Hope is important

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Sadly as a nation of human beings, we have been faced with an immense amount of dismay, uncertainty, and turmoil. It is true some of these challenges began early this year, but others have been going on for far too long. Many changes with the mentality of some need to take place sooner than later and these people need to learn how to accept others regardless of any differences.

In order to manage the stresses relating to the COVID-19, the safety of health and jobs, innocent people being killed by police, riots, and protests occurring across the country, and an increase in hatred, we must find a way to pull together. I feel very passionately that the only way to get through times as difficult as they have been recently, we need to have hope.

Let’s start with this question, what does hope mean to you? Hope is an optimistic state of mind based on one’s expectation of positive outcomes regarding the events and or circumstances in the individual’s life. Hope can help us to handle problems we are faced with a strategic and peaceful mindset that will lead to successful outcomes.

There are numerous reasons holding onto hope is important during normal times, so these reasons could be even more critical during grueling times like we have been dealing with lately.

1. Hope acts as a healer-

Unfortunately, it is unavoidable we will all go through difficult times and get hurt at some point in life. The astounding thing hope offers us is it helps us see there are positive possibilities in our future. Hope can help lift our heads up when we are feeling low because of temporary circumstances.

2. Hope helps behavior and reactions-

When we are able to embrace hope it can offer guidance to help us move forward. Hope can direct us to a better path for our life. Hope can also encourage a peaceful and joyous life for us.

3. Hope motivates-

Hope is a source of energy we need to get up and move forward daily. We are more likely to embrace each day when there is hope for better days ahead of us.

4. Hope promotes self-belief-

Hope helps us to believe better times are near, but it also gives us the belief that we can do something to make those better days happen. We are able to understand the power we hold within us to alter the course we travel in order to get to our destination.

5. Hope can resist negative thoughts-

It isn’t easy to be hopeful when there is a constant flood of negative thoughts in our minds. Of course, as I said in a previous post negative thoughts act as a warning for us. Hope is not able to eliminate negative thoughts immediately, but it can give us the ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel, which challenges those unwanted and unpleasant thoughts. Hope can also remind us things will improve in their own time.

6. Hope welcomes inner peace-

Despair is a feeling that is the direct opposite of hope. Despair breeds nothing but unpleasant feelings, where hope breeds happiness, excitement, joy, and contentment to continue moving forward.

7. Hope is very contagious-

We all want to believe good times will come back around. We all want to trust life will become happy and comfortable again. We all want to be hopeful. We know how quickly fear and negativity can spread; well hope can spread just as quickly.

Life hasn’t been easy for the past few months, but I do believe things will improve if everyone could become more accepting and have empathy for what others are going through. Yes, things with the virus have been difficult and stressful, but we will hopefully be close to change with that issue. The other thing that has been troubling me tremendously is, the innocent man that was killed by a Minneapolis Police Officer. It just isn’t right that some police officers think because they have a gun and a badge they can do whatever they please. Justice and kindness needs to take place immediately.

Thank y’all for visiting my site today. I hope the information I have provided was interesting and even offered y’all some hope for the future. I hope you had a lovely and safe weekend! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

The Bright Side of Negative Feelings

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

We have all heard that there is power in positive thinking, which I have always believed to be true. Even though we need to try finding the positive aspects of most situations we encounter in life, sometimes is still can be nearly impossible to not recognize and acknowledge our negative feelings. Do you think it is possible to maintain a positive mindset most of the time, but that it also isn’t healthy to ignore our negative feelings?

In this post I am going to share with you some critical reasons why we should not ignore our negative feelings when they appear, but instead embrace them.

1. Negative feelings can be viewed as a powerful warning method-

What does our fear do for us? Fear warns us of imminent danger and urges us to take action. Our negative feelings basically do the same and are acting as an alarm that signals possible harm in some form. This hard could be physical, emotional, or mental depending on what is going on in life.

We all pay attention when we feel fear, so why shouldn’t we embrace negative feelings? We should ask ourselves the question, why we are experiencing these negative emotions? Is there something we should be avoiding? Does this mean we should be taking another path in life?

2. Negative feelings are trying to tell us that something is NOT right-

I have just explained how our negative feelings notify us of possible danger, but they also can be warning that something in our life isn’t right. Maybe it is something in our relationship, our career, or something with our health, or even something we continue to put off has issues that we need to address. Often we should not view our negative feelings as merely a nuisance, but more as a good friend that has our best interests in mind.

3. Negative emotions can encourage us to take beneficial actions-

Unfortunately, we have all received bad news that caused us sadness. When this happens, what is the first thing we do? It is human nature to feel down and even feel sorry for ourselves. Instead of ignoring these negative feelings, it might be better to embrace them. Acknowledge the feelings we are experiencing and allow them to help us find a logical solution.

We should not deny or apologize for our negative emotions. Nor should we allow these negative emotions to paralyze us or overwhelm us. We are allowed to feel what we feel, whenever we feel what we feel and never dismiss those emotions. We are feeling how we feel for a reason and maybe we should explore them.

