going to do it....I was going to REALLY do it....NO cheating.

I finished the challenge. Was really happy with my results & although....quite exhausted (mentally) from the whole experience....was pretty proud that I did it. For the last two weeks (after I completed the challenge)...I fell off the wagon....GLADLY to be quite honest. I MISSED my coffee, my occasional fried calamari or cheese sticks, my friend Little Debbie.... I think I'm painting the picture... I mean... I was more conscious & felt a little more guilt, because I KNOW that it's really not good for me, but I just wanted to eat 6 miniature Milky Ways SO BAD!

So....although I ate MUCH better than how I normally would....I ate quite a bit of things I had cut out the previous 24 days. It took about a week and a half for me to physically feel the difference. Luckily Ashley (my coach) & my husband did a really good job of reminding me about my results....about the simple fact that I COULD do it & that the BIGGEST thing I changed was my diet....which ULTIMATELY for me was my PRIMARY reason for doing all this in the first place. I had become quite AWARE of how, what we put in our bodies - directly affects our long-term health, our mental focus, our ability to have a better quality of life & keep us around as long as the Good Lord needs us to be. I'm in a line of work that PHYSICALLY needs me PRESENT....like....I can't "work from home." I have to be front & center & ON. IF I want to be SUCCESSFUL, which I do...I have to take care of the KEY tools that allow me to help SUPPORT my family & that is my voice, my mind, & my body. The BEST way to teach your children is by example, Kyle & I have to get US right & our children will follow suit.

I tell you all this, because I want everyone to know that you have to WANT to make a change. The program can only help you as much as you help yourself & that not everyone will BE READY at the same time. In fact I was ready at the beginning of January....for the past two weeks I WAS NOT ready & not REAL interested in focusing on it, but now I am again & that's okay. It really is all about forward progress...baby steps. I love this quote:

There's a whole new group of Advocare CHALLENGERS starting this coming Monday. IF you WANT to look into this...I ENCOURAGE it. I am focusing on the last 14 days of the 24-day challenge again, because I feel like I NEED that structure to MAKE PROGRESS towards my NEW GOAL, which is: Losing 20 more pounds & making some sort of exercise a daily routine. I don't know what that will be. I want people to know that they can RandOmly talk to me about health & food & taking care of the HOME of the The Holy Spirit that is inside us....KNOWING that this whole "Gettin' Healthy" journey I'm on...is not easy. I stumble....A LOT sometimes. I have trouble following the plan exactly sometimes... I don't exercise much at all.... I'm just trying....

I do not know sometimes WHY I share all of this with all of you. A big part of something I truly feel like I UNDERSTAND now is that we HELP each other by sharing our experiences, but me sharing THIS journey still kind of takes me by surprise. I mean....I put my big girl picture on Facebook :/! Yeah....I am totally not proud of that BEFORE pic, but sure am of the after....

My weight a few days after the challenge ended I was down 15 pounds. Over the last two weeks I gained about 3 of those pounds back & about 2 inches of the 14.5 I lost. Not a HUGE gain, but a steady gain over the last two weeks. 

So NOW...my choices are to either continue to slowly gain OR to slowly chip away at it.... That is why I continue on this journey. I'm not gonna tell you to Buck Up & do anything, because I was at a point sometime in the last couple weeks, where I would have seriously thought about givin' someone the finger if they even TRIED to tell me what to eat, BUT.... I will ALWAYS ENCOURAGE you to PUSH yourself to BUCK UP in ANY area of your life. Just stretch yourself outside of something you know... to DISCOVER something you don't. Your ENCOURAGEMENT is APPRECIATED. I can get mighty grumpy without some of my comfort foods....JUST SAYIN'! 

OPERATION GET HEALTHY: Cumulative Summary Through Day 24 & What's NEXT....

Apologies for not blogging. Life got pretty hectic....finalizing paperwork from one auction...only to hit the road to South Texas for another & then back to Brenham for another the next night. Traveling...& trying to finish up my 24-day challenge. I'm gonna be honest...the last couple of days of the 24-day challenge were tough. I usually don't like to eat much before I call an auction. The shakes were a life-saver, but there are times where I don't eat lunch OR Dinner....or very little. I remember WHY I'm doing this:

If any of you are on Pinterest you should start following The Daniel Plan. They have recipes, inspirational quotes, Bible Verses & SO MUCH MORE!! I give them credit for this pic!

