Category: Self

Self

New Year, New You?

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A New Year usually means giving ourselves new goals for the year.  In 2019, I am trying to give myself a bit of a break.  I’m still doing resolutions, but more kinder and gentler ones. I want to continue to work on making my health better.  It’s an ongoing struggle.  I have been eating a lot better.  I tried two meal delivery services.  We tried Hello Fresh and Factor 75.  I love Hello Fresh.  My family gets the classic menu for two people, two meals a week. I have loved the vast majority of their meals.  They have been really tasty and fresh.  I look forward to having them.  Definitely better than the same old, same old meals. I’m really tired of spaghetti, if you know what I mean.

Factor 75 is another food subscription service. This one I got just for myself.  I wanted to eat healthier lunches and one have individual portions.  Factor 75, the company, got the best reviews online for a more veggie based menu.  They cook the food in advance and you reheat it.  I honestly didn’t care for the taste of it.  So I cancelled it.

I really need to lose weight.  Since I have gone on medication for my chronic migraines and pain I have gone up four dress sizes. I’m thrilled to be able to live again without pain, but I hate looking at myself.  I hate going to the doctor and getting a lecture on my weight.  What?  I’m obese?  How could I have missed it? (I so wish there was a sarcasm font)  I want to start exercising again.  I’m pretty weak, especially after my month long bout of pneumonia. So it will be slow and steady. The subzero freeze isn’t helping either. It got down to -53 wind chill.

I would like to improve my marriage.  We have been spending all of our time on the remodel from hell and our son’s troubles that we have not been working on us for awhile.

The fourth thing I want to pay attention to is painting again.  It has been so long since I have done it.  I really want to get back into it.

The next thing on my mind is to do more reading.  I used to love it. I’ve got a huge stack of books to finish. Plus, I have a wish list of other book titles I want to look at.  So many pages so little time.

Last, I need to finish my to do list that I’ve had for over a year.  It’s over 30 things that do not need attention right away.  The do need to get done.  Since there is no rush they often get put on the back burner.  Do you have one of those “to do” lists? Things on mine include get curtains for the guest room, work on family history, finish beading a bracelet, clean out the laundry room etc. I’m all over the board.

What are some of your resolutions this year?

 

 

Self

My Favorite Books

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Reading is something I love to do.  It is something that I haven’t done in the last year.  I know my son’s current problems have lead to me not read anymore.  I’m just too mentally spent.  I only lately seem to have time for podcasts.  I have a huge pile of books that need to be read! One of my new goals for 2019 is to get my pile of books read.

I love to read all types of books.  The following are my top five favorite books:

  1. Skeletons on the Zahara by Dean King. This is an epic true story of survival when 12 merchant sailors where shipwrecked on the coast of Africa in 1812. Kidnapped and sold into slavery only a few would survive thanks to the generosity of a single stranger.
  2. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. Memoirs was a  New York Times best seller, and this book also appears on PBS’s Great American Read.  Geisha tells the story of Nitta who at a young age was sold to a Geisha house.  It follows her through her trials and tribulations to become a Geisha herself.
  3. The Land of White Death by Valerian Albanov. Another true story of survival. See a pattern here?  I love to figure out what motivates people and why they do what they do. This is a journal of crewman Valerian Albanov and how he became the only survivor of the expedition ship Saint Anna.
  4. The Gryphon and Sabine Trilogy by Nick Bantock. I love this whole series. It’s the combination of a great story with artwork. It’s a quick read that is really enjoyable.
  5. The Tatooed Map: A Novel by Barbara Hodgson. If you like the last recommendation you will love this novel by Barbara Hodgson.  It’s a very short read, but the combination of art and story are wonderful.  This is a great book for a creative in your life.

What are your favorite books? Are there any you are giving  for Christmas?  Let me know in the replies below.

Self

5 Self Care Ideas for December

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Holiday Season is such a busy time.  Kids have school projects coming due.  There are band concerts and chorus shows to attend.  Have you got all your baking done yet?  Then the meal planning and the visiting schedule have yet to be worked out.  Oh, and how are those resolutions coming along?  It never ends does it?  It’s easy to get overworked and stressed out on a daily basis.  I know it happens a lot to me.  I can easily forget unless I write the reminders down.

Here are five quick and easy ways to take care of yourself this month.

1. Turn off all the phones and electronic devices for an evening.  Play a board game as a family or go see the lights.  Plan something besides the norm.  We all need a change of pace once in awhile.

2.Don’t put up all your decorations.  Go through them and donate what you really don’t want or need. We were pushed into this by accident.  We adopted two cats this summer so this is their first Christmas.  We didn’t want the ornaments to be ruined so we only put on lights and ribbon.  The ribbon has already been pulled off by the cats.  Thankfully they have not tried to climb the tree yet.

3. Just say no.  You don’t need to go to your cousins house for the day after Christmas extended family celebration.  You don’t have to go to your families Christmas and then drive like a bat out of hell to your spouses family 4 hours later.  Take a holiday off.

4.Give less gifts.  Your sanity and wallet will thank you.  Does your sister really need more potholders?  I know they have kitties on them and that just screams her but let someone else get them. In my family we have this rule that once a person hits 18 they no longer get gifts.  If you are over 18 the next time you get a gift is for graduation, marriage, new home, or birth of a child.  No more holidays.

5. Have a different meal than normal.  A huge Christmas meal with all the trimmings?  I know you can make it potluck.  I just get tired of it all.  So how about a lasagna or pizza instead of ham or turkey?  It doesn’t have to be crazy!

I hope these self care ideas help.  I know they technically are not traditional self care ideas like getting a pedicure.  Sometimes you just have to cut down or not do anything as a form of self preservation.  Good luck.

