Take Summer classes from home!

 

Take Summer classes from the comfort of your own home.

If you’re interested in taking any of my classes this summer but can’t make it to a class, this is your opportunity to learn from home. All you need to do is pick the class and contact me at DLCounseling2014@gmail.com and we can set up a time/date to have your own personalized class from home.

Class offerings:
Turning Setbacks into Advantages
Mind, Body & Soul – Finding balance in your life
Mindfully Happy- Waking up to life
Living a Mindful Life
Emotional Detox – Dealing with toxic people
Positive Psychology – Finding your happiness
Letting Go of Anger & Finding Forgiveness
Stress Less, Savor More- Ways to manage stress
Declutter your Life & Reduce Stress

Take one class or take a few. All classes will be from the comfort of your own home on a date/time that works for you. Take a class from the beach; all you need is a computer and/or phone!

Email me for more information: DLCounseling2014@gmail.com
One time Consultations are available

Advertisements

11 ways to practice self care daily

11 Ways To Practice Self-Care Daily
By: Diane Lang

Self-care is care provided “for you, by you.” It’s about identifying your own needs and taking steps to meet them. It is taking the time to do some of the activities that nurture you. Self-care is about taking proper care of yourself and treating yourself as kindly as you treat others. Self-care is so important, but we seem to put it on the bottom of our priority list. We need to put it on the top of our priority list.

Why take care of yourself first?
You can’t give what you don’t have. Everyone benefits from your self-care. When you feel good emotionally, physically and spiritually, you can be there for others. If not, you run on empty and becomes stressed out, overwhelmed and can burn out.
Mood and emotions are contagious. If your unhappy, it affects others. What do you want to spread to your kids? We teach through actions.
Women who neglect their own needs and forget to nurture themselves often become unhappy, have low self-esteem and feel resentment.
· Remember self-care doesn’t equal selfish
11 ways to practice self-care
1. Are your basic needs met? This is a great place to start. We need a strong physical foundation. Make sure your diet is good, sleeping well, plenty of water and exercise.
2. How do you define happiness? What does it look like? Feel like? Write a list of the top 5-10 things that cultivate happiness for you. Does your life match your list?
3. Gratitude – spending time in gratitude helps us to re-train our brains to go from negative to positive. Ask yourself everyday: What are 2-3 things your grateful for today?
4. Step outside of your comfort zone – when we stay in our comfort zone, we don’t take risks, try new things and we can become stagnate. We need growth to be happy.
5. Flow – add in activities that cause flow. Flow create mindfulness and cultivate happiness.
6. Pay it forward – it’s a win-win. Every time you do an act of kindness, you get a boost of happiness and so does the person you did it for.
7. Unplug and do something for you! Take this time to re-fuel.
8. Learn to say “No”.
9. Ask for help
10. Socialization – connect with others. Socialization is the # 1 factor of happiness.
This includes: Community, Fun/play and Support.
11. Journal write – this is a mindfulness exercise. Take 10 minutes a day to free write. Write without judgment.

 

For more information please visit Diane’s website: http://www.dlcounseling.com or email DLcounseling2014@gmail.com

 

Its ok to be miserable

It’s okay to be miserable.
If that’s where you are, then embrace it.
Know that it’s not a permanent place.
The only constant is change.
So, where you are today doesn’t mean it’s where you will be tomorrow.
It’s just the place your at currently.
Don’t try to hide it or run away from it.
It’s only going to delay it.
The emotions need to be felt.
The tears need to be cried.
The anger needs to be vented out.
The hurt needs to be healed.
So, if you are feeling miserable, don’t fight it.
Just be in this place.
Feel it and let life flow.
You will be someplace else soon.

6 Ways To Feel Your Painful Feelings:

1. State the facts without judgement – Feel your feelings but don’t judge them. Just look at the facts. If you don’t know why you feel a certain way, that’s ok. Just state the facts such as: I feel hurt but I ‘m not sure why?

2. There is no right or wrong – whatever your feeling is fine. Don’t try to change or justify your feelings. Be honest with yourself, you can’t work through feelings if your lying to yourself or avoiding feeling them.

3. There is no negative feelings. We classify certain feelings as “negative” but the truth is your human and all feelings are normal. We need to feel the anger, hurt, sadness, loneliness, etc. to heal.

4. Don’t criticize your feelings – we are our own worst critics and we can make our situations worse by criticizing what we are feeling. This keeps us in a negative cycle.

5. “Why” – try to figure out why your feeling the way you are? The why helps us understand where the emotions are coming from. Are we really upset over something that happened today or is it triggering other past hurts? Is it hitting a nerve?

6. Feel to Heal – most importantly, feel your emotions. Feeling the pain, anger, etc. might cause you to cry, scream, punch your pillow, etc. We cant get through the pain if we don’t feel.

 

For more information please visit: dlcounseling.com or email DLCounseling2014@gmail.com

Why be Happy?

Why Be Happy?
By: Diane Lang

Why be Happy?

A few weeks ago, at one of my speaking events, I was asked “Why should I be happy? Why is that so important?”
In all my years of teaching, I have never been asked that question but in today’s world, I wasn’t surprised to hear this question. For anyone who is wondering why happiness is so important, I wanted to give you the benefits of happiness and some quick ways to cultivate your happiness.

