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How To Stop Feeling Depressed At Night: 7 Tips That Really Work

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Are you struggling with depression and wondering how to stop feeling depressed at night?

Depression is horrible and, for some reason, it seems to get worse at night. There is something about the sun going down and the silence settling in that makes our depression seem more profound. How exciting is it that daylight savings time is here and the nights are getting shorter!

I have lived with depression for years and have some tips to share with you today that will definitely help you manage your nighttime depression.

For me, there are two separate times of the night that need to be managed: the evening hours before bed and then the time during the night when I wake up. I have tips for both times of the night because they are a little bit different to deal with, I believe.

What to do in the evening, before bed:

#1 – Keep your mind busy.

An important part of how to stop feeling depressed at night is to keep your mind busy during the evening hours.

The thing about nighttime is that we often don ‘ t have enough to do so our brains, instead of being productive, go down the path towards all the things that are wrong in our life which then leads to, and deepens, our depression. It ‘ s important to stop your thoughts from going down that path before they even start.

Things like reading, watching your favorite show on Netflix and talking or texting with a friend are all things that will keep your mind busy during the night and away from all of the negative self-talk.

I would definite encourage you to stay off social media if you are feeling depressed. Sometimes social media makes you feel more connected to the world, but, more often than not, social media can make you feel isolated and less than. So, text away with a friend but spending hours on Snap Chat or Instagram will not serve you well.

#2 – Do things that comfort you.

An important part of managing how to stop feeling depressed at night is to do things that comfort you.

For me, a cup of tea and a hot bath go a long way towards making me feel loved and comforted. I also have a weighted blanket that I curl up under when I watch TV. Something about the weight on your body has been clinically proven to make a big difference with people who are struggling with depression and anxiety.

What are things that would comfort you at night? Take stock of those things now, by the light of day, so you can have them at the ready.

Ice cream and sugar are things many people turn to but I would encourage you to stay away from those things at night because they could interfere with your sleep. If you must have sugar, the earlier in the evening the better.

#3 – Journal.

If you find that you have not been able to stop those negative thoughts in their tracks, a good thing to do if you ‘ re feeling depressed at night is to journal.

There ‘ s something about getting those negative thoughts out of your head and onto paper that makes them easier to manage. Sometimes when we see our thoughts written out on paper they become less powerful because we can see them more clearly.

If you don ‘ t have an official journal, that ‘ s okay. You can just get a notebook and write things down or, if you want to, you can use your computer. I find that using a pen and paper is the most effective for me.

#4 – Know that the morning will come.

An important part of how to stop feeling depressed at night is to keep in mind that, no matter what, the morning and the sunshine will come.

Sometimes, that nighttime depression makes us think that we will never get through the night, that we will never see the light of day. That our depression will overwhelm us and the night will never end.

But night has never not turned to day. And with day, comes work and friends and activities and sunshine. Even if it continues, depression can seem not so heavy during the light of day.

What to do if you wake up in the middle of the night:

#1 – Don ‘ t lay there ruminating.

If you wake up in the middle of the night and find that your depression comes roaring back because all of your negative thoughts wake up with you, a really important thing to do is to not lie there, ruminating.

Instead, pick up your book or a magazine, but not your phone, to distract your mind from those thoughts. They say that reading for 20 minutes if you wake up increases your chances of falling back asleep than if you just lie there working yourself up, thinking about things.

So, keep some reading material next to your bed so if you wake up at night you don ‘ t spend those precious sleep hours in your head.

You ‘ ll be much better able to face the next day if you get enough sleep and that will in turn will help you manage your depression.

#2 – Use a calming app.

There are lots of calming apps out there now that can help ease your anxiety and depression during the nighttime. They use meditation, music, words of affirmation and other means to help your body and mind stay calm at night.

My favorite is Calm but I know there are others. Do some looking and see what works for you.

#3 – Know that the morning will come.

Again, when we are lying awake at night it ‘ s often hard to believe that the long night hours will ever end. But if there ‘ s one thing you can believe, always, it ‘ s that the sun will rise.

So, don ‘ t sink into the darkness of the night. Have hope that tomorrow will come and, with it, another day.

Good for you for getting ahead of your depression and trying to figure out how to stop feeling depressed at night.

Nighttime depression can be completely debilitating but managing it is not impossible.

In the evening hours, make an effort to keep your mind occupied, give yourself comfort, write out your words and have hope for tomorrow. Overnight, again try to keep your mind from sabotaging you and use those apps to help you get back to sleep.

If you are struggling with depression and these tips don ‘ t help, I would definitely encourage you to reach out to your primary care doctor to talk to them about more ways to manage your depression. It ‘ s important to stay on top of it so that it doesn ‘ t get worse.

You can do it!

Are you strugglingwithnight time depression?
I know it can be really, really hard. Let me help before the pain gets to be too much!
Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com and let’s get started!

What Kind of Woman Never Gives Up On Her Dreams?

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What kind of woman never gives up on her dreams? That is a question that I get asked all the time.

In my many years as a life coach, I have worked with all sorts of women. They all come to me looking for help through difficult times and some of them have more success than others.

When I look back at those who have made it through those difficult times, I can see 5 personality traits all women who never give up have in common.

So what kind of woman never gives up?

# 1 – She is self-confident.

Without exception, the kind of woman who never gives up is self-confident.

Women who are self-confident know who they are in the world, know what they ‘ re capable of and have life experience that shows them that they can do what they need to do if they try hard enough.

Ironically, many women build self-confidence as they successfully navigate their difficult times. One of my clients was deserted by her husband, leaving her alone and feeling worthless. While she worked hard to get her life back, she developed a steely self-confidence because she knew she was going through hell and back and was prevailing.

