Mindset Archives — Kayla M Douglas

12Nov 2021 by Kayla No Comments

5 Things I Love About Germany

Mindset, Travel

When it comes to adapting to a new country, I have a lot of experience. However, this time I have not had the easiest time adapting to my new environment. While I do not believe in using toxic positivity to cover up our real feelings about anything, I do believe there is value in focusing on the positive. That's why I am challenging myself to write 5 things I love about Germany. Focus on the environment One of the first things I had to adjust to when it came to daily life here, was how garbage is disposed of in Germany. It's not as simple as it was in India, or Myanmar where, unfortunately, everything was going to the same place. Germany has a great system where you pay a…

01Nov 2021 by Kayla No Comments

Thoughts About Death and Life on Earth

Mindset

On the Day of the Dead I want to share my thoughts about death for those that may be sad when I am dead. I likely won't have a chance to share a message when it's my time to go, and as that can come at any minute, the day of the dead seemed as good a day as any to share my personal thoughts about death. To those who may be sad when I am dead, Don’t be. There is no such thing as death. Hear me out- What is death? If you know me at all, you know I didn’t like the whole go into a church, kneel and stand, sit and kneel routine. Organized religion wasn't for me after a point, but I am a spiritual being. On…

29Oct 2021 by Kayla No Comments

Avoiding Emotions with Narcolepsy

Mindset

Years back, I had gotten really good at avoiding emotions with narcolepsy. I was so distant from my own emotions, I didn't actually have a lot of opinions about things. I was okay with whatever happened. This neutrality prevented me from feeling those emotions that might trigger cataplexy, one of the lesser-known symptoms of Type 2 Narcolepsy. (more…)

19Aug 2021 by Kayla No Comments

Starting a New Chapter

Life Coaching, Lifestyle, Mindset

We always have opportunities for starting a new chapter. But there are certain situations that lend to this type of transformation. Today I am moving from India to Germany. I have a vision for who I am going to be there. Of course, this vision comes from my experience of who I have been being up until this point. I have gone through a lot of transformation throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic as I bounced around the world. (more…)

21Jun 2021 by Kayla 2 Comments

Being Vulnerable with Narcolepsy Works

Mindset

It's hard not to look at being vulnerable as a bad thing, but today I'm here to tell you that being vulnerable with narcolepsy works wonders. I have gained so much by daring to be vulnerable, and today I am taking that to a new level. Today, I am committing to using this space for more raw, unedited, real writing about what I'm experiencing on a day-to-day basis. (more…)

12Apr 2021 by Kayla 1 Comment

How to Accept a Chronic Diagnosis

Mindset

I see it over and over again. We fight to get a diagnosis from a doctor and then we have no idea how to accept the diagnosis. We wanted validation that what we were experiencing was real. But we didn't know how much baggage was going to come with it. (more…)

25Feb 2021 by Kayla No Comments

Wake Up Happy with Narcolepsy

Mindset

I'm a morning person, so I wake up happy every day. And I have had narcolepsy most of my life, if not all of it. When I tell people my best hours are first thing in the morning and I'd be happy to meet them online at 7am my time, they seem baffled. How can a person with narcolepsy also be a morning person? And how does anyone wake up happy? (more…)

10Nov 2020 by Kayla No Comments

Being Centered Among Chaos, Practicing Tai Chi

Mindset

If you have ever wandered through a park in the morning and seen people practicing slow graceful movements, you may have seen the art of Tai Chi. Tai Chi is a companion of Kung Fu, that takes the martial art to the next level. Wuanna Zawlwin, the instructor for Tai Chi in Yangon, says many people are drawn to the health benefits of Tai Chi and like to practice the movements in the morning. Tai Chi is believed to boost your immune system and help you stay strong both physically and mentally. The direct translation of the words Tai Chi is “Supreme Ultimate.” He explained that it operates on four main levels, the muscles, energy, mind, and spirit. But when he arrived here from Germany six years ago, he didn’t…

