Posts

Showing posts from 2019

The Mind Can Be a Scary Place

Why is the mind so difficult?  I hate the way depression and anxiety hit my mind so fast.  It is a times so infuriating.  It is the only thing I can't control and yet the only thing I can.   The other day I woke in a downward spiral.  My mind racing with hateful lies.    You not good enough,  why are you here,  I hate you,  you're fat and ugly,  you will never be healthy,  why don't you just give up,  you're a bad mother,  I can't believe how awful you are It is days like that one, that put me on the verge of tears the entire day.   It is days like those where my triggers are plentiful.   They are the days I feel the need to escape. To leave everything behind and wait in the cold, quiet dark until the wave of anger and hate crashes into me, sending shock waves throughout my body and I cry until no more tears fall.  Until the well of sadness runs dry.   Until I feel nothing but stillness and silence.  It is only then that I can be
Image
October signals change not just for the season but for us humans as well.  It is a get time to reflect on the past years trials and growth and set new intentions for the coming year. Great things happened this past year of season.  I took a leap to begin and finish and self-publish one of my many books.  Many people, I feel, look down on self-published books, but if they really knew what it takes to get a publisher, they may just change their mind.  Nowadays, publishers aren't looking for the next big thing, they are looking for an author with a good idea and a crap ton, official term, of followers.  Many followers, means many books sold with little money spent on advertising.  Self published authors do everything themselves, it's a lot of work.  Now, I am currently working on one of my many children's books.  I plan to publish it in the spring. I am currently able to balance work, family, me time and creative time. I reflect upon how I did not always want to be an arti

Life is a series of losses: From Grief to Gratitude

Image
Life is a series of losses.  Some are big and some are small.  Through out my life I have had many small losses, and only a few big ones. You can lose anything, a grandparent, a job, a friend, a love your keys or an opportunity.  It doesn't matter to your body what you lose, it still treats it like a loss.  There is a set pattern of emotions that your mind and body need to process a loss. Shock, disbelief, sadness, regret, sorrow, anger, panic, numbness, self hate/self blame, forgiveness, love and gratitude; This is my pattern, your pattern may be a little different. I went through a span of time when I refused to grieve; I would say whatever I lost was in a better place or that it didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. This only sets you back and holds onto the energy of grief.  This energy will build and continue to build until some small, itty bitty, tiny, little loss makes you explode with volcano like furry with tears and fowl anger flowing like electric lava sendi

Focus is a Super Power

Image
I like to give my attention and focus to whatever is directly in front of me.  Although I can and do multitask, I don't like to work in that manner.  Our society has some how raised the status of those who can multi task compared to those that can't.  As if one's ability to do many things at once is some great power.  I actually believe one's ability to focus on one task at a time more of a super power.  The ability to let go of everything else that needs to be done, to focus on, or being in the moment with, one task or whatever is in front of you.  That, to me, requires discipline and strength. Focusing on one thing at a time also requires balance.  I say this because I have been know to focus on one thing for many hours and forget everything else that exists in life. Dishes, laundry, children, husband etc. are the least of my concern with I am creating.  If I am in the zone, I don't wish to be interrupted. But that kind of focus, while productive, still hurt

Winds of Change

Image
Today the wind blows in a new direction, do you set the sails in your mind or do you allow yourself to drift with the current of your thoughts? The mind is empty space filled with chaos.  Thoughts come and go with little effort on your own part. How do you know, then, which thoughts to follow and which ones to let go? Love.  Love is the answer.  If it is a thought that inspires you, encourages you and lights the fire within your soul, then that is one to follow.  If, however, your thoughts elicit fear, and the fear is irrational, which most are, those are the ones to let pass.  It is not always easy to let those thoughts pass; I have been on many misguided adventures do to fearful thoughts.  But each experience has taught me to trust love over fear. So the next time your mind is flowing with thoughts, instead of choosing your direction out of fear, choose love.  Think, "What direction would I go, if I filled this thought with love?" Then act on it.  Be afraid and do it

