Time flies

Here are some before pictures of our projects.
It has been a busy past few months, but I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated my blog! Goodness, where does my time go? I'm still searching ways to transform and improve my life, and one of them needs to be time management.

We've accomplished quite bit on the home front so far this year. We removed wall paper and painted four rooms of our house, and hired painters to do two additional rooms. We had tile flooring installed, added a new dishwasher and deck furniture, and had the front yard landscaped. We re-did our office and made it into a multi-functional office/craft room/sitting room. My DH sealed the deck and pool deck. It has been a busy time, but I feel really good about how our place looks and all that has been accomplished. I will post after pictures in a few days.

Still on the list, but not in the immediate future, are painting the rest of the house, painting the outside trim, having two dead trees removed, having a new roof installed within the next two years, and cleaning and reorganizing the garage. These will have to wait as I am spending the next six months concentrating on improving my health and creating art. There must be balance. Among the things I have learned about myself lately is that I can only really focus on one thing at a time, and do justice to it. I am also reconciling myself to working within my energy levels. That is a biggie for me.

Our TIPS group meets this Saturday, and I want to be completely honest with myself and the group and set some new goals. It is time for reckoning on the ones I've let slide. My biggest obstacle on accomplishing my dreams is my limitations due to my being overweight. So in order to move on, to get over this hump, to transform and reinvent my life, I have to face this head on, and do something about it. It really is now or never. There is so much I want to do, and I am not going to let this one thing hold me back from the life I can and should have, for myself and for others. It's all there, just waiting for me to take action. I want to encourage all of my Transformation in Progress Sisters to examine what is blocking them from realizing their goals. Face it, and make a plan of action to climb that mountain and get on the other side, the side where your dreams can become reality, and you can soar!

Ebb and Flow

Do you ever wake up and think, hey what happened?  When you think you've got all your ducks in a row, and you take a look around and all you see if an array of unfinished projects?  Well, that has been my state of mind these past few weeks.  Lots of things started, and a few finished.  One thing after another beckons and tempts me with the promise of a beautiful completed project.  But I have too many irons in the fire.  Let this be a lesson to me.....one baby step at a time.  At present, I have a garage sale in a little over a week, and the garage needs to be cleaned out, the items sorted and priced, and tables collected.  At the same time, I have a craft room filled with bookcases, desks, and assorted stuff needing to be put in its right place....painted, etc.  Concurrently, I am painting the kitchen ceiling, having tile installed in all non-carpeted areas of the house, getting mold out of the master bath, getting furniture put together for the deck, moaning about the wrong color of stain that DH put on the deck last weekend, and wondering when I'm going to get around to finishing the tree trimming.  Of course, the house begs for its normal cleaning, hungry mouths wonder when we're going to have a delicious meal around here, and my knees continue to hurt.  I think the only cure for this malady is to take a grateful look around, be thankful that I have projects to do, and even though it takes me longer than I would like, am able to do most of them.  And most of all, to remember to keep on....keep on striving to build the environment and life my heart longs for.....

Recharging

It is fairly easy to remember to take our cars in for a check-up, whether it is for an oil change, tire rotation, or whatever.  It is not so easy to remember that we need to recharge ourselves as well.

I recently felt myself getting irritable over little things and thought, okay, it is time for a break!  I left before dawn one morning and drove the short drive to Hot Springs.  I had made reservations for a massage the morning of my arrival, and the afternoon the next day before I drove home.  Everything did not go completely as planned, but that's part of the joy of life.  I had planned to watch the sun rise over the lake, but instead it was cloudy.  I still sat at the lake and watched the day break, and enjoyed contemplating the water and life in general.  Then had a nice breakfast, drove around looking at the sites, visited a rock shop and then checked in for my massage.  Ahhhh, the immense pleasure of massage.  It is something our bodies need, and often the last on the list in the time of conserving our monetary resources.  Let me tell you, it was  worth every penny!  I came back to my room and lit candles and incense, and gave myself a facial.  My skin felt rejuvenated and I spent the rest of the day resting.   I read, napped, ordered room service and totally chilled out!  I got a wonderful eight hours sleep, something that is rare in my life, where if I get six, I count myself lucky.  After a good night's sleep, I woke rested and ready to explore.   I visited The Country Store, and browsed their extensive array of supplements and healthy food, and picked up a few items including two CDs for my comfort box.  Lunch was at the wonderfully delicious Cafe 1217.  I chose to have the tomato soup with half a veggie sandwich, and an Artichoke and Parmesan Risotto Cake and it was yummy!

Needing to walk off some of the lunch, I browsed some stores for the next couple of hours, then headed to The Swan Song for my massage.   The Swan Song spa is located in a house which is built into the side the mountain, and a natural spring runs right through one of the rooms.  I felt the wall in the bathroom, and it was moist and cool like a cave.  Juvonne offers a variety of spa services and features her own line of products.  I had the 50 minute massage, and it was wonderful.  She has the ability to put the right pressure in the right spots and have you walk away feeling 100 percent better.  I bought her mud masque so that I can put it in my comfort box, and when I have a spa day at home, I will give myself a beauty treatment.

It was a beautiful drive home with the sun shining and blossoms everywhere.  I felt gratitude for my life, for the earth, for our very existence.  My heart was full and my body recharged.  It is amazing what a little break can do for the soul!

