Dare to be Beautiful

February 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It’s still pretty cold here in Seattle (although a couple of weeks ago it was warm enough to feel like spring is around the corner) and  quite honestly, most days I am still tempted to just lounge around in my mama wear. I got the yoga pant outfit down, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with said outfit, it just doesn’t make me feel how I want to really feel about myself:

Beautiful.

Even when I’m dressing up, I’m often pulled towards comfort, which I still want. But what I really really want? More sass, more soul and definitely more style.

Really, just more of me.

::Pause::

I’m not the kind to swoon over clothes and shoes in public.  I rarely gush over stuff.

But all that is about to change.

Like how I’ve been pretty bored with my almost knee-high boots lately and have been lusting wanting these:

(Gasp! OMG. Did I just say I want new shoes? But I do! I really do! Good-bye Old Me who always puts a lid on what I really want, always thinking about what the money could be better spent on especially when it comes to things like shoes. But dang it, I really do want these new shoes! Aren’t they pretty?)

I’m slowly embracing my inner fashionista, emphasis being on SLOWLY because I still somedays end up listening to that wickedly convincing voice that taunts me every time I try to consciously pick out what clothes to wear for the day. Blech! Am I the only one struggling with this?

For years, I’ve always said I hated shopping, but the truth is, I just hated the inner battle that would commence after yet another shopping spree.  There’s a big part of me that classifies fashion as worldly and almost sinful (thanks to years of religious brainwashing and my own freak set of old beliefs about women and the body) but I’m setting myself free! Wheeee! I love clothes! I like fashion! I love my womanly body and I want to dress her in ways that celebrate her beauty!

I want to be able to look in the mirror and love, and I mean really love what I see.

But.

I also have to remind myself that this, this Year of the Dress is a journey. And a very personal one at that. There’s healing. There’s growing. There’s learning to be.

I went from yoga-pants mama to well, a dress-wearing mama.

Way To Go, Vina!

And so I celebrate all the effort I’m putting into this.

Except I just don’t want effort.

I want heart. I want soul.

I’m thinking something more like this:

Or this:

or OMG, this:

But do I dare?

Do I dare say yes to what I really want?

Do I dare honor and indulge my desires?

Do I dare say yes to being seen?

Do I dare say yes to being the beautiful me?

And that, my friends, is the real question. 

What about you? Do you have your own freak set of issues when it comes to fashion and well, being beautiful? I’d love to hear.

Oh, and Some Of My Favorite Mama/Fashion Bloggers To Check Out:

  • What’s Your Tale, Nightingale?: A fashion blog by an old friend of mine, Eunice Do who calls herself a nerd (except if she is, I think she is one beautiful nerd). We were on a mission trip together a long time ago, and I so LOVE her style.
  • Bleubird Vintage: I probably don’t need to introduce Miss James to the world because the world already knows about her pretty darn well. I adore her style, and everything else she shares on her blog. I’m so in love with her little birdie (second to mine of course!) I really think I’m turning into a vintage junkie!
  • A Beautiful Mess: I can’t get enough of this blog, really. Elsie and the gang just inspire me. Absolute swoon.
  • Kendi Everyday: I love this girl’s style too. Not vintage, but hey, I’m somewhat eclectic with my taste. I love that she wears Payless shoes and you can’t even tell at all! I don’t heart fashion blogs that are all about high-end clothing few of us can splurge on.

 

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Mommy Moontime Diaries: How I Learned To Honor My Blood (Or Why I’ve Been MIA Lately)

February 26, 2012 By 6 Comments

Warning: Straight-talk on women’s menses ahead. Read at your own risk of enlightenment. Oh, and welcome to Mommy Moontime Diaries. A new thing I maybe perhaps sorta want to continue every month here at the blog. Where I share about how I’m embracing my womanhood in all its blood and glory. :)  

“Traditionally, the Moontime is the sacred time of woman when she is honored as a Mother of the Creative Force. During this time she is allowed to release the old energy her body has carried and prepare for reconnection to the Earth Mother’s fertility that she will carry in the next Moon or month. Our Ancestors understood the importance of allowing each woman to have her Sacred Space during this time of reconnection, because women were the carriers of abundance and fertility…

As Grandmother Moon is the weaver of tides ( the water or blood of our Earth Mother) so a woman’s cycles follow the rhythm of that weaving. When women live together in a common space, their bodies begin to regulate their menses and all will eventually have their Moontime concurrently. This natural rhythm is one of the bonds of Sisterhood.

