CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION:
Click here to have inspirational messages sent to your inbox daily! This site also contains a lot of inspiring and uplifting information that I think many will find very helpful...
Sometimes life gets too hectic to be able to sit down and enjoy a book... that's when these wonderful magazines come in handy! Each one of them offer wonderful advice and also help to rejuvenate the soul.
Click on any of the magazine covers to be directed to their webite:
From Positive Thinking's Website:
SPIRITUAL SPACES
Photograph by Botanica/Jupiter Images
A Good View
My cats love my window seat, even though the view isn’t spectacular. That’s where they watch leaves scatter, chat with birds, curl up for a nap in the sunlight and wait for me to come home. Every day I take each cat for a walk on the patio while the other sits at the window and waits his turn. Seeing a cat (or two) on the window seat…for me, that’s the best view there is. It reminds me to be more like my cats—to be patient and generous and to see beauty in the tiniest things.
—Sue Galloway, Malvern, Pennsylvania
photography by Dudley Reed
I ease into an old rocking chair at my in-laws’ cabin on Brant Lake in the Adirondacks. I look out at the water and the mountains and rock in rhythm with the gentle waves. I feel so close to God amid the beauty of his creation. A relaxation technique I once learned is to fill your mind with a peaceful scene. This setting is what I always picture.
—Peggy Frezon, Rensselaer, New York
photography by Mario de Lopez
Think of Los Angeles, and most people think of movie stars. Not me. Give me the beach and the Santa Monica Pier. When my children were small, I used to bring them here to enjoy long, lazy summer days in the Pacific air. Now that they’re grown, I come here to rejuvenate myself. Smelling the sea air and seeing children run gleefully back and forth reminds me of my kids and lifts my spirits to no end!
—Rosemarie Peters, Los Angeles, California
When life gets hectic, nothing soothes my spirit more than sitting out on the patio, taking in the wooded beauty of our backyard waterfall. Birds sing, squirrels scamper about and sunlight filters through the trees, casting a soft glow over everything. The sound of the water never fails to carry my troubles away. What a setting of utter serenity!
—Susan Karas, Yaphank, New York
Helping others makes you feel good about yourself... I "adopted" a child from Honduras and just love receiving letters from him! It also makes you really think about how blessed we are having what we have. There are people out there who live in complete poverty - making only $200 a year! Think of how just a few dollars a month can make such a huge difference to someone...
After looking into the legitimacy of these programs, I found that Children International is a great organizaiton with most of your money actually going to the child you adopt.
Another way you can help is by donating blood. I try to donate whenever as I can. It takes just a short amount of your time and it can help to save so many lives! What better way to feel good about yourself!? :)
Click here to go to the American Red Cross website and to find a location near you:
Music has gotten me through so many tough times. I don't know what I would do if there wasn't music in the world. The following is a list of songs that meant something at one point in my life... these are only a FEW of the many songs that I love - these are all I can think off right off the top of my head right now...if you get a chance, try to find these songs and listen to them and see if they speak to you!
Elliott Smith
"I Better Be Quiet Now" - Figure 8
"Easy Way Out" - Figure 8
Tori Amos
"Crucify" - Little Earthquakes
"Silent All These Years" - Little Earthquakes
"God" - Under the Pink
"Jackie's Strength" - From the Choirgirl Hotel
Marvin Gaye w/Tammi Terrell
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Anthology
Gary Jules
"Mad World" - Donnie Darko Soundtrack
Paul McCartney
"Another Day" - Ram
Wilco
"How to Fight Loneliness" - Summerteeth
"She's a Jar" - Summerteeth
"Kamera" - Yankee Foxtrot Hotel
Bob Marley
"Three Little Birds" - One Love
"Positive Vibration" - Babylon By Bus
U2
"Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" - All That You Can't Leave Behind
"Beautiful Day" - All That You Can't Leave Behind
"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?" - Achtung Baby
Indigo Girls
"Closer to Fine" - Indigo Girls
"Galileo" - Rites of Passage
"Love Will Come to You" - Rites of Passage
The Beatles
"Getting Better" - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
"Let It Be" - Let It Be
"Help!" - Help!
"Here Comes the Sun" - Abbey Road
Van Morrison
"Underlying Depression" - Days Like This
"Into The Mystic" - Moondance
Sarah McLachlan
"Angel" - Surfacing
"Full of Grace" - Surfacing
"Mary" - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Loudon Wainwright III w/Iris Dement
"Pack Up Your Sorrows" - Bleecker Street
Movies
So many movies, so little time (in no particular order) ...