4. Negative feelings allow us to welcome and appreciate the good life has to offer-

How would you feel if everything in life went the same and was predictable? If every moment of our life was always happy and content, there would not be any negative feelings that would make the positive feelings more appreciated when they occur. All of us need to understand that no matter how much pain and distress we may deal with, life will also provide us with happiness and comfort.

5. Negative feelings provide us confirmation of what is important-

A well-founded signal you have come into your core values is when you have negative feelings. Maybe you violated one of your values or you failed to follow through with a promise and you are feeling guilty for this. Negative feelings are commonly a crucial assertion that we are honoring our beliefs, values, and views.

6. Negative feelings invite us to contemplate-

Allowing ourselves to have negative feelings allows us the opportunity to think deeply about things we did not give adequate time to previously. It is possible, we need to consider our health practices or spending habits or maybe something we have continued putting off for a long period, but are all things that need to be dealt with. Embracing and acknowledging our negative feelings may not be easy, but they are needed for our mental, physical, and emotional health.

7. Negative feelings can help protect us when we feel overburden-

Many of us tend to overdo things and push ourselves beyond the limits we are aware of. When we do over extend ourselves, we will hopefully begin feeling negative feelings such as frustration and irritability. These feelings are our body’s way to telling us to start facing ourselves and start limiting the amount of additional commitments we take on. We must listen to our inner voice and pay attention to the warnings our negative feelings are trying to notify us of.

8. Negative feelings offer healing-

We do not need to have thick skin or be referred to as overly sensitive; we just need to take time to heal when someone else causes us pain. If another person does or says something hurtful, it is very common to have negative feelings regarding the situation. Denying our feelings, no matter how negative they maybe will not speed up our healing process. This means it might be beneficial to use those negative feelings to promote our healing and take the time needed to do so without rushing ourselves.

9. Negative feelings will not allow a denial of reality-

It is important we know and understand that denying our feelings will not be a successful way to get over our negative feelings. Pretending something doesn’t bother us will never make that lie be the truth and could end up causing more issues and pain for the future. When something or someone causes us pain, it is perfectly fine to grieve the loss and disappointment. The only true way to get over disappointment and or hurt is the face the problem, mend the wounds, and move on with the life you deserve.

I hope the information in this post was beneficial for you, especially if you are going through a difficult time. It is never easy to face what has caused us pain, but we will be better off in the long run if we do so. I am sure there are several other ways that would be helpful and would love to read any comments you may have. The entire world is dealing with hard times right now and we all need to help and support one another. Until times get a little easier being kind, compassionate, and empathetic to what others are dealing is extremely important. I also wanted to say, please do not take this post as a negative, but to just say it is okay to have negative feelings because we are only human!

Thank you so much for visiting my site today. I hope you had a lovely week and you will enjoy a safe and happy weekend! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Open letter to the president, vice president & other leaders

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

This post is my open letter to the current president, vice president, and other leaders. I am sorry in advance if what I have stated creates any ill feelings, but this is the way I feel about things.

To the president, vice president, and others in power,

While the world has been under attack from a deadly virus, shouldn’t you be protecting and defending the country and people you represent? Are you unable to see the damage you are doing daily? You were made aware of the virus that has caused extensive turmoil long before you bothered to act on it. We have all been terrified of this virus and those, like myself with a compromised immune system have lived in fear for months.

How long did you say COVID-19 was a democratic hoax or not all that serious? You tried blaming everyone but the person you have to see in the mirror every day. Do you think if you acted like a president, a real leader sooner, lives could have been saved? Instead of thinking of your presidential duties as a TV show, you should be thinking of the lives you have endangered. Instead of leaning on Twitter and calling journalist fake news, you should be behaving in a much more mature manner instead of the childish ways you are.

Three and a half years into you being the president of the United States, you still feel threatened by our previous president. You are even trying to blame your failures on him and why? Obama was not perfect, but he did care more about American lives that you ever have.

I am not saying things would have been drastically different if only you acted on the information you were provided because we will never know now. It is obvious you somehow have supporters and those people listen and believe your lies. Too many followed your idea about ingesting disinfectants, which cause chaos. The people that believe what comes out of your mouth isn’t necessarily your fault, they are just ignorant and unable to think for themselves.

What I would like to ask of you is to please start thinking about the millions of people you represent. Start putting our needs above your egotistical mindset. You are currently the president of the most powerful country in the world, so start acting like it. Yes, COVID-19 did begin in China and yet the numbers of cases and deaths in the United States are higher than any other country in the world because of you. We are not able to go back in time to repair the numerous disturbances and lives destroyed because of your inability to act as you care about anyone besides yourself. You can start today treating people like they matter. You can start to have respect for journalists that are just doing their job. You can start being a president!

Thank you for visiting my site today and reading my extremely frustrated letter to those in power. Again, I am sorry if anything I wrote offended you. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and if you do feel the president is doing well for the people and country that is your choice and I can respect that. I only hope you can respect my feelings and thoughts on how much damage has happened to the country and how many lives were impacted by things not be handled immediately. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

All we can learn from cats…

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

My husband and I have had one of our precious cats, Chloe, for almost 15 years. It is so hard to believe our sweet little girl is going to be 15 in June. Chloe has brought us so much happiness, laughter, and love . As a kitten, Chloe would climb the artificial tree we had in our apartment. She has always been an indoor cat, so she has never had an opportunity to climb a real tree which is good because I do not think she ever came down from the artificial tree on her own. She has always been a rather small cat and in recent years continues being tiny partially due to having early-stage kidney disease.

