While we should never judge, especially appearances – we know that packaging is important. How something or someone is presented to us influences our initial thoughts and reactions. Since we know that to be true, we need to adjust accordingly based on how we want others to feel.

Writing (as proven by science) improves mental health, reduces anxiety, boosts immunity, and helps eliminate uncertainty from our worried minds.

What should you write about?

• Your worries.
• Your fears.
• The past.
• Your hopes.
• Your goals.
• The future.
• Who you love.
• Why you love them.
• …and most important: write down what you are thankful for.

Your perception of yourself always determines your actions.

Your self-image is what controls your actions.

Your beliefs, values, and faith help to decide how you perceive yourself.

If they are aligned with truth, then you will be able to accomplish your purpose.

Beliefs+Values+Faith all come from within.

When you listen to outside voices, to other people’s opinions, your self-image can be corrupted and won’t be aligned with truth.

Focus on excellence and you will achieve it and feel successful.

Focus on perfection and you will never get it and feel horrible.

If you help people with problems that others do not know how to solve, you become more needed, more important.

Self-betrayal happens anytime we don’t do what we know we should do.

If you help people move away from pain (suffering, struggle, disappointment, regret) and move toward pleasure (happiness, growth, fulfillment, purpose) you will always be wanted.

We all search for meaning.

Trauma is hard to define without context.

When seeking context, too often we compare. Yet, comparison is the thief of joy.

Context can be found without comparing your situation to someone else’s.

When searching for context and meaning from and because of our situation as related to other situations—be careful not to compare—but rather analyze instead.

Stress is often caused by anxiety.

Anxiety is usually an intense internal fear that starts from within rather than from external stimuli.

As we pay attention to how we process our emotions, we can understand when we start to feel anxious. If we know when it comes, we can take measures to limit the power and effect of the anxiety.

As we learn to limit our anxiety, we in turn limit our stress.

Cooperation with others makes keeping commitments easier. We gain strength from each other.