Just a woman with a mission. For the world to stigmatize Mental Health and Addiction a little less, so my hope is with this blog we can all find a safe place and we can all grow a little more open minded. Cheers, -A
Monday, July 11, 2022
Open Letter to Anonymous
Sunday, May 29, 2022
Introduction to New Blog
☙ I suppose you came here to read my story, but this is a story of not just mine alone. This is a story of all the people who live within me, who make up who I am, who are me. The tiny parts of self that split and into who I am today. Yes the answer is you will read a story however, this story is one that is not for the soft of heart this story is going to make you question your beliefs and identity while exploring the path through a mind altering hallway of hell.
Reading my story may not be as easy as picking up any old book and flipping through the pages, but I can promise you that this book will move you in a way that no other book can, will or has. This is a true story, my true story and to I've laid my heart right here on these papers for you to see, not to judge or to feel empathy - but for you to know that even through such terrible, terrible things we can triumph through the mud and just like the lotus grow in muddy waters. You have the strength we all do. It's about opening yourself up to universe to receive that strength; but you have it. Sometimes we just have to go through some horrible things in life before we can open our souls up to the blessings of the universe and begin to receive the gifts that are meant for us.
So if you will, Please just take the time to read this story. The healing that awaits through the pages is just beyond your reach and once read; Stored in your knowledge forever. Take the time to learn more about yourself, others, empathy and growing through what you go through. It is never a bad time to start healing 'Self' and stop worrying about everything else.❧
Averi Snell ❦
www.thebeginningofmybeing@blogspot.com
Saturday, May 7, 2022
Latest Updates
Hello my wonderful readers and welcome [or] welcome back to AveriWithAWord. There have been some major movements in the works these last couple of weeks leading up to this post. We are officially on Instagram [averiwithaword] and we are now on YouTube [AveriWithAWord] which will be more of a podcast platform on which we will discuss issues just like we do here, except a little bit more in 'real time'
Also I wanted to add, that I have started another blog, however this blog is fully dedicated to a book I am working on, on my life story this is a trauma story in which some viewers may have a hard time reading/digesting; and the content could very well traumatize and or re-traumatize individuals who have experienced the following: Sexual assault, Sex trafficking, Suicide attempts or ideation, Mental or emotional health issues like PTSD, DID ( dissociative identity disorder) or anxiety and stress disorders. However if you are currently healing, have gone through therapy or are going through therapy or have an interest in psychology this would be a great read for emotional healing, educational purposes, and overall furthering your own knowledge on these matters.
With that being said my blog can be followed at: www.thebeginningofmybeing.blogspot.com
Also I really hope to meet some of you guys via Instagram and YouTube I know it's been a long time coming, and I am truly excited for this movement forward in AveriWithAWord.
Until next time, take good care of yourselves and each each other! Lots of love.
Cheers,
Averi ❤⚘
Saturday, April 30, 2022
~* Exploring the Layers of Our Beings *~
Hello dear readers, and welcome [or] welcome back to AveriWithAWord. Thanks for continuing to follow, read and devote a little bit of your free time out of your day to come and sit with me.
The Subtle Layers
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
Five kosas (pronounced Koshas) of our existence *`~
1. Annamaya-kohsa (food sheath, Earth element)
2. Pranamaya-Kosha (vital sheath, Water element)
3. Manomaya-kosha (mental sheath, Fire element)
4 Vinanamaya-kosha (intellect/intuitive sheath, Air element)
"It is by resting in this true nature, free from the influence of thought, emotion, and experience, that we can listen with an inner hearing that transcends what we do with our ears and hear Life's messages to us"....
5. Anandamaya-kossa (bliss sheath, ether/space element)
Okay guys I know that was a lot of information to take in, but hear me out. Yoga and mindfulness meditation are associated with improvements in physical and mental health, according to new research published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
The study followed participants in a three-month intensive yoga and meditation retreat. Participants showed improvements in biological markers of stress and inflammation. Participants also reported lower levels of anxiety and depression.
Participants in the study experienced increases in the so-called cortisol awakening process (CAR). CAR is a measure of how and when the body releases the stress hormone cortisol. This is one way to measure resilience to stress.
This strengthens evidence for a link between mental and physical health, suggesting improvements in mental health.
So is meditating going to take you to another world where you can be a live in a mansion in the middle of nowhere and drive the newest nicest CAR (; yeah that'd be great. However it will help you learn how to cope better with your emotions, it will help you become more aware of your own thought process and most importantly it will help you find your center, where your true Self lives.
