Inspiration, mental health

Why We Love Upcycling

Who doesn’t love a good craft fair…especially the booths of upcycled items, repurposed into useful everyday items! Upcycling is when an item that was bound for the landfill is given a new life as a new item, often completely separate from it’s original purpose.

Upcycled chairs become kitchy planters for your indoor or outdoor garden. Upcycled pallets become…EVERYTHING!

Why does this matter?  I really do believe that we love upcycled items for many reasons (you know…not killing the environment and all) but the idea I like to ponder is the idea that all things can serve a purpose.  Things that were once discarded as useless by one person have immense purpose to another.  One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This idea gives hope for us as well! Who among us hasn’t felt worthless or cast aside at some point?  Who among us hasn’t wondered what our purpose in life is now that __________ chapter of our life has ended?

Just as these everyday items can be upcycled, so to can we upcycle ourselves!

If someone has told you that you are useless, you may need to find a new perspective! Just as this stool has been turned upside down to find it’s purpose, you too can look at things in a new light to find yours.

upcycled stool

Perhaps you have been told that you will only ever fit into one category.  Take a page from this dino’s book and think outside the box.  A tulip in a rose garden may not seem like it fits; however it can fit just nicely in a rose garden! I love the unexpected. Therapist’s with tattoos, teachers with blue hair, macho men who aren’t afraid to show affection…there is plenty of space in the world for you! Find the right garden!

Upcycled dino

 

Perhaps you have been told that you are not the right shape.  Perhaps you have received the message (directly or indirectly) that you cannot be worthy at your current stature. Forget that! Channel your inner wrench and appreciate your quirks.  By just bending into a 90 degree angle, these wrenches found a second life offering support to items that need hung up! You can be supportive to those around you, you are needed, you are important!

upcycled wrenches

 

 

 

DBT, Inspiration

Values

Has anyone ever asked you what your values are? It seems like such a simple question and yet it’s quite complicated! Values are such an abstract concept that people often don’t know what they actually are.  Values are personality traits, beliefs or principles that increase your feeling of self worth.  Values should make you feel more confident in your identity and when relied on, will guide you in making decisions you feel proud of.

 A (very short) list of values:

  • Creativity
  • Fitness
  • Spirituality
  • Belonging
  • Mastery
  • Intellect
  • Empathy
  • Honesty
  • Gratitude
  • Loyalty
  • Patriotism
  • Health
  • Altruism
  • Professionalism
  • Security
  • Achievement
  • Independence
  • Faith
  • Accomplishment
  • Fluency
  • Challenge
  • Balance

 

What I would recommend you do is make a list of your core values. The internet is an amazing resource here, searching for lists of values will produce immediate results.  Once you have your list, see if you can group any of them into categories. For instance, if you chose faith, spirituality, and belonging you could group them into spirituality.  Or if you chose fitness, accomplishment and health you could consider them as a whole.  Step three is to develop an action plan.  Figure out how to incorporate you values into your life.  With the example of spirituality, you could join a church community to feel a part of something while also nurturing your spiritual life.  If you are working on the fitness goal, you may set a goal of a 5K run to satisfy your value of accomplishing something that also improves your health and fitness.  Working toward goals that are aligned with your values will increase your sense of self, thus improving your self esteem.