Good Morning World!
Happy Sunday!! I'm happy to be writing you all this morning, I know I've been slacking off a bit so this is a good time for me to set some time aside before I start my day and write to you!
Last time I really posted I had mentioned that I was slowly trying to take myself off my anxiety medicine. I wish I could say that I was still off of it; however, I do still need it and have just been trying to take it once a day or as needed (situational, as I'll discuss.) This seems to work best for me for the time being.
I wish I could stand here and be the strong person that can say, "Hey! I've been able to overcome my anxiety and myself, I don't need to take my medicine anymore!" Although there are situations that I feel like I've helped myself to overcome, at the same time I do still have to work through some more issues still. I believe that I have made great progress in working through a major part of my anxiety, and that was the overcoming myself. I focus less on worrying about my competency amongst others, I feel that I no longer doubt myself in what I believe I am able to achieve as an individual, and I feel as though I have been able to be more at peace with who I am and where I am in my life.
As I've said many times before, it is all about baby steps. Going from taking my anxiety medicine three times a day to only once a day is really a big step in itself. I know that for one, you are not suppose to go cold turkey on your medicine, which I have done once before when my prescription ran out, and where did it land me? Yup, the ER. This is where I am still battling my anxiety, I almost feel as if I have a heightened sense of pain perception. Does anybody else ever feel this way? This is the part of my anxiety that I am working hard to overcome because I believe it is a main source of it. My aches and pains seem to be so frequent and I have the strangest symptoms, some that I can actually see, such as my swollen, stiff fingers after a run or in the mornings, and some that I feel but cannot see such as the feeling of losing my sense of proprioception while running, the sharp prickling pain in my leg that would hurt just to place it down on a chair, or the feeling of not being able to open my mouth (heavy/locked jaw type of feeling.) There's many more health related problems I feel, and of course they tend to set me off into a spiral of anxiety, and that is when my medicine is essential. Although it REALLY sucks that I am a hypochondriac and believe I have one health problem after another, it does make me realize how much I love and value my life. I wouldn't be so concerned about that thought that I have some disease or illness that will end my life short or limit my functioning if I wasn't aware of that fact that I am blessed with such a great life and future that I have planned for myself.
I must have jinxed myself after writing about the importance of getting an adequate amount of sleep each night because since doing so, my bed time turned into about 2:30 or 3:00 am every night and having to wake up at 7:30 or 8:00 am to start my day. That has been a big pain in my butt, I need to get back on track with my sleep schedule pronto...especially with all my finals coming up. During times of heavy course work (midterms/finals) along with managing outside priorities, I usually tend to see that my anxiety gets crazy on me. This only strengthens my argument that sleep is a main contributor to maintaining homeostasis [DUH, Kristin!!] Since I have been busy with school and work, I've also stopped working out and reading 'Mind Gym' as much. Two huge influences in helping me to keep my head in the right spot. Working out everyday again needs to be reestablished ASAP and returning to reading my book will resume after finals are over: PRIORITIES!
I do not believe that continuing to work through my anxiety is a problem; I have been able to open up and hopefully relate to and help all of you through blogging, I've been able to meet and interact with really great and insightful individuals, and on a personal level it has allowed me to work on the parts of my life that I believe need improvement. By examining the influences in my life that allow my anxiety to start to become out of hand, such as lacking sleep, exercising less, adding too many priorities to a specific time frame, and worrying about things that are beyond my control, I am able to acknowledge these negatives and turn them into positives.
Making a positive change to your life, no matter how big or small, is still a positive step in the right direction. You have acknowledged and accepted that things that you need to work on and that is a very important step. Everything takes time, don't expect that today's problems will be gone tomorrow. As your problems 'grow' smaller, you will grow stronger as an individual. The pride you feel by your accomplishing your goals is one of the best feelings, do not sell yourself short and quit before you achieve the success you wish to see. Remember, nothing worth having ever came easy.
Tomorrow is the day I meet with the psychiatrist, I'm anxious to see what he/she has to say, but I'm not quite sure I want to start any new medicines (if needed) during finals week, notttt the best idea! I'll be sure to keep you all posted on my appointment!
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Can there be more time in the day?
Hey guys!
I said I would write again late tonight and I do not like to break promises so here I am!
I thought I would have more time to write today/tonight but my day was consumed with studying and doing homework so I didn't have as much time as I thought I would. I really apologize! I want to write a meaningful post and not just half it right now due to time, so I promise promise first thing tomorrow I will update! It's kind of been a rough week, a bit of an anxiety roller coaster (as you may have anticipated when I wrote that I was weaning myself off my anxiety medicine) sooo...I definitely need the time to write a sincere and unrushed post to explain.
I hope you are all doing great and are enjoying your weekend. Until I'm able to post more frequently and on a regular basis I encourage you to check out my Twitter since I'm able to post smaller and quicker posts there for you to keep up with!
@kCull_4
Thank you all so much for being patient with me! Please check back tomorrow and I'll be sure to have updated for you!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
I said I would write again late tonight and I do not like to break promises so here I am!
I thought I would have more time to write today/tonight but my day was consumed with studying and doing homework so I didn't have as much time as I thought I would. I really apologize! I want to write a meaningful post and not just half it right now due to time, so I promise promise first thing tomorrow I will update! It's kind of been a rough week, a bit of an anxiety roller coaster (as you may have anticipated when I wrote that I was weaning myself off my anxiety medicine) sooo...I definitely need the time to write a sincere and unrushed post to explain.
I hope you are all doing great and are enjoying your weekend. Until I'm able to post more frequently and on a regular basis I encourage you to check out my Twitter since I'm able to post smaller and quicker posts there for you to keep up with!
