Tag: self care

Stopping and Starting

Published on by VelvetLeave a comment

I think we’re all a little bit guilty of going through the motions and not doing what makes us feel alive. We get stuck in defeating behaviors and just try to make it through the days. Things can seem hopeless when we yearn for change and don’t see it. But God gave us a brain for a reason: to use and to discern and to conquer. To choose what we think about and take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.

The following list has been created to help you discover freedom in being who you really are and doing what you really want to do. (Down below will be the “Start” list!)

Here we go:

Stop doing these things:

Doing and saying things to please other people and gain affection, attention, approval, validation.

Agreeing with somebody when you actually disagree with what they’re saying or doing.

Encouraging somebody to do something that you believe is wrong.

Saying you’re going to do something and not doing anything towards doing it.

Letting negative thoughts take reign over your emotions.

Staying sedentary when you know it feels good to move.

Settling for less than you deserve.

Choosing hopelessness, despair, depression.

Feasting on anxiety, worry, doubt. You’re not God. You don’t know what the future holds.

Start doing these things:

Plan a trip to the beach. You can get a really fabulous Air B&B these days for less than $100/night. The cheapest I’ve ever stayed in one was at $18/night in Orlando, Florida. 😉

Get hungry and cook something new. (f you’re like me, the hunger part might not be that difficult) But find a great recipe and try it out with friends. And then feast on it 🙂

Be honest; always…

Stand up for yourself.

Look in the mirror and tell yourself how beautiful you are, and thank God for making you that way!

Accept the circumstances you’re in currently and work with what you have.

Look around the room and list off all of the things you’re grateful for. Here’s mine:

-cellphone

-smart watch

-blue light glasses

-healthy body

-cute shoes

-cute sweatshirt

-sunny day

-opportunity to write

-opportunity to take pictures

-coffee <3

-bible

-being able to read my bible today

-being able to pray today, and journal

-just got back from a great walk

-the quiet <3

-actually, the subtle city sounds

-knowing the truth about God’s provision. He will a l w a y s take care of me and give me all that I need

-laptop!

-my hair 😀

-friends, family

-job opportunity

-being able to sing out loud and give thanks

SOoooo I could probably go on. There’s something about making a list of all the things I’m grateful for that makes me feel the weight of my blessing. I am extremely blessed and truly lack nothing. Nothing. I don’t need anything. Truly. Some aspects of my life are “up in the air” I guess, but that doesn’t bother me. “Worrying” is on the stop list. Stop worrying. God will take care of His children.

Do you know if you’re a child of God? Not all people are. Only those who confess and believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and is Lord of all. Do you want to have peace with God and be sure that you will always be provided for? Do you want to rest in the hands of Jesus forever?

I would love to walk you through what it means to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ to be your Provider, Father, Friend, Brother and source of life and satisfaction. He gave me actual life and I would love to tell you how. Jump on my email list and I would love to talk to you personally about inheriting the peace of God 🙂

Xxx

Love you all,

V

Shampoo that grows hair.

Published on by VelvetLeave a comment

Haiiii <3

Hair thinning? Balding? Not growing as much? There’s a reason for that. Most shampoos have cheap fillers and toxic ingredients that will dry out your hair, clog your hair follicles, cause breakage and prohibit growth. It might be time to switch products.
.
.
.
Featured is the Monat Black 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner and the Monat Black Cream Shave; both are chemical free. The 2-in-1 contains 3x the amount of Rejuveniqe oil (our patented oil blend that is *clinically PROVEN* to regrow hair! 🙌🏼).
.
.
.
This paired with our Intense Repair Treatment Spray will give you the fullest, healthiest hair that you’ve. Ever. Had.
.
.
.
Skeptical? Ask me to invite you to a testimonials group with **hundreds of thousands of people** with amazing before and afters, and 100% satisfaction. Ready to try some products? We also have a 30-day $$-back guarantee. Comment below and I’ll hook you up! Or follow me on Insta and send me a DM! @velvetmeryoung 🙂 

friday nights

Published on by VelvetLeave a comment

so my friday nights are pretty low-key. I work Fridays and Saturdays from 9-6 and am usually pretty tired Friday night. And anticipating the next long day. It didn’t help that last night I went salsa dancing and then to work afterwards… so I didn’t go to bed until 2am.

I was tired today. Also, I walked/ran 4.5 miles yesterday. It was mostly walking tbh… I haven’t ran in a LONG time. I had lots of extra energy yesterday because I binge ate a bunch of granola hahaaaaaaa shameful but true. SO I walked and talked on the phone with several people I love! One after the other, not a conference or three-way call lol

So it’s 8:46pm and I’m almost ready for bed. I wish I had more energy so I could go salsa dancing later tonight (at 1030pm lol). I contemplated taking a nap and then getting dressed up and going. But my right leg is sore around my knee from all the activity yesterday so I’m gonna take a rain check. It’s for the best.

But as I was sitting here in my house, after doing a face and hair mask and showering. And doing dishes/ boiling eggs for future meals, I contemplated the silence.

 

 

 

 

 

I had dinner with a friend yesterday and told her about my dreams and goals. To write, to produce music, to make videos. She said ” are you too busy or are you just distracted?”.