Until next time, take good care of yourself & each other
Namaste,
A🎕❧❦☙❦❦❧❦
Monday, April 18, 2022
Easy-to-Grow Houseplants
Houseplants That if I can Keep Alive Anyone Can
Bringing the outdoors in is huge in mental health, and seemingly everyone I know has a huge lush indoor garden full of flourishing houseplants. I, on the other hand, have a trickier relationship with the green things or at least at first I did; I wouldn't call my green thumb emerald though, but it's definitely getting there, and so, gratefully many of my own plants. That's why I reached out to some experts to find out which types of houseplants are easiest to keep alive. We're talking low-maintenance wonders that can stand up to your neglect while bringing a touch of green into your everyday life. Take a look a the list below, then see if any of these gorgeous plants could be a fit in your home.
| Note: Some houseplants are toxic to pets!. You can see which ones are safe using the ASPCA's guide found on their website. |
1. Pothos -
2. Spider Plant -
3. Ponytail Palm -
4. Chinese Evergreen -
5. ZZ Plant -
6. English Ivy -
7. Barrel Head Cactus -
8. Air Plants (or tillandsia) -
9. Parlor Palm -
10. Snake Plant -
11. Prayer Plant -
12. Peace Lily -
13. Aloe Vera -
14. Cast-iron Plant -
Thursday, April 7, 2022
~°•Growing Boundaries •°~
Hello dear reader's and welcome or welcome back to my blog as I said in my latest post, I want to focus more on the things more personal to me or that I feel personal about; not that I haven't been writing about things I am not passionate about, because I am. I just have more I want to say a deeper surface level I'd like to slice through. I don't know about you, but I am so tired of how (excuse my language) fucking impersonal and fake most posts, blogs, articles, media in general I feel like it is all people catering to their audience and I don't no I won't be that influencer, or writer I won't tell you guys what I think you want to hear I will write truth I will write because writing is what helps me, and if my writing ends up helping you then I have accomplished what I sat out to do with this blog.
With that said let's get back to our journey of learning self-awareness, inner-strength, resilient training, healing confidence through integrative self-talk and mediation and most importantly gaining a tool box of coping skills that work for you and building a solid support system of safe people that you can count on when in a crisis. When you have all of these skills it makes it easier to step back into life after depression, anxiety and other mental ailments get you down, but when you have a set up a goal for yourself and you stick to it you can get through even the thickest fog. Today I want to help myself and you all with growing our boundaries and learning how to communicate openly and assertively without hostility what our expectations around those boundaries are: and making sure people in our lives respect those boundaries that we have set up to protect ourselves, so let's jump back into our self-healing journey shall we?
Enjoy Some Self-reflection
To successfully introduce and set boundaries, it's key to understand why they're each important to you and how they will benefit your emotional well-being.
"Take some time to be a detective of your own psychology" suggests writer from PsychCentral (Baker). "So often stuff happens to people and they feel uncomfortable, but they're not sure why. The first step in having healthy boundaries in any situation is spending the time to explore what's happening to you."
Start Small
If you don't have many boundaries in place already, the prospect of introducing more might seem overwhelming - so build them up slowly.
Doing so allows you to take things at a more comfortable pace, and it provides time to reflect on whether it's heading in the right direction or if you need to make some tweaks.
Set Them Early
Be Consistent
Letting boundaries slide can lead to confusion and encourage new expectations and demands among those around you.
Try keeping things consistent and steady. This helps to reinforce your original thresholds and beliefs, and it ensures those lines remain clearly established.
Create a Framework
Dr. Quinn-Cirillo notes that boundaries "vary depending on type of relationship." However, if you find it helpful, there's no reason not to have a few basics in place that can be adapted accordingly.
Consider getting an hour or two of alone time each weekend. This boundary could apply whether you live with a partner, have a busy social schedule with friends, or are close with family.
Fell Free to Add Extras
In some aspects of our lives, there are boundaries already in place - such as in the workplace. But consider these the minimum. Colleagues will likely have some of their own in place, and it's okay for you to add some too.!
Doing so may even enhance your performance. Austrian researchers found that employees who introduced personal workplace boundaries felt more empowered.
Be Aware of Social Media
These platforms allow for more communication than ever, but they've also encouraged some considerable boundary blurring.
"There's some incredible oversharing happening," Baker states, and research shows that over half of us are concerned that family and friends will post personal information or photos that we don't want shared publicly.
If you deem a particular action as boundary-crossing in real life, your concerns are no less valid when it occurs digitally. "You don't have to expose yourself to social media that's distressing you," she adds.
Talk, Talk, Talk!
Communication is critical in the world of boundaries, especially if someone consistently oversteps yours. While you might need to raise your concerns, these discussions need not be confrontational.
