Committing to Confidence - a Guest Blog Series by Katelyn Andrist

This is a guest blog from Katelyn Andrist, embracing her SII: Commit to Confidence: Envisioning A More Confident You! I hope you enjoy it.

You Matter. You Matter. You Matter.

Keep telling yourself this. It is so important for everyone to remember those two little words that have such a big impact. You have a huge impact on your community and the people around you. You never know what life you can change or touch by giving them the knowledge they matter. You can save a life. You are important. Your feelings matter. Your voice matters. Your life matters...always & forever.

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Mental health is just as important as your physical health. 1 out 5 people suffer from a mental health condition. You are not alone! Let’s be the generation to start a conversation about this. Let’s be the ones who change the world.

To improve your mental health here are a few things to do :

1) Take brain breaks

2) Drink lots of water

3) Surround yourself with positive people and things

4) Take time for yourself

5) Take a walk

6) Read a book

Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help or need to talk to someone. Text HOME 741-741 - you can utilize the Crisis Text Line. Also you can contact our local COMCARE Community  Crisis Center @ +1 (316) 660- 7522, They are open 24/7.

Let’s start the conversation together.

-Katelyn Andrist 

I want to thank Katelyn for sharing this post. 

Committing to Confidence - a Guest Blog Series by Katelyn Andrist

This is a guest blog from Katelyn Andrist, embracing her SII: Commit to Confidence: Envisioning A More Confident You! I hope you enjoy it.

Here are 10 things I wish I knew growing up :

1. It is okay to be upset. No one can tell you how you feel. You are allowed to feel your emotions the way YOU want. 

2. It is okay to NOT always be good at everything you try in life. You will find your gifts, talents, and passions one day. Good things take time. 

3. It is okay to cry. Feel your emotions. Allow yourself to let go and just feel what is going on in your heart and mind. 

4. It is okay to want more for yourself. Do not stay in a little box. Allow yourself to grow, heal, and try new things. You can let go and step into a new chapter. 

5. It is okay to fight for yourself. You only have your voice at the end of the day. Sometimes you will have to fight for what is right for you. 

6. Do not let others determine your future. Only YOU can decide what you want and deserve.  

7. It is okay to think differently than others do. Minds of imagination and creation make this world a better place. Having multiple ideas allows us to create the best one. 

8. It is okay to make mistakes. Make BIG mistakes because this is the only way you will grow. You need to learn and create guidance for others.

9. It is okay to be YOURSELF. This world needs your voice, heart, and mind. You deserve to be yourself and to be loved for who you are. Do not beg for anyone to love you. 

10.  Love. Always choose love. Every human being is hurting inside, having pain, doubts, and insecurities. Be that person who loves them and brings love to their life. 

This is your friendly reminder to start each day with pure intentions with guided reflection, mindfulness, and self-care. You have a purpose to create the life you deserve no matter what age. Take back your peace and power.

Today is for you. Capture Today. Imagine Tomorrow.

I intend to live with an open and joyful heart... will you?

-Katelyn Andrist 

I want to thank Katelyn for sharing this post. 

Committing to Confidence - a Guest Blog Series by Katelyn Andrist

This is a guest blog from Katelyn Andrist, embracing her SII: Commit to Confidence: Envisioning A More Confident You! I hope you enjoy it.

I feel sad. I feel lonely. I feel misunderstood. I feel like I am done here. I feel like I am growing…..

Without feeling empty inside, we can’t have room for new things to bloom. When we see an empty space, we immediately want to fill it up with bigger, better, and stronger things. Now - this is the time to grow and fill your empty space with new things. At your lowest, you will feel like you are the problem. You start to blame yourself, and you let others affect your light in this world. Stop. Take a deep breath. You are not the problem.. The problem is you have outgrown the life you had created around you. Let go, and stop trying to fix everything around you. “It is not your responsibility to help people grow” - Biggest life lesson I’ve ever learned. You can not force or entice others to grow with you when they do not DESERVE to be in your circle. Read that again. The key word is deserve. You are entitled to learn, heal, be loved, and grow - sometimes this personal development will happen without those people. Open your heart and take action. Take your power and peace back. YOU have the power to create the future you want and deserve. I pray you find people, love, places, and things who promote this growth for you. Help grow you into the person you are meant to be. 

Trust in yourself. 

Trust in God. 

Say this with me, 

I love myself.

I am growing, 

I am healing. 

I am making mistakes. 

I am a human being. 

Fill your empty, darkest, and lowest room full of love, light, and peace."

-Katelyn Andrist  

I want to thank Katelyn for sharing this post. 