Self-confidence is a key part of knowing that you have resilience and that you will be okay.

#2 – She is determined.

Women who never give up on their dreams are determined. Always.

Picture yourself running a marathon. You reach mile 13 and you say to yourselfI will never be able to do this. A woman who has no resilience would pull over to the side of the road and drink the proffered lemonade, happy enough that they have made it as far as they did.

A woman who is resilient would never give up. They would run until the end of that race no matter what kind of pain and suffering they experienced. They would be so determined to finish what they started that they would make it happen.

If you aren ‘ t determined to finish what you start, to reach a goal or to get through a difficult period, you ‘ ll never be able to do it. Before you start on your journey, ask yourself how determined you are. That level of determination will be a measure of your potential for success.

#3 – She is flexible.

A woman who never gives up is a woman who is flexible. A woman who believes that their way is the right way or the only course of action is a woman who will be stymied in their journey to get through difficult times.

I remember when I was getting a divorce I was determined that I would find love again as soon as possible. I joined Match.com and started dating every eligible man I encountered.

Surprise, surprise. I didn ‘ t find love. Instead, I was extremely frustrated at the lack a connection I had with these men. Rather than continuing on my initial course of action, finding love immediately, I decided to turn attention away from finding love towards building my business instead.

To my surprise, building my business did more to get me through those hard times than finding love ever would have.

If I hadn ‘ t been flexible in my perspective, and instead stayed on my original course, I might never have been resilient enough to get through those dark times.

#4 – She is persistently hopeful.

There is something about that woman who is persistently hopeful. They believe that, the matter what, everything is going to turn out fine. Someone who is persistently hopeful is someone who can be sometimes very annoying, especially when we are struggling.

A woman who is persistently hopeful, however, is someone who never gives up. No matter what obstacles are placed in front of them, they believe that everything will be okay. They know, deep in their heart, that they can get through difficult times and out the other side intact.

If you aren ‘ t a persistently hopeful person consider developing this personality trait. If you truly believe that everything will work out in the end then it most likely will.

#5 – She is resourceful.

Resourcefulness is a key part of never giving up.

Women who are resourceful have a plan. Women who are resourceful have resources they can tap into to make things happen. Women who are resourceful know people who can help them on their journey. Women who are resourceful are people who know, no matter what obstacles present themselves, they will figure out a way to get around them.

I always ask my clients what kind of tools they already having their toolbox to help them deal with difficult times. Who can support them? What kind of books can they read? What kind of experiences have they had in the past that they can draw from that might be helpful in the situation?

When you are going through difficult times, and you need resilience more than anything, look around at the resources you have available to you to help you move forward and be successful.

In my experience, women who never give up share common personality traits.

They have self-confidence, determination, flexibility, persistent hopefulness and resourcefulness. They use those personality traits every day to get them through difficult times

Fortunately, all of these personality traits are ones that you can develop with consciousness and action. When you are going through dark times, dig deep and find your self-confidence. Set out to be determined always and be flexible when necessary. Always keep an eye out for that person or thing who can help you on your journey and know that it ‘ s all going to be okay.

Be the kind of woman who never gives up on their dreams and, really, everything will be okay!

I promise.

Are you strugglingwithnever giving up, no matter what?
I know it can be really, really hard. Let me help before giving up feels like the only option!
Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com and let’s get started!

21 ‘How To Let Go Of Love’ Quotes That Will Help You Move On

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Sharing how to let go of love quotes is one of my favorite things to do as a relationship coach.

I have written countless articles about how to know when to let go of love, how to do it and what to do next. I counsel women every day and support them through this tumultuous time.

Today, I was going to write another article but instead decided to share the wisdom of others.I truly believe that sharing in the experience of others with a broken heart is one of the best ways for us to heal.

Every day thousands of people, like you, have their hearts broken. And, every day, broken hearts are healed and life goes on. Hearing the words of others, and listening to their stories, can help you let go of love and move forward in life.

So, let’s begin.

Every time I think about you, I have to remind myself that if you wanted to talk to me, you would. – Anon

Letting go doesn ‘ t mean that you don ‘ t care about someone anymore. It ‘ s just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself.Deborah Reber

Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.Steve Maraboli

Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.Roy T. Bennett

Sometimes it takes a heartbreak to shake us awake and help us see we are worth so much more than we ‘ re settling for.Mandy Hale

Today expect something good to happen to you no matter what occurred yesterday. Realize the past no longer holds you captive. It can only continue to hurt you if you hold on to it. Let the past go. A simply abundant world awaits.Sarah Ban Breathnach

The truth was, he now belonged only to my past, and it was time I begin to accept it, as much as it hurt to do so.Tammara Webber

I loved with every inch of my being, but I realized one day if loving him meant losing me then loving him was not enough any anymore. Nikki Rowe

The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.Elizabeth Gilbert

Holding on is believing that there ‘ s a past; letting go is knowing that there ‘ s a future. Daphne Rose Kingma

I think that you never fall out of love with somebody; you just let go and move on. Ashley Rickards

The most difficult aspect of moving on is accepting that the other person already did. Faraaz Kazi

You don’t need strength to let go of something. What you really need is understanding.Guy Finley

Letting go does not mean you stop caring. It means you stop trying to force others to.Mandy Hale

It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.Bruce Lee

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. Lyndon B. Johnson

If you ‘ re going through hell, keep going.Winston Churchill

Sometimes the hardest part isn ‘ t letting go but rather learning to start over. Nicole Sobon

Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward.Erika Taylor

It hurts to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on. Anon

Cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it. Justin Timberlake

Learning how to let go of love is something that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy because the pain is truly like none other.

How to let go of love quotes can really help when you need it most.

Remember, in the words of Coco Ginger -‘When we are in love, we are convinced nobody else will do. But as time goes, others do do, and often do do, much much better.’

