Important Update: NEW DOMAIN!

 I'm very excited to announce the official launching of my own blog web page!

I'm definitely NOT a web designer! But for not having a clue to what I'm doing, I think it turned out ok! I posted all of my past blogs in here so they are all in one place and I will be using the new site from here on out! This will be my last post here using Blogger. Please share with family and friends! Music Mind and Soul

Follow me on social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest

After School Unwind Session: "Move like a jellyfish"

Sometimes we need to just stop overthinking, planning, and worrying. Just go with the flow. In yesterday's blog post, I made a list of daily tasks to help my mind and body "reset." I thought it was a pretty solid list. I was able to check off a couple more things today than yesterday, which is a good start. However, my biggest success arrived last night when I was trying out a different meditation video. 

This meditation/hypnosis video was much better than the one I had on the night before. A man with a calming voice talks you through the meditation and hypnosis to help with jaw tension, clenching, and grinding. As I was relaxing and focusing on his words, there was a moment when I couldn't believe my ears. 

"...your self hypnosis will help you to safely relearn, retrain, and powerfully reset your body and your mind's habits with a much deeper sense of relief..."

RESET

It still amazes me how the universe knows exactly what we need.  By me blogging about how I wanted to "reset" my mind and body each day, I ended up putting it out into the universe. Then during the video I hear him saying that listening to this will help me "reset." I actually laughed out-loud. The universe brought it to me. All of that planning I did by creating that list...for nothing?!

No, not for nothing.

One video on YouTube is not the end all, be all. I still have to pay attention to what I'm doing during the day and break the bad habits and routines that I got myself wrapped up in. Don't get me wrong, the video was VERY helpful! I fell sound asleep before it even ended. The only negative thing I have to say about the video is that when it ended, a YouTube add came on immediately afterwards, which startled me out of my sleep since I had the volume up quite a bit to hear the calming background sounds during the meditation. So, that advertisement messed things up a bit, since I was using it to relax and get a good night's sleep! However, I did fall back to sleep shortly after and slept the whole night! It didn't "cure" my jaw pain. I still must have been clenching and grinding my teeth at some point during the night. But there definitely was a different in the quality of sleep that I got and the pain level in my jaw in the morning. 

Go With The Flow

So maybe I just need to go with the flow. I need to stop overthinking, over-planning, and worrying about things. Maybe I just need to give things some thought, then go with the flow to see what happens. It's always good to have a plan for anything in life. But, it's ok if we deviate from that plan a little. 

Tonight I'm listening to Jack Johnson. It's perfectly fitting because even though I have never met the guy, he seems like the most chill and laidback person ever. Listening to his music always puts me in a very calm, serene, and light mood. So, I'll follow his advise this evening and throughout the weekend:

"Move like a jellyfish,

Rhythm is nothing

You go with the flow

You don't stop"
Jack Johnson - "Bubble Toes"

Album: Brushfire Fairytales

Hmm...now that I think about it, reflecting on the day while listening to my music, I realize that I must have subconsciously known this morning what I was going to listen to tonight. I read to my class "Octopus's Garden" by Ringo Star and Illustrated by Ben Cort. Definitely a water theme going on today. I added this book to my Music Themed Children's Books list. 

So tonight, I'll be a jellyfish, just going with the flow, "in an Octopus's Garden in the shade." I'll try to just live life, enjoy every moment, and see where the current takes me, without over-thinking.

After School Unwind Session: "Making a list, checking it twice...three times...four times..."

Between school going all virtual, the upcoming holidays, and other things we will just put under the category of "Life," my anxieties were at high-level, code red today.

A Picture Says A Thousand Words

This was me this morning. I felt like I had a cold, I have all of the symptoms of a UTI (who DIDN'T see that coming?!), Google Meets were glitching up a storm, and no amount of music from our "Classroom Playlist" was helping me. I mean, look at the way the elf on the shelf was looking at me!

Poor little guy looks scared for his life and wants OUT! Maybe he will feel bad for me and tell Santa that I deserve lots of spa and liquor store gift cards if I am lucky!