Take the Leap

Image
The universe moves faster with more synchronicity as you move in the direction of your purpose.  Barriers and obstacles will begin to crumble as soon as you recognize the opportunity within.  Everything is falling into place and you are exactly where you need to be.  There is no rush or hurry because you are right on time for the miracles that are now manifesting in your life. Sometimes we are afraid to move forward in our life.  Scared of what lurks in the unknown.  Life truly begins when we step off that edge and plummet towards chaos and utter disaster.  On lookers and nay sayers will clutter your mind with failure and defeat.  Most embrace their words taking them to heart and fall straight towards the brier patch, but not you.  You their shouts and dismay fire at you like daggers that fall gently like spring rain and roll off your skin.  You dance as you fall and glide through the air as your wings bud out from your back. Each feather unfurls amidst the friction of the wind and

Every Step with Confidence

Image
If one advances  confidently in the direction of his dreams , and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.~ Henry David Thoreau Every little step you take towards your dreams will lead you to success.  Even if those steps are missteps or wrong turns, mishaps or unforeseen  obstacles. Never be afraid to begin a new journey, to take a first step, or completely start over. Yesterday, I choose to type up all of the children's stories that I had hand written down on small scraps of paper.  Yes, even with all of the technology, I prefer to hand write.  I don't feel as connected to the words when I type.  Some of the stories I misplaced, but those were the ones I've had in my mind the longest and were hard to forget, so I rewrote them from the pictures in my mind.  Some I had only an idea or a title and nothing more, those will come to me later.  Some were half written and I took the time to finish them or add

It's Out There for the World to Read

Image
This has been a learning experience.  One that has challenged my self-discipline and my self-motivation.  There were moments I wanted to give up, just stop and forget the whole thing.  But each time I would look at how much I put into this book and would decide to keep going.  Could it be better? Yes in so many ways but I wanted it to be authentically me through my voice.  Could I have added so much more? Probably, but I wanted it to be a short pocket guide that someone could easily finish by just reading a little each day. Using Amazon to self-publish feels like cheating, although I honestly think that it is harder than just submitting to a publisher, as you have to do all the work yourself, without any back up.  You have to navigate their programs and put it in such a way that it uploads with few errors and looks the way you planned it to look, because it takes a small chunk of your life to upload each time.  I must have uploaded my script about 50 times before I worked out all of

The Art of Life

Image
I try my best each day not to hide my flaws, to let my mistakes show through my outer shell of this human form. Sounds a bit backwards to many, I am sure, but there is a good reason I live my life with my idiosyncrasies on my sleeve.  I do it because, one, mistakes and flaws are apart of life it is how we learn about our world and how we are able to become better versions of ourselves. And two, it allows others to be comfortable showing their mistakes and flaws, it allows others to try something new.  In a sense, it gives others permission to be themselves without fear of judgement.  I post all my art work, even the work that I feel is awful and ugly, because art is a process, and so is life.  So why not show your mistakes?  They are all just learning experiences, part of a larger process of refining and developing who you are becoming. My art isn't perfect, there will always be mistakes, I will always be learning and processing.  My life is not perfect either, I will always

No One is Coming

No One is Coming No one is coming Can you hear the silence enclose around you? The ticking of the clock as time passes by you are waiting waiting waiting for that night in shiny armor someone to take your hand and make it all right no one is coming Can you feel the cold numbness spreading like fire over your skin? surrounding you in your own darkness as deeper and deeper you go you are waiting waiting waiting for that one who will make everything happy again Someone comes but you are not happy they try to make you laugh and smile but it does not work No one is coming Can you see your demons now swimming in your mind? fighting and clawing at your brain as you hold your head and sink lower you are waiting waiting Waiting for someone to take your hand and make it alright Someone comes but everything is the same everything is not alright just more of the same No one is coming can you smell the damp muddy air fill as it fills your lungs? Breathing slow a

Motherhood

Image
I have changed poopy diapers wiped snotty noses and cleaned throw up out of hair. I have washed dirty faces put in pigtails and braids made food to eat and share I have yelled and screamed worried and cried I have hugged and kissed laughed and sighed Through it all I look in wonder at every inch you grow proud of every milestone and everything you know Time goes by so quickly you continue to amaze me each day Being your mother is the best I love you in every way I was blessed with motherhood Your very breath made it so all the mothers before me their knowledge can continue to flow Peace Love and Gratitude to all the Mothers, Grandmothers, Stepmothers, And all the others who have graciously step up into the role. Happy Mothers Day!

