Tag: Strengthen Yourself

Slowing It Down, November.

Slow it down, November. Read it again, slow it down, November. I have been quiet and yet not quiet at all. It’s very confusing unless you are in my day to day life, but thats okay. I went crazy with going out in October, but this month, I really just want to be left with less sound and less company. I want to take more moments for myself and have quiet moments, so I can hear my own thoughts and moments – sober. Yes, sober.

It’s an easy habit for me to fall into drinking to mask feelings and I’ve been very open about this with myself in the past. The past few months, I was falling into that darker path, so November I wanted to slow down and sit with my feelings, thoughts, moods, etc. Slow it down. I’m not perfect, but I’m not going out 4X a week to a bar either. In November, I’ve gone out about four times vs. twelve times. I call that progress.

With November, my goal is to sit with myself (sober, of course) and feel my feelings, feel my hurt, feel my happiness, feel my thoughts and then give all of that a safe & thankful space to heal in. I hate that I’m in the same spot as previous years, I really do, but I’ve learned that I have a lot of love to give and a lot of love. I will always have love, thats who I am and who I will always be. I’m coming to terms with that. Slow it down.

I am trying to take a step back to not find myself, I know who I am, but to ground myself again. I can definitely say that I lost a piece of myself throughout the year. I know I fought with myself a lot this year to find a peace, when I was only stepping over my own boundaries. Slow it down and build yourself again. I’m choosing to do the work that I need to do, even if it feels the worse. Even if it feels the opposite. You just have to do it. Of course, I want to do all things with love, but I’m just learning that life really doesn’t work that way. Not everything can be done in love or with love. That’s a hard lesson to learn, but it doesn’t make you less of a loving person or that your love is or was any less. Slowing things down this month allows me to process what my mind knows, but what my heart still wants to deny. I can tell there will be more slow down months in the future. I have a lot of work for my heart to catch up with. I’m going to take my time to make sure I’m doing it right this time. Let me marinate in my feelings for a while, they need their time as well.

Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025.

Yes, SALLY ♡ THINGS blog is still up and running for 2025! The end of the year and start of the new year blog is finally here. I told you that I was playing blog catch up. Since I’m a little behind, we get this cute 2-in-1 post ♡

Goodbye 2024.

In the beginning of 2024, I was parked on the top level of my college’s parking ramp just sitting in my car. Not having a good day at all. I was super emotional about a million different things, both positive and negative. I think I skipped my classes that day because I could not stop crying. I remember it was raining. That day I decided to try to calm my emotions down by journaling and instead of writing about my emotions, I tried to put my focus on what my goals and intentions were going to be for 2024. Writing about something that would bring more positivity forward was the mood that I wanted to try to set. That day I journaled two entries ‘2024 Goals and Intentions‘ and ‘2024 Blog Idea List‘. I think I ended up journaling in my car for three or four hours.

For 2024 Goals and Intentions, I wanted to come up with goals that were deeper than things like exercise more, get up early, drink more water, etc. I wanted the goals to be things that would help me become a better me and help with personal growth. Then when I came up with the goals, I wrote the intentions behind them or how I wanted to go about it. That way it wasn’t just a silly little self care goal, it now held a deeper meaning. I suggest everyone to do the same because it holds more value, is more meaningful and personable to yourself. It gives you a greater feeling when you complete it as well. Out of 16, I was able to cross off 10 goals that I completed in 2024. I call that a win and look, a win is a win!

A few completed goals with their intentions:

୨୧ Take more photos and videos. Print them out, save them, make montage videos, post them or whatever! I want to capture more memories and save/store them so they can be accessible in the future when I’m older.
୨୧ Live life/Be more present. Especially family, they are so important. Be more present in life. Live! Take in moments. Love life again. Don’t over work anymore and don’t over school. Live your best life Sally!
୨୧ Love and happiness ♡ I want to be more loving in everything and I want to remember 2024 as happy. The last few years have not been remembered quite well as happy, so this year will change. Let go of things that don’t belong and be okay with that.

