Beneath and Beyond: A Hands on Guide to a Stress Free Lifestyle: to Truly Heal, You Must Reopen Past Wounds

By Brittany Krystantos

Beneath and Beyond: A Hands On Guide to a Stress Free Lifestyle, written by twenty-year-old author Brittany Krystantos, teaches readers how to reopen past wounds and transform their pain into power with self-confidence to live a happy, spirited life. Brittany continued into young adulthood consisting of a program using a variety of methods to help you shift to a more positive state of mind, regardless of your physical, emotional, or psychological challenges. The Beneath and Beyond program has helped thousands of teens across North America with their mental illness. Now we get to pursue Brittany’s mission in this book with inspirational stories and actionable, enriching principles to help you heal whatever struggles you’re going through. Brittany asks: How do we keep our minds healthy, our moods in check, and find happiness when the world is constantly pulling us down, bombarded with past trauma, negative thinking, and a mental illness of depression and anxiety? The answer is easy. When you truly heal from within, you give yourself power to be better, feel better, and live better. This one-of-a-kind guide is for all ages, anyone ready to end their sadness, suffering, and internal struggles and search within for the missing pieces. It combines with a cutting-edge feeling to heal your mind, soul, and body and spiritually walk on the path that is meant for you. Packed with exercises and lifestyle tips to a healthier mind and happier spirit, Britt invites you to step into your most vulnerable place—a path of self-discovery and healing awaits. Transcend the battle in your mind, and reclaim your power. When faced with the overwhelming notion of depression one with a mental illness may experience, this book will help guide them to stay in control of their emotions and reclaim their power with handy tools, as well as positive encouragements and affirmations. Change your perspective to change your life. Follow the Beneath and Beyond way of life, and know that when healing yourself, you then can heal the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Dec 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781982219154

Brittany Krystantos

Brittany Krystantos is a 20-year-old young women who dedicates her time to inspire teenagers to find their purpose, and to never feel alone. She gives talks to students with the hope of empowering them to not feel what she did in high school. She has written for Hufftpost, featured in Origins blog, interviewed with Galore Magazine, and Global News- she truly devotes her time to sharing her vulnerable story with teenagers. She is a unique young women that has found her voice after living silently for the first seven years of her life, and has found her purpose at a young age. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, after once experiencing negative thoughts and depressing feelings in high school; Britt made a promise to herself, to find happiness within herself. Now, she thrives to help kids find the happiness that once was her quest.

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Copyright © 2019 Brittany Krystantos.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Balboa Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1914-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1916-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-1915-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018915180

Balboa Press rev. date: 12/22/2018

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction To The Beneath and Beyond Program

The Purpose of This Book

Part 1: BENEATH

Chapter 1 The Higher Self In You

Chapter 2 Session with Britt

Chapter 3 The True Tail Of Depression

Chapter 4 Some Pointers From My Teaching

Chapter 5 Where Does Your Sadness Come From?

Chapter 6 Why Is It Important To Go Beneath Yourself?

Chapter 7 Open The Veil Beneath Yourself In 4 Steps

Chapter 8 The Church Of Faith After Being Dumped on Text

Chapter 9 Take Care Of Your Mental Well Being

Part 2: BEYOND

Chapter 10 Live a Life Beyond Yourself In 6 Steps

Chapter 11 Ikigai: A Reason For Being

Chapter 12 Reclaim What Is Yours

Chapter 13 Calming Anxiety

Part 3: HEAL THE WORLD

Chapter 14 Paying It Forward

Part 4: MY STORY

Chapter 15 My Story

Chapter 16 How My Journey Started

Chapter 17 I Was a Hot Mess

Chapter 18 Recovered Food Addict

Chapter 19 Healer T

Chapter 20 Losing My SHI!T

Chapter 21 My Heart Broke Once

Chapter 22 Close The Door To Your Past

Part 5: 30-DAY JOURNALING

Acknowledgments

Seek Help - Handy Resources

Also By Brittany Krystantos

About The Author

Beneath and Beyond: A Hands On Guide To A Stress Free Lifestyle written by 20 year old author, Brittany Krystantos, recalls the ever so common high school struggles with self-identity, friendships and battle with depression, she continues into young adulthood consisting of a program Britt developed that is both inspirational and life changing with actionable and wildly enriching principles to help you heal whatever struggles you’re going through. How do we keep our minds healthy, our moods in check, and find happiness when the world is constantly pulling us down, bombarded with past trauma, negative thinking and a mental illness of depression and anxiety? The answer is easy: "To truly heal, you must reopen past wounds."