If you are letting go of love, know that this is not your last love but that letting go of this one opens the door for a new, better, love to come in.

I promise.

If you ‘ ve made it this far you must really be struggling with how to let go of love.

Let me help get you there, NOW, before you get even more stuck.

Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com, or click here, and let’s get started!

5 Tips For Letting Go Of Love With Love For Yourself

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Do you wake up every day, struggling with a break-up that has left you devastated? Are you wondering about tips for letting go of love with love for yourself?

Has all the reading that you ‘ ve done, all the conversations that you have had with friends, all the things that you ‘ ve heard from your mother, are they all helping you understand that the best way for you to get over your loss is by learning to love yourself?

It ‘ s true! The best way to truly recover from a break-up is to start loving yourself fully and completely.

So, what are some ideas for letting go of love with love for yourself?

#1 – Do things that comfort you.

When your heart is broken and you feel like your life is over, one of the best things that you can do is self-care. Your body and your spirit may feel broken but some nurturing will help them heal.

When my husband left me, I was left devastated and alone. My house was empty, my kids were gone and my husband no longer came home at the end of the day. My days were endless and I didn ‘ t know how I was going to survive being alone.

One day, a Groupon appeared in my inbox from Massage Envy, offering a 60 minute massage for $40. I had nothing to do so I bought the Groupon and I made an appointment for a massage.

That massage was one of the best hours of my life. I was in a warm room, on a cozy table and I had a lovely woman attending to my aches and pains, making me feel loved and cared for.

I realized that day, when I am emerged from the spa feeling rejuvenated and alive, that doing things that comforted me was what I would need to help me moving forward.

From that day on, I would spend some time every day doing things to take care of myself. I did yoga, went for walks, spent time antiquing with girlfriends and drank whiskey by the fire on cold winter nights.

By nurturing myself, by loving myself, I was able to get the strength that I needed to let go of the loss of my marriage. I was truly letting go of love with love for myself.

#2 – Do things that make you feel good.

Another thing that I did during the months after my husband left was I started volunteering at a local food bank.

Volunteering was good for me for two reasons. The first was that it filled hours in my day, hours that I might otherwise have spent wallowing in my pain. Instead, I spent those hours helping those in need get food to feed their families. I met many people and saw a lot of tears, and even more smiles, during those hours at the food bank. I recognized how fortunate I was for all that I had and seeing the strength and perseverance of people who were going hungry gave me strength to take care of myself.

A big part of loving yourself is taking care of other people. If you have the opportunity in your day to help another person, do it. There ‘ s nothing better than helping someone in need to nurture love of self.

#3 – Spend time with those who love you.

When your heart is broken and you are feeling alone, one of the best remedies is spending time with those who love you.

Spending time with those who love you will remind you of all the reasons why you should love yourself.

A client of mine was recently left by a man she considered to be the love for life. What he really was was an abuser, someone who isolated her from her family and friends, who belittled her and made her believe that she was nothing. By the time he left, she had no love for herself. Only self-hate.

Because she was left without a place to live, my client returned home. Her parents welcomed her with open arms. Her brothers and sisters who lived nearby came over regularly. Her family circled the wagons and showed her their love.

Being surrounded by people who loved her and who believed in her helped my client start to remember the woman who she used to be. When she started loving herself again she was able to see how much her man had hurt her and how much better off she was without him.

So, if you are dealing with the loss of lover, reconnect with your friends and family. They love you for who you are and that ‘ s exactly what you need to be reminded of right now.

#4 – Accomplish something.

Soon after I got divorced, I decided to get my life coach certification. I had always been a wife and a mother but I decided it was time to follow my life goal of being a healer.

Once I was certified, I set down the daunting path of building my own business. Starting a life coach business, building a website, figuring out marketing, networking and attracting clients was one of the hardest things I ‘ ve ever had to do. Some days I woke up so frustrated, wanting to just throw in the towel and go get a regular job.

But I didn ‘ t. I persevered. And, over the course of the past six years, I have built a thriving life coaching business where every day I help men and women navigate their lives so that they can be happy.

Making something of myself after being left behind by my husband enabled me to let go of the pain of the loss because I knew that I was amazing, that I could do anything and that any man who didn ‘ t want to be with me was missing out.

What do you want to do? If you are struggling with letting go of love, it ‘ s time to take that step. Be the person you ‘ ve always wanted to be, do what you have always wanted to do.

#5 – Make a list of all you have to offer.

Those of us who are single all have a list of attributes that we want in a man. We want them to be smart and funny and handsome and athletic and successful and more. And, of course, we should want those things. Because we are awesome.

I always encourage my clients to not only make a list of the attributes they want in a man but to make a list of why a man would be lucky to have them.

My list looks something like this: I am a good friend, a great mother and an exceptional caregiver. I am tough as nails, I have lived all over the world, I am intelligent, funny, kind and successful at whatever I try. I am willing to take risks. I ‘ m willing to make myself vulnerable. Any man would be lucky to have me.

I typed up this list and put it on my refrigerator. Every day, instead of reading a list of what I wanted in a man, I read a list of why a man should want to be with me. Every day I remind myself that loving myself is the key to letting go of the love that I have lost and finding a new love for my future.

Letting go of love with love for yourself is one of the healthiest ways to get through these difficult times.

It ‘ s so easy to focus on everything that is wrong with you when you have been rejected but DON ‘ T.

Do things to take care of yourself, do things to take care of the world, spend time with family and friends who love you, accomplish something and take stock of what an amazing woman you are.

I know it seems like the pain of your loss will last forever but I can promise you that learning to love yourself will help ease the pain in the short run and set you up to find the love of your life down the road.

You can do it!