The benefits of happiness
1. Happiness strengthens our immune system. People who felt a daily dose of positive emotions (hope, inspiration, pride, awe, love, etc.) were healthier and lived longer.
*Remember stress lowers our immune system which leads to benefit # 2

2. Happiness combats stress. Happier people report lower levels of stress. That’s a good enough reason to be happier.
3. Moods and emotions are contagious. We can spread our happiness. Think of it as a parent, Happy Parent=Happy Kids. What moods/emotions are you bringing home with you?
4. It increases your productivity -happiness increases your mental capacity and gives you the energy and drive to complete your work. When you’re not happy, you have problems focusing and concentrating which lowers your productivity.
5. We live longer – In a famous study of happiness and longevity, the life expectancy of nuns was studied The nuns who felt positive emotions, happy and positive lived longer. In the end, the happiest nuns lived 7-10 years longer.
Cultivating Happiness
1. Gratitude – write or say 2-3 things that your grateful for that happen today
2. Altruism – do random acts of kindness
3. Listen to music – listening to a happy song can shift our mood.
4. Socialization – enjoy time with your friends/family.
5. Have good relationships – spend time to nurture your relationships.

 

For more information please visit Diane’s website: http://www.dlcounseling.com or email Diane at DLCounseling2014@gmail.com

Help Wanted: Mom

For all the moms out there. A reminder of your importance and value. If there was a job posting for a mom here is what it would look like.
Just a reminder: a stay at home mom would earn $134,121 annually if she was to earn a paycheck. I’m sure each mom can add more to this description but its a good start.

Help Wanted: Mom

Must have a beautiful smile, warm eyes and a big heart. Highly motivated and energetic individual with the ability to multi-task, negotiate and manage time. Must be organized, delegate responsibility and manage a budget for at least 4 or 5 people. Patience is a must. Must work well under pressure. Must be responsible, caring, empathetic, disciplined and have good managerial skills. Listening skills a must. Must have reliable car. Position requires long hours, overtime and weekends. No sick or vacation time. Pay is low, appreciation is rare but you will learn a lot from this position.

Happy Mothers day!

The Gray Area

The Grey Area
By: Diane Lang

For awhile now, I feel like a part of me is dying.
It’s been quite confusing.
I have had feelings I don’t normally have.
I feel like I’m being torn in two different directions.
However, I don’t feel overwhelmed. Instead, I feel a strange kind of peace.
I feel like I’m walking a line between my old self and the person I’m becoming
It’s the grey area of a transition that is the hardest and the part we don’t talk about.
When leaving parts of your old self behind, you grieve
Grieving can cause so many emotions such as denial, shock, anger, sadness, confusion and even depression.
It’s normal to feel these feelings actually it’s important you spend time feeling it.
Keep feeling till you get to the other side.
The other side where anger gets replaced with peace
Where confusion gets replaced with focus and goal planning.
Where fear gets replaced with action.
Where sadness gets replaced with hope.
When we get to the other side and the sun starts to shine, you will feel like a part of you has died. but that’s ok.
That’s the part of you that no longer serves you.
It’s the old beliefs that don’t work anymore.
It’s the old part of you that you needed to help you grow and expand.
Welcome the next chapter with all of its possibilities and opportunities.
Embrace the new identity with love and kindness .
It’s time to begin again.

For more information please visit Dlcounseling.com or email Diane at DLcounseling2014@gmail.com

Acceptance & Transformation

Acceptance & Transformation
By: Diane Lang

Acceptance is accepting where you are today. Acceptance means accepting your current situation. It’s dealing with the stuff you can’t change or control. Acceptance is not a pass to give up, remain in denial or just let it go without action.

True acceptance is a form of action and with action comes hope. When we feel hope, we feel motivated to move forward.

Does true acceptance really bring transformation? Most people ask this because acceptance comes with the stereotype of giving up, letting go or walking away. This is not the truth and a myth we need to let go off because with those myths comes the feeling that acceptance is giving up and a sign of weakness.

The truth is acceptance is the foundation for growth and transformation. It’s the beginning of change and none of that includes giving up.
Acceptance is an act of courage and bravery. To accept your life as is and be in that moment for as much time as you need means facing your feelings. Your true feelings come up and we can feel hurt, suffering, anger, fear, helplessness, pain, etc. Acceptance brings the feelings to the surface. Acceptance means you let go of the fight. You let go of the resistance which also means letting go of the stress that comes with the fight.

When we release all that resistance, we become free. With true acceptance, we can finally breathe again. When we release the resistance and all the stress that comes with it, we gain clarity. With clarity we can make decisions based on love instead fear.
Acceptance is just the first step in your transformation.

Five steps to transformation

 

1. Acceptance.
2. Feel the emotions of your life at this moment.
3. Release the stress and resistance. Give up the fight of something you have no control over.
4. Breathe and just stay in the acceptance zone which I call the gray zone. The gray zone is the transition time from your old identity to your new identity. The gray zone is filled with fear and confusion. This is a time when you need to think, analyze and reevaluate your life. Where do you want to go? Who do you want to be? What part of your old identity do you want to take with you? What’s your future vision look like? Feel like?
5. Action – this is the time to make a commitment to move into your new identity. Set intrinsic, realistic goals with a realistic time frame

For more information please visit http://www.dlcounseling.com