Discovering Advice in Unexpected Places

Recently I've been doing a lot of thinking. Okay not really thinking, more daily trips down memory lane. Turns out I've been letting a lot of people have an affect on certain things I do. Which is complete bull shark. I came across a great screenshot on pinterest that really gets to the heart of this problem. This bit of advice is truly astounding, "Don't take criticism from someone you wouldn't ever go to for advice." Amazing, right? 

In my years as a mermaid I've heard a lot of criticism. In my years being alive, I've heard even more. I don't know about you, Seastars but I'm adding this to my arsenal of responses. Let's make this a year of solid boundaries, Seastars! 

Don't forget, you're strong, you're important, and you can do this! 

- Seaspray

Discovering Change

So a major, unfortunate huddle recently tried to get in my way. I'm not going to lie to you, it hit me harder than I thought. I saw this hurdle coming and still let myself believe somehow it wasn't going to happen. But silver lining, now I can focus on getting back into school. That's right, mermaids school. And this little mermaid wants to start her new journey aiming for Environmental Science. Nifty huh? Now the hurdle has friends with distressing questions but I firmly believe every question will be answered with a solution. In fact I claim it. I claim an answer to every distressing question surrounding my new circumstance. 

Again I won't lie to you, my mental health took a bit of a hit. A six day hit. And that's okay. It's okay to grieve change. As long as there's a plan. I spent six days moping around my grotto, feeling upset and angry and yes, even hurt. And I've come to the conclusion that the person who caused this does not deserve my energy anymore. It's time to retrieve my fallen crown, lift my chin, and admire that beautiful horizon that is my future. 

I will not be held back. 

If you've recently been met with a change or a hurdle, it is okay to take some time and process. But please remember what you're worth. You are more precious than rubies. In fact you are priceless. Grab your crown and flaunt it! Don't let the naysayers get in your way. 

We've got this! 

- Seaspray

Answering Childhood Questions

So I've been thinking a lot about The Hunchback of Notre Dame, specifically the song "Out There." I've always identified with that song, though until quite recently I could never figure out why. Quasimodo and I have nothing in common. Then it connected. Frollo's voice mirrors my depression and anxiety. "You are deformed... you are ugly...I am your only friend." My brain is holding me captive through lies. I have been allowing these constant fears about how other people see me pick at my actions. And at the end of the day what other people think does not matter. It does not matter that someone may think negative things about me. I'm out here trying to live my best life and build a great life for my kid. And really, if anyone is trying to judge me they are wasting a lot of effort. It's no one's place to judge anyone else. We are all flawed. 

Now those of you who also struggle with depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses will understand how hard it is to fight your own brain. It is a daily battle to choose to say "I will live out there" "I will be happy." Personally I have to repeat positive things to myself, I am constantly reminding myself that the Anxiety Monster is really just a lying imp trying to make itself bigger than it ever will be. 

Today I choose freedom. Today I choose to be "Out There."

What about you? What do you struggle with and how do you fight back? 

You are all warriors. 

~Seaspray 

Starting Over

"And every time they try to make you feel unworthy, just go towards yourself, choose to love yourself more,  and build an unshakable bond with your worth, that there's nothing they can ever do to take you away from it" ~butterflies rising 

I'm hoping to start posting here more often. My laptop needs to be replaced and I now have a full schedule. 

I promise I'm doing everything I can to get you the content you deserve. 

Go make some waves, 

Seaspray 

Discovering My Inner Warrior

Hello, seastars. This post will be a bit different, so brace yourselves. As you know, I'm a mother of a sweet two-year-old girl. I'd been talking with her father about rearranging her room to accommodate her toys for weeks. To be a bit frank I got sick of talking and planning. I decided to act.
Secretly I enjoy deep cleaning and organizing. Especially spring cleaning! There's just something about airing out your home after a long winter. I love it! So I broke out pine-sol, baking soda, and my trusty vacuum. I worked in sections, treating the carpet with baking soda and playing furniture Tetris with a large toddler bed and dresser. My project took me a decent 9 hours and when it was finished I was so proud of myself. I'd done an entire room's worth of work alone. And my daughter loves her "new" room.

You must be asking yourself why I've titled this post with the word "Warrior" if all I did was rearrange a room. Here's the different part of this blog entry. I had to do everything by myself. I measured out the room and the furniture. I drew out a rough diagram. I'd planned and tried to set aside time for weeks to complete this project-which would ultimately benefit the rest of the household. When I got tired of waiting for help, I got it done. And it got me thinking.

What if we all took that initiative in everything in our lives? Certain opportunities are time-sensitive and if we wait for every last detail to fall into place the opportunities will pass. Imagine the world-changing energy we could put into our own lives! Just think, what could you do to take control over your life? Even something small. Personally, I have multiple projects I've been waiting for help to start. Now that I've had a taste of how empowering taking charge can be, I don't think anyone is going to stop me.

