Welcome to Motivational Mondays!
First things first, what is Motivational Mondays?
Just like it sounds, to motivate, to empower, and to encourage you on the first day of a fresh week. I don't know about you but Mondays can be a drag for me, so sometimes words of encouragement and positivity are helpful to start my day off right.
Motivational Monday's topic is: Protect Your Peace At All Cost
I never truly understood the meaning of protecting your peace until last year. Unknowingly, I was letting everything and everyone dictate my life and as a result, for years I was depressed and unhappy.
I never really knew the true magnitude of how broken I was until I started reflecting back on my previous journals to see where my state of mind was years ago. Let me tell you, it was not good at all. Just by reading how messed up and emotionally depleted I was, I was surprised that I made it through. You never know how you really feel until you start writing things down in the midst of your storm. Then, once you're out of it, and healed from it, you go back to it and see the state of your thought process emotional wellbeing. It was then that I realized that I never want to be that broken, that unrecognizable ever again. I wanted better, I wanted to be healthier, more emotionally stable, and to be in a better mindset.
What does protecting your peace look like? How do you maintain it?
Let Me Explain!
What Does Protecting Your Peace Mean?
Protecting your peace means protecting your state of mind, your sanity, happiness, and your mental health. This falls under self-care and self-love. Putting yourself first is a priority; because doing so it helps you to properly and effectively help others.
There is so much happening in the world today that it can become so overwhelming. If you allow what is going on with society it can cause a lot of added anxiety and stress to your minds and bodies.
Protecting Your Peace Looks Like This:
Saying “No.” Your no is enough!
I know for me saying "no'' was extremely hard because I have a giving spirit. This leads you into doing things that you don't necessarily want to do, and can ultimately make you unhappy over time. Saying no is a complete sentence that needs no explanation
Things To Remember When Saying No!
Don’t beat about the bush, say what you mean and mean what you say!
Assert yourself and be honest. Try something like this, “I’m sorry, I can’t right now, I have a previous engagement.” or “I’m not in the best spirits to do that right now, maybe some other time.” Normalize saying no and sticking to it.
Recognize manipulation tactics. A lot of people don’t like hearing no and will keep drilling you until they pull out a yes. Be aware of these people. This is peer pressure at its finest.
If someone has to guilt trip you into doing something they are manipulating you and that is not fair to you.
Setting boundaries on energy depleters/energy vampires
Energy depleters/Energy vampires are people that literally suck the life right out of you. They thrive off of your givingness, your loyalty to them, and the fact that you will always be there to hear them vent. Too much of one person or a lot of people can be entirely too draining.
Energy Depleaters/Vampires are very charismatic and do an amazing job at manipulating others. They don't take accountability for hardly anything, especially when trouble or problems occur. They are always mixed up in some kind of drama with other people and are always burning bridges with others. They always have to be the center focus and make everything about them. They usually try to outdo others to steal their shine or moment. Energy Depleters have a me me me mentality.
Do you know someone like this? Do you have these traits yourself, be honest?
Be sure to combat that by refueling you by establishing “Me Time.” Just you and your peace and quiet. Recharge your mind, body, and spirit.
Listening and Trusting Yourself
Protecting your peace is listening to your body and seeing what it needs. Does it need relaxation, care, water, to be eating healthier, or getting some well-needed exercise.
Case and point: You don’t get a headache just because. Usually, we get a headache because our bodies are missing, lacking or depleted of something vital. We can sometimes become so wrapped up in what we are doing that we neglect to take care of our bodies. We can sometimes have an inkling of what it could be. For example if we go long stretches without food our body is telling us that we are hungry and are in need of food, water, and so on. Get it! It's based off of what we are lacking with the given time. What is your body needing to work properly?
Leaving People Where They Are
I wrote a post on Leaving People Where They Are on week 18 and let me tell you, I’m still in this process now. Doing this has helped me so much in filtering and sorting out the people that are good for me, toxic to me, and the ones that are only there to benefit themselves. Leaving people where they are is simply not letting their problems affect you. This does not mean you push them away and forget about them, no! This means you make yourself less accessible to them so that you can figure out what’s best for you if they can’t. It means praying for them and letting God work on them and you in the process.
Declutter Your Life
One thing that makes my head spin is if I have a messy room. If I have a lot of unnecessary things scattered about the house, it will quickly make me lose my mind. Decluttering, organizing, and purging stuff out of your life is super beneficial in protecting your peace. What you see, hear, say, and feel has a major impact on our spiritual growth.
Seeing: I’m one to be on my phone browsing through social media just like everyone else. It got to a point where there were some things I did not like seeing on my news feeds on these social media platforms. It could be anything whether it was too graphic, inappropriate, or just not nice I would block them and keep it moving. Protect what you see at all times. Monitor your mind.
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23
Hearing: What we listen to can impact us. Gossip, cursing, lying, and so on. Cover and monitor what you hear; listen to things that are good, true, and just. Protect your ears.
He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
Mark 4:24
Speaking/Feeling: Be careful what you say and how you feel. What you say can display just how hurt your heart is., especially when you're upset. What we say in the atmosphere we can never take back. So monitor your thoughts, and your words, because they are powerful. What you think about yourself can and is powerful, so protect and govern your mind at all times.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he
Proverbs 23:7
The LORD lift up his face to you and grant you peace
Numbers 6:26
How Do We Maintain Protecting Our Peace:
Paying close attention to your triggers and recognizing your triggers when they arise.
Surround yourself with people that will encourage and support you.
Taking a break from social media when you can.
Hey Golden Family, I hope this post has motivated you to begin Protecting Your Peace At All Cost. The Devil stays busy but he is also defeated. Protect what God has given you. Our bodies are a gift and we must take care of them so we can do what God has called us to do.
**I hope everyone has a safe and blessed week and I will see you all on Saturday for our Weekly Topic Saturdays**
~Just Breathe...A Golden Dream~
Amen.