Because in the end you have always been enough

Image
Feeling tired and overwhelmed by everything at the moment.  There is so much I want to do, and yet I can't seem to focus on any one thing to get it done. My mind is running at a super fast pace with all thoughts leading to I am not good enough.  I feel like a failure most days and I suppose that is how it is suppose to be, so that you can get up and try again only this time working to make it better.  But some days that is hard, I can't even imagine my way out and I end up here in a dark space with nothing but my thoughts bombarding me with everything I am failing at...  "I haven't been a good enough daughter, sister, aunt or friend.  I haven't been a good enough wife or mother.  I haven't been a good enough employee or person in general.  I haven't been good enough to myself or my body.  I am not a good enough artist or writer.  I let everyone down."  I begin to think and wonder if those who have succeeded in their life feel this way or have ever fe

Day 28: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Take a sabbatical media.   This next challenge may be easy for you or it might be very difficult to accomplish.   For this next challenge I want you to take a break from media.   That means no TV, news, radio, cell phone except for emergencies of course, computer, email or social media.   Choose to commit to a day, a week or a month.   I know what you are thinking, “Yeah, but I will miss everything that is going on in the world!”   Trust me, the world will not stop, and you will still be informed.   There is always that one person you run into that will talk your ear off about something happening in the news.   After your Sabbatical is over, check how you feel you may find that you enjoy a media free life so much that you take a whole year. Or you might find that leaving a space for being media free is well worth turning off the TV, phone and computer for a few hours each day or over the weekend.   Perhaps you will find that watching the news is unnecessary, and when you hear of some

Day 27: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Have a friend’s weekend retreat. There is just something about getting together with close friends that makes you smile till it hurts, laugh till you cry and leaves you feeling utterly fantastic. Earlier in this 28 day challenge I had you get together with someone that brings you joy, but have you ever spent more than just a lunch or a night out with them?   For this challenge I want you to set up and go on a mini vacation with your friend(s).   Find a place that suits both of you, go to a place with a beach or night life, find a mountain cabin and go for hikes, visit museums, or do a sleepover with a movie marathon if that’s what you both enjoy.   The point is to spend good quality time with a friend, not a spouse or significant other, not that they can't be your friend, but person you don't see everyday. A long weekend spent just with a friend, doing what you enjoy allows for stronger, more supportive, and healthier relationships.   Studies have shown that people with more

Day 26: 28 Day Challenge

Image
Do something that brings you joy that you have set aside because “you don’t have time.” There are times in your life when you put aside things that bring you joy.  We do it because we’re busy or can’t afford to or because it’s childish.  Sometimes we stop because of depression, illness and fatigue and you don’t have the energy to just get up and do it. And most of the time we choose to put what brings us joy to the back of our mind because we are helping others find their joy.  It is important to remember that you cannot give what you don’t have.  It every time you are squeeze you get angry, frustrated and annoyed, then that is all you can give regardless of your intent of giving love and peace.  Give yourself a time out, take time away from your children, take time away from your job, give yourself some space to do something that brings you joy and don’t let guilt come to play.  Perhaps you don’t even remember what it is that brings you joy, now is the chance to try something new, and

Day 25: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Read a book you’ve been wanting to read but just haven’t.   Or if you’re not a reader, go to your local library and pick up a book on disc, listen to it in your car, or at home in your free time.   It doesn’t have to be educational but if that is what you like go for it.   Pick out something fun and interesting to you. I happen to read a lot of non-fiction spiritual or health based books.   Once in a while it is nice to read or listen to a good fantasy, sci-fi or mystery type book.  On the other hand, if you read a lot of fiction, you may want to choose something different.  You can do this by yourself, with your kids or family, you could even set up a mini book club with your favorite people to hang out with, just for another good excuse to get together. My husband, daughters and I like to pick out a good series of books to listen to as we travel. I recommend the Hunger Games if you have older children and any of Rick Riordan’s books for those with younger kids. Even if you’re just

Day 24: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Volunteer where and what you are passionate about.   Doing something for others (plants, animals and people) in need feels good when you are doing it for the right reasons. Don't do it because you should, but because you genuinely want to help.  If you already volunteer and it feels like an obligation, walk away and find something worth your time and effort.   At the same time if you feel like you just can’t find time in your schedule don’t feel guilty for not stepping up to be the first to volunteer.  There are many ways to volunteer your time serving people, animals and our planet.  You can choose to make a solid commitment and once a week walk dogs at your local animal rescue, or volunteer at a zoo, nature center, school, library or any place of business that interests you.  Perhaps you choose to help at your local food bank or soup kitchen.  Or maybe you don’t have that much free time with kid’s school and work, so maybe you choose to help pick up litter at a park one weekend

