Category Archives: COVID-19

Invisible Illness

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I have written about Multiple Sclerosis many times before and I have talked about it a lot as well, but neither of these can explain what it is like to live with it. Many people have heard Multiple Sclerosis referred to as the “invisible disease” and I supposed for the most part it is invisible. Of course, some people stumble because they struggle their balance, or they may have challenges to walk and are bound to a wheelchair or use a walker. These challenges are obviously visible because the person cannot and should not feel compelled to hide them. However, some try to out of fear of being judged. There was a time that I felt I needed to hide my illness because I know people talk and it is always about things, they know nothing about, but that is not my fault, and it is on them.

Out of all the issues Multiple Sclerosis puts on a person, many that are truly invisible issues to deal with. No one can feel the pain someone feels, which those with Multiple Sclerosis tend to face daily. I have mentioned before that I live in pain every minute of every day but try my best to hide it and not because I am afraid of what people may think. I hide the pain because nothing helps my pain ease. It does not matter if I explain how I feel or even cry about it, the pain will still be there. I am thankful that the pain I feel cannot be felt by those around me because I would not wish that on anyone, and it is not fair for anyone to experience it.

Another issue I deal with that is invisible is the neuropathy. The feeling of spiders crawling around on my legs and feet is only something I endure, and no one can see it. This is something that I feel daily and mostly it increases at night, but still there are times during the day I get experience this. Of course, my husband that is with me all the time can see it because I start getting fidgety and cannot stay still. Not that it helps but I will start rubbing my legs when we are watching TV or having lunch together. I cannot explain why I rub my legs or feet, but I supposed I am trying to make the feeling go away. My husband has even asked me if it helps or why I do it and I cannot explain it to him, I guess it is just a habit.

Stress causing my condition to deteriorate is not something anyone can see. Heck, I cannot even see it immediately, but will understand later what stress does to me. Stress can cause symptoms to worsen and potentially cause a relapse. Anyone that has Multiple Sclerosis or knows someone with it understands how bad a relapse can be and it is something that we all try to avoid. A relapse can be awful, but the actions taken to decrease the length of time one deals with them are typically by using steroids. For anyone that has been on a high dose of IV steroids, you know how terrible that can make you feel. I can admit that the steroids will make the relapse not last as long, I would prefer to not take them.

The only person that knows how exhausted I always feel is me. It is not something anyone can see, but I do see and feel it. I cannot even explain it to anyone because it does not matter how much sleep I get. I will wake up feeling like I have not slept at all and truthfully, I probably did not sleep well through the night. The pain and tingling will wake me or prevent me from falling asleep, but I still try pushing through the day like I have slept eight hours.

COVID introduced a new invisible issue to Multiple Sclerosis. Everyone had to deal with the normal things that came with COVID, but anyone that is on a medication that weakened their immune system had to be even more careful. Even after there were vaccines available, we had to determine how safe they were mixed with their medication. Being under isolation could make people feel even more isolated and nervous for what could happen if they got COVID. I know I was afraid that if I got COVID and being on Gilenya if I would survive. Anytime I left the house, I would wear a mask and be looked at like I was insane, but I do this because I refuse to gamble with my life.

I think COVID has made everyone feel like they are living under house arrest. My mother moved to Texas a few years ago and we did not see each other before she moved because of the fears of COVID. It is not that I do not want to see my mother, but I refuse to get on an airplane until COVID is gone and there are no new variants. I also do not want her getting on an airplane to come to where I live because I do not want her getting COVID or bringing it into my house. It is not easy dealing with this because she is my mother and I know she would get on a plane tomorrow, but it is not safe for either of us.

Considering March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, I thought it would be good to do a post about the invisible side of it. I understand why people would call it the invisible disease because much of it is invisible. Truthfully, I would prefer the balance issues I deal with to be invisible because I feared when I was diagnosed about being in a wheelchair and not that it is a bad thing. After all, it can happen. Although the pain is invisible, anyone that knows me can see how much I hurt.