Women honor their sacred path when they acknowledge the intuitive knowing inherent in their receptive nature. In trusting the cycles of their bodies and allowing the feelings to emerge within them, women have been Seers and Oracles for their tribes for centuries.”   ~Jamie Sams, The Sacred Path Cards

So the other day, my period came. And for the first time ever in my life, I welcomed it. Instead of the usual sigh of resignation along with “oh-my-i-don’t-know-if-i-have-enough-pads” mini panic attack at the first sight of blood, I embraced its presence like a gift.

A gift to slow down, recalibrate and surrender. A gift to honor my feminine essence and tune into the wisdom it has to offer.

:: Pause ::

I don’t know about you but I’ve always resented having to bleed every month. It was kind of a nuisance, coming from the lack of confidence wearing white pants or the involuntary refrain from juicy sexual intercourse. And worse, it felt like a biological malfunction of some sort that every woman has to endure every freakin’ month, like a curse for those who were born with vaginas. The dreaded PMS cramps and bitchy attitudes never seemed to have any practical value whatsoever, except for finally getting yourself some kind of permission to retreat from the world (or in most cases, the world retreats from you and rightly so).

And if you are anything like me, those regular bouts of sour sassiness, the overall dys-functionality and the inability to pretty much be part of society do nothing for your already shot-down self-esteem. Unless of course you are good at masking all that by way of Midol overdose and just plain faking your way through it.

:: Pause ::

Fast forward to my present self, nearing 36 years of age and finally, slowly making way towards coming home….to me. To who I truly am, most especially as a woman. What I did not know about womanhood these past 3 decades have wounded my spirit deeply. I only know now how in my ignorance, I have repeatedly hurt my feminine essence…starting with the way I rejected and scorned this womanly body of mine.

Only in a patriarchal world do we force women to act and behave in ways so contrary to her feminine nature – to ignore her body’s need for rest when she is in a cycle of birthing that which is dying to be born. Women are cyclical by nature – we bleed out what did not come to be to make space for what is to come. We are always creating space so that we can…well…create some more. We truly are Creatix Goddesses of some sort. But when we don’t let go of what we need to let go? It’s going to be a struggle to bring forth what we need to birth. And when we don’t honor that design, guess what? We become bitches, if not outwardly towards others, then inwardly towards ourselves. We become estranged from our dark side and we miss out on the power it has to bring forth Light.

:: Pause ::

I never made sense of some seemingly quirky behaviors I have up until now. Like how once a month, I seem to have this need to reorganize space. As in, I move our furniture around the house. I’m talking big furniture: couches, TV, bookcases, beds and the like. It’s a compulsion I never understood until now. It’s usually right around when my period ends, when I’m done releasing what needs to go, at least biologically. I’ve done this for as long as I can remember and without fail, ever single month, I will feel restless until I rearrange some space in my life. Now I know why. And now I can consciously go through my quirky behavior as a ritual to surrender the Old to welcome the New. A reminder of the Creative Powers brewing and then bursting forth within me.

:: Pause ::

And perhaps more importantly, I’m making some margins in my life so I can flow (excuse the pun) with my monthly cycle with  more ease, peace and pleasure. I don’t want to miss out on the wisdom and growth to be had in carving out that sacred space. Back in the day, they had Red Tents and Moonlodges (oh I wish!) but since I don’t have that kind of privilege right now, here are some ideas I want to slowly incorporate in my monthly moontime ritual:

