The Voice of Southwest Louisiana January 2019 Issue

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Peace from Pieces By Carra Sergeant, Ph. D.; LPC-S Licensed Professional Counselor I HOPE YOU DANCE: Choosing Joy in the Journey The holiday season is over and another Christmas is in the books. Welcome to 2019. Please know that it is my sincere wish for all of you to have a safe, happy, and healthy new year. The beginning of a new year is traditionally the golden time to turn a page, change your direction, make a new plan, or simply tweak your life. Whatever changes this year brings, you may find a way to choose joy in your journey. Life is too short to delay our happiness and joy. Notice that I said happiness AND joy – because those are not interchangeable words. Happiness generally comes from an external source such as material things and once these things lose their value, poof…your happiness is gone. Joy, however, is who you are in your soul. It’s what radiates from you when your heart is filled with hope and faith. It is what allows you to connect deeply and lovingly with others. We deserve to experience joy and in order to receive that joy, we need to believe that we are worthy and deserving NOW! One thing I have learned in my 60+ years, is that joy is about owning who I am, not who I should be. It’s about owning what I have done or have not done, not what I should have, or should not have, done. It’s about accepting where I am in life now, not where I think I should have been by now. It’s about showing up and being present, EVERY DAY, in my life as it is right now in this moment, because if I wait, it will be too late and I will have missed the chance to experience true joy. The things we gather throughout our lifetime - the degrees, the jobs, the cars, the money, - are all just trinkets collected in memorium of “points of destination” within our journey. As soon as we get one trinket, we move on to get the next one and the next one and on and on. All of these “souvenirs,” bundled together, serve as tangible proof of each destination we visited on the journey that is our life. Here’s the rub: if we get too focused on the memorabilia, the trinkets, and the things, then we lose sight of the EXPERIENCE, and guess what? The REAL joy is found in the experience….NOT IN THE STUFF. As we get older, we eventually stop collecting memorabilia at every point of destination. This does not mean that the journey ends there, because, in truth, the journey does not end until life does. Please understand, I am not saying that we can be happy all the time because that is not realistic. Life just sucks sometimes. Pain is a natural part of the journey, but even in those hard times, joy is found in keeping an eye towards positive progress. A mindset of “it will get better,” provides the sense of optimism that helps point you back towards the “finding joy” momentum more quickly. Some studies have shown that a toddler will laugh an average of 200 times a day. By the time he becomes an adult, however, he will only crack a smile 6 – 10 times a day. Life can sometimes just mow you down. Here are some concrete steps you can take to help you start learning how to find joy in your journey: •• Stay focused on the progress you have made. Treat yourself with grace and kindness when you fall short. In doing so, you lay the groundwork for a better tomorrow. •• If you make a mistake, admit it and make amends, if necessary. Move forward, taking with you, the lesson you learned. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed - after all, you are only human. •• Find joy in the presence of your loved ones. Sharing time with a buddy is a great mood booster. •• Before your feet hit the floor in the morning, set an intent in your mind to look for joy in your 20 January 2019 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM Volume 6 • Number 6
“One thing I have learned about life is that if you just let go, it really is a joy ride!” --Ricky Williams day. I do not mean make a “to do” list. I mean decide what kind of person you want to be that day. As you go through your day, seek opportunities to be that person. •• Perform random acts of kindness. Being of service to others provides a natural endorphin release. •• When faced with a daunting task, turn your “I can’t” into “I can’t – YET” and then find a way. The word “yet" can turn an attitude of defeat into a challenge to learn something new. Break the task down into smaller pieces; look at it from another angle; modify the process, or even better…. ASK FOR HELP. Teamwork makes the dream work. •• If you get lost in stress and anxiety, focus on your breath. Connecting with your breath is one of the most efficient ways to feel better — fast. •• Life is not out to get you, it just happens. When things get tough, keep telling yourself that the sun always comes out after the rain. Say it until you believe it and just hang on. •• Reflect and find gratitude DAILY. Every day, find something to be grateful for and write it down in a journal or on a slip of paper that you place in a gratitude jar. •• Tweak your vocabulary. Take out “I must,” “I should” or “I wish.” Try “I want.” “I will.” “I can.” •• Look at life through new eyes. If you have gotten overwhelmed with the pressures of life, search your heart, find your passion and live it. •• RISE!!! While everyone enjoys the occasional television binge, true couch potatoes are generally not happy people. Get up and move! Get your heart pumping more oxygen into the dark corners of your brain, after all, happiness and joy are brain-based responses. •• The final and most important thing, in my opinion, is to develop a spiritual practice. Develop a closer relationship with God, or your Higher Power as you define him/her to be. Sit with your Higher Power and talk about your life, your fears, and your desires. In those prayerful moments is where you will find the best direction for your life. Life sometimes seems like it's an endurance test and hale it is impossible to control all of life’s circumstances; you can control your attitude. When you choose to look on the brighter side of life, good things happen. Chemicals like serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins flood into your bloodstream and literally make you feel like a happier person. Even when not feeling your best, thinking of a happy place will lift your thoughts and amplify your energy. Focus all your attention on it and enjoy your body’s natural response. I have listed several books that were invaluable to me in my journey towards joy. They can all be purchased online at any major book seller: 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp The Untethered Soul by Matthew Singer The Naked Now by Father Richard Rohr Armchair Mystic: Easing into Contemplative Prayer by Mark Thibodeaux How to be Happy, Dammit by Karen Salmansohn The Secret by Rhonda Byrne Carra Sergeant, PhD, LPC PEACE FROM PIECES COUNSELING SERVICES For an appointment, call 337-515-6716 Website: peacefrompieces.net Volume 6 • Number 6 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM January 2019 21
Page 1 and 2: January 2019 Vol 6 No 6 Be Prepared
Page 3 and 4: editor’s By Brenda Hill Be Prepar
Page 5 and 6: SWLA news Editor’s Note: This ser
Page 7 and 8: SWLA health, wealth & wellness Info
Page 9 and 10: Find more DOWN HOME HEALTHY COOKING
Page 11 and 12: techniques members can use to have
Page 13 and 14: Contributed Article Ben & Molly Mar
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Page 17 and 18: Matthew 11:28 NIV - “Come to me,
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Page 23 and 24: Kimberly Singleton Drawhorn natural
Page 25 and 26: claiming those credits until at lea
Page 27 and 28: PHOTOGRAPHY MINISTER COURTNEY D. JO

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana January 2019 Issue

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