Tag: journal

what i’m into – keeping me sane {august 2019}

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I’m preparing this post on Sunday, September 1st! And I can’t believe that it’s September already. A lot has happened in my life last month, most of which I discussed in Now I Get It {Summer 2019} so head over there to see what’s been going on. Yes, I do feel a bit overwhelmed.  September is going to be chocked full of events and things to do leading up to those events and my tendency is to get so wrapped up and focused on the things that I have to get done that once that crunch time is over, I ALWAYS collapse and get sick from exhaustion (mental, physical, and emotional).  I hope that doesn’t happen this September and to that end, I have been working on those things that have been proven to relieve my stress.

Nurturing My Inner Artist

I commented last month, that I have begun to explore my inner artist. As a writer and in my new role as an Event Manager, I spend a lot of time inside my head.  OK, OK. I am always inside my head regardless of my work. Drawing and watercoloring have been serving as a release from mental overdrive and I have found it to be very relaxing.

And so I spent Labor Day Weekend working on a couple of versions of our house in watercolor.  I was inspired by this YouTube video by Shayda Campbell. I really enjoyed this process and painting houses so I hope to do a lot more.  If you’d like me to give your house a whirl (Obviously, I need all the practice I can get) reach out and let me know.

I also have fallen down the rabbit hole of looking at other artists on YouTube and I am really enjoying Minnie Small’s videos about the creative process.  I want to figure out a way to combine my inner writer and my inner artist together in some way.  I don’t know what that would look like but it’s an intriguing and exciting possibility.  I am thinking of snazzing up my Bullet Journal a bit more, as a creative outlet. Since, I have been using it, it has been a completely utilitarian, which has been great. It’s let me get use to the format and figure out my favorite layouts and spreads but I’m feeling the urge to do a bit more.  We will see.

Nurturing My Inner Athlete

The day this post will be the 100th consecutive day of my #shannanmoves streak.  This involved either a one-mile run or a 30-minute walk.  I am mixing it up in September and preparing for the annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run for breast cancer in October. I don’t know if I will run the race because I am planning a trip on that weekend but I had said that I wanted to follow the Nike Training plan to get ready for the race and there’s no reason why I shouldn’t do it.  There are rest days in the plan but I believe I can still do a walk of some time to keep the streak alive.  However, for the next 6 weeks or so, it’s not about the streak. It’s about following the training plan and giving it everything I have. If I need a rest day then I shall take one.  It makes me sad that the streak may be broken but it is important for me to learn to listen to my body and give it what it needs. This includes all areas of my life, not just exercise.

What have you guys been up to? Let me know in the comments and If you have a monthly recap post letting us know what you’re into, please share it in the comments below and let your community know that you are doing so.  We do this every month, next on Tuesday, October 1.

enjoy life…

Merry Christmas!

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This is the first year that the Buddy Man has known that Christmas is coming. From the day we went to get the Fraser Fir to the appearance of Grandmommy and Granddaddy, he has marked every occurrence with great anticipation, waiting for the big event: the opening of the presents.

On the one hand, he has done well. We have told him that he could look and not touch and I have yet to catch him shaking any presents to see what’s inside. But on the other, every day he awoke and it was not THE day, we could see the frustration and disappointment building in his little soul. His powers of obedience began to wane. He just wanted it to be Christmas!

I got to thinking about the things that I anticipate in my life. I had a great number of them growing into adulthood (driving, first boyfriend, engagement and marriage, first home, etc.), but now, I don’t find myself looking forward to many things. And when things that I do look forward to don’t happen as I want, if at all, my soul begins to wane as well. I don’t like it.

Anticipation breeds faith; faith adds hope; and with hope, there is love and life. The Buddy will move on from Christmas to the next big event on his 4-year-old calendar. I intend to begin looking forward again to the things in my day-to-day existence with faith, hope, and love.

Merry Christmas! enjoy life…

what i’m into – keeping me sane {november 2018}

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The first time I linked up with Leigh Kramer’s What I’m Into posts was October 29, 2015. And I was sadden when she decided to no longer host the link-up.  She encouraged us to continue writing the What I’m Into posts, however.  

I had the pleasure of meeting Leigh during Anne Bogel’s author event at Parnassus last month.  I told her that I missed the link-up and asked if I could be responsible for continuing the practice.  She encouraged me to continue my version of it so now I invite everyone to share your link to your What I’m Into blog posts in the comments.  We’ll do this every month and we’ll share our next list on Tuesday, January 2. And please spread the word to others. I would love for the community to live on in this space.    

I have been pondering rhythms recently.  Ebb and flow.  In and out. Especially as it pertains to the seasons of the year. the fall, the earth slowly sheds its weight – trees shed their leaves, crops are harvested, the earth becomes fallow.  The earth rests.

I have seasonal affective disorder.  During the fall and winter, I am easily moody and depressed and generally unenthusiastic.  Gray cloudy days are the expressway to gray and cloudy thoughts. Until I started thinking about the seasons of the year, I thought I SUFFERED from SAD. I am beginning to think that isn’t the case.  Perhaps, it’s my body signaling the time for rest.  I have a friend who goes into “hibernation” this time of year. That may not be such a bad idea.

So what’s keeping me sane right now? The fact that I am not into anything really.

I completed the wedding; it went well. And after that, it was a trip to my parent’s condo in Florida where there was absolutely no agenda besides watching my Daddy’s alma mater, Bethune Cookman University, play their final home game of the season.  That was really cool because I got to see the band. They call them “the Pride” of BCU because the 300+ member band is one of the best bands in the country.  They have been in commercials and in movies.

I had heard this band practice every time my family visited my grandparents, who lived across the street from the University.  It was such a pleasure and so fulfilling to see them performing live. And the Florida sun does wonders for SAD.

We came home to temps in the low 40s, high 30s. Cloudy and rainy.  Just the thing to set SAD off.  But I have turned on my solar lamp, streamlined my agenda by making a list of what absolutely has to happen and ways I can enjoy this season this year, and I am focusing on that. I can become alive again in the spring: new life, new energy, producing new things, accomplishing stuff.

What are you into?

enjoy life…