  • carving out a week during my period where I just chillax to the max. Last week, I sort of did that. Which is why I was MIA here on the blog.  I also asked hubby to buy take out without the guilt. And I kinda let the house get messier than usual for a few days. And I didn’t make any clever crafty plans with my daughter.  I did have some commitments I couldn’t stall but did the bare minimum I could.
  • nourish myself. Like eating lots of nourishing drinks (by way of herbal infusions, juices and smoothies) and oh-so-healing bone-broth stews, which I already do on a regular basis but so much more important during our moontime.
  • cut back on social time. I don’t need to plan this out. I just sort of actually disappear from earth during my period, but I’m more aware now why my need for solitude is much stronger.  And without the guilt (and the flakiness, if I plan it ahead instead of just canceling on people when I realize I just don’t really have energy and desire to.)
  • find help for my daughter. I actually had help lined up for one day last week but our sitter had to cancel last minute. I just explained to my daughter that mommy had to take it easy because of my period and she understood. I still was her playmate but she actually let me lie down on the couch periodically.
  • sleep a lot. we were actually out of town for the weekend, and twice in a row, I hit the sack at 9 pm and woke up at 7 am! It felt so good!
  • no work, if I can help it. I think in the future, I’m going to either write my blog posts ahead of time and do no work during the week of my period. i’m also going to work around some freelance projects and do more of that work in the beginning of month and try to finish up before my period so I can…well…chillax to the max.
  • reflect and tune in to what I need to release and make space for. so important. so instead of spending my free time at night working, i want to focus on this aspect instead. I didn’t do this exercise this last week, but I’m sort of finding my way towards it in bits and pieces.
  • ditching the pads and switching to cloth (Party in my Pants, anyone?) and practicing a ritual like giving back my blood to earth. hmmmm….
  • attending a Red Tent when I feel brave enough to do so! I haven’t given up on finding a sisterhood that fits me….

I am thankful that I am learning how to honor my moontime now, so I can empower my daughter to honor hers when the time comes so she can fully own her Creatix Goddess within growing up, instead of at mid-life like me. But then again, it’s never too late as long as there is Now.

So what about you? How do you honor your moontime? And as always, if you liked this article….sharing is the kind thing to do! And..one more request…? If this sorta changed the way you think and experience your moontime, please let me know! Thank you.

More Reading for Thought:

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Welcome To Homespun Waldorf Readers!

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Today, I am guest posting for Homespun Waldorf’s Winter Carnival: a diverse collection of bloggers bringing warmth to the cold days of February. We’re sharing winter ideas on making, pondering, nourishing and playing to kindle and inspire, and you’re invited to join us! Today, I share a very easy snack recipe for the little ones: homemade “Goldfish” crackers. Although they are not the most nourishing of snacks, I still make this occasional treat for my little girl who used to love the store-bought kind before I learned to make them at home.  For my dear ANH readers, I encourage you to visit and take a look around.

Also, I warmly welcome the Homespun Waldorf Readers to our humble space here at a Nourishing Home. We discuss an eclectic mix of ideas around here and I hope you find something worthwhile to take with you. We’ve always had a strong focus on self-care for moms, feminine spirituality, simple play,  authentic mothering, real food and  healthy treats, and well, much more. So stay awhile, make yourself at home and we hope you’ll join us here again soon!

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Monday Meditations: From Pretense to Presence

February 13, 2012 By 2 Comments

Some days, I write (and live) from the heart. And sadly, some days, I write (and live) from a place of perceived identity, of illusions and expectations of who I am supposed to be.

And I was thankfully reminded lately that writing (and living) that way divides the Self – resulting in Confusion, Depression and all sorts of Life-Sucking Addictions.  Writing (and living) that way hurts and harms my Soul. Trying to be Someone I’m not is yet another tired old message added to the thousands of times I’ve told Myself in so many ways: You Are Not Enough.

The most common form of despair is not being who you are…Søren Kierkegaard 

I wonder where we get these messages that compel us to hide who we truly are. When does the Pretense start?

Perhaps it was the way we were raised, where we had to learn to be Obedient and live up to our parent’s expectations as the most significant way we can earn their approval and affirmation. We learned to be Who they want us to be most especially when we were punished when we were simply being who we are (and in many instances, we really were just being children and our parents totally blanked out and forgot what it was like.) Our first initiation to a Life of Pretense.

And then everything else, school, friends, religion, conspired to hide us behind a mask of sorts. Until we don’t even know what we look like.

To be nobody but myself-in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make me somebody else-means to fight the hardest battle any human can fight, and never stop fighting.
 e.e. cummings 

Perhaps our most important task then as mothers, as sisters, as wives, as women, is to move from Pretense to Presence. To come home fully to ourselves, and show up in the world just as we are – sorta brilliant and sorta broken.  Because Pretense can only breed Pretense. And our children do not need to start wearing masks at such a young age. Actually, they don’t need to be wearing any masks at all, not now or ever.

And the unmasking begins with me.

So…how are you unmasking today?