Thank you for visiting my site today and reading what I have written. I hope this provides some clarification to the issues I deal with that are truly invisible and why I hide some of them. I am not hiding things because I am ashamed, but because it does not help. I do look forward to reading your comments because I know they will be insightful. I will respond to all comments as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

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Peacefulness Tuesday

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Happy Tuesday, y’all! The weeks often feel so long, but we did survive Monday and that is progress. How is your week going so far? I am trying to prepare my mind for starting work next Monday and although I am excited, I am also very nervous. I know it is normal to be nervous about starting a new job but this job is mainly customer service and I have always excelled in that type of work so I am sure I will do well. I am really good at taking notes and asking questions during the training, so I am going to just relax and trust my capabilities.

We are living in a world that is full of chaos, uncertainty, fear, sadness, and hatred. It can be challenging to try turning these negative feelings into anything optimistic. Regardless of how you handle these stresses, we all deserve peace. When we feel like we are drowning in stress and misery we need to discover things that can pull us out of the quicksand of sadness. I hope you will find the quote I am sharing today peaceful and calming! I do look forward to reading what you think about it because I value your opinions!

Until I start working again next week, I am sure you know noticed I have tried doing at least one post a day. I am not sure if you have heard that there is already a new COVID variant out. It is a mix of Delta and Omicron, which has me very nervous and concerned. I am planning to go get a second booster shot very soon, but who even knows if that works. I have been sick and tired of everything to do with COVID for going on three years, but I guess it is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you are feeling well and having a good week. I hope you enjoyed this post and I look forward to reading your comments. I promise to respond to all comments as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

A Never-Ending Journey

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As I continue to look for another work from home job, that is the right job and not a crapshoot it becomes more and more frustrating. Considering a few things, I know about myself are working later hours and cold calling people do not work for me and my personality. I do not want to have to be overly picky, but I also do not want to start a job and must resign a few days later. Thankfully, my husband is 150% on my side and does not want me to accept something I hate just to have a job. He continues to tell me that I deserve more and I do not have to accept the first thing that comes along.

The reason working later hours is a problem is because I tend to feel better the first part of the day and the pain, and neuropathy gets worse as the day goes on. Working after 3:00 or 4:00 is manageable, but normally after 5:00 or 6:00 I feel terrible and cannot function as well. How do you explain something like that to a future employer? I cannot think of a way another person would understand, so I am trying to find something that is a work from home and first shift. I do not mind working weekends because we do not do anything anyway, but the hours are not negotiable for me.

I do not know about you, but I detest sales calls. I do not appreciate being called and asked if I am interested in purchasing something because if it was something I wanted, I would be the one calling the company. And, I do not have a desire to call people trying to sell them life insurance. It is not in my nature to call people trying to force them to buy something and when they ask questions force me to not be 100% honest. If I were going to be paid to be a liar, I would have become an attorney or a politician. Of course, not all attorneys lie but most are not completely forthright.

The reason I am looking for a work-from-home job is not that I am demanding or difficult, but with COVID and my immune system, it is not for a want to work from home as much as a need to work from home. Somehow, I have gone through these past two years of COVID and not gotten sick with COVID. The way I view COVID, and safety are a little unusual and maybe I take it to an extreme, but I must view it as if I get COVID, it is basically the end for me, and I may not survive. Do people with MS and on the medication, and get COVID and survive, sure, but I am not a gambling kind of person.

There are enough problems in this world, and I want to feel good about what I am being paid to do. Most people do not want to work and only do so to have an income to support their families. I do want to work because I enjoy having a schedule and something to do during the day. I love and enjoy staying busy, which I know is not necessarily normal, but I never claimed to be normal and prefer to just be me!

Not accepting the first job or jobs that were offered has not been an easy decision for me to make. There is a part of me that feels guilty for not working, but I am trying and will not stop until I have a job that is a good fit. I know there is one out there, but good things take time and I need to learn to be more patient. Patience has never been my strongest quality, but at this point, I do not have a choice but to learn!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I appreciate your continued support and love reading your comments. I will be responding to all comments as quickly as I can. I hope you are having a great and safe week so far and you are looking forward to the upcoming weekend! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

How to overcome Omicron stresses

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No matter what state or country you are living in, we have all been living through the fears of COVID. This has been causing stress and worry for two excruciatingly long years. The isolation, social distancing (which I like), Zoom meetings, concerns about the safety of the vaccines and which one to take, and the wellness of ourselves and our loved ones have been exhausting.

