7 Happiness Hacks!

We all can have tough days where things don't seem to be aligning the way we would like them to, but we have the power to turn it all around!! Here are 7 happiness hacks I use when things seem to be out of whack for me.

1. Exercise.
Who can fight endorphins? Show me the person who is completely pissed and frustrated after they finish working out. I make it a goal to give myself time every morning to get in some type of physical activity, even if its only 10 minutes! Three days a week I have to be at work by 6 a.m., which requires a 4 a.m. wake up. I schedule myself about 20 minutes to get in a quick bike ride or yoga practice, but I give myself permission to only fulfill 10 minutes. My overall goal with this morning workout is not to lose weight or create some huge calorie burning session, but just invite my body into some physical activity. Giving myself that 10 minute obligation takes the pressure off of me in the event I can't get in full 20 minutes, because let's face it, that's a super early time to get up in the morning. In the evening I have much more time to get in at least 30 minutes, but do your best to give yourself some physical activity first thing in the morning!

2. Music.
There is nothing better than turning on music that makes you feel good. I wake up to great praise and worship music every morning and listen to it throughout the day to keep myself in a state of happiness. In moments when I am feeling down, praising God in advance for turning a situation around always makes me feel so much better. So turn on your favorite tunes and get that immediate happiness fill.

3. Be Present. Be Grateful.
Stop, breathe and be present. Look at where you are in that very moment. You are alive, you are breathing, your children are healthy, you have shelter, food, etc. Just be present in everything that is happening around you and tell God "thank you!"

4. Smile. 
Yep, smile, you're on candid camera. When I am feeling at my lowest, it's crazy how forcing myself to smile does something for me. First of all, you are being present. You are taking that very moment to stop, acknowledge your feelings, but pressing through and bringing forth that smile. Also, serving that smile up to other people gives you a boost as well. You never know what someone is going through and sharing your smile with the world can not only be a happiness hack for you, but for others!

5. Pray. Meditate.
As I have progressed through my depression, prayer and meditation has brought me the most resolve. At times when I am most overwhelmed or upset, simply going into my prayer closet, turning on some praise and worship music, sitting there for a minimum of 7 minutes in complete silence and allowing God to speak to me is the best therapy. This was actually a meditation method suggested to me by my life coach Dr. Walter Sims. Sitting quietly for 7 minutes and on the 8th minute, the number of new beginnings, writing down everything that God spoken to me during that last 7 minutes. See a lot of times we go into meditation to empty our minds or we go into prayer sending up our petitions to God. Yet, what if we sat silently and just asked Him to speak to us and tell us what He wants us to hear? Doing this has truly deepened my relationship with God.

6. Laugh. 
Who can fight the power of laughter? It's true medicine for the soul. Anne Frank said "There's only one rule you need to remember: laugh at everything and forget everybody else! It sounds egotistical, but it's actually the only cure for those suffering from self-pity."  Laughing about a situation can prevent it from defeating you! On mornings where I am not at my best or just because, I will sometimes wake up, stare at the ceiling and just laugh for no reason for at least 10 seconds. No reason at all, just laugh. Afterwards I feel really silly, but it definitely changes my mood!

7. Help Someone. 
In the midst of our own pain, you can find joy in helping others. Do something for someone else during the rough patches. It doesn't have to be anything big. An act of service could be a smile, going out of your way to pass that overwhelmed mother a buggy at the grocery store, opening the door for someone, or if you are feeling extra chummy, picking up the tab for someone when you grab your Pumpkin Spice Latte at the drive thru. Just be of assistance to someone out of the blue and it will immediately increase your happiness factor!

Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

P.S. If you are not in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide, but need someone to talk with about your suicidal feelings, please do not hesitate to call one of the following national suicide prevention lines: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

Self Love: I Love Me...I Think...I Should...

About 2 months ago as I struggled in a toxic, unproductive relationship, I began the search of why I was depressed. I had dealt with depression since I was 15, but never really understood why. I just made a concerted effort to push any thoughts of negativity out of my mind when I felt a dark cloud approaching. But within the last 6 months this approach no longer was working for me. I needed to do more work. I needed to find the root of the issue.

Why was I sad? I had done well for myself, as a girl who had her first child at the age of 16, still managing to graduate at the top of her class, obtain a college degree and have decent success in the corporate world. What was causing me to break down at the thought of a relationship not working? Why was I allowing a person to speak to me in a negative way and deflect all of their issues on to me? What was happening here? 

Good job, check. Healthy children, check. Relationship with God, could be better, but check! Supportive family, check. Wait...all except for my relationship with God were external things. I wasn't going deep enough. Why was I sad? Why was I allowing someone to talk down to me? Who allows someone to speak down to them and then accepts their apology? The answer came to me. A person with very low self-esteem. A person that may not love them self. Whoa, whoa...I love me...I think...I should...