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Art and the Mother, Everyday Creatix Edition: Go Forth and Create Every Chance You Get

February 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Note: Last week, I shared about the day I danced again. I had planned on sharing more about my upcoming Nia White Belt Training this week but realized  I didn’t have much to say about it yet and that perhaps, it’s best to write more on that when I’m actually going through the training. Or right after it. It’s a little over a month and I’m still trying to save/come up with money for it. So I wanted to ask if you knew anyone who needed blog design work of some sort, and could you would you please refer me? Or, if you are feeling mighty generous and this blog has helped you in any way, could you perhaps consider making a donation towards helping me make my dream a reality? You could email me or leave a comment below! My deepest thanks!

I think it was Pablo Picasso who said this, ”Every child is born an artist, the problem is to remain one once they grow up.”

And I absolutely wholeheartedly gosh-darn-it agree.

I am an Artist.

And so are you.

Except if you are like most people, myself included, chances are you’ve forgotten that you are.  And that perhaps is one of the biggest lies that keep us from living the Life that is truly Ours.

I 100% believe that we each possess a Gift or Gifts to offer the world. We are all Gifted in a sense – we’ve been gifted with  Something valuable to the world and unique to only us.  One of the biggest tasks we have as parents is to preserve our children’s Artist self so that they grow up knowing how they are meant to serve the world.

:: Pause ::

It took a long time for me to start calling myself an Artist. But when I did, I started to have this persistent longing to Create all the time. I started this blog. I wrote every chance I got.  I bought charcoal pencils, water color, paints, different kinds of paper, books and so forth and used them with my little girl whenever we could. I sought out opportunities to create with my daughter, learning to draw animals for instance (she LOVES animals) as showed in the photo above. She loves stories and I seized the opportunity to hone my storytelling skills. And perhaps my favorite, we sing songs all the time and I’ve taken up to relearning piano, which I played a little in my childhood and picking up the guitar, which I learned in high school.   I also saw my time in the kitchen as a way to create even more.

And the more I Created, the closer I felt to discovering who I am and what my Life’s Work is. I am learning that following the longing to create and make Art is big part of what it means to be human. If you are not creating, you are not fulfilling your purpose as a human being.

Because the simple truth is this: To be human is to create.

Your Turn: Are you ready to acknowledge that you are an Artist? Do you know what it is that you want to create and bring forth into the world? As usual, tweet and like below and spread the word if you liked this article, or if you think someone else could use the encouragement. Thank you!

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Soulful Homemaking, Notes To Self Edition: How I Kept My Kitchen Clean All Day Today

February 9, 2012 By 4 Comments

I was gonna take a picture of my freakin’ clean sink to show off. Except I forgot. But seriously, for the first time ever, the said sink was clean the entire stinking day. And not because I avoided using the kitchen entirely. I made 3 meals, a few snacks and a couple of smoothies today.

(Oh, okay, I did have a sitter for a couple of hours when I ran to the coffee shop to have some me-time and I forgot to wash a couple of dishes right before I took off. But still. It was clean almost all day.)

And so I stumbled on a secret that I’m sure is not a secret to many of you already but was a huge epiphany to me, the unlikely of all homemakers. And that is this:

Clean Up As You Go.

I know. Huge, right?

And yet I often just lazily let the stuff pile up on top of each other, as if by ignoring the growing pile, it’s going to make my work later a whole lot easier.

Because I suppose that’s sort of our natural tendency. An inclination to ignore the Present in favor of the Future (or the Past.)

That or sometimes in my case, I tend to overvalue the product over the process. I focus on the actual meal that is coming together that I totally ignore the practice necessary to make it, clean up included.

Or maybe I am totally over-thinking this whole thing.

Whatever.

My New Kitchen Philosophy: One Spoon At A Time

And so, even if just to serve as a reminder (hence the Notes To Self edition), I hereby declare a new kitchen tradition in the Barham household, in which I focus my attention, lovingly, to one spoon at a time. The end result is a kitchen I could not only tolerate but really like throughout the day, and perhaps much more importantly, live a bit closer to Presence than not.

Because really? A clean sink, as it turns out, makes me very happy.

Your Turn: What about you? Have you tried this tip before? As usual, feel free to like or tweet this article below if you are so inclined. That would be awesome.

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Real Food Hacks, Comfort Food Edition: 7 Ways To Make Pizza More Nourishing

February 8, 2012 By 2 Comments

IMG_6619

My husband loves pizza. And so when he joined me in my grain-free diet for a month, pizza was the first thing he wanted to eat soon after. And well, my daughter takes after some of his father (okay, a lot!) and she loves her carbs too!