@kCull_4
Thank you all so much for being patient with me! Please check back tomorrow and I'll be sure to have updated for you!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Apologies!
Hi everyone!
Please excuse the formatting, it gets super messy when I post from my phone, I will fix it later though!
Hope you've all had a great week!
I'm sorry I've been so terrible about blogging this week, as I forewarned, school is going to be absolutely CRAZY these next 2 weeks! I'm trying to work with the free time that I have to get in my other activities (SLEEP!, working out, blogging, keeping my sanity) along with managing my school/work time effectively!
I promise I will update more later! But thank you for hangin with me, I appreciate it!!
Wishing you a happy Saturday,
KC<3
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Missing link to this mornings post!
Hi everyone!
So I'm/my phone is really bad at posting how I want stuff posted to my blog (formatting, hyperlinks, etc) so I just now noticed that the link did not show up earlier, and correct me if I'm wrong and you could see it!
Here is the link, I'm sorry you'll have to copy and paste it in until I can master this whole blogging on my phone thing! I hope it leads you all through a great rest of your afternoon and into a relaxing evening!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JXdhHn8L65o
Positive start for your morning!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Beckham Hits a Homerun in MY Book!
Hi everyone!
I just came across a great article and wanted to share it with you and give you a little update about a major step I'm attempting to make(for better or worse!) First off, I found this link from one of my followers on Twitter, @GBeckhamNews, no affiliation to Beckham himself.
Anyway, I just really wanted to share it with you all because Beckham definitely displays the important attributes of which 'Mind Gym' speaks.
Although he is currently in a slump; he is not letting it affect his game and where he sees himself going.
I am almost at a loss for words, this article and Gordon Beckham's attitude are simply a perfect example of maintaining optimism and OVERCOMING YOURSELF! LOVE LOVE LOVE this article!!
Here is an excerpt from it that I might have to print, clip, and tape into my personal journal that I keep for myself:
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.....Amazing, right!? I feel like this is much too relatable to the small steps that I speak about in my attempts to overcome my own personal slumps.
As Beckham mentions, he has "been in this situation before" and he allowed it to get the best of him, but is not going to let it this time. I know first hand that each time I allowed my anxiety to get the best of me, I let it take control of my life and my emotions. However, now I know and am constantly taking steps in the right direction to make sure that I "don't give in". It is so important to realize the role you can play in overcoming yourself by simply maintaining that positive perspective, despite the extrinsic & intrinsic forces that we are faced with each day.
One more quote that I really loved was:
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Personally, I relate to this on my own level and I find it very touching. Think about it from your own stand point; I pray that each of you are as fortunate as I am to have an understanding and patient support system. If you do not, please try to find one or you can ALWAYS email me, as well as keep following my blog, and I will be there for you as much as I can! The point I want to make is: somewhere out there someone understands what you are going through and they will be patient and help you see your way through it.
As Ventura was once in Beckham's shoes, he understands and is able to see the potential that he(Beckham) possesses, despite his slump. I have several of these individuals in my life, but one that I can almost exactly relate this Ventura-Beckham excerpt to. You know who you are, and I just want to thank you again for believing in my potential, being understanding time after time, and in helping me to work past my anxiety so I can be the individual that I know I really am.
It's getting late and I know that getting adequate sleep each night is vital to mental and emotional health, and I don't want to fall into the 3am-730am sleep pattern again.... NOT HEALTHY!!!
So I need to wrap this up very shortly; my news that I wanted to share with you all is that I am, as I type, 24 hours past the last time I took my medicine for my anxiety!!!! I have been trying to slowly wean myself off of it (.25 mg, tid) in anticipation/hopes that I will be able to manage my anxiety on my own without the use of medicine. Back at the beginning of March when my anxiety was at its peak, and I was experiencing my situational episodes of depression; my psychologist and I scheduled an appt for me to meet with the psychiatrist. The soonest opening was April 30th, so of course I needed to take it to determine what's best for my overall well-being. I've made sooo much progress since then; however, I know I still need to meet with the psychiatrist just to make sure I'm taking all of the right steps. Although I may be able to better control my anxiety now without Rx drugs, chemical imbalances still exist and I even though I may be able to look past the side effects the imbalances may cause; I still need to:
"treat the source of the problem." --- That is a major PT school quote that us healthcare/future healthcare professionals like to practice/live by! :)
By the way, I think tonight's post might have been one of my favorites; I feel that it was relatable in many aspects! I hope you all agree as well!
Goodnight and sweet dreams to you all!! <3
With Much Gratitude---
KC <3
Thanks again to @GBeckhamNews and Chicago Tribune for the link to such a great article to relate to!!
I just came across a great article and wanted to share it with you and give you a little update about a major step I'm attempting to make(for better or worse!) First off, I found this link from one of my followers on Twitter, @GBeckhamNews, no affiliation to Beckham himself.
Anyway, I just really wanted to share it with you all because Beckham definitely displays the important attributes of which 'Mind Gym' speaks.
Although he is currently in a slump; he is not letting it affect his game and where he sees himself going.
I am almost at a loss for words, this article and Gordon Beckham's attitude are simply a perfect example of maintaining optimism and OVERCOMING YOURSELF! LOVE LOVE LOVE this article!!
Here is an excerpt from it that I might have to print, clip, and tape into my personal journal that I keep for myself:
----------------------------------------------------------------
“I’ve been in this situation before and in the past I have let it get the best of me,” Beckham said of his slow start this season. “I just haven’t given in yet, and I don’t intend to give in. I have built up kind of a shell about that kind of stuff. I knew it was early and I knew there was time and I took a step in the right direction."
