Discovering your new Path

I have officially moved to Utah. The mountains carry a beauty that I don’t remember before. It might be because I am living nestled in between the mountains. My views are of open fields full of wild life.

I am so blessed to be where I am.

I have connected with family that I haven’t seen in years. I feel as if I belong. It feels strange that once upon a time I was trying to discover who I was and now I feel like this change in my life is helping me find myself.

I have gotten out of my comfort zone and have met some pretty great people.

I am holding on to this adventure with two hands and trying not to let go.

Here is to holding on to discover something new!

Discover your new.

Sunny Day

The clouds have stopped crying and have moved their gray haze to far to reach places. The sun is blazing through the pine trees as I enjoy the cool breeze. All of the parents and children are out like lizards soaking up each sun rays that reaches the earth. I watch my children play on the playground adjusting to the heat. The come up to me every couple of minutes wanting to know how much longer they have before we go home. Sometimes their question is said with gasps. They are not adjusting well. 

I truly love days like this in Oregon. The temperature is 58 degrees Fahrenheit and it feels like 72 degrees Fahrenheit.  This is why the rainy days are tolerable.  The sun makes me dream of the summer to come. The fun times with the kids. Trips we will take. The adventures we will have together. The sun truly helps you see the future with such happiness.

Here is to the sun. The thoughts of happiness and the future to come.

Here’s to my Future

Here’s to my future

Here’s to my yesterday

Here’s to change

Oh, here’s to my yesterday

No tomorrow without a yesterday

The song my Imagine dragons on the album Evolve has struck a cord with me. The first couple of lines does not sum up the song completely. However, I enjoy the idea of accepting the idea of change and a new beginning. I struggle to see what the future will look like with the changes I make today. I don’t commit to myself for very long. But to forge ahead with your head up high knowing that the next decision could change your life is exciting, scary and wonderful.

My next goal is to try rock climbing, in doors of course. I am nervous. I know of a local place that I can try it out. I will make this change in my life by the end of next week.

Here is to great change and adventure.

Perspective

It only takes a different perspective to realize that things can be different. The Oregon weather has been very difficult to tolerate this year. It’s not really the rain, it’s the clouds making the rain.

My Mom came to visit this week. I always love to see her. She always is there for me. She talks to me about all of my joys and struggles. She inspires me by her actions all the time.

This week was no different. She was leaving my house for the night and saw my rhododendron plant. She was wowed by the large flowers. “Why haven’t you put these in your house,” she said. She began to pluck each flower leaving enough stem to put it in a vase. She gathered them together and showed them to me with such joy and bewilderment. You could tell that she wasn’t quite sure how so much beauty could occur in April.

I wasn’t really sure why I didn’t put the rhododendron flowers in the house. I have been so focused on the ugly part of the weather that I forgot to notice what all the rain does. It is amazingly green in Oregon. The plants are blooming and the grass is growing strong. It may rain everyday. Not really. But there is always a brighter side.

The picture above was taken by my amazing mother today at one of the tulip farms.

Here is to seeing the other side of things.

What is good for you

If you listen to media, read books or have a conversation with anyone you will be told that certain things are GOOD and NOT GOOD for you. Throughout my life I have heard that red wine is good for you and that it is not. I think the final conclusion is that that one glass of red wine is good for you. Same for dark chocolate.

I have noticed, as I have aged, that certain food has become toxic to my body.

I can not eat sugar, drink alcohol or milk. When I was younger and I was exposed to a verity of foods. These foods were not organic, natural or unprocessed. My body could manage to process them well. This of course was probably not the whole truth. I was just used to having all the processed food in my body. I was used to feeling unwell. I thought I felt great. But, I am sure if I have changed my diet at 20 I would have felt differently.

I have changed my diet.  In 2013 I began a process of eating clean. Then when I turned forty my body started declaring, well demanding, that I eat well. Eat unprocessed foods. It is hard at times. Making the effort to prepare the food. Eating the foods that you enjoy but are not healthy for you.  Remembering to slow down when you are eating and stop eating when you are full.

As with almost anything in my life, I have fluctuated with how to maintain a balanced and healthy life. I reward myself with unhealthy food when I eat well. However, my body yells at me. I am not sure how many times my body has to yell at me before I will listen truly listen and stay on track.

I have completely and totally fallen of track. I have written about getting back on track. Well, I have a confession. I haven’t.

Her is to another day to tackle.

 

Just Show Up

 

Showing up is half the battle. I know that the majority of us what to do our best and have good intentions. But, sometimes we fall short. We can’t get going.

Today I just showed up. I went to Orange Theory again.

This may not seem like a big deal. However, today it was. If you have read the last couple of blogs you would know.  I have been having a difficult time staying focused on accomplishing my goals.

I have been thinking about what I need to do.

How do I accomplish things.  I have discussed this in great detail in other blogs. However, it wasn’t working. So I made another goal. In the moment that I challenged myself I got refocused. I realized that I do have the power to move forward and change the outcome of my life.

My current challenge is to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

I am beginning this challenge today. I am always amazed at how you have to play tricks on your brain. The brain is a powerful organ. It is your consciousness, your perception of the world and the way you process the world around you.  If you believe that you can get through something, you can. That can be your REALITY.