So instead of trying to deprive them of what they love to eat, I decided that I’m going to devote this year to learning how to make the food they love a bit lot more nourishing. And Real Food Hacks, Comfort Food Edition was born.

And this week, I bring you a round up of all the ways you can serve the All-American Pizza to your family and feel so good about it.

Better For You Pizza Dough

Cauliflower Version (Grain Free) by Emily from Joyful Abode

Almond Flour With White Beans Version (Grain Free) by Carrie from Ginger Lemon Girl.

Coconut Flour Version (Grain Free) by Sarah from Healthy Home Economist.

Sourdough Pizza Crust by Erin (Guest Post) from Gnowfglins

Soaked Pizza Crust by Heather from Mommypotamus

Almond Flour + Buckwheat Flour (Gluten Free) by Angela at Oh She Glows.

 Quinoa Pizza Dough by Alta at Tasty Eats at Home

Better For Your Sauce and Toppings

Of course, making your own pizza sauce, using whole milk cheese from pastured cows and nitrate-free pepperoni (if that’s your favorite topping ever, like my husband) make the whole ensemble even more nourishing. And one final tip to sneak in even more veggies in this whole mix? Sneaky Chef Missy recommends adding a puree of carrots and sweet potato to your pizza sauce. And of course, if your family doesn’t faint at the sight of greens on their plates, adding peppers/spinach/etc to your toppings make this meal the kind of pizza you’ll love serving again and again at home.

Your Turn: Any comfort foods you’ve turned into nourishing meals in the kitchen? Or any comfort foods your family loves and you need a little help figuring out how to upgrade it in the nourishing department?  As usual, if you liked this article, sharing is the kind thing to do!

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Velveteen Mama Diaries: Somedays, I Don’t Love Being A Mama

February 7, 2012 By 5 Comments

Yes, tis true.

Most days, I adore motherhood. I love having to slow down and embrace the wonder of it all. I love watching my daughter learn and grow. I love going through the rhythms of our days and seasons together. But I’ll be honest. Many days, I’d love to just spend hours upon hours of me-time. The best gift anyone can ever give me at this point in my life? The time and the space to work on my own projects – where I want, when I want.

I would love to have a chunk of my days when I’m just left to my own world so I can create to my heart’s delight, and pursue my artist path.

I would love to be able to cook on my own pace, with a glass of Pinot Noir and music of my own choosing instead of yet another rendition of her current favorite song: Tomorrow (Annie).

:: Pause ::

Most days, I’m able to find the sweet spot of doing what I love with my daughter. It’s the only sustainable way I can mother with authenticity. But there are days when I just want to do what I love alone.

Most days, I’m able to find pleasure and joy in the things I wouldn’t choose to do (things like cooking and making sure my daughter has clean undies), yet are necessary for me to nourish my family. It’s the only way I can carpe the heck out of this diem. But there are days when I just want the luxury of not doing any of these things at all.

:: Pause ::

The funny thing is, it took motherhood for me to figure out what these things were that brought me so much joy. It took motherhood for me to reconnect with my childhood dreams, with my capacity to create and the  courage to even call myself an artist. It took motherhood for me to reconnect with my body, my appetites and my desire to nourish our health through real food.

So really, I have my daughter to thank for all the big shifts happening in my own life. Birthing the mother in me was the catalyst for this journey I am on, this journey of coming home to myself.

:: Pause ::

Life is full of paradox. But I like it that way. Black and white would be so boring and bland. Truth is always much more beautiful.

And the beautiful irony of what I’m living out these days is this: I can’t be a mother without being me. And I can’t be me without being a mother. 

Your Turn: What about you? How’s motherhood for you these days? And if you liked this article, sharing is the kind thing to do. Thanks friends!

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Year of the Dress: Ditching the Pants And Other Radical Acts of Pleasure

February 6, 2012 By 6 Comments

Brown and Yellow

When I first conceived of the Year of the Dress challenge, I didn’t anticipate how challenging it would be to do so as a mama to a young child. I’m so used to getting up and putting on my mama wear (translation: yoga pants and shirt) that the novelty of having to wear something beautiful almost everyday excited me and I didn’t think through logistical challenges, like playing with my daughter while wearing a skirt! While week one started out pretty easy, by the end of this week, I was filled with all kinds of doubts. Thoughts like, this is so stupid! and it doesn’t really matter kept popping in my mind.