For 2024 Blog Idea List, this was a list of topics that I wanted to blog about and write for the year. It was a list that I could come back to look at for ideas. I came up with 33 different topics and I wrote about 14 of those, but some topics have multiple blogs written about like travel blogs or food adventures. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my food and travel blogs, but some new content is on the way. A little less than half is not too bad, but it’s time to do better this year and I can’t wait to get back into blogging a little more often. I still have this blog “project” or series that I started last year, but I’m still working on writing it. It might not be finished this first half of the year, but my goal is to finish it this year or at least be able to post the first two parts.

Hello 2025.

Welcome 2025! My start of the new years was spent at The Armory with Kaskade and Sullivan King in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I spent my New Years in the most “Feral Festival Sally” way, so you can take that however you want, but I had a really good time. Maybe a little too much fun cause I woke up with gum in my hair the next morning. I have the funniest theory on how the gum got there too. Let’s just say this: I’m a headbanger girly with super long hair and there were a lot of gum chewers around. My hair is known to SNATCH PEOPLE! I also attempted to eat grapes for the New Years, but we did it sooo wrong. Yes, we were able to sneak in grapes at the venue somehow. I ended up being rave mom and passing them out to make sure my friends ate something during the rave. I think I ate 2-4 only, but this was all after the count down. So we all ate grapes to survive the rest of the night basically. It’s so funny to look back at the videos from that night. Thank you Minneapolis for a New Years that I’ll never forget!

For 2025, I want to do the same method with my goals and writing their intentions. I’m planning to repeat the same list and add new ones. I’m hoping to can accomplish more goals this year than I did in 2024. My vision for 2025 is to always live my best life, to be happy, love always and to be better. It’s another year to build the life that I want and deserve. I went in to 2025 as the same me, but a more experienced me. Still the same person, but I have something different about me. I’m still learning if it’s a good or bad thing or if it’s just a phase. This year I am digging deeper into myself and I’m protecting myself more than ever before. I’m also going into things with a different perspective. I posted this before and I’ll say it again here:

If you saw me, you absolutely did see me. If you heard me say something, I absolutely said it and said it with my chest. I’m done with playing the high road. We are not hiding in 2025. Respectfully ♡

I promise that I will be out here living my life for myself. Take it as my ‘villain era’, me setting up more boundaries, or me seeking my full potential, whatever. I said it here.

Here are a few goals and the intentions behind it, that I would like to see myself accomplish in 2025. It’s from both the 2024 and 2025 list.

୨୧ Healing. I want to heal all the parts of me that have been through the ringer over and over again. I want to heal the parts of me that easily get triggered. I accept that if the healing means I end up feeling hateful, then that’s how it ends up. I can’t end everything on love all the time, no matter how much I want that. Let it go and let things play out the way that it does. I was able to do it once, I know that I definitely can do it again. Be at peace and be comfortable and fine with that peace.
୨୧ More journaling and blogging. I know that journaling and blogging helps me with all my emotions, so why deprive that outlet from myself? I’m a person who feels a lot and holds all those feelings. Release it, stop holding on to them for so long. Let them go. I also love to journal and blog, it’s good for me. I have made connections with others through it. I’m no savior, but I’m a person and being a person speaks loud volumes.
୨୧ Love and happiness ♡ This is the 2025 revised version. I want to still be more loving in everything and I want to remember 2025 as happy. The love this year is more me orientated. I choose that love for me, I choose that happiness for my life, for my future. Whatever that looks like, but it’s self focused vs. what I did before. I worked on myself to reach an ‘us’, but this year I’m working on myself to reach a me. If an ‘us’ happens to appears this year, then that is something that fits around me and not the other way around. (No tea here, sorry. ‘Us’ is not a specific person, it’s general use.)

2024, you were wrong, but you were right to be wrong. Goodbye 2024.
2025, your new life is going to cost you your old one. What is meant for you, you simply cannot lose. Hello 2025.

Finding Yourself in a Familiar Place.

I sit here and find myself in a familiar place. A place where it feels embarrassing to admit that I’m back at again. A place where I have been trying to deny that I’m back in. A place where it breaks you before it makes you. A familiar place, a pretty vulnerable place. Healing alone.