After Chloe was an only child for many years and my husband’s grandmother on his father’s side passed away, we took in his late grandmother’s cat . I had always wanted Chloe to have a playmate, so we had two female cats and my poor husband was outnumbered by women! Unfortunately, we were unsure of his grandmother’s cat’s name but kept calling her “little grey” because she was a sweet little grey cat. We did end up changing her name to Lexi, for her official name. Her name was inspired by the TV show “Grey’s Anatomy”. Lexi was very unique and loving in her ways. Chloe and Lexi did not play with each other much but they seemed to have an understanding and were often seen napping close together . Lexi brought us so much joy in the 5 or so years we had her. Sadly, our sweet Lexi had cancer that took her from us way too soon.

The loss of Lexi was heartbreaking for the three of us. It was terribly sad seeing Chloe continue to look for Lexi. We did everything we could to keep her as comfortable as possible by feeding her through a syringe, blankets around the house for her to rest on, and lots of love. The night before Lexi passed away, I was up with her all night. She must have cried every hour on the hour and I tried consoling her best I could. I had to work the following day and went to work on no sleep at all. When I called home to check in on her, my husband told me she wasn’t doing well and had shallow breathing. I immediately explained to my boss what was going on and that I had to leave. I called the veterinary while I raced home and explained what was going on and that I had to change the appointment we had scheduled for the next day to put her to sleep within the next hour. It was a rainy day, but I drove as fast as I could to get home. Unfortunately, I did not make it home in time and she was already gone when I walked in the door.

After losing Lexi, I told my husband I could never have another cat because it is too upsetting when anything happens to them. Funny thing it wasn’t even a year later when my mother-in-law called to tell us about a Himalayan cat that was in a foster home because his owner passed away and he needed a good home. I wasn’t as excited as I should have been because there was no replacing Lexi, but we did go see the orphan cat. My husband and I immediately fell in love with the sweet and beautiful little boy. It was impossible to not love this cat because even though he was scared, he was so sweet! We ended up going home to talk and think about it but went back the following day to bring him home with us.

We introduced Chloe and her new brother, Sundance (he came with the name, his previous owner was an artist and had a unique style) slowly. Sundance stayed in our guest room for a few days so the two could get used to the smell of each other through the closed door. Of course, Chloe was used to Lexi, but we did not want Chloe and Sundance to fight. Sundance did come from a home with other cats and took well to Chloe instantly. Anytime Chloe would act irritable and swing her little paw at him, Sundance would surrender and roll over onto his back. Chloe and Sundance are now inseparable . If you see one of them, it is guaranteed the other is close by!

There is so much we can learn from cats. For starters cats, especially our two amazing cats, share such unconditional love . They are completely non-judgmental and never judge someone based on petty things humans form opinions based on. There will never be a cat that will automatically dislike someone based on the color of their skin, national origin, religious beliefs, or sexual preference. I can’t say an animal would not dislike someone based on their sex though. Our sweet Sundance loves my husband now, but it took time because he seems afraid of all other men.

We can learn to relax more than we do now and even take random naps when we can. I can speak only from our two cats that choose various and sometimes unusual places they find comfortable to rest in. Like my husband, cats are nocturnal creatures. They are very active during the night and can sleep soundly during the daytime hours. I am the direct opposite of my husband and cats, but everything works beautifully for us!

Even though Chloe and Sundance have a ton of toys they love empty boxes. Currently, we have a rather large and long box they enjoy playing hide and seek. The first time I witnessed their game Chloe’s attention was fixated on a small opening and then proceeded to bat at it, then Sundance came flying out. Being able to enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer us is a wonderful thing we can learn from cats!

Beginning almost immediately, kittens do not require to be taught self-love because they already completely and fully love themselves. In many ways kittens are similar to human children, they both love what they find fun and gives them positive feelings. Children and kittens can be incredibly tenacious and slightly demanding (unless they are my very demanding cats!) until they get what they want. With their incessant determination and persistence, Chloe and Sundance would be brilliant salesmen!

I think everyone could learn about self-love from cats. The love a cat has for themselves is a lifetime devotion they are always true to. If you have ever been around a cat, even for only 10 minutes, you have witnessed how much pride they take in grooming and bathing themselves. Our older cat, Chloe, cleans and grooms herself many times throughout the day. Sundance, our younger cat not only keeps himself nice and clean but also enjoys bathing Chloe, which she tolerates for a little while until she has had enough. She does tell him the first few times to stop in a nice kitty way, but if he doesn’t stop she hits multiple times and he runs off.

Cats tend to live a free and candid life. They can go from sleeping to playing in less than 10 seconds. Cats do not play out their days and respond in a way that feels right at any given time, which can range anywhere from exploring the unknown to attacking the first toy they see and anything in between.

