Healthy Habits, Mental Health, Snippets

What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts?

For every negative thought say 2 positive things. Accept that negative thoughts exist but they are not you. What we focus on expands. If I think about complaining, instead of actually complaining, I work to breathe through the sensation in the moment (usually only takes a few seconds but one minute is also typical) then say 2 positive things. Can be out loud or to yourself. Thoughts dictate emotions. Emotions dictate thoughts. Good thoughts and positive emotions = happiness. It takes work to be happy. It’s easy to complain and focus on negative thoughts, that takes no additional effort or training. But the more we work to plant those positive thoughts, the weeds will quite literally be weeded out and you’ll see them less and less.

Keep on stepping x

Healthy Habits, Mindfulness, Relationships

Inspire Change in Your Partner Without Nagging

You can’t change anyone. But you can inspire them.

If you’re frustrated with your partner’s habits, whether it’s…

  • phone use
  • communication style
  • dishes left in the sink
  • or how they show up in your relationship

Here’s the truth: nagging won’t work. Lectures won’t work. Ultimatums create temporary change but build resentment

Here’s what does work: Becoming the person you want them to be

The principle: People mirror energy more than they follow advice

Try this instead:

  • Model the behavior you want to see. Want more presence? Put your phone down first. Want a cleaner kitchen? Do your dishes without commentary. Want better communication? Speak clearly about your needs without expecting them to read your mind.
  • Focus on what you can control. Annoyed by how they load the dishwasher or leave their shoes by the door? You have two choices: do it yourself without resentment, or let it go. Complaining about it just drains both of you.
  • Master the first thought/second thought moment. When your partner says something that surprises you or feels like criticism, pause. Your first thought is reactive, probably defensive. Your second thought is intentional. Take that beat. Respond from clarity, not emotion. Be the person who doesn’t freak out when someone brings you something hard. That calm? It’s a decision you make in the moment, every time.
  • Hold your boundaries without apology. “I need quiet when I’m resting” isn’t controlling, it’s self-respect. Say it once, mean it, and follow through.
  • Stop over-functioning. If you’re managing their awareness, handling their responsibilities, or softening every hard moment for them, you’re robbing them of growth. Let them experience natural consequences.
  • Celebrate progress, not perfection. When they show up better, acknowledge it. Positive reinforcement beats criticism every time.

Here’s the truth: Your partner’s growth is their responsibility, not yours. You’re not their teacher, therapist, or project manager. You’re their equal.

The benefit? When you focus on what you can control: your actions, responses, and boundaries, you stop exhausting yourself trying to change someone else. You become happier. More peaceful. And ironically? That peace becomes magnetic. They’ll either rise to meet you, or they won’t. Either way, you’re good.

Try this today: Pick ONE behavior you’ve been nagging about. Stop talking about it. Instead, model the opposite for 30 days and see what happens. And the next time something catches you off guard, take that breath between first and second thought. Choose your response.

Share your thoughts below!

Getting Started, Goals, Healthy Habits

4 Words That Changed My Life for the Better

Whether you crushed your goals or you’re still finding your rhythm, you’re right on time

4 words that changed my life for the better:

Start where you are

There’s no “perfect” moment to get started with workouts, meal prep, etc

Want to start strength training? Do 10 squats

Want to run more? Walk around the block

Want to eat better? Add one vegetable to dinner

That’s it. Pick one. Build from there

A little bit everyday adds up

x Corie

Healthy Habits, Holistic Healing, Mindfulness

Transform Your Day in 30 Seconds: The Lucky Lemon Cleanse

A simple ritual that has the power to turn your day around.

What You Need

  • 1 fresh lemon
  • positive intentions
  • 30 seconds

The Ritual

  1. Cut a fresh lemon in half
  2. Rub it on your wrists like perfume
  3. As you do, set clear intentions: money, health, happiness etc
  4. Let it dry naturally
  5. Go about your day

Why It Works

Citrus has been used for centuries to cleanse energy and attract abundance. The scent alone is energizing. But the real power? Taking a moment to consciously set positive intentions.

Recently shared this with my coworkers before our serving shift. We all did it together – rubbed lemon on our wrists, set our intentions out loud. Money. Good tables. Easy night.

Energy was high from then on out and the shift completely turned around. Tables were smooth. Everyone made money. Something good happened (like finding the last pack of crackers) – we’d shout: “Lucky Lemon Cleanse!”

The Real Magic

Maybe it’s the lemon. Maybe it’s the collective intention. Maybe it’s choosing to start with purpose instead of stress. Try it before your next shift, meeting, or challenging day and see what happens!


A Personal Note:

I love when simple things create powerful shifts. That night, watching my coworkers try something new with me, feeling the energy change in real-time – that’s the kind of moment that reminds me why I do this work. We spend so much time looking for complicated solutions. Sometimes it’s just a lemon and 30 seconds of intentional thought.

