Faith restored!

Today I am reminded what happiness feels like; optimism, and just overall gratefulness for where I’ve been and where I’m going! I’m reminded of the hard fight it took to get here and the blessings along the way.  I’m reminded that if everything was easy then it wouldn’t feel so good to reach my goals.  I’m reassured of God’s presence in my life and the faith I needed to go on has been restored.  Faith in others, faith in myself, and just overall faith in God.  I’m grateful for the opportunity to live a good healthy life and the number of chances God has given me to finally get it right.  I’m humbly thankful to say goodbye to the lost girl I once was and leave the past in the past. I am thankful to hold on to the lessons I’ve learned and never forget the power in good or bad choices.

Today I choose LIFE!  Today I am proud of ME!  I’m proud of where I came from and where I’m going.  I’m grateful for every blessing along the way and the opportunities I am blessed with in my life.  I will never forget the struggle I’ve been through to reach the person I am today.  I appreciate people so much more, I understand the silent cries of others that I might have once looked past.  I’m a better person today with much more understanding of the value of life and love and for that I’m ever so grateful.  Would I change anything I’ve been through? NO.  Would I do it all over again, NO WAY!  I’m looking forward to a new year of positive blessings beyond my wildest dreams.  I know which side of the fence I’m on and I choose GOOD!  Life is so much more fun when you can look yourself in the mirror and know that you did the best you could instead of living with lies and regrets.  Remember it starts with one choice; our dreams come true one choice at a time.  You, too, can be happy – it’s possible!  If an imperfect person like myself, who’s made just about every mistake you can think of, can get another chance, forgive myself and start over, so can you!

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com

Live up to your word, to yourself..

So many times we make promises to ourselves and forget the importance of being true to our word.  Most of us value being honest with others, living up to our word, but do you live up to your word with yourself?  I think we sometimes forget the importance of this and the toll it really takes on us when we let ourselves down.  Letting other people down is tough enough and takes a toll, but letting yourself down, I believe, takes an even deeper toll.  If the one person you can’t even trust is yourself, that’s scary.  I’m not saying I haven’t been there because, trust me, I have.  I’m saying this is as important as anything because, at the end of the day, you have to face yourself.  Knowing you’re being honest with yourself is a very freeing feeling.  When you make yourself a promise, live up to it.  Nothings worse than feeling like you let yourself down.

This goes along with being true to you!  Doing what is best for yourself and valuing yourself enough to take care of you also means being honest with you.  You have to be able to count on yourself when you make a decision and follow through.  Its such a great feeling when you set your mind to something, make a promise to yourself, and go for it! On the contrary it’s also very disappointing when you let yourself down.  There’s a sense of freedom living up to your word with yourself and others and I believe you owe it to yourself to be honest and true with you!

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com

Let it go!

There are so many things in life that we struggle with on a daily basis to change or fix and sometimes it truly takes just giving it to God and letting go.  The times that we think everything is in our control and we can make things happen we often times find ourselves not being able to figure out the answer.  Last night as I was laying in bed and it hit me the verse, “Having done all, I stand”.  There is only so much we can do on our own and ultimately we have to realize most things are out of our control.  When you finally realize you have to hand it over to God and allow him to work, the struggle with yourself becomes much easier to handle.  We tightly clinch onto the things we want to fix and try with everything in us to figure out a solution or a way.  Sometimes you just need to accept that all things will work out and you have to realize you can’t do it all on your own.  There is a reason for prayer and a reason for things to happen in the order they do.  If we got all of our prayers answered and our wishes granted just the way we like, we would miss the lesson and the walk it took to get there.  The older I get the more I’m seeing why things happen the way they do and the “steps”  are for a certain reason.  If one step is missing this could change the entire outcome of the future and the importance of the wait to get there.

As strong as we may think we are and our own ability to make things happen, we cannot always see what’s to come and why certain things happen the way they do.  It could be we are not ready to handle something or there needs to be more understanding.  It could be we need to be humbled or just learn some kind of lesson.  Whatever the case may be there is a reason, I believe, for the way things happen. When we trust in God that he has our back then it makes everything so much easier.  Understand that you are not alone and it’s ok to reach out your hand and ask for help.

So as your trying to accomplish “this or that”, remember you are not alone, it’s ok to ask for help, and trust that you will get there.   We are not meant to carry everything on our own backs and whatever you are struggling with personally – there is an answer.  Give yourself a break and hand it over to God and ultimately your prayers will be answered.

