Week Three: Where Does your Time go?

“Your hand can seize today, but not tomorrow; and thoughts of your tomorrow are nothing but desire. Don’t waste this breath, if your heart isn’t crazy, since "the rest of your life" won’t last forever.”
― Omar Khayyám, Quatrains - Ballades

Time...we all want more of it. More Time to spend with loved ones, more time to create, more time to have FUN! Where in the world does all our Time go?

Back in the 90's I was introduced to a wonderful Life Coach....Cheryl Richardson. The first time I saw her was on the Oprah Show where she was talking about her book "Life Makeovers". My kids were just babies then and more often than not I was completely overwhelmed. Like so many of you I craved alone Time. Time to be with my thoughts, to find myself, to shower!:) Richardson's book was a life-changing one for me. Simple and to the point, I gained the tools I needed to have more balance in my life. This week's Theme is inspired from her book. I just KNOW it will open your eyes and make you go...I had NO idea how much Time I really DO have!!!

"Time is a created thing. To say I don't have time is like saying I don't want to..." Lao-Tzu

Richardson says...

"The truth is that WE control where our Time goes. Time is finite. We only get a certain amount 168 hours a week, 52 weeks a year; and that's if we don't die first. Time is a gift that most of us take for granted. We get so caught up in the busyness of our daily lives that we rarely stop and take  serious look at how we're spending this gift."

Change IS necessary! NOW is the Time to take control of yours!! This week I want you to answer the following questions:

*How long do you really work each week?

*How much Time do you spend caring for others?

*How much Time is spent caring for YOURSELF?

*How much Time do you spend on Social Media {this is a HUGE time waster for me}

*How much Time do you spend watching TV?

Now here is where the real fun begins. In Richardson's book "Life Makeovers" she suggests making an Absolute Yes List. Creating a list helps you remember what your priorities are...I have used this list throughout the years and it works!

To begin your list answer these two questions:

*What needs my attention at this Time in my life?

*What do I need to let go of?

Be sure and be HONEST with yourself here...write everything down that comes to mind. Answer these questions for all areas of your life, too...relationships, family, community, work, emotional, finances, etc. I know one of the Priorities in my life right now is my physical health. My goal this year is to eliminate my near dally migraines and lose 20 pounds.

Once you have made your lists {and they may be LONG} choose the FIVE that jump out at you the most. The ones that when you see them your heart tells you..."That one!". Now put your Absolute Yes List in your art journals so you can refer to it daily.

A sweet GIFT created by one of my son's friends just for ME!!!:)

Girls...the goal of my Life is to LOVE it!! I will create MY Absolute Yes List this week and strive to say YES to those things in my life that fill me up and make me whole.

Here are THREE reminders from Richardson on why it's so important to say NO to those things not on our YES list:

*Your self-care is extremely important 

*You don't need to over explain yourself on why you are saying NO...Just saying NO is ENOUGH!

*Doing things out of guilt and obligation is not doing things out of Love

Let's take our minutes and hours and days back, girls. Let's start saying NO to those things that bring us down and hurt our souls. 

If you haven't joined our 52 Weeks of Being Me class...click here. It's completely free:)

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Words Challenge-Week Two

It's Week Two of our Word Challenge!! So what did you think of Courage last week?? Did you find yourself being more Courageous? Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things??

 Keep working on your Courage List this week, girls...and if you feel the need to share...please do so!! We are all here to cheer each other on!!


If you are NEW to my blog and/or our Words Challenge then go here to catch up!! We would really love to have you.

Okay...on to Week Two....

The Word I have picked for this week conjures up all kinds of thoughts and feelings for me...

   

Embrace

1.

to take or clasp in the arms; press to the bosom; hug.

2.

to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly: to embrace an idea.

3.

to avail oneself of: to embrace an opportunity.

4.

to adopt (a profession, a religion, etc.): to embrace Buddhism.

5.

to take in with the eye or the mind.