In that same vein of thought, it's so easy to allow ourselves to stumble on little things. Or to be overwhelmed when we look at the larger picture. I prefer to work in small sections and take breaks often. Some people like to just plow through their tasks. Whatever the method, checking off items on a list feels great!

And speaking of finishing tasks, I've decided to open Seaspray's Shoal to the public. All interested parties have to do is answer a couple questions when they first request to join the group. You can find Seaspray's Shoal on my Facebook page. If you're interested in the original membership gifts, they are available as part of my Patreon page.

Thank you so much for reading! If you want instant updates when I post you can either hit the follow button or join my blog list.

You are stronger than you think, seastars!

-Seaspray

There is nothing

more beautiful

than

when you prove

to yourself

just how strong

you are -Unkown 

Discovering Anxiety Management

Hello, seastars and happy International Mermaid day! The trick I'll be talking about in today's entry I picked up on Pinterest and at the end, I'll tell you all about the hair lightening mask. Let's dive in!

I struggle with anxiety, especially when I'm expected to carry a conversation. I've struggled more with trying to find a way to manage that anxiety on bad days. The trick I discovered and tested numerously is to breathe. It sounds too simple, right? There is a little more to it. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold that breath for 7 seconds, then exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat once or twice and tada! An automatic nervous system shift from flight or fight to a neutral response. Pretty neat, huh? And as a bonus, it's so easy to remember! Other methods I've tried using include grounding. Grounding is finding 5 objects you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. For me, that's way too much to keep track of in the middle of a mental battle. If you use grounding techniques, tell me about it in the comments!

Alright! Now for that mask. I had a bit of trouble with this one. The first time I tried this fun lightening trick it didn't work because I skipped a step. Mix together honey and olive oil. I added cinnamon and rose oil. The cinnamon seemed to add some warmth to the lightened effect. I also heated the mixture for 10 seconds, which seemed to help combine the honey to the oil. Start with a damp head and coat your hair evenly from root to tip. I had to break up my hair into several sections to cover everything. Then wrap up your coated hair in a plastic shower cap or saran wrap and let it sit for 30 minutes or longer. I'm super extra so I had this mask in my hair for most of the day. Once your time is up, hop in the shower and follow your usual routine. I had to shampoo my scalp twice to get all of the oil out, so be certain you wash everything out. The results are fairly subtle, but this mask does work. If you use this mask more than once, let me know how it works for you!

Thanks for reading, seastars! If you want to see more of my content, find me on Facebook, Holonis, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Have a merrific day!

-Seaspray

"feel everything 

that is beautiful 

and possible in your soul,

and let yourself

become it" -butterflies rising 

Discovering Me

Hey, seastars. Today is going to be a little different. You see, I've been called horrible things since surfacing as a mermaid. I've been called a manatee, I've been called ugly, I've been compared to a whale. I've been told I shouldn't be a mermaid-but who can deny one's very nature? Something occurred to me recently while chatting with someone I'll probably never meet.

I've been compared to many massive things. Those people thought they could hurt me. Truth be told, I was hurt. Deeply. But now I can see the truth. I am not a manatee or a whale. I'm a ship. I am a graceful ship sailing my way down the stream of life. I am a strong, proud ship and though I may sail slowly at times, though a few lines may break- I cannot, will not be stopped by the waters around me. You see ships float in the water because they push it aside and glide through. If the water gets in, the ship sinks. I've been trying to teach myself the art of bailing. Of ridding myself of the toxic waters I've let in. And I am deeply sorry for the long silence, my personal life has been proving difficult for me to juggle. And I've been so hard on myself lately. I flooded my own mind with thoughts of quitting, deleting this blog. I've nearly drowned in thinking I don't deserve to take up your time when I can't stay consistent. Then I chatted with a stranger online and gave her the same advice I'm writing now, never let yourself sink.

You see, we can all be hard on ourselves. I know I've been my own stumbling block countless times. It's nothing to be ashamed of and it's certainly nothing to fear. I let myself become the water that was slowing down all of my progress. After I let all the water from cruel words get to me. Let me tell you, that was not fun sailing with so much. So, I've been reevaluating what I let in. I've been learning the art of bailing. Of throwing overboard every last drop I don't need in my life. I can't say I expect smooth sailing all the time. That would be boring! But I do believe I won't be so close to drowning anymore.

Keep Sailing,

-Seaspray

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you'll come back for more. And there will be more! I'll be starting a hair lightening treatment soon, it'sen a long time since the last DIY idea.
If you want to see more of my content, check out my accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Want access to exclusive sales and behind the scenes action? Check out my Shoal! Feeling generous? Visit my Patreon page, which will receive new and improved tiers in the very near future!