Day 9: Camp NaNoWriMo

Another day in paradise. What a day it has been so far. Whether I was cleaning up after my senior cat who decided to pee all over a garbage bag in my office, all the way to cleaning up the laundry room because I didn’t get to the washing machine soon enough to shut off the water, I am here and I am kind of even calm. Ok, maybe my husband would disagree when he heard how I reacted when I discovered the cat pee, while he was trying to nap before going back to work. But I got over it. I cleaned everything up. I have a very clean laundry room floor and my office floor is very clean as well. What did I learn? The same thing I always learn ( then seemingly forget ) when my laundry room floods: I am a horrible mulitasker. I remember having a conversation with some friends years ago and we were talking about how women are great multitaskers and how men are not. They have one compartment in the their brain and women have many…whatever that means. Even back then, I wasn’t able to multitask. What is multitasking anyway? Yes, I listen to podcasts and cook/bake/clean at the same time….BUT when my washing machine is on, I need to turn the podcast off until I turn the water off. Yes, it’s broken that way but is usable. Today I got totally distracted. The cat was meowing and I didn’t know why, I was sweeping the kitchen floor, Wally was on on his way home for lunch…yep. Water all over laundry room floor. BUT here I am. I survived it and I won’t talk about it again until next time it happens. 🙂 None of this is a big deal, but it’s my world.

I would say I’m done with my self care series. Maybe next week I will share some netflix shows I watch to “get away” from it all. Some of the shows I have seen many many times.

It’s one of those days I’m really not into writing. I’m so tired today and would like to have a nap. I just might lay down for half an hour. I’m so tired of the political talk on line as well, whether it’s American, Canadian and since we have an election coming up in Alberta, Provincial. Oh man, I’m amazed at the ugliness of people. It’s so disheartening sometimes. Stay off comments at news sites as well. You know that saying, just because you think it, doesn’t mean you have to say it. Jeepers.

Anyway, I’m just rambling now. I’m out of here and maybe tomorrow I will have some more exciting stuff to share. Lol Be well friends!

Alexis

Laughter Recharges Me: Steve Austin

Day 4: Camp NaNoWriMo

I love Affirmations. I have used them everyday since Dec 31 and they come in so handy. What I need to do though is to put copies of them in the usual spots in my house so I will remember them better and say them more often. I usually get my affirmations on line and I also find a lot in guided meditations. If I really notice a lot in a meditation I will play it again later on and write the affirmations out. At the end of every month I write them out for the whole month and I clip them onto my gratitude journal and I put the month before on a ring. Surely it will come in handy some day.

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I need to add though I write each affirmation in my gratitude day timer as well. I actually write them out twice at the beginning of the month. This is just the habit I have gotten into. To be honest, I don’t think I have truly gotten the best benefit out of them yet. I think that comes in posting them around my house so I remember them better. I will try that. I also need to point out that all of these I am doing I am not SWEARING by them. Meaning, they aren’t even close to becoming something I am worshiping or coming down on myself because I’m not getting enough out of it or I forget to do something that day or frankly, there are days I just don’t wanna…so I don’t or on those days I may MAKE myself just to push me. I have beaten myself up for too many years for not being good enough or not trying hard enough and I won’t do it anymore. I will do my best. If it isn’t working for me, I will change it or I will take time off from doing something to do something else or whatever I want.

I am enrolled in Catching Your Breath Academy. Our teacher is a life coach, named Steve Austin( not the wrestler), with an amazing story. He was a Pastor who almost died by suicide. He has several different courses. Some are free some aren’t. In fact, I think if you sign up now you get the first month free and $27/month. He has a different course every month. This month is Serenity, Self-Care and Self-Compassion. Last month was intense and quite triggering for me…dealing with fear, guilt and shame. It was crazy. I haven’t gotten into it as much this month but it’s good so far. I decided this year, I would dedicate it to healing for myself and I must say, on different levels I have come a very long way. I’m very encouraged by it. I will leave it at this. I linked Steve’s site so you can check it out for yourself if you want. I should add, the affirmations I am using this are from Steve and that’s what I’m posting at the end of these blogs.

Tomorrow I will talk about my very favorite app and well as podcasts…some self care ones and some that I just enjoying listening to. Have a super day my friends!