Where is the RESET button?!

If life only had a reset button, things would be so much easier. I would have pressed that button this morning and started the day over. However, no such button exists. 

But, could one exist?

If you ask anyone who I work with, they will tell you I'm OCD. I don't throw terms around like that very easily. I have many of the signs of OCD. I just always try to be in control of it, such as making sure I say aloud to myself as I'm locking my front door, "Melissa, you are locking the door. There is no need to get back out of the car AGAIN to check to make sure you locked it." Another trait is that I have a TON of lists. I LOVE lists. I will always find an excuse to create a list! So maybe my "reset button" has to be a list.

Melissa's Daily Tasks To Complete In Order To
"Reset" And "Recharge" Everyday

 1. Start the day with yoga

 2. Morning cup of coffee

 3. Protein shake with added digestion support and fiber

 4. Drink 64 ounces of water

 5. Take multiple pee breaks

 6. Take computer breaks

 7. Eat lunch AND dinner...no more skipping meals!

 8. Blog/write while listening to music

 9. Read

10. Meditate

11. Wash

12. Rinse

13. Sleep

14. Repeat

Side note: I had to do some editing in my list a few times because it had to have an even number of tasks, and of course I couldn't finish with 13 items. Seriously...it's 2020 and I'm NOT taking any chances!

I wonder if I commit myself to completing this task list daily, it would work as a "reset" button every morning and every night? I won't know unless I test it out.

Even though most of the day is gone already and I barely checked ANYTHING off of the list so far, I will do my best to end the day strong. Last night I did try out one of the meditation videos to help with grinding my teeth at night. To be honest, it didn't do much of anything for me. I'm expecting more to come out of it. So, I will give a different video a try this evening. I'm not giving up until I figure out a way to enhance my mental wellness on a subconscious level.

To all of my fellow list-lovers out there, try making a list of tasks that could help your own mental well-being. Maybe this can be our own version of a reset button, with a sound start and end of each day, loaded with important tasks our brain and body needs in the middle. There is no perfect list.

I'll say that again louder for the people in the back: THERE IS NO PERFECT LIST! (I had to say it again louder for myself too, because I need to hear it.)

Just like writing, our body's needs and requirements constantly have to be proofread, revised, and edited. However, there will not be a final draft. 

I am a work in progress, and so are you.

In the meantime, I'm going to listen to the advise given by the Eagles, and "take it easy."

Now Spinning: Eagles - Their Greatest Hits

After School Unwind Session: "They Call Me The Seeker"

Opening Up

I'm going to be open and honest with all of you:
I'm usually more concerned and worried about others than myself. I worry about my students. But I have to understand that I'm doing everything that I can to make virtual learning non-stressful for them. I need to tell myself "The Kids Are Alright." 

But what about me? Am I alright?

I've been having to go to the dentist lately because my TMJ is acting up pretty severely. It turns out I'm grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw really bad at night. I've been on a soft food diet for over 2 weeks. Luckily, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, as well as wine, are "soft foods." Now I'm getting a night guard made to wear when I go to bed to prevent the grinding. The dentist said it is probably stress-driven and made a remark that maybe during summer break I won't need it anymore. Funny, and yet not funny at the same time.

I've been practicing so many mindfulness and mindset techniques to help with stress and anxiety that I face during the day. But how do I take control of it when I'm asleep?

Now Spinning: 
The Who - Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy

"I'm looking for me
You're looking for you
We're looking in at each other
And we don't know what to do"
lyrics from "The Seeker"
Songwriter: Peter Townshend 

I thought this album was perfect to spin tonight for a few reasons. One being that there are so many amazing "The Who" hits compiled here. This is one that I can listen to straight through from beginning to end without skipping a track. If you recall, a couple evenings ago I played music and I focused on the instruments and melody. But tonight I'm focusing on lyrics. 

