Grey Matter Wellness

Every unknown is an opportunity for you to prove to yourself just how capable you are 🫶🏼

Does your self-care routine need a refresh? These suggestions may be able to help! What other ideas do you have? Let’s really embody the meaning of community by helping each other help ourselves 💖

Whether it seems like good news or bad news, the truth is that it’s all temporary.
Whether this moment is wonderful, heavy, inspiring, confusing, filled with grief, filled with love… it is one fleeting moment in your life.
Being present allows you to soak up the glimmers of goodness that exist in the hard times.
Being present allows you to witness your emotions and really notice what they are telling you.
Being present allows you to collect as much information as possible about what went right (and what didn’t) to help you forge a smoother path forward.
It’s all temporary, it’s all useful, it all matters. You matter, and you’re worth the extra effort it takes to stay present because this is a key component to building a life that truly feels fulfilling to you 💖

Harvey knew that hope was essential to the gay liberation movement, and that our liberation was interconnected with the liberation of other minoritized communities. After winning his election he said, “it’s not my victory. It’s yours and yours and yours. If a gay can win, it means there is hope that the system can work for all minorities if we fight. We’ve given them hope.”

Hope allows us to keep showing up for ourselves and our community because we believe in a future where our rights are respected; where we are respected.

Hope will not be silent because it refuses to let hate win.

With you - in celebrating, in mourning, in resisting, in reflecting, in hope - now and always. Happy Pride to the community I am so proud to be a part of 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Sending virtual hugs to everyone who needs it this holiday season. 💙

The most wonderful time of the year is also the most overwhelming time of the year for many people. If you’re looking for practical tips to manage your seasonal to-do lists, this is a quick read that may be worth your time. Don’t know where to begin? No problem. There are also strategies here to help you get started ✨

Article courtesy of ADDitude and written for ADHDers, but these suggestions aren’t ADHD specific and can be helpful for many people whether or not they have ADHD.

Making Three Lists and Checking Them A Lot Break your seasonal to-do list into three master lists to ensure a smooth and joyous holiday.

We are complex, layered beings who are capable of experiencing complex, layered emotions. "And" gives it all space to exist. "And" gives you-all of you-space to exist. 🤍

Be like Donna and treat yo self 🧠✨💅🏻

And if you don’t know who Donna is, Parks and Rec probably isn’t a comfort show of yours. The next time you need a little boost, put on a series that is and laugh your way into a more relaxed mood. Laughing gives you a hit of those feel good neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine while the familiarity of a favorite show can signal safety and predictability to a stressed out mind that has caught a case of the Mondays. All of this works together to (as the name implies) comfort you! My top three comfort shows are , , and . What are yours?

"All of this means that offspring are not always passive recipients of their parents' scars. Just as a parent was able to survive trauma by means of biological adaptations, offspring can sometimes adapt to the biological impact of their parents' trauma... The hope is that as we learn more about the ways catastrophic experiences have shaped both those who lived through those horrors and their descendants, we will become better equipped to deal with dangers now and in the future, facing them with resolution and resilience."

How Parents’ Trauma Leaves Biological Traces in Children Adverse experiences can change future generations through epigenetic pathways

You should take 1 mental health day per month, psychologist says—here are 4 great ways to use them With stress and inflation rising across America, you may want to postpone that mental health day. But experts say self-care doesn't have to be expensive.

✊🏼

One of my (many) SO beloved parts of Pride month is that it is an opportunity for us all to boldly celebrate our love and embrace our individual truths.

Wherever you are in your own understanding, processing, and sharing of your sexuality:
🌈 I wish you moments of deep love and intimate connection with yourself and others
🌈 I wish you moments of courageous exploration and an increased understanding of yourself and your identity
🌈 I wish you moments of profound happiness and q***r joy
🌈 I wish you unconditional acceptance and safety to show up as your authentic self, alone and with others

Whether you are partnered or solo, out or not, sure of of your identity or questioning, I hope you will take time this month to stand bare in front of yourself and say to you "you're safe with me." Remember, there is no relationship more important than the one you have with yourself. You deserve to redefine intimacy as an act of compassion, safety, security, acceptance, and unconditional self-love! While you are absolutely important enough to do this for yourself, it is also likely to lead to you becoming a better partner in your current and/or future relationship(s) 💕

Glowing cause you’re G R O W I N G ✨
This is one of my favorite parts of the work. Seeing clients find their own unique glow is so beautiful. Witnessing the transformation from finding it to unapologetically letting it shine though, whew. That’s a privilege that brings tears to my eyes every time! So much hard work goes into finding the way back home to yourself, learning not to shrink or dull parts of who you are anymore, replacing shame with acceptance and love. It isn’t easy, but I’ve never heard a single person say the freedom it brings wasn’t worth it 🤍

Scars still on the mend? Want someone to walk with you on your journey back to yourself? Maybe we should talk.