Source: Chicago Tribune
.....Amazing, right!? I feel like this is much too relatable to the small steps that I speak about in my attempts to overcome my own personal slumps.
As Beckham mentions, he has "been in this situation before" and he allowed it to get the best of him, but is not going to let it this time. I know first hand that each time I allowed my anxiety to get the best of me, I let it take control of my life and my emotions. However, now I know and am constantly taking steps in the right direction to make sure that I "don't give in". It is so important to realize the role you can play in overcoming yourself by simply maintaining that positive perspective, despite the extrinsic & intrinsic forces that we are faced with each day.
One more quote that I really loved was:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
“He doesn’t put pressure on us. Obviously everyone wants to perform,” said Beckham, who snapped an 0-for-14 skid at the plate with an RBI single. “I mean, Robin knows that. He has been through it (an 0-for-41 stretch as a rookie), so he’s a patient guy. He has had to be with me lately. I appreciate everything he does for me.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personally, I relate to this on my own level and I find it very touching. Think about it from your own stand point; I pray that each of you are as fortunate as I am to have an understanding and patient support system. If you do not, please try to find one or you can ALWAYS email me, as well as keep following my blog, and I will be there for you as much as I can! The point I want to make is: somewhere out there someone understands what you are going through and they will be patient and help you see your way through it.
As Ventura was once in Beckham's shoes, he understands and is able to see the potential that he(Beckham) possesses, despite his slump. I have several of these individuals in my life, but one that I can almost exactly relate this Ventura-Beckham excerpt to. You know who you are, and I just want to thank you again for believing in my potential, being understanding time after time, and in helping me to work past my anxiety so I can be the individual that I know I really am.
It's getting late and I know that getting adequate sleep each night is vital to mental and emotional health, and I don't want to fall into the 3am-730am sleep pattern again.... NOT HEALTHY!!!
So I need to wrap this up very shortly; my news that I wanted to share with you all is that I am, as I type, 24 hours past the last time I took my medicine for my anxiety!!!! I have been trying to slowly wean myself off of it (.25 mg, tid) in anticipation/hopes that I will be able to manage my anxiety on my own without the use of medicine. Back at the beginning of March when my anxiety was at its peak, and I was experiencing my situational episodes of depression; my psychologist and I scheduled an appt for me to meet with the psychiatrist. The soonest opening was April 30th, so of course I needed to take it to determine what's best for my overall well-being. I've made sooo much progress since then; however, I know I still need to meet with the psychiatrist just to make sure I'm taking all of the right steps. Although I may be able to better control my anxiety now without Rx drugs, chemical imbalances still exist and I even though I may be able to look past the side effects the imbalances may cause; I still need to:
"treat the source of the problem." --- That is a major PT school quote that us healthcare/future healthcare professionals like to practice/live by! :)
By the way, I think tonight's post might have been one of my favorites; I feel that it was relatable in many aspects! I hope you all agree as well!
Goodnight and sweet dreams to you all!! <3
With Much Gratitude---
KC <3
Thanks again to @GBeckhamNews and Chicago Tribune for the link to such a great article to relate to!!
Monday, April 23, 2012
St. Jude's Fundraiser Page Link!
St. Jude's Beach Dash Fund raiser!
^^^^ Link to my fund-raising page and my NON-GENERIC profile/about me info for the event!! :)
Please check it out and help support me, I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart!!! <3
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Hi everyone!!
Welcome to my fund raising page for St. Jude's!!
If you know me, you know that I love to help children and plan of specialize in pediatric physical therapy once I graduate with my DPT in the Spring of 2014.
In January of 2012 I participated in the Aon Center 'Step Up for Kids' stairclimb in Chicago for Children's Memorial Hospital. I love it and I was very excited to be able to raise money for a local hospital. In May I will be running a 5k downtown Chicago for Lurie Children's Hospital (Children's Memorial) In addition to these events, this summer I will be participating in my 4th summer with the Children's Oncology 'One Step at a Time' Summer Camp. This camp is truly one big family and it is the most amazing and humbling experience I have been a part of. During these 1 or 2 weeks of camp during June; all of the outside world just seems to disappear and every worry & every problem nearly ceases to exist.
So I heard about Beach Dash Chicago and I was totally pumped up for it because it sounded like a blast. Then I got to the payment page and saw $47 dollars (after processing fee) and was totally turned away, THEN I remembered that I could participate in it for St. Jude's!! <3 I immediately rethought it and realized that although $50 may be a lot of money to spend on an event for myself, I would much rather participate in it for St. Jude's so then I'm raising money and participating in it for an amazing cause!
The Beach Dash isn't until July 14th, which is a little less than 3 month's away. My goal is currently set for $250 which I believe is totally achievable, and I actually believe I will be able to exceed this goal through your generosity!
Trust me, I know money can be tight sometimes, so I am not asking for huge donations, I would appreciate any tiny bit of support you would be able to provide towards St. Jude's.
Your gift of money is more than just a gift of money for these children, it is the gift of life.
Please consider supporting me and making any type of contribution you would like!
With Much Gratitude---
Kristin Cullinan
Welcome to my fund raising page for St. Jude's!!
If you know me, you know that I love to help children and plan of specialize in pediatric physical therapy once I graduate with my DPT in the Spring of 2014.