Yikes.

Well. I am a pretty busy gal.

But she has a point.

Part of my busyness is a distraction.

And then there’s the whole not-making-good-use-of-my-free-time.

Though I must have grace for myself becAUSE years ago I couldn’t do all the things I am doing now consistently because I was getting sick all the time. That was thanks to my eating disorder. Praise God for delivering me from the horrific relationship I had with food back then!

The only thing left to learn is portion control/not overeating. I’m getting there 😉

It’s taken a long time, but I’ve come a LONG way. Praising God!!!!!!!!

Anyway. I am a very hasty individual sometimes. I want to be the BEST. NOW! I run into things and then give up when it gets hard or falls apart.

When I’ve moved too quickly I throw in the towel because haste had made waste yet again.

But God is long-suffering. And He’s slowly transforming me to be more and more like Him every day. It’s a slow process. I mess up a lot and then cry out and ask “how come I’m still like this?”

But I’m not still like this. Like that. He’s made me a new creation. So before, I was stuck in a rut. But I’ve been moving forward for years. And comparing the Velvet the world sees now to the Velvet from years ago… is truly amazing. He’s turning me into a gem. 🙂 <3

It’s like at the end of Joshua when God makes a list of all of the battles that He helped Joshua win. There was a list of over 30 wars that they won with God on their side. Upon opening the bible and reading the list, one might think “why is this list included? Is it important?” And the fact is… YES it’s sooo important! It’s a long reminder of everything God did for Joshua and the Israelites. It’s proof that He was with them. It’s proof that He is for them.

Sometimes we forget what God has done and focus on what He hasn’t done yet. 

But when I look back on everything He HAS done it’s simply amazing.

<3

<3

<3

Permission to rest. I’m giving myself permission. I don’t need to do anything tonight. I’m allowed to go to bed early when I’m tired. Or even if I’m not that tired. 🙂

As far as my dreams and goals and visions go: God is preparing me for those things. It’s all about timing.

So now it’s time for bed. 9:07pm. Lol

I wonder how long I’ll be able to sleep for……. 9 hours would be amazing!!!!!!!!!!! Make up for some of that lost sleep from last night.

Enjoy your night everyone.

xxx

<3

V

brrr

Published on by VelvetLeave a comment

You can’t tell how cold it is by looking outside.

The sun is shining brightly, the sky is cornflower blue. A bit of wind can be heard in the distance, and a few leaves are rustling. But if you didn’t read the forecast, you would have no idea that it were 20 degrees outside.

Yesterday morning when I left for church, my car thermometer told me it was 63 degrees.

We dropped 40 degrees and change throughout the day and night because of the cold front that traveled down the east coast. Two days ago my mother told me they were supposed to get 2-3 feet of snow on Saturday night in New Hampshire. This same cold front that dropped dozens of inches of snow onto my family up north sucked up dozens of degrees from the state of Virginia.

But you couldn’t tell by looking outside. It looks beautiful out there. And it is beautiful out there. Beautiful doesn’t always mean warm.

That’s how I feel about myself and my emotions. “Wow, isn’t she vain”. Some people might say. But I’m okay with that. It’s good to know you’re beautiful.

I remember a few years ago before I knew my true worth, my cousin would refer to herself as beautiful or hot or attractive and I would be jealous. I would judge her a little bit, be jealous of her a little bit, and question if it was okay to say such things about yourself.

Turns out it is. It’s okay to know you’re beautiful, and be warm about it. There’s no need to pretend that you aren’t beautiful. Because you are. I know there are some things you don’t like about yourself. It might be your skin. It might be your teeth. It might be your stomach, or your arms. It might be your wild hair, or your short torso, or your fat ankles. But you are beautiful.

You are beautiful because you were created. You were thought of, designed, and created. With your specific face. And your individual body. And your one-of-a-kind personality. And your hopes, your dreams, your aspirations. Your mind, your heart. Your soul.

You were created in the image of God.

And He made you utterly beautiful.

Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone knew how special and beautiful they were? Then again, there are those folks who know a little *too well* how beautiful they are 😉

But for you who are doubting your beauty and your worth, know this: you are amazing.

You are a living, breathing, amazing, beautiful creation. You have such worth.

Sometimes when I doubt my beauty or worth, I go to the psalms.

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

God knew what He was doing when He made you.

Now.

Don’t you spend one more second pitying yourself. I want you to get out there and have a great day. I want people to know how warm you are. I don’t want you to be beautiful and cold. Be warm and be light to others. If people can’t tell if you’re warm or cold, it’s because you can’t tell if you’re warm or cold.

So which are you?

Love yourself, but don’t spend too much time loving yourself.

Give God the glory for creating you, and then give back to Him by pouring out love and blessings on others! Being consumed with ourselves is a waste of time and energy. We are awesome creatures, but we gots to share our awesomeness with other people who need our gifts!

As for going outside today, bundle up east-coasters/Virginians.

This turned out to be an interesting post. I love starting somewhere with no particular direction and seeing where it ends up.

Carpe diem & happy Monday you beautiful people.

xxx

<3

V