We have already endured several COVID variants before the latest one, Omicron. Obviously, Omicron has come along with various new issues of stress and even more uncertainty. Omicron has created additional levels of fatigue, hopelessness, depression, frustration, and annoyance.

Everyone around the world has watched the previous COVID surges on the news. Sadly, the Omicron variant has ingrained thoughts thought we will never regain a normal life again. The feelings of hope one moment, only to feel hopeless another can cause stress hormones to consume our bodies. This mostly leads to mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion.

Making it past the current surge and any others we may face in the future means protecting your physical and emotional health. The following steps I am going to share with you are a few ways to weather the storm.

Keep everything in perspective

Even though every day feels like Groundhog Day and things we were looking forward to are canceled or postponed due to an increase in infection rates, progress continues to be made daily. Omicron is extremely contagious, but those that are fully vaccinated have caused fewer hospitalizations and deaths than the previous variants. Also, those that are vaccinated and get COVID get much more mild symptoms.

Never stop looking forward

It can be frustrating and disappointing when something we are looking forward to is canceled or postponed, but the one thing the pandemic has taught us all is to be flexible. The truth is, we have all learned that moments of joy make eliminating Omicron crucial, and we are willing to do what it takes. Understanding an attitude of flexibility is critical and helps when we continue scheduling times to celebrate. Being flexible and at peace with acceptance are a necessity until we are past the COVID surges.

Think in smaller steps

It is easy to get caught up in our negative thoughts, such as things are never going to change, everything is so difficult, or I am so overwhelmed. It might be better to focus on the smaller concerns we are having. Once we are feeling more confident with our coping abilities, we can work on the bigger concerns we are experiencing. Maybe instead of trying to plan a get-together with the number of people we once did, try inviting one of two people to an outdoor activity. Most of us are used to Zoom meetings, so maybe connect with your friends in a group Zoom or Facebook call. This allows you to stay connected without the fears of COVID.

Remember self-care

A nice warm bubble bath can help to escape feelings of being anxious and overwhelmed. Taking time for yourself to rest and relax is crucial during these stressful times. You can take 30-45 minutes a day to get lost in one of your favorite books. This would be much-needed time away from hearing anything about the virus. Too much talk and thinking about the virus can create an overwhelming amount of stress and cause other health issues. 

I know things with COVID have been weighing on many minds and it is good to not focus too much on it and let it consume our lives. However, I did feel the information in this post was important and something we all needed to read. I hope everyone is being careful and follow the advice we all heard from the experts. This is NOT a political thing, it is a matter of life and death. I think we have already lost way too many people and it needs to stop. Unfortunately, we all know at least one person that has been sick with COVID and many have lost someone they care about. We need to stand together to put an END to COVID!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you had a nice, relaxing, and safe weekend and you are ready to tackle the week ahead of us. I hope you enjoyed what I have shared with you today and that it was helpful. I do look forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as I can. Please never remember that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Ways to travel safely!

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It had been several years since we have been able to do anything, besides be imprisoned in our house because of COVID. Recently, we were able to get out of our house and the state we live in to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Of course, he loves doing something extremely cold, and I am not that good at, snowboarding. Even though it was cold and a LONG drive, it was fantastic to have a change of scenery and freedom from house arrest (not literally, it is just because of COVID)!

Now one small problem is, what do you do when there is a long drive ahead of you and you despise driving? I never expect my husband to do all the driving on a long drive and will always offer to do some of the driving. Granted, he knows my distaste for driving because I have never hidden that from anyone. I have two reasons for detesting driving. One is driving near the big 18-wheeler trucks is terrifying and the second is it is extremely difficult for me to see at night. My vision causes me to feel worse than a deer in headlights!