In fact, I was so close to calling the whole thing off. Besides, no one really participated. I felt so silly about the whole thing.

And just then, as the Universe would have it, I opened an email from Mama Gena, with the headline: Just how radical are you ? I discovered Mama Gena last year, and I loved her message about women and Pleasure. Never in a million years would I have imagined myself wanting to learn from someone like her, but oh how things change…

Anyway, I digress like a bad rabbit trail.

I took the quiz and I discovered that I fluctuate between B and C and D (check out the quiz and I dare you to take it!). And right there, I felt doubly resolved to carry on with my Year of the Dress challenge and make everyday a life of Pleasure. I owe it to myself, with all the years of my Pleasure-Deficit Disorder behind me.

For many of us, it doesn’t come naturally anymore to choose something just because it feels Good, and yet Feeling Good is inherent in our design. It makes decision making so darn simple. Does it truly feel Good to me? But with all these years that I’ve mistaken Feeling Good as something evil and to be avoided, it takes awhile to get into the habit of knowing what truly feels Good, knowing why and choosing that.

Here’s a list of what I know Feels So Good and yet I still choose to feel otherwise:

  • Sleeping for 8-9 hours every night feels so darn good and yet some nights, I stay up past bedtime just because I can.
  • Passing up on grains, sugar and dairy feels so darn good and yet, when I’m surrounded by these things, I momentarily forget, I shove stuff in my mouth and I make myself feel crappy.
  • Eating and drinking greens feel so darn good and yet, I get lazy and wonder why I don’t have as much energy when I go without them.
  • Carving out alone time feels so good and yet, when weekends come, I struggle with guilt and thinking that I’m a bad wife and mom for not wanting to be with my family all the time.
  • Unplugging from the internet feels so good and yet, I still sometimes take my Ipad with me to bed, as if I’m missing out if I get behind on what’s going on online.
  • Reaching out to others and serving on my own terms feel so good and yet I give in to the temptation of appearing to be need-free and sufficient while saying yes to people sheerly out of trying to please them. We really got it backwards.
  • Being present to my child feels so good and yet I constantly get distracted with snatching every Present moment on my iPhone and attending to all sorts of tasks I think I need to do around the house.
  • Asking my husband directly for what I need and approaching him intimately when I want both feel so good. Yet I expect him to intuitively know what I need and  I wait for him to make the first move when it comes to sex.
  • Taking care of myself by getting dressed with care feels so good, and yet when morning comes, I listen to the voice telling me it’s useless, pointless and vain. What’s the point, it tells me. You’re fat and hopelessly out of style. And so I grab my comfort clothes and not even bother to wash my face, because what the hey? Who cares?
But here’s the thing, dear Mamas. Pleasure is central to our Wellness. Wholeness. Pleasure is our True Wealth. Ditching the Pants is not just a fashion statement. It’s a radical act, a revolutionary statement to our abiding commitment to Feeling Good and not just Doing Good.  There’s been a long-standing war on Pleasure, and it’s time to abandon the Path of Feeling Like Crap.
And for me, it starts with something as simple as wearing a dress.

Your Turn: So let me ask you, what feels Good to you right now? Do you know? And do you know why? What’s keeping you from doing that? Would wearing a dress once a week feel Good? What would that do to your level of Pleasure? As usual, if you liked this article, sharing is the kind thing to do.

P.S. If you have thought about participating, please don’t be shy! You don’t have to wear a dress everyday single freakin’ day. Wear it once a week if you’d like. Or maybe wearing jewelry or some hot undies Feel Good to you. Whatever. If you are a blogging about your experience, leave a link to your post in the comments section. Or if you are participating on Instagram, you can use the hashtag #yearofthedress.

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The Too-Tired-To-Write-Something-Coherent-Edition (And A Special Video that Will Make You Smile!)

February 3, 2012 By 2 Comments

I was going to write about how blogging is changing my life, but oh boy I need to get to bed. I’m sick and behind on a lot of things! I’m not sure if I mistakenly said yes to too many things or it’s just a matter of figuring out my own stylish system to make my bright ideas happen. As Seth Godin rightly asks, “Are you a serial idea-starting person? The goal is to be an idea-shipping person.” But how to be an idea-shipping person? Or better yet, how to be an idea-shipping-homeschooling-real-food-sorta-crunchy multi-passionate mama? Also, I find that when I start to focus on my work a bit too much, I tend to neglect the homefront and vice versa. I don’t believe in balance but I don’t think I like the see-saw ride very much either!So I’m reading up on how to make ideas happen and hooking up with the fellow multipotentialites from Puttylike, because I’m so ADD it’s not even funny.

