The holidays are coming and I always have a hard time finding the right gift for each person on my list. Especially when I want to get something truly useful and not just something that will be thrown away in a month. I put together this budget friendly gift guide that most adventure/outdoorsy people would love to receive as a gift or stocking stuffer!
*This guide does include affiliate links which means that if you purchase from a link I get a small commission for sending you there. Thanks
The opportunity to be brave is all around us. The definition of brave is: having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty: having or showing courage; to endure or face (unpleasant conditions or behavior) without showing fear.
Fear is a part of life, but what we do with that fear is what really matters. We can choose to allow that fear to overcome us and control our lives or we can choose to be brave. Being brave doesn’t mean there is no fear, being brave means that you show strength and do hard things when fear is present. Without fear or unpleasant conditions bravery is not needed.
Fear is something that can cause us to miss out on goals or not set goals at all. We can’t let the fear of failure keep us from trying. Sometimes we don’t even recognize the fear that is stopping us from moving forward. Is it the fear or failure? The fear of not being good enough? The fear of other’s comments or thoughts? Maybe it’s the fear of actually succeeding and not knowing how to handle that or move on.
Acknowledging that fear is the first step to being brave. Write it down, say it out loud, or tell it to someone else. “I am afraid______”
Bravery comes in many forms. You can be brave wearing that outfit or swimsuit you didn’t totally feel confident in. You can be brave making that phone call you have been putting off. You can be brave stepping out the door for your first run. You can be brave going out hiking. You can be brave just facing the day in front of you. The point is that it is your choice to be brave that helps you conquer your fears and do hard things. Bravery is not dependent on the outcome it is dependent on your choice to do it over and over again even when you are afraid. What will you do in that fear? Will you choose to live there or will you choose to be brave.
Now comes the brave part. “I am afraid_______ (List your fear), but I will be brave by_________ (how will you be brave to face that fear)”
In order to be brave we have to first realize that there is a fear that we need to conquer. Some fears are easy to recognize others are not so simple. Sometimes we deny that we are afraid in order to hide weakness. Sometimes we have been pushing those fears down for so long that show up as anxiety or stress. (A little disclaimer: Fear is not always a bad thing. Sometimes fear does stop us from doing dumb things or being dangerous. For example the fear you may feel walking down a dark alley in the bad part of town by yourself is a good fear. This fear should tell you to stop and do something different that we aren’t talking about here. We are talking about the fears that keep you from doing the things that will help you live your best life. )
Here are some simple steps you can take to start recognizing fears and then take the steps to be BRAVE.
Awareness First is Awareness: we need to start noticing when there is resistance in our heart, mind, or body. This resistance usually means that something is happening that we may not be acknowledging. So the first step is awareness of the feelings and thoughts that are happening inside of you.
Identify Once you are aware of this resistance you can start to identify it. Why do I feel this way? What am I feeling? Is it fear of failing? Fear of what others will say? Fear of falling? Identify that feeling and what that fear is.
Acknowledge After we identify it the next step is to acknowledge it. Acknowledge what you are afraid of. I usually encourage people to write it down, or say it out loud. I am afraid of _______. Sometimes it helps to tell someone you trust.
Ask Questions The next step is to ask questions. Ask yourself questions about this fear. Is this a rational fear? Why am I afraid of this? Is there something that happen to make you fearful? What’s the worst that could happen? At the bottom of this post is a list of questions you can ask yourself when you are identifying and acknowledging your fear. These Questions will help you understand the fear and start to overcome it.
Release Control the next step is acknowledging the things you have control of and the things you do not have control of and releasing the control. Most times our fear comes from things we have no control over. Recognizing the things we do not have control over and letting those things go will help us step out and be Brave. You have no control over another person’s words or thoughts. You cannot control how the world will respond to your ideas. You cannot control the weather on race day. Let go of the things you cannot control and focus on the things you can. You can choose to think positively. You can be thankful for the things you have. You can love yourself. You can put on your shoes and walk out that door.
Take a Step The next part of being brave and overcoming fear is to take a step. Start somewhere, even if it is somewhere small. Just take one step and see how it feels. Be aware of taking that step and aware of what things are happening inside of you. Are you afraid? What is that fear making you feel? Go back through the questions and see where you are. If you can take another step and another and another.
