Project Short Leash

I have been learning a lot lately about baby steps and short leashes (not short buses.)

Nothing is built in a day. Not a business. Not a habit. Certainly not a home (I don’t care what reality tv says on the matter!)

Right now, my life is fairly rhythmic. It is almost easy to manage a short leash…. almost…..except when life goes barrelling after…. a squirrel??

My habits get challenged daily. Because of this, I have built in some non-negotiables. I learned the idea of ‘decision fatigue’ lately (Crystal Thompson @flourishintoyou.com)

When something just ‘is’ then we don’t have to even worry our pretty little heads about the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ of the thing. I don’t have to ask myself whether or not I am going to wear a shirt today, or feed the baby, or flush the toilet (you’re welcome!) These are non-negotiable.

Season changes and life changes bring the risk of mood changes; but when we are equipped with non-negotiables then our bottom line won’t leave us in the bottom of a deep dark hole.

I am curious… what are some of your non-negotiables? I would love to hear your comments!

Project Bicycle

I have an earworm. A Queen earworm. This is concerning because I am terrible at song lyrics. (if you have the Bicycle Race song in your head now… I hope your rendition is better than mine.)

We go on occasional family bike rides. Here are a few things I have learned.

Wear a helmet. They look cool.
Don’t be afraid to break bike laws. (sidewalks are my jam!)
Make sure your bike has a basket and a bell. (see # 1 ie. coolness)
Do NOT wear clothing with bulky seams in your undercarriage. (I can visualize my family cringing as I type this… #worthit)
Do NOT mouth breathe. You will eat a bug.
Do NOT nose breathe. You will snort a bug.

Getting outside right now is my everything. Outside+depression= happy, happy, joy, joy. Try it. You’ll see.

Also, THIS. (you’re welcome)

Project Lipstick

So it turns out it is national lipstick day! Who knew? So I slapped on some lipstick. Why not?

For me lipstick is synonymous with girl power. This may have something to do with:

A) I am a Mary Kay cosmetics rep and Mary Kay the woman and the company are all about girl power!

B) I fully believe in the idea of giving yourself a little pick me up with something as simple as applying a touch of makeup.

Can we take this idea a little further? What if lipstick could represent the idea of caring for the here and now? Embracing the situation we are in and putting our best foot/face/effort forward?

If we are always looking ahead, then we will miss the extravagant gift of the here and now. If we are saving our best selves for the future then I am afraid we will be sadly disappointed.

I promise that if you fail to appreciate the now you will never be happy in the days ahead. Food for thought. Now go thee therefore and apply some lipstick!

Project sink or swim

I think sometimes I try to make life feel too safe, too predictable. Control freak anyone??

Let’s say for example I was a young Saint Bernard … and let’s imagine for a second that there was a flock of geese… and a body of water…. and a fun friend to accompany me… I didn’t know I was designed to swim until I dove in and just did it. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Some things are just plain worth the risk. Knowing people… worth the risk. Trying something new … worth the risk. Being myself… worth the risk.

So get out there people! Get out there like your flock of geese is just waiting for you!

P.S. today’s post is brought to you courtesy of disgustingly smelly community retention ponds, geese, the number 4 and the letter f … just because.

Project Tantrum

I may be writing this post from under my bed sheets. When adulthood comes a knocking; my inner child may or may not throw a hissy fit.

The reality is, I am an adult and as such have adult responsibilities. I am not talking about the day in and day out things of life but the sucky adult stuff like … I don’t know… applying for extended health care coverage or making RRSP contributions. Barf!

These are the things that make my anxiety levels skyrocket and my decision making ability goes ‘byeeeeee!!’ Then, because depression is a liar… my self worth comes under fire. It is a vicious cycle.

It is very easy to revert back to a tween in my coping … or lack thereof. To quote Chris Evans aka Captain America “I don’t wike it.”

Project ‘Much ado about nothing’

So, yeah… I just ripped off Shakespeare…. (btw… if you google that particular piece of work just know that the cinematic version with Emma Thompson has lots of butts in it.)

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was fearless. She didn’t shy away from ner a bully or a challenge. One day, she decided that she wanted to invent something out of nothing…. well not quite nothing. In fact, one might say it was quite a bit actually.

You see, her pantry overflowed. Her fridge was packed and her freezer was bursting. Determined not to throw out another head of lettuce or a furry steak she decided to take stock. ‘Surely,’ she said to herself, ‘out of such abundance she could feed her family on a budget for a month.’

Many questioned the wisdom of such an undertaking. Why would she do such a thing?

to be creative with what is already right in her hands.
to be less wasteful. (ie. a good steward)
to challenge herself to grow through taking on something new.

P.S. does anyone have a good recipe for random, unidentified dried goods? (asking for a friend….)

Project Hoarder

As it turns out, I am a hoarder.

I am a hoarder of books, ideas, and aspirations. These are the things that fill every nook and cranny of my brain (and sometimes my bookshelves.)

Productivity and creativity are part of my personal prescription for hard days when depression tries to make a surprise appearance. Accomplishing one thing sets me on a path to do one more thing, and then another until I am back on the purposeful path of living life.

Project Planted

I almost bit the dust again today. Bit the dust with baby in stroller in tow. Not good.

I was going to write about this the other day when my social butterfly Iris Bernard (not so saintlike) Campbell decided she wanted to say ‘hello’ to a neighborhood pekingese. That day, I was ready for it. I had a strategy and I had my feet firmly planted so that I could be the one to come out victorious.

Today, not so much. Iris won.

Planted. I want to believe with every ounce of my being that when I am planted (aka deeply rooted) I win. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. ‘Nuff said.

Project bad words and bedonkadonk

Just like the people we hang out with have influence on us so do the things we choose to fill our minds with.

I am having a not so secret love affair with Zumba. The setting of the YouTube videos I follow is tropical and the music is Spanish Reggae.

Did I mention I don’t speak Spanish? The books we read, the shows we watch all impact who we are and how we think and engage in the world. I am going to continue in my bad words and body parts Zumba but I will think twice before I mindlessly binge on yet another Netflix show.

Enjoy one of my repartee.

Project Earworm

Celine Dion!!!

Did I just date myself? That’s right… I said it. I am a Celine Dion fan, so there.

Approximately a year and a half ago I had the thought that if nothing else… I was to love wholly and sing over the baby/& or babies brought to our home through foster care.

When words fail, sometimes the song that comes up in our mind/heart just seems to do the trick. Healing balm to a hurting soul via earworm.

Little man has something up today,… the cause has yet to be determined. Teeth are always a very real possibility. On days like this, we look one another in the eyes and just sing together. It is so very precious. So very healing. So very pure. It is also the perfect picture of what I believe to be true of my Heavenly Father who rejoices over me with singing… & He quiets me with His love. (Zephaniah 3:16-17)