Healing alone is an awful feeling and one of the hardest thing you’ll ever do. It will force you to sit with your grief and to feel it. A place I’m a little too familiar with. Healing alone is healing without using other people or things to fill a void inside of yourself, going out every weekend, healing without using distractions and doing anything to prevent yourself to sit in your grief and think about it. It’s an awful feeling. A place I’m a little too familiar with.

While I spend my time in this familiar place, I’ll give myself the grace that I need. I’ll sit with the grief once again and I’ll still look for all the happiness and love that I gained before the last. I’ll sit here wishing that all my love given is still making someone feel loved. That the right people know that I will always see them as they are and for who they are. The love I gave is for them to keep and theirs, for me. Saying goodbye never gets any easier and finding yourself in this familiar place doesn’t get easier either. I guess I’m back at the first steps again.

For however long it takes for me here, I welcome anyone else that finds their way in this familiar place. I’ll sit here and heal alone – with you.

October Healing.

Is it just me or does the October fall breeze has a calming and grounding feel to it? There’s something about October where I tend to slow down life and get really focused. I also noticed that a lot of different socials will talk about how October is about healing and grounding. I just went through a small rabbit hole on October’s birthstones, so now you have to as well.. There’s 2 birthstones for October: Opal and Tourmaline. Opal is known to symbolize hope, clarity and truths. It is known for their soothing, calming energies to alleviate stress and provide tranquility and peace. Tourmaline is known to inspire and promote happiness, encourages confidence and diminishes fear, energetic energy, best for healing the physical heart and can be used for grounding. Everything just ties together.

New month, new affirmations and intentions! September just flew by. I can’t believe it’s already October. We all made through another month and we’ll make it through this one. Lets take advantage of the healing properties of October, here are some affirmations and intentions ♡

୨⎯ October is a time for reflection; I appreciate the journey that has bought me here.
୨⎯ October’s chill is a reminder to nurture myself with self-care and warmth.
୨⎯ I welcome the calming and cozy energy of October in my life.
୨⎯ I create space for relaxation, allowing my mind and body to recharge.
୨⎯ I trust each season of my life
୨⎯ Love more; The world and everyone around you needs it.
୨⎯ Let go of the past you have survived it. Time to move on.
୨⎯ Give yourself credit for how far you have come.
୨⎯ Do things that fill your cup to reconnect.
୨⎯ Reach for the truth of your life more and more each day.

@r.h.sin

For those who need more reminder or motivational-like sayings instead of affirmations, this section is for you. Here are a few that I found ♡

୨⎯ You’re close, that’s why it’s getting tough.
୨⎯ We can’t control all in life, but what we can do is look ahead and dictate where we go next.
୨⎯ Transform to Heal: People-Pleasing → Authenticity | Difficulty Saying “No” → Setting Boundaries | Overthinking → Trusting Intuition | Comparing Oneself → Self-Appreciation
୨⎯ Allow yourself the time to just be this month. Love, laugh, play, create. Meet with a friend and talk. Indulge in the most beautiful bubble bath. We are at a transition of seasons and it’s time to find the space to be. To enjoy. To fill your cup and remind yourself that you are so truly worthy.
୨⎯ Choosing progress over perfection. Honoring what you’ve achieved while moving towards what you desire. Staying grounded in gratitude and feeling at peace.
୨⎯ Feel your feelings, even if it disrupts your day. Your inner child deserves kind self-talk. Love yourself harder on days you’re struggling.
୨⎯ Dear October, I won’t ask for perfection, as it’s all part of the ride. I won’t ask for abundance, as I have my own meaning of wealth, but I will ask for reminders to be present in the daily. I will ask for soft reminders when something isn’t for me. I will ask that I become what I need.
୨⎯ October will be filled with love, peace and healing. October will be filled with progress, blessings, and opportunities. October will be fill with happiness.
୨⎯ In October – Become the love you always wanted, but never received. Heal what hurts, so that it doesn’t use you as a channel to hurt others. Forgive yourself – for all the versions of yourself you did not become, for all of the versions of yourself you had to be in order to get here today. Slow down – live softly, and love softly, and above all else, never forget that while beautiful things may come and go – they still come. They still come.
୨⎯ October ins: Slowing down, letting go of old beliefs, making room for the new. October Outs: Forcing, unaligned action, negatives self talk.

