Mental Health Awareness

Mental health is a serious issue. It's important to remember that just because someone might be suffering from a mental illness, depressio or other issue, does NOT mean that they are "crazy" or seeking attention. If someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety, mood disorder or other mental health issue, they need your caring and support... Not ridicule or ignorance.

If you get frustrated with someone because they aren't "normal," you need yo remember that they are just as frustrated as you are and they aren't trying to be difficult. Berating someone or treating them badly won't help and anything or anyone and it could even make the issue worse. Mental illness and depression is real, it's not something that someone can control.

Be aware that someone who is dealing with a mental health issue needs support and understanding. The best thing anyone can do if someone they know is struggling with a mental health issue is to be supportive, patient and understanding... As well as educating themselves about the issue.

don't forget to check out my new book!!! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MSA51L8?ie=UTF8&at=aw-android-pc-us-20&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links 

Suicide Threats

If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, it's important to take the time to get help - for yourself, your loved one(s), whomever. Depression is a very serious issue and can be not just mentally debilitating, but also physically debilitating. Depression doesn't just affect the person suffering - it affects the others around them, affects relationships, jobs, finances, etc.

AND, here's another important issue when it comes to depression. If the person suffering from depression is considering suicide, seems suicidal or has made suicidal threats, it's VERY important to seek help immediately. Even when you may feel like the person is just attention-seeking or isn't serious about it, it's important to take the threat of suicide very seriously. A person who is suicidal or who is making threats of suicide isn't merely making threats, they are expressing, at a minimum, a desire to self-harm.

Suicide is not the way out, it's not the cure for depression. If you know someone who is depressed and they seem suicidal, talk of death or suicide or they have threatened suicide, TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. A person who threatens suicide - even if they aren't serious about it and are attention-seeking - is crying out for help. Please make it a point to try to get them professional help immediately. If you are depressed and/or feeling suicidal, then seek help for yourself.

Suicide is a life or death matter. Literally. And it's not a joke. If you need help, please call call 1-800-273-8255  (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)

Shamelessly Promoting My Book!

Okay Everyone, here I am, SHAMELESSLY promoting my book! I'm nervous as heck to have anyone buy it or read it, but I also want the feedback. If you'd like to purchase my book, you can find it Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MSA51L8#

Please, if you buy my book and read it, please make sure to leave me a review or email me some type of feedback!

My Book is Finished and Published!

I have finally finished my first book, The Truth About Life: Life Lessons from Rock-Bottom. I'm quite pleased with myself. It has taken me such a long time to finish it and get around to completing the editing of it. But, once I got down to business and began working on it seriously, it didn't take me nearly as long as I expected it to.

Even if it turns out to be a "flop," at least I can add it to my list of things I've accomplished. So, I'm happy about that. I am still trying to figure out KDP Select and trying to figure out a way to offer the book for free for a few days, but I am struggling with figuring that out. But, just as soon as I figure it out and get it done, I'll be sure to let you all know!

If you're interested in my book, you can find it on Amazon:
The Truth About Life: Life Lessons From Rock Bottom
http://t.co/u7vssSyT4z

And please, if you do read it, please leave me a review or some type of feedback. I want to get better with my writing and I want my writing to be something that is appealing to people, I have a lot to say and just need to know how to say it!

Have a wonderful rest of Saturday everyone!

Got My Books for The Semester!

I went to the college bookstore today and got my textbooks for this semester. All I wanna know is WHY are they so freaking expensive? I just don't understand why college books are so expensive. I mean, honestly. A couple hundred dollars for a brand-new PAPERBACK textbook, and only $20-$30 cheaper for a USED version.


I don't understand that. And, then, of course, when you go to sell the books back or resell them, you only get a quarter of what you paid for them, if that.


Honestly, with college tuition and the cost of getting a higher education being so high, I really feel like college textbooks should be included with one's tuition. I just don't get why exactly the books are so expensive. I get that they are for further education and for learning, but that shouldn't make them THAT ridiculously expensive or high priced. That's just not right.


 I wish there were ways around the high cost of college textbooks. Because, even though one can get financial aid in the form of pell grants or scholarships, often those are eaten up by tuition and then books are ANOTHER expense altogether!

