The Quest to be ... ME!

Taking this season to make measured improvements

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Fri, 22 May 2020 13:51:00 +0000

Good Morning World!

It has been a little while since last I posted and it's time to re-enter this part of my life.

With the current season of COVID-19 virus upon us, the economy slowing down, people social distancing themselves to protect infection and flatten the curve, this is a wonderful time to take a breath and review life.

For me, this is a time to enjoy the slower pace of life and spend some time taking stock and evaluating myself. Newly into my 40's, I have a decade ahead of me that will shape me in new and diverse ways, and set me up for living my best life yet.

In this time, I'm reviewing several things:

1. Possessions - Do I really need everything I've amassed?
2. Habits - am I living with and in integrity with my core values? What are my core values? How can I use these to make aligned decisions?
3. Finances - did I do my homework to the best of my ability? What can I learn about investing in this season of life? What steps am I prioritizing to move forward with a stronger foundation?
4. Innovations - what is my contribution to life? What does my legacy look and feel like? What is my legacy?
5. Health and Wellness - am I prioritizing self-care? Do I have a work/life balance that works for me mentally and physically?
6. Relationships - are they serving me? Am I serving them? What small measured improvements can be made in this arena?

I've spent the last two years working through Leadership training. With this, it has provided a deeper look into myself and who I am as a person. Now, with this training and knowledge, I'm rolling out a deep dive into self to elevate and hone in one what I want me to look like for the next 10 years.

I have been blessed to visit and enjoy some wonderful places - San Diego, Denver, Westcliffe, Paris, Ottawa, Victoria to name a few. I have plans for other places, once our current situation relaxes.

In each, I found exquisite treasures. I found a sense of self. And I learned I truly love planning, and get to step into a more relaxed energy when I'm finally there.

ARGH!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Wed, 02 May 2018 19:57:00 +0000

Today.

I'm exasperated, exhausted, drained, at the end of my ropes and stressed out.

Why?

Because I've allowed myself to stretch too thin on several items that I have passion for. I now no longer have the patience to play the political game involved with some of these items. And, I'm also out of patience due to the fact that the group I'm working with does not put in effort and rely heavily on two people to complete everything but are super excited to stand in front of those people and take all the credit for the project.

More than anything, I have expectations that have not been met, hope and faith that has been let down, and I'm defeated by the need for control of others at the expense of doing what is right, even when it feels hard and bad to do it. Allowing a personal relationship t cloud what needs to happen to save the business itself is taking it's toll on me, because I do not agree with the position of the other side on this matter.

As such, today, I feel the weight of hopelessness, despair, and being clean out of fight to keep battling through to get a business into a better state of being. Today, I am feeling very much like it is time to dive off the starboard bow and swim happily to the island waiting for me.

As well, I have little patience for self-centered and self-serving people. I have little patience for those that want to continue to suck the energy from others without providing any meaningful energy contribution back.

In the end it is definitely the issue of wanting to be met effort to effort by people who have no intention of ever coming close to that and I am not able to empathize or sympathize with the fact that they may indeed be providing their best effort and I have decided it is not good enough.

Yep. You read that right. I'm frustrated and I'm realizing that my frustration may be self-inflicted purely because I want people to be wholey involved in something they never had the intention of being wholey invested in, and I perceive the effort to be very one sided.

So what can I do about this. I can voice my frustration and feelings. Or I can vent this out in writing here and let it go. And I can change myself. The only person I can actually control in this entire situation. I can choose to walk away from it, as there is no monetary gain for me to be doing this. It is a volunteer situation. And I can let it go. I can start meeting people with their effort rather than going gun-ho the way I tackle my professional projects.

All of these things I can control. How others choose to participate in activities and Board initiatives is their choice, I can only control my choice. If it is bothering me this much, I can scale back my participation to match the effort of others. That will feel foreign though. I have always been someone that puts my heart and soul into the projects I work on and overkill or "be extra" regularly. I do not have to be that way in my adult life, as it is my choice to be that way.

Alas, the frustration I feel is because I perceive the efforts of others to be sub-par to my own. How conceited of me. They are providing the effort they can provide and choose to provide. As am I. So my only option is to mitigate myself.

Still ARGH! That I have to be the one to see this, and make the changes. I am tired of changing things.

My other option - surround myself with the "extra" people and really get some things done, or channel my energy into other pursuits and let these floundering people flounder.

ARGH!

Learning to Value Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 19:02:00 +0000

2018 has 365 days in it.

Each a gift in itself, though we forget about that part most of the time.

In the past 8 months, I've been learning a lot about myself.

For example, I used to fill the gap of feeling inadequate and lonely in my life, by purchasing "things". I'd wander a mall, an antique store, a market, a new town, and inevitably I'd find "things" to buy. The trouble with that? My home was full of stuff. To the brim in some places. And I didn't even remember some of the great things I had found for my home.

Then, you go through a tough time, packing all of your belongings up into boxes and moving out of the place you called home and setting off on your own. The task of unpacking your life into this new space is gloriously freeing and fulfilling. So, I stopped trying to fill in the voids I felt in life with things, and started unpacking my life.

I got down and dirty with myself and those boxes. I learned I hold onto things hoping to rekindle the joy I once felt, or thinking that those items had to stay because it is the only way I'd remember the experiences, people and places I wanted to remember.

Living on my own for the first time ever was a truly magical experience. It allowed me to be the controller and ruler of me. I had all of my belongings and worldly possessions in the same place at the same time. I came and went as I wanted. I painted walls in colours I wanted. I dressed my beds in linens I loved, in fabrics that felt gorgeous under my fingertips. I arranged the furniture in the way I wanted...and then rearranged it three weeks later when the flow was still off. And I began reevaluating the possessions of my life.

Having a space all to yourself is glorious! I loved every single second of it! Then, as life does, things changed, and I found myself packing life up again to move to another place. I loved my place. Everything about it was perfect for me. It checked off the dream place I had in my mind's eye. And I didn't quite get enough time with it. Circumstances of ownership had changed, and I was left having to find another place.

And so, this time I packed up less of myself into boxes. This time though, I was lighter by several boxes, had stream lined my life better, and was able to take my time getting packed and purged as I went.

In my new space, I was no longer the only ruler of my domain. There are others in the domain that have thoughts and opinions. Though, I can say, the blend of this new domain has been good so far.

I've been able to unpack my possessions and have been able to blend and create warm and inviting spaces in this new domain. I am not quite finished unpacking everything yet. There is still purging going on. My 2018 goal is to purge 18% of my own belongings. I'm well on my way to this and am proud of the work I've done in the last 3 months on this front.

As more of the blending occurs, I'm finding myself making lists of To-Do items again. And this time, they are shared lists. I've learned that I really enjoy my own space. I love it, I live in it, I am comfortable with myself and my space and what I have in my space. I have been practicing inviting in only that which truly serves me best and letting go of the "nice to have" things that will inevitably collect dust, or take up space with clutter that I am no longer happy to have in my space.

As this process continues, it often appears to outsiders as the mess grows before it gets better. Indeed this is sometimes how it feels. However, having everything laid out and in front of you, you can instinctively purge out 10% of the items right away as things you do not need to keep anymore. As you go, there are things that you feel worthy of releasing for others to enjoy, items you are not negotiating on and will be keeping regardless of others thoughts, and things that you just aren't sure about.

And so, what starts as a box of items gets spread out on the dining table and the sort begins. Garbage, recycling, donation, keep for sure, unsure, and LET IT GO! Garbage bag, recycling bag, donation box, keep and put away, and the box of unsure. In the last 4 boxes I've sorted, I can honestly say I've recycled three of those boxes, and have one mashed up box of items to sort through in the summer time. I like to give myself some time with my items in this box, as some of them inevitably are seasonal.

In the process of all of this, I've found my voice. I speak up. I kindly speak the truth for myself. I am ok saying, I see your point, however I do not agree with it. I am learning that sometimes you just need to do it yourself, while other times help is so warranted and appreciated.

I am seriously proud of the work I've done on the new place I'm in. I am seriously proud of what I've learned about myself in the process. I know that I am a piler. I pile things and then get the urge to get the pile handled and spend half an afternoon doing just that. Then I move on. I have learned that if I put these piles into bags or boxes they can add up over time and can overwhelm the best of us. I am not a hoarder. Instead I have items from my past that I am unsure of what to do with, neatly boxed up, and when I am ready to release those items, I do so with gusto.

I can spend a Saturday afternoon ripping every single possession out of a room, putting it in the hallway, sweeping and dusting and scrubbing the room, and then only putting back that which actually serves a useful purpose into that room. I trash, recycle, or donate what is no longer necessary, put a few items that I'd like to move to another room into a pile and move them there, and then take stock of what is left over.

Those left overs I am getting better with. Some will go into drawers for future things - crafts, handy-man needs etc. Some will become my next relaxing project - stitch work, scrap book, photo framing, painting. Some will simply go into the garbage, because in the last 5 years I haven't yet used it, so why am I going to suddenly use it now? And still others become gifts or lenders that you don't expect to see again -"Universal Borrow" items.

In the end, the room gets much cleaner and tidier, the energy flow is intensely improved and often the room itself feels brighter. It's a lot of work sometimes. Other times you don't notice it so much.

I'm almost there with the bedrooms. I know that what is in the kitchen is actually in use regularly and am happy with that. The dining room and living room are next on the evaluate and release. the bedrooms will require another concentrated weekend of time to complete. The living room and dining room a weekend or two for sure. Then, the basement will get it's due time.

It is where the remainder of the boxes and bags of stuff from the move currently reside. Through this process, I have learned and am much more aware of my own needs, desires and wants and how to articulate those things to others. It is truly a lovely thing to finally understand how to value yourself and present that value to others.

Sometimes You Just Have To Listen To Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 19:18:00 +0000

We are beings that have lists and goals and tasks to do. We GO-GO-GO for as long as we can and because we "have to" or because we have to.