Happy October and I hope that it brings everyone all that you guys need. It can flow to you and find you, but you also have to allow and accept it in too. Take care of yourself. A happier us is the goal. ♡

July & August ’24 Mini Writings.

July and August flew by so fast. I will miss the summer months. Until next year my friend ♡ Not so many mini writings for these two months, but once that weather changes and winter blues hit you’ll start to see a lot more. Mini writings = mini readings.

July 9, 2024

Your life is a book. You have chapters and every chapter has a story. Like a book, you read each line and feel each word and that’s exactly what you should do with your life. Be in the moment with each line and live each word, good or bad. It’s part of your story, your chapter, your book.

– sally.things

Thursday, July 25, 2024

“You were wrong, but you were right to be wrong.”

– sally.things

Sunday, July 28, 2024

Sometimes you have to let yourself and body know that you appreciate all that’s it’s done and is doing for you.

You have to stop and thank your body and mind for all that it has been put through.

Nourish your self, mind and body.

– sally.things

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

The end is none of your business until it actually happens.

– sally.things

Then and Now.

I probably have typed about this in the few blogs I wrote before, but never finished. Fair warning, be prepared to read a little more of this in other blogs if they ever get posted. So far it’s the only thing that comes to my mind when I try to sit down to blog, so it’s something that needs to get out and hopefully after I can blog about other things. I feel like a broken record sometimes. I blog a lot about healing and my journey, it’s all I know right now. It is currently what’s going on in my life. Then and now. I wouldn’t quite call this a drunk thoughts blog, but I did have a good chug of some strawberry sake. Just a bit to loosen up and be not so in my head about sharing this. I actually find it hard to share this side of me because it feels super and very vulnerable of me. Maybe a part of me feels embarrassed, maybe because it still gets me in my feels or that I haven’t yet fully processed it. It’s hard for me to express because I simply do not know where I’m quite at with it all. Whatever it is, here I try to go.

These summer months, I have really compared my current self to my 2023 self. If I could describe myself this summer it would be: confident, strong, happy, healing, thriving, joyful, sober, living life to the fullest, a normal person. If I were to describe summer Sally 2023 it would be: sad, but grateful, stressed, alcohol driven, burnt out, lost, fun, goal driven, and hurt. What two very different and confusing versions of me.

A word that best described me then is lost. A word that best describes me now is healing, but of course I would not be who I am today if it wasn’t for that lost version of me. Looking back I’m actually very grateful for that part of my life (not the problems, but the lessons) and very proud of how I managed, even though I was very hurt. I sat with myself every day and I listened to my cries, I listened to my thoughts, I felt the hurt. I sat with every emotion and let them take their turn. I sat with all my doubts and gave them the time they needed. I sat there and cried out every tear in my body almost every night until there was nothing left. Some people might think it’s pretty pathetic, but it was what I needed to do for me. That was my way of trying to comfort myself. I gave myself that safe space. Now, I still have that safe space, but it’s more for the appreciation of my happiness, celebration of small steps on my healing and the new self love that I have for myself. I won’t say I’m completely on the other side, but it’s definitely a positive path.