One Week

Well, I'm finally reaching the end of my journey with my first book, "The Truth About Life: Life Lessons from Rock Bottom." It's taken a very long time, several years, in fact, to reach this point. But I'm getting closer to getting finished with my final editing. I'm editing it myself, so I'm sure it won't be perfect, but I do feel like it's a good start, so maybe my next book will be even better.

I have some editing to finish and then I need to finish my conclusion and the final section about myself. I'm not really absolutely certain on this, but I'm thinking I should have it all finished within a week or less. I'm seeing the end in sight and I'm starting to get excited, although I'm definitely very nervous! This book has been a labor of love, a large time investment (as I could find it!) and I am nervous about throwing it out there for others to see and read!

I suppose that most authors feel that way about their books. I guess it's kind of like trying to share a peculiar idea or theory with a group of people and knowing that they may laugh at your idea or think your idea to be crazy. I guess that is one blessing of self-publishing through Amazon, because I can always go back and update it or modify it, if I should feel the need to do so.

While I'm certain that the book is something that will be useful to SOMEONE out there, I'm just not so certain about the number of people who will find it useful or worth reading. I am considering this to be very much like the dream one has about standing in front of a room full of people, only to find themselves naked. Writing a blog is one thing. But a book seems even more personal to me. And I really do feel as though there's a part of one that actually is laid bare before others when they write something.

So, I think it should be done in a week. And here's to hoping I won't wake up and find myself naked and being laughed at in front of a large group of people!

Making Do With Less

We live in a society that seems to be largely focused on monetary wealth and material things. Too often, we focus so much on earning money and trying to get "ahead" that we don't realize that we're spending our time on making and spending money, rather than spending that time doing things we actually enjoy or with our loved ones. If you have to ask yourself if you are too focused on acquiring wealth and material things, chances are, you are.

Instead of worrying about what you don't have or trying so hard to acquire that which you do not have, try being thankful for what you do have and asking yourself if that which you are striving for is really something you NEED. Can you make do with less? Can you make do without that which you are working so hard to acquire? There are a few basic necessities in life - food, clothing, shelter, transportation... These do not have to be elaborate, name-brand or "fancy. " We only need that which sustains us and allows us to live in reasonable comfort.

Anything else besides things we "need" and keepsakes, is just extra "fluff." Trust me, we could all probably get by with a lot less than what we do.. unless you are already homeless or destitute, you probably have unneccessary items and unneccessary expenses. When the tornado took out my life as I knew it last year, my kids and I had our lives turned completely upside down, but we also began to look at it as a blessing in disguise, because we needed to downsize and de-clutter our home and our life.

My point is, making do with less isn't about living "poor" or being poor... it's about being happy with what you have in the true context of what it is. Focus your life on other people and being happy, not how much you can make, spend or acquire.

BUY MY NEW BOOK HERE!!!!

Intentional Living and Tiny Houses

I'm feeling a bit out of sorts lately, so I haven't spent much time writing at all. First, I've been, quite literally, sick and tired. Between a massive headache that never quite seems to go away, and a fever and chills that keeps coming back, I have just felt awful.

All that aside. I still have to work, so when I wasn't running a fever, I was still trying to work. Yup. Didn't work as well as I had hoped. Im still behind on work, totally lost focus on my writing and I'm still not feeling well. Yuck.

But enough of my complaining... I've been pondering a few things for awhile now and I'm not exactly sure where they tie in to any of my goals or hopes, dreams or even my basic ideals. We all know that I am one to discuss positivity, optimism and making a positive mark on the world.

 But what about intentional living? That is, living with positive intent and purpose. Are we each doing so? Somehow, I doubt that we are. In a world filled with a focus on money, acquiring wealth and material things, we lose sight of what is important and that which we really desire. Which brings me to the other subject in my title - tiny houses - what would that be like? To have the space you NEED to live and shelter yourself and your family, with no waste of space or possessions?

Iam doing research on tiny houses and alternate forms of housing. I don't know why, but I feel like this is something I'd like to know more about, even if I don't ever so something like that. That, and homesteading... I'm curious about how simply life could be lived, and inexpensively, while still maintaining a good quality of life without all of the trappings of material things that society seems to expect of us. I'll keep you posted... This looks to be the start of an interesting journey...