Are you struggling with letting go of love and finding yourself?
I know it can be really, really hard. Let me help!
Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com and let’s get started!

5 Helpful Tips For Setting Boundaries In Your Marriage

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Have you just walked down the aisle with the most amazing person and are you now looking for helpful tips for setting boundaries in your marriage?

Good for you for being proactive and let me help!

Healthy boundaries are very important in any healthy marriage. But what are boundaries, exactly?

To understand healthy relationship boundaries, look at the four walls of your house. Those walls are the structure that holds your life together. They hold your food and your bed and your possessions and it ‘ s where you live your life.

Healthy relationship boundaries are the same as those four walls of your house. They are the things that support your relationship as it grows. To have a healthy marriage, one that can grow and be fruitful, it is important that it has structures, boundaries, that support it.

Healthy relationship boundaries come in many shapes, sizes and colors and they are essential and appropriate for every relationship, whether it be new and exciting or more settled and safe, like marriage.

Now that you know what boundaries are let ‘ s talk about how to get them.

#1 – Look at individual needs.

The best place to start when setting boundaries in your marriage is for each of you to look at your own individual needs. A key part of identifying potential boundaries is for each of you to see what is important for your own individual happiness.

I know, in my relationship, what is important to me is that I have quality time with my partner every day. I also know that I want to be given the freedom to pursue my hobbies and my interests, I want to have openness and transparency in our communication and I want to be treated with respect.

Knowing what I need in my marriage allows me to understand what the composition of my boundary walls should be. If I didn ‘ t do that consideration, and figure out what is important to me, then I might have built those walls out of things that weren ‘ t strong enough to frame my marriage and that might cause those walls to fail.

So, both of you, take some time and identify what is important to you as an individual in your marriage.

#2 – Compare lists.

Once you have each individually defined your needs it is time for you to share those needs with your partner.

I took my list to my partner and I was not surprised to learn that our two lists overlapped. It was very important to him that he have time to spend pursuing his hobbies, mainly skiing and woodworking. It was also important to him that he spends time with his mother, that we don’t yell at each other when angry and that we not to be rigid in our boundaries.

It was good for us to compare our lists because by doing so we had a conversation about what was important for each of us, raising awareness that we could use for creating boundaries and, as we go forward, living our life together.

I know, with my ex-husband, we never did this. We just entered into married life with no thought as to what it would look like and, within a few years, we were both drowning, confused and at a loss as to what was going wrong.

#3 – Set priorities.

Once you have merged your lists, it ‘ s important that you set priorities. Sometimes it ‘ s impossible to accommodate every one of each other ‘ s needs but it ‘ s important that everybody ‘ s most important needs are met.

For me, my most important needs were face-to-face, regular quality time and being honest with each other. For my partner, it was important to him that he could spend time on his own and that yelling at each other would be taboo.

Of course, the other things, like his mother and my need for effective communication, are important and part of our definition of our boundaries but we both expressed what were deal breakers in the composition of our boundary walls. We knew that these priorities would be respected and, if they were, our marriage would be stronger.

#4 – Define success.

A very important thing to do, once you have defined your boundaries and set your priorities, is to write down what success would look like. Specifically.

For me, regular face-to-face quality time meant that for at least 15 minutes every night we put down our phones and our computers and turn away from the television and look each other in the eye and talk to each other. For my partner, being able to ski two weekends a month and working in his woodshop on Sunday mornings would be important to him.

It is essential that each of you understand specifically what the other sees as success. For many of us, we just guess at what our partner wants from us and, because of that, sometimes we fail.

So, be as specific with each other as you can. Set yourselves up for success.

#5 – Put it in writing.

The final step for setting boundaries in your marriage is to write it all down.

Conversations are great but putting what you discussed in writing allows you both to more clearly see, and remember, the boundaries that you have established. You can refer to them when you ‘ re questioning what they might be and trying to remember what they look like specifically.

So, write them down and keep them some place where you both have easy access. As your marriage moves on through the months and years, you should regularly revisit the boundaries that you have set, updating them as necessary and re-familiarizing yourself with what they look like.

There is nothing better than writing things down to keep us accountable and familiar.

Setting boundaries in your marriage is an essential part of setting yourself up for success.

Marriages are long and they can be challenging and doing whatever work you can do ahead of time is key.

Work individually to define what you want, come together to see where you overlap and are different, set your priorities, define successes and write it all down.

Doing these things early in your marriage will help ensure a long, healthy, happy marriage, the kind you committed yourself to on the altar that day.

You can do it!

Are you struggling with setting boundaries in your marriage?
I know it can be really, really hard. Let me help!
Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com and let’s get started!

What To Do When You’re Feeling Depressed, Isolated And Lost

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Has your life gotten to that place where you are feeling depressed, isolated and lost all the time?

Are you feeling hopeless, alone and full of dread and worried about what the future will hold?

If you are, I am so sorry. Beingdepressed and feeling alone is a horrible place to be!

Fortunately, there are things you can do to stop feeling depressed, isolated and lost all the time.

#1 – Figure out the why.

There are two kinds of depression,situational and chemical. They have similar symptoms but different causes. Knowing what kind of depression you have is the first step to dealing with it.

Situational depression is caused by something that happens in your life. When something big happens that makes you sad, like the death of a parent or a divorce or the loss of a job, you can become situationally depressed. This kind of depression usually has a beginning, caused by a specific event, and an end, and is often treated differently from chemical depression.

Chemical depression is the result your brain chemistry being off in such a way that leads to depression. You are most often born with chemical depression but it can also by caused by a traumatic life event.

Chemical depression can happen to youeven if your life is going great.

So, ask yourself some questions about what your life looks like these days to help you figure out what kind of depression you might have.