 

Self

10 Quick Ideas for Self Care

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With the holidays around the corner, the stress is starting to mount. So I’m giving a quick list of ten self care coping skills you can use to help make it through the next month.  Here we go!

  1. Try a new makeup technique or color at home.
  2. Pet your pet.
  3. Put a puzzle together (over several days, a little at a time)
  4. Go for a walk around the block.
  5. Give yourself a quick facial.
  6. Color a quick picture.
  7. Phone a friend.
  8. Feed the ducks, squirrels and birds.
  9. Watch a black and white film.
  10. Make yourself hot chocolate or a milkshake.

Easy stuff huh?  Enjoy.

Self

Goal Updates

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In September I posted a list of goals that I wanted to accomplish.  I thought that I had written fairly small and easy goals for myself. I guess I was wrong.  I’m going to go through each goal and tell you how far I got.   How are you at accomplishing your goals?  I am usually really good at it.  However, like most people there are some things that I just want to put off.

The first thing on the list was drink more water.  As I said before, I hate water.  I really do. I haven’t done very well on this goal at all.  I have started having a glass of water with breakfast.  I still need to incorporate more.  I have started trying to drink LaCroix water.  I’m not 100% on it yet.  I will keep searching for a new flavor.

Number two goal was walking the dog.  I’ve made zero progress on this goal.  My dog has not been happy with me.  She now ignores me when I call her in from the yard.  She just gives me a sort of “fuck you” look.  I thought it was because we got cats.  It could be the no walks though.  My husband walks her.  I haven’t been.  I am a bad dog mommy.

Eat more fruits and veggies was my third goal.  This is one I’ve been able to achieve.  It really has helped that we decided to subscribe to Hello Fresh.  They always have great veggies with their meals.  This is not a paid sponsorship.  I pay for it myself.  The variety has really helped my well being too.

In the fourth spot it was working on my blog more.  I have done this a little bit.  I’ve made some minor headway.  My goal was to have a regular time to blog per day.   Hopefully, I can get that to work.

Fifth spot is read more.  I love reading.  Given what has been going on in my life over the last couple of years, reading has gone by the wayside.  My to be read bookshelf is overflowing.  I need to get back on track reading wise.  I am currently reading “The Art of Living Danishly.”

Sleep was my sixth goal.  I’ve always been an insomniac.  I cannot remember ever having a relaxing or refreshing sleep.  Recently, I’ve been put on some additional sleep medication and it is helping a bit.  I am sleeping longer but tired when I get up.  Hopefully, it will all work out soon.

Self-Care.  One of my additional goals was selfcare.  I know it’s such a buzz word but it is needed in my life now.  I’m just not doing a very good job lately.  I need to register myself for some massages.  My chiropractor said my muscles are really stiff and need to be worked. I need to get on that.  I also need to schedule everything else due to the holiday season.  Appointments book up fast.

My last goal was to go places.  I need to get out of the house.  I’ve done pretty well in October.  Fall leaves, pumpkin walks and other things.  I hope to keep this up for November.

What goals have you been working on?

 

Self

What I’m currently…

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Currently…

Listening to….. Multiple Podcasts. A new one is called “Blackwood.”  Sort of a modern Blair Witch project.  A fictional account of 3 young people who research a local legend. It just started so get listening.

Eating…. Hello Fresh.  My husband and I subscribed to Hello Fresh food box subscription service.  I was so sick of eating the same thing day after day.  We chose the two day a week delivery for two people.  It is more than enough food.  It is something I look forward to eating.  I’m no foodie. Some of the meals are just okay, some are fantastic.  I like that we get to keep the recipe to remake it.  Which is the reason we got Hello Fresh.  To get something new to eat. Definitely worth it. (Not a sponsored post)

I’m also eating Reece’s Peanut Butter cups.  I shouldn’t be.  I bought normal size candy bars for Halloween Trick or Treaters.  The peanut butter cups are my weakness.  Sooooo good!

Making….I am spending more and more time on my journals.  Less on anything else.  I am also starting a junk journal. To find out how to start your own check out my pinterest page.

Drinking….Too much Coke as usual.

Watching….Expedition Unknown. I really like their recent episodes where they look at the afterlife in different cultures.

Going….To check out Fall leaves.

Thinking….How to get everything done. What to put on the to do list. How things are going to go with my son.  How to accomplish goals for myself.  Will I have time for everything.

Dreaming of….Taking a long vacation on my own without my family.  Sleeping for a very long time.

Wanting to….Work out more, improve my blog, and learn more about photography.

 

What are you doing lately?  Let me know in the comments below.

 

 

 

 

Home · Self

Color Psychology, Color Meanings. Pt. 2

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This is a continuation of a blog post on Monday about color and it’s meanings.  Let’s start with the next color.

Black:  Black is sophistication. It can be safe, intelligent,weighty, distinct, mysterious, conservative, classic, serious, authoritative, but also cool, dead, empty, cold, mournful, and empty.

Brown is comfortable, stable, natural, rich, distinctive, traditional, rich but also dull and dirty.

Pink means delicate, feminine, gentle, girly, romantic, soft, playful and sweet.

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White can convey cleanliness, innocence, peace, purity, sterile, cold, and empty.

Purple says fantasy, regalia, mystery, and spirituality.

Grey tells of authority, corporate climate, practical, respectful, stable, somber, conservative and dull.

Silver inspires feelings of modernity, classic style, high tech, cold and modern.

Gold is rich, valuable, warm, and traditional.

What are your favorite colors?  Do you agree with the adjectives used to describe them.?