In January of 2012 I participated in the Aon Center 'Step Up for Kids' stairclimb in Chicago for Children's Memorial Hospital. I love it and I was very excited to be able to raise money for a local hospital. In May I will be running a 5k downtown Chicago for Lurie Children's Hospital (Children's Memorial) In addition to these events, this summer I will be participating in my 4th summer with the Children's Oncology 'One Step at a Time' Summer Camp. This camp is truly one big family and it is the most amazing and humbling experience I have been a part of. During these 1 or 2 weeks of camp during June; all of the outside world just seems to disappear and every worry & every problem nearly ceases to exist.
So I heard about Beach Dash Chicago and I was totally pumped up for it because it sounded like a blast. Then I got to the payment page and saw $47 dollars (after processing fee) and was totally turned away, THEN I remembered that I could participate in it for St. Jude's!! <3 I immediately rethought it and realized that although $50 may be a lot of money to spend on an event for myself, I would much rather participate in it for St. Jude's so then I'm raising money and participating in it for an amazing cause!
The Beach Dash isn't until July 14th, which is a little less than 3 month's away. My goal is currently set for $250 which I believe is totally achievable, and I actually believe I will be able to exceed this goal through your generosity!
Trust me, I know money can be tight sometimes, so I am not asking for huge donations, I would appreciate any tiny bit of support you would be able to provide towards St. Jude's.
Your gift of money is more than just a gift of money for these children, it is the gift of life.
Please consider supporting me and making any type of contribution you would like!
With Much Gratitude---
Kristin Cullinan
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for keeping up with me tonight everyone!!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Running for a Cause!
Hi guys!
Thanks for keeping up with me!!
Everything has been going great lately! My psychologist has canceled our appointments for the past 2 weeks, but thankfully I have been able to keep helping myself through the use of my blog, 'Mind Gym,' and through various individuals I've been coming into contact with.
I feel like I'm making great progress in the right direction. I've been busy and should be doing a lot more school work than I have been lately, but I know that I will get around to it and dedicate lots of time to school in the next 2 weeks! I can't believe my first year of PT school is almost over! It's amazing how fast it's gone by and I'm soo excited that in 2 short years I will be continuing my life in Chicago! <3
So I just registered for Beach Dash Chicago last night! The event takes place on July 14th so I've got lots of time to get training. I was a bit upset and almost decided not to do the obstacle course/race anymore when I saw it was going to cost me $47 after the processing fee; however I realized I could run it for St. Jude's, then that completely changed my mind. Knowing that I can fund raise and participate in this event for children who are sick made up my mind for me and suddenly $47 didn't seem like so much money!
My event page for St. Jude's currently isn't saving my event info, but here is what I have saved to post to my fund-raising page, and I'll post a separate post with the link to my event and info repeated again! :) I would love love love if you would like to make a contribution to St. Jude's or if you could refer the link to anyone you know that would like to contribute as well!
I wish I could blog some more, but I need to get showered and get my butt working on my homework/studying!
Hang with me these next two weeks as I may be a little busy with finals coming up and may be more cramped for time to blog. You can always check me out on Twitter too @kCull_4
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and had a great start to the week. Wishing you all health & happiness!
Also since I don't have too much time to offer motivational and inspiring advice; I'll leave it to RWE and Arnold to speak for me tonight....
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I'll expand on this one later, it will take MUCH too long to do right now considering it is my ALL TIME FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE <3
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AND Arnold's motivational speech----
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuJ4hbkLiY0
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Thanks for keeping up with me!!
Everything has been going great lately! My psychologist has canceled our appointments for the past 2 weeks, but thankfully I have been able to keep helping myself through the use of my blog, 'Mind Gym,' and through various individuals I've been coming into contact with.
I feel like I'm making great progress in the right direction. I've been busy and should be doing a lot more school work than I have been lately, but I know that I will get around to it and dedicate lots of time to school in the next 2 weeks! I can't believe my first year of PT school is almost over! It's amazing how fast it's gone by and I'm soo excited that in 2 short years I will be continuing my life in Chicago! <3
So I just registered for Beach Dash Chicago last night! The event takes place on July 14th so I've got lots of time to get training. I was a bit upset and almost decided not to do the obstacle course/race anymore when I saw it was going to cost me $47 after the processing fee; however I realized I could run it for St. Jude's, then that completely changed my mind. Knowing that I can fund raise and participate in this event for children who are sick made up my mind for me and suddenly $47 didn't seem like so much money!
My event page for St. Jude's currently isn't saving my event info, but here is what I have saved to post to my fund-raising page, and I'll post a separate post with the link to my event and info repeated again! :) I would love love love if you would like to make a contribution to St. Jude's or if you could refer the link to anyone you know that would like to contribute as well!
I wish I could blog some more, but I need to get showered and get my butt working on my homework/studying!
Hang with me these next two weeks as I may be a little busy with finals coming up and may be more cramped for time to blog. You can always check me out on Twitter too @kCull_4
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and had a great start to the week. Wishing you all health & happiness!
Also since I don't have too much time to offer motivational and inspiring advice; I'll leave it to RWE and Arnold to speak for me tonight....
-------------------------------------------------------------
"What Lies Before Us, and What Lies Behind Us, Are All Small Matters Compared To What Lies WITHIN Us." ---The boss man of all great quotes, Ralph Waldo Emerson! <3
I'll expand on this one later, it will take MUCH too long to do right now considering it is my ALL TIME FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE <3
-------------------------------------------------------------
AND Arnold's motivational speech----
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuJ4hbkLiY0
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Medial Meniscus Tear- Post Repair Presentation
One more thing I wanted to share with ya'll was my powerpoint presentation that I prepared on my research paper for my physical therapy class.