"The Seeker" really resonates with me this evening. It is crazy how music and lyrics work. I can listen to a song and it can mean one thing to me. But then you can go ahead and listen to the same song and you take it to mean something completely different. Only the songwriters know the TRUE meaning of each song they create. However, does that make our own different interpretations wrong? If we asked them, I don't think they would think so. That's the beautiful thing about art. Paintings are art that reaches our souls through our eyes. Music is art that reaches our souls through our ears.

I'm interpreting this song this evening as seeking things that are out of our reach. Things that no one else can help us find. This evening I'm seeking answers that only I can find for myself. I obviously need to figure out on a subconscious level what needs to be done to stop grinding my teeth at night. I need to figure out how to keep my energy shield up while I'm asleep...how to keep it up subconsciously. I'm seeking restful nights of sound sleep in bed where I'm not waking up at 3:30am daily with a clenched jaw.

I looked up some meditation videos on YouTube specifically for grinding teeth and found a few that are long enough that I should fall asleep before it ending. This is what I think I need. Maybe this will help me get some clarity subconsciously. 

Have you tried any meditation videos before for sleep? If so, please share your experiences in the comments as well as links if they are available! 

I will keep you posted on my bedtime meditations. So stick around on my blogging journey! We can all work together to achieve ultimate mental wellness.

"I keep my sunny side up"

Ever think to yourself "Wow, today has been such a good day! Everything is going so smoothly!" But then wonder "ok, it's too good to be true. Something is BOUND to happen!"

MINDSET

Mindset is everything. Today went so smoothly with our full virtual learning from home. My students, along with their parents and siblings, seem to really be enjoying listening to our classroom playlist as they wait for the Google Meet to start! Not only did the MUSIC lift me up this morning, but seeing the students and their family members smiling, bobbing their heads, and even dancing around made my heart smile! I was on cloud nine! The whole day went so smoothly with this brand new schedule. Shout out to my rock star parents who are going with the flow and easing into this routine with me!

Of course there were some of the usual hiccups that go hand in hand with virtual learning, such as Google Meet glitches, televisions on in the background and children being distracted by it and watching it instead of me. And we can't leave out that face that I feel like a "broken record" repeating "PLEASE mute yourself!" about 50 times. But other than that, it was great!

I'm training my brain to keep focusing on the positive. I'm breaking myself of the habit of thinking "yea, but it's too good to be true...I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop." Why is this so important to not fall down that slippery slope?

We create the energy around us. 

If we think positively, we will attract positive things into our lives. If we have negative thoughts, we will attract negative things into our lives. Now, don't go thinking "I'm going to win the lottery tonight!" and then expect that to happen, then get all upset with me if you don't win! Trust me, if I won the lottery every time I thought positively about it, I would be retired by now at an early age and probably living someplace warm!

Just start changing your mindset. Change the negative thoughts into positive thoughts. It isn't easy. But the first step is to be able to recognize when you have negative thoughts. Be more aware of your thinking. No one is perfect. A negative thought usually will sneak its way into my mind every day. But when it DOES happen, we need to address it and turn it into something positive.

I'm sure you all have said "UGH I'm so tired this morning! I want to stay in bed and not go to work! Why isn't it the weekend yet..."

Change your mindset and think "I'm grateful for the sleep that I got last night. I'm blessed that I have a job, and soon enough I will have a day off to sleep in and spend time with my family."

So right now, I'm very grateful for the day that I had with my students virtually. I'm focusing on that and being positive that the rest of my day will just like that, or even BETTER! I have my energy shield up and activated, blocking all of those negative thoughts that try to come my way.

I know, I know...this all seems like such a big shift to make in your thinking. But trust me, creating this shift will open you up to a more positive day to day life for you and those around you.

I want my students to start becoming more aware of their mindset as well. I think tomorrow I'll introduce them to this song and add it to our Classroom Playlist:

Surfaces - "Sunny Side Up"

🎵"I keep my sunny side up

So they can see me from above

I keep my sunny side up, oh

No more running from the love

Ooh, I keep my sunny side up

You keep your sunny side up

We keep our sunny sides up"🎵

Songwriters - Forrest Frank/Colin Padalecki