I had an "Aha moment," as Oprah would say. I always knew I struggled with confidence, but I didn't recognize my lack of love for myself. Because if I loved myself, there is no way I would be second guessing the ending of an unproductive relationship. This person was no longer serving me in a positive way. I needed to place an order of "self love" quickly and I needed it to be delivered under the Amazon Prime delivery standards. Lol. Unfortunately, something that had taken 34 years to develop, couldn't be fixed in 2 business days. Life doesn't work like that. 

I'm a fix it person. Deep diver, researcher. Once I know what I need to fix, I'm trying to fix it. Give me a task list and I want to resolve your issue. So, about 4 weeks ago, right before the true ending of my last relationship I made a huge investment in myself to get a life coach. It was pricey, it was gutsy. Honestly, the only reason I did it. as it was a stretch from a monetary perspective, was because my ex had promised me a large sum of money...just because. We won't get into how that worked in this post. Yet, because I was expecting that money, which never came, I invested in myself and the lessons have been amazing. 

With that investment I began the work of learning to love me. I never loved me!!!! It's funny to even say or type. I was always a mom and so many other things, but loving me? Nah, who had time for that. See, when you don't love yourself you can accept negative things. You accept disrespect. You accept disappointment. You accept discouragement. But when you love yourself, you EXPECT respect, you EXPECT good things to happen, and you REJECT discouragement. I had lowered my expectations and now it was catching up to me!

Working through depression and not loving yourself to me is like running in quicksand. So, I'm completely unfamiliar with quicksand other than what I've seen in movies. Can I get really specific?Never Ending Story. The horse, Artax that dies in the Swamp of Sadness?! Omg, that got dark really fast. Let me "recalculate" and change the direction of this post. Sorry, I suffer from depression. Ok, let's walk towards the light, come on, come on, we got this, follow me. My point...who really wants to run in some type of mud substance and make no progress? 

Therefore, what I have determined is that I have to love me! I can't be insecure. I have to be confident. I have to tell myself I am confident and that I love myself. I actually have this board I made that shows all the things I believe that I am and I read all of them every morning, after I pray, before I even approach the day. Today, you HAVE to decide to love yourself. Like I said in my last post, it's an INTENTIONAL DECISION!!! Waking up every morning and reading my "I Am," affirmation statements and my personal mantra, that's intentional. And you CAN NOT just do this on the bad days and you CAN NOT just do this on the good days. 

See what happens here is that you declare these statements, you believe them and you cultivate a desire within yourself to want to be better. Because see, bad days happen. Days, we just didn't count on performing they way they perform. But you have to equip yourself to better manage these days and that comes from loving yourself. 

Can you decide to love yourself today? Can you decide to make an intentional effort to love yourself? What is something that you will do every morning to build your self love? Leave a comment. Share some ideas on how to increase self love. 

Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

P.S. If you are not in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide, but need someone to talk with about your suicidal feelings, please do not hesitate to call one of the following national suicide prevention lines: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

Lovelee Motivation...My Accountability Partner

Hello, my name is Sharonda and I am the creator and founder of Lovelee Motivation. Lovelee Motivation is a community created to inspire, motivate and empower individuals to step into the present and embrace a Grateful Attitude, Joyful Heart, and a Blessed Mentality. My purpose is to serve you with inspiring quotes, an authentic testimony of my battle with depression and a safe place for accountability for others who deal with mental illness. 

Just a little bit about me, I'm a photographer and mother of 3 that has battled depression since the age of 15. Throughout the years, I was able to confine all of my energy into my children, my education and my career, which allowed me to evade my thoughts of depression and self-mutilation, until November 2014.  After the painful end of a relationship, I was propelled into somewhat of a downward spiral. Completely unprepared for what was happening to me emotionally, this breakup seemed to strike my soul and I couldn't be strong. It was so overwhelming. And in November 2014 my battle with depression and cutting once again reared it's ugly head. 

As this blogging relationship grows I will divulge more about my past in cutting. Yeah, it's my past right  now because I haven't cut since September 20, 2015, after yet another painful relationship woe. So, Lovelee Motivation is not only here to serve you with beautiful images designed with motivational quotes around being grateful, joyful and blessed, it's my accountability partner. 

I don't want to cut anymore and I want to focus on the positive. It's all about a mindset and paradigm shift. Mental illness is a strange thing and is quite exhausting. It's not like we want to be sad, but we definitely have to exert a ton of energy to turn something around in our minds, in our souls, our hearts. Like I said, it's a paradigm shift that goes down to our subconscious mind. If only it were as easy as chanting an affirmation. Lol.

Therefore, I'm inviting you to embark on this journey with me of being present in all the beautiful things we have around us, sharing our stories, and growing as healthy individuals that truly love ourselves. I look forward to reading your comments, your stories and connecting with you on a deeper level!

Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

P.S. If you are not in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide, but need someone to talk with about your suicidal feelings, please do not hesitate to call one of the following national suicide prevention lines: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).