Some of the information pertains to why a healthy lifestyle is vital to your physical health and I was just really proud of my hardwork so I wanted to share it with the world! :)
ENJOY!!! <3
Medial Meniscus Presentation
Not sure how ^^ thats going to work, but if you'd like me to send my paper/presentation to you, which I'm SURE everyone would just love to read it, then let me know! :) heh!
Thanks and good night!!
KC<3
Some of the information pertains to why a healthy lifestyle is vital to your physical health and I was just really proud of my hardwork so I wanted to share it with the world! :)
ENJOY!!! <3
Medial Meniscus Presentation
Not sure how ^^ thats going to work, but if you'd like me to send my paper/presentation to you, which I'm SURE everyone would just love to read it, then let me know! :) heh!
Thanks and good night!!
KC<3
Endorphins, Goals, and Staying Healthy and Happy!
Hiyyaaa!
I'm totes gonna pass out in the middle of this post, so if I start rambling and not making sense, just bear with me :)
So I L.O.V.E my Nike Fuel Band, I just wish I didn't make such expensive impulse purchases; thattttt should probably be addressed to my psychologist before I end up on Hoarders. But in all honesty, the Fuel Band rocks my world. On my good days I don't find it hard to make my way to the gym to workout or stay active in general, but the Fuel Band really just pushes me past my limits. My goal for today/yesterday (Friday) was 6,000 because I knew it was my long run day. Fridays are also my longg day of classes/exams so meeting my goal could have been iffy, BUTTTTT I got my butt to the gym, hit the treadmill and I felt fantastic.
I easily hit my goal of 6,000 by about 8:15ish and at around 11:15, checked my Fuel and realized I was at approx 6,455, SO of course being that close to 7000, there was no way I wasn't making it within 45 minutes. I began running the steps in the house and VOILAAAAA.....
I went above and beyond my goal. This is what is great about the Fuel Band, it keeps you challenging yourself.
No matter who you are, whether it be a sedentary individual, an individual who is looking to increase their physical activity, or an ultra-marathoner; the Fuel Band will seriously get you moving! This is a great way to set small goals and progress towards achieving larger ones! It is not a cheap product, ~$160 after tax online, if you become a Nike.com member, but think about it this way; would you rather get moving by spending $160 or lay in a hospital bed for BIG $$$$ p/day as a result of a cardiovascular disease or diabetes because you didn't believe you could find the motivation and determination to be physically active and prevent these diseases affecting our population?
Each one of us has the potential inside to be that person we want to be. Remember, OVERCOME YOURSELF (O.Y.!) and get moving, physically or mentally!
BABY STEPS ARE STILL STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION! Don't let your mind stop you from doing what you are fully capable of doing. However, DO NOT push yourself to fast either. You will either end up injuring yourself and delaying your progress [this is coming directly from a Student Physical Therapist so take it for what it's worth!! :) ] or you may become discouraged as a result of not making the progress to want to see. ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY! I can't stress the important of taking your time! Mentally and physically, it is to your benefit, just please give it a try!!
When things were beginning to hit rock bottom for me you know what I did? I cried and layed around and refused to talk to anyone really, but despite all of that, I went for a run along Lake Shore Drive. I was out of condition and definitely felt it the next day, but you know where that run led me? That run led me to training for a 10k, (~2 weeks from that day) which I completed in 1:04:15? (Chitown Half Marathon and 10k) I ended up joining my Physical Therapy classes intramural softball team, and that ONE run in the middle of all my problems has also lead me to the 3 events that I CURRENTLY have planned for this summer; however, I need to incorporate more into June for less off time!
What I'm getting at is that exercise releases endogenous opiates, AKA, endorphins. These endorphins (naturally occurring hormones in the body) in turn make us feel happier by playing on substances that inhibit or stimulate neurotransmitters to our brain. Whether or not my increased participation in physical activity has been a key role in helping me work through my anxiety or not is beyond me, but I do know that I have been much much happier lately. This is why it is so sooo important to stay active, PREVENTION is key!
So here is what I recommend, I am BY NO MEANS an expert in any subject, so take my knowledge that I've obtained through experience and from school and do with it what you will. But what I want you to do is to just take at least 2 hours out of your day tomorrow (REALISTICALLY, I know this may be hard to do, so please, at least 45 mins-1 hour) and for part of that time, as Mack and Casstevens mention in their book, 'Mind Gym,' meditate upon how you see yourself, what do you want to do? Do you want to run your first 5k, or spend more than 10 minutes on the elliptical without getting winded, or do you want to figure out your educational/occupational goals, or do you wish you could stand in front of a group and present knowledge that you have researched to them? The possibilities of what you can do and how you need to do them are endless, it's all just a matter of getting them done, and YOU are in charge of that.
----- Reflect upon those things, write them, day dream about them, constantly, (but not obsessively) keep them in your mind. Reflect on the positives and knowing that YOU CAN achieve whatever they are. It is all about overcoming the negative image and idea that you have painted in your mind. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, you just need to figure out what YOU need to do and how you can accomplish them.
----- Next, after picturing yourself doing these things in a positive light, GO OUT AND GET THEM DONE! Spend a 45 minutes gardening, hiking, playing tennis, or just going for a brisk walk. Your brain needs these neurotransmitters to fire properly and you are in charge of that! Like I said, it will take time, but it is worth it. Don't let the fear of failure stop you from YOUR SUCCESS!
(Positive mental imaging technique/exercise was originally from a chapter within 'Mind Gym.')
Also, here is some text I found on Endorphins to help you further understand how your mental and physical health can benefit just from getting your daily exercise:
My eyes are drooping and I am turning into one sleeeeeppy girl sooo I think it is time to go before my sentences turn into a game of scrabble!
Wishing you all a happy Saturday!