Ttfn

My Mind Is Evolving – Steve Austin

Day 2: Camp NaNoWriMo

Day 2 and already, I don’t have much to say. That’s why a plan is always good. I’m feeling on the blah side so that doesn’t help. We did get out and about today. Wally found some tires so he can smear the horse poop in the pasture so he will pick them up tomorrow AND we found a great place for Bubble Tea. It was so good and I’m looking forward to trying different flavors. We discovered Bubble Tea in Winnipeg. I had had it before but it was a long time ago and I was pleasantly surprised Wally liked it so much too.

The farrier is coming next week to trim Daisy’s hooves. I’m pretty sure she will have to go in the Jenny Craig pen. It’s so funny because that is what they call it around here when your horse is a little to heavy and you need to limit what she eats, whether it’s the hay and oats/barley or the grass. Someone got a little too spoiled over the winter months and ate too much delicious hay. Sounds like most humans I know. Lol We love our farrier. She has been so patient with us as we have learned more about Daisy. Trish (our farrier) actually taught Wally how to bridle up Daisy and ride her. It’s still weird to me that we have a horse. Daisy is blind in one eye and we are considering getting her a donkey to keep her company. We have some research to do before that happens though.

I think I might get some information together and share what kind of self-care I am doing. Surely no one cares, but it is something to write about, right? One thing I do everyday are Affirmations. I have a new one everyday and at the end of these blogs I will share them with you. I have been doing this since January using it along with my gratitude journal. I will share more about this tomorrow though.

Sorry for the boring blog. Lol I’m sure there will be more like this but hopefully some will be exciting. Have a super evening friends! Love to you all!

Alexis

Peace Reigns in My Heart : Steve Austin

Day 1: Camp NaNoWriMo

Today is the first day of camp NaNoWriMo. My plan is to blog everyday and I made a list of questions as an outline to follow. Ugh. I’m not really happy with the questions as of today, so I will have to try to come with some different ones. I guess I can do some writing prompts or I can just ad-lib as I go. I’ll try that today!

I’m so happy we are now in April. Spring is here with some snow every once in a while. That is Alberta living. One way we know it is Spring, are the bees. We live across the street from a bee farm. They put the hives out around this time of year(a couple days ago). Within a half an hour some had made their way over here already. They like to hang out at out back deck where the sun shines the most. They are still sleepy and slow and are quite annoying. By the time it gets warmer out, they are usually gone and then back again in the Fall when it is getting cooler and they need out nice warm deck again.

Another way Spring showed it’s arrival was seeing a moose out in the field enjoying some grubs. Daisy, our horse, was pretty worked up. The moose wasn’t too far from her. We do have moose living in the our bushes but we don’t see them that much so it was so cool to see one this year. I hope we see more. I would love to see a baby moose.

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Spring mud. Not my favorite thing. We have three dogs. I was able to find something to block them from coming into the kitchen and just hang out in the porch until their feet are dry. I hate mopping the floor several times a day because of mud. I realize it’s part of season but like I said, with dogs…ANNOYING!

One thing I love about Spring is that it seems so new. The growth of new life, whether it’s the new grass coming up or buds on the trees to hearing the baby coyotes at night and seeing other baby wildlife if they dare show themselves. I’ve always seen Spring as a time for introspection for myself too. It’s kind of cool that at the start of this month the course I will be taking at Catching Your Breath Academy is called Serenity, Self-Care and Self-Compassion. Last month’s course was pretty heavy and it was called Taking the Gloves Off: Learning to Fight Fear, Shame and Guilt. I was triggered pretty bad through it but I made it through to the other side and achieved some pretty amazing feats because of it. Maybe someday I will share. New life reminds me of being good to myself, to be gentle with myself. If you are anything like me, I tend to me my own worse critic. I’m learning though to change my thoughts and to see the truth for what it is, rather than allow the recording in my head from things gone by to control me. It’s really hard work being intentional about healing. Some days you may find that you just can’t do it. I allow that now, without feeling guilty, but I don’t allow myself to live in it. So much of my time has been wasted with anxiety and depression. I choose healing and I choose it without medication. For me, that is what is best, otherwise I won’t work through my issues. I know myself pretty well.