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com

Change your focus!

Sometimes we don’t realize how capable we truly are.  We let our minds stop us from our full potential and get stuck in the rut of “can’t do’s”.  This is the time you have to realize you can truly do so much more than your mind wants you to believe.  The hardest thing to get past is the focus of your mind.  Seeing yourself breaking through that barrier is just like breaking boards in martial arts.  If you get stuck on the fact that you are hitting a hard piece of wood instead of seeing yourself breaking through the wood, you will get hurt.  Your mind sees the wood and puts up the red flag making you believe it’s impossible to push through it.  With focus and determination you can break through!

So it’s time to start changing your focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t do.  Everything in life, as I’ve said before, all boils down to perspective.  The minute you let doubt get ahold of your thoughts you are more than likely going to fail.  It’s so important to focus your thoughts and mind on going past what you may think is possible.  Believe in yourself, see yourself breaking through your barriers and reaching your goals.  I can’t stress enough the power of visualization.  If you can’t see it and believe it’s possible, odds are you will be stopped in your tracks.  This goes for personal progress, weight loss, depression, addiction, whatever it is that’s holding you back!

As we move forward to the best lives ever, lets dream bigger, focus on progress and achieve the impossible!

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com

Heidi@HoldHeidishand.com

 

Expect the unexpected!

Today is a wonderful day, I went for a long walk in the rain through the beautiful woods near my mom’s house and was reminded of the beauty all around.  The trees, the fresh air, the different plants and all natures wonderful creations.  So many times we get caught up in the chaos of our lives we forget to stop and appreciate all that’s around us.  I can’t stress enough the importance of appreciating each and every step in your journey.  I truly feel like I learn something to put in my tool box, so to speak, each and every day.  Sometimes it’s a verse my mom shares with me, other times it’s a simple bird flying over that I notice.  The one thing I can say is I believe each step has a purpose whether to learn something or to open our eyes.

I think It’s time to expect the unexpected!  Reach for the stars and remember that you deserve the best life ever! Why not start believing for things out of your reach?  Miracles come in all shapes and sizes but there’s one thing that comes first, faith!  For me, personally, I’ve seen miracles happen over and over again in my life to bring me to where I’m at today.  If each miracle happened instantly I don’t believe we would know how to handle them.  I feel like God puts steps in front of us, blessing us with one step at a time, so we not only understand and value those blessings, but also learn the lessons we need to learn to avoid making the same mistakes over and over.

So as you go about your day remember to get excited about what’s to come, be thankful for where you’re at now and truly expect the unexpected!

God Bless

www.holdheidishand.com

The power of words!

Just like the law of gravity there is a spiritual law of attraction.  Many times we forget the real power in our spoken words.  I truly believe  what you speak into existence becomes reality.  If you constantly are saying out loud, I don’t feel well, or I can’t do it, the reality usually follows and what you say becomes your truth.  The beautiful thing is that you can change what comes out of your mouth and begin to speak positively no matter what it looks like in the physical.  Start saying I feel great, I’m blessed, I can do it and you will be shocked at the transformation this brings.  Half the battle is believing and what you say out of your mouth is what your mind perceives  as reality.  Whatever you decide to confirm to yourself is ultimately what your mind will believe.  So as you start replacing the negative thoughts and affirmations with positive healthy things you will begin changing the outcome of each situation.  The battle truly is in the mind and how you feel, your personal accomplishments, all start with what you perceive in your mind.  Nothing in this world was created without it first being a thought.

With that being said I also believe it’s important to put things down on paper.  Writing out your goals and dreams helps you begin to visualize them happening.  As I’ve said in the past also writing a list of the things you are grateful for puts things into perspective.  When you set goals and start visualizing them happening it’s amazing how you bring your dreams into existence.  As each thought comes to mind, good or bad, the self defeating thoughts and the negative thoughts need to be replaced immediately with something positive.  This is something that takes practice and is part of what I’ve talked about previously, mindfulness.  Your mind, just like everything else in this world, is something you have to consciously monitor.  If you let yourself get caught up in negative things it’s like a cancer that spreads quickly.  You will be surprised at the peace you find when you master the skill of shutting those thoughts down and focusing on positive things.