My husband and I treat our two cats very well and we consider them part of our family. We do not and will not have human children, but we do love and treat our cats as our children . Our cats are very spoiled and are never left without anything they want or need. Both of our cats have health conditions, as I said earlier Chloe has early-stage kidney disease and Sundance has asthma. I never knew that animals can pretty much get anything humans can. Between special kidney food for Chloe and the medications for Sundance, they are not cheap. Chloe and Sundance amaze me every day because I can see the love in their eyes when they look at me or my husband. Anyone that says cats do not hold a grudge has obviously never met Chloe because if I ever do something, either unintentional or intentionally it could be a few hours later, but she will get her revenge.

Thank you for visiting my site today! I hope you enjoyed the information provided and of course the fabulous pictures of my two cats! They loved helping me write this post, but they would like to take full credit for every word! I would love to know what you thought about what we can learn from a cat and promise to respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

All one comment….

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

I find it amazing how a person can make what to them might be a simple comment, but the person hearing the words perceives it as one of the most remarkable compliments they have heard in a while. Today, I was messaging back and forth with my father. Indeed, my father and I do not talk much, but we have been messaging each other more often lately. Anyways, the words I read made me cry and not tears of sadness, but tears of pure joy. My father told me I get my temper, sense of humor (which at times might more of a sick sense of humor), my caring heart, and love for writing from my late grandfather, Poppy.

I think I have made it perfectly clear before that I completely and totally idolized my Poppy. He was a man with a heart and saw everyone equally. I don’t think this man knew hate of any kind. I think it is safe to say that in my eyes he could do NO wrong and pretty much hung the moon and stars.

All these years later, I can still remember being in the car with him and listening to him sing. There was a song that I loved hearing him sing. Of course, that song isn’t the same type of music I listen to normally, but it serves as a nice reminder of him. The song is, “Seven Spanish Angels”, by Ray Charles and Willie Nelson. Now days if I hear this song, within the first two seconds I am in tears because I still can hear my Poppy singing the song.

Just knowing that some of who I am today is a result of someone I still love so much and idolize means more than words can ever begin to describe. I feel confident saying that anyone privileged enough to know my Poppy, would agree with me when I say he was one of the most caring, gracious, humble, generous, charismatic, thoughtful, dedicated, amazing, and loving people that has ever walked this earth. I know there are several other great ways to describe my Poppy, but I do not believe there is enough paper in the world to cover all the ways.

I will never forget the day, September 9, 2013, when I received the call from my uncle. Through no fault of his own, until this say he was my favorite uncle, called to tell me that my Poppy had passed away. For a moment, all the air was completely sucked out of me. People were walking past me happily talking on their cellphone as if nothing had changed and their world was still spinning fine, when mine had just come to an incredibly abrupt stop. Through heartbreak and tears I kindly asked if anyone had notified my father yet. When he said my father was not contacted yet, I offered to be the one to call him.

At this point, it has been a little while since I had spoken to my father because of hurt and anger for missing my wedding. It was not ever going to be an easy conversation, but I wanted him to hear the devastating news from someone kind and emotional, not from social media. I did not think the loss of someone as special as my Poppy should ever hit social media first. I don’t know if this was with the help of the newest angel in Heaven or not, but while I was telling my father what happened he was also seeing it on Facebook. The picture above is many years old of my Poppy, father, and myself.

My beloved, strong, courageous, compassionate, and sarcastic Poppy fought against prostate cancer for too many months for a man as wonderful as him, but he did so with determination. During his battle he never once uttered the words, “Why me?”, instead he was thankful for his family, friends, other golf enthusiasts and colleagues at Country Club he spent decades at. This was a man that only counted his blessings in life and viewed the difficult times as a challenge, not a failure.

Another comment my father made today was anytime I question myself, all I needed to do is look towards my husband and know he loves me more than anyone else could. I know he said this was because I was uncertain about myself because I know I am sometimes not easy to deal with. The reason I can be difficult is because I never give up on something I believe strongly in. I will argue my point endlessly and never once change my mind. I know this can be frustrating for some people, but anyone that really knows, understands, and loves me, fully knows how to deal with my incredibly stubborn ways. I also tend to become overly passionate when I feel someone has been mistreated and will not give up until the person is treated better and receives a proper apology that they accept. I guess maybe that is another trait I get from my Poppy!

The hard truth is, I never got the chance to say, “Good bye or see you later” to my Poppy . I guess not many people ever do get that kind of chance and there is never a good time to lose someone you care so deeply for, but it sadly happens. I am not even sure my Poppy knows how much I love him or how much I treasured him. To this day I still look up to him and hope that I am making him proud of me. During the difficult and painful times in my life, I still talk to him and must believe he is watching over me. Shortly after he passed away and I was back at work, I would sit outside for lunch and I swear the same butterfly flew around me each day. I think that butterfly was my dear sweet Poppy letting me know he was okay and I would be as well. These days anytime I am having a hard time in life and see a butterfly, I think it is my Poppy checking on me. He is always in my heart, mind, and soul silently reminding me he will always be by my side.

This post was heavily influenced by the comments my father made to me today. I thought it was good enough to share the overwhelming feelings I had and wanted to know if anything like this has happened to you. Sometimes, people can say one small thing to you during hard times and it can make an enormous difference. I guess this is why I have said several times before everything we say and do can affect another person in ways we would never have thought of. Sometimes, words that seem insignificant are the words that mean everything to someone else.