I did something that I never thought or saw myself doing and that was to stop engaging and going silent. I let go of any hope and expectation, I let go completely. That’s such a hard thing to do. To let things go free and to let things come to or go from you. I ignored and pushed everything away as much as I could until I realized that it was something that was trying to come to me. I really crawled into my own little shell and if you weren’t someone I saw in my daily life, I unfortunately didn’t reach out to or interacted with for a bit. My social battery was fighting so hard, but my emotional side won. I’m a person who tries to act fine when I’m not, but in reality my emotions literally leak out of my pores and you can tell how I am through my body language and facial expressions. I pulled away for a bit so people didn’t have to see that side of me, ask me anything and I didn’t have to keep pretending. I’m sorry to my friends and family for that and I’m also very thankful that everyone understood that I needed some space. I put myself first and really focused on nothing, but myself and moving forward. One positive that did come out of it was my decision on schooling. Now, because of then, I still am continuing my education and I feel more comfortable with being truly vulnerable in front of others even if I feel stupid. It is not a burden. Now, I can thank the ‘then me’ and comfort any part of her that I still have left with the ‘now me’.

One thing that I learned from this and in my therapy sessions are to acknowledge all these different parts of me, listen to what they need to say, validate them and thank them. Practicing this has helped build a better relationship within myself with myself. Practicing this has allowed to me forgive myself, love all the different parts of myself, remember my worth, remember what I deserve, growth, healing, forgiving others and most importantly not to hurt others because of my own hurt. One day, I’ll be at the end with the rainbows and unicorns or in my case, a room filled with anything and everything Hello Kitty.

This was really building up in my head and I tried to avoid blogging more on it, but I guess I still have a lot to say. If you are still reading this, thank you. Sending lots of love out. Then and Now. ♡

July is m i n e.

Repeat after me, ‘July is mine.’ July is m i n e.
Yes, I believe in it whole heartedly because it’s my birthday month. Cancer season is here ♡ Every year I just feel so recharged when July comes around. I wanted to write out some affirmations and intentions that I would like for this July. I’m entering the last year of my 20’s next week, so I’ve been thinking a lot of where I would like to see myself, what I have already accomplished and the progress of what I’m working on.

July Intentions

Making mindful intentions for the month is a great start to bettering yourself and setting a foundation to creating self love and space for yourself. Setting intentions are like gentle goals for yourself. Which I am all here for! If this is new to you, here are mine. Always take what you need, my blog is just as much for you as it is for me ♡

✿ I accept myself as enough. I’ll admit that this is a hard thing to do for myself even if it might look different on the outside to others. I want to accept, fully accept, where I’m in my life especially with the pressures of society telling me where I should be at, at my age. I want to keep accepting that how I look is enough. I need to keep reminding myself to accept my worth and nothing left. I am enough.
✿  Everything I need is within me. I have the power and strength inside to control my own outcome. I am the one that decides my day and how it’ll turn out. I am the one who controls what bothers me or what stresses me or what I let happens. My outcome will be loving, peaceful, strong, and happy.
✿ I intend to love unconditionally. Love for myself and for others. To love myself unconditionally and other means to love without expecting a repayment or condition. I have enough love to pour and pour.
✿ Live with purpose. Live with meaning and be present in life. To be present in life and to enjoy the joyous moments will give a purpose. Then living with purpose will bring you more joy. Full circle. I intend to live my life and enjoy the journey as I go.

July Affirmations

Affirmations are things you can say daily to set your mood and start your day. It gets you in a more positive mindset and can be used as motivators for your intentions above. We speak affirmations out loud to put it into the world, so the world can give it back to us. Yes, speaking to yourself is okay! Here are mine for this month, again, take what you need and like ♡

✿ I stay open to feel calm and peace whenever I need.
✿ I attract positivity and happiness into my life.
✿ My potential is limitless and I choose to thrive, no matter what gets in my way or happens.
✿ My heart is open to giving and receiving love.
✿ I choose to focus on what I can control and I let go of what I cannot.
✿ I release stress and embrace peace, allowing my body to function optimally.
✿ I trust the journey of healing and transformation.
✿ I am deserving of love, happiness, and all good things life has to offer.
✿ I embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

I hope July brings adventure, excitement, and happiness to everyone. We’re halfway through the year, so remember to pause and celebrate your progress and your achievements. Take some time to plan the 2nd half of your year. Only take the valuable lessons you learned from earlier this year and leave the rest behind. We don’t need to carry everything, all the time. Enjoy the long summer days and all that it has to offer. Prioritize yourself! ♡
Repeat after me, ‘July is m i n e.’

