I feel so overwhelmed with everything I need to do. I feel like I probably shouldn't take the time to post this, but honestly I need to share it. I read an article today from Rachel Macy Stafford's blog Hands Free Mama about self care and it touched me to the core. I get stuck in thinking I can do everything and that I don't need to take care of myself because I'm trying to become a better person, serve others and accomplish all that is expected of me and all I expect of myself. This crazy thinking and behavior doesn't help me. It causes me to crash, feel guilty, shame myself and continue on with the negativity tornado that would suck the life from me if I allow it to continue. In … [Read more...]
Jul 10, 2015
Tender Mercies Can Come As A Rainstorm
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I just came inside from weeding and now it's pouring rain. The funny thing is that there is still a large section of the sky that is blue. The thunder started before I decided to go in. Then the wind picked up so I finally gathered up my stuff and just got everything put away as it started to sprinkle. It'd really odd to have so much rainfall in July in Utah. It's usually so hot and dry everything seems parched. The weather seems to be more unpredictable than it ever used to be. I feel like this storm is like a God send because I'd already stayed out a bit too long weeding and by the time I got up my legs were a bit shaky. I was only out there about 2 hours but these days that's more … [Read more...]
May 1, 2015
Doing Hard Things Can Be Fun
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The Mom 2.0 Summit is just finishing up. I'm just kicking back enjoying the beautiful view at the Phonecian Resort in Scottsdale, AZ and contemplating all the many positive experiences I've had here. It's been a fun and challenging adventure attending my first blogging conference, mainly because I came by myself. I originally came to the conference to market my web design and development business and my brand new free newsletter. But I realized that I have many things I want to blog about personally and that I have things to share that can help many people. I've learned that it's worth the risk to put your real self out there. I don't need to hide what I have and am experiencing because … [Read more...]
Jun 12, 2014
I overdid it again – starting over
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Lately I've been doing lots of yard work. For a week or two I was paying attention to how I was feeling and not overdoing it. About a week and a half ago I started focusing on what I wanted to get done rather than how I was feeling and I ended up over doing it. I use a FitBit One which is similar to a pedometer but it tracks lots more information like floors climbed, sleeping patterns, and I can log additional information like my daily food intake, weight and so forth. On an average day where I'm not working on the computer a lot my FitBit usually shows me taking around 3,600 steps. Two Monday's ago I don't remember what I was doing, but at the end of the day my FitBit showed I … [Read more...]
May 19, 2014
Rescuing a lost dog can be looked at several ways
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This morning I saw a dog in my back yard. My yard has one side that isn't fenced so I figured it would just wander back out, which it did. Awhile later I went outside to spray my grass for weeds and didn't see the dog so I thought her owner had brought her inside. While getting set up to spray the weeds my 10 year old son called to tell me he felt sick to his stomach and he needed to come home from school. Since we've been dealing with the stomach flu since Friday when my 12 year old daughter woke up sick and my husband and I spent an hour or so after midnight cleaning things up I thought I better get over there quick so I left to go get him. On the way back home the dog was running loose … [Read more...]
Sep 2, 2013
Trust in the Lord…
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My faith is a major part of who I am. It strengthens me and has helped me through many trials. Nearly 17 years ago I was going through I very difficult divorce and questioning everything. At one point I was lying in bed praying and I heard in my mind the words to the scripture found in Proverbs chapter 3 verses 5 through 6: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. The words received in my mind weren't exactly as they are written in the scripture, but they were very close and extremely meaningful to me. They impacted me so strongly that I got out of bed and wrote them down and stuck … [Read more...]
Aug 21, 2013
Allow Yourself to Feel Grief
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Whenever I listen to the song “Make Me Over” by Natalie Grant my heart literally aches and I feel it drop into the pit of my stomach. When the violins start playing my mind immediately takes me to the glass corridor of the University of Utah Hospital by the Neuro Critical Care Unit (NCCU) at the moment I knew my 17 year old daughter, Aimee, wasn’t going to survive. I begin to feel weak and the tears start coming. It’s ok though because I know that sometimes I need to embrace the grief and let it pour over me like a rush of water. I usually don’t listen to that song but every once in a while I accidentally hear it and it startles me like turning the … [Read more...]
Jul 31, 2013
Adjusting to Life Changes
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It's been a very long time since I've posted. Sometimes life seems to get in the way of our best intentions. I find it's hard not to judge myself for these "inadequacies". I've learned that placing these types of labels on myself doesn't help me. When I begin saying these things to myself I have to keep redirecting this internal voice. I've found that each time I practice good self talk it gets easier and becomes more natural. In the last two years much has changed in my life. Even previous to my last post I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was in denial and kept seeking other answers. After receiving this diagnosis from more than one doctor I began to realize it was probably real. I … [Read more...]
Apr 13, 2011
Release Perfectionism to Restore Your Peace
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I've had so many ideas lately that I wanted to blog about, but I kept getting caught up in my own perfectionism. I thought, "Oh, that's a great idea! I'll have to remember it. I don't have time to write about it now because I don’t have the time to perfect it." I can't tell you how many ideas I let bounce around in my head because of that confining perfectionism. I realized that allowing myself to be human and release those definitive thoughts is something not only I need to do, but may help many others as well. So I decided to just jump right in and start blogging about liberating ourselves from perfectionism and even if I run out of time I'm going to publish this as it is. It's amazing … [Read more...]
Mar 19, 2011
Cares melt when you kneel in your garden
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There is something about getting down on my knees and digging in the dirt that rejuvenates me. The rich smell of moist soil and sight of green stems stretching heavenward fills my soul with delight. Doing something you love significantly reduces stress which should increase your lifespan. So I guess getting dirty will help you live longer. I went to a gardening workshop this morning for a couple hours. Clarence Whetton, a master gardener spoke about starting a vegetable garden in an empty spot in your yard. He works for Thanksgiving Point Gardens and the Utah State University Extension Service. He gave a really informative presentation, and I was excited to find out that he teaches other … [Read more...]