I would really love to be able to read of a time you have experienced something like this. Any small words you heard or read that made you smile and actually made your day! I also want to thank you for visiting my site today and reading this very emotional post. I honestly did not make it until the end without many tears. I hope your week is going well and you are feeling the best you possibly can. Whatever you do for the rest of the week, please do all you can to stay safe. This virus has not let up yet and can still be very dangerous. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Lessons Learned From The Pandemic

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Isn’t it amazing how fast and how much a commonly used word such as “normal” can change meaning and our lives? Before the pandemic that not only took so many innocent lives and torn families apart, but also impacted most everyone else’s life to a lesser degree.

COVID-19 challenged the world with social distancing and “stay at home” orders blanketing countries. All of these changes created difficult times for working people due to companies closing their doors temporarily and schools closing until next year. There have been so many changes we have been forced to adapt to in a short amount of time and none of this has been easy for anyone.

People were used to going to a grocery store to buy food for their families, but were no longer able to because their company shut down and they were not receiving a paycheck. These issued caused many to resort to waiting in lines at food banks. During the month of April, there were an estimated 17 million people would face hunger challenges. Food banks had a huge increase in demands causing them to ration foods and possibly face shortages. I do not understand how the United States being one of the world’s wealthiest countries in the world could ever have people go hungry and or homeless.

Even though there has not been much of a decrease in the new cases or fatalities and there is not a vaccine for COVID-19, many states are lifting restrictions and moving closer to reopening. Of course, many people that believe reopening states is a good idea, there are some that have fear with these plans.

Many people have accepted the new normal when leaving their homes to be armed with gloves and mask. Some people have been fortunate enough to keep their jobs have the option to work from home. Unfortunately, other people were not given the opportunity to work from home so they could still be earning a living.

As many people will be heading back to what was once normal working conditions, experts have made a few predictions on the ways COVID-19 has already transformed the way we work, potentially until the day we retire.

Some people will not return to an office

Options for working from home began to increase significantly between 2005 and 2017, long before we knew anything about COVID-19. During the time frame of 2005 and 2017, the United States saw a 159% increase in remote working. Individuals were proving their capabilities to work from home and continue to be productive. While we went through the pandemic and companies began having their employees work from home, no one wants to return to their typical work environments when the pandemic finally come to an end.

Until we have vaccines available for COVID-19, returning to the “normal” work environments can have a potential to create another escalation of COVID-19 cases.

The president from the Global Workplace Analytics is predicting that 30% of workers that were granted privileges to work from home would much prefer to continue to work from home once the pandemic finally ends. It is also predicted there being financial incentives for companies to cut costs with eliminating office leases and utilities by allowing employees to continue working from home.

Companies will count on staggering schedules for any onsite workers

As companies begin to reopen it is understood there are continued dangers for COVID-19. Congested and overcrowded workspaces can create contagion breeding ground that exposes many people to this deadly virus. Many companies will implement staggered schedules to have less crowding and assist in keeping workers safer.

The pattern of fewer workers being crammed into work spaces, instead of 100% of onsite workers will become the new norm long-term.

Open floor plans will come to an end

The open floor plans have been criticized long before the pandemic. This open floor plan option was first designed by prison designs and later company executives thought it would be useful for their company. The executives believed cubicles and private offices were too closed off and not welcoming and open floor plans were much friendlier. The open floor plans created clutter and forced employees to be too close to one another.

Business travel will become less frequent

During the years before the pandemic, approximately 62% of American workers were required to travel to another state for work. This meant that 1.1 million people travelled daily. As so many have been working remotely, it was found that we did not need face to face meetings because it was easy to have video meetings. The ability to have meetings virtually accomplished the same goals and also allowed additional work to be handled instead of driving to different locations just for a meeting.

Millennial designs

Giving the office a slight facelift could mean spending less than $200 on custom designs and more likely meaning investing in germ discouraging features. Somethings that would be beneficial may include better quality air filters, hard seat surfaces, and possibly UV lighting to help disinfect meeting locations.

Social responsibility among companies will strengthen

Hopefully, one lesion we have all learned during the pandemic is we are indisputably connected together as a society. For us to continue operations after the pandemic comes to an end, companies must understand honorable and ethical responsibilities they have for their employees, but humanity as an entirety. A crisis like the one we have been dealing with is forcing organizations devoting more to the common good.

Create an understanding that work and life exists in unrelated realms

The pandemic had profound impacts on future work having undeniably been demolishing the thoughts of work-life balance. The argument regarding work life balance indicting that the two existed on opposite ends of the same pole with very little overlap was set to protect workers from challenging jobs. The expectations being perfectly fine for work life to intrude on one’s personal life was noticed for working parents during all we have been dealing with lately.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope the information provided in this post was helpful for you. It is also my hope y’all are staying as safe as possible because unfortunately, we are not out of the woods with this virus. I would love to read your thoughts on what I have shared and I do promise to respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Motivational Monday

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Happy Monday y’all! I hope you were able to enjoy your weekend, but more importantly I hope you stayed as safe as possible over the weekend! Thankfully, my husband went with me to the grocery store, which was very helpful given we bought a ton of food! We were trying to shop for two weeks and I think we might have managed this. We definitely spent enough, so it should last us at least two weeks. Of course, we both wore a mask and gloves to be as protected as we possibly could.