Sometimes though, we really need to listen to our body.

This past weekend, and in fact the last 2 weeks, I've been tired, fighting some sort of illness but never quite getting it, and I've been exhausted. Like, bone tired, sleeping 17 hours a day exhausted.

This past weekend was good. I didn't feel like doing anything even though I had a pile to accomplish.

I got a few things done, but I was really tired. Moreso than I had thought. Case in point, I awoke Sunday at8:30am. Was up and doing things, went to lay down on the bed to take a moment to contemplate what I was going to do with my day, stretch a little, and apparently feel asleep. I woke up again at 1pm. What?!

Turns out my exhaustion levels were still quite high. I can say that I am very happy with the tasks I did manage to get done this weekend. My bedroom is much more organized and feels clear and wonderful. The spare bedroom needs a little more work - and a furniture shuffle to be considered completed. Painting/wallpaper removal will be a task for this summer hopefully.

Sometimes though, despite the lists and tasks that "need" to be completed, you need to take care of yourself more. And who cares if you spend the day in front of a tv or in a bath or absorbed in a book. It's allowing your brain, and body some much needed down time.

The point of this post? Listen to your body and treat yourself with grace. Self-care is a must.

Cooking with Butane!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 15:13:00 +0000

Sometimes life gets us so caught up in the minutia that we lose sight of our goals.

Sometimes we allow life to catch us up that way so we can hide from the hard work it takes to get to those goals.

Sometimes the goals we set are truly what we want but we aren't ready to do the hard work to get to them, and we do not have a support system in place to help us get there.

When it all starts clicking. When you've found the people to cheer you on and help you navigate the difficulty life sends you way. When you've got your head around what the path to the goal looks like and you start walking that path and ticking off the little tasks that will get you there. When ALL of these things are in place and are all heading in the same direction, the goal starts seemingly to work for it's own achievement.

It stops feeling hard. It stops feeling overwhelming. It stops feeling like it's a pain in your life to get this down. You understand the sacrifice that goes into it and are settled with that.

Today, after several months....ok who am I kidding...after several YEARS of working towards something, it is finally clicking all into place.

I am now cooking with Butane! And I LOVE having that POWER in my HANDS!

For the first time in a really long time, I've able to manage my finances like an actual grown up! Knowing the payments are set up and automated to come out of my account on the correct days, that my savings just automatically roll into the hidden account that I don't look at at all, and that my bills are set and falling with ease now, makes me so HAPPY!

AND! Get this! There's actually money in my account at the end of the month. It isn't a huge amount yet. It is MONEY though! So once in a while, when you want to enjoy something, you can just go ahead.

Freedom from the financial chains. It has taken a long time to get all of this set up. I've been blogging about my financial journey from debt to leading a Rich Life for 11 years now!

It is clear that it takes me a little time and a lot of trial to get the point. 7 years to get a degree, while working full time, 11 years to get my finances to this point where they only continue to get better as life goes on.

The thing is, I'm PROUD of my accomplishments in life. I may not love the fact that I'm a slo-oo-ow learner on certain things. I absolutely love the fact that I keep getting back up and getting set again when I get knocked down. [Cue Tub-thumping by Chumbawamba here!] I know how to keep getting up. I know how to work with myself to get things in place. I know how to do this.

Why am I so happy about it this time? It's been a long time of me paying off things in my life. The reason I'm so ecstatic this time is because this will close out a chapter of my life that has been written and finished. I will be closing out that whole section of my book of life and preparing for excitement as it happens.

I have a finite date to get my finances completed by. The debt gone, the bills paid off, and the feeling of no longer dragging around both my past and the bad habits I was in.

I have my burn and release party all set up. I have LIFE to take hold of and get going on. I am in a healthy place whereby I no longer try to fill my life with unnecessary material from frivolous purchases tossing dollars down a smoke stack and watching them leave a gross black smudge in the air.

This time, I've got it all in place. I am living the best life I can at this moment in my life, and I'm preparing to complete my learning on this lesson so I can move on.and tackle the next lesson in my life.

The gift I'm giving myself at Christmas this is is knowing that I have cleaned up my finances and am in a place to be able to confidently stride forward in life.

Who cares that it took this long to get to this point. I've been at this point a couple of times before. This time I'm pushing through it. I'm going to knock this out and be done with it. Each day is another day closer to the end! Each payment, that much closer to the end! I've hacked myself this time. And I'm over the moon about it!

How To Support Yourself When You Don't Have Support

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 16:07:00 +0000

This topic came up a little while ago. A wonderful commentor mentioned that they were struggling with this because they didn't feel like there was support for them outside of themselves.

So, what do you do if you feel this way?

First thing, for me, while I was feeling this way, was to find one person that you could talk to about it. A co-worker, a friend, an acquaintance that you wanted to become a friend, and sometimes even a complete stranger.

For a while, I was my own motivator. I would sit with my planner, and my list of things I wanted to do in my lifetime (experiences etc.) and projects and goals I had. I would write them all out on individual lists and get everything set up. I would carry them around with me. And I'd pick two things that I could accomplish in the year ahead. Just two. And then, when I was bored, required a little direction I'd pull out those lists and pick another thing.

In my planner, I would look ahead through the year and leave myself messages so that when I got to that date I would already have something encouraging for myself to read. Like writing letters to your future self.

We are our own worst critic. Self-speak is a huge portion of what goes on in our mind. If we said 1 iota of what we silently say to ourselves to others, we would start recognizing the cruelty we have towards ourselves.

So, you want to be supported but aren't getting from outside? Time to be your own best support system.

Grab your favourite beverage and snacks. Sit down on the couch or your favourite chair. Have coloured pens, markers, stickers, pencil crayons, and tons of paper with you - coloured, lined, dotted, or fancy in some other way. And start writing. Write out all the things you want to do in your lifetime. Places you'd like to visit, experiences you'd like to have, etc. This is your bucket list. It can say - go to a concert (band doesn't matter). Or, visit the Eiffel Tower. Or, take a cruise on the Danube. If you need help with this pinterest it! Get my degree, or take a course to improve my skills should go on this list.

Write until you exhaust yourself on this list. And write EVERYTHING that comes to mind. IT doesn't matter what it says. It is yours and yours alone.

Then, take a break. Take 15 minutes to close your eyes and sit with what you just poured out on paper. If you typed it instead, that's cool too -just make sure you can print it out.

After those 15 minutes. Savouring some snacks, enjoying how the beverage feels in your mouth, the tastes of it, the refreshing feeling or smoothness of it. Allow yourself to relax. See if anything else comes up in your mind and write all that out too.

Now, pick another page, or start another document, and write out all the tasks you need to do: laundry, dusting, etc. The key here is be ultra specific. What do you need to do with the laundry? Wash, Dry, fold, put away? Great that's 4 lines on this list. This includes stuff like, go through my wardrobe and get rid of clothing that doesn't fit. Or, clean out the junk drawer, or weed the garden. This is all the little niggly things that you want to do to improve your immediate dwelling and therefore your personal space. Each part of the task gets it's own line item. When you are done. Take another 15 minutes to sit and savour your beverage and your snacks, eyes closed, and let your mind relax. Anything that comes up while you are taking your break gets written down too.

Done with that? Great! Now, let's take a look at what you want for your financial life. Another page. Do you have bills that require paying and may take more than one payment? Write it down. Do you have savings goals? Retirement financial goals? Debts you want to pay off? Write it all down. And again, take your break.

This is an exhausting task so if you happen to take a nap, THAT'S GREAT!!

If you typed it all out, print it out and decorate if you feel moved to doing that. If you hand wrote the lists, grab your colours and decorate!

Then, set these aside and walk away. Do something to continue your relaxation if you want. If you are energized and motivated, get up and get a task done. You don't need your lists for this. You know what you feel like doing and what you don't. Do one thing and see where it leads, but do the one thing until completion. If it's laundry, then while it's washing and drying, you have time to either relax or do a second task.

Eat something. Move your body. Put on some music and dance around. Yell and scream if you are so moved. Let the release happen. The exercise is to let our what has been milling around in your brain, whatever that is. And start to carve out relax time and task time.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or experiencing symptoms of depression then let your body tell your brain what it needs. Body will speak. It's time to start hearing it. Our brain will be like a stubborn, tantrum throwing child in some cases while you are doing this task.

Save everything. Do not delete or edit yourself during this time. Everything your write or type or draw out will be needed in the next stage. And I do mean everything! Let it all flow. It doesn't matter if things that "belong" on one list end up on another. If things that don't "belong" at all end up in there. None of that matters. You didn't do it wrong if this happens. Nobody is grading you on this task. There is no right way or wrong way. It's important that you start. It can take you 5 minutes to write, or 5 hours. Or, 30 seconds, or 1 hour. This is about you. The exercise is about how to start supporting you through your own life.

So, you've done the lists above. You've probably added others. GREAT! Now what do you do. Give yourself 3 hours of time between writing the last list and this next part. 3 hours is important. You need to let it all go before you do this part.

Now grab the first list again. This time, look for everything that "doesn't" belong on the Bucket List. Read it. See where your head is at.

If it isn't a bucket list item that you can call a To-Do, then move it to another page. Or better yet, move the Buck List Items to a Bucket List. Take a look at what else you wrote though. It will give you a good idea of what you want to actually do, how you are feeling and where your head is at.
Repeat this portion with all of the lists you wrote out. Save the originals in a file to take a look at at the end of the year.

Ok, so now your should have your task lists. Some will be things you can get done right away. others will be things you can get done by the end of a month or quarter or year, and still others may take several years to accomplish. THAT'S OK!!

The key is this. Post those lists somewhere - kitchen, bedroom, on a mirror, or office wall. In your daily/weekly/monthly planner, pick 1-3 things you want to accomplish by the end of a day, week or month. Now, set your sights on accomplishing them.

