Category: Mental Heatth

Recently I have been reviewing and updating my personal goals; making edits to my Personal Growth Plan to reflect my life and location on my journey. Are you familiar?

A personal growth plan is most importantly built upon the belief that personal development is our own personal responsibility and we need to intentionally plan our growth. The idea is to have a plan that outlines the areas in our lives that require personal development – in any area of your life. The great part about creating the plan is its ability to keep you focused amongst the alerts and vibrations of calls, text messages, emails and notifications of “likes.”

To start:

• Identify and decide on the key areas of your life that you would like to further develop
• Find resources for development: books, websites, seminars, support groups, etc.
• Dedicate time daily towards your personal development
• Connect with others whom are developed in the areas you are working on; find a mentor
• Apply what you have learned in order to initiate growth.

Please don’t panic at the statement “personal development”; that phrase tends to frighten people by weighing heavily on them. Have no fear; for successful personal development, you need exactly two conditions:

1. You want to change something about your life
2. You’re not happy with the results you got so far

That’s it.

Remember, your life is too short and too significant to not live it to your fullest potential!

Love Your Hair,

Jane

As this new week starts out, I’ve been reflecting on what happiness means. Not short-lived happiness that comes from buying a new dress, being in a new relationship, or eating a bowl of gelato; I’m talking about the feeling of inner happiness that leaves a residue of gratitude and a layer of shine everywhere you go. What creates this feeling? Who is responsible? And then how do you sustain such a feeling?

“I am responsible for creating happiness in my life.”

The key to a happy life is taking responsibility to make it happy; happiness isn’t served on a platter, it’s created – consciously. Many people wait and wait for happiness to come to them. You might get lucky, it might just fall in your lap…but that type of happiness is fleeting. Earning happiness creates a deeper understanding and recognition of joy; it is much more likely to last since you know how hard you worked for it.

1. First define what happiness means to you.
2. Accept happiness.
3. Follow your joy.
4. Choose happiness
5. Find happiness that is FREE and costs zero dollars.
6. Love someone
7. Forgive now.
8. Express gratitude vocally.
9. Avoid falling into a victim role at all costs.
10. Be present

Happy is as happy does!

Love Your Hair,

Jane

Anyone can give up. It’s the easiest thing in the world to do, but to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart…that’s true strength!

Most of us forget that life is a spiritual journey; most of us forget that our walk in the flesh is just temporary. Cancer is not a death sentence! If we can move beyond the fear of the attachment, the fear that this life is all there is, then we can free ourselves of the fear to accept whatever the outcome may be. Doctors don’t always have every answer, they are often times unable to foretell what will happen. Once we can own that, we can move beyond the fear and make the choice to fight for the opportunity to move through the process - survive it or to accept the outcome. Surely, it’s a reminder for us all that we have choices. The journey helps us be more responsible to choose rather than just accepting the outcome.

Ask, pray, fight and know that each life is valuable; each of us has impacted more people than we ever imagined. If we achieved that in our walk, we accomplished what we came here to do. Be blessed, don’t be discouraged, and value each moment that life has created the opportunity to be our best.

The Jane Carter Solution family and myself wish for those currently fighting this disease comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss their lips, sunsets to warm their hearts, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for their eyes to see, friendship to brighten their being, faith so they can believe, confidence for when they doubt, courage to know themselves, patience to accept the truth and love to complete their lives. We are here in the fight with you, standing in unity!

Who are you standing together with during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

Love Your Hair,

Jane

Everyone has one common goal in life: to achieve true happiness. The biggest factor holding us back from achieving our dreams is, simply and sadly, our own selves. We put limitations on ourselves every day, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Let’s face it, letting go can be hard to do!

We try to hold onto people or stuff to feel important, to be loved, to ease our fears, or to hold tight to the illusion of being in control. The path to freedom and happiness lies in letting go of attachment; this doesn’t mean disengaging from life, denying your passions, or living the life of a renunciation. The real nature of detachment is a loving, fulfilled participation in life while maintaining the awareness that whatever we hold on to is not our true identity.

We often “hold on” far beyond its ability to serve us; our identities are found in the presence of here and now, live in the moment and allow life to happen instead of trying to force outcomes. When you relinquish regrets over the past and fears about the future, you can truly make the most of each present day.

“If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.”

There will never be a time when life is simple; there will always be time to practice accepting that. Every moment is a chance to let go and feel peaceful. DO it now, just…let go!

Love Your Hair,

Jane

The lesson at the ending of a great love can be the most difficult to understand; we enter this world wide open and ready for anything, believing that no one is going to hurt us deliberately and we fail to understand how special and fleeting this belief actually is. At 21 you live in the nostalgia; untouched by pain, you are ready to love anyone that will have you and that can offer love back. As adults with a bit more life experience, we realize that sometimes we simply love the wrong people…for too long.

In love, which involves our happiness and many of our most precious experiences, there is a great deal to lose. We put our trust in people who are undeserving; the people that are closest to us have the potential to hurt us the most because we expect love from them. We love the wrong people sometimes, we put our trust in people who would throw it away in a second while we covet what we believe is special. Recognize that some are unable to demonstrate proper love to others (even you); love is taught and there are many in our world were not fortunate to learn how to love. Not being able to give love properly doesn’t mean that the person doesn’t care about you, but does it mean that it’s okay for this person to continue hurting you? Absolutely not, let it go.

There is a freedom that comes along with letting the hurt from the past go. Keep in mind that no one is perfect; make a decision to forgive those who hurt you and those who despitefully used you, even those who may have failed at loving you. For your own peace, love them anyway.

Love Your Hair,

Jane

There is a common misconception out there that wealth equals success; real success has nothing to do with monetary value…rather the quality of life you create for yourself. Monetary value is the easiest thing to calculate…but…it only shows the face value of someone’s life. Unfortunately, true success is not measured by a dollar value. True success is defined by the individual as they go through life looking, searching and bleeding for the happiest and healthiest way to take each waking step.

The ability to communicate effectively and lovingly share what is your heart and in your mind, to share what is important to you; to me, what is a priority in your life is a measure of success. The ability to listen attentively to another while they express themselves and feelings without getting all worked up, because they too, have a right to have the feelings that they have. Being gracious to others, augmenting lives, being thoughtful, compassionate, gentle, charitable, forgiving, loving, patient, encouraging others and giving support as they continue to learn and grow, encouraging others to closely examine ever evolving and growing belief systems and what they want to accomplish in it before it is over – that’s success!

Success is not measured by what we have; success is measured by how we treat others. How do you define success in your life?