The funny thing was, Saturday was the first day in a while that I actually did my hair and makeup. The sad part of Saturday was an awful video we watched online from CNN. Of course, it was heartbreaking and made me cry the makeup I just applied off. A young mother Katie Coelho of two in CT, lost her husband Jonathan to COVID-19. Katie’s story is powerful and I am attaching the link to the family’s Go Fund Me page for you to visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/vbe3b-covid19-relief, and if you are able to help at all, I know she will appreciate it. I have never met Katie, but listening to her talk about her husband was very touching.

On a different note, I do have a quote to share for Motivational Monday. I do hope you will find this quote motivating and it will help start your week off the best way possible. I would love to read your thoughts on this quote and if it offered you any motivation.

I know I have said this multiple times already, but I do think it is extremely important. If the state you live in has opened and ended restrictions, it is better safer than sorry to continue with good hand hygiene and social distancing. Think about how lucky we are to have our health and loved ones, but also remember all the innocent lives that were taken because of COVID-19 and how much families would love to still have those they held closest to them around for many more years.

Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Staying sane during insane times

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Never in a million years did I ever think we would be going through a pandemic in 2020. I can’t seem to be able to wrap my mind around how many people, young and old have died because of something that was so incredibly unforeseen. How does something this deadly even come into existence? Was this manmade and created in a laboratory? And if so, was it released purposefully or accidentally? Was this meant to kill people all around the world? There are so many unanswered questions in the minds of many around the world and I believe it is during these tragic times we all need to work together through these terrifying days.

The last time there was a deadly global pandemic was the Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 H1N1 virus and was between 1918 and 1920. The Spanish flu was first identified in the United State in the spring of 1918 in military personnel. It was estimated that approximately 500 million people and accounts for one-third of the world’s population had been infected. The CDC estimated that 50 million people died from this virus worldwide with 675,000 occurring in the United States.

With the Spanish flu, the mortality rate was higher in people younger than 5 years old, between 20 and 40 years old, and those 65 years and older. High mortality among healthy people, between 20 and 40 years old was a distinctive feature of this pandemic. This virus was synthesized and evaluated; the properties it was made up with were very devastating and not well understood. Unfortunately, there was not a vaccine to protect people from the virus and no antibodies to treat secondary bacterial infections associated with influenza infection. There were limited ways to control this virus, such as isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, utilizing disinfectants, and limiting public gatherings.

It is mind-blowing, 102 years after the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50 million people globally that we are facing another lethal pandemic. According to the Worldometer, as of today, there have been 2,906,751 confirmed cases worldwide and 206,669 deaths in 210 countries and territories due to COVID-19. We have only been aware of how detrimental this virus is before about 3 months, but truthfully it started in late 2019 in Wuhan, China.

The stresses and rational concerns we are all coping with can be overwhelming. The stresses can include, but isn’t limited to:

Uneasiness and distress of your health and the health of loved ones
Sleep disturbances or eating patterns
Complications concentrating
Declining of chronic and mental health conditions
Escalated use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs

The good news is there are numerous ways we can control the amount of stress we are feeling. Of course, everyone responds, feels, and copes with stress in different ways, but I do hope the ways to cope with the stress I am going to share will be beneficial for you:

Constantly watching or reading about the pandemic can be very disturbing, so the mind should take breaks from all of it. The continuous devastatingly heartbreaking information we are hearing and reading can take a massive toll on us, but we do have the ability to control this.
Don’t forget to take care of your body. A few examples to care for your body are:

Stretch daily, do deep breathing exercises or meditate
Get plenty of sleep
Develop a regular exercise regimen
Avoid alcohol and drugs, they will only create more issues causing stress

Remember to take time to unwind. Attempt doing other activities you find enjoyable.
Find alternate ways to connect with others, while we are still maintaining social distancing. Discuss the concerns you have with people you are comfortable confiding in.

Many people around the world are feeling extreme levels of stress and uncertainty at this moment. As we try to maintain some sense of normalcy in our lives, we also need to understand how staying optimistic will help our mental health and immune system stay as strong as it can. Even if where you live ends restrictions staying home if you feel unwell and continuing social distancing should remain in effect until there are far fewer cases and fatalities.

Over the years, many studies have provided an interconnection between good overall health and optimism. Of course, some skeptics that would prefer to argue that it is more an individual’s good health that makes them positive instead of vice versa. Regardless if the studies are correct or not, it is not a far-fetched thought to say optimistic people are generally happier than pessimistic people.

Whether you are an optimistic person or a pessimistic person, I am going to share a few simple ideas that may help improves your positive outlooks!

