Living with a Purpose - The Silent Epidemic

Today I plan to reach out to local women/children DV shelters to find out about volunteer opportunities. I have one in mind that requires a 6 month training for direct volunteerism which is right up my alley.

There is something to my past struggles that I believe could benefit women and children while also educating myself. Domestic Voilence is alive in the US and all over the world -

Is domestic abuse common?

Each year, approximately 2 million women are severly assaulted by male partners. Each year, an estimated 3.3 million children witness domestic abuse. Each year, 40% of teenage girls ages 14-17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

What is the effect on society?

Businesses pay an estimated $3 to $5 billion a year in medical expenses associated with domestic violence and forfeit an additional $100 million a year in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity. Domestic abuse has been linked to a wide range of societal problems; people from violent homes include 89% of violent criminals; 95% of homeless people; a large percentage of alcoholics


For The Victim
How To Love Yourself
Compiled by Louise L. Hay of the Louise L. Hay Educational Institute

Stop all criticism. Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

Don’t scare yourself. Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It’s a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure (mine is yellow roses), and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought. Be gentle and kind and patient.
Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved.
Be kind to your mind. Self-hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don’t hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change your thoughts.
Praise yourself. Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.
Support yourself. Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.
Be loving to your negatives. Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. So lovingly release the old negative patterns.
Take care of your body. Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise can you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.
Mirror work. Look into your eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents looking into the mirror. Forgive them too. At least once a day say, “I love you; I really love you!”
Love yourself—do it now. Don’t wait until you get well, or lose the weight, or get the new job, or the new relationship. Begin now — and do the best you can.