See, Believe, & Achieve

Self love and respect are two life essentials and lessons. May we all find the path that leads us to the road of self acceptance and may we never forget our inner strength, uniqueness, and ability to overcome life's challenges. To others you will always be too much or not enough of something, but what matters most is how you "See" and "Believe" in yourself. Once this is accomplished, you can "Achieve" anything your heart desires. Wishing you all a beautiful start to the weekend!  Big hugs, Ane 

Jason Mraz "I Won't Give Up"  Should you or someone you know need help, contact the National Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) As I write these words, I am numb knowing that 17-year old Carlos Vigil took his own life in my home state of New Mexico. He was part of a well known youth center I enjoyed stopping by on visits back home. I always felt inspired by what the innovative things the youth were doing and the sincere caring nature of the staff always sent me back to Washington, DC with a new sense of hope. I write this as a message to those suffering in silence and to honor the memory of a young life gone to soon. No matter what troubles lie in your path, please know that suicide is not the answer. It does not matter if you knew Carlos Vigil personally, because every time a child dies by suicide, it is a tragic loss to all of humanity.  From what I have read Carlos was a compassionate leader. He was a member of a well-known youth center in his communi...

May Mental Health Month may be coming to a close, but the fight to end stigma and create awareness continues. You may not realize it, but we are in a race against time when it comes to mental health. The thought of what more needs to be done sometimes keeps me awake at night. I often wonder about that boy or girl who lies crying in their bed at night with hearts so broken they can't see past tomorrow. On average, 105 Americans lose their life to suicide each day, every 100 minutes a teenager takes their own life and with this so many hopes and dreams are lost. This does not have to happen, especially when research proves that proper professional treatment can help even those with the most severe forms of mental illness recover (Source:  National Empowerment Center ). Mental illness is an illness and unlike so many other illnesses that are yet to find a cure, we know that with the right treatment and diagnosis people do not have to suffer in silence and recovery is p...

  Just a note to let you all know that we are on Twitter and you can follow us at @CBelieveAchieve or just click on the follwing link https://twitter.com/CBelieveAchieve . Send us a tweet and help us continue the mission to raise awareness, end stigma, and save lives! What an exciting new world Twitter is. Wishing you all a fantastic day!   Tweet Tweet, Ane :)        

With so much to learn about the brain and mental illness I love to fill up my "learning cup" whenever possible. I would like address the issue in my post below and also share a thought provoking article by Judith Shulevitz, regarding the work of Fromm-Reichmann and her essay "On Loneliness." You can find her article by clicking on the following link here: The Lethality of Loneliness By JUDITH SHULEVITZ Getting Through the Loneliness, Together Isolation and loneliness are a topic of personal interest, especially because of my work with youth and knowing that in some severe situations loneliness/isolation serve as a risk factor/warning sign for depression and suicidal ideation. While some may not fully understand what mental illness is, the feeling of loneliness and isolation are something each of us can relate to at one time or another. This "pain" is what many living with a mental illness experience daily and recent studies show the negative effec...

This year I am dedicating myself to new adventures that build my inner self and bring a clear and new sense of peace, mentally and physically. Leading a balanced life is a necessity and not just a breakfast commercial tag line! It helps get me through every second of the day. Being mentally fit is just as important as being physically fit. You cannot have balance without body and mind working hand and hand. So today I will put my best downward dog pose forward and try hot yoga. I sure hope that through the stretching and sweat dripping out of every pore, I welcome the change and look forward to experiencing the Zen every yoga expert chants about. Word in the Zumba room is that hot yoga is no joke. Between the 105 degree heated room and knowing I am a beginner, I've had my fair share of doubts. I am excited, intimidated, a tad nervous, but here I go! What's a new thing you have been wanting to try to better yourself? The time is now! PS- I will will post an update of my e...

Song of the Day: "Dead Weight" by Crystal Bowersox   Whatever pain that fills your inner walls, let it go. Feelings of anger, jealousy, frustration, hate, confusion, sadness, insecurity, defeat, loss, loneliness, and fear are anchors holding you back from living the life you deserve. Never allow the words or actions of others to define who you are or where you go. We only get one life. Someone once said, "you never get a second chance at a first time impression," but I say that is what tomorrows are for. Each day given is a new beginning. Make it count. The journey is much better if you trade your anchor for wings. Love, Ane :)