As great as it was to be out of our house for the first time in three years, it was concerning due to the increased numbers of COVID. Obviously, being fully vaccinated reduces the risks of getting COVID, but unfortunately, people are still losing their battle with COVID. As resistant as I was to be going anywhere, there are ways to go away safely. I will share with you my ideas for staying safe while traveling during COVID and encourage you to share any thoughts you may have!

First things first, it is crucial to be FULLY vaccinated! I do understand why many are worried about the vaccine because it is still new and was created so quickly. However, to put your fears to rest think about how many people continue to die due to the virus as opposed to how many have died from the vaccine. Allow me to explain the numbers worldwide. As of January 19, 2022, there have been 855,000 deaths due to COVID. There have been three cases in the United States when someone died after getting the vaccine because of blood clots. I guess the truth is you can gamble with your life and not get the vaccine and have a much lesser chance of survival or get the vaccine to increase chances of survival and to avoid getting the virus.

The second thing to be sure to do is, even if you are fully vaccinated be prepared to wear a mask when not in a hotel room.  This is going to sound insane, but social distancing is my favorite thing related to COVID. I have always preferred to keep my distance from others because when someone stands too close to me, I find it to be invasive and suffocating. I say be sure to have your mask with you because many people refuse to wear a mask and or get the vaccine, so you could be the smart one wearing a mask and not getting ill.

The third thing we were sure to do when we entered the hotel room was, spray all surfaces with Lysol. I know there are proper protocols for staff to clean but spraying everything down with Lysol is a way to ensure your safety. If you are planning to spray everything in a small hotel room with Lysol, be sure of the scent because you do not want to spray everything down with something that smells bad.

The other way we stayed safe while on our mini vacation was, we did not go out to eat at a restaurant. It is just as easy to pick up a take-out order and go back to a nice warm and safe hotel room. Yes, you will not have someone waiting on you, but I think it is more important to be safe than be waited on.

I am glad we were able to get away for a few days and I am looking forward to the day we can travel again without being concerned about a deadly virus. I do not believe anyone has the answer to when this will happen, but we all must remain positive and hope for the best when the virus is no longer a threat. I know some people are still hesitant about getting the vaccine but look at how many have already gotten the vaccine and are still alive and nothing changed besides being safe from the deadly virus!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my site today. I hope you found what I have shared about traveling safely helpful and it will be a benefit to you in the future. I hope you are having a great week and staying safe. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Life’s Concerns

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It is no secret that we have not been able to do anything in several years besides be imprisoned in our home because of COVID. Recently, we were able to get out of our house and the states we live in to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Of course, he loves doing something extremely cold, and I am not that good at, snowboarding. Even though it was bitterly cold and a long drive, it was fabulous to have a change in scenery and freedom from our home.

Now, one small problem is, what do you do when there is a long drive ahead and you despise driving? I never expect my husband to do all the driving a long drive and will always offer to do some of the driving. My husband is aware of my distaste for driving and tries to not have me drive much. I have two reasons for detesting driving. Driving near the huge 18-wheeler trucks is terrifying and it is extremely challenging for me to see at night. My vision causes me to feel worse than a deer in headlights.

As wonderful as it was to be out of our house for the first time in three years, it was still a little concerning due to the increased number of COVID cases. Obviously, being fully vaccinated reduces the risks, but even those that are fully vaccinated have been falling ill with COVID. I prefer to not be another COVID number and worst-case scenario in the ICU fighting for my life. We have made it during all these years with COVID not getting sick, even when our family was.

Dealing with extreme temperatures is problematic for me. I know it is because of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My body does not acclimate well or fast. Temperatures are one the enemies for me. With colder weather, we can put on more clothing, but it is still a slow process. Then with hot weather, we cannot take off enough clothing to cool down. I have mentioned previously when I deal with colder temperatures, I have heating pads to help and with hot temperatures, I have cooling products that help some.

There will always be challenges in life and we must find ways to handle them. Life is not going to pause because it gets hard. Somedays, life may seem to be painfully long, but logically it is short. We get one chance at life, so making it the best we can is ideal. We need to fight for what we want in life and never give up and surrender to the challenges.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you are having a good week and enjoyed what I have shared today. I am looking forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as I can. I hope you are doing everything possible to stay safe! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Knowing who is & isn’t a true friend

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To all my amazing longtime followers and those of you visiting for the first time, thank you for reading this slightly different from my other posts. The post you are about to read was built from too much frustration and disappointments I have encountered within the last year or so. Of course, I do not enjoy being negative and writing about negativity, but I do think honesty is better than pretending everything is perfect and nothing bothers me.