If you think you have situational depression, read on. If you think you have chemical depressionhere is an article for you to read to learn more about next steps.

#2 – Do what makes you feel good.

When we are feeling depressed, isolated and lost, our inclination is tocollapse into our life. We stay in bed, we don ‘ t shower or eat well and cut off contact with those we love.

Let me tell you: if you are feeling depressed, collapsing is absolutely the worst thing that you can do. Instead, it is important to do things that make you feel good.

For me, I keep a list of things to do when I am feeling depressed. 1. Take a long, hard walk (the endorphins are great for my depression). 2. Do yoga. 3. WatchThe Walking Dead. 4. Take a bath. 5. Go to the movies. 6. Have sex. 7. Eat Pad Thai. When I am depressed I do one, or all, of those things and my depression is often lifted.

So, what makes you happy? Write out a list, when you aren ‘ t depressed, of what makes you happy so that when you are depressed you are ready.

#3 – Occupy your mind.

Unfortunately, when we are feeling depressed, isolated and lost, our worst enemy is that brain of ours.

While we are lying on the couch feeling sorry for ourselves, our brain is actively buying into it all.

You are a loser, it says. You have no friends. You aren ‘ t good at anything. You will never find love. You suck at your job. And on and on.

And, chances are, that none of those things are true. That you are not a loser, you have plenty of friends, you are talented, love is out there and your boss thinks you are doing great. But your brain, when you are depressed, just doesn ‘ t go there.

It is really important, when you are feeling depressed and isolated, to keep your brain busy.Yoga is a really good way to do this – you are so busy trying to figure out the damn pose that you don ‘ t have a chance to think about anything. It also has the side benefit of toning your body and making you feel strong, which can be helpful.

Other options for keeping your mind quiet are: reading, going to a movie, hanging out with friends, working. Meditation is also an option but I just get more depressed when I try, and fail, to meditate. If you can do it, go for it!

What do you like to do that will help you quiet that mind of yours, the mind that is feeding into those feelings that are bringing you down? Figure it out and do it!

#4 – Choose your playmates carefully.

One of the most important things to manage when we are depressed is our environment. In your bed and your pjs on might feel the most comfortable but they might not be the best option for getting better.

The same attention needs to be paid to who you spend time with when you are feeling depressed. If there are people in your life who bring you down then avoiding them when you aren ‘ t doing well is very important.

My mother was very difficult to spend time with when I was depressed. She was always trying to talk me out of my depression by pretending that it didn ‘ t exist or telling me to just snap out of it. Both of those things just made me feel worse. So, I avoided her when I wasn ‘ t doing well. It was best for both of us.

Consider who you shouldn ‘ t spend time with when you are depressed and avoid them. On the same note, think about who would be a good person to be with and make a date with them right now!

#5 – Call your doctor.

If everything else fails and still you find yourself feeling depressed, isolated and lost, then it ‘ s time to call your primary care doctor.

Feeling consistently depressed and anxious might indicate some serious health problems and getting a complete check-up from your doctor could be really important.

Your doctor can take a look at all aspects of your life and help you come up with a plan for managing your depression and anxiety so that they don ‘ t get worse. Which they will do if they are left untreated and allowed to persist.

Remember, your doctor won ‘ t judge. There are lots of people who feel just like you do every day and that ‘ s what doctors are there for – to help us all.

If you are feeling depressed, isolated and lost it ‘ s important that you do something about it and do something about it now!

Do a quick assessment of your life and try to figure out what kind of depression you might have. Take care of yourself, make yourself happy, keep your brain busy, control who you spend time with and, if necessary, see your doctor.

Depression can go away on it ‘ s own if properly managed but will get worse if left untreated. So, try the things that I recommended above but always pay attention to how you are doing. If you are getting worse and not better, get help!

You can do it!

If you have ready this far you must really be struggling with depression?


Let me help, NOW, before it gets out of control!


Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com and let’s get started!

5 Things You Can Do To Show Your Woman You Love Her

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Are you madly in love and want nothing more than to know what you can do to show your woman you love her?

Good for you for knowing how important this is and making the effort to find out what the best way is to do it.

Having been a life coach for many years, and being a woman for even more, I can tell you quite clearly what you can do to show your woman you love her.

#1 – Listen and don ‘ t try to fix her.

One of men ‘ s best personality traits is that they are fixers. Give them a problem and what they want to do more than anything is to fix it.

Unfortunately, women don ‘ t want to be fixed. They want to be listened to. They want to be acknowledged. They want to know that their man hears them and sees them and understands what they ‘ re going through.

So, next time your woman is sitting on the couch feeling very sad, ask her what is wrong and then listen to what she tells you. Tell her that you hear what she is saying and that you are very sorry. And then ask her what she needs from you. Don ‘ t give her advice, just ask her what she needs.

This might seem like a very simple thing, but it is what women want more than anything. To be heard but not fixed.

#2 – Anticipate her needs.

I used tell my clients who are unhappy in love that to expect your man to anticipate your needs is to open yourself up for disappointment. Women want more than anything for their men to anticipate their needs but many men just don ‘ t know how to do it.

I used to tell them that their friends, their sisters and their mothers are the ones who can anticipate their needs without even batting an eye, so rely on them to do so.

That being said, I now do believe it is possible for men, if they want to, to anticipate the needs of their woman. I haven ‘ t always believed this but now I am in a relationship with a man who does pay attention and follows through and my attitude has changed.

So, what do I mean by anticipating the needs of your woman? Quite simply it’s no more than paying attention and taking action.

Every night, I sleep with extra blankets on my side of the bed. More often than not, after I brush my teeth, I go to my bedroom and discover that my boyfriend already took the blankets out of the closet and put them on my side of the bed. Every time he does this, I feel loved. I know it ‘ s a little thing but it shows that he ‘ s paying attention.