In Beneath and Beyond, it uses a variety of methods to help you shift to a more positive state of mind, regardless of your physical, emotional or psychological challenges. This one-of-a- kind guide for anyone who is ready to end their sadness for once and for all, combining the cutting-edge wisdom and compassion that this young woman has to offer, packed with exercises and lifestyle tips to a healthier mind and happier spirit. How much happier would we all be if we just acknowledge our internal struggles instead of silencing it and feeling shame, doubt and self-criticism? Britt invites you to step into your most vulnerable place, a path of self- discovery and healing awaits.

Beneath and Beyond is a chance for you to transcend your internal battle with yourself and reclaim your power. When faced with the overwhelming notion of depression one with a mental illness may experience, this book will help guide them to stay in control of their emotions and reclaim their power with handy tools, as well as positive encouragements and affirmations. Change your perspective, you change your life. Follow the Beneath and Beyond way of life and know that when healing yourself, you then can heal the world.

To momma…

You are the light in my dark. Thank you for being my best friend and wiping my tears after so many heartbreaks. Remember that time we stayed up all the way until midnight, while we talked endlessly about my latest crush? Did he message you?! What did he say? We’re basically the Canadian version of Lorelai and Rory from Gilmore Girls. You mom, are a woman of kindness, sensitivity with the biggest heart; a true example of what every woman in the world should be and who I will be. This is for you…

The wound is the place where the light enters you.

—Rumi

PREFACE

The stories, lessons and teachings in this book are adapted from the two years of teaching my workshop Beneath and Beyond. I have history with depression. At fourteen, I battled silently with my anxiety and depression that fastly grew darker and deeper every single day. After my self-discoveries and learning more about my true life path, I knew early on that serving young people battling with their own mental health is exactly what I want and plan to do! I know without a doubt that if we take care of our minds, bring awareness and learn strategies to end the illness, the stigma will be defeated as well. You may wonder who I am and why this young woman is telling you to take care of your mind. Is that so? So let me tell you a little bit more about me.

Since I was a little girl, I was taught to smile, to look pretty in my expensive dresses, and to say cheese for the camera. I was taught to wait for my prince charming to come riding over on his horse to whisk me away. Someone rich, someone established, well respected, someone who my parents would approve of. I’ve heard stories of girls who grew up happy, in a well-adjusted positive environment. They grew up loving themselves and speaking their truths without fear of rejection or shaming from their parents. I’ve heard those stories, but never seen it around me, until I decide I needed to make important and fast changes in my own life. I didn’t want to be a disaster story but one people would remember forever as a success story of personal development. My story wasn’t easy and it’s not over.

I am twenty-years-old now, and I had my first and worst heartbreak last summer. When my ex-boyfriend broke up with me by text, I thought I would never get out of it. I was eating tub after tub of Ben and Jerry’s Ice cream.

My mom whispered, Britt, you need a shower. It was true, I was in a slump and becoming very depressed. Crazy how just a cute boy had the power to make me feel so unworthy. I was on the verge of reaching another depression, different to when I was a teenager, but just as painful. I was older now and supposed to be wiser. However, one thing triggered me and all the healing I put myself through all those years ago went down the trash. I was left with a broken heart and more pain to learn about myself. I was falling apart, and I didn’t know how to get myself back up, that was until I looked within myself and figured out why the breakup was affecting me.

This is how Beneath and Beyond were discovered. I sat on the couch with, of course, the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream in my hand.

First thing, I muttered to myself. Why do I react so badly to rejection? The thought became apparent when I lingered back to my childhood memories. The days I didn’t speak a word for a few years, the days the men in my life emotionally abused me… I kept digging into my pain and into my childhood to discover why I was affected by this breakup.

My fingers jitter as I begin writing this introduction. I take a deep breath and pause for a moment, as I shiver to the question: Why are you writing a book to help others go beneath themselves?

I turn up the tropical, high beat music in the background; the melody is connecting to my soul, the music is loud. If the neighbors aren’t up yet, I am sure they are now. I take a deep breath and pause for a moment. There is a voice within me; it is direct and truthful. It mutters in my ear, Britt, in every step you take on this earth should be led by your true authentic self. The words brush against my heart and soul, continuing to say, Be yourself and light up the world.

I want others to see the same light I found within myself through this program I discovered and now teach across North America to students. I have been teaching Beneath, and Beyond and have seen an incredible transformation in the kids who used it to uncover layers of pain and dedicated themselves onto a path of healing. I knew I wanted to provide the same healing for others who don’t have access to schools or didn’t have the chance to attend a workshop yet.

It is essential that everyone, especially young people, is encouraged to be themselves and learn the power of acceptance. It is crucial for them to find the things that set them apart from the world and to be different, weird, dorky, unique, unusual, or extraordinary… because in every person there is a quality that makes them both different and amazing. Most of us feel the world