I remember sitting at a conference room one afternoon, surrounded by colleagues and senior staff. I’d put on my “professional face and demeanor.” Then something small happened. A person I regarded as a friend said something that hit a nerve; I don’t even remember what was said. I just remember how I felt. An offhand … Read more
There’s a specific kind of tired that doesn’t go away after a good night’s sleep. It’s the kind that makes ordinary decisions feel overwhelming — what to make for dinner, whether to answer that text, how to get through another week that looks just like the last one. It’s the kind of tired that lives in … Read more
“Why do I keep feeling the same difficult emotions over and over, and what will make them stop?” Difficult emotions like sadness, anger, fear, shame, guilt, regret, resentment, helplessness, and jealousy weigh us down and disrupt our lives. Ruminating on the same negative emotions for hours or even days can be highly upsetting, as the … Read more
Failure hurts. Disappointment stings. And a major setback can leave you feeling like the ground has shifted beneath your feet. If you’re in that place right now — replaying what went wrong, questioning yourself, or wondering how to find your footing again — you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not broken. Learning how to … Read more
Your thoughts have a lot of power. Whether you realize it or not, you also have a lot of power over your thoughts. When you learn how to take command of your overthinking, negative, distorted. and fear-based thoughts, you’ll experience less anxiety and live a happier, more fulfilling life. Simply put, changing your thinking … Read more
I hate to admit this, I really do, but here it is: I’ve learned more in states of adversity than I’ve learned in times of smooth sailing. Yes, when my life is really hard, I often learned the most. Why do I hate to admit this? Because I’m human. I like smooth sailing. I love it when … Read more
Worry is as useless as a handle on a snowball. ~ Mitzi Chandler Worry can make your mind feel like it is trying to protect you, but never actually lets you rest. You replay conversations, imagine worst-case scenarios, and try to solve problems that may never happen. If you can’t stop worrying, it does not … Read more
Create a Simple Morning Routine: It’s Time to Be Deliberate About How You Start Your Day! How you begin your day has an enormous influence on how you’ll experience your day. How you experience each day will determine how you’ll experience your life. Yes, the habits you embrace in your morning routine have the power … Read more
I love the idea of “blessings in disguise.” At its essence, the phrase offers hope that something that appears negative now can put you on the path to receiving something quite miraculous down the road. There are times when we all need this reminder. All in your life is not as it seems. What is … Read more
My friends and I recently had a lively conversation about how to fake being happy. We joked about it, but all kidding aside, it made me think: Is it OK to pretend to be happy? Can you get happier by faking it (i.e., follow the old advice to “fake it till you make it)? … Read more
Are you tired of struggling? Recently someone wrote to me here at Believe and Create and told me she was tired: Tired of struggling. Tired of feeling miserable. Tired of conflict. Tired of not getting anywhere she wanted to go. Tired of feeling that her life was a mess. She was also tired of reading … Read more
Self-love activities can have a transformative impact on your mental and emotional well-being. They reduce stress and anxiety while helping you feel more valued, accomplished, and fulfilled. Participating in self-love activities helps you build your sense of self-worth and self-appreciation while helping you find the joy that’s been missing in your life. Whether you’re just … Read more
Have you ever thought to yourself, “My life is an absolute mess … and I have no idea how to fix it”? When you reach this point in your life, it can be both scary and confusing. You don’t know what to do. You may even be frightened that the mess is so big it … Read more
There are many ways to hug and many reasons to hug. We hug to show love, support, and excitement. A hug says I care for you, I am here for you, I am happy to see you. We have been hugging since we were infants holding onto our caregivers, bonding and connecting during those beginning … Read more
Setting healthy boundaries with others is crucial to your self-care, personal growth, and happiness. This list of the best books on setting boundaries covers every aspect of establishing boundaries, including how to follow through and stay firm when others encroach upon them. Whether it’s with your spouse, children, partner, friends, neighbors, church community, colleagues, or … Read more
I make mistakes. I fall down. There I said it; I make mistakes and I know it. How about you? Do you ever make mistakes … do you ever fall down, too? Some of the mistakes I make are doozies! Such as … Here are a few of what I consider to be my “classic” … Read more
Are you putting too much pressure on yourself? You’re not alone. Oh, the pressure we put on ourselves. The pressure to do more … be more … get more done. The pressure to be seen as smart and competent. The pressure to overcome our challenges and stamp out any and all undesirable circumstances in our … Read more
Do you need relief from anxiety and stress? When there is little you can do to change your outer world, you must do everything you can to calm your inner world, specifically, the words you speak to yourself. Using relaxing mantras for anxiety and stress can offer significant relief. This post teaches you more about … Read more
Just the fact that you found this message today means you’re likely saying, “I need a miracle in my life!” I understand. We all need miracles in our lives from time to time. The decision you need to make now is whether to sit back and wait for the miracle to arrive or take steps … Read more
Have you ever found yourself obsessing about something? Who hasn’t, right? It’s so easy to get trapped in the often circular thinking pattern that only generates unnecessary stress in our lives. Consider just a few of the various situations that can put your mind into overdrive: You have an important deadline coming up and if you … Read more
There are certain days in your life where nothing seems to be going your way but you’ve never really figured out what to do when you’re having a bad day. Now is a great time to rethink your entire thought process about what a bad day really is. No one really has a bad … Read more
Your Higher Self Is Calling You may think you see yourself as you really are, but if you’re like most people, your self-view is clouded. To truly see yourself as you really are, you need to understand and connect to your higher self … because your higher self is who you truly are. What Gets … Read more
Is happiness a choice? Or, is happiness a habit? Or is happiness a mindset? In my opinion (and positive psychologists back me up on this), happiness is not one thing; happiness is a choice, it’s also a habit, and it’s also a mindset. What makes you happy may not make me happy. The trick … Read more
You can experience more happiness in your life right now. Yet, so many of us are so future-focused or stuck dwelling on the past that we fail to capture this moment’s joy. To be happier, you must practice being mindful in the present moment. When you learn to be more present, your senses become sharper, … Read more