Your Bucket List items. Try to aim for one of these every year or two. One thing. See Cirque Du Soleil - research it, determine what is available in your area, how much tickets you want are, and then work towards that budget wise, life wise. And plan to do it on your own. If someone goes with you all the better.

The key here is to do those things regardless of who is with you. We often allow the presence or absence of others to dictate what we can and can't do and allow ourselves to get disappointed that we didn't do something because someone else bailed on us last minute. This one thing right here was the key to unlocking myself! I control me. I control what I do what I don't do.

Are you scared of this? GOOD!! This is the thing that is holding you stuck in the rut you may be in. Start small. Go to a matinee movie on your own and see something you want to see. Or, go to a coffee shop with a book and read a little all on your own while you enjoy the coffee. Date yourself! Be the best person to yourself you can be.

Support is similar to many things in life. Learning the type of support we need can only come from spending concentrated time with ourselves doing the things we want. If you need to, imagine yourself as that amazing movie character you've loved for a while. Holly Go-Lightly, or that amazing mysterious Italian woman from Under the Tuscan Sun, or emulate a Kardashian for an hour! Or if you are male - maybe it's emulate George Clooney or Ryan Gosling or Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent or someone like that.

What do you want to accomplish in the next year? Write that out. Now, take a couple of those items, and break them all the way down into the tiny tasks to complete.

Example: I want to take an overnight trip to Montreal. I need accommodations. I want to enjoy a real bagel, maybe some poutine, and experience a patisserie while I'm there. It would be cool to see Mont Royal, Notre Dame, and the botanical gardens and biodome. I'll actually want to spend 5 days there. How am I going to get there? Fly? Train? Drive? How much will my transportation cost me? How much for food? Hotel room? Air BnB? Friend's house? can I do something related to work so they can cover some of my costs?

Start googling and develop your research and information in a package for yourself. This work can be done a little each day - 1% per day to your goal gets your trip planned in 100 days. Phase 1 is complete. Saving the money is the next portion. Again, 1 % per day or 2% per paycheck, or whatever you can do. Just make concerted efforts to doing it. Once the money is in place, you now need to book the trip, accommodations, travel, tickets to your chosen experiences, and pick which patisserie to see, or bagel shop to enjoy.

Ok - you have your lists of what you want to do in your life. You require support to help you with this. This blog is an great place to find some support. I'm happy to hear from you, email or comment here, about what is going on. And you can now start to help your future self. 15 minute tasks from the lists you've created. Work towards one or two things from the list in a year, and one to two things from the list every month or two or a couple of 15 minute daily tasks you can do to start supporting your desires and wishes. The only person that will know if you do them or not is you. There is no right and wrong here.

Start with just one thing. Just one. And see what happens.

Reach out too. Strangers who don't know your history or your back story can often be the best support because you don't have to be anything or hide anything from them. You just need to vent a little and know that someone is listening.

I would also like to recommend visiting a social worker or counsellor as well. This may be taboo to some of you. It's a huge help to work through some of the mental aspects of life that we just can't do on our own. I'm not shy about telling people I have been seeing one for a while. The support, the direct approach to helping you work through things, being able to help you understand yourself and some of the behaviours you have and can improve on is a great check in.

Start and see what happens!

Concerted Steps to the Greater Whole

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 13:56:00 +0000

To do List as of this morning:

1) Put laundry away from basket
~~2) Review files for stale documents~~
~~3) File those documents that need to be filed from the bag in the living room and the bag in the bedroom~~
4) Review books on shelves for purging/reading list creation
~~5) Prepare shred pile~~
6) Clean truck of car
~~7) Get snow brush from car and transfer to SUV~~

The document review turned into a review/purging of 2 morn boxes of stuff from the basement as well. Releasing 18% of my belongs is going quite well so far. The recycling boxes are filling up much more than they have in the past, I have a great shred/burn documentation pile that is ready for release and I'm condensing things with notes of how to best display or utilize as I go.

There are 5 boxes of books/CD's/scrapbooks that cannot currently be put into homes because the available shelving is not equipped to handle what is still boxed up. Having said that, 5 boxes condensed from 10 is a wonderful thing. I know what is in each box. I know what I want to do with each box. I now have to ensure the budget has room for the shelving required to complete each box.

I'm actually enjoying the process of reviewing my possessions. With a little more time, I'm sure even some of the things I want to keep right now will be purged with the second review planned for this summer.

The entire process is helping me release the old, the stale, the unnecessary, the unwanted, and the undesired. It is helping me see my life for the good parts of it, accepting the lessons I've learned along the way and blessing the past as I move forward.

Tonight the only thing on my To Do list is the laundry form above, plus the load I washed and dried yesterday.

That will clean up the laundry taking up residence on the lounge in the bedroom. And I will tackle the truck of the car at work, since there is a good portion of documents there that need to be filed at work.

It's a processes. I've done 7 boxes in the last 2 days, so things are going quite well I'd say. I have one more to finish with/condense down in the basement now, that was started yesterday and a good portion of it purged out. I'm quite proud of the things I've been accomplishing lately.

Tomorrow night, I have my eye appointment. Time to get the peepers checked out and the old prescription updated. This will be a nice treat for me as well. I get to pick out new glasses to frame my peepers!

Then, donate my old prescriptions so others may be able to see the world.

It will be nice to have those released from my life as well.

Some rearranging of the furniture in the bedrooms will help with flow and storage as well. I'm happy to get these done over a weekend in February. This year really is about releasing the old stale energies so new, fresh, experience can make it's way into my life.

I'm excited about life, about this process and about the work. And as I go, I'm finding smaller projects to put on the list of things as well. Donations have already been made this week. Purging is going well and is happening with greater frequency now.

it's starting to look like taking a couple of days of holiday may yield a great deal more work on the smaller projects I'm identifying as I go. Though, truthfully, we all know that sometimes those small projects are actually great big ones in disguise!

I hope you are all working towards your personal goals. I'm amazed at the work I've accomplished in 30 days. What have you done?

Cooking With Motivation!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 16:57:00 +0000

Accomplished a lot this weekend. Also rested and relaxed this weekend.

Here is the list from Friday. The strike-through represents what I did this weekend:
To-Do for Jan. 27-29:

~~1) Clean silver~~
~~2) Put silver away~~
~~3) Review contents of 3 boxes of stuff from the basement~~
~~4) Make decisions on the contents of these three boxes - purge, keep, sell, donate~~
5) Review files for stale documents
6) File loose papers that need to be kept
7) Prepare a shred pile for other items
~~8) Source Shelving for spare bedroom~~
~~9) Review budget for when these will be in the budget to purchase~~
10) Review books on basement shelf
11) Release books that are no longer wanted to others who can love them
12) Put the laundry away from the folded basket
~~13) Wash dirty clothing, fold washed clothing, put the folded clothing AWAY!~~
~~14) Bed sheets laundry required!~~

Tonight, I actually have an evening at home. First time in 5 months.

So, a couple of the items from the list above that still need doing will be done tonight:

To-Do Jan. 29, 2018:
1) Put laundry away from basket
2) Review files for stale documents
3) File those documents that need to be filed from the bag in the living room and the bag in the bedroom
4) Review books on shelves for purging/reading list creation
5) Prepare shred pile
6) Clean truck of car
7) Get snow brush from car and transfer to SUV

Getting a few more things done and tidied around the house is keeping me busy and productive. This past weekend, several wall hangings were put up as well. The Whiteboard for all activities and notes is now in the kitchen, with the calendar. My butterfly is back hanging in the dinning room, bathroom items are up, and it's starting to look a lot more lived in and homey. I'm feeling great about the current progress. Several items to go, but I got through 4 boxes this weekend, and am making decisions about certain other pieces of furniture and what not.

All of these items are happily keeping me busy and out of the shops, and away from boredom, so the desire to fill life in with "stuff" has all but disappeared.

Coming soon I will be placing a few more items up for sale - very gently used, if at all, items that can be up-cycled and loved by someone else, to make their life better. Since moving, some of the pieces I have just do not flow or work in the new space. Though I loved my previous place - intensely and passionately I might add - having to move was a circumstance of my situation, and not a choice. The owner of the property I was renting had to sell, as they were going through quite a nasty break-up of their own relationship. The person that bought my unit is a first time home buyer, and how they were able to purchase the unit meant that I needed to be evicted for their personal use. It was a sad tale. For both of us, as I had thought I'd be staying in that unit for quite some time. It was beautiful, fit me to a T, was exactly my style, and something I'd been longing for for a while as well.

I loved the time I had in the unit. I also came to learn who I was, got intimate with myself on a level I had not previously, and healed a lot of myself in that place. The place I am in now, isn't quite all the way my style - yet - but it has good bones and can be worked on.

Once I've completed the releasing of my "stuff" and my past, I'll be in a better space to design my current living space and move forward.

It isn't bad, or horrible, or any of those things. It just requires some paint updating, a few key pieces to bring the overall flow and character into perspective, a flip of a room for a more inviting space to entertain and a little more paring down of the "stuff" amassing a home in boxes. A good week at home with some awesome music will be enough to get the items arranged correctly. Another, at a later date, will be enough to get the paint colours in place and the overall feel of the place completed. Key light fixtures in a couple of places will help brighten the space up.

That's the biggest thing I notice from my last place to this one. The abundance of natural light in my last place makes the current one feel dark and a little dreary. Painting will help for sure. So will lights in some of the darker corners and updating a couple of light fixtures will bring the brightness back. I had more windows in my last place than this one. Nothing I can do about the windows or their locations in this one...without literally punching holes in exterior walls. Not something I'm into, that's for sure.

Though, saving for an electrician to come in and add a few pot lights to the already existing ones may be something down the road.

In the mean time, figuring out my possessions in the space is going to be the thing I concentrate on for February. Once that is completed, any further editing of items can occur as each room is refreshed.

Do You Set Your Day Up to Reach Your Goal?