Implement gratefulness. During times when life seems desolated, there are still many things we should be grateful for. Trying starting a gratefulness journal. Acknowledge both notable and small items you are thankful for. Include as much detail into this practice as you can. Important things could be your home, family, and friends, the ability to provide food for yourself and family, and any other things that are necessities. The smaller things might be simple short-lived pleasures such as a good book, a calming warm bath, or a hot cup of coffee or tea.
Create a positive routine that you begin your day with. Even once we make it through this crisis that has plagued our lives for months now, morning routines are vital! It is best to not immediately check the news when you wake up; the news isn’t going anywhere and will still be available to view once you have had time to center yourself. It is astonishing how much a simple morning smile can begin your day off on a positive note.
Slow down. Many of us are always in a huge rush to do things, which includes jumping to conclusions with information we heard on the news. There are some positive aspects of being isolated in our homes, it does allow us the ability to pace ourselves and not dwell on our anxieties caused by the pandemic. Focusing on things that are surrounding us in the present moment can be beneficial. Turn down the volume of our thoughts relating to stress and pay closer attention to our inner voices.
Relax your entire body. Pay very close attention to your muscles, if you begin feeling your shoulders and or jaw tensing, take slow deep breaths and relax. Be aware of your muscles from head to toe and your breathing during the day, which will also assist with your mindfulness.
Ensure that exercise is a part of your daily routine. If you are already an active person, you have probably already made adjustments to your workouts being at home instead of a gym. If however, you are not very active, try to incorporate some form of exercise into your life. Exercising can be beneficial both physically and mentally because it releases endorphins that target the feelings of positivity.
Initiate and encourage a digital community. We all should be continuing to practice social distancing, but that does not mean we are not able to stay in touch with family and friends. Modern technology has given ways for video calls; group chats, and even allows us access to virtual parties and concerts, which are all amazing options. I had my first ever virtual call on Wednesday with my doctor’s office, which I could to be a fabulous way to communicate with the Nurse Practitioner without subjecting myself to possibly being exposed to COVID-19. During these times of massive uncertainty, it is crucial to know some of our friends and family members are dealing with the same stresses we are and maybe we could offer one another some positivity.
Utilize diaphragmatic breathing, which will assist in strengthening an important muscle that helps us breathe, our diaphragm. You can also begin to include meditation into your life and doing multiple short mindfulness exercises throughout the day. A useful pattern to begin your day with is gratefulness meditation, and then incorporates a breathing exercise halfway through your day, and sleep meditation at bedtime. If you would like to read some great meditation examples, I encourage you to visit Bella’s website https://thoughtsnlifeblog.com/, she gives some fabulous and extremely helpful advice. Diaphragmatic breathing also has other benefits including lowering stress hormones and your heart rate and helps you to relax.
Embrace humor and laughter in your life daily. We have all probably heard that laughter can be the best medicine, so it would make perfect sense why this is extremely important. The ability to find humor daily can improve your positiveness and benefit from a more optimistic nature. There have been several studies confirming the short-term and long-term benefits of laughter on the mind and body. The benefits include stimulating our organs, lessening stress levels, enhancing blood circulation, building up our immune system, and alleviating physical pains we may have.
Avoid or at least walk away from distressing discussions and situations. Due to the fears involved with the pandemic, everyone is very well aware of; massive amounts of stress are also a strong possibility. During these times it can be easy to be pulled into pessimistic interactions which can intensify how we were already feeling. We can also become obsessed with the news, which alone can create overwhelming levels of panic. It is important to be aware and knowledgeable about what is happening in the world, it is also crucial to have a healthy balance between the amount of news we are taking in and a daily routine in efforts to maintain our mental health.
Hold onto faith. This does not necessarily have anything to do with religion, but if you are religious you might be able to gain strength and optimism from your beliefs. When I stated hold onto faith, I am suggesting your faith in humanity, science, medical professionals, and the good in mankind. It’s about maintaining faith in our resilience, kindness, empathy, commitment, and the desire for a good healthy life for all.

We were all leading the life we yearned for before the pandemic and there is no reason we can’t get back to that point in time. It is going to require patience, persistence, and a great deal of resilience. I do think it is also best, regardless of what the governor of your state or president says, to avoid gatherings of too many people, practice good hand-washing, and definitely social distancing.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope the information provided was helpful to you and your family. I would love to read your thoughts on all of this and promise to respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

What do you think?

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

We have all heard the president of the United States and many of the southern states want to open. The president seems to think that if he can open the economy, it would be the best decision for the country. There have even been many protests throughout the country of people wanting to get back to work and they think allowing everything to open as normal they would be able to care for their families. Is it really a good idea to open everything up as it was before COVID-19, even when the number of new cases and fatalities isn’t slowing down?

It is just my personal opinion if states are to open before we have the proper number of tests available to everyone and the numbers only continue to raise it gives a false sense of security. When we are given a false sense of security in a matter of months there will be a massive number of new cases and even more deaths.

One good thing I did read today was that all schools in South Carolina will not reopen until the fall. At least children will not be going to school where they can interact with other kids that may be infected with COVID-19. Children being around others that have the virus would only increase the risks of parents and grandparents becoming infected as well and for the grandparents, it is very risky.

If y’all have been following the news you have seen how many innocent people lost their lives because of the virus. At the beginning of this pandemic, we were told that the elderly were at higher risk of the virus taking their life, but that was not true. Unfortunately, there have also been many young healthy people that lost their lives as well. It is very clear and sad that this virus can end the life of anyone. I guess you can say the virus does not discriminate.