For example, if you have a friend who sends messages nonstop, Dr. Quinn-Cirillo suggests saying something along the lines of, "I can see you really wanted to get a hold of me, but the best thing to do is drop me a message, and I'll get back to you when I can." This gently highlights their behavior while simultaneously asserting your threshold.
Be YOUR Biggest Champion
For boundaries to have a strong foundation, you need to show yourself a bit love, notes Baker. "If you've got a narrative in your head that says you're worthless and underserving, then you're going to find it difficult to put boundaries in place that protect you," She says. "A lot of it comes down to self-worth and self-value." (Which we are working on together! this is just one of those uncomfortable steps we must take to get through the process and get to the other side.)
It doesn't take much to start encouraging this mindset either, adds Baker. The more you engage in activities "That release feel-good hormones, like singing, running, or whatever you want to do - things that feed your own heart - then that's going to help change your internal dialogue and make you feel more deserving."
Gain Some Perspective
Not having boundaries can be detrimental to our mental health, but going too far and over-thinking them can also impact our emotional well-being, reveals Dr. Quinn-Cirillo
"Get a healthy level of thinking about boundaries," she says "Have some but don't be dictated by them. Sometimes you've just got to go with your gut instinct. We can't forget that we're actually quite good at navigating most things and are quite intuitive as human beings."
Recognizing the Boundaries of Others
In addition to setting your own boundaries, it's important to appreciate those of others, too - even if they're different from your own. So how can you determine what they are?
Frustratingly, "there's no magic science, " says Dr. Quinn-Cirillo, "If you're concerned or unsure, just ask." Fortunately, the conservation doesn't have to be awkward or confrontational. "Just general discussion helps," she continues. "Say something like, 'can I message you later?' or 'When is it good to message?' They help start to put a framework in place.
It's also about using your common sense. If your partner hates using social media, there's a good chance they won't want those coupled-up selfies plastered across your Instagram or Facebook account. Or, if a friend says they don't want to see a particular movie, don't pester them until they cave in.
Dr. Quinn-Cirillo reveals violating boundaries "can breed resentment and contempt, and cause people to withdraw." So there's no harm in taking a moment to think before you act.
Let's Recap...
Boundaries are essential for various reasons and look different to everyone. You might be concerned that they will make you seem unfriendly or confrontational, but as this Inside Mental Health podcast from PsychCentral reveals, it is possible to maintain them without upsetting those you care about.
Don't feel guilty about setting boundaries. They're (again) essential, and a form of self-care, and we actively look to incorporate other elements of this into our lives daily - from eating a balanced diet to exercising. This is no different!.
It might take some time and consideration to decipher the boundaries most important to you and the best ways to implement them, but your mental well-being will appreciate the effort in the long run.
Setting boundaries is going to look different case, by case and it's not going to be overnight. Just be patient with yourself and remember why you're doing this work. Learning more about defining boundaries in your relationships, practicing consistency, and living with intention is all part of the work, some places you can reach out to for extra guidance on boundaries and how to get better with them are the following:
*Inside Mental Health - What are Boundaries and Why Do They Matter?
*Betterhelp
*Regain
*Teen Counseling
*Pride Counseling
I hope this post has been helpful for someone today, I know in life I have struggled with boundaries often, mostly because of my own naivety and my belief that most people are honest and good. Which in turn has made me set up a lot of protective boundaries as an adult, so if this is something you struggle with I get it I do, but once we grow our boundaries it really does help us feel so much more empowered and confident within ourselves. Until next time take good care of yourselves, and each other it's so important that we take care of each other and remember to lead with kindness right now, because there is not much kindness left to be had in this world.
I am so grateful you decided to take your time, and spend it here with me today! Thank you, really.
Cheers!
Averi ❤
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
UPDATE ~
Hello dear readers and welcome or welcome back to my blog. I have been getting a lot of requests for vlogs, and while I'm not quite ready to take my platform into a video/vlog media site (just yet) I am currently going to be switching up some things that are discussed on AveriWithAWord. I started this blog with an intention of self-help and advocacy for all, and while I very much do still want to focus on issues surrounding growing coping mechanisms, self advocating tools and tips for how to access those skills if you aren't already involved with a primary care practitioner, or a psychologist for these issues you're facing. -- AveriWithAWord is going to be moving away from widely discussed topics and more personal issues focused on you guessed it me and my life. I hope everyone can appreciate this change, and continue following my site!. 😀
Take good care and I'll be catching up with you guys really soon in this coming month!
Cheers,
Averi 💫
-
A mood disorder characterized by depression that occurs at the same time every year. Seasonal affective disorder occurs in climates where th...
-
This is your brain during the Holidays. . . There's a lot to think about during the holiday season: Visiting family, making...
-
Time and again, we are heartbroken by the news of another mass shooting. Part of our healing must be the conviction that we will...