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 14:12:00 +0000

Let's talk about Goals a little more today.

We set them. We have grand ideas of what we want to do. often we speak to people about them, or keep them silent and swear to ourselves that we will reach those by [insert a day here].

The real question is, do you set up your day to actually reach that goal, or is that goal really just hot air in a pie-in-the-sky world?

What do I mean? Well, you have your day. Let's say you get up, go to work, maybe remember to grab a lunch for your day but you are off and working. Your goal is to crush out your debt by New Year's Eve this year. You've set your budget. It's pretty freaking tight because you want to get rid of $25,000 of debt in 12 months. You've scaled back on literally everything - called the cable company and cancelled it, changed internet providers, bare-bones planned your cell phone, talked to work about more hours and extra shifts so you can earn more, meal-planned for the next month to save money at the store, are now pouring over the flyers from your local grocers like it's the gossip column or Page 6 and talking to co-workers about the absolutely amazing deal you got on ground beef for 47 cents per pound yesterday! Your daily caffeine fix is taking a hike - you are already irritable from it. You aren't going out for happy hour until Fridays now because the daily visit is messing with your goal. You've even worked out that in the spring and summer months you are close enough to cycle to work and can now save yourself nearly $150 a month by using leg power instead of that sweet 435 horse power ride you have. And you promised yourself you'd take veggies to snack on, and a lunch to work every day for the next year so you aren't going out for lunch 4 days a week and skipping the last day. This crushing it life is going to get you to your goal and you are going to be UNSTOPPABLE!!![Insert maniacal laugh here].

And then Jenna asks you to go to lunch with the group, on your first day of this new plan.

This is called a Universal Challenge Line. It's the Universes way to checking you on yourself. Do you really want to crush out your debt by the end of the year? Or, are you just blowing steam again?

Your decision to Jenna asking you to lunch will set up a cascading number of these tests throughout your day, week, month and year, that will keep you checked on yourself.

The first day goes well. You thank them for the invitation and decline, instead enjoying your decently healthy (if you do say so yourself) arugula salad, left over steak and dressing. By Day 5, you are holding strong but the invitations are getting harder to say no too. The peer pressure is ramping up and you are starting to miss the company at lunch.

Your head home for the weekend proud of yourself for making it through your first week and go about your weekend with a little pep in your step.

Then Monday comes!

Jenna has enlisted the aid of Chase, Laura and Ian to help her entice you to lunch. You know you have a day planned closer to the end of the month, built into your plan, where you can go out to lunch because it's budgeted for and set up in your plan. Now what do you do.

Here is where some of you will cave and go and others may try something different...

Talk to the group you used to go out with. Let them know that you have a financial goal you are working towards and looking to complete by the end of the year. That you have a day in mind when you will be able to join them, and what that day is, and thank them for the invitations so far. You enjoy being asked and would love to continue to be asked because it is your daily reminder that you are part of the team, thought of, and your company is enjoyed by others. Let them also know that this little daily test is a reminder of some things you will have to give up for a little while in order to reach your overall goal. That you are training like an Olympian so you can crush out your Gold medal performance review at year end.

Some of them will think you are crazy and it can't be done. Those are the people you tell first when you COMPLETE IT. Some of them will cheer you on for a little while. Those are the people you thank, smile at when eating your packed lunch and with whom you can check in with over the next couple of weeks. Some will ask you for information, help, advice etc. Give those when it is genuine. Be careful that these people are actually fence sitters and can't make up their mind which camp to sit in - cheerleader or nay-sayer. Also watch as you continue your days 4 months from this day and see who is still cheering you on and who has changed camps to the nay-sayer side.

Be silent in your observations here though. Keep them to yourself and keep going. Sometimes it is a great SOLO pilgrimage to your goal. You'll find your sherpas along the way. Often when you most need to be reminded of your goal.

So what happens when that "huge" thing comes up and derails you because the bill is like car engine repair sized?

It's another test. The universe knows your goal. It's giving you the ultimate test to see if you paid attention to your own life and have your contingency set in place. These often come after a little consistent time with your goal and your daily reminders. Always at the least opportune times, and usually in the most unexpectedly big way. It tests your mettle. Your resolve. Your support system. Your goal. Your desire to reach that goal. And whether or not you can come out of it with that goal intact. The longer you go with the daily and weekly tests you are seeing, the more you won't see the actual Universal Challenge coming towards.

Get through that big one and it's smooth sailing until the end of your goal. Get majorly set back by it, and it will take a longer time for the universe to believe you when you say you want that goal, and to help you actually get to that goal.

Any decision that goes against what you said you wanted is a challenge given to you to test your resolve to stay on track and get it done. Get there at the end and life suddenly feels easy for the next little while! Suddenly things you dreamed of start happening and you didn't have to work for them. Suddenly happiness is easily obtained and you start having a hard time remembering the struggle and the bad times.

What is your goal this year?

Mine is to release 18% of my stuff from my life. AND clear up 76% of my owing balances.

My first challenge has already come in the form of a potential jaunt to the West Coast in February. I don't have it in the budget to do. And while I would love to go. It isn't in line with my plan this year. So, it is a no thank you for now. I have a massive goal I am working on crushing. And I'm going to go get it!

The first month of the year is nearly done.

To-Do for Jan. 27-29:

1) Clean silver
2) Put silver away
3) Review contents of 3 boxes of stuff from the basement
4) Make decisions on the contents of these three boxes - purge, keep, sell, donate
5) Review files for stale documents
6) File loose papers that need to be kept
7) Prepare a shred pile for other items
8) Source Shelving for spare bedroom
9) Review budget for when these will be in the budget to purchase
10) Review books on basement shelf
11) Release books that are no longer wanted to others who can love them
12) Put the laundry away from the folded basket
13) Wash dirty clothing, fold washed clothing, put the folded clothing AWAY!
14) Bed sheets laundry required!

Many of these items can be done simultaneously so I can maximize efficiency and build in my own breaks. This will get a good portion of the stacks of boxes completed and out of the basement. I also need to clean the car and post for sale.

Lot's to do. Each task will keep me reaching towards my goal, by constantly and consistently allowing me the ability to review my possessions and make good decisions on their purpose in my life.

The First Step!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 18:09:00 +0000

Setting up your goals and wanted achievements for a year can feel daunting. What do you want to do in your year?

First, I'm sure a lot of you reading this may be parents and thus most of your life is revolving around the children you've been blessed with and what they want to do in the year. That's GREAT! Here's the thing though. You can have a goal and wants and desires too. I know it's hard to think past the endless programs and work and feeding the kids and cleaning and all the millions of other tiny little things that needle away at your time.

I get it. I watch so many of my friends go through this all the time.

The ones that are really motivated set one goal for themselves each year and give themselves 365 days to get it accomplished. Some of you are thinking - "Yes! I have a goal of not yelling as much!" Or something along those lines. Yep! That's pretty awesome in and of itself. Parenting is a never-ending, 24/7/365 gig that you get paid in mud-pies and sweet snuggles and the less and less frequent "I love you's". Here's the thing though. You are a person first and foremost. You are your own being.

Loving yourself and accomplishing things for yourself, independently of your children and/or spouse/partner keeps you being your own person.

10 minutes a day can be enough. Maybe it is completing a craft. Or going to a paint-night. Or sleeping a full eight hours once a month.

It can be anything you want, as long as it it for you, to better you, and completed by you.

This past Friday I laid the path to walk in my journey of IMPROVING MY CASH FLOW in 2018.

Part of that is completing the financial layout for my year, broken down into quarters, then again into months, then weeks and then days. Most of those days are listed as MAKE SOUND CHOICES FOR A BETTER FINANCIAL OUTCOME. Still, there they are.

I'm using a hybrid of two journals to help me through this year. A first for me. One gives me the ability to write out my daily appointments, the things I want to accomplish in the week/month and small items. The other gives me more space to write how I'm feeling, what my mood is like, things I'm grateful for, if I'm angry, frustrated, happy, sad, melancholy etc., and why that is, so I'm better able to be the most authentic me possible. It's a great way to look back and see how I'm doing in life as well.

The idea came from a girlfriend of mine, as I'd never heard of a bullet journal before. Then, of course, like any good researcher with all kinds of instant information accessible in nanoseconds, I went to pinterest to take a look! [drip in sarcasm as you see fit!]

And so, Now I've got a visual idea of what this is all about, as well as articles linked to the benefits of having a place to regularly write this stuff out. I'm happy to report, it is going swimmingly so far on this front.

Taking the first major step on your plan is another huge thing to celebrate as well. To get to my goal by the end of the year, I have several aspects of my life that I need to stay on top of. First, my month budget. Second, my emotions. Third, life.

The budget - of course I wouldn't be a PF blogger worth my salt if I didn't have one of these things - is ready to go and I'm ticking along quite well on all fronts here. Crushing these goals is a huge step to getting to the end of the year with my overall goal accomplished.

My emotions are the next big thing. I have been working on these for a while. Specifically the emotions I have attached to things, situations, people, and how those ebb and flow over the day. Emotions surrounding relationships, happiness, my job, my volunteer commitments, the people I interact with regularly in my life, all of these things go into how I do with taking steps towards my goal each day.

The longer I'm able to vent out my issues, and dig into why I'm feeling the way I am, the more ability I have to control what happens. For example, I'm an emotional eater, often stopping to get foods that are horrible for my body simply to try to make myself feel better. I used to also sooth with frivolous shopping.

Now, when I'm feeling those emotions, I take a moment to journal them out, and allow myself to come the the root of the issue so I can really take care of it healthily. Having been to a counsellor for a little while, I was given some tools on how best to do this and see where it got me before doing anything like eating or shopping. Now I can see what has set me off and take steps to better handle the situation and my emotions as they come. It's quite a freeing thing I'm finding.

