Mental Health Awareness Month
Wellness Tools
Where it all began...
As a
teenager, I began clipping words, phrases, and pictures out of newspapers and
magazines. That was how I crafted back then! I’ve always loved art - was never
good at painting, drawing, or much anything else except playing the violin
until a very dark time in my life...
In
2005, I went through a very traumatic ordeal in life that created a great deal
of mental, emotional, physical pain, and anguish. This ordeal changed me
inwardly and outwardly. I was lost. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I was
in the darkest place of my life that I had ever experienced. It was an abyss.
I had
seen some mosaic crosses made from broken tiles and I thought to myself,
“wouldn’t that feel good to be able to break something and “not” be looked at in a certain way”. So, I acquired some ceramic tiles, grout, paint, and some boards
and I went to breaking...before I knew it, I had created something beautiful
from my heart and soul that had hidden meanings in them.
I
wasn’t trying to make anything special, I was just piddling around in order to
get my mind off my situation, so that possibly - I could break the cycle of
pain and despair I was feeling. When my husband hung up one of the boards - I
stared at it and suddenly the word, “HOPE” jumped off of it and I
started yelling, “do you see that?” The word, HOPE is on the board...in that
very moment, I knew - my God had not forsaken me during this dark
time, and He was so ever near to me.
A few
days later, 3 more boards came to life...FAITH, LOVE, and DREAM. Then I
started making mosaic crosses. This became enjoyable for me. I put the
newspapers and magazines away because I just experienced a new form of art -
Altered Art/Mixed Media, whatever you wanted to call it back then. To me, it
was just art!
When I
started crafting many, many years ago - it was from a place of pain. Both
mental and emotional...I used crafting to cope with the pain I felt internally.
Today, when I craft, I create from my heart and soul - whether it’s happy, dark
times, sad times, or full of joy and laughter...thus - Heart to Heart Soul
Creations (H2hsc2020) came into existence.
Whether
it’s scrapbook layouts, tags, cards, mixed media, altered art, pocket letters,
loaded envelopes, or junk journals of any theme imaginable - I craft for
enjoyment. I craft from my heart and soul - I give life to something as simple
as a paperclip.
H2hsc2020
was founded on the Word of God. God IS the reason I live and breathe today. I
learned a long time ago, the true meaning of forgiveness. I learned resilience
through abandonment. I learned how to survive when others said I wouldn’t. It
was ALL because of God’s grace, forgiveness, protection, guidance, comfort, and
loving me just the way I am. I won’t apologize for my faith and when I craft
for others, I speak blessings into everything I create for them...from my heart
and soul to theirs.
Today, h2hsc2020
has many more meanings than just crafting. I enjoy walking with my ancestors by
way of Genealogy. I guess you could call me, the family Genealogist! LOL - I
enjoy visiting cemeteries, taking photographs of the headstones, learning of
the history, and meeting new family I never knew I had by way of DNA. I love
perusing the photos of yesterday in hopes of possibly finding a family member
who I have yet to see.
Through
crafting and genealogy, I decided to begin a blog to share my interests with
others of my passion through these wonderful outlets. I live today from a place
of resilience because of my life experiences...my motto is, “if I can
instill hope to another human being who might be mentally/emotionally hurting -
living in a dark place internally, feels they are unlovable, dealing with
depression, going through a traumatic experience, thinking life isn’t worth
living anymore - then I’ve done what I’m supposed to do. After all, I am
the evidence that things do turn around for people - -BUT we have to put the
work into it. We can’t expect a different result by doing the same routine...we
MUST shake it up and flip that switch called life”!
After the traumatic
ordeal, I mentioned at the beginning of my post, I learned about Wellness
Tools. (a list of tools a person has used in the past that helps them stay
well and helps relieve symptoms. i.e. listening to music, crafting, taking a
walk, journaling, swimming).
Crafting is at the top of
my Wellness Tools. I find crafting takes my mind off current
situations and takes me to a place of calm. With music playing in the
background (another Wellness Tool of mine), I can remove myself from the things
that are bothering me and possibly weighing me down. Crafting is very
therapeutic.
I have an extensive list
of things, I enjoy doing in my Wellness Toolbox. They range from journaling my
thoughts, taking a drive through the country, walking among the headstones in a
cemetery, taking a long hot shower, sipping on a hot cup of tea, crafting,
listening to music, visiting with a friend, putting on makeup, sitting on the
porch watching the birds, listening to my chimes sing, playing with my
grandson, getting a pedicure, watching a movie, organizing a closet, and,
looking through vintage photos. These are a few of my interests. I have over
200 items listed in my Toolbox that I can pull from when my emotions or mental
health begins to get the best of me. I depend on my Wellness Tools daily to keep
me well.
Sometimes, something
that comes so commonplace as crafting may seem difficult for me because of
where my headspace is. If that is the case, I reach for something else from the
list of things I have created. I do this in hopes of averting a mental health
episode.
Heart to Heart Soul
Creations was birthed from a place of pain, darkness, and a hopeless feeling.
You don't have to go through your stuff alone. There are facilities and people
willing to help you get back on track. It is NEVER too late to start over...
Soba Recovery is
one of those facilities. They have a simple admission process with addiction
specialists on standby 24/7. Their direct admissions helpline is 866-547-6451
and their website is http://sobarecovery.com
Soba Recovery would like
to spread awareness that when a person feels like they have nowhere to go to
fight your addiction, you do. They are here to help!
They are licensed
through the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and accredited by The
Joint Commission on Accreditation Healthcare Organization (JCAHO).
Through the years, Soba
Texas has helped hundreds of families, locally and beyond who battle the
horrific aftermath of addiction. They have saved hundreds of lives.
Their mission unites
people who have reached out for help with their loved ones to help them regain
the tools they need to continue living a prosperous and sober life.
Soba is staffed with
24/7 doctors; nurses and residential techs who look over and care for the
clients around the clock and they are ready to help YOU!
You too can begin
building your Wellness Tools and getting your life back on track today. What
are you waiting for?
Heart to Heart Soul Creations
H2hsc2020
#SobaMentalHealth, #MentalHealthAwareness, #TexansHelpingTexans, #Inspiration, #HOPE, #life, #resilience, #wellnesstools, #recovery, #Iamtheevidence, #strength, #takethefirststep, #addiction, #mentalhealth
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