A lesson in patience...

My new, OTHER blog is gone! Yikes! My friend and I were working on a collaborative project called Ditching the Cart, and our blog was new and fresh, and hopeful for a great start! We were pretty confused and sad to see it gone but as it turns out, it was created on the very day blogger had some issues.  So it vanished.

In light of that, Blogger has been so attentive, and gracious to work so hard to restore things, but until it's up and running again, we must wait...

Patience is never a lesson that I think anyone finds fun. I really cannot think of a lesson in patience that was pleasant or easy. This, obviously is very low on the grandscale of lessons in patience. My three year old son, on any given day can test my patience far more effectively than any dissappearing blog will ever do. But moreso than a lesson in patience is the lesson in letting go.

Much of what we might become impatient about is really a lesson in flexibility and non-attachment in disguise. When I am impatient with my son, it's usually because I am trying to get him to do something that I feel fits in my scenario of a perfect day, or perfect behavior, or an acceptable response. When I am impatient about something I am doing not turning out right, it's usually because I am projecting onto the task an image of how I want things to be.

So in addition to remaining patient, what helps patience along is the act of letting go, of taking it easy, of not being so attached to things turning out exactly how you want them to be.

For today, I'm going to take this time to be patient, attempt to release any preconceived notions I have about timing and how I want this project up and running, and go with the mindset of everything turning out as it should. Of everything happening for a reason, and realizing that all things have their own time to grow in their own way. Blogs, gardens, and children too..

For what it's worth, this disappearing blog is happening for a reason, and whatever lesson I can glean from that is only a good thing, even if I didn't imagine it that way.

Find Me A Deserted Island. And Fast.

Self-indulgent or smart? Or both?

Whenever I think about self-care, part of me feels the tiniest bit guilty for all the people in the world that suffered before the emergence of self-care. Then I take part in it, and that guilt just melts away, and I'm reminded that it's a notion that is decadent, necessary, and evolved.

Especially today, moreso than other days.

I have been knee-deep in projects lately. I have my artwork business. Lisa Grady Designs. 2 shops on ETSY born from that. I am a stay at home mom. I have 2 new sites, Ditching the Cart, about simplifying, still in the making, the blog that goes with that, and the other heartfelt project, www.theopenheartproject.com, about giving back, its blog, and finally, my work on teaandbrahmi - along with the blog, which you are reading...

All of it I love, but it takes its toll every now and then. Here is the now and then. And today I paid...

What a totally rotten day. Well, it wasn't ALL bad. Most of it was, then it got easier, then harder, then it got great. Because I figured it out. But not without going through a little hell, and not without help.For some reason, be it the moon, the black weather we've been getting, my poor diet these past couple days, or just another lesson, I was in a terrible, unwaveringly bad mood. And I stay home with my boy, so what that means is I have to be the emotional & physical cruise director for a three-year-old with a serious play agenda. I have to be the funtime friend, superduper toddler chef, homemaker, and mommy happy-face for 12 straight hours, which on most days is my favorite thing to do.


But not today. 


My wonderful friend who lives 8 hours away saved me a bit. I called her up. Ranting. Complaining. Lighting hell on fire with my mood. She assured me we have these moments, these days. I know we do. I know it! "But how am I supposed to get some time if I need it? AND I NEED IT!!!! WHEN DO I GET NAGGING STUFF DONE? 8 PM AT NIGHT AFTER I PUT THE BOY TO BED WHEN I AM AT HALF-THROTTLE, and 90% SPENT?!"


I prayed. I prayed more. I journaled. I cried. I talked. I ate. I prayed more...


The day dragged on. Six o clock came. My husband's train was late. More irritation. But then the comfort came. The only thing I needed. I talked more, and it came out. Sure I talked earlier, but I was not as far along in my misery at noon as I was at six o'clock.And I said, "You know, I just need to have some time to work on my projects that aren't work! When was the last time I read a book that wasn't an herbal reference, natural health, or energy healing book? When did I last do something that was just for fun!?" 


That's how it hit me. I was working working working working working.....It wasn't just about "me" time, but about time when I wasn't doing work. Doing my artwork business, taking care of my boy, the house. Of everything else.  I was thinking, Personal Downtime. Not dinner with family, or an outing with the kids. Just, plain, non-work, non-social time.  Did I say it enough ways yet?


So here I am, writing away, drinking my wine, hearing the boys downstairs going on about something on Caillou, and doing some serious damage to my clean living room with some blocks. And I am making progress. On myself. On the world, and I am relieved. It's just what I needed. And I am thanking God for answering my prayers. And thanking my husband for understanding. And grateful I live in a time when taking an hour or two for yourself is not unheard of. I am blessed. I am happy. Truly happy.


What do you need? Do you know? If you do, go find it, and if not, rant and pray until you figure it out. Then post it here. I would love to hear about it. 

My living simple Blog

www.ditchingthecart.blogspot.com

check it out! Its a compilation of this blog, and a collaborative blog, with a focus on reducing consumerism, living more simply, a movement toward DIY and homesteading, and making conscious lifestyle choices to live more meaningfully! I welcome your following!

Kombucha!

Maybe I am wayyy behind the times...but finally, today, I tried Kombucha!
And wow! How delicious! But my real reason was not because I thought it might be yummy, but because my intuition was steering me that way, and some little nagging voice, over that past week or so, has been buzzing in my head to give it a shot!

Because I am throwing this out there and just want to get it posted for all those people who have thought of trying it but just haven't yet, I will list more later but here is an incredible website that illustrates some of the greater benefits of Kombucha, articulately and with clarity.

