Tag: hotm

5 Benefits of Journaling

Posted on by Bree in Latest

5 Benefits of Journaling

Who remembers when they kept a diary?

It was most likely pink or blue donned with a cute design, stickers, and gel pens were used for added effect.

Dear Diary, was the classic opener.

A book filled with love letters to the cute boy in class, days when you’re mad because your Mom said you couldn’t go outside to play with your friends, or even better, you wrote a full fledge three pages venting about the argument you had with your bestie on the playground.

Little did you know, your diary would quickly become your refuge, a place to escape.

Living in this digital age, most would say that journaling is outdated, gender specific (for girls/women only, most specifically tweens), and just all around a waste of time.

I’m here to dispel the myth and tell you that:

Journaling is for any and everyone who enjoys writing.
Journaling is for self-expression.
Journaling or “expressive writing” is therapeutic and is one of the most beneficial kinds of writing.
Continue reading “5 Benefits of Journaling” →

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Panic or Plan: Time Management Edition

Posted on by Bree in HOTM, Uncategorized

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When it comes to Time Management, the first thing you must figure out is your method in terms of dealing with time. This cannot be anyone else’s method, but yours. Therefore, you have to be brutally honest with yourself.

  1. Are you a planner?
  2. Are you a procrastinator?
  3. Do you work best under pressure?
  4. How about A & B.
  5. All of the Above, Girl.

Personally, I am a planner. I’m that girl that uses a planner, phone calendar, wall calendar, and a written to-do list. It’s my NORMAL. Without proper planning, I can’t function.

Now that you have selected your answer, I can provide you with some tips.

For The Planner In You

 

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As a planner, it’s simple – Utilize your planner to the fullest. By now you should already know how to log daily tasks, appointments, meetings, dates, etc.

Step 1: Be sure to set aside time to log in tasks at the beginning of the month/week, on all platforms (i.e. Handheld Planner, Wall Calendar, and Phone)

Step 2: Color Coat or Highlight Categories (i.e. Blue for Work Life, Orange for Home Life, Red for Appointments, Green for Wellness, and Pink for Outings/Family/Miscellaneous)

Step 3: After a Completed Task – Mark Through w/ Black Pen

Step 4: Have Fun! Get creative. You can doodle in your planner, draw, add stickers – make it your own! Continue reading “Panic or Plan: Time Management Edition” →

Trusting The Journey

Posted on by Bree in HOTM

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Have you ever had a burning desire in your heart? No matter how hard you tried to ignore it, the gut wrenching feeling wouldn’t leave.

I believe we all have.

I’ve been writing ever since I could remember. From writing daily in my journal at the tender age of 8, to writing short stories, haikus, and poems in middle school, to creating even more elaborate stories that would circulate through classrooms in high school and eventually landed on fan fiction websites, to journaling in high school and beyond, to keeping numerous blogs in my early 20s – writing is my solace. It’s the easiest way for me to communicate my feelings, when I can’t utter the words aloud. It’s my creative outlet.

This blogging journey hasn’t been easy to say the least. I was doing extremely well with being consistent during my recovery from my fifth and final open-heart surgery. It was the spring of 2015 when I launched my blog Thee Heart of The Matter. Back then I didn’t feel the exact pressures that I feel now. Though I was aware of having an audience, gaining followers, and maintaining engagement with my audience … it wasn’t my main concern. Continue reading “Trusting The Journey” →

Blessed Beyond Compare

Posted on by Bree in HOTM

I have so much to be thankful for this year. This time last year, on December 1, 2014 I was preparing for a life changing final fourth open heart surgery. The timing was only something that was orchestrated by God. I found out that something was a little off in terms of the lining of the valves in my heart back in May. Literally, a week before graduation my cardiologist wanted to investigate the matter. A week after returning from Vegas on a Memorial Day weekend trip with my girls, I was in the hospital preparing for a quick exploratory procedure to check out what was really going on inside my body. Not only were the walls narrowing, but the rhythm of my heartbeat was off (atrial flutter). I was a little bummed out, but used to it. Not afraid because this has been my life ever since I popped out the womb. I thought everything was going great and I’d never have to undergo another surgery. Little did I know, that wasn’t apart of the plan.

Continue reading “Blessed Beyond Compare” →