Having men anticipate the little things is very important women. If you can anticipate what she might need, and follow through with action, you will really show your woman you love her.

#3 – Notice her.

When was the last time you told your woman how beautiful she looked? When was the last time you told your woman what a great mom she is or how much you love her?

Do you assume that you don ‘ t need to say those things because she knows? If that is the case, I am sorry to say, you ‘ re very wrong.

Women need to be noticed. They need to know you see them, that you see the way they look, the way they act and the way you feel about them. Unfortunately, the longer we are in a relationship, the less we get acknowledged for how amazing we are. I know you ‘ re probably still thinking that she ‘ s amazing but you might forget to tell her.

So, take every opportunity that you can to notice your woman. To tell her the amazing things that you see her do. That you love her very much.

If you want to show your woman you love her, make her feel seen.

#4 – Hold her hand.

Women love holding hands. There is nothing better than walking down the street holding your man ‘ s hand as you go. That long ago moment when a boy reached for her hand in the movie theater was the first moment that your woman knew how it felt to be cared for.

Holding hands seems like very little thing but for women it can be more intimate than sex. The physical contact, without expectation of anything more, makes us feel special and loved and way more likely to want to give more.

The next time you ‘ re walking with your woman, reach over and take her hand. If you do this you can show your woman you love her in a very simple way.

#5 – Learn her Love Language.

I truly believe that one of the best tools you can use to show your woman you love her is Gary Chapman ‘ s5 Love Languages. Go to the website right now and check out the quiz.

The premise behind his book is that there are five love languages, five ways that people express and receive love.

The languages are: Quality Time, Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service and Giving of Gifts.

For each person one of those things is the thing that makes them feel the most loved when they are done unto them. When a partner tries to love them using a different love language they don ‘ t feel loved.

My love language is Quality Time – I feel loved when someone is truly present with me, listening to me, focusing on me. My ex-husbands ‘ love language was Physical Touch – he felt love when I was holding his hand, hugging him or, yep, that too.

Unfortunately, the language that we spoke best with each other was Acts of Service – we did things for each other, like changing the oil in the car or going to the grocery store. Stuff got done but neither of us felt loved.

Check out the 5 Love Language atwww.5lovelanguages.com. There you will find a short quiz that you and your partner can both take and you can start loving each other in a way that will work.

Good for you for trying to figure out what you can do to show your woman you love her.

Relationships are long and hard and understanding now what you can do to keep the love strong is very important.

So, go to the 5 Love Languages website to learn what your girl ‘ s love language is. Make an effort to listen to her without trying to fix her, to anticipate her needs, to see her and to hold her hand.

Doing the simple things will make her feel loved, will make your relationship stronger and will make you both happy.

Don ‘ t be intimidated! You can do this!

If you have read this far you must have a woman you really love.

Let me help you, NOW, so that you can start her TODAY!

Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com, or click here, and let’s get started!

What Are Healthy Boundaries In Marriage?

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Are you wondering what are healthy boundaries in marriage or in your relationship?

Are you eager to do so but have no idea what healthy relationship boundaries are??

Let me help!

To understand healthy relationship boundaries, look at the four walls of your house. Those walls are the structure that holds your life together. They hold your food and your bed and your possessions and it ‘ s where you live your life.

Healthy relationship boundaries are the same as those four walls of your house. They are the things that support your relationship as it grows. To have a healthy relationship, one that can grow and be fruitful, it is important that it has structures, boundaries, that support it.

Healthy relationship boundaries come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Really, it ‘ s important for each couple to decide what works for them. But there are a few boundaries that are essential for every healthy relationship.

#1 – Don ‘ t let one person be in charge.

In many relationships it happens that at some point one person becomes the one calling the shots. And while this seems to work on one level, ultimately the relationship will become uneven. And when things are uneven a relationship changes.

So, make an effort to keep the decision making even in the relationship. If you are good at organizing your social life then do that but give him opportunity to choose events. If he is good at managing the finances let him do that but continue to have input into where the money goes and why.

Letting your relationship become uneven allows it to slip into a sort of parent/child dynamic, where one person is in charge and the other does as they are told. Does that sound like a healthy relationship to you?

Not so much.

#2 – Respect each other.

One of the biggest romance killers in a relationship is lack of respect and contempt.

The saying ‘ ˜familiarity breeds contempt ‘ is an accurate one and something that happens in many committed relationships.

It is important in every relationship that you each respect each other. Respect each other within the confines of your relationship by speaking to each other honestly, sharing your feelings and needs in an open way. By not attacking each other personally and criticizing each other ‘ s behaviors and actions.

Furthermore, it ‘ s important to not criticize your partner out in the world. The general rule of thumb is that you not tell something about your partner to anyone that you haven ‘ t already shared with your partner.

When I was married, I talked to my friends WAY more about the problems in my marriage than I did to my husband. This didn ‘ t do our relationship any good because we weren ‘ tcommunicatingand giving our relationship a chance to improve. And when we were together I treated my husband with contempt because I no longer respected him.

I am no longer married.

So make sure you treat each other with respect, both inside and outside the relationship.

#3 – Don ‘ t lose yourselves.

So many women, when they are in a relationship, become less of themselves.

Many women take on their partner ‘ s friendships, their hobbies and their ways of doing things.

It is VERY important that all womenstay themselveswhen in a relationship.

Why? Because every healthy relationship is based on truth and if you are anything other than your true self your relationship will never be really healthy.

It is also important that you continue to respect yourself and you will respect yourself by being yourself. By continuing to have your friends, to do your own hobbies, to have a career that you love and a healthy lifestyle that serves you, you will wake up every day feeling good about yourself.

