Month: January 2020

Life, Motivation, Your Best Life

Resilience from a Survivor

katjorgensen

I’m a survivor. Over my life I’ve faced a lot of challenges. Loss of loved ones. Divorce. Disappointments. Serious illnesses, including both endometrial and breast cancer. I’m not saying any of this to garner sympathy. It simply is what it is. At any point it would have been very easy for me to give up. But I didn’t. I’m still standing. And I’m happy to say I’m resilient. And I want you to be too.

So what is the meaning of resilience? The dictionary defines resilience as someone who is able to recover or adjust to misfortune or change.

Life is full of challenges. Choosing a career. Meeting a life partner. Having a family. Children. Taking care of aging relatives. Relocations. Downsizing. Losing a job. Changing careers. Losing someone you love. The list is endless. So how do we weather the storms?

One way is self-care. We should all be practicing self-care. Healthy food. Proper exercise. Restorative sleep. Good hygiene. These are the cornerstones of good self-care. But what about in times of extreme challenge? That’s when you need to up your self-care game. Add in things to compensate for the stress your body is undergoing by whatever challenge or challenges you are currently facing.

Meditation. Massage. A manicure. A new hairstyle. Maybe some retail therapy. A good book and time set aside in your busy schedule to read and relax.

These are but a few extreme self care measures. I’ve used all of them and more. We need to give our bodies a break from the stress.

If money is a problem, what about a long walk in a beautiful setting? Or simply sitting outside and enjoying either a sunrise or a sunset.

Take up a new hobby. Something you’ve always wanted to try, but didn’t have the time to devote to it. Now is the time to make time.

Stress is a contributor to so many diseases – cancer, heart disease, diabetes. It can bring about insomnia, depression, anxiety, panic, or other nervous disorders. The list goes on and on. The Harvard Business Review states that 60-90% of all doctor visits are related in some way to stress. Without a break from the stress, your body can’t withstand the constant attacks. Something will give. You need to find ways of coping. And that’s where extreme self-care comes into play.

I urge you to have great self care now. And to figure out what measures you will take for your extreme self-care – before you find yourself in a situation where you need to put them into play. It’s always better to be be prepared.

I want you to be resilient.

Life, Motivation, Your Best Life

Dream Big

katjorgensen

I’m a huge proponent of Dreaming Big. Set your goals out there beyond your current reach. Stretch yourself. Challenge your abilities. Refuse to limit yourself. Don’t settle for average or less than your very best. You have it in you to go far. To reach what you may have once thought was unattainable.

Write down your five Big Dream goals for 2020. Post them somewhere prominent where you will see them frequently. Imagine how you will feel when you reach your goals. See yourself achieving your desires.

Now decide what small steps you need to take for each of your big goals. Steps which will move you once step closer on your journey to success.

Maybe that means taking a class. Or doing research. Or honing a particular skill. Whatever you decide to do produces forward momentum. Each tiny goal achieved results in a step closer to your big goal. Your Big Dream.

What are you waiting for? Seize the opportunity. Our days are finite. Our dreams are limitless. Why wait another moment? Take that first step today. I guarantee each succeeding step will be easier.

Dream Big. Take the challenge. You won’t regret it. And that’s how we should all live – without regrets.

Life, Motivation

If Not Now When?

katjorgensen

We are all busy people, That’s a given. I’m constantly trying to wring more time out of every 24 hour day. So far I haven’t succeeded.

Each of us has the same 24 hours every day to live our best life. What are you doing today to be your best?

Or are you sitting back waiting for tomorrow? You’ll try something new then. You’re far too busy to attempt a change today. I have a newsflash for you. Tomorrow never comes. Today is all we have. It is the present. When another day rolls around, it will be today. That elusive tomorrow will always stay one step ahead of us.

Stop waiting for tomorrow. Decide to take action today. Because if not now, when? Do you want to live your life on regrets and might have beens? I sure don’t.

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Formulate a plan. Then take the first step. It’s always the hardest. Then each new day, take another step and another. Before you know it, you will have made a new habit and you will start to see positive changes in your life.

Don’t be content with yesterday. Or hope for a different tomorrow. Act today. It’s all we have. Your best life is waiting for you.

If not now, when?

Life, Writing

New Year, New You . . . and Me.

katjorgensen

I love a new year. Yes, I know January 1st is just the day after December 31st and people can argue that it is just another day. But for me, and I think a lot of people, it signifies a fresh start. New hope and new possibilities. Time to reassess our lives and figure out what we want in the new year.

Have you given thought to what you want to accomplish in 2020? If not, the year is still young. List those things that would bring joy into your life. Perhaps a new hobby or a new job. Maybe travel. Or taking better care of yourself. We’ve got a whole new decade ahead of us. But our time is finite. Why put off those things you really want to add, delete or change with your life? Start an action plan today. Making a list is a good start. Then rank which things are most important to you. I suggest starting with your top three to five things. Then do a separate list for each one. Decide the small steps you will need to take to implement your changes. Every change starts with those first steps.

As for me, I’m getting back into writing. I’ve already got the second book in my River City Mystery series ready to edit and revise. I’ve started work on an exciting new non-fiction project. Plotting on book three in the mystery series is happening. And I’m back to blogging here on the website.

Additionally, I’m revamping this website. It’s got a new look and is very much a work in progress.

So lots of exciting things happening in my corner of the world. Look for updates here as things progress along. It’s a NEW YEAR.