With so much craziness this past year and down right heartbreak...the last thing I have wanted to do was actually feel anything...I mean so many days it was just too painful. But life is looking up and I have realized that I am done letting life...even the hard to live parts...pass by. I am ready to EMBRACE my life...all of it. Every joyful, pain-filled, icky, wonderful, heart-breaking, uplifting part. 

I want to EMBRACE everything that comes my way....the ideas, the opportunities, the curve-balls, the rough roads...every little part!!

When I sat down to journal this page my heart was telling me to EMBRACE my family...Jacks, Em, Dave and all the chaos and just enjoy.

Sooo many days I am overwhelmed and don't know where to begin or how I can fit it all in. Then I remember that my sweet Jacks graduates this year and Em won't be far behind. 

Soon our home will be quiet and I will have to decide how to fill my days. 

Right now is where the sweetness is. Its the school activities and laundry and work and crazy schedules that I truly love.

“There are ultimately two choices in life: to fight it or to embrace it. If you fight it you will lose - if you embrace it you become one with it and you'll be lived.” 
― Rasheed Ogunlaru

What will you Embrace this week??

Spilling Truth

Sometimes the TRUTH can be hard to take. 

Most times the TRUTH can set us free.

Seek truth and you will find a path. 

 ~Frank Slaughter

Three amazing women have helped me realize that I need to be sharing MY TRUTH.

My sweet Leanne

My inspiring Soraya

My voice of wisdom Stephanie

In the past few weeks these women have poured their hearts out and shared their TRUTH. I don't share what's real here everyday. I mean the real icky stuff. Obviously most of us Bloggers don't. Not every post anyway. And that's a good thing....I mean who wants to read every single gory detail of what's wrong in our lives, right?

But their does come a time when the TRUTH needs to told. We get so very tired of hiding behind the exclamation points and smily faces.

Here is an excerpt from my journal entry this morning....

"2012 has just been HARD. Probably the hardest of my life. My kids' choices and trying to keep them in line. Oh goodness our finances...all our financial burdens. Not having enough. I know I have been going through major depression. I have all the signs: tired, listless, want to sleep, losing interest in things I love. It's because I feel like I'm in this deep, dark hole and I'm being swallowed. There seems to be no way out. I am filling my time with ways to escape: food and tv. TODAY needs to be the First day of the rest of my life!!! It's time for an intervention. I HAVE to Take Charge of MY LIFE again. I want to be a BRAVE GIRL. I CAN be. I just need a plan."

Is this a little too much information? I don't think so. I think so many of us are going through hard times right now. And I seriously can't think of a better place to share and be understood than by my blog friends. Each one of you is so kind and understanding.

Today I am reaching out. I pouring out my soul in order to heal and start fresh. Each of YOU inspires me daily and have helped me have HOPE in my dark days. 

Overall I am pretty happy. I have been blessed in countless ways...

*My family and I are healthy

*We have a roof over our head (although this has been a HUGE source of my stress)

*We have food on our table (our garden is helping so much!!)

*We have wonderful friends that share their light with us when we need it

*We have been able to go on a few mini trips thanks to my amazing Mom!!

Most importantly we have our FAITH.

With each family prayer we say we thank our Father in Heaven for our blessings. It seems just when we need it the most...we are blessed with money to pay a bill. Honestly a few miracles have been given to us and I am so, so grateful.

Leanne encouraged me to BE REAL...she encourages us all to BE REAL. Here is an excerpt from her latest post...

The truth is . . . it's not always rose colored glasses here. Lord knows, I'm not always happy. The girls aren't always just bathed and smelling like baby lotion and sitting like little angels reading wonderful novels from writers long ago. Sometimes it's more like stinky little 'played outside all day long' girls with knots in their hair and fights over whose Barbie doll that really belongs to. -Leanne

This post spoke VOLUMES to me. Thank you so much, Leanne!!