Having taken stock of all of my possessions, I am in a better position to purposefully accept new items into my life with eyes wide open and pocket book firmly shut. I do not want for anything. In fact, the secondary goal this year is to also release, divest, and purge 18% of my possessions by year end. Fittingly, as I reduce my collective possessions by 18%, I am also increasing my Cash Flow by 18%. In 2018.

The first major step towards all of this happened this weekend. Money transfer was set up and executed. Journals are set and rolling. To-Do lists are getting done with more purpose in less time and I'm not procrastinating as often or as long as I used to while working away on items. When I want to sit and relax, I do. When the mood strikes me to get up and do the next thing on the list, I let it move me.

Prime example - this weekend was the final of the Canada Cup of Curling, and the NFC and AFC championship games. I wanted to watch these. I also wanted to get the kitchen cleaned, the bathrooms cleaned, the back hall cleaned, the vacuuming done, the laundry done, the donation bags set up, and bags and boxes to the car for distribution, the journals set up, the dusting done, meals cooked and weekly snacks prepared, and the recycling and garbage rounded up and out to the storage area. So, how did I get it all accomplished? I used the commercial breaks and half-time breaks to get my butt moving!

Now, before you go, "Ok, but there's only one of you in the house!" Let me assure you that I had 3 people in the house with me all weekend. I did what I wanted to get done anyways. The sports were non-negotiable on the TV Sunday. As things started getting done, people started pitching in to help. It got the work done that much faster.

Before the final game began, the only thing left to do on the list was fold the laundry. I can honestly say that I haven't actually put it away in the drawers or cupboards yet, but it is done and neatly folded in the basket waiting for me to do that tonight.

Along with changing the spare room sheets, the master room sheets, shaking the bedroom rugs (I forgot to do them yesterday), and putting away the clothing that I washed and folded yesterday. Those items will be completed tonight over the supper hour and then the housework is done!

Additional items that I'm going to be working to complete this week
1) Purge old file documents
2) Shred old file documents
3) Clean silver and put away
4) Stack cook books in the dining room (until a good spot in the kitchen is found for them)
5) Go through 1-2 boxes/bags of items in the basement to review the items and find homes for them/purge them/sell them/donate them/gift them.

The list above will systematically help me review the remaining 24 boxes and 12 bags worth of unpacked items from the basement. Some of these boxes simply need a memory refresh on what is in them. At least 6 of the 24 are holiday decorations.

I have a spot set up in the basement just for this activity and I'm eager to get started making a bigger mess before reclaiming my space again.

This is a big year to get a few big items accomplished!!

Are You Supported?

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 15:49:00 +0000

Let's talk about support today.

It is something that we all need. In various ways and at various times in our lives we require support.

In our home, as children, we need to feel support by our parents and siblings to help us learn and grow and accomplish things. As an adult, in our home, we require the same thing. It looks different at different times. Support can be a counsellor to help us navigate the chasms of our mind. Support can be a teacher, a guardian, a parent, a friend, sibling, life-partner, coworker or some other mentor.

Life is difficult when you do not feel supported. Life takes on a lot more meaning when you do have support.

Today, I'm talking about support because in the past I did not feel supported at times.

To be in a relationship and feel less than supported by your partner is hard. To feel that you can't trust that the support that you need will be there, is very hard. You feel alone a lot of the time. You feel like you are fighting for yourself, and probably your partner too, trying to be the support that they need, even though you aren't receiving the support you need.

To be in a relationship that has support there, and that the other person genuinely wants to support you can be a foreign feeling for a lot of people. To be able to have open, honest conversation even int he tough situations, and know that in the end, resolution, and support will be there is a very rare thing. It should be cherished. It is the foundation of love as well.

So, let's talk about support for a moment. Do you feel supported in your home? In your relationship? At work?

If you do - GREAT! - I'd love you to tell me about it in the comments!

If you do not, let's talk about this for a second. What does support mean to you? Can you articulate to yourself what you need as support, and what it looks like for you? This is the first step in being able to ask for it, and receive it.

Do you think you've got a handle on what support looks like for you? If yes, great! Now comes the hard part. Being able to articulate that to the people you require support from. Because I guarantee that even though you've tried and tried to convey what you need, it isn't translating to the other person. I'm guilty of this as well, especially in the past.

So sitting down with yourself is the first obstacle - purely because we aren't great at knowing ourselves, or spending time with ourselves, or even being kind with ourselves. Then actually writing out what support looks like for you is the next major step. Once you've got this nailed down, you can really talk about it with your family and friends and coworkers even. Then, believe it or not, when these people do the thing you've asked them to do, you need to listen too.

So often we get steps one and two done and have the talk. Then when those people start doing what you told them to do, we lose it. It's a sign that we aren't ready to receive the feedback and information we say we need. So after the talk, the next step is learning how to receive. Receiving can even be, a thank you for your feedback. In the future could we be a little more kind with the delivery? It's amazing how many times people hear you, listen to you, and then put their own spin on it because that's how they need it to be said, not how you need it to be said.

This is a reflection of their own projection of what they want but can't articulate back onto you. We train our family members, coworkers, and friends how to speak to us and deliver things to us even in our complacency of correction when disrespectful communication occurs. We do this even in our own self-speak. We've conditioned those around us on how to deal with us because we don't deal with ourselves with kindness. Some of the work here is being able to set your boundaries and stick to them. Some of the work on gaining support is actually retraining the people in your life that you need the support from, to better speak to and support you. The conversation and words we use for ourselves is a great indication of what we will tolerate from others...even when we don't like it.

How are you being supported, or not? What do you need to be supported?

Drop me a comment - or a paragraph or essay - about what support looks and feels like for you.
Let's start the conversation here, so we can all improve our support systems and self-speak. This is a safe place to put it all out there. Feedback is always appreciated.

Working Hard and Taking Time To Rest

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:13:00 +0000

Sometimes best laid plans are a little more than you can handle.

I am learning about how my own depressive episodes work and how they come to pass.

For me, it usually happens when I've depleted my energy and neglected to take the time to properly replenish them - giving too much of myself that I do not leave the part I need to for me.

In the past, my depression has manifested in filling my life with material possessions in an attempt to fill the void I feel in my life. Other ways it has presented: extreme laziness, wherein even the basic hygiene items and household hygiene items are not completed, small amounts of hoarding inexplicable items for reasons that are not clear, a serious need to sleep - through days of life, without leaving the bed for days or even weeks, and a need to not be at work functioning as an adult, but wrapping myself in a cocoon of protection.

The sleep thing is usually triggered by the fatigue of over extending myself in something I no longer find joy in, or our of a sense of duty and obligation. Then days later - sometimes weeks later - I am able to lift myself out of the wallow and function again.

Alas, I've gone on a tangent! Ha ha!

Learning these things about myself has been helping me systematically move towards a more balanced life and existence, maintaining the possessions I enjoy in my life and releasing those items that I no longer need in my life. Really, these are items that were brought in under the guise of necessity, but really where void fillers, self-soothing through shopping, and are not actually needed in my life at all. The sheer amount of space they take up and the weight of them has been tangible and unfathomable. And so, it is here, I update the list from where I was when last I posted, to what has been accomplished so far:

Started here:

To Do:
~~1. Rearrange Blu-rays to incorporate the ones from Christmas~~
2. Pack up extra set of dishes for donation to family in need. <- Bubble wrap required. Bubble wrap now acquired, via the "Accio Bubble Wrap" spell, and now, this evening whilst watching the Canadian Junior Hockey Team play for Gold, I am able to complete this task. Now scheduled for this evening (Tues. Jan. 9).
~~3. Remove boxes from spare bedroom closet for sorting, putting away, purging and garbage review.~~
~~4. Go through all 6 boxes, and make decisions on the items held within. (Re: Item #3)~~
All six boxes have been reviewed. Three are absolutely empty. Three require putting away. This will be completed later tonight.
5. Purge files for stale and out of date items to burn/shred.
6. File paperwork from 2 bags (one in bedroom, one in living room).
7. Take donation of towels to animal shelter.

And we are now here:

To Do:
~~1. Rearrange Blu-rays to incorporate the ones from Christmas~~
2. Pack up extra set of dishes for donation to family in need. <- Bubble wrap required. Bubble wrap now acquired, via the "Accio Bubble Wrap" spell, and now, this evening whilst watching the Canadian Junior Hockey Team play for Gold, I am able to complete this task. Now scheduled for this evening (Tues. Jan. 9). BOOYA THIS IS DONE!

~~3. Remove boxes from spare bedroom closet for sorting, putting away, purging and garbage review.~~
~~4. Go through all 6 boxes, and make decisions on the items held within. (Re: Item #3)~~
~~All six boxes have been reviewed. Three are absolutely empty. Three require putting away. This will be completed later tonight. Three remaining boxes also require a home to be permanent.~~ The boxes were reviewed, and are now in their storage resting place, whilst a home or secondary decision on the usefulness of their contents is reviewed. I'm calling this a done!
5. Purge files for stale and out of date items to burn/shred.
6. File paperwork from 2 bags (one in bedroom, one in living room).
~~7. Take donation of towels to animal shelter.~~ Donation set up. Will be delivered Jan. 16, 2018.

This week we have SC3 in the house with us. As such, some of these clearing items will slow down a little. With the third person in the house, and the tendency of that third person to voice opinions whilst these types of activities are taking place, it is more easily managed when the task can be started and completed in 3 hours or less. Some of the items left on the list also require personal documents to be reviewed that lead to nosey questions of unnecessarily explained to SC3 items. And so, a new To Do list may be created in the next day or so, and a few of the remaining items may be shifted to 2 weeks from now.

For the better part of this week, I'll be working on recharging my batteries. As well, I will be able to pull out some of the files I have and purge through them. One file at a time doesn't cause the great mess I usually make, and can be purged and returned to it's rightful home as I go.

When you guys are cleaning up and clearing out, what method do you use?