Look at these results from our 24 day challenge:

Down 11 lbs & 14.5 inches!

Down 9lbs & 16 inches!

Down 5 lbs & 10.5 inches!

8lbs & 3inches!

From a person who has NEVER tried a program like this at all....I NEED IT! I honestly don't know how to stop myself from eating what I want to UNLESS I'm given a structured PLAN & I SEE results. The last 14 days of the challenge I only lost 3 pounds, but my inches melted away. I mean I lost 4 in my hips alone. After Valentine's day I am going to do the 14 day phase again....otherwise I will not hold myself accountable. I don't know why it is harder for me on my own...it just is & OBVIOUSLY...this worked. I think I NEED it MORE for keeping my eating cleaner.

Again...apologies for not being able to post daily posts, but as I can post I will!! I hope these posts have encouraged some of you to take baby steps towards getting healthier. I have been ENCOURAGED by those of you that have reached out to me...not just for your SUCCESSES, but for your strugGLES, because I had either experienced them myself or was currently experiencing. It REALLY makes the journey easier to have someone walk it with you. I've also picked up a few awesome tips...one of which I LOVE.

FAVORITE TIP FROM OTHERS..so far: Drink a TALL GLASS OF WATER every morning BEFORE you put ANYTHING else in your body. This will help your organs wake up and start functioning properly. The way I look at it now (because I REALLY struggle with consuming enough water for my body) is almost like I'm talking to it & telling it GOOD MORNING. If I STRUGGLE & mess up during the day at least I started out giving it the opportunity to better handle everything that comes at it.

If you & some of your friends want to BEGIN this journey to better health & educating yourself on what we put in our bodies (because that just kind of naturally happens along the way) private message me or my coach: Ashley Farris: ashley_farris@hotmail.com.

Stay tuned for my next blog...it was a little much to share today, but is probably the CORE reason on WHY I see this REAL importance of how we take care of our bodies.

God Bless!! I ENCOURAGE you to take that next step, IF you are ready!!

OPERATION GET HEALTHY: Day 17

I'm tellin' you.... Pastor Rick Warren's writing is on the same rhythm as my thinking....almost always... It amazes me sometimes.

Today The Daniel Plan Journal talks about sleep restoration & how our sleeping habits are linked to our eating habits.

So last night I got the most sleep I've gotten in a loooooooooooooooooooooooong time. I mean...the most sleep I usually get is 6 hours...and that is the most. Last night...I got 7 1/2 hours of sleep! I felt AMAZING today. I actually had a moment of.. "Is everything okay? I mean....should I have this much energy?" How ridiculous is that? I mean really?! I mean for once I have felt TOTALLY rested ALL day, the only food I've put in my body is GOOD food & water (which I really should have drank more of) & man....had laser beam focus. So much so, that I almost shocked myself with it. This is what our "normal" is supposed to feel like. I mean...I had gotten to a point where EXHAUSTED, HUNGRY, & ACHY were "normal" for me. I found a way to randomly exercise for over 45 minutes today & exercised at almost any in between time I had. Ya'll!!! That NEVER happens. Not only that, but I made PROGRESS in ALL the areas where I need to & further progress than what I'm used to getting done. I am convinced that the BAD food we put into our bodies, blocks stuff up in our brains. I'm sure there is a fancier, more educated sounding way to say that...but ultimately....it muddies the waters.

The Daniel Plan Journal was discussing how....people tend to run to carbs and caffeine, & sugar to boost our energy, which only makes us crash harder...later. GUILTY! Totally me before I started the 24-day challenge.

"Matthew 11:28-29 says, 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.' What longings stir in you when you read Jesus' invitation to rest?"

My answer: I long for a routine that allows just the right progress needed to carry out God's mission for my life, in his timing - with clear focus and joy.

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!! He is giving me all that I'm asking him for. I NEVER know what it is going to look like, but He gets me there! God Bless!