All this to say, Spring is here and I’m very happy about it.

ttfn

Alexis

Time Alone Encourages Me To Listen To My Inner Voice: Steve Austin

Day 30: Thoughts on the Last Thirty Day

There is something amazing about coffee. Something that makes so many people drink it first thing in the morning. Caffeine I imagine but besides that. For me, it is the yummy taste and just the whole idea that once I sit down for my coffee it is ok to start planning my day or at least thinking about it. I have taken the dogs for a walk and fed them and the cats (and took care of Massey and his cone of shame). I have done dishes and now I have given myself permission to sit and have a cup of coffee and a piece of cold pizza. I have been thinking about how I would write this post so here goes. 🙂

I am feeling pretty fine today. 30 days in a row (minus one) of writing/blogging. I have divulged more of myself than I was planning but some things you just can’t plan. I have been disciplined about sitting here every morning and writing. A couple of the posts I did write ahead time but for the most part, I wrote them that morning. I think in the future I will continue to do that but mix it in with a some that are planned ahead of time. I’ll just go with it. 🙂 It really worked with me to have a prompt to go with so I might just continue to use that for some writing ideas. I am still trying to find my mojo as a writer so I will try different things.

I love the thought that I finished Camp NaNoWriMo. I might have planned my intentions wrong so I may not get a badge ( oh, poor me) but I don’t really relish the thought of going through my blogs one by one and copying and pasting them to get a word count at the Camp. It’s not that worth it. I don’t need a badge anyway. I set a goal and finished it. That’s good enough for me. Actually, I took a screen shot and will use it as my feature picture. Very cool!

Well friend, thanks for being on the journey with me. I am looking forward to our continued journeys wherever and whatever they might be. It’s April 30, 2017, and it’s a GREAT day to be alive! I loves you!

Day 27: My Favorite Things About Spring

Ideally, I’m just happy winter is over.  🙂  By the time Spring comes it is time and I feel it, and I think most people do.  I don’t know how it is in places that don’t get snow in the winter, but there is definitely four seasons here in central Alberta, Canada though they have the tendency to interweave with each other at times.  I think the only month I have not seen snow here is July.

Spring. Renewal.  That’s what I like about Spring.  Renewal is something that happens every day but in Spring you can see it.  Birds coming back from the south, baby birds, baby wildlife ( I live in the country).  The time before the buds on the trees come and the grass turns green is pretty ugly.  It’s dirty and we need rain to wash it away so the new growth can come. Luckily, that ugly time usually isn’t too long.  Geese!  I love them.  At our other place just a few miles away I heard them once in a while but we are further into the country here so we hear them and see them.  They fly right over our house and we have a huge pond in the field where there go.  We don’t get too many in there.  Just 4 or 5 but I just love them.  This morning when I took Duke for a walk we were watching them.  I also love the ducks that go into that pond.  I love how they sound but they usually fly away so we have to be VERY quiet.  Not easy with a dog or two.  I have grown to love our outside birds and watching them and learning about them.  It is so cool when they babies join them.

One thing that bugs me about this time of year though is we live across the street from a bee farm.  Right now all the hives are laid out on the lawn waiting to be delivered to places around the countryside.  In the meantime, the bees think they should come here. When the sun is shining really bright you will find the bees at our back yard.  Tons of them.  UGH!  They aren’t there to sting but that many of them are so annoying never mind the fact that I have a kid who is allergic to stings.  Luckily, once they are delivered to their summer spot the rest of the time is fine, until late Fall.

There is something that affects a person psychologically when Spring comes too.  There is a feeling that Spring brings more than new life to the things around us, but perhaps us as well. There is hope when a new season arrives.  Hope that maybe we can move onto our next season as well, a rebirth that says, ” let’s try this again.”  I like that.  It’s a second chance.  I think that is my favorite thing about Spring…HOPE!  It reminds me of a sunset.  The end becomes the beginning and it is really sweet.  ❤

What is your favorite season?  Why?  Have a wonderful and blessed day.  Enjoy the renewal of not only a new season but a new day!!   I loves you!

 

Day 26: Multiple Faces of me

This will be a totally fun post with few words.  I will post some pics from the app FaceApp.   One comment I will make is that it freaks me and my youngest son out how much  we look alike when I am in the “man mode” picture.  Also, my old self looks very much like I do now.  Excuse the picture.  It’s not a great picture of me but it makes it even funner.  🙂

 

Oh my GOSH!  Too funny!  The teeth ones are so funny.  My original picture is the top left one in the collage.  If you are looking for a good laugh, try this.

Have a super duper blessed day friend!  Smile big and if you don’t want to, use the FaceApp.  🙂  I loves you!