Books, Healthy Habits, Let Them Theory, Mental Health

When Comments Catch You Off Guard: Let Them and Let Me

“Let Them & Let Me” is a mindset strategy from Mel Robbins:

Let them” means accepting you can’t control others’ actions, thoughts, or moods (e.g. “Let them be wrong” or “Let them act that way”)

Let me” is the powerful follow-up, reclaiming your agency by focusing on your own control: your responses, boundaries, and choices (“Let me focus on my own well-being” or “Let me choose my reaction”)

It shifts energy from trying to change others to managing your inner world, creating peace and protecting your time.

Using “let them let me” in real life

Someone says something weird about your relationship, your choices, your body – and suddenly you’re spiraling. Here’s your next move: pause and ask yourself two questions before you react or think too deeply.

Why this works: Most uncomfortable comments aren’t actually attacks – they’re projections. But our brains treat social weirdness like threats, triggering overthinking and defensiveness. These questions help you sort what’s actually happening from what you’re making it mean.

The two-question check:

  • “Did this cross a line, or did it just catch me off guard?” (Boundary violation vs. surprise)
  • “Is this about me, or about them?” (Usually it’s their worldview, insecurity, or social conditioning talking)

If it caught you off guard but didn’t cross a line, a simple response like “that’s not really our style” or “we’re good, thanks” works. No explanation needed.

If it did cross a line, you get to set a boundary – calmly but clearly. Try: “I’m not comfortable discussing that” or “That’s not something I’m open to feedback on.”

Either way, you don’t owe anyone your internal processing or justification for your choices.

Try this today:

Next time a comment feels weird, hit pause. Ask the two questions. Respond (or don’t) from clarity, not reactivity.

I just went through this yesterday. A customer at work made a weird comment and I spiraled. I didn’t have these two questions to bounce back on, but I did have my husband. We peeled back the onion together and realized that I didn’t actually want to punch them in the face, that they just made me feel weird and caught me off guard. Sigh of relief.

It’s really never that deep. I’m glad I spoke up because my hubby and I had a great convo and we’re stronger because of it. It’s not surrendering, it’s let them and let me (Joey’s reading Let Them by Mel Robbins!)

Share your thoughts below!

Healthy Habits, Mindfulness, Mindset

How to Forgive and Let Go for Emotional Healing

With the Scorpio New Moon here (deep, intense, and super transformative), I challenged myself to sit down and think deeper.

What am I holding to? What am I not forgiving myself or others for? Do negative thoughts keeping popping up around certain situations? I may need to add it to my list of Forgive and Let Go.

After sitting down for a few minutes, I wrote out 10 situations involving multiple people that still bother me. I was blown away at how much I’ve been holding onto, not fully letting go of. They came quick to mind once I let it all come up without judging right or wrong.

How am I gonna juggle all these situations emotionally moving forward? I know this pain is real, there’s no denying – but in order to heal, I know I have to truly FORGIVE AND LET GO. BUT HOW?! Here are my notes below:

3 Steps to Forgive and Let Go

1. Acknowledge the hurt and emotions 

  • Recognize the pain: Acknowledge the emotional pain caused by the offense and how it has affected you.
  • Name your feelings: Recognize and allow yourself to feel emotions like anger, sadness, betrayal, or resentment without judgment. Suppressing them won’t make them disappear.
  • Process your feelings: Share your feelings by journaling, talking to a trusted friend or counselor, or taking a similar action, like writing a letter you don’t send. 

2. Understand and gain perspective

  • Consider the context: Reflect on the surrounding circumstances to better understand what happened.
  • Humanize the other person: Try to understand the other person’s motives or circumstances without excusing their behavior. Empathy for their frailties as a human being can make it easier to show compassion.
  • Let go of unrealistic expectations: Release the belief that things should have been different. Expect reality to be as it is, which can reduce resentment. 

3. Make a conscious choice to forgive

  • Decide to forgive: Make a deliberate choice to forgive, understanding that it is for your own emotional and mental health.
  • Release resentment: Practice letting go of negative feelings and thoughts and replace them with healthier coping mechanisms.
  • Commit to it: Forgiveness is an ongoing process. Recommit to letting go on days when feelings resurface. Focus on today and the future instead of dwelling on the past.

Personal growth is all about getting a little bit better, stronger, healthier, more open-minded each day. Bringing awareness to the things that have been pulling me down is liberating. I’ll be working on them on-goingly and will report back here about how my overall well-being and peace of mind have been affected.

Forgive and let go my friends!

“Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff.” – Richard Carlson

Remember: techniques like journaling, talking to a trusted friend or counselor, or setting boundaries can help majorly with forgiving and letting go.

I also found that genuine prayer helps me heal. I pray for myself and those around me. The more I pray, the more I forgive, let go, and ultimately heal. I can feel the transformation within, and can feel the energy around me and those I pray for shift. Deep calmness. Almost like an emotional and spiritual reset.

It’s my responsibility to tend my garden, to pull weeds and water flowers. Using this blog as a tool to work on emotional pain and forgiveness.

Progress over perfection.

x Cor

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