💻 www.greymatterwellness.com
📲 727-344-9603
💌 [email protected]
📍 Based in St Pete, FL & serving clients statewide via telehealth

You deserve to learn how to love yourself instead of only loving the idea of other people loving you. Here are a few tips to get you started ❤️‍🩹

What would you add?

Need help getting started? Let's chat.
💻 www.greymatterwellness.com
📲 727-344-9603
💌 [email protected]
📍 Based in St Pete, FL & serving clients statewide via telehealth

A little love month mythbusting 💘
Anything else you'd add to this list?

Spoiler alert: it has nothing to do with being selfish 🙅🏼‍♀️

Not sure where to start and want some help getting there? Lets talk 👇🏻
💻 www.greymatterwellness.com
📲 727-344-9603
💌 [email protected]
📍 Based in St Pete, FL & serving clients statewide via telehealth

As we transition from January into February, "new year new me” ads become replaced with all things Valentine's Day and relationships.

Who you are, what you do, the things you value… these aren’t trends that need to be swapped out each month because the calendar changes.

You don’t have to opt in to the pressure.

Just like it's okay to skip making New Year's resolutions about losing weight, doing more, being more in order to become “better” or more desirable to other people,
it's okay to pass on anything that makes you feel like your success or worth as a person is dependent on having a partner or being in a relationship.

You are worthy already, regardless of your relationship status. Owning that, claiming it, nurturing your connection to yourself is a revolutionary act in a culture that tells us we should prioritize everyone and everything else ahead of ourselves.

You deserve to be loved in all of the ways you want and need-to be celebrated, to be cared for, to be seen, to feel whole.
You deserve the time and space to learn how to give all of this to yourself now instead of wishing and waiting for someone else to come along and give you this kind of love in the future.
You deserve to tune out the noise, tune into yourself, and start writing your self-love chapter.
Not because it’s almost February or Valentine’s day, but because the most important relationship you will ever have is the one you have with yourself.

I’m rooting for you ❤️

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy describes mindfulness as awareness that comes from paying attention to the present moment on purpose. He said “the kind of awareness we’re talking about is so big and so open hearted and so spacious that it sees the good, the bad, and the ugly of the human condition all at once, and it doesn’t get caught and imprisoned by any of it.”

Hundreds of studies have documented the effects of mindfulness on reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Something less discussed is the impact of mindfulness on your ability to live in alignment with your values. The seven key attitudes of mindfulness, according to Kabat-Zinn, are:
🙏🏼 Non-judging: observe without judging your inner or outer experience
🙏🏼 Patience: wisdom to accept things will unfold in their own time
🙏🏼 Beginners mind: remaining open and curious
🙏🏼 Trust: trust of yourself and your feelings
🙏🏼 Non-striving: be with yourself right here, right now, without trying to change anything
🙏🏼 Acceptance: see things as they are
🙏🏼 Letting go: let your experience be what it is right now, not what thoughts or emotions you’re holding on to

Do any of these resonate with you? Do they show up on your list of values? If you would like to become more self-aware or improve your skills related to any of the seven attitudes, mindfulness can help! Combining mindfulness with a strong understanding of your values takes it one step further, helping you reduce stress while also helping you figure out what to do next to address it. This is one way to create a pause so you can decide how to respond thoughtfully instead reacting in a way that isn’t aligned with your values and causes regret later.

Imagine this year becomes the year you stop waiting to get the “ok” from others and start signing your own permission slips.
✨ The year you commit to loving yourself the way you deserve to be loved.
✨ The year you start meeting your own needs.
✨ The year you build the confidence to go after what you really want.
✨ The year you learn to embrace your authentic self without shame or doubt.
✨ The year you reconnect with YOU.

How might your life look? How would you feel? What’s standing in your way right now? How have you overcome similar obstacles in the past? What supports and tools do you have available to you that could be helpful?

Not sure where to start or how to answer those questions? Maybe we should talk. I know this inner work is intimidating, but you don’t have to do it alone.