Day 23: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Do something creative. Everyone has a creative side whether they admit it or not. By nature we are creators.   We create our life moment by moment and use our imagination to do it.   Today’s challenge is to use your imagination to create something that will help you or be useful for someone else.   This can be anything.   You can paint, arrange flowers, bake, decorate a cake, sew, do woodworking, draw, or write a story or poetry.   You can garden, organize a place or part of your house that you use frequently, or map out your next vacation including fun stops and other unique travel destinations.   All you have to do is imagine to get your creative juices flowing.   Right now I am in the stages of imagining all that I can do to refurbish the old camper we bought in the fall.   We didn’t have time to do anything before winter came, but now that it is starting to get warmer and have more sunshiny days I am thinking more about what I would like to do.   You don’t need to have a reason l

Day 22: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Eat good food and don't forget dessert.  There are two types of people in this world, those that live to eat and those that eat to live.  I am the latter one, but which ever you are most likely you are not choosing food to eat because it's healthy and nutritious, but because it's what you like and it tastes good to you. This challenge is to choose to eat good food and eat with the purpose of nurturing and healing your body. Find a new recipe that not only is good for you but satisfies your mind and taste buds.  You can turn an unhealthy recipe into a healthy one if your like me and don't like trying something new. Eating with purpose to heal and nourish means to eat mindfully.  Knowing that each bite is full of nutrients meant for energizing your cells and healing your body. Visualize your food doing just that. If you are making food from scratch and using whole foods, leaving out boxed or highly processed foods, you will not only feel better physically but you will fee

Day 21: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Laugh out loud. Today’s challenge is to laugh out loud. A good belly laugh!   They say laughter is the best medicine, and it’s true.   Not only are there studies that prove laughter heals, there is even a documentary. Being able to laugh, really laugh at how ridiculous life can be, not only can lift your mood, but lift the mood of others.   Hearing someone laugh out loud is contagious.   You might not even know what they are laughing at and then you find yourself laughing right along with them.   I use to hold in my laughter.   Being a perfectionist growing up, I didn’t find much to laugh at.   It took a long time before I could laugh at my mistakes and laugh at how absurd the world can be from time to time.   As I lost the need for perfectionism, and lost the need for approval from others, I have found my laughing voice, which ironically is as loud as my mother’s.   When my brother and I were in plays back in high school, you could hear the distinctive laugh of my mother in the cro

Day 20: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Spend some time in nature.   Spring is coming, the temperature is rising and snow is beginning to melt.   Now is a great time to get out in nature.   Go for your walk outside through a forest or park, go to the beach or sit in your backyard and listen to the birds.   Have a spring gathering with a bonfire or make reservations to go camping. Nature is a reset button for the body, a way to turn your brain off and on again when it is on the fritz.   It restores neural pathways in the body and brain making it easier to think, breathe, and overall function.   If it is warm enough, walk barefoot.   Electrons from the ground transfer to your body and you essentially become grounded with the earth.   Take time to listen to the sounds around you, watch the wind move through the branches and leaves, feel the grass under foot and hug a tree.   The more time you can spend quiet in nature the more health benefits, both physical and mental you will receive.   Look at nature as if it is the first t

Day 19: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Write down your intentions.   Now that I have you declaring your gratitude, I would like you to add your intentions to the list at the end of the day.   Write down what your intentions are for the following day. Do you intend to have more energy, or abundance in your day tomorrow? Do you intend to be productive or relaxed? Do you intend to be kind or patient? Leave your intentions broad, try not to force specific ideals or things into your life.  Don't intend to eat better, just intend to be healthy.  When you make your intentions too specific, it is easy not to do as you intended.  When you leave your intentions wide open and broad, it allows them to show up in many forms through our your day. One intention I like to have is "I intend to pay attention to the now."  My thoughts have always wondered to the past and to the future.  I grew up a worrier.  This intention to pay attention to the now keeps my thoughts centered and focused on whatever I am currently doing. 