I Just Want to Love You.

I can love your tears and the way you love too hard. I’ve learn to love the way you feel emotions and how deeply you hurt. I’m doing as much loving as I can while you go through what you are going through.

But sometimes, I just want to love your smiles and I just want to love your glow. I want to love your warmth, your laughs, your spark. I want to love the person you are when you feel the fullest. I want to love you the way you want to be loved, the way you deserve to be loved. Don’t worry, take your time, but you have to get there first.

I just want to love you. I just want to love me. I’m not done loving me yet.

August 24: Reminders

“Hi, Sally – you don’t ever have to apologize for doing what you feel is best for you.“
A friend told me this and it’s something I needed to hear. I couldn’t tell you how much harder I cried just reading that first line because she was right. Why am I saying sorry if it’s for me?

“No matter how hard today might be. No matter how hard tomorrow might be, at the end of it all, you’re going to come out on top. Don’t get yourself too down.“
I’ve been trying so hard to not show my real emotions through my face and body language when I’m around people. So for me to get this when I was driving home by myself and letting all my emotions pour out, tears. More tears, hard tears, hard crying. Even if I can’t see it yet, I’ll always come out on top. He’s right.

To my two friends, thank you so much. You absolutely have no idea how much my SOUL needed to hear these. These have really stuck with me. ♡

Whatever I choose is for me. Even if it doesn’t seem like it worked out, it was suppose to be a lesson. Even if it did work out for me, it’s still a lesson. Something from it can always be taken as a lesson and in the end it’ll make me a better person. Always room for growth, always a better person, always for me. Take your time with things, be by yourself. Sit in your feelings, be with your feeling because that’s being with yourself. You need that the most – to be with yourself. No need to focus on the future, be in the present because that’s who needs you right now. Future Sally will be better if you take care of yourself now. No one is responsible for that, but yourself. Whatever happens here on out, it was suppose to happen.

Be with yourself, be gentle, take care of yourself, find love in the broken parts of yourself. Don’t apologize, you’ll come out on top.

2022.

It’s the new year, so what are my goals or new year resolutions? Well this year I’m not going to make any. Not that I don’t have any, but don’t you guys ever get stuck with a list that never gets finished or your goals change? In my 26 years of life, I know whatever list I make now will not be what I accomplish later. I’m more of a do as you go type of person. So here is all that I wish for me and for you. Take what you need and leave what you don’t.

I wish for your happiness and peace. I wish you heal the things that you do not speak or know. I wish for the growth and lessons that will push you to be a better person. I wish for the love that will forever stay with you. I wish you will take the bad days and remember that it’s just a bad day and that you don’t take all the good days for granted. I hope that you love yourself more and you do more for yourself. Whatever you’ve been trying to chase to fill that empty feeling, I hope you catch it and it lights a light in your soul that never goes out again. For all the tears that you cried in 2021, you don’t meet them again. I hope you remember to take more photos or videos. I wish for good health and wellness. That every person you come across is as genuine as you. You’ll get the break you need this year to sit down and absorb all that you have done and to relax. I wish you the best in your business plans because I know you’re capable and I know you have it in you. All your creative thoughts get brought to life this year. I hope you do take some things from last year and you keep working on them. Those are not achieved in just a year, it’s something you have to constantly work on for the rest of your life. That you do not forget who you are as a person. All the built up anger, I don’t want you to just let go of it and forgive, I want it to fuel the passion of making yourself better. Use it in a good way and not as a flamethrower and use it to burn others in words.
You know what? Settle in already, push your pride aside and accept what has been waiting for you. You could’ve had more good and balance if you were more open to accepting help. It’s okay to get help, you need other people, we all need people. I wish something clicks in you and you stop living on survival mode, you made it, you can rest. Let someone else take care of you for once. I wish you get the nurture you give to others and you accept it without feeling weak and if you end up feeling that way then you allow yourself to be okay with that. All the battles you have within are put to an end. I wish you live life for what it is and that you continue to do that. Love every little thing in the world more including yourself. ♡

Make your words matter this year.