For me, it's a pile it all in the middle (on the bed, or in the hall), then take stock of each item and decide to Keep, Donate, Trash or Sell. At the end, I have the items I want where I truly want them, and three piles - Donate, Trash or Sell, left to handle. The saleable items get photos and appropriately posted to sites and are often moved from the dwelling in the next week. The donate items go into a bag or box and are carted off to the appropriate donation site, and the trash items are immediately put into a garbage bag and sent to trash.

I know others like to review their items in their place and make decisions as they go, individually, and I find, more time consuming - but that's just me.

I sit firmly in the bigger mess before it gets righted camp. Strip the shelves, the closets, the tops of all furniture, and remove some of the furniture items as well, to usually the hall or adjoining room. I then play the furniture flow game to ensure the pieces are truly in their best orientation, clean out the corners, the stale dust bunnies, the gunk of energy left in the nooks and crannies, and then we start putting things back in. At the end, I usually have a pile of "I'm not sure" because by that time I'm also tired of the task. Taking a break at this point (often about 2 hours of time), helps come back with that last burst needed to get through the "I'm not sure". The items here are often take them or leave them. Sometimes they are the given to me because they were grandparents that have passed or something the person thought I would like that just doesn't have a place there anymore. Sometimes these are the "I'll get that for a hostess or just in case gift" for a person that isn't immediate family.

So, how to you go about cleaning, clearing and organizing? Are you the bigger mess before the job gets done kind of person? Are you a one thing at a time from it's current place sort of person? Do you have some other style?

In the mean time, four more boxes are broken down and leaving my home in tomorrow's recycling day. So far this month, I'm up to 12 boxes of stuff emptied and removed from my life. And 12 other boxes of donation items.

The kitchen has been sorted and righted. The back closet has been provided with the required storage unit and has been righted. The dining room has been righted. The living room, in it's current iteration, has been completed. This room still has a furniture shuffle to take place, as there are flow issues with the current iteration. This may see a piece of furniture or two also leave our house and moved on to someone else that can love it, though this remains to be seen yet. Once this furniture shuffle has been attempted, this room will be completed and our main floor will be deemed completed.

The spare bedroom will be relieved of one bulky bookcase, in favour of slimmer, lighter coloured units to help created more space in the room itself. The closet has been reclaimed for any guests already, which makes me very happy. SC3's room is tidy and neat. One piece of furniture will be replaced with another slightly larger and more functioning piece residing currently in the basement, and does require a desk chair for homework purposes. We have a little time for the chair yet.

The master bedroom has been tidied, save the dresser top. That's the last thing to be completed in that room. A decision on the chaise in the room will need also to be made. It's lovely and comfortable, yet bulky and big, and the area may be better suited with a reading chair and ottoman. As well, a box and bag of items to be reviewed still requires reviewing. All in all, this room has been finalized. The master bathroom is also complete. Inventory has been taken, organization completed and it has been determined that toiletries, other than conditioner, are not needed for a good portion of the remainder of this year.

That leaves the basement. We have the main rec-room mostly sorted. A christmas tree requires return to storage, and a few remaining decorations the same. The laundry/storage/utility room is an entirely different story. This is where all the stuff to still be reviewed. All of my boxes of stuff from my move are currently residing. Easily I have 20 boxes left to review down there. The room itself will need some organizing, and some improvement in lighting. It is a bit dark, and difficult to really see.

For those of you playing along, remember that door in Monica's Apartment from Friends? You know the one she won't let anyone into? It's that room for me. The difference being, a good portion of the stuff in the room are in boxes still stacked up for review and shifting, or bags...gosh I'm really quite a bag lady when I'm packing!

So, it's time to grab a bag and complete the bag. The goal is to get three of these bags done this week. 3 bags of see what is in it and get it handled.

In other news, I have not yet completed my electronic items either. The computer and the files are a little like my house at the moment. The electronics will take place in a couple of months I bet - or a day when I want to waste away in front of a computer, unpacking, deleting organizing and saving.

This week will, although I have 3 bags I want to get done, is really more about resting and rejuvenating.

The Best Laid Plans and Actual Priorities

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 19:19:00 +0000

Have you ever written yourself a plan of things you want to accomplish over, say, a weekend? Have you ever decided that the priority for you wasn't actually anything that you planned?

So, I had a To Do list set for myself for the weekend, and my day off on Monday. Saturday was already booked with a few scheduled activities - all of which I did fully participate in. Sunday was supposed to be a day of action and then a reward of spending some time with my honey.

Sunday turned into a day of binge watching Season 7 of Game of Thrones, doing minimal laundry and getting one thing accomplished on my To Do list.

The list stood as follows, as of Friday morning:

To Do:
~~1. Rearrange Blu-rays to incorporate the ones from Christmas~~
2. Pack up extra set of dishes for donation to family in need. <- Bubble wrap required. Bubble wrap now acquired, via the "Accio Bubble Wrap" spell, and now, this evening whilst watching the Canadian Junior Hockey Team play for Gold, I am able to complete this task.
3. Remove boxes from spare bedroom closet for sorting, putting away, purging and garbage review. As it happens, this task will be completed tonight as well.
4. Go through all 6 boxes, and make decisions on the items held within. (Re: Item #3)
This task will get started, and at least one box completed before the end of the game tonight.
5. Purge files for stale and out of date items to burn/shred.
6. File paperwork from 2 bags (one in bedroom, one in living room).
7. Take donation of towels to animal shelter.

See those italicized notes there? Yep...didn't exactly get done like that. Here's where I'm at tfor the list now:

To Do:
~~1. Rearrange Blu-rays to incorporate the ones from Christmas~~
2. Pack up extra set of dishes for donation to family in need. <- Bubble wrap required. Bubble wrap now acquired, via the "Accio Bubble Wrap" spell, and now, this evening whilst watching the Canadian Junior Hockey Team play for Gold, I am able to complete this task. Now scheduled for this evening (Tues. Jan. 9).
~~3. Remove boxes from spare bedroom closet for sorting, putting away, purging and garbage review.~~
~~4. Go through all 6 boxes, and make decisions on the items held within. (Re: Item #3)~~
All six boxes have been reviewed. Three are absolutely empty. Three require putting away. This will be completed later tonight.
5. Purge files for stale and out of date items to burn/shred.
6. File paperwork from 2 bags (one in bedroom, one in living room).
7. Take donation of towels to animal shelter.

A few more things done. In the interim, three loads of laundry have been washed and dried, one has been folded and put away. The other two are scheduled to be completed tonight. The dishes will get done tonight, and two of the three remaining boxes will be handled tonight as well. The last box will be set aside for now, as it contains music and I'm not sure where to put that at this point.

Slowly things are getting done. This week, I've got my time set out, so I can enjoy a TV program, but be completely productive while that is happening.

It was apparent from what I got done this weekend, that my priority wasn't to actually get some of those items done, and that's ok. I'm giving myself a pass this weekend, as I know that I'll be productive tonight, and I was last night. Some of the smaller items on my overall list of things to do this week, are those that help keep the house clean, and make me feel better. they are small, so 15 minute bursts of energy work perfectly for completing these items. Or commercial breaks!

In the mean time, a lot of the stale energy, and unused stuff from my life will be reviewed and a good portion of it will be removed.

Tomorrow is another day!

The Work Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 14:31:00 +0000

And so we continue on completing small tasks as we go!

Momentum is a key factor in getting through any task.

Yesterday, in my limited time available, I was able to shake rugs in the bathrooms, so I can get them cleaned tonight. I was also able to collect the much needed bubble wrap to complete item 2 of my To Do List:

To Do:
~~1. Rearrange Blu-rays to incorporate the ones from Christmas~~
2. Pack up extra set of dishes for donation to family in need. <- Bubble wrap required. Bubble wrap now acquired, via the "Accio Bubble Wrap" spell, and now, this evening whilst watching the Canadian Junior Hockey Team play for Gold, I am able to complete this task.
3. Remove boxes from spare bedroom closet for sorting, putting away, purging and garbage review. As it happens, this task will be completed tonight as well.
4. Go through all 6 boxes, and make decisions on the items held within. (Re: Item #3)
This task will get started, and at least one box completed before the end of the game tonight.
5. Purge files for stale and out of date items to burn/shred.
6. File paperwork from 2 bags (one in bedroom, one in living room).
7. Take donation of towels to animal shelter.

The momentum to get the house sorted and get the boxes handled and removed is carrying me through this week. Performing smaller chores like cleaning the bathroom, shaking rugs, dusting, vacuuming sections, have been able to keep me going when I need a break from the bigger overall task. The house is tidier because of it. The box count and bag count is decreasing at a reasonable place, and the house itself is being cleansed, cleared, and righted in a way that continues to make me happy.

It's weird. Having a properly righted house is so satisfying. It makes keeping it that way so much easier. One can also see what one's belongings look like, and begin divesting the churn and culling the dead weight out.

I've been subscribed to a declutter site that gives 15 minute tasks each day to help you declutter your house and your life. I can honestly say I have not read every single one of the emails sent, however, the calendars of where you can be each week, in which room to be in for the month, and the tasks provided have been helpful when I needed to kick my own pants into gear.

The kitchen has been purged, and the remainder of the items identified in the purge are what is being boxed up. We have spices galore, and are using spices galore. The pantry and fridge are stocked with only the staples of what we want to fuel our bodies with - the premium gas options - and have been culled of things that needed to be eaten up.

I'm actually pretty excited for the day when that final pile is removed and we have all of our surfaces back. Sure we have a bit more than we could have in the kitchen. Good thing is each item has a purpose and a use, and so far has been serving us quite well for what we want. New fridge and stove have been installed and we are happy with their performance and aesthetic. The back hall and doorway have been improved with proper hanging for coats, baskets for the mitts and toques and scarves, hangers for when company comes, shelving for the shoes and boots, drip trays etc. With that cleaned up, the feel of the whole back section of the house is more relaxed, less chaotic, definitely much more functional and feels like a home to be proud of, rather than a catchall that you are constantly tripping through.