I highly doubt I am the first person, the only one to see this, and certainly not the last. It seems anytime something negative enough to completely flip our life upside down and inside out occurs, those we may consider a “friend” show compassion and behaves as though they care about us, and what we are enduring. However, this is always short-lived and then they return to focusing on their #1, themselves. Please let me know what you think about this and if you think I am way off base.

It does not make sense to me, how many of my “friends” called and texted me for days and sometimes multiple times a day when I went through a hard situation. After a few days, it went from one extreme of calling and texting daily and then to the exact opposite, not one word for weeks. I find this type of behavior a little hurtful because friends are “supposed” to be there for one another.

I think it is the way my mind is wired. When someone I care about is going through something challenging, I cannot fake my concerns because they are real. I will call the person to check on them until their suffering improves. No, I do not and will not blow up their phone with calls or texts but will call a few times. I understand that people often need space and time to process difficult situations, but the person needs to know you are there if they need someone to vent to.

I do not think it has ever been easy to know which of our friends are true friends and which are just fake friends. The past two years have been painfully difficult for a few reasons. When I was laid off from my job in December, a few of my “friends” called to make sure I was handling it okay and was not letting stress take control of me and possibly making the Multiple Sclerosis to worsen. I cannot remember the last time I have spoken to any of these people, which is a little upsetting. I honestly have no idea to know who is a real friend who is always present to those who are fake and never present.

COVID has created too many challenges and isolation. Most of us have been trapped at home for two years and that is causing mental instabilities. Many are angry because they are doing what needs to do to end the spread of COVID and others continue refusing the vaccine. Their refusal is allowing COVID to mutate and produce more variants that may be more deadly.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I am looking forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as I can. I hope you have had a nice and safe weekend. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes! 

Always, Alyssa

What our strengths do for us daily

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If there is one thing I have learned in life, especially during the last few years it is we are born with internal strength. There are times we are fighting with a strength we did not realize we had, and it shows itself when needed the most.

Times we lose a loved one that we held dear to our hearts is painful. No matter how much we want to aid in their struggles, we are always left helpless. In 2013, I lost my grandfather who I idolized. Due to his graciousness and selflessness, I was unable to see him in his final days. I understand he did not want me to see him in the ways he was, as he was losing his fight with cancer. All these years later it is still painful, but I can carry his strength and will to fight in my heart.

Of course, it was beyond painful as I held our sweet cat, Chloe, as she took her final breath. We watched her grow and share so much love for almost sixteen years. Seeing the strength and fight she had internally, and refusal to give up was amazing. I believe she waited until she heard me tell her that she did not have to fight anymore, and it was okay to let go. I swear fifteen minutes after those words left my mouth, she listened and let go.

The years of dealing with all the pandemic stress have been exhausting. Many people I know and care about have had COVID, but thankfully are doing well. They are all continuing to take all precautions necessary to avoid getting the virus again. It has not been easy to feel like we have been under intense house arrest for nearly two years, but so far, my husband and I have avoided getting COVID. Missing out on vacations and celebrations out at a restaurant has been slightly depressing, but we view this as our chance for survival. There will be future vacations and celebrations in the years ahead!

As I have explained in a few recent posts, I did not take being laid off well. This was not a life-ending situation, as I am still alive. I continue having a roof over my head and many other blessings life has offered me. Regardless of whether some might think being laid off is not a big deal or not, it was extremely difficult for me to handle. I enjoyed my job because of the clients I worked with. The strength I know I have inside my heart took control of me without me realizing it because I did immediately start applying for jobs after the layoff, which I am assuming was because of my strength and refusing to just give up!