Day 18: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Write down your gratitude’s at the end of the day.   The next two challenges will be about journaling.    If you are not one for writing, this may be quite a challenge.  There is an alternative though, you can also tell a friend, or spouse the things you are grateful for at the end of the day.  Try and write 5 things each day that you are grateful that happened that day or that you have in your life.  After a week you will notice that you might be writing the same things down each day, and you will start to get creative with what you write.  The reason gratitude is so important to one’s happiness, is because it focuses your attention on what is good and what makes you feel good in your life.  When you begin to focus on the good, you begin to send out the emotional frequency of good and gratitude, which will attract more good or things to be grateful for into your life.  You can even try to be grateful for the things that aren’t going so well in your life, try and put a silver lining

Day 17: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Mirror work. When was the last time you looked in the mirror?   This morning? Last week? A year ago?   When was the last time you really looked in the mirror?   Not to put on makeup, not to brush your teeth, not to check and make sure your butt looks okay, but to really look at yourself.   To see the different flecks of color in your eyes, to see the shimmer of grey hairs emerge, to see the beauty of each line and wrinkle, to see the blessings of your curves.   Take a look in the mirror today, what is the first thought that comes to your mind?   Is it of flaws, or is it of beauty?   Today’s challenge is to really look in the mirror.   Set a timer for 5 minutes and look into your own eyes.   Some people say that the eyes are the gateways to the soul.   Take a look into yours.   Take notice the ease or difficultly you have looking at yourself.   Take note of (or become aware of) what you believe to be your flaws and what you believe to be your assets. At the end of the mirror time look

Day 16: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
You day! For today’s challenge I want you to pick one day of the week just for you.   A day that you do what brings you joy and satisfaction in your life.   Not a day for binge watching television, or doing nothing.   Not a day mixed with errands and appointments.   A day for you to work on you and do exactly what makes you happy.   Weather it’s a long walk, travel, working on a project, taking a day for self-care, visiting friends you like, learning something new or whatever the case may be, set aside one day just for you.   Block out a chunk of time that you will keep to do only things you want to do, so no cleaning or picking up, don’t do bills or laundry, unless that is what brings you joy then have at it!   for more of a challenge t ry and set aside one day each week just for you. If you already have that going on in your life, try for two days, or a whole week dedicated just to you! Peace, Love and Gratitude Did you miss day 15?  Click here to read!

Day 15: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Forgiveness. One of the hardest things to do in life is forgive.   Why?   Because our ego leads us to believe that if we forgive then what was done to us, said to us or what we did was okay to do.   So we wait for an apology from those that have wronged us, or continue to punish ourselves until we’ve learned our lesson.  We hold onto the anger, sadness, shame and guilt until our body becomes ill.  It can be difficult to forgive others for what they’ve done and even harder to forgive ourselves for something we’ve done.  Today's challenge is to practice forgiveness.  This doesn’t mean you have to go up to the person that hurt you and say I forgive you, it means you try and take a step back and place yourself in their shoes and try and imagine what experiences they had that lead to hurting you.  Or taking a look at your past and the decisions that you made to make a choice that you made.  Empathy can be hard for some who choose not to see another’s point of view, but when you choose

Day 14: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Let Go.   There are many things in life that we choose to hold on to, because of fear of letting go might mean that we are letting go of a part of ourselves.   That it might mean we have to let go of an old limiting belief.   Part of letting go is really about accepting where you are in life, where and what it took to get this far and being okay with not knowing what comes next.   Yes, it sounds like I am going to start singing the infamous Frozen song, but seriously it’s time to let it all go.   Let go of beliefs that are no longer serving you.   Let go of    “if only I had this or that, then I would be happy.”   Or “remember when we had this or that, boy, that was an awesome time.”   Holding on to super amazing experiences and then comparing your current life to that places that memory on a pedestal.   On the flip side, s ometimes there are things that have happened in your life, like childhood trauma, that you hold on to.   Perhaps it was something someone said or did to you.