Completing the next set of boxes will improve and help finalize the living room, dining room, office combination. There is a table and one cabinet we have yet to decide on, and a flow rearrange that we may be trying in the next couple of weeks, to see if it's going to improve the energy in the rooms. It's one of those things that sometimes you just need to do the furniture shuffle. The room is a bit tight for me, so shifting things around will allow my mind to visually see and my body to physically feel the change in the space.

Once this is reviewed, the hanging of artwork can take place. And the main floor of home is completed.

Currently under review: Shelving units in spare bedroom, clothing situation for me (oy! 2 dressers full, and an entire closet full! Gah!) and how to arrange the storage area of the basement for maximum flow.

All in all this week has been a fantastic week in getting these last items handled. Tonight should be a good game and a good dent in the To Do list!

Day 4 of 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 16:33:00 +0000

Today is the fourth day of 2018.

I have a list of items I want to accomplish this week, and so far I am ticking them off quite nicely.

To Do:
~~1. Rearrange Blu-rays to incorporate the ones from Christmas~~
2. Pack up extra set of dishes for donation to family in need.
3. Remove boxes from spare bedroom closet for sorting, putting away, purging and garbage review.
4. Go through all 6 boxes, and make decisions on the items held within. (Re: Item #3)
5. Purge files for stale and out of date items to burn/shred.
6. File paperwork from 2 bags (one in bedroom, one in living room).
7. Take donation of towels to animal shelter.

With this list, I've been able to better utilize my time in the evenings and concentrate my time on the weekends in order to do complete these tasks. I utilize a burst technique. Begin the task and work to get it done in 30 minutes or less. If you are into a task, go until it is completed OR you require a break from it. Take a minimum of 30 minutes of break. Go back to the task with fresh energy and eyes, and get it done.

New Year's Day I used this technique to unload 2 rubber maid bins (90-Litre size) of shoes, move my shoe rack into the closet, then move on the sort through the linens bin (90-Litre size). Once these were completed, I moved on to unload the 25 Litre bathroom tote I had from my move, and sort through the bathroom. I was able to purge 18% of the items in the bin, and get the bathroom cupboard organized for optimal usage of items I was keeping. As such, I discovered, I do not need to replace my cleanser, moisturizer, soap, shower gel, eye makeup, toiletries, and travel items for the remainder of the year.

This technique cleaned up a huge section of my bedroom, as well as the guest bedroom. As I completed the bathroom task, I moved on to putting my lingerie chest in place, and use it for the jewellery I had wanted to. I also was able to get my camisoles into the chest for usage, so I can determine which ones I'm able to release as the year goes on.

Releasing 18% of my stuff is going to be quite easy as I get through my tasks.

From my purging and releasing I was able to compile a banker's box worth of items to take care of at another time, and a book bag of similar items. These were items I wasn't in the mood to handle on Monday, and many were papers or memory book items for a project at another time.

Getting the remainder of the spare bedroom handled will be a lovely item off the list of things to do, and give me a better oasis for hosting people at the house. Clearing stall items and energy has been such a freeing thing this week. It's amazing how much lighter you feel, and how much better the house feels when you do these things.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks and "stuff" you have, let the anxiety of those worries and fears go. Resolve simply to clear one single surface off and keep it clear for the next 2 weeks. Start with your bedroom dresser. Another place to start would be the cupboard under your bathroom sink. Do that one thing.

If you start in the bathroom, clear it out, do the drawers the next day, and the shelves the day after. Finish your week by cleaning the bathroom - toilet, sink, shower/tub, floor/rug, dust and vacuum the walls and tops of the lights, and mirrors and shelves and then that whole room is done. Fresh and clean. Free of stale energy, and a much better place to relax. Who cares that it took a week to get that room completed. It's now done. Move yourself into the hall right outside it, and vacuum it up, wipe off the baseboards, and shake any rugs in the area. Poof! Now you have a clean bathroom AND hallway.

Don't want to tackle the bedrooms just yet? Great! Don't! Instead move on to the powder room!

My tasks tonight include scrubbing the same bathroom I just finished organizing on Monday, so it is fresh and clean for the next week. Then I'll be heading down to my own powder room to do it as well. I'll even be disinfecting the door handles, and light switches. These help keep the cold and flu germs from spreading around the house.

So far so good! Getting settled in the new place is going swimmingly. As each of these little things are tackled, the energy and flow gets better, I feel lighter and brighter, and I'm happier with the space.

Moving On Through Life

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:44:00 +0000

Life is so interesting.

Today I have the most time I will ever have this year. I have 362 days of time within which to mold and master myself.

This year, I am purging 18%of everything I have, and everything I am. Out with the stale, the old, the no longer serving me stuff. Out with the excess fat stores, negative thinking, and negative people that no longer serve any purpose other than to weigh me down.

I am becoming more me than ever before. Letting go of old ways, beliefs, barriers and even some boundaries. I will be better, everyday.

When you are working on something, and state that you have a goal, do you do 1% per day towards that goal or do you simply talk a good game?

After you say you really truly absolutely want that GOAL to happen, do you do 2% the next day towards making it happen?

What did you do today to get you closer to a GOAL of yours?

Here are mine for the year:

1) Purge 18% of my stuff by year end.
2) Move my body 18% more of the time
3) When faced with challenges, choose my goal first, and delay the gratification of the other thing, adding it to the list to get accomplished AFTER my current set of goals.

Debt has been a constant discussion on this blog, for nearly 10 years now. The funny thing is, with the life changes I've made, I've been both in and out and in and out and in of debt, in that time. I just finished setting my sights on complete freedom from consumer debt by the last day of 2020. The plan is in place. The payments are preset and already flying around. This will clean up what is left from my past, and allow me to move confidently into the future. This plan includes payments to clear a new car, a credit card, and wedding planning.

Morphing this blog into a new horizon is where I'm headed. Becoming ME as each day passes. I was me before, however I sheltered myself, hide portions of me that were deemed inferior by another. I hid me. I compromised myself into knots. I allowed me to make me sick without realizing I was doing it too.

So, in 2018, 18% of my tired, raggedy, old, unserving stuff is on the way out. And I'm opening myself up to new experiences, working hard on speaking my truth, being a better communicator, improving my life by living with less stuff, and truly taking a moment to learn when to accept new things in and being ok if the answer is "Thank you, but no, thank you." I'm looking to experience life with people to make memories that last longer than the stuff.

I have projects to complete:

1) Scrap book my adventures to date and purge the stuff I no longer want from those adventures
2) Arrange my photos of life and make a couple of books out of them
3) Craft until they are all completed
4) Read my library
5) Cull the baggage and organize myself more efficiently

At the end of this year, 18% of my stuff will be elsewhere. And I will have 18% more space to just be and enjoy.

Dig Down Into Yourself and Feel It

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:59:00 +0000

It has been a while since writing last. This blog has become a cathartic way for me to let out what I need to, to explore myself in a way I can't in any other medium, and a place, for better or worse, to allow someone somewhere to read this and hope it provides an opportunity to hear a message they need in a moment.

That being said, dig down into yourself and feel it.

We all hide ourselves. We speak to ourselves in ways we do not believe we would allow others to speak to us. Except we do.

We believe we are better, convince ourselves we are better than others because of circumstance, opportunity, salary, job status and a host of other things. Except we are not.

If you believe you are are the smartest person in a room in which you are sitting, you have proven to yourself first that in fact you are not.

We are not kind to ourselves. We are not caring or compassionate to ourselves. We are the worst bully to ourselves. And yet we pretend that it is others. We blame others. We curse others. When in fact it is an elaborate rouse to help convince ourselves that we have a right to be offended by the words of others. When is the last time you were offended by the words you use to speak to yourself?

We are our own worst nightmare. Our self-speak is so off-base that we do not even realize how detrimental to our own self we are.

When is the last time you let anyone call you a fat slob to your face without doing something or saying something or being offend by it? And yet, you look at your physical form in the mirror and think it 1, 5, 10, 25, 1000 times per day.

What if I told you that there is scientific proof, done in studies sanctioned by Universities, that 100% proves that the way we speak to ourselves directly and irrefutably proves that we make ourselves sick, that our cells respond negatively, that cellular growth stunts or diminishes, that cancer grows, that we become sick.

Think I'm pulling your leg? Google it.

Let me know what you learn and what you find.

We have the power to change ourselves. We have the power to bring light, energy, positivity, into our own live, yet it is so hard, we passively, and sometimes actively choose not to.

Did you find the three spelling and grammar errors in this article and lose the point of it?

Setting Your Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 15:09:00 +0000

A quick little post from the road today. Let's talk setting your goals.

How many of you out there set yourself goals? With timelines, and specifics? How many if you start that, get about 70% to them and find life hands you something that derails you? I believe that this derailment is actually a test to see if you really want it as much as you say you do. What if that derailment is the thing you are to handle AND STILL hit your goal rather than abandoning it?

Let's explore that thought.

We say we want to be debt free. Then we get our plan set up and we start down the path. Then temptation appears and we cave. Then life hands is stuff and we jump ship. What if we said no to temptation? Or readjusted our plan to accept a deviation that is planned for?

I'm guilty of this too. It's why I've started again with a better plan and am working it out more soundly and matching more purposefully than before. Plastic by the wayside. Needs first, planned milestones with rewards and the odd temptation built right in.

This is a goal I WILL meet and achieve. This is a goal that is worth the effort and time. It means a richer, better life when it is conquered.

What does debt free mean for you? What does your life look like without the debt in it? Start dreaming of it. It helps with the planning, gets the fire going and kicks in beast mode to get there.

It's Time!!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 23:07:00 +0000

It's time to get back to something that I loved doing - writing this blog!

Life is moving along.

Here is what I did today so I can get back to square!

Yep! That's right! I'm at it again and they've been chopped to bits!

Let's talk goals for a moment.

