The Course for Brides / Wedding & Family Photographer

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Posts tagged mental health
3 things every bride-to-be can start doing NOW
 

So much sh*t bubbles to the surface during wedding planning. Whether you’re the chillest or the most uptight bride-to-be, wedding stress doesn’t discriminate!

Every bride basically wants the same things:

1. To look beautiful

2. To have an awesome time

3. To feel connected to the present moment & the people you love.

The Course is designed to teach IN DEPTH tools for brides, that take some practice to get good at, but here are three things every bride-to-be can start doing NOW:

1. Make a DECISION that you like the way you look. Is it that simple? Yes and no.

Learning to accept or even LOVE the way you look, whether it’s certain parts or the whole package, is a complex process involving your history, family, mental health and the world culture. (Hello $BILLION beauty industry!)

But ONE thing is guaranteed: All coaching, healing and self-improvement starts with a decision. Whether you can change or not, you will NOT feel happy with yourself until you choose to be. Start with this decision and commit to it.

2. Define AWESOME

Have an intentional conversation about what’s important - your top 3 items each. So much stress is caused by lack of clarity and communication around desires, fears, priorities, and expectations. You’re going to come up against tons of opinions about who, what, when, where, why and how much. Once you know what AWESOME means to you, you’ll have a map to guide your direction and choices together.

3. Practice

Think about it: when you learn a new skill - piano, golf, baking - you start off crappy and you practice. In the beginning your pastry dough is terrible. You can’t hit the ball to save your life. This is expected so you keep trying and get better.

Mental health is the same. What do you get anxious about? Who drives you nuts? STRESS is the reason brides say “It all went by in a blur! I don’t even REMEMBER my wedding day!”

Find areas where you need practice and start small. Receive compliments without deflecting. Order the first thing you see on the menu and decide you’ll love it. Say no to invitations, without giving an excuse. If you’ve never been good at receiving attention, setting boundaries, or letting go of control, at first you will suck. But it’ll get better.

Just have a little self-compassion and remember: every new skill takes PRACTICE.

If you or someone you know is getting married, The Course for Brides is the perfect gift! Sample The Course during our launch week special: 4 days of video talks with 25+ cutting-edge coaches & therapists, teaching on anxiety, body image, financial worry, conflict, difficult conversations, boundary setting, control issues… If you are dealing with it, the Course has a teacher for you!

 
Gratitude. An excerpt from The Empire Citizen
  • I am so grateful to live in the same city as my family.
  • I am grateful that, even though my parents are divorced, we all still get together on holidays.
  • I am grateful for our universal appreciation of dorky puns.
  • I am grateful for my niece’s big, round eyes when I try to surprise her with silly questions, before she realizes I'm joking and starts to giggle.
  • I’m so grateful she loves holding hands for no reason.
  • I am grateful that (when you’re four years old) one of the most exciting things in life, is simply to run as fast as you can.
  • I am grateful to share these moments with my sister. We exchange a look and know we’re both smiling about the same observation.
  • I am grateful to see my parents being nana & papa – to see how much joy that brings them.

Take 20 Seconds & Try This Out:

  • Take a deep, loud breath, like a big sigh
  • Finish this sentence: “I am grateful for…"
  • Close your eyes & picture what you’re grateful for
  • FEEL the gratitude in your body – breathe deeply into that feeling
  • Now open your eyes.

Go ahead.  How was that?  Were you able to think of something? 

Was it coffee? Your comfy bed? Your parents’ health? The sound of your kids laughing? Pizza? Your good taste and sense of humour?  As you prepare for the rest of your day, take these 20 seconds for yourself.

If you're feeling grateful for this oasis in your day, sign-up for my newsletter! You'll receive my take on mindfulness for moms (and dads), self-care for brides (and grooms), and happy, healthy lifestyle tips for starseeds, lovers, seekers, and kitchen-dance-party aficionados alike. Plus, you'll receive first-dibs on popular photo dates, holiday promos, and anything else I can think of to serve you joy. Sign Up Here!

Check out more on gratitude lists in this post, where I reflect on not getting killed on my trip to Kenya. 

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