One of the most unexpected and challenging situations I have encountered was being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I was still so young back in early 2013 when the doctor broke the news to me. Living with an unpredictable illness has been terrifying but has also forced me to embrace it because I know the MS is not going away. I believe this is the main reason why I am can roll with the punches in life and normally not miss a beat! I feel it is critical to look at life and any struggles we may deal with but understand that there are many things we do not have control over. When we identify what we cannot control, there is no need to stress about them.

Most recently, I have learned more about someone that has been in my life for years, but I hardly knew this person. My relationship with this person in my adult life began a little rough because I was not understanding or fair. I am thankful that I have had a chance to get to know someone I sort of knew as a child because as an adult I see him in a new light. I see how understanding, caring, kind, accepting, selfless, and giving this person is, and I am glad he is in my life. I am sharing this to help others learn when we give people a chance, they might surprise us and better our life!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed what I have shared with y’all today and I am looking forward to your comments. I promise to respond to all comments as quickly as I can. I hope you have a great day, and your week gets better with each day. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

New Year with BIG Changes

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~Welcome 2022~

Happy New Year y’all! This post is a little later than I had planned for, but I guess better late than never. I hope you had a great and safe New Year’s Eve. I stayed at home and watched the ball drop with my husband and three cats. Nothing exciting, but I do not enjoy large crowds because they make me extremely uncomfortable.

Most of us see the start of a new year as the “magical” time to make changes and transform into an entirely new person. It is something instilled in our mind and mostly due to social standards or views. Changes or improvements do not need to only happen once a year or at any specific time. This is something that we can decide to do or not do. Typically, the motivation we felt when we made our New Year’s resolution wears off fast, the following week we forget all about the resolution.

Whether or not you are looking forward to 2021 ending and ecstatic about the exciting opportunities 2022 has in store for us, it has arrived. Besides all the New Year’s festivities, we think about what our resolutions will be. We may have many passed resolutions we did not achieve. We may begin thinking about everything we feel we need to do, which adds too much pressure and can result in us giving up.

We can learn from the resolutions we made in previous years that did not stick or last through the year. I am hoping that 2022 will be a better year with many positive changes. I am going to share my thoughts on resolutions and some tips on how to follow through with our resolutions.

I am sitting here trying to make sense of how 2021 which was not a great year, passed by so incredibly fast. Of course, I am not complaining because I have been ready to put 2021 in my rearview mirror and NEVER look back. In addition, I also have a strong and tight hold on the hopes for better times in the future. I learned a very valuable lesson a long time ago, which was NEVER say something could not get any worse because things can always get worse. I obtained this knowledge the hard way which created frustration and a massive number of continual disappointments.

It is important to know who you are and what you want in life. There has been research done on the Self-Determination Theory. This theory indicates that feeling capable and competent when reaching our goals, is one of the most substantial reasons for success. Most successful individuals set goals according to their strengths and abilities. What this means is that even though our goals “should” be a challenge, they need to also be with our abilities. Too much pressure will only lead to failure, stead of success because we might not have evaluated things accurately.

Think about a person who says they want to lose 50 pounds within three months and another who says they want to eat healthily and lose 15 pounds in six months. Which one of these individuals and their goals is achievable? Which one of these makes the most sense and can be viewed as with enough effort can be achieved?

Once you set your goal, OWN it. The meaning behind our goals is the key aspect that keeps us pushing forward. Intrinsic goals are the goals that encourage human growth and make a difference in this world.

How many New Year’s resolutions have you made that were small and mild lifestyles changes? If we are being honest, most of the resolutions we have made in previous years ended up being long-term and intimidating. The intimidation fact and time it will take may cause us to give up. If we decide to make a massive resolution and know ahead of time it is going to take more than a few days to complete time and effort to accomplish, we might need to take a hard look and reevaluate. With the challenging resolutions, they might require us to break them down into smaller sections, so it is manageable and remains organized. The chance of success is much will increase massively!

Everything we do in life will include some type of obstacle. Although it might be difficult, we need to try to visualize the obstacles we may face before we even are confronted with the obstacle. This can help us to have a plan in place, so we will not be slowed down too much with achievement and pushing past all obstacles.