As the page illustrates, benefits have been seen with arthritis, immune support, cardiovascular concerns, cancer, and many more...Do your body a favor and check out the page...

http://www.anahatabalance.com/teakombucha2.html

Enjoy!!!

Follow Your Heart

I am one of those people who can be enticed by the new and exciting. If the stone is unturned, I want to be the one to turn it! That said, it gets mighty tough sifting through what I want to do, need to do, feel like I have to do.

Until recently, I saw this as a total character flaw. I saw it as flighty. Undedicated. Unfocused. Uncommitted. Flaky. And shallow. You can imagine how heavy I felt, walking around, feeling that way about myself for 38 years, and carrying it around. DANG! Strong back muscles!

Until recently, I thought I was a complete failure, having never stuck to anything. Having felt that anything I did or was to do, was going to end up half-finished, barely started, or not seen through. Total drag.

I had heard the statement "Follow Your Heart" and carried it like a little totem affirmation, thinking, "One day, I will be able to do it, all my answers will be solved, I will know who I am, and life will be blessedly simple." But that never really happened.

Then, one day, I read a blog post by The Daily Love, with a feature from Your Joyologist, and there it was... "I don't know what I am doing - I just do it," she said. 

YES!

YES YES YES!!!

That is ME! THAT IS TOTALLY ME!!!

At that point I realized, I was okay. And not just okay, I was super-great! I was just looking at it all wrong...It was the positive spin on my personality. Finally. Finally, a way of looking at that aspect of myself that wasn't shed in a negative light.

At that point I fully realized, I just am who I am, I do what I do, and I HAVE been following my heart, and I AM doing what I love. Sure, to others, it may seem as if I am onto something new all the time, flitting from one project to another, but it's not they that have to live in this skin. It's me, and I love who I am. I LOVE diving in. I love trying new things! I LOVE BEING ME!

So, whoever you are out there, if you are feeling lost, or feeling like you don't know what to do, or don't feel like you know who you are, don't despair. Just follow your heart. And put it out there that it's the only thing you want to do. Your heart and all it has to tell will be revealed to you. Tune in. It's a part of you and it's trying to lead the way. Let it! I promise it will be fun!

Happiness, and Other Things on My To Do List

Happy. I have so much to say about this, but I will start here, because I just have to get this out today...Happiness is not true happiness if you are only happy when you are being distracted, or things are going perfect.

No.

Happiness is finding joy despite the vast level of irritating and upsetting things around you. Happiness is DECIDING you are going to be happy, even if your day is rotten, or someone you know is on your nerves.

It means spending your day focusing on the positive, rather than finding the error or fault in every situation. If you are looking for the rotten in everything, rotten is what you will find. And if you always find rotten, miserable is what you will be. Now just as much as you can find the rotten in life, you can also find the good. If you look for good, what do you think you will find?

Are you one of those people that becomes irritated by REALLY HAPPY people? If so, this is for you. All those people you see out there that you might think are "disgustingly happy" are really just doing one simple thing: They are deciding that they don't have time for being miserable and sad. And if those disgustingly happy people bother you, it will ease you to spend less time looking at their behavior, and turn inward to see why it bothers you. This might feel stark, but from my experience, when I meet people becoming irritated with really happy, expressive people, the problem usually lies in the person who is irritated.

Now, I am not trying to dole out a big dose of Pollyanna. I know life isn't a walk in the park. We all have disappointment and bad things do happen. We WILL be sad at times, really mad. Totally depressed at others. But it's not all bad, and feeling that way is okay, when the situation permits, as long as it's not a pattern. If it ends up becoming a pattern, it's time to take a step back and examine your thinking, to start.

When you are feeling rotten, the first thing you should tell yourself is that life may be tough right now, but life is not bad. In fact, it's more than not all bad. It's pretty awesome most of the time. And if you have a really bad situation, try to find the good. Try to see the lesson, if little else. Maybe not when you are in it, but when it's over, I guess for no better analogy, treat the situation like compost: Rotten makes good. Rotten vegetables turn around and make good soil - and very little urges me grow more than a tough situation. Same thing, I guess...Simplistic, but then, I am striving for more simple in my life too, along with happy.

On the whole, I strive to choose happy, but then those days come up when you just aren't. My action plan is to take a step back, and calm down. Then be grateful. But if those things don't work, and I find myself dragging myself down, I call on my husband. He always says one thing to me. "When you feel bad, it's easy to see that everything is bad, but in reality it's just how you are choosing to look at it." Then lots of hugs. That works too...Because we are all people who need other people, and if I cannot fix something myself, I seek to others to offer insight. I draw on a few select family and friends to lift me up. It's what we humans do, and it's really easy to forget that we cannot handle everything on our own. We all need each other...

So really, turn the bad thought into a good one. Find the good. Even if you despite the situation today, find one good, positive thought.

Then find another. And another.

If you have to, post them on your wall. On your fridge. In your car. I put mine on my hand. I write them right on there. I also have a tiny little notebook that I keep with me. I write down my coincidences and good things...it helps.

New Recipe Post! French Toast Oatmeal...

FRENCH TOAST OATMEAL!

Need a break from bread?

Try this...

This is not an exact recipe. I just sort of throw stuff in. That is the beauty of oatmeal. You put in as much or as little of the yummy stuff to suit your taste. Here's mine...

Old Fashioned Oatmeal made in the pan

Flaxseed

Maple Syrup, or for less sugar, maple extract

Blackstrap Molasses

A little vanilla

Cinnamon

A bit of powdered clove

Honey or Truvia

Yummy-yum yum...

More to come....You can find this also posted on my recipes page.