Passionately Driven... A Lifestyle and Wellness Blog

"... may break my bones... but Words will never hurt me..." ... but we knew even then as children that Words can/do, indeed hurt... When was the last time you stood in your shower until your fingers were wrinkled, or in some other quiet place away from others, and cried or beat yourself up for allowing the cruel, stupid, negative opinions of others affect you? It's okay to admit it. I'll go first. The last time I did it was a few days ago.  There is no weakness in recognizing an error of judgment . It's called self-evaluation and growth. We cannot be or do better without it. How do we grow from it? We take steps to distance/eliminate the negativity. Again, you say "how Christal?" Do I walk away and never speak to that person again? Sometimes, it's necessary. You have to determine how important the relationship/connection is to you (ie. Is this person an incessant negative factor in your life? Is this person a close friend/family member?) Sometimes,...

NOTE TO SELF: My 20 year old son has a strength that I am still trying to find at almost 42... When he says NO, he means NO. When he cuts someone off, that person is CUT OFF. When he is Done, he is DONE... At times, his actions seemed callous to me, because I am that person that doesn't want to hurt others' feelings. I've realized, however, the importance of saying "No" , and meaning it.  I've also recognized the reduction of stress (less frustration, feelings of resentment, negative energy in general) that I could have, if I were to decrease " people-pleaser actions". I've linked a great article about People-Pleaser signs, helpful tips on how to stop this type of behavior, and how it affects you.  If you're not sure that you're a people-pleaser, then here are a few simple questions to ask yourself, when self-evaluating: 1. Do you have a low opinion of yourself? Sometimes our opinion of ourselves is not high enough to be enough. Seeking...

Whether it's a person, situation or emotional attachment to something, many of us have a difficult time with letting things go and moving on with our lives... Yes, I'm talking about myself as well. I'm guilty (first step is to admit it, right?), or at least, I have been:  If a person stopped communicating or decided to leave my life, I would try to figure out why and inwardly be broken, even if I didn't show it.... If I went through something traumatic, then I would allow it to effect my future (sound familiar?)...   But then there was this thing called self-evaluation and this other thing called an epiphany! Suddenly, after all the years of doing something so unhealthy, I became (and continue to become) this person that no longer wanted to allow people or circumstances to determine my life, health or overall emotional state... But Christal, I've tried to let go, and I just can't seem to...  Well, Ok dahling, this is why I am writing...

"I want to be a great role model for my daughter/son." "I want people to see the good in me." "I just want to make my parents proud."..................... All wonderful statements and positive goals to reach for. However, I want to put a little bug in your ear that may just also bring you a moment (hopefully a lifetime) of enlightenment by asking you this question: "What do you SEE, when you look into the mirror?" A simple enough question, if you refuse to come with me to this deep place that I'm attempting to guide you to... Allow me to take your virtual hand and guide you a moment into self-exploration: Who is this woman/man that you see staring back at you? Do you make yourself proud? Are you happy with the morals/ideals/decisions that you express/make? Do YOU see the good in you? Are there things that you are ashamed of and refuse to forgive yourself for? Do you accept who you are completely? It's one th...

There's just something about koi ponds that makes me feel relaxed and have a sense of peace. Places such as this provide me with a nice little break from stressors and quiet time to calm the storm that is incessantly present in my brain... A Time Out According to Wikipedia, "Time-out is a form of behavioral modification that involves temporarily separating a person from an environment where unacceptable behavior has occurred." As adults, we get moody (ie, grumpy, snippy, attitudinal...), stressed, overwhelmed, etc. These are behaviors that are generally Un-Acceptable for/to the persons around you, especially the ones closest to you. So, today, I am going to play the virtual Mother and "sentence" you to a Time Out, Mister/Ma'am... For children, this means removing them from a pleasurable activity or environment, to give them time to "reflect" on what they have done to cause the consequence. For adults, this means to remove you from the en...

https://youtu.be/S73bIrfb994 Let me talk. Let me speak. Let me say what's on my mind... So many times, we hold things in for years and it eats away at our very souls, affecting every part of our lives ... I can personally say that I'm aware that my past has not only affected my self image but every relationship that I have attempted to form... Speak. Let it out... Let go of the negativity that seeks to keep you bound. Be free... Your passionately driven ChristalNicole ...

A SMILE A FROWN                               VS How many times have you been walking down a hallway or into a store, and someone told you to "Smile, it'll make you feel better" (or something like that)? Were you in "one of those moods"? Did you scowl harder, thinking "why doesn't that person mind her/his own business"? Surprisingly enough, whomever that may have been that attempted to encourage you was also looking out for your health! Smiling has been proven to be beneficial to our health in a number of ways. Some of the benefits include:           Lower blood pressure Relief of Stress, by the release of endorphins that cause us to be happier A stronger Immune System Aaaaaand, better relationships, which is definitely better for our health than negative ones A little research to back up all of this knowledge that I'm dishing: ...

How many times have you applied makeup or put on a cute outfit, with the expectations of receiving a compliment? Were you disappointed at all? What about the selfie that you posted on social media, believing that it was the cutest/prettiest/best one you'd ever taken? Did it get as many "likes/shares/reposts" as you'd anticipated? If not, did this effect you personally or decrease your confidence? Well, it's time to change that! So many times, we depend too much on what other people say about us and whether we are meeting others expectations. It is important to remember to be You, and be ok with who you are. Allow others to see the fullness of who you are naturally, and you will be surprised by the energy you receive from others.  Today, while not expecting anything from anyone, I received a compliment from one of my co-workers, which domino effected into compliments from others, and it surprised me! Where did this come from? And why was I feelin...