It’s the negative thoughts and words that have been said to you or by you that can break you down.

Break through the negative thoughts and Show Up.

Just Another Day

What does spring break mean to you? Every year I think that I will travel with the kids and push myself out of my comfort zone. This year I stayed at home, as usual, and didn’t do much.  This weather has hit me hard this month. My husband and I have talked about moving to a sunnier location. Each year the weather is harder and harder to handle. I  am always surprised how difficult it is to live in a cloudy and overcast state.

I have overcome the weather at times. But overall I do have a difficult time. Motivation is often hard to find.

That do you do to motivate yourself?

I have learned a couple ways to stay motivated.

First, find an anchor. Not literally an anchor. Find an object that reminds you of your goals. When my son was born I purchased a ring. I still wear it today.

Second, place inspirational sayings around you.  I have a picture that says Dream Big. Use kind words. Say I love you. Laugh. Giggle. Be Silly. Share. Say Please. Dream big is the key statement in the picture for me.

Third, hang up a piece of clothing that you want to wear.

Finally and most importantly. Say why. Then say why again and again until you get to the root cause of why you really want to reach your goal.

I want live for a long time.

What do you want to do?

Sun and Rain

Oh sun oh sun. I wish you would stay. Spring came and the sun was out here in Oregon. Then, what felt like minutes, sleet and rain began to fall. The temperature dropped to the low 40’s. My mood dropped too. I began to stay in the house and lay with a blanket. I cuddled up to the couch and ate whatever I wanted. Then the cycle started. I sat and ate. Then my mood drifted downward. I tried to get myself up off the couch and didn’t. I now wish I would have forced myself to get up and go. It’s hard sometimes to break through the rain and get up. I know that I can do it. But, because of all that was on my mind getting up was not one that I could get myself to do.

Now I am thinking about the ways that I get myself to break through.

1. I write down what I eat.
2. I write down what to get done.
3. I think about how to accomplish what I want.

I don’t have much else to say except that I was lazy. I don’t like it when I am lazy.

Here is to a better day.

Communication and Growth

I have written about how my son inspires me. Well, today my daughter inspired me. She is a beautiful, strong willed, smart 8 year old. As I began my day, the kids starting theirs, I over heard my daughter talking to my son. I hear her apologizing for yelling at him. She continued to explain to him why she was so upset. She explained that she was not really angry with him. She had had a bad day at school and was frustrated. She apologized again. I could only see my son’s face. He looked puzzled and sympathetic.  He was truly listening to her. Really listening. He didn’t interrupt her. He didn’t really say much either. But I could tell he cared.

I was inspired by both of their behaviors. She expressed herself better than some adults. I was amazed by her ability to understand her own emotions and express them so well to someone else. I am one proud Mom. Then my son, he just listened.

Have you been in a conversation lately and really felt like you were being listened to?

Have you really listen to someone today?

I know that electronics often get in the way.  Our brains have become “bored” with one task. It constantly requested for more input. It can be a video game, watching T.V. and texting a friend. Sometimes people even are at work and texting too. What ever it is, have you listen to that special person today?

I suppose one of my new goals could be to truly listen. I am not quite sure how I can quantify it.  But it sure can be a goal.

Express yourself, listen and make a change!

Life, Goals and Death

I find my son is so insightful sometimes.  He seems to say something that really makes me think almost every day.  Today was no different.

But first:

I get distracted by “shiny objects” quite often and loose focus on my goals. These “shiny objects” can be internal or external distractions that we all face.  I think of the inner distractions as the negative thoughts of laziness, uncertainty and fear.  My biggest external distraction or Kryptonite is the television. Once I turn it on I get sucked into its vortex of amusement, wonder and possibilities and loose focus. I loose focus of my possibilities and wonder. On the days that I have television so dominantly in my environment I have to regain focus.

How do you regain focus? How do you reframe your mindset to get all that you what to accomplish done in one day?

I will often turn the television off until I have made a list. You see, I am a list maker. If it doesn’t get written down then it will not get done or at least not as quickly and proficiently.  For me to be successful I have to have it written down and not let “shiny objects” distract me.

I thought a lot about his topic this morning. I have been puttering around the house after three long days at work. I have been telling myself that I deserve time on the couch in front of the television. I should relax. I have tomorrow.

Then my son’s words, from that very morning, echoed in my head.

He said, ” Mom do you know that you are going to die after Dad. He is older than you so he is going to die first”. I  replied and said, “We never know when we are going to die”.  This answer didn’t faze him. I am a nurse and he has heard stories of tragedy from birth.  In my head I thought it could be tomorrow, it could be well right now. So, the next words I spoke were, “That is why we need to be happy with what we have and work hard towards what you really want”.

Just as I write these words, I struggle with how I can keep them firmly placed in my mind. Not loose focus of how powerful each moment can be. We can sit and waste away small opportunities to get what we want by getting distracted. Waste time.

Now, without distractions we cannot be reminded that we need to get up look away from the television and go get what we really want.

So, I wish everyone a productive, none “shiny object” day full of wonder and possibilities. Or, just the right amount of distractions.