Mind the Gap
Little Miss Sunshine
Lost in Translation
Love Liza
Lovely & Amazing
Pieces of April
Me Without You
The Station Agent
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Playing by Heart
Run Lola Run (Foreign)
Sideways
Garden State
Girl Interrupted
American Beauty
I Heart Huckabees
Amelie (Foreign)
Magnolia
Maria Full of Grace (Foreign)
Twin Falls Idaho
Reality Bites
Singles
The Royal Tenenbaums
Memento
Happenstance (Foreign)
Mulholland Drive
Vanilla Sky
Beautiful Girls
Donnie Darko
The Virgin Suicides
Ghost World
Rushmore
Shaun of the Dead
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (Foreign)
Dirty Pretty Things (Foreign)
Television
A few excellent shows worth watching:
Six Feet Under ~ ABSOLUTELY THE BEST SHOW EVER
Dead Like Me
Freeks & Geeks
The Office (BBC)
Scrubs
Arrested Development
Entourage
Rescue Me ~ Truly a "guy show" but with good messages/good humor
Books
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living - The Dalai Lama
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Inner Peace for Busy People: 52 Simple Strategies for Transforming Your Life - Joan Borysenko
The Simple Living Guide - Janet Luhrs
Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich - Duane Elgin
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, A Toltec Wisdom Book - Don Miguel Ruiz
Man's Search For Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl
In The Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want - Iyanla Vanzant
From Panic to Power: Proven Techniques to Calm Your Anxieties, Conquer Your Fears, and Put You in Control of Your Life - Lucinda Bassett
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment -Eckhart Tolle
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson - Mitch Albom
Mere Christianity - C. S. Lewis
The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Mastering the Problems of Everyday Living - Norman Vincent Peale
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
Undercurrents: A Life Beneath the Surface - Martha Manning
About me: Due to numerous requests for a banner I have finally created one for you to post on your website to help spread the support!
All you need to do is copy and paste the following code into any section of your page:
First off, I'd like to make it known that I am NOT a therapist or a doctor, nor am I affiliated with any type of organization whatsoever. I am someone that suffers from depression/anxiety & panic attacks/ and ADHD. I am currently working towards a degree in Human Services and I'm enjoying every single minute of it.
Now... a bit about me: My depression has been a part of my life ever since I can remember. There have been times when I have been so low and so lost that I just didn't want to go on anymore. I still experience moments like that, but each time I am able to (thankfully) get through them. Therapy and medication help, but they are not the complete answer. I have had (and still have) to do a lot of "homework" in order to fully understand this illness and to learn different ways to cope with it. I have learned a lot and have found many inspiring books which have helped me greatly through my dark times. My depression is a never-ending battle, and I know that. I know that it is most likely stuck with me for the rest of my life, but that doesn't mean that I have to let it control my life. I am the one with the control.
The purpose of my site is to share my stories and coping methods that I have learned in order to hopefully help someone else. It is a lonely world when you're feeling your lowest, something I completely understand, but you don't have to be alone. There are people that care and who will listen (WITHOUT JUDGEMENT) to you. Sometimes that is all we are looking for - someone to listen without trying to "fix" you. Especially those that have no idea what depression is like. That is when it is most frustrating, when people who have never suffered from depression think they have all the answers and that if you would JUST listen to them, all your problems disappear!
Lastly, this site is dedicated to those who suffer or those who are affected by depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, bipolar, or any other mental illnesses. Most importantly, always remember you are NOT alone! I encourage everyone to share their thoughts/ideas as to what has helped them get through rough periods in their life. We can certainly learn from each other ~ the ones that know what it is like living with these challenges day in and day out.
Who I'd like to meet: Those who are suffering from depression, those who have suffered from depression in the past, or those who have a loved one suffering from depression. Depression is not something that a person can just "get over" and just learn to "deal with it". It takes a lot work and a lot of support. I would like to meet people who understand this and who would like to share their stories. I would like to meet those who are either looking for support or who are able to give their support. Depression does not control our lives, WE have control over it - it is just a matter of realizing it.
Photos from Max Taylor Panoramas: www.maxtaylor.com
I'd also like to add that if I send an "add friend" request to you it is for a reason. Either I feel that we have a lot in common regarding depression, etc., or I like your attitude towards life - whether it is positive or sarcastic. I'm not a judgemental person at all and I DO have a sense of humor. I try to send a message first because I know a lot of people don't like it when you don't... but sometimes I don't - so sorry about that. However, if you DO accept me as a friend I WILL respond with either a message or most likely a comment. I do appreciate all the support everyone has been giving. You are all true friends. Oh, and by the way... don't feel like you need to send me a message first before requesting me as a friend... I don't mind that you don't. :)
I OFFICIALLY OWN YOU! TODAY IS CLAIM A SEXY FRIEND DAY! SEND THIS TO ALL THE PEOPLE YOU THINK ARE SEXY, INCLUDING ME! GET 3 BACK; YOU'RE ALRIGHT.. 5 BACK; YOU'RE HOT.. 7 BACK; YOU'RE DAMN SEXY!!
"Just like a sunbeam can't separate itself from the sun, and a wave can't separate itself from the ocean, we can't separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love, one indivisible divine mind".
Marianne Williamson
Have a beautiful day my friend Love and Light, Jackie
Photograph by Botanica/Jupiter Images