And when you feel good about yourself your partner will love you even more because he knows you are being your true self, someone who is ambitious and smart and willing to take risks to get what she wants.

So be yourself in your relationship. Ahealthy relationshiprequires it.

#4 – Spend time apart.

When they are falling in love, couples want to spend every available minute together. The feelings that accompany falling in love are addictive and hard to walk away from even for a short while.

It is important, however, that you spend time apart from the one you love.

You know the old saying ‘ ˜absence makes the heart grow fonder? ‘ It ‘ s true!

Think about how you feel when you go on a diet. How you can ‘ t eat ice cream for a month while you lose those 5 pounds and, man, do you miss your ice cream. It ‘ s the same thing in a relationship. Stepping away from your partner, even for a bit, makes you both notice the void that is created in his or her absence.

And then the heart grows fonder.

So, spend some time apart. Miss each other. Value each other. Keep that spark alive.

#5 – Be flexible.

I have a client who recently bought a house for herself and her boyfriend moved in with her. Right away they had issues because it was her house and she wanted to do things her way and that just wasn ‘ t okay with him.

It is important that everyone be flexible in a relationship. Just like you would at work or with your family, it is important to work with your partner so that you can both live a life that is authentic to you.

You know the phrase ‘ My way or the highway? ‘ That phrase has no place in any healthy relationship.

So, embrace flexibility. Choose the things that are important to you and stay true to them but be willing to see what might be important to your man and work with him so that you both can live a life that makes you happy. Together and apart.

Examining what are healthy boundaries in marriage is an excellent way to ensure that you have a good strong relationship that will last forever.

Relationships are built from two people who have two separate lives and two separate ways of living. It is important that the couple build a new life together. A new life with four walls that will keep it safe and strong.

So, don ‘ t let one of you be in charge, respect each other, like yourself, spend time apart and be flexible.

Talk to your partner and build your house from a place of love and beauty and self-confidence, one that will be strong enough to stand the test of time and allow your relationship to be a healthy one.

You can do it!

Don’t let a lack of boundaries get in the way of being happily married.
Let me help you define some NOW, before it’s too late.
Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com, or click here, and let’s get started!

5 Unmistakable Signs that You Are Most Likely to End Up Divorced

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No one goes into marriage wanting to get divorced.

Rather,we all have visions of finding our prince and living happily ever after.

Unfortunately, most marriages today end in divorce. Mine did after 18 years. It was a surprise to me but the signs were all there.

Since then, and working with many clients over the years, I have learned that there are 5 unmistakable signs that you are most likely to end up divorced and I can spot at 50 yards a couple who just won ‘ t make it.

What are the signs that indicate you are most likely to end up divorced? Let me share ‘ ¦

#1 – Unrealistic expectations have been set.

Often times, when people enter into marriage, they believe that they have found their soul mate. That this person will be their lover and their best friend and the father of their children and that love will guide them through it all.

Unfortunately, these expectations just aren ‘ t reality based. No one can be everything to one person. To expect someone to be everything to you is setting yourself up for disappointment.

People in the healthiest marriages are people who have many people in their lives, people who are their friends and mentors and support systems. They have their partner for love and intimacy but many other people who can be there for them, for fun and support.

So, go ahead. Marry that prince of yours. But be realistic in your expectations of what your relationship will look like and don ‘ t let yourself be disappointed.

#2 – Communication has become impossible.

Marriages that end in divorce usually involve people who just can not communicate. They aren ‘ t able to talk about their feelings and they aren ‘ t able to listen to other ‘ s talk about theirs.

Marriage is a lifetime journey and two people occupying the same space for such a long time can be challenging. To manage it effectively, it ‘ s important that people communicate.

When issues arise, it is important that they are addressed head on, with clearly spoken words and someone on the receiving end to hear them. It is important that there is a give and take so that everyone ‘ s needs are met so that both people feel safe and secure in the marriage.

Couples who can ‘ t communicate, who aren ‘ t able to share their issues, are couples who will start looking elsewhere for someone to be in a relationship with because the one they are in seems beyond repair.

#3 – People can ‘ t read minds.

How many times have you thought He should know that I need him to pay attention to me after the kids go to bed. Who wouldn ‘ t want that?

Yes, in the movies, the hero is always able to look at his woman and guess intuitively what she wants but, unfortunately, it just isn ‘ t like that in real life.

IF you want something, ASK FOR IT. Tell you partner specifically what you need so that he can give it to you.

I can promise you that your man wants to do whatever it is that makes you happy but expecting him to read your mind about what it is is setting yourself up for disappointment. You might start searching for somebody else to read your mind and that could end your marriage quickly.

#4 – Things are taken personally.

I have a client who takes everything personally.She asked her husband to stop on his way home from work and look at the windows that she had chosen for their house renovation. Unfortunately, he forgot. Work got busy and then he got hungry and he just forgot.

My client, instead of being understanding or angry, took his actions a reflection of his feelings for her. If you loved me, she said, then you would have remembered to look at the windows.

My client ‘ s husband, after 15 years of this kind of response to his actions, finally gave up trying to please her and left the marriage.

It is important that one understand that other people ‘ s actions are not necessarily a reflection of the way they feel about you. Of course, at times they are, but to think that if every action your partner takes is a reflection of his feelings for you then your marriage is doomed.

So, when he lets you down, let him know that he did so but don ‘ t think that it ‘ s because he doesn ‘ t love you. Because, most likely, he does.

#5 – Change doesn ‘ t happen.

The number one reason why, after a tumultuous marriage, divorce happens is because people refuse to change.

Of course, as marriages go on for years, people evolve. After 20 years of marriage, I was definitely a different person than the bright eyed girl who walked down the aisle that day.