With Love and Gratitude---
KC<3
Friday, April 20, 2012
Beautiful finish to the week!
Hiyaaa everyone!
Sorry I have been lacking on my posts, its been a crazy busy week with school, as will the next 2-3 weeks will be as well!
I hope everyone has been well and is off work now and ready to kick back and enjoy the weekend!!
I'm very proud of the progress I've made this week. I have realized that I need to begin focusing and working harder on my school work though, such as no longer waiting until the last minute to study for my exams. [YIKES!]
I also realized that I need to set another occupational goal for myself. I have accomplished/am working to accomplish my goal of becoming a physical therapist by being accepted as a student, however now that I have made that one, I need something to set my mind to so I stay motivated and determined to be a successful PT!
I have quite the long to do list for today, and as much as I'd love to keep blogging right now, I've gotta go help my roomie with the dishes, then hop to reaching my #Nikefuel goal of 6,000 for today. (I'm only at 2467 right now, but its all about the DETERMINATION, so you best bet my butt is going running and meeting that goal. #impossibleisnothing) then the butt load of laundry in my closet needs to be done and I've gotta get working on practicing some lower extremity special tests/mobilizations so I can help all you beautiful individuals out there that will be in need of some PT some day! :)
HAPPPPPPY FRIDAY LOVES!!!
Sorry I have been lacking on my posts, its been a crazy busy week with school, as will the next 2-3 weeks will be as well!
I hope everyone has been well and is off work now and ready to kick back and enjoy the weekend!!
I'm very proud of the progress I've made this week. I have realized that I need to begin focusing and working harder on my school work though, such as no longer waiting until the last minute to study for my exams. [YIKES!]
I also realized that I need to set another occupational goal for myself. I have accomplished/am working to accomplish my goal of becoming a physical therapist by being accepted as a student, however now that I have made that one, I need something to set my mind to so I stay motivated and determined to be a successful PT!
I have quite the long to do list for today, and as much as I'd love to keep blogging right now, I've gotta go help my roomie with the dishes, then hop to reaching my #Nikefuel goal of 6,000 for today. (I'm only at 2467 right now, but its all about the DETERMINATION, so you best bet my butt is going running and meeting that goal. #impossibleisnothing) then the butt load of laundry in my closet needs to be done and I've gotta get working on practicing some lower extremity special tests/mobilizations so I can help all you beautiful individuals out there that will be in need of some PT some day! :)
HAPPPPPPY FRIDAY LOVES!!!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Presenting Yourself Positively.
Just finished my presentation and I could not be more proud of myself!!
Quotes I picked out of 'Mind Gym' and recited to myself before presenting:
Another habit I like to do before my big events such as runs, triathlons, or in today's case, presentations. I like to write a nice positive quote on my hand that I can look down at in the middle of the event and give myself an optimistic boost.
Today's reminder was: "O.Y." Honestly I almost feel like I should copyright it and start my own version of the "Livestrong" band. :) I may just make one for myself anyway!
BTW..... My Nike Fuel Band arrives today!! Can't wait to share it with y'all!!
Happy Tuesday and here is a beautiful picture I wanted to share with everyone from my Chicago trip yesterday....
With Much Gratitude--- KC<3
Quotes I picked out of 'Mind Gym' and recited to myself before presenting:
"Whats tough is to go out and work hard on the things you don't do well"
&
"It takes a leap of faith to make changes and work on your weaknesses."
Another habit I like to do before my big events such as runs, triathlons, or in today's case, presentations. I like to write a nice positive quote on my hand that I can look down at in the middle of the event and give myself an optimistic boost.
Today's reminder was: "O.Y." Honestly I almost feel like I should copyright it and start my own version of the "Livestrong" band. :) I may just make one for myself anyway!
BTW..... My Nike Fuel Band arrives today!! Can't wait to share it with y'all!!
Happy Tuesday and here is a beautiful picture I wanted to share with everyone from my Chicago trip yesterday....
With Much Gratitude--- KC<3
Monday, April 16, 2012
Short and Sweet!
Good Evening/Good Morning to all you lovely readers out there!
I had my doctors check up (because I admittingly am a hypochondriac, thank you so much anxiety!) and all went fairly well! I love my new primary care physician, although he is located in Chicago (UIC) he is a great doctor and well worth my drive! I previously mentioned to him at my initial appointment in March that I had been having symptoms in my hands and my stomach(rib cage area, rib 9 to be specific). He followed up on them today and could find no immediate indicators so he has referred me to a rheumatologist which I will be seeing May 21st!
If anyone can relate to my symptoms please give me your two cents:
I would love to expand somemore tonight, but I have my Medial Meniscus Tear- Post Repair presentation that I MAY give tomorrow, depending upon my amazing teacher's choice of ordering!
I reallllllyyy want to do it tomorrow and get it over with (I hate presentations) but at the same time I feel that I need to gain more mental composure/confidence and better prepare myself...AKA.... reflect upon my readings from 'Mind Gym' and get in my ZONE!! <3
Wish me all the best of luck and thanks for keepin' up with me tonight!
Today's Words of Wisdom:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wishing you all a HAPPY and HEALTHY Tuesday!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
I had my doctors check up (because I admittingly am a hypochondriac, thank you so much anxiety!) and all went fairly well! I love my new primary care physician, although he is located in Chicago (UIC) he is a great doctor and well worth my drive! I previously mentioned to him at my initial appointment in March that I had been having symptoms in my hands and my stomach(rib cage area, rib 9 to be specific). He followed up on them today and could find no immediate indicators so he has referred me to a rheumatologist which I will be seeing May 21st!