13Aug 2020 by Kayla No Comments

Shifting Perspectives to be Happier Now

Mindset

Sometimes I can only see from one perspective. I have a belief and I think my way is the truth. But when I become open to shifting perspectives, I can be happier with where I'm at, without changing my outside circumstances. ⁠For example, I thought the town I grew up close to was an ugly town. I don't like the college associated with it, maybe because I went to its rival school or maybe I was just wearing the wrong color lenses growing up and made these judgements about it. ⁠Either way, it was a place I dreaded visiting and never hesitated to complain about. How I Saw "Home"⁠ When I tell people where I'm from, they have never heard of it unless I mention the nearby university, and then…

04Feb 2020 by Kayla No Comments

This is the Sign You Have Been Looking For

Mindset

Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash You know that thing that has been on your mind, you thought about doing it, and then something told you it wasn’t the right time. Yeah, that one. It’s time now. I know you thought it was far out in the future, you thought maybe in a few months, or a year, you would be ready. Or that you would see a sign to let you know when its time. This is your sign. Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash If you feel like I’m speaking directly to you, that’s because I am. I know YOU have something that you want to do. Whatever has been holding you back can be overcome. I know it, and you know it. But you are passionate about it, and doing it is going to…

31Jan 2020 by Kayla No Comments

I Am Enough, And So Are You

Mindset

Image from Redbubble Reminding myself that I am enough is a lifelong process. I write it on my mirror, put it on the background of my phone, and set reminders to keep reinforcing this belief. Recently I even wrote a poem about it on a day when I was having doubts. If you need help remembering that you are enough, keep repeating it. The brain needs repetition. Say it in the mirror, create mantras to repeat when you are struggling. Write your own poem. Here is my poetic reminder to you that you are enough. I am enough I am enougheven on the days when exhaustion keeps me in bed until noonand I don’t have the energy to take a shower I am enoughwith a migraine raging fury in my…

27Jan 2020 by Kayla No Comments

On Being Unf***withable

Mindset

I am consistently hearing people talk about being fuckwithable. Sure, they don't use that word, but they say things like, "You make me so mad! " or "This makes me feel sad. or "I know he is just a guy from Tinder, but I still obsess over why he hasn't texted me in 3 hours!" In many cases, people are handing over control of their emotions to other human beings. When you say, "you make me feel.." you are giving power to someone else, whether you realize it or not. That means you have the option to take back the control. In the case of someone not calling us back, we know rationally that the reaction is silly. But maybe we don't feel in control of changing it. There are…

13Jan 2020 by Kayla No Comments

Identifying Negative Self-Talk

Mindset

I used to have trouble deciphering what "negative self-talk" meant and how to determine what was constructive and what was not. In the beginning, I only pulled out the really major negative messages with words like stupid, lazy, worthless, etc. ⁠I had no idea that there was more to negative self-talk than these obvious problems. Why Does Negative Self-Talk Matter? This whole idea stems from the principle that we all spend most of our time with ourselves. Therefore, a lot of time we are talking to ourselves even if it's not verbal, it is inside our heads. So it's important to pay attention to what we are saying to ourselves. On one hand, we have to tell ourselves what we need to work on to stay motivated and to grow.…

08Jan 2020 by Kayla No Comments

How Do I Cope with World Events?

Mindset

My heart is beating in my gut, the breakfast I just finished feels heavy and I feel like I am going to be sick. I was just informed that it's likely the US is entering into war again. I really have to take time to process to cope with world events like this. Cope with world events in the moment As an empath, while things like this may seem far away to other people, I can be deeply emotionally affected by what is going on in the world. I feel a lot, but even if you are not an empath, there comes a point where what is happening can all seem like too much. What can we do with these emotions? Be aware The first thing I have to do…

31Dec 2019 by Kayla No Comments

Protecting My Energy

Mindset

Learning to empower instead of enabling The phone rings, and I feel obligated to answer. Cindy, a new acquaintance, is hysterical on the other end. I drop everything I’m doing to rush to her apartment. I need to make sure the assignment she was working on is still somewhere on her computer. The deadline is tomorrow, and she doesn’t know what happened to it. Luckily, I’m a computer whiz and must have bragged about it while making small talk the first time I met Cindy. After rushing out of my house to put out the fire, I return home exhausted. Her nervous energy and panic were all it took to drain my reserves, and even though I had my own paper to write, I curl up on the couch for a recharge nap.…