Saw these lovely notebooks last week and loved the inspirational and empowering covers! 👊

I'm honored and excited to be a guest speaker at this event this weekend. Here's to the start of more motivational speaking in the future!

Keeping up with friends post-college has to be one of the hardest things to do in life that nobody ever really warned you about. You always see in movies that friends from college are hanging out, going on trips, even raising their kids together. That was always the dream in college. After college, I saw that in time my friends were all scattered over the map. Some friends never really made it more than 2 years after college. Some that I weren't as close with in college unexpectedly ended up being more important in my life much later. At the end of the day though, I saw that my friends were far and few. Keeping up with them, albeit them being far and few, proved to be a challenge. Unlike college, during which everyone is contained in the same general area, coordinating schedules and getting together even just for a lunch had become considerably more difficult. The first couple years after college it didn't bother me that I wasn't as close with many friends because I was

Highly self-aware people usually know when something isn't right about the way they're feeling or the way they're thinking. When everything in life is otherwise going great, it's confusing when one day your mood doesn't reflect that, and you don't know why. Having "off days" is perfectly normal. I like to dig deep and see where that might be coming from. Am I tired? Did something irritate me? Am I avoiding something? Reality is that confronting a feeling or a thought isn't always the most fun thing to do. Still, when you address moments when you feel "off" it helps you process and move forward rather than sit in the dullness. Getting honest with yourself never felt so good. -Cheryl Cherian

When nothing else matters except the present moment 💜

One of my favorite things to do is organize my stuff. I like tossing out old things that no longer serve a purpose and clearing up my space. I admit that I hadn't re-organized in a while before today, but it's still just as fun as the last time. While I'm not a minimalist by any means, I can appreciate a space that isn't cluttered. Sometimes it's hard to let go of things that were once your favorite, or once bought with the intention of using forever (though that was not the case). A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself when the last time you used something was. If it wasn't in the last year or two, you definitely won't be getting much use out of it in the near future. Or, ask yourself if something still fits your taste as time has passed. A clean space is refreshing, and a space that reflects your style is even more satisfying. Needless to say, the process is enjoyably therapeutic. -Cheryl Cherian

In working with so many people in the scope of counseling, the idea that healing might be fast, simple, or identical from one person to the next is false. Healing certainly is not linear. There's always bumps in the road, but the bumps are critical parts of the process of learning, growth, and self-improvement. 

Sometimes you have to rally for yourself and if you don't know how to, LEARN how to make moves in your own life, because dreams aren't achieved when you sit around. YOU are amazing. YOU are capable. YOU are worth it. YOU deserve all the very best in the world. When you're used to taking the back seat and watching everyone else's lives revolve around you, you lose touch with the importance of your own. Audacious, bodacious, and courageous. If those words don't describe you and your actions, figure out how to make it so. The powerful, successful, and accomplished women you know and have heard of, never achieved anything without a great deal of audacity. - Cheryl Cherian

Who knew TopGolf was actually fun?

Never been much of a baker but I'm pretty proud of myself for this one!

The majority of clients I see struggle with low self-esteem, irrational worries, and/or intense negative emotions. I put together some questions you can ask yourself to really challenge your thoughts and work through them when you might be in a rut: When I have low Self Esteem: What do I love about myself? What are the meaningful things in my life? When I am Worried: What am I worried about? Why am I worried about it? Do I need to be this worried about it? Is it irrational? What can I do about it? When I am Upset: Why am I upset? What specifically about the situation is making me feel this way? Do I need to feel this intensely? Am I using unhealthy thinking styles? What to Do: What are positive solutions? Can I talk to someone? What can I do to get my mind off of it? What are the positives in my life and about me? -Cheryl Cherian

Today I challenged myself to do something well outside of my comfort zone. When the initial idea was suggested to me, I knew it was only because I was capable. I hesitated for a second, but then impulsively agreed. Days later I was wondering, "WHY CHERYL?!" Today came around and I was nervous as can be. Low and behold, it went well! My car ride home and even now, I can't stop smiling. Life sometimes give us these incredible natural highs when you just feel like you're on top of the world. In those moments I think to myself, "Wow. I'm just so incredibly happy!" Needless to say, I'm glad that I agreed and challenged myself to be uncomfortable. Being proud of yourself sure is one amazing feeling. -Cheryl Cherian

There are people in this world whose sole purpose in life might seem to be to bring you down. Have you ever felt that way? It seems like any time you're around them, they just function to rain on your parade and probably those of others too. I've focused so much on the people I surround myself with in the past year that these people and situations have become glaringly obvious. I've met a lot of what I like to call "adult bullies". They're full grown adults, but they act like children. To me, a major sign of maturity is respect for others. Adults ought to respect adults. Whether at the workplace or with family, there's people who are adult bullies- rude, disrespectful, and condescending. So what do you do in these situations? It never fails to hurt, so you're sad, which makes you mad. It becomes a mix of mad and sad and wondering if your adult bullies have a point. I just remember who they are: adult bullies. Why do people bully others? It's usu

On an otherwise dreary and rainy day, these little red flowers were much appreciated.

There is something so oddly satisfying about To-Do Lists. Everything about them, from making them, to prioritizing items, crossing things off, and starting new ones. To-Do lists fulfill my need for organization. When my brain feels scattered, jotting down the things I need to do gives me all the clarity I need to start on the first task, knowing that nothing is lost in translation because I've got it all written down. To-Do lists also function as my motivators. The gratification of getting one thing done and having the list that much closer to completion is always my ammunition to keep the momentum going. I recently got a neat app called Google Keep. I used to use the basic Notes app on my phone, but this is great because once you log in you can access your notes anytime, anywhere. Their list features are great because when one task is completed rather than deleting it, they cross it out and move it to the bottom of the list, so you can visualize the completion of the task. I li

My lovely parents and I on Easter❤

Easter Weekend 2018 was definitely the best Easter yet. For one, I got to spend the weekend with my family and go to church Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, which is always great. More than that, it's the meaning of Easter. We tend to carry the burden of all of our sins and mistakes with us, but it's a reminder that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Because of him, we are forgiven. He carried the weight of everyone's sins for the rest of eternity so that we could be saved. His resurrection on Easter Sunday is a symbol of hope for all of mankind. Easter is a time for our own spiritual resurrection as well, as we remember what it means to be Christians. One of my favorite songs is Resurrecting by Elevation Worship, which catches the beauty of the resurrection so beautifully. Happy Easter! -Cheryl Cherian