Committing to Confidence - a Guest Blog Series by Katelyn Andrist

This is a guest blog from Katelyn Andrist, embracing her SII: Commit to Confidence: Envisioning A More Confident You! I hope you enjoy it.

Look at this picture. Is there something wrong with it? 

The answer is simply no. Beauty is not defined by society only you. I see no difference because beauty comes from within. Let this be a reminder that makeup only enhances our true beauty from within. 

"The Sun does not ask permission to shine and neither will I."

-unknown 

Please let this be a reminder you are beautiful just the way you are every morning when you wake up! Only you can define beauty!

You are beautiful!

- Katelyn Andrist 

I want to thank Katelyn for sharing this post. 

Committing to Confidence - a Guest Blog Series by Katelyn Andrist

This is a guest blog from Katelyn Andrist, embracing her SII: Commit to Confidence: Envisioning A More Confident You! I hope you enjoy it.

“To me, beauty is about being comfortable in your skin. It’s about knowing and accepting who you are. One day I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like and what other people thought about my body.”
-Gabourey Sidibe 

Loving yourself is the greatest revolution. Your weight does not define your worth. You are enough. You are absolutely beautiful. The problem is not with your body, the problem is what you think of it... and what you think of yourself. Stop being so hard on yourself, your mind and body. I am not here to show off my body but to show you I am comfortable in my skin

Body.
A four letter word we let determine our whole life.
On repeat in our minds “Am I skinny enough?” “Am I beautiful enough?” “Why does my body look like this?” “I hate the way I look.”

Remember, everybody is beautiful. Your body is beautiful! Your body doesn’t determine you or your life! Your body and you are not defined by numbers on the tag or scale! It's up to you to tell yourself and others that! You only have one body, love your body unconditionally! Fuel yourself with love and peace of peacefulness! Consume healthy thoughts and food! Exercise hate and negativity off of you. This all starts with you! Cut off toxic and negative people in your life! I promise once you do you will glow and shine brighter than the sun.

It’s okay if your body is changing, that's a normal part of life for a man or woman.
Your body is changing every day just like you (:

With 2022 it’s time to love our bodies wholeheartedly and be comfortable in our skin!! With my life changing, going off to college and dancing less I can see a change in my body but I still love my body. I understand your frustration and know where you are coming from! I am finding new ways to keep myself happy and healthy! I did and I can say I love my body and I feel beautiful in my own skin! You can do the same! The small things add up! I promise you when I say your body is beautiful and everything will be okay. Don’t be so hard on yourself or your body. love your body. you only have one. one mind. one heart. one soul. one body. You are loved and wanted."

- Katelyn Andrist 

I want to thank Katelyn for sharing this story. 

Happy Tenth Anniversary K. Garcia Productions!

What an incredible accomplishment! Today marks the ten year mark for K. Garcia Productions, and the woman behind it all Kelsey Garcia Witzgall!

Over that time, K. Garcia Productions, has been a true asset to Section 36. Not only has Kelsey taken some pretty outstanding photographs of Forevers but she was actually an interview guest herself! I'm honored to feature so much of her work, in so many places throughout the Section 36 suite of blogs.

Below, you'll see just a few of the times K. Garcia Productions has made Section 36 a better place.

Congratulations!

Allie Curtis

Elizabeth Pierre

Elizabeth Pierre

Allie Curtis

Elizabeth Pierre

Elizabeth Pierre

Jackie O'Keefe

Bridget Oei

Cassandra Pinataro

        

Committing to Confidence - a Guest Blog Series by Katelyn Andrist

This is a guest blog from Katelyn Andrist, embracing her SII: Commit to Confidence: Envisioning A More Confident You! I hope you enjoy it.

25% of Americans admit to feeling lonely in the last month
66% say that having a close relationship with other people is always on their minds
In a room full of people we can still be lonely. Our minds are a beautiful creation with lightning and thunderstorms. We have to remember to grow, we must feel pain. We need to be struck by lightning to have realizations of ourselves, life and other things going on in our life. We need rain to grow and heal our hearts, minds, souls and more. Choose people who give you rain not thunderstorms. You have the power to give yourself growth or lightning. Please choose growth every time. I promise in time everything will get better and make sense.
Let yourself grow and bloom into the person God created you to be(:

You matter.
You are loved.
You can do anything you put your mind to.
You are you.
Special.
Important.

Don’t let your thunderstorms cloud your mind because you are beautiful. You have a purpose in this world.

- Katelyn Andrist 

I want to thank Katelyn for sharing this story.