Even though some states are lifting some restrictions, I think it would be wise if everyone maintains social distancing. I also think it would be better if everyone continued to wear masks when going out of the safety of your home. I know uncomfortable wearing a mask can be, but isn’t it better to be uncomfortable and alive?

I know I kind of went off on a rant about COVID-19, but what do you think about everything we have been dealing with for many weeks now? Do you think opening the country up is a good idea? What do you think is more important the lives of human beings or the economy? I am sure you can guess that I think human life is way more important than the economy. I mean the economy won’t do well if people continue to die, right?

Thank you for visiting my site today. I am looking forward to reading your thoughts on what I have written. We are all entitled to our opinions, so I promise to not be offended if you disagree with me and would love to understand your thought processes. I hope your week is going well so far and you are feeling the best you can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Faith in humanity

Posted on April 10, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

Our world has been suffering for an incredibly long time. There has been abundance in the amount of hatred and deceit around the world. A huge part of our problems stems from our government officials not understanding what honesty means. As we continue struggling with this deadly pandemic, we all need and deserve honesty, compassion, sympathy, and empathy from those with in power.

During the past several years, the strong faith I had for humanity has been tested. I always wanted to see the good in everyone and was able to look past their flaws. Sadly, finding the good in people and the world we are living in has become challenging and sometimes nearly impossible.

My faith in humanity became so feeble; I had to look up the meaning. I thought that maybe I had been confused about the meaning because there was NO way something could change so drastically and so quickly. The easy way to define humanity is, it’s the human race, including everyone here on earth. Humanity does not separate individuals for race, color of their skin, ethnicity, and sexual preference, religious belief, or anything else people base their judgments on. Humanity is also the word for the qualities we have.

It turns out I was not confused about what humanity means. I am proud to be the type of person that can get along with anyone and never will make an ignorant judgement of another individual. My entire life I saw each person I came in contact with an as equal.

Obviously, I completely understand what humanity is, so why has my faith in humanity become imperceptible? This is the million-dollar question that I am trying to uncover. The very unfortunate truth is there could be several reasons or a mixture of reasons that have caused my faith in humanity to be diminished. I am going to provide a few examples that will hopefully keep you alert of possibly losing faith in humanity.

I do not mean for this to sound negative, but anytime we hear anything on the news, it is never positive and happy events, instead it is typically heartbreaking. For the past several weeks all we hear about is either new cases of COVID-19, fatalities from COVID-19, childlike politicians blaming anyone besides themselves for what the world faces, and or snarky comments towards someone with different views. I know it is important to be knowledgeable about what is going around the world we live in together, but it can bring a great deal of overwhelming negativity in our lives, which can be nearly impossible to process and cope with.

When an individual witnesses brutality or cruel actions towards another person, animal, or the planet we live in, our brains can’t process such horrific events and it triggers emotions that all humans are immoral, malicious, and despicable.

During times when our world is turned upside down by a family member, friend, or romantic partner, our fundamentals and views of people can become distorted. It can be challenging to handle being abused (physically, emotionally, or sexually), manipulated or deceived by someone close to us. It is normal to struggle having any faith in humanity if we are treated badly by someone we can deeply for and at one point had respect for the person.

Once we are let down by the government or an organization that was meant to protect us and then we only hear lies when they speak. How are we supposed to trust and have faith in any part of humanity?

Unfortunately, there are many scam artists in the world looking to make money from our struggles. Once you have dealt with being a victim to such an awful thing, naturally it can be difficult to trust again.

Most of us have probably experienced being disrespected and some of us have been discriminated against. Personally, I have dealt with both and I can say being discriminated against because of my health issues was extremely hurtful. Whether you are being discriminated against or disrespected, they both can make you question trust and humanity.

There are four main emotions you might feel when you are losing your faith in humanity, which may include but is not limited to the following.

Hopeless- Your hope for the future might be a little unstable and it is hard to find anything positive.
Anger- It is completely normal for frustration to contribute and lead to extreme anger.
Sense of not belonging- When questioning your faith in humanity, you might start feeling like an outsider because you think society is in nothing but mayhem.
Yearn for change- While you have been dealing with your lost faith, you could develop a desire to make changes to your own life and the world.

I have discovered seven ways to help restore faith in humanity, but you might already the ways that worked for you and if you have I would love to know what process worked for you.

Treat others the same way you want to be treated. We obviously have no control over what goes on in the outside world, but can control the way we respond and react to situations.
Actively search for good news
Do not share negativity on social media, there is already enough negative we see daily to fill the Grand Canyons.
Spend time with children- Children do not focus or even pay attention to negativity. It might be refreshing to see how the cynical world looks through the eyes of an innocent child.
Volunteer- Aspiring to help others struggling with their issues in life may give us a new perspective on our own lives
Focus on gratitude- It might be helpful to write these ideas down in a gratitude journal
Be more trusting- Slowly build your trust, but remember to take your time

I hope y’all had a great week and you are feeling the best you can. I want to thank you for visiting my site today and I would love to read your thoughts on this post. I hope you are able to have an enjoyable weekend and of course stay safe! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Fightmsdaily

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Faith in humanity