Day 13: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Get in touch with your inner child.   For this next challenge, I want you to find a picture of yourself as a child.   While looking at your picture I want you to notice the energy that radiates from the picture.   Have a conversation with your inner child, hold him or her in your arms and tell them what you needed to hear at that age.   Talk to them about where you are at in life, and what it took to get here. What advice would you give your little self?   What advice would your little self give you? Ask him or her what they would like to do today and revisit what brought you joy as a child. For more of a challenge, find multiple pictures of yourself at different stages of your childhood.   Consider each stage of your life, look back on your experiences and see how they’ve shaped you, how they’ve lead to this moment in time and space. If this challenge didn’t leave a happy feeling, that’s okay, sometimes we have to work through old pain in order to allow happiness to begin to seep th

Day 12: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Talk with someone you’ve been avoiding.   This one may be a tough one.   Who in your life have you been avoiding?   Is there someone you’re mad at, perhaps had a disagreement with or you’ve said something you didn’t mean to say and now there is a rift.   Perhaps someone said something to you and it got you fuming but never said anything to the person, so now you just avoid.   Maybe there’s an apology that is in order or an understanding that needs to take place.  Or perhaps you just drifted apart and now you are unsure of what to expect.  Avoidance makes us feel safe but also causes anxiety and fear, both of which can stifle happiness. For today's challenge I am asking you to face your fear and talk with (not write or email or text) pick up the phone or meet them in person and talk with the person you’ve been avoiding. Wade through your fear and talk with the person, say what's on your mind.  The relief you feel after will make you wonder why you hadn't done this sooner.

Day 11: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Finish a long forgotten project. Everyone has a dreaded “to do” list.   We do the things on our list generally in order of ease, and priority.   Sometimes we have one thing that just keeps getting pushed down list.   It is either an annoyance that you don’t want to bother with, or perhaps you need to get something from the store before you can finish it, or something else always comes up.   There may be projects that you started then got busy and didn’t finish, or perhaps you got everything for the project and never even started it, whatever the case, now in the time to finish it.   This challenge is to make a long forgotten project a top priority.  Set a time and date to get it done, make a day of it if that is what it will take to get it off your list.  You can even take it a bit further and check off several items off your list.   Here is a great way to create an on going to do list to break down larger projects to make them less overwhelming to actually do. First make a list of

Day 10: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Let go of old grudges. Old built up emotions can weigh heavy on your heart and mind.   What old story are you keeping alive by not letting it go?   Who in your life has done you wrong and you are still holding it against them? How long has it been?   Yesterday, last week, a year ago, 10 years or even 30 years ago?   When you look back on that incident, what did you learn or gain from that encounter?   Were there things that you wish you would have said? Your challenge today is to find a way to make peace and let go of those old grudges. I want you to write a letter to the person you are holding anger or ill feelings for, tell them all the ways they hurt you and how much you hate them for what they did, get it all out.   Then write all the ways you are grateful and what you learned from them.   Last I want you to burn the letter.   Burning the letter is not only an act of symbolism but also uses energy to transform and release the energy in the paper and the words writing.   Take a

Day 9: 28 Day Challenge

Image
Spend time with animals.   Animals have a way of lifting the spirit by just being and living their life.   If you have a pet at home, spend some quality time with your fur baby.   Cuddle, snuggle, play, have a conversation with them or take them for a walk.   No fur baby at home?   That’s okay too.   Put up a bird feeder and watch the birds and squirrels, go to the zoo or visit an aquarium.   And if you don’t have any of those available, ask a friend if you can borrow their dog, or better yet volunteer as a dog walker or cat companion at an animal rescue in your area.   Animals live in the moment.   They eat, sleep and play.   They sing, chat and groom. They are continually curious about the world around them.   Fear is useful for survival but does not limit them or curb their adventurous spirit.   We can learn a lot from watching animals, plus they tend to be a great source of entertainment.   Remember to take note of how you are feeling before and after your challenge. Peace, Lov

Day 8: 28 Day Happiness Challenge

Image
Declutter your house or at the least one room you spend the most time in.   If your mind seems scattered, if you forget things easily, or if you have trouble focusing, decluttering your house will help declutter your mind.   Your outer world is a reflection of your inner state of being.   It is hard to be positive, happy and at peace in a space that is tight, cluttered and difficult to navigate.  Decluttering can be hard, many items have special meaning or have some attachment, while others give you guilt or even annoyance.  A few years back I read the now popular book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo.  If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to do so.  The premise of the book is to go through your house to get rid of (throwing away or donating) any item that no longer brings you joy, items you have too many of or are no longer useful.  You don’t have to go to the extreme and get rid of everything in your house (f