A change of pace!

There was a time when late nights were the norm, pots of coffee and studying while trying to raise 3 children became a thing that was so normal!

As I have struggled to reevaluate and move out of a place of weariness I have decided to revamp many of my daily practices....my home has been revamped, my desk cleaned, my eating habits and schedules changed. One of the things I am changing is this blog....instead of late night musings I shall now spend my mornings in a state of pondering .

Feel free to join me there: 

https://earlymorningpondering.blogspot.com/

Thank you for joining me on this journey called life.

Without Sadness

For some reason I am feeling sad the past few weeks. . . it is actually kind of silly since there are SO many good things going on in the lives of my kids and extended family, even many of my friends are having exciting things happen in their worlds.

Most of us do not see sadness as a gift, it is my hope that with some effort I can see it as just that. . .  a gift, one that I can embrace rather than seeing it as something horrific that needs to be avoided? It is important to note that my 'sadness' is not a feeling of being unhappy but more of a melancholy. . . . the distinction is important. Although it is true that we are no good when our sadness engulfs us I think there is also value in it, by facing the sadness we curb the urge to run away (or at least I hope we do).

I trust that my sadness will give me the opportunity to grow. Growth often happens in quiet moments of reflection so over the next few weeks I will practice the following exercises:

Meditation: I have been introduced to restorative yoga as of late. The quiet calm it allows me has become a vital part of my daily routine for which I am very grateful. 

Gratitude: It seems a gratitude journal is once again a practice that I need to start...3 things a day can certainly help counter any doom and gloom and remind me of the fantastic parts of my life. 

Retrain the Mind: Come up with a word or phrase that can be like a mental stop sign. It is my hope that it will the negative and direct my attention to the positive and productive things in my day. 

Practice Self Compassion:  Give myself the same kindness and care I would give  a good friend. . . . for some reason this one is hard for me. 

Connect with Friends: It is time to reach out to the people who bring a feeling of safety and happiness to my world and get out of the house more often. 

Find a Project: This includes both at home and something that is bigger, a volunteer position that makes me smile and gives a sense of purpose. (First project at home has already started!)

So now the time has come to learn from the sadness....

 and change it to happiness!

I am flawed!

This is something I realize more and more each day. . .I am flawed! FYI, this will come as absolutely NO surprise to those around me.

The problem is not with my flaws but with the way that I have spent the last few years perceiving them. I understand this but for some reason have been unable to shake the feeling of being damaged the last couple of years. So I have been looked for a way to change the way I think (and being flawed I have failed for the time being ).

Then a friend called and asked if I wanted to read a book with her. I said yes very quickly without actually looking at the subject manner. . .that will teach me!!

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be is a best-selling book by Rachel Hollis and is described as mixing up a "memoir, motivational tips, Bible quotations and common-sense girl talk." 

Perhaps looking at the lies I tell myself will help me to rediscover that the flaws I have are simply slight imperfections that make me who I am...unique, maybe even a bit special.

Here is to seeing if I can change my perception to beautifully flawed rather than irreparably damaged!

I sure hope so, I hope that is is one of the steps that will lead to me being able to engage in my year of delight!!