Focus on the positives. Once you are able to take BRAVE steps you can start to move forward and conquer your fear. Sometimes during this process we fall a little or step back into fear. It is important to acknowledge that and to focus on the positives. Instead of feeling like you failed, look at how far you have come! Change your narrative and keep the positives. You may not accomplish all of your goals in one day, but you can take steps in at least one of them. That is reason enough to celebrate.
I want to share with you a post that I wrote for The Chicks That blog! Our perception of ourselves has been really on my mind lately and I wanted to share with you the post so here you go!! I hope you enjoy and learn to love yourself too!
I have realized over the years that we as women are too hard on ourselves! We are constantly thinking we are not good enough! Maybe like me, you have looked in the mirror lately and thought, “ugh, this looks terrible.”
I constantly catch myself thinking that everything looks terrible on me, I am ugly, and fat. I think I can’t do anything, I’m not strong enough and I am not good enough for whatever. I think about running a longer distance and I think it’s not possible. Any time I think about a goal to set, I first think can I actually do this?? A goal should be attainable but it should also be a goal! Something that you have to put effort into and actually work towards! The dictionary definition of a goal is “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim.” A goal takes effort! It is tiresome and takes work (a lot of work).
We need to start thinking more positively about ourselves. We need to set goals that take work because we can accomplish them. I am not saying we should become cocky or arrogant but we need to see that we are worth it and we are strong!
I watched this dove ad recently that was amazing and the whole point was that we see ourselves so much harsher than other’s see us! (watch the ad below)
How do you see yourself? Is that true? I love in the movie “The Help” when the nanny tells the little girl every day “you is kind, you is smart and you is important.” That should be our mantra! We need to remind ourselves that we are women (and men) that can do anything!
When we think of ourselves better we will be able to live it!!
Have you heard of Darling Magazine? It’s all about women and being beautiful as you! Here is a recent video they shot on perception and confidence!
I encourage you today to declare who you are! Or maybe who you want to be. You may not actually believe it yet but you will if you keep reminding yourself! Look at yourself in the mirror and declare who you really are!
You are strong! You are beautiful! You are tough! You are important! You are smart! You are a warrior! You are Loveable! You are fit! You are Amazing! You are worth it! You are _____!
Leave us a comment here or on the Chicks That Facebook with your declaration today and start living it!
There is something about the cold and cloudy weather that is totally unmotivating. Winter always brings the clouds and makes me want to just stay in my PJs and watch movies all day. I want to eat soup and drink tea and never get off the couch or out of bed.
Last week I found myself lacking motivation in everything. I didn’t want to go out and run. I didn’t want to read my bible. I didn’t want to make food or take a shower. I really didn’t want to do anything. Do you find yourself feeling this way?
This week I have decided it’s a new day and a new week and I am going to seek motivation!
I am going to seek motivation by being thankful. I will thankful that I can read because there are people all over the world that cannot read, people that have never had the opportunity to learn. I will be thankful that I can run. There are people without legs, or with diseases and other problems that make them unable to run or even walk. I will be thankful for food and the ability to buy it and make it; there are people all over the world that would love the opportunity to eat what I can eat. I will be thankful that I have plenty of clothes to wear and that I can get out of bed. There are people that don’t have another change of clothes or a shower to wash in. I am going to do things for those that can’t and think and pray for them while I do it!
I am going to be motivated by thinking of the future. Sometimes all the motivation you need is thinking of the end result and the future! Will I regret it if I don’t do this today? Will I regret it if I don’t run today? Will I regret it if I don’t do anything today and waste my day? Will I regret it if I don’t read my Bible today? Most of the time the answer is yes I will regret it! I want to be better in the end and therefore I need to start today!
I will be motivated by knowing that I will feel better after. I always feel better when I get up take a shower and take care of myself. I always feel better after I workout or run. I always feel better after I have eaten healthy instead of crap. I always feel better after I have read in the morning! We know that it will improve our day and we will feel better after. Just remind yourself before and during.