So just random updates today that I want to share with y’all because I seriously can’t put together even scraps for your reading consumption.  So here’s a mis-mash of what’s happening, what I’m dreaming of and asking for.

  • Have I shared how I’m working towards becoming  a life coach for moms? Eeps! I found a coach training program as well as an amazing Wise Women Leadership training with an awesome soulful coach starting next month. I want to apply what I learn towards inspiring and empowering moms to live their big, bold and beautiful lives. I thought I wanted to be a therapist/counselor but now I think coaching is where it’s at! I’ll share more as this part of my life unfolds!
  •  One of the other big thing I’m looking forward to this March is my two week Nia White Belt Training here in Seattle! It’s the first step towards becoming an instructor and I’m super thrilled to train under Jill Pagano! I’ve started to listen to some of the Nia teleseminars  offered on NiaNow. And so far so good. I’m beyond excited!
  • Right now, my challenge is to carve out the time to do all this and more. So far, I have a once a week help (thanks Weina!) which has been awesome. It’s nice to have that break mid-week and I’m hoping I can do add 1 or 2 more days to that. I don’t know why I waited so long to do this! But also…
  • I’m considering becoming an early bird.  I wrote a year or so ago about the early to morning, early to bed myth and I think I’m recanting. My daughter goes to bed around 730/800 at night and I’m just too tired to crank out something creative by then. Since she’s mostly given up her naps, I don’t have time in the afternoon to work my stuff anymore. Plus, the other day, when hubby stayed home from work and gifted me with a couple of hours in the morning at a coffeeshop – I fell in love working first thing in the morning. I think maybe doing my stuff before I put on the mama suit will serve me better, sort of like how getting dressed nicely first thing does.  The whole putting yourself first paradigm. The question is, how do I make that happen?
  • Longing for sisterhood/circle of mamas I can be part of. I strongly believe that women were meant to raise children TOGETHER, not on our own, as our ancient foremothers have done.   But I’m terrified honestly, to make new friends. Leaving my childhood faith has meant leaving behind a huge network of people I turned to in the past and it’s such a challenge to rebuild.  Especially that I’m a work-at-home/homeschooling mama. Hmmm.
  • Freelance design work: I don’t do a lot of freelance web/blog design work but I needed to save some money for my coaching and Nia training so I’ve taken up a couple of projects for the Month of February. It’s fun but it’s keeping me busy before my gigs start next month.I have room for maybe 1-2 more projects before I can’t take any more clients so if you know anyone who wants to pretti-fy their blog/website, kindly pass the word?
  • On the home front, we’re immersing ourselves in lots of art! We’re doing lots of painting and drawing and MUSICALS! My daughter is so into all the Annie songs (I let her watch the musical snippets from the movie) and I’m introducing her to other child-friendly broadway songs via Pandora! She LOVES em! Which inspired me to get back into learning the piano as well. My skills are so elementary and rusty but we’ve been playing simple songs on the keyboard this week and have had a lot of fun.
  • We’re also getting ready for another attempt at the GAPS diet. We did the Full GAPS last month but my husband’s birthday celebration sort of got us off track. It takes a lot of preparation, support and really, strategic planning so I’m dreaming of starting a GAPS group for anyone who wants to do it with us. I’m starting to write posts I will share here on Wednesdays beginning with why we are doing it.  If you suspect you have compromised gut health (as most of us who’ve been on the Standard American Diet for awhile do), you might want to consider it. I have scalp psoriasis, struggle with fatigue/IBS/Candida, have low-blood sugar issues and can’t tolerate a lot of foods (gluten, non-cultured dairy).I feel super good on the diet and I really want to do it until my gut is healed.
  • And the Year of the Dress? It’s still happening, only I’m  changing the rules so more people can participate. How about committing to dressing up ONCE A WEEK and then posting your photos? Anyone? Anyone?

Ok, that’s all I have.  May you always dance to whatever music life brings you, and may you do it with abandon and joy!

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