OPERATION GET HEALTHY: Days 12-15

Hey! Hey! So, It's been a BuSy couple of days. Switching phases on this 24-day challenge threw me for a loop... a little, but you MUST know that I have A LOT going on & sometimes implementing new things throws my mind on overload....plus following through on other obligations & having a few road blocks suddenly appear, just detours me.

Well....the responses that we have received over the last several days...honestly....made me feel so blessed that I could somehow ENCOURAGE others to try and implement a healthier lifestyle & also made me feel a sense of responsibility to REALLY keep making an effort. Believe me....when I felt all over the place the last couple days....I just wanted to grab something fast. I didn't want to think about anything more than what I had to, BUT....I made the effort & I am REALLY thankful for my friends & my friend/coach....because a lifestyle change just ain't easy. 

In fact...without that SUPPORT - I would have derailed. I see SO much VALUE in it, that I made the decision to become an Advocare Distributor. It will allow me to continue using the vitamins and supplements that my body POSITIVELY responds to & serve as a resource for people that WANT to know more. It also creates more REGULAR conversation about my health and fitness & the goals that I'd love to achieve one day. Not to mention... I...all of a sudden....found myself in this role as an ENCOURAGER....just by sharing my journey & realized that I NEEDED guidance & support to stick with it & to allow myself to be educated....just by being a part of something that has already made me reach goals I didn't think I was made for.  

I also know the key to that is a SOLID coach/friend/supporter that KNOWS the things I don't & KNOWS that things are possible that the normal person doesn't...like myself. I WANT to be that girl that didn't believe, tried anyway, to her surprise...succeeded, & can now ENCOURAGE others to do the same & not feel bad about it or like it's not my place b/c I don't know... 

What you all don't know...that I find EXTREMELY interesting...is how God is connecting some dots. My friend/coach, Ashley, got her degree in Health & Fitness & has been working in this industry since before graduation. She's had her hands in all kinds of things, but her PASSION is in health and fitness. I don't even think you could question that, if you really spent some time talking to her. She's tried programs. She's seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. She's worked with ALL kinds of people that have all kinds of different fitness goals, body types, CraZy schedules, lame excuses....you name it. 

I've learned a thing or two in MY professional career & life. The biggest lesson is that, when you are trying to tackle something you know very little to nothing about and you want to make a change, you FIND people that know what they are doing. That is a common thread across the board: photographers, real estate agents, auctioneers that hold different specialties, production crews, tax services.....ANYTHING. As much as we'd like to be...we aren't good at everything. We are all given special and unique skills and interests that allow us to carry out the PURPOSE God put us on this earth to do. 

She was in a place where she was trying to "figure things out" & she just couldn't let go of Advocare. I mean...I had talked to her a couple times URGING her to go in a direction that I thought made more sense.... She's not programmed like me though.... It doesn't work that way. Sometimes we have to TRUST our gut. We have to follow, what others don't get.

So here are my take-aways from The Daniel Plan Journal over the last several days: 

"God wants you to 'use your head - and heart! to discern what is right, to test what is authentically right.'" - John 7:24 MSG)

In short discussion of the book One Word That Will Change Your Life - which discusses how focusing on one word for a year can change your life Pastor Warren urges us to choose a word that will motivate us in our FITNESS goals. Mine is "DO." KSBJ (Christian radio station) ENCOURAGED listeners to choose a word to focus on & my word for the year is RELEASE. 

Something I found interesting, while journaling, is that; when asked what makes it difficult for me to shift my focus to God; my answer was...feeling rushed. Who is making me feel rushed??? Myself. 

"The problems of everyday life often tempt us to make unhealthy choices out of convenience or as a temporary fix for handling stress. But the truth is, problems will follow you the rest of your life. If you're waiting to deal with stress until you make it to a new stage in your life, you will be waiting a long time!"

Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus.... If you have any questions or want to learn more about the 24-day challenge you can CLICK  HERE or Email or Facebook Message Ashley Farris: ashley_farris@hotmail.com

Buck Up Baby & God Bless!! A new group of 24-Day Challengers is starting this coming Monday. If you're ready... go on with your bad self!