The power of what you say and the spoken word is the concrete foundation to the beginning of good or bad things.  When you begin speaking success, happiness, health, you will begin to see the transformation.  We’ve all had those friends that constantly speak negatively who are, as I call them, “Energy Vampires”.  Often what they say starts chipping away at us and eventually brings us down.  Just as your own words are important, it’s important to surround yourself with healthy positive people.  As we all know being around a negative person can completely drag you down and rob you of your own happiness.  As we go forward let’s work on focusing on positive healthy outcomes and start speaking our dreams into our realities!

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com

 

Loving you!

So many times we get caught up in dwelling on the things we wish we did differently, the mistakes we’ve made, the things we want to change and we forget to truly love ourselves.  I believe once you decide that you are special, you’re ok, and you deserve the best life ever, you can change your life.  We give love to everyone and appreciate our friends and family, but do we truly appreciate ourselves?  Many times we forget that the one person we must believe in and love is ourselves.  I know it’s hard when you aren’t where you want to be physically, mentally or just in general, to be “ok”, but  once you decide to value yourself and take care of you it’s amazing how everything else seems to fall in place.  Remember, this doesn’t happen overnight and it takes time to truly become ok with yourself.

It’s time to start looking in the mirror and saying to yourself “I’m ok and I’m on my way!”.  Remember, no one is perfect, we all have struggles but each and everyone of us is special.  It isn’t by chance that you were created to be in this amazing world.  The things you’ve been through in the past do not define who you are either.  I believe we all have to go down our own roads to  understand who we are and what we are made of.  The mistakes we’ve made and the struggles we have only make us stronger more humble people.  I know for me, personally, all the hard times I’ve been through brought me to a new understanding of cherishing the small things.  I look around at my life now and I appreciate each and every moment.

To truly get to where you want to go and find true happiness you must start by loving yourself.  When you value and love yourself it becomes more important to take care of yourself and make sure you’re ok, which, in turn, helps us value others in our life as well.  Just as you wouldn’t go out and purposely try to hurt someone you shouldn’t allow your own thoughts to beat you down as this is only going to keep you in bondage.  Appreciate the person you are for who you are, where you’re at now and then you can move forward to the person you want to be.  You’re ok, as imperfect as you may be, and it’s important to remember all the great qualities you posses just as you are.  It’s a walk not a run and with each step in the right direction we are all capable of being everything we dream of.  Trust yourself, love yourself, and never stop believing in you!

God Bless

Heidi
www.holdheidishand.com

Choose life!!

I am so blessed to say I had a wonderful trip to Colorado and Wyoming.  As you can see I took some time off to really spend time with my family and make the most of my trip!  I wanted to see many more friends but I decided this trip was about my daughter, my brother and his family, and my grandparents. I also got to see my aunt and uncle which was really nice and some lifetime family friends.  I have so many good friends that have never given up on me and who always have my back and are rooting me on!   It was so nice to spend the week with my beautiful angel Kaitlyn and see my Papa Jay and Grandmother.  Going back to the place I grew up was really therapeutic for me as it brought me back to the girl I remember before so many unfortunate things happened to me.  I really loved seeing the old roads I once cruised on, the hotel I worked at in High School, the places I lived and the dusty roads.  Sometimes I think you need to remember where you came from to truly bring yourself back to who you are.  Holding my daughter in my arms was the best gift God has given me and knowing she is doing amazing.  I thank God each and every moment for my life and the recovery that I’ve been through.

I want to stress how choices affect our lives, good or bad, and how important it is to walk the high road.  So many times in the past I remember falling and mostly each and every time I had made a bad choice.  The times that miracles and blessings happened were also the times I made good choices.  There is a verse in the Bible, Deuteronomy 30:19 “Today is set before you, life and death…choose life”.  This verse rings so clear to me now and I want to tell you this couldn’t be more important.  Each and every choice in your life has a consequence, good or bad.  It isn’t what you do when everyone’s watching that is the true test, It’s what you do when you’re all alone and have to answer to yourself and God.  For me I know this to be all too real and I promise you, with good choices, you will be rewarded.  Yes everyone falls, but we all know the difference between right and wrong and we should hold ourselves accountable.  So whenever I have a chance to turn right or turn left, I’ve begun asking God for his direction and I recite this verse.   In the past I used to find a way to justify making bad choices and deal with the guilt of them.  I am happy to say those day’s are over and I don’t give death an option anymore.  You really can’t play both sides, you have to decide who you want to follow – the light or the dark.  Sometimes we think we can dabble on both sides and play with fire.  I promise you, when you play with fire for very long, you will get burned.  I’m not saying I’m perfect or even close but the days of me taking chances playing in the fire are long gone.  I’ve seen what happens when you try to play both sides and it ends badly!  Besides, the more you try to play on the dark side the longer you prolong the blessings that are waiting for you.

So with this new year, I will continue my walk in the light and continue digging my way out of the hole I dug.  Oh wait! I have finally reached the surface and now it’s time to enjoy the walk.  No more climbing out of a hole, time to start climbing the mountains above ground!  God is good to me and I will never forget the struggle to get back to a happy healthy life!

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com

 

 

When the tide finally turns!

So many times we keep on keeping on hoping that one day we will feel the rewards of our choices and daily grind.  We wait patiently believing things will change and we will feel the joy that once was in our life.  We don’t quit, we stand firm in our decisions believing that eventually the tide will turn!  I’m here to tell you that for me it finally came. Did much really change? No.  But my perspective changed which ultimately changed how I feel and is bringing happiness back to my life.  The one major thing that I was missing was hope for the future and a peace with what I’m doing.  I started believing in what I’m doing and realizing there is so much to where I’m going, I am truly blessed!  The answers again found me as I’ve said in the past, when you trust God and keep walking even when sometimes the road seems bleak, you will find your way.  So as I sit here today is everything perfect? No.  However, I am happy again, I have so many great things in the works for my company, and I know what I’m doing is going to be a success.  That for me is such a relief as I personally hate failing and like to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

As you yourself are walking day to day wondering what’s going to happen and how things could possibly change, remember – they will – and you must have faith!  A shift in just the smallest direction can change your entire life.  Those answers that you seek will come if you just don’t quit.  I am living proof that no matter how deep you’ve dug yourself into a ditch you can climb out and get your life back.  When I look at my life and where I was even just six months ago it’s shocking the changes I’ve made for my well being.  I was so empty and lost before with little hope for the future or why I was even still alive.  I now understand I, too, have a purpose in this world and I’m so thankful I finally decided to look forward to the days instead of dreading the sun coming up.  Life isn’t always easy but it can be a beautiful thing.  We all have struggles, we all have bills to pay and stress in our lives, but we are blessed to be here and we must not take that for granted.

Today I’m thankful for the love of my family and friends, my beautiful daughter who loves me through thick and thin.  My healthy direction in my life and the stability to live a good life.  As I breath the fresh air of a new direction I am thanking God for every minute I’m alive, healthy, and ok.  Like I’ve said before, it’s easy to forget how far we’ve come and the struggle it took to get there.  I will never forget the fight and the journey I’ve traveled good, bad, or indifferent to get back to myself and live a good life.

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com

Get up and move!

I am happy to say now that I’m over the bronchitis I had I am finally able to get back out and move!  I forgot how good it feels even just doing twenty five minutes of walking and how it really brings joy to you.  I can’t stress enough that the best medication for overall well being, mentally and physically is just getting out and moving.  I know for myself that in order to keep on a happy healthy path I must get those endorphins going!  I believe exercise is better than any type of medication to just get you feeling happy and at peace.

Exercise can really get your mind and body in check and help you start your day with a smile.  The hardest part is actually just getting started but once you begin it’s like you can’t get enough.  Within about thirty minutes after taking a nice long walk you can feel a little pep in your step.  Our bodies and minds can produce so many good feelings just by getting the engine started, so to speak.  So today, again, I’m reminded in order for me to keep on this happy healthy path, exercise is a mandatory part of my healing.  I’ve known this for years and every counselor I’ve ever had has agreed – I need to workout in order to get that peace of mind.

Obviously we all know there are so many benefits to working out but I’m telling you for mental well being it’s number one coupled with rest.  And good news, working out helps you sleep better too!  So I vow to get at least thirty minutes in a day as I find, yet again, it puts my mind at ease and helps me handle the day in such a better way.  So my advice to you is just put one foot in front of the other and go breath some fresh air for at least twenty minutes!  You will find that your day goes so much smoother and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it is also rewarding!

God Bless

Heidi

www.holdheidishand.com