💻 www.greymatterwellness.com
📲 727-344-9603
💌 [email protected]
📍 Based in St Pete, FL & serving clients statewide via telehealth

Knowing your values is an important part of knowing yourself. It can help us to better prioritize the never ending to-dos, make decisions with more confidence, and gain clarity on what action is needed to move us toward the life we want to live. Looking for a quality activity? I’ve got you covered with a free 12-page values guidebook that includes step-by-step instructions for six different exercises. No catch, no sign up, no secrets. Your only investment is the time you put into learning about yourself.
It’s available on my site now for free download. Follow this bit.ly link (https://bit.ly/3zFj6Sp) or go to the resource page on my website (www.greymatterwellness.com), scroll to the bottom, and click “download it.” That’s it! Easier than making brunch reservations 💁🏼‍♀️

Instead of resolutions, try reflecting. 2021 was a really difficult year & you deserve to feel proud of yourself for what you’ve done. Hear me out-I’m not talking start a business, make a bunch of $$, etc. Those things are great if that makes you happy, but I’m talking about things you’ve done for YOU. I’m talking self love, self worth, self care; showing up for yourself in the midst of the chaos.
Did you:
✨Set more boundaries?
✨Breathe before responding to something that triggered you?
✨Leave an unhealthy relationship?
✨Drink more water?
✨Give yourself permission to rest?
✨Start speaking more nicely to yourself?
✨Take your meds regularly?
✨Make a new friend or reconnect with an old one?
✨Ask for/accept help when you needed it?
✨Do a better job of meeting your own needs?
✨Try new coping skills or remembered to use old ones?
✨Take time off work & respect your OOO?
✨Try to communicate &/or resolve conflict more effectively?

There’s a million other ways to show up for yourself & I know you’ve done at least a few. You owe it to yourself to take time to really feel proud of that today! The real glow up happens from the inside out, but it’s easy to miss the small changes when you live in that changing body & mind every day. See it. Celebrate it. If you want someone to celebrate with, I’d love to hype you up! Tell me!

It’s not easy being a human these days & many of us are walking around holding deep shame that we aren’t enough or have failed. I’m here to tell you loud & clear, without hesitation or apology: THATS A COMPLETE & TOTAL LIE. You’re incredible. You’re doing your best it’s ok that that looks different depending on the day. It’s hard, but you’re still showing up! If you feel compelled to make a resolution for the coming year, could it be more of this & less about chasing the ever moving goal post that is society’s version of “enough”? More awareness of your needs, more intentionally caring for yourself, more celebrating doing the hard work of prioritizing your own wellness. 2022 might be another completely unhinged year, but let’s face whatever that looks like knowing who we are & so filled with self love that we don’t have time to doubt our capabilities.

We’re entering a really busy time of year. There’s added pressure to go here, do this, be that, buy everything, show up for everyone but yourself. It’s exhausting. So what if you just, well, didn’t? Hear me out…
👉🏼What if you prioritized going to the events you really wanted to?
👉🏼What if you prioritized nourishing your body with the foods you liked?
👉🏼What if you prioritized activities that felt energizing to you?
👉🏼What if you prioritized resting when you needed to?
👉🏼What if you focused on taking care of you?

🤔Would you feel happier? Healthier? More whole?
🤔Would you have more energy to do the things you wanted and needed to do?
🤔Would you hold more patience and compassion for yourself and others?

What would it look like? How different could it be? What are you waiting for? Fear holding you back? Let’s talk about it👇🏼

💻 www.greymatterwellness.com
📲 727-344-9603
💌 [email protected]
📍 Based in St Pete, FL & serving clients statewide via telehealth

How often do you check in with yourself? I like to do this daily during my morning routine because it helps me to connect with what I am feeling and notice any stressors or potential problems coming up. The earlier I notice, the earlier I can intervene, which means I’m less likely to get to a point of serious overwhelm or distress. Regular check ins are part of my daily self care plan and have become an essential part of my physical and mental wellness. Haven’t tried it before? It’s never too late to start! Use these questions as a jumping off point and see what you notice. You’ve got this! Rooting for you ✨

I’ve gotten so many questions about this, and I talked about it in stories, but since this is the #1 question I get asked it deserves a permanent place in the feed. More questions? Let’s talk!

💻 www.greymatterwellness.com
📲 727-344-9603
💌 [email protected]
📍 Based in St Pete, FL & serving clients statewide via telehealth