These are things to help keep you going, motivated and working towards a better life for yourself.

Goals for Me:

1. Pay off the Debt (again! I know!)
2. Better Health! Loose 16 inches off my body - yes loose them...then lose them...and never find them again!
3. Release those possessions and objects that I haven't used/worn in a long time. - This goal free's up my mind, my space, my life, and allows me to be really picky about what I accept back into my space and mind.
4. Gain success in my side business

Simple post today. Back in the saddle.

Consistency is key - so I'm committing to blogging regularly again, however, it will be set days in the week and topics will be more thoughtful after today.

Let's talk about what BETTER looks like for you? Drop me a comment below and let me know what you are doing to make your life BETTER!

Nothing But a Number

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 19:13:00 +0000

In this day and age, when people are worrying about their BMI, and weight, their age, and clothing size, we forget to live.

These items - the numbers - in our lives do not define us, nor should they really be given the attention we all pay to them. For example, P!nk, recently released a photo of herself at the gym working out, indicating that by standard medical information, she would be considered obese. Yep - me too!

I'm not in the shape she is in, however, I am healthy, and happy and love myself (well most days). I stopped stepping on a scale a while ago, because it causes me stress and helps lead to bouts of depression in me. I instead, go by how my clothing is fitting. I am working on improving my health, by adding in additional nutrients and working to eat less processed sugars and carbs.

How's this for reminding yourself that you can do anything you set you mind to? This past week, I had the distinct pleasure of volunteering some time to help with the Master's Curling National competition. It is a national competition for those who curl and are 60or older. At the competition, a woman, arriving from New Brunswick with her team, came to play two games every other day at the age of 83. A great feat in itself. Even more so? She had broken her arm before coming out and played the 11 games they had in 7 days with a casted break in her arm as well! She was jovial, and laughing, truly soaking in the experience. She curled well, and had a good record, finishing in the middle of the field of 16, in eighth place overall. A great showing for her first National Competition in a while. And at 83!

Shows that not only can you do anything you put your mind to, you can do it no matter your age!

So, let's start today with changing the mental speak in your head. Take that scale and use it for what it is meant - a way of tracking your progress on your goal. Not something to define yourself by, or berat yourself with, or to allow to get into your head. Heck - toss the sod out in the garbage and measure yourself by how loose your clothing is getting. I have a pair of jeans that started as my skinny jeans, and haveno become my comfy jeans. The only part that touches and is considered "skinny" are my calves at the point. It is the only point on my body that fills out the jeans the way a "skinny" pair is meant to. The rest? I have to belt, because if not, I get the droopy draw thing in the butt and legs and the pants could literally fall off from that point. A MUCH better way of measuring my progress these days. I enjoy when I put on something I thought I didn't look good in, to find out that I do look good in it!

I do not care that I am of a certain age - having just celebrated a birthday. I feel great! I'm loving myself and my life again! I laugh. I cry. I get angry and frustrated. I can articulate these feelings in a constructive and meaningful way that helps others understand me clearly.

It is as life should be. I work each day to pay attention to my self-speak now. And I'm teaching both myself and others how best to love me because I learn each day what that means and looks like for me.

Weight ain't nothin' but a number! Age ain't nuthin' but a numba too! If you want to look better, go get it! If you want to feel better, find things that make you happy and do them - repeatedly! If you want to improve your health, make yourself a plan and go get that goal. It doesn't matter how long it takes to get there.

Take it from someone that took, in total, 15 years total to complete a degree and a diploma in post-secondary school. From intake year, to graduation of my degree, it was 15 total years. And feels a heck of a lot better than saying, I want to feel better, but not doing anything about it.

So, today, I'm throwing most of the numbers out. Today, I'm setting a goal for myself to fit into a clothing rack size 12 regular (not plus). I have pieces of clothing I can not yet fit into, that will be fitting a little big by this date in 2018. My goal is to be healthier, happier, and more fit than I am on this day. I do not care about the scale number, because it is inches and muscles I'm toning and improving.

I'm going to be the best version of myself everyday for the next 365 days! Incrementally better each day than the last.

A Health Filled Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 16:32:00 +0000

As I work on my gratitude daily, I am reminded that I also work on my health daily.

Making good food choices, is like constantly being asked if you want to use grab gasoline or good gasoline for your car. Blends are different, performance of the vehicle changes, and pricing is key. It's the same for the fuel we put in our bodies.

I've been working with a few items as of late and doing research into a few different styles of eating out there. Great success has been had on many plans. it is the guts to stick to the plan that is the key factor in that success.

For example, I started taking some extra boosting nutrients in my diet. Nothing that replaces a meal, or causes you to not eat whatever you choose, just a product that provides me with my 8 servings of fruits and vegetables every day regardless of how I eat. I drop a little pouch into about 500ml of water, shake it up and drink it down. It tastes like berries, so it makes them go down better. Added to that I eat a little chew - that looks like the size of a starburst candy - and packs the anti-oxidizing power of two cartons of blueberries into the pair of them. Tastes great and I get the bonuses of my body getting what it needs!

It is like hitting the easy button on my nutrition each morning, between breakfast and lunch. I do not hit a wall in the afternoon any longer. I feel great, have great energy and move through my day feeling better. It took a little while to get there though, so this isn't an instant fix. It is an improvement with some time.

You see, I have adrenal fatigue in the worst way. And I have a liver that has been working overtime to help my body do its regular things with limited success. So the greens and chews support everything, and help my liver clean itself and my body, as well as move my body to a more alkaline state.

Adding one more product really kicked my health game up a notch. I'm sourcing improvements to what I put in my body every day and am enjoying new ways of exercising as well.

Spending time each day to fuel my soul by looking at all the great things that are available in life to me, as well as working on the fuel I put into my body, have helped me transform my life in ways I couldn't fathom. I'm having great success fighting through my mental ailments as well.

It is amazing how a few simple changes to how one fuels one's body can be expressed in the reduction and elimination of all kinds of symptoms. The root cause to many things is the nutrition we give ourselves - or the lack thereof for that matter.

How many of you eat paleo, or keto, or clean, or low carb? How many of you are trying greens and not enjoying their taste so you've improved your smoothy game? I'd love to hear your experiences and what you are doing!

If there was a way to take two starburst candies and get all the nutrients your body requires in a day, would you do it?
If you had the ability to add a pixie stick to your water and get 8 servings of fruits and veggies into your body, would you find that easy?
If you could add one pouch of health boosting nutrients to your water, or juice, or smoothy or coffee every day, would you do it?

Beginning with Gratitude!

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 13:24:00 +0000

The best way to start anything, for me, is with Gratitude!

Gratitude for viewers here. Gratitude for another beautiful day on Earth. Gratitude that one can recognize and make tough decisions to change the path regardless of hurt, anger, betrayal, sadness, anxiety and depression.

So, in this part of my life, I begin with gratitude as often and as frequently as possible.

It really helps the day get off to a great start to take a moment and think to yourself, what a great thing to be alive today. When you work with gratitude, and sit in gratitude, you often find the most magnificent things appear right before your eyes. A gorgeous sunrise, or sunset, the first spotting of Spring Robins, squirrels chasing each other, bunnies hoping along, a chipmunk with its cheeks so full of food it is hilarious to see them try and squeeze just one more thing in!

Or even gratitude that today you opened your eyes, and can sit up in bed. That you have something to watch or something to play to help you chase away the blues.

Photography - the amateur version - has helped me through some places, and help me capture images I can reflect on later, when I need them.

These are all of the sunset that happened about a week or so ago. Incredible colours and sky that night. I wasn't in a spot to be able to capture the double rainbow that was happening, but these came out beautifully.

It is a lovely thing to have images to return to when you need to lift yourself up.

And since it is fun - I had a little fun with the camera last month too, and came out with a photo or two for you all to see.

Start and end your day in gratitude for the things and events that have happened to you. It takes practice, and there is nothing that says it has to be a massive item. Starting with something like, I am grateful I woke up today is enough to get you going on this. There are days when this will be it. There are days when your cup will overflow with gratitude for the day. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to express and sit in gratitude. You just have to start.

Writing it down helps you see how things are going, and what your mind is seeing. Sometimes you need to reframe the way you look at things to allow you to see them differently. When doors close, others open. When windows close, others open. It does not mean that those doors and windows that closed cannot be opened again. It just means that maybe now is not the time to be focusing on them.

What are you grateful for?

The Re-Invention of Me

noreply@blogger.com (Finding My Way) — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 16:51:00 +0000

It has been a while since my last post. I protected the blog to protect my privacy from things happening in my life, because I felt it best for me.

I'm back, and this blog is taking a different direction.

Old posts have been pulled and a fresh look is underway.

Life is forming anew these days.

I've been blogging a little over 10 years years now, and the shape and feel of the blog have changed as my life did. It began as a search for lasting love in my life, morphed into a finance blog while I moved through my debts, and then began to take shape as a health and wellness site for me to do more than that. I vented through this medium about people and relationships, love, death, the struggle to get myself into the place in life I wanted. A good portion of my life was poured out here for the world (the small following I had) to see, and was made a little more public with an article written in the Globe and Mail several years ago.

The article still exists, and the link is reactivated if you ever find it.

Life has taken an unexpected turn that has lead to this place and this point now.

That is the way life goes.

To my readers - no matter who you are - welcome!

To my past readers, persons that may know the situation or those involved, welcome! Items have been protected to respect privacy of all involved, so you may not find past posts here any longer.

This blog is morphing into a journey on health and wellness, in all its capacities. As life takes me down a new path, I wish love, light, healing and blessings on all who have crossed paths with me and all who may in future.

My life has taken a turn. I am navigating a new path now and some who have been with me are no longer part of my life.

So I reset, update, and move into my new life path. Finances and relationships are part of life. How much they are a part of this blog moving forward, I cannot say. Stay tuned though. I am bringing out more of me and more of life with each new day!