I think it is safe to say that everyone has failed with one of their New Year’s resolutions. I do think the two most important tips regarding New Year’s resolutions is if you are going to make one, be realistic and do not go over the top with things that will take months or years. The other key point in my mind is, we can make changes anytime during the year we see fit and we do not have to wait until a new year to start.

I normally do not share what my New Year’s Resolution is because it puts too much pressure on me. This year, I am going to share it because of how much it means to me, and plan to never give up on this. I always try to avoid confrontation because I loathe arguments and will avoid them as much as possible. However, there is going to be a slightly new me in 2022. When I am upset about something, instead of holding it inside to avoid unpleasant conversations with anyone, I am going to be very transparent and upfront with how I feel. I have already implemented this and so far, things are not getting too chaotic. This part kind of goes hand and hand with the first part, but if someone does not bring anything but negative into my life, they are going to have to be eliminated from my life because it is too emotionally draining. I am going to have to You do not have to share, but do you have a resolution for 2022?

Thank you for visiting my site today. Let us all hope that 2022 is going to be a better year than the past several. Hopefully, COVID will also go away, and we will not hear anything more about it. I hope you enjoyed what I have shared and I look forward to reading your comments, which I will respond to as quickly as I can.

Always, Alyssa

Last Monday in 2021

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Today is the last Monday left in 2021. Can you believe it is almost 2022? It surely has been a long and extremely challenging couple of years. There have been a limited number of improvements and or changes, so I am hesitant to be overly hopeful that 2022 is going to be much different than the past few years. If you think about just the last year alone and think about everything that has happened. Yes, there have been some good moments and we need to be thankful for our life. Not to be negative, but does the good and bad experiences in the past year balance each other?

Of course, the issues with COVID are slightly better, safer, but could still be much better. The positive thing is, there has been a decrease in new cases and fewer deaths. There are still breakthrough cases and even though they are mostly unvaccinated, some fully vaccinated people are still getting COVID. Unfortunately, 815,000 people in the United States lost their life to COVID and more than 4 million worldwide lost their life due to COVID. I am fully aware that there are some that will disagree with me on this, but I do strongly feel that if everyone would get fully vaccinated, we as a world, not individual countries would be in a much better and safer place to be in!

This past weekend was Christmas. After last year when we were all encouraged to stay at home, not participate in large gatherings, and basically survive on house arrest without being officially arrested. Living in fear of a deadly virus was exhausting and insanely frustrating. It was hard on me because not too many people understand what it is like to have a weak immune system, so most cannot comprehend why I do not leave my house often and when I do I wear a mask and sanitize everything! I do hope you were able to enjoy a relaxing, safe, and lovely Christmas with your family!

I do believe December has been one of the most difficult months for me. A lot of this has to do with being laid off from my job and searching for a new job. I was working for a mortgage company when I was laid off and I did know it could happen. The crazy thing is even after this not-so-fun experience, I am looking at other mortgage companies. Most people would probably try finding a job in another industry that is more stable, but I worked with mortgages for many years at two different companies. It is just what I know but I enjoyed what I was doing.

I was already aware that I do not do well with not working because I like to stay busy and have a schedule. A lot of people like not working because they have limitless free time, but free time makes me feel like I am losing my mind. I think the reason is that work occupies my mind and prevents me from thinking too hard about other issues in life. 

We have all heard that old saying “When it rains it pours”, right? This could not be truer! My husband and I were on our way home from Christmas dinner, and we had to stop for gas. After my husband filled up the gas tank, he went to start the truck so we could head home, and that darn truck would not start. I am not mechanically inclined, but my husband is so while I went from calm to panic in less than a second, my husband analyzes the possible reasons. I did not know this at the time, but he slides under the truck and hit the fuel pump, got back in the truck, and it started right up. Apparently, I need to get the truck to the shop for a new fuel pump to be installed. Of course, I have to deal with car troubles a little more than two weeks after getting laid off. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit my site today! I know this is not one of my typical Motivation Monday posts, but I had so much the has been crowding my mind I had to get some of my thoughts out. Clearing our minds from unnecessary and increased stress is best for Mental Health. I hope you and your family had an amazing holiday and you are ready to tackle the last week of 2021. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa