VOLTE_face Magazine

I know it's a bit late for this but it's still the first week of January. I want to begin this year with an inspirational post for all my wonderful readers.

Did you make a New Year's resolution? Or maybe even goals? Share them in the comments space below so I can encourage you!

There are several things I learned last year which I would like to share with all of you.

First, focus on quality over quantity. In today's fast-paced, multitasking world we can easily get caught up in staying busy and forget to scale down our daily activities in order to give more time to each task. Minimalism is chic so par down your to-do list, clean your house and toss out what you don't need. Less is more.

Second, take risks. Take a leap out of your comfort zone to start experiencing new things. We are often more regretful of what we didn't do than what we did do. This doesn't mean being reckless, it means giving yourself opportunities to leverage your talent and potential even if the odds seem uncertain.

Third, speak up for yourself and do what's right for you. Learn to say no when you need to. Honor your values and priorities in everything you do.

Fourth, keep the big picture in mind. Think big, don't let trivial things distract you from your dreams and ideals.

Fifth, celebrate your successes, no matter what size they are. This will help keep you motivated and positive.
What did you learn in 2009? Share it in your comment so you can contribute to the growth of fellow readers.

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We all know how it feels to rebuild our life each time a crisis or high stress load hits us and we regress. I have made leaps of progress before, just to be thrown away by something trivial but triggering.
In addition to talking with your therapist and/or doctor, understanding relapse and making a prevention plan can help. Click here for a free PDF mental health relapse prevention workbook.

Some insights as to my own relapse are as follows:

1. Balance is important. Extremes are a hallmark of the borderline so this can be hard.


2. Avoiding procrastination is crucial since prioritization and development of time management skills can reduce stress.


3. How we deal with life is directly connected to our view of ourselves and our self-adequecy or lack thereof. High levels of self-worth can prevent self-destructive and reactive behavioral cycles.


4. Learn dialectical behavioral therapy skills. Groups and therapists specializing in this can be very helpful. You can also buy a DBT workbook at major book retailers such as Barnes & Noble or order online through amazon.com. There are free DBT resources and worksheets in our links as well.


5. I have worked to learn my triggers and also self-soothing activities to reduce stress.


6. Instead of letting them snowball and complicate, I am learning to address problems when they arise.