Soraya...well she is just one of those soulful writers that fills my heart with light!! Her post on why she blogs had me saying YES!! THIS IS WHY I BLOG, TOO!!!

Now...here's the thing about blogging (and this is difficult, if not impossible to explain to someone unless they have experienced it for themselves)...but it changed my life!!! And I am not being melodramatic, I swear (although I do have a tendency to be sometimes). But it absolutely changed ...me!!! Now when I look back and read through some of my earlier posts...I see someone in search of her voice. A little unsure, a little desolate + lost...but still...showing up. I see someone who has a sense of humor...and who tries. -Soraya

That last line...and who tries. Oh, I love that!! You see since I've become a Blogger I have tried more things and put myself out there more than ever. I paint now! I draw now! I have 3 craft shows under my belt! I never would have tried any of those things without my blog!!

And then their is Stephanie Ackerman from Homegrown Hospitality. Her post reminded me how I can get direction back into my life....

Number 2 and 3 on my summer list are to stay on a schedule and well, make a schedule because without one, I am totally un-focused and out of balance and right now, at this very moment, as I sit and type this at 12:29 in the afternoon, I am completely out of focus and slightly off balance and honestly, I do not work well this way and when I get this way, all I want to do is sit down and read one of the three books I am reading right now...which reminds me that this is coming soon and well, reading always leads to a nap...which is maybe what I will do after I finish this long run-on-sentence-blog-post and cross a few things off my list...  -Stephanie

Do you know how long it's been since I wrote a list and kept it?? 

Here is my LIST for today:

1. put clothes away

2. laundry {daily}

3. Create index card

4. Work on Color challenge

5. Blog 

6. Exchange planner

7. 3:30 Art Experience to throw clay {yes, I am learning how to throw}

8. 5PM church meeting

It feesl so good to have this list!!

I know things will get better. I know life isn't always so hard. I intend on working on "Embrace each day and live it." Keeping it real though means it's not gonna happen overnight. 

But I  am gonna work on it.

Journal entry from this morning...

"I need a FIRE in my belly again. I want my heart to sing again. I want to look in the mirror and TRULY love what I see again. I am going to OVERCOME what is holding me back. I so desperately want to FLY again!!"

Here's to making lists, overcoming our weakness's, finding joy in the journey and flying.

Who is with me?

Moving on UP!

Me & Mom in The Old Market, Omaha.

The family 

is a haven

 in a heartless world.

 - Christopher Lasch

A few more photos to share from our Girl's Weekend to Omaha. Again...I am so grateful to my Mom for this amazing weekend!!

The Old Market in downtown Omaha is filled with art, music and so much charm!

Em thought this was pretty cool.

We stopped in a women's dress shop and found a man with this lizard on a leash!

Another pic of Em...this time in the Desert Dome at the Henry Doorley Zoo. 

We can't wait to go back with Dave and Jacks.

Spending time with those you love is so healing for the soul.

Hey...I need to tell you who WON our prize from Week 6!! Congrats to Annie Bella!!

Annie...please shoot me an e-mail with your address...les262@embarqmail.com

CONGRATS:)

Everyone that won prizes throughout the course...I am getting everything in the mail by the end of this week. Soooo sorry for the delay.

A few more things before I go. My wonderful husband, the love of my life, my very best friend...

Dave and I have made a promise to one another. We are DONE. Done with the heartache and sorrow that has plagued us for months. Done with feeling sorry for ourselves. Done with the depression, the late night eating and pity parties.

We are READY to move on. 

To look at our life for what it is. 

A gift.

 A gift given to us from our Father in Heaven. 

Despite all that has been wrong in our lives these past few months...

we are still so very blessed.

 We have our family 

and our friends

 and our faith. 

That is all we need.

 It really is.

Oh...and one more thing. 

This oh, so inspirational Somerset Studio mag from last summer is THIS summer's teacher. Stay tuned for more on that.

How are you all doing???