And, as my husband and I realized that we were no longer seeing eye to eye, we went to therapy. And in therapy we both identified things that needed to change for us to stay married.

Unfortunately, the things that needed to be changed – my lack of interest in sex and his interest in drinking – just weren ‘ t changeable. We tried but, ultimately, we failed and we went our separate ways.

So, if faced with needing to make some change to save your marriage, work hard to do so. Divorce can be hard and if you can do anything to stop it, do it!

Marriage is messy. We all enter into it with the best intentions but we often get lost along the way.

If you want your marriage to succeed, make sure you choose someone you can talk to, don ‘ t set your expectations too high, don ‘ t expect mindreading or take things too personally and be willing to make change if it ‘ s the right thing to do.

You can do it! It ‘ s worth it!

Are you worried that your marriage might end up in divorce?
Let me help, NOW, before any more damage is done!
Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com and let’s get started!

What Kind of Woman Is Most Likely to Find Lasting Love?

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Finding last love in this modern world is verydifficult. What kind of woman is most likely to find lasting love?

We all want it. To have someone who is our best friend, someone we can share our hopes and dreams with, someone who we can build a life with.And, yet, for many women, finding and keeping lasting love can be very difficult.

I have talked to many women in healthy relationships over the years and there are 5 personality traits that most of them share. Let me share them with you.

#1 – They know themselves.

Women who are in healthy relationships know themselves. Truly know themselves.

They know their strengths and their weaknesses. They have dealt with their past. They recognize their limitations and are willing to reach out for help when they know they need it.

Women who find lasting love KNOW what they want. They know what kind of man they want, what kind of traits he will have, what kind of man will bring out the best in them. They set their eye on finding that man and build themselves a clear path to do so.

If you are a woman who doesn ‘ t know who she is, who hasn ‘ t taken a good hard look at who you are in the world and what you want, then you will have a hard time finding and keeping lasting love.

#2 – They don’t take things personally.

I know many women who reflect everything that happens in the world on themselves. Women who do this have a low ego strength. Everything that happens in the world they filter through their perception of themselves.

I have a clientwho reflects everything that happens back on herself. Her husband didn ‘ t want to help his mother clean out her attic and my client ‘ s reaction was that if her husband didn ‘ t help her with her attic in 10 years, when she was retiring, she would be really angry.

Another client was upset because her husband didn ‘ t do what he said he was going to do so that meant that he didn ‘ t love her.

Women who take everything personally don ‘ t have confidence with who they are in the world. They look at life through their own personal lens which doesn ‘ t allow them to let a man in and love them for who they are. They judge their man for their actions. They don’t believe a man can love them for who they are. They are paralyzed by the person they see in the mirror, a person they don’t like very much. And how can you expect a man to like you if you don’t like yourself?

So, don ‘ t take things personally. Understand that your man’s thoughts and deeds are independent of you. Seek to love and like who you are so that the person you are with can love and like you too.

#3 – They areflexible.

Women who find lasting love are flexible. They are willing to roll with whatever comes along and bend themselves to accommodate it.

I have a client who is very black and white in her thinking about the world. If her relationship isn’t going the way she thinks it shouldthen she is immediately stymied. She tries to bend it back to her way of thinking and, more often than not, she gets shut down in the process. If only she was willing to look at all sides of the relationship she might be able to help it evolve into something healthy that works for everyone.

I have another client who, when things don ‘ t go the way that she thinks they will, gets totally overcome and just can ‘ t deal at all. She is paralyzed by the idea that something must go in a different direction and she shuts down. And when she does, her relationship falls apart.

So, try to be flexible in the world. Anticipate and accept that your relationship just might not go the way you think it will and roll with it.You will be happy you did.

#4 – They have a sense of humor.

Life can be exceedingly difficult and women who are in healthy relationships are able to laugh at how hard it can be.

Think about those days when everything goes wrong. Your husband is cranky in the morning because he is going to be late to work. Your plans to meet for lunch get cancelled because he has meetings. He forgets that you are going to go shopping together and has a beer after work, from which he comes home later than he said he would.

When this happens, you have two choices. You can collapse in a heap of anger and despair, drink 3 glasses of wine and yell at your husband. OR you can throw your hands up in the air, recognize how crazy life is and go for a walk with your dog to let it all go.

If you can just let things go, if you can see that life is just difficult and accept it with grace and humor, you will be way more likely to find and keep the lasting love that you seek.

#5 – They never, ever give up.

The key to finding, and keeping, lasting love is determination. The determination to succeed, to get what you want, to not let anything get in your way.

I have a client whose husband left her for his college girlfriend years ago. It was totally out of the blue and she was devastated. It took her some time to get back on her feet but when she did she did so with gusto.

She took the time to figure out what she wanted in the world and she went for it. She started her own business and worked hard to make it successful. She moved to New York City because she knew it would give her the opportunities that she seeked. And she made herself a list of the kind of man she was looking for. 6 year later, her business is a success and she has found the man of her dreams. A lot of things got in the way but she never gave up. And she got what she wanted.

So, if lasting love is what you seek, go for it. Set your sights on what you want and don ‘ t let go, no matter what gets in your way.

There is no reason why any women should have difficulty finding the lasting love that she seeks.

Women have been letting men take the lead in relationships for too long, letting their ‘ ˜womanness ‘ hold them back from actively pursuing what they want.

I would argue that the things that make us women, the self-awareness, the determination, the flexibility and the sense of humor, the personality traits that we naturally possess, giveus all the tools that we need to find the love that we seek.

So, go out there in the world, be a woman, and find your person. You can do it! I promise.

If you are still reading this you must really want to find lasting love?
Let me help, NOW! Your guy is out there waiting for you!
Email me at mitzi@letyourdreamsbegin.com and let’s get started!

 

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