I will be motivated by being accountable. Sometimes the best motivation is knowing that someone is going to check on you and knows when you are cheating! I love working out with other people or running other because I know that they will expect me to be there and I don’t want to disappoint them (sadly I don’t have these people right now). Find someone that you can be accountable to. Some that will ask you how your run went or what you did today. Have someone to talk to about what you are reading in your Bible. Find someone who you can be accountable to and keep yourself accountable. You can all keep me accountable! BTW I have been doing great on my writing challenge although it hasn’t been that long yet:)
What are you unmotivated to do? What are your tips for motivation?
Lately I have been thinking and praying a lot about thankfulness. I realized that I am not nearly as thankful as I should be. I very rarely stop and thank the Lord. I rarely even thank the Lord for the day.
I have decided that this year I want to be more thankful! The Lord has done so much for me and I don’t act like it. I take advantage of His love and His sacrifice and don’t even thank Him for the simple things. I don’t want to be just thankful and during Thanksgiving. I don’t want to just pray when I need something or things aren’t going right. I don’t want to just be thankful when great things happen. I want to be thankful every day.
Why is it so hard to be thankful? There are so many things to be thankful for. My goal this year is to be thankful every day! I want to wake up every morning with thankfulness on my heart. I want to have an attitude of thankfulness in my life! A few months ago I taught a Bible Study on having a good attitude. It was really convicting to me. I realized through studying for it that attitude is a choice. It is our choice how we will act. It is our choice if we are going to have a bad attitude and “hate” life or have a good attitude and be happy with where the Lord has us. One part of having a good attitude is seeing all the things we have and joys in life. Look at all the things you have to be thankful for and then have a bad attitude. I bet it is a lot harder to hate life and be thankful for the simple things.
So I encourage you to do it as well. Be more thankful. Think of things everyday to be thankful for. Maybe write a list of things that you are thankful for that start with every letter in the alphabet. I have found that makes me more thankful.
When we are more thankful we are able to have a more positive outlook on life and we are able to enjoy life more. What are you thankful for? How can we remember to more thankful?
If you don’t already know fighting Human Trafficking is a cause that is very close to my heart. I have researched it so much over the years and have helped with organizations that raise awareness and fight human trafficking.
As January is Human Trafficking Awareness month I thought it would be a great time to share some information with all of my readers and to raise awareness on my blog. Most people don’t know very much about trafficking and think it doesn’t exist the way that it does. Most people have seen the movie Taken, in which a young girl is taken in Europe to be sold in the trafficking ring. While this movie starts people thinking about trafficking, they don’t realize that it is happening right in their backyard and could happen to them here in the US.
It is estimated that over 100,000 children are in the sex trade in the United States each year. The average age of girls in sex trafficking is 12-14. 12-14 that’s crazy! These women and young girls are sold to traffickers, locked up in rooms or brothels for weeks or months, drugged, terrorized, and raped repeatedly. These continual abuses make it easier for the traffickers to control their victims. The captives are so afraid and intimidated that they rarely speak out against their traffickers, even when faced with an opportunity to escape. Traffickers use force, drugs, emotional tactics, and financial methods to control their victims.
The first step in fighting human trafficking is awareness. If we are not aware that it is happening then it cannot be fought! One thing you can do is to raise awareness just by talking about it and researching it. You don’t have to go out on the streets personally and “rescue” people (unless that is what the Lord has called you to do). Another thing you can do is put this number in your phone 1-888-373-7888. This is the national human trafficking resource center. Anyone can call them for more information or if you see something or someone that looks suspicious.
As part of an effort to raise awareness and fight human trafficking in America my company Chicks That is giving 20% of all sales to organizations that help fight human trafficking right here in the US.
Later in the month I will also be making bracelets for girls in the genesis project shelter. You can purchase one of these bracelets and it will be sent straight to a girl at the shelter so that she can know that is loved and special.
Here are some organizations that I personally support: (there are so many organizations that fight this but this is just a few)
Shared Hope Defenders (this is an amazing campaign for men to pledge to stand up and treat women right!)
I will also be making bracelets for girls in shelters in The Genesis Project. If you would like to purchase a bracelet for one of these girls or donate to their shelter please let me know and I will give you more information.
Art Kit
Knot learning set
Game
Great travel game
Electrolytes
Olive Oil Packets