If anyone can relate to my symptoms please give me your two cents:
- I wake up in the morning with stiff, swollen hands, mainly between my thumb and index finder
- While running all of my fingers become very stiff and swollen, after my 10k on April 1st I was unable to even grip a pen or pencil to fill out a form :( (it was a chilly day out, in case that matters at all?)
- While doing 'hydrants' or glutekick backs with arm extensions my R wrist will begin to feel like I am rupturing/straining every tendon on the volar aspect (palm) of my hand
- Also while running, I will get an excruciating pain ~9/10 at the start of my run that feels like my rib is puncturing my organs. lol, Horrible to imagine, but best explanation I can give to describe it.
I would love to expand somemore tonight, but I have my Medial Meniscus Tear- Post Repair presentation that I MAY give tomorrow, depending upon my amazing teacher's choice of ordering!
I reallllllyyy want to do it tomorrow and get it over with (I hate presentations) but at the same time I feel that I need to gain more mental composure/confidence and better prepare myself...AKA.... reflect upon my readings from 'Mind Gym' and get in my ZONE!! <3
Wish me all the best of luck and thanks for keepin' up with me tonight!
Today's Words of Wisdom:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I Worked Very Hard. I Felt I Could Play The Game. The Only Thing That Could Stop Me Was Myself."
----Jim Abbott
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Very well said Jim! Don't let your doubts and insecurities hold you back from being all that you can be. You have worked very hard to get where you are today. If you have busted your butt to get where you are right here, right now, in this moment, you owe it to yourself to show to the world who that person really is. You are your own motivator and it is solely up to you to display your traits and accomplishments to the world. Don't EVER let your thoughts or your thoughts of what other may think of you hold you back from performing at your best. YOU are unique and YOU need to take care of YOU! Nobody knows your weaknesses expect for you, unless you tell them, so in my mind it is okay to hide behind certain weaknesses to certain individuals. In turn, use the energy you spend fearing your weaknesses and apply them towards building your STRENGTHS!!!!---
Wishing you all a HAPPY and HEALTHY Tuesday!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Blessings- They Come, They Go, and Some Stay.
Woo Whoooo!! I'm finally ready for my first post and I'm really feelin' my "simple design" blog, so I hope you do as well!
I'm beginning to realize that now more than ever I am overlooking all of the blessings in my life. Life in itself is a true blessing, yet it is important to take into consideration the small things that life consists of. Counting your blessings can be overlooked when it seems like the world is trying to swallow you whole.
In the past year, I feel like that is what has happened to my life. I have never felt so small and incompetent in my entire life. In the summer of 2011, I sat at a White Sox game with my family and told my mom I just felt 'out of it' and like everything else was going on around me and I just could not focus, I felt as if I was not actually a part of my own life. There, I believe, begins the dreaded anxiety.
I started physical therapy school at NIU in the fall of 2011. Being a part of a small population of students across the world is a blessing. Most programs accept ~24-80 students per year. Undergraduate courses are demanding and you do not know what these 'blow off classes' and "easy" prerequisite classes are that your friends talk about. NIU accepts 36, and I am one of them that will walk across the stage proudly in May of 2014 when I earn, let me reemphasize that statement, when I *EARN* my Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree! PT school has been anything but easy, physically, emotionally, and as I have found myself now writing a blog because of it, MENTALLY exhausting.
My anxiety began as school began, and only continues(ed) to progress as school goes on. I have Rx medication that helps me to deal with it, and it does help. However I can't rely on medicine to help me to be a headstrong individual. I have recently sought out the help of a psychologist as well, which I am grateful for. He helps me to look past the individual that my anxiety has turned me into and bring out the me that is stuck in a locked room with no door handle to get out.
As I mentioned before, my blessings are often times than not, going unnoticed. God gives us blessings, yet as quickly as they come into our lives, they may leave as well. I was blessed with the opportunity to meet someone that taught me many life lessons and things about myself that I could ever imagine possible. Although he is no longer part of my life, he blessed me with a special gift that is continuing to help me. He gave me a book, okay..."great," I thought, "another book that I'll never have time to read and just add to my bookshelf of 20 books for the semester." It sat around for awhile until about 2 weeks ago. Life has been a roller coaster lately and I needed to help myself somehow, so over Easter weekend, I hopped in the tub and started reading. Needless to say, I fell in love. I was given this book because he has read it, knew about my anxiety and how it was affecting my daily performance, and bought it for me in hopes that it would benefit me (I'm assuming this was his thought process).
This book, entitled, "Mind Gym, 'An Athlete's Guide To Inner Excellence' " by Gary Mack and David Casstevens, has me GLUED! I have more page corners bent, pen marks, and stars that are all highlighting my favorite lines or applicable ideas/scenarios to my life. I want to share and expand on what I achieve through reading this book with all of you! It has been helping me sort out my personal conflicts more than I ever thought possible.
SO the book is GREAT...I'm only on page 71, and if I had the time I would pick it up and literally read it from start to finish in one sitting. Unfortunately, grad school doesn't want me to do this and would rather me write 23 page research papers and then put together an amazzinggg powerpoint over it as well! ;)
Through the inspiration of the book and ironically (??) through the person who gave it to me, I have been able to slowly pick up the pieces of my life and work on my goals again. Although the individual may have set me behind on picking up the pieces of my life, he is still the reason why I am doing this right now and am setting goals for myself that I wish to achieve. Through his short presence in my life, I was able to admire his characteristics and the charisma that he possessed, as well as his work ethic and determination to reach his goals. I am grateful that I was exposed to these traits in an individual because honestly, I aspire to have the characteristics that this person displayed.
ANYWAYY! I'll start to wrap this up now because it's late and I have a trip to make to the Chi in the morning, but I will finish with stating the goals that I have planned for myself in the next couple months:
May 12th- 5k in Chicago for Lurie Children's Hospital!! :)
July 14th- BEACH DASH CHICAGO!!
July 28th- SOUTH SHORE TRIATHLON in Chicago!!!!! (still pending, but I know I want to do it for myself!!)
I'm sooooooooo excited to start training for each of these events!! "Pre-training" officially began on April 12th, 2012.... and sometime this week my Nike Fuel Band will be arriving sooooo let the TRAINING begin and go alll summer long once that baby comes in!!! Can't wait!!!
Tonight's blog was alittle here and there, but from here on out I'll try and have much more structure to them and not just ramble off everything at once!!
Night Loves!!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
I'm beginning to realize that now more than ever I am overlooking all of the blessings in my life. Life in itself is a true blessing, yet it is important to take into consideration the small things that life consists of. Counting your blessings can be overlooked when it seems like the world is trying to swallow you whole.
In the past year, I feel like that is what has happened to my life. I have never felt so small and incompetent in my entire life. In the summer of 2011, I sat at a White Sox game with my family and told my mom I just felt 'out of it' and like everything else was going on around me and I just could not focus, I felt as if I was not actually a part of my own life. There, I believe, begins the dreaded anxiety.
I started physical therapy school at NIU in the fall of 2011. Being a part of a small population of students across the world is a blessing. Most programs accept ~24-80 students per year. Undergraduate courses are demanding and you do not know what these 'blow off classes' and "easy" prerequisite classes are that your friends talk about. NIU accepts 36, and I am one of them that will walk across the stage proudly in May of 2014 when I earn, let me reemphasize that statement, when I *EARN* my Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree! PT school has been anything but easy, physically, emotionally, and as I have found myself now writing a blog because of it, MENTALLY exhausting.
My anxiety began as school began, and only continues(ed) to progress as school goes on. I have Rx medication that helps me to deal with it, and it does help. However I can't rely on medicine to help me to be a headstrong individual. I have recently sought out the help of a psychologist as well, which I am grateful for. He helps me to look past the individual that my anxiety has turned me into and bring out the me that is stuck in a locked room with no door handle to get out.
As I mentioned before, my blessings are often times than not, going unnoticed. God gives us blessings, yet as quickly as they come into our lives, they may leave as well. I was blessed with the opportunity to meet someone that taught me many life lessons and things about myself that I could ever imagine possible. Although he is no longer part of my life, he blessed me with a special gift that is continuing to help me. He gave me a book, okay..."great," I thought, "another book that I'll never have time to read and just add to my bookshelf of 20 books for the semester." It sat around for awhile until about 2 weeks ago. Life has been a roller coaster lately and I needed to help myself somehow, so over Easter weekend, I hopped in the tub and started reading. Needless to say, I fell in love. I was given this book because he has read it, knew about my anxiety and how it was affecting my daily performance, and bought it for me in hopes that it would benefit me (I'm assuming this was his thought process).
This book, entitled, "Mind Gym, 'An Athlete's Guide To Inner Excellence' " by Gary Mack and David Casstevens, has me GLUED! I have more page corners bent, pen marks, and stars that are all highlighting my favorite lines or applicable ideas/scenarios to my life. I want to share and expand on what I achieve through reading this book with all of you! It has been helping me sort out my personal conflicts more than I ever thought possible.
SO the book is GREAT...I'm only on page 71, and if I had the time I would pick it up and literally read it from start to finish in one sitting. Unfortunately, grad school doesn't want me to do this and would rather me write 23 page research papers and then put together an amazzinggg powerpoint over it as well! ;)
Through the inspiration of the book and ironically (??) through the person who gave it to me, I have been able to slowly pick up the pieces of my life and work on my goals again. Although the individual may have set me behind on picking up the pieces of my life, he is still the reason why I am doing this right now and am setting goals for myself that I wish to achieve. Through his short presence in my life, I was able to admire his characteristics and the charisma that he possessed, as well as his work ethic and determination to reach his goals. I am grateful that I was exposed to these traits in an individual because honestly, I aspire to have the characteristics that this person displayed.
ANYWAYY! I'll start to wrap this up now because it's late and I have a trip to make to the Chi in the morning, but I will finish with stating the goals that I have planned for myself in the next couple months:
May 12th- 5k in Chicago for Lurie Children's Hospital!! :)
July 14th- BEACH DASH CHICAGO!!
July 28th- SOUTH SHORE TRIATHLON in Chicago!!!!! (still pending, but I know I want to do it for myself!!)
I'm sooooooooo excited to start training for each of these events!! "Pre-training" officially began on April 12th, 2012.... and sometime this week my Nike Fuel Band will be arriving sooooo let the TRAINING begin and go alll summer long once that baby comes in!!! Can't wait!!!
Tonight's blog was alittle here and there, but from here on out I'll try and have much more structure to them and not just ramble off everything at once!!
Night Loves!!
With Much Gratitude---
KC<3
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Well, here I go again!
After reconsideration I think I am having a change in mind again about what my blog is going to consist of! It will be along the same lines as before, but more directed in the direction of fitness, inner and outer health, setting goals, overcoming yourself, and also blogging about how I am progressing towards each of these as well!
I still want to keep the content of the blog as planned so be expecting lots of quotes and pictures! :)
By the way, took a mental breather from Facebook and twitter to redirect my focuses! For the time being, follow my blog to keep up with me!
With much gratitude--
KC <3
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