TIPS

We had our third meeting of TIPS last Saturday in the River Market.  We had so much to share, all of our progress that we had made, the challenges that we faced in our quest to meet our goals, and the rewards we are using to keep us motivated and strong.  As we went around our circle and listened to each other's progress, we gathered strength, insights and compassion.   The honest sharing of spirit makes us stronger and feeds our souls.  Our stories are individual and varied, but they each have a common thread running through, that of determination in trying to be the best that we can be, in spite of whatever obstacles that are crossing our paths.  We leave each meeting with a renewed resolve to stick to our plans and meet our goals, walking a little lighter after each meeting.  I can't wait till our next one and am planning it already.

I have lost 13 pounds since Jan. 10th.  This is a good steady weight loss with healthy eating and minimum exercise.  I plan to increase my exercise when the weather is warmer and I can swim most days.  Last week I sewed a pair of curtains for the entry hall windows.  It probably would have been cheaper to buy them already made, but I'm glad that I did it anyway.  They look pretty good, and are lined.  Then, we stripped the wallpaper off on the walls in one bathroom and painted it, and are in the process of doing another.  My next project is to take our office and make it into a craft room.  It will take some time and a lot of organizing, but it will be a super place to make crafts to sell at the craft fairs in the fall.  My April project will be to completely clean and organize our garage.  That will be a huge project as it has been needing it for quite some time.  I'll have to have a yard sale to rid ourselves of the clutter we've collected.  

These are my house maintenance goals, but I have personal goals also.  I want to be completely organized this year for Christmas, so that we can make this be the best Christmas ever!  I have already started buying stocking stuffers, have a Christmas account started, and have made a Christmas Notebook in which to keep tabs on everything and keep it organized. I want this Christmas to be FUN!  It will take planning, but it will definitely happen.

Next month, I plan to start making some of my Christmas gifts and get a head start on things.

Another of my goals is to write a book, as I usually have plenty to say. lol.  Another goal is to get completely out of debt.  Mark and I are taking a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University 13 week class and are really learning a lot.  I also hope to sell my crafts at five or six craft fairs in the fall.  I have a lot of goals, these are just a few of the ones I have right now.  I plan to keep crossing things off my "TO DO" List, and keep adding to it at the same time.  I plan to create a TIPS website, so that we may offer help to others who want to start their own groups.  In these financial times, people are looking for ways to help themselves lead a better life, without going into debt trying to do it.  There is a wealth of support out there, you just have to reach out and be open to receive it.

Tonight is the last night of February.  It is snowing outside, yet the daffodils are in bloom in the front yard.  Tomorrow is the first day of March, and I am so looking forward to spring.  It is a time of renewal, a time of change, a time of transformations.  Let us each have the strength to make the changes we need to make in ourselves in order to make this a better world for all.

Change is not usually easy...remember the caterpillar and all the transformations he must endure before he becomes a beautiful butterfly.  We may feel a little squeezed at times, but persist on, and your new, beautiful life will emerge.

Taking my power back!

We don't realize when we are investing so much in others, trying to control their lives and make things better, that we are giving our own power away.  I have finally learned recently that I need all of my power to make changes in my own life, to make the transformations that I have dreamed of, that reside in my heart.  When I feel powerless, when I can't control my environment, I get edgy, anxious and just out of sorts.  What I have finally realized is that I DO HAVE CONTROL!  I, and I alone, control  how I feel about things, how I see the world, how I react to others.  I control the choices I make.  No longer am I going to feel helpless and hopeless about certain situations, because I realize now that I do have choices, I can choose to be happy, no situation is forever, things do change, and one makes their own destiny!  For the last few months I have been reminding myself that "you either live your life or life lives you."  It is sinking in, now that I am not spending so much energy thinking of food, I have much more energy to give to creativity and my to do list is growing by leaps and bounds.  Things just keep occurring to me, things that I have not had my eyes open to see.  Life is looking good, spring is just around the corner and the daffodils have their blooms on.  I want to put my bloom on too!

I am learning self care, and it is not one moment too soon.  I have learned to honor and respect myself, and to take good care of this body, mind and soul.  I am eating healthy food, spending more time doing projects that make me feel good, and much less time trying to escape reality by watching mindless tv or other such activities.  I have learned to take time to do a "how are you doing today" check, and a "what are you feeling and needing" today check.  If I take care of my own needs, which are MY responsibility and no one else's, I will feel freer to enjoy family and friends without having unmet expectations.  I am responsible for my own happiness, and I fully intend to do my utmost to live up to my responsibility.  Bring on some comfort, joy and fun, universe!  I am ready!

Transformations....T.I.P.S.

Life is flowing with a wonderful momentum and synchronicity! I love it! I started a group to help myself and others achieve their dreams and goals. T.I.P.S.-Transformations in Progress. We had our first meeting three weeks ago, and it was amazing, invigorating, supportive and motivating. We shared some of our goals, and brainstormed ways to achieve them. We meet again this Saturday, and we're all looking forward to meeting again. We keep in touch via email and phone in between meetings. It has been three weeks since our first meet. We have all made progress on our goals and can't wait to share. A local columnist from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Jennifer Hansen, did her column on it yesterday, so I am posting it here for all who missed it. She will introduce the rest of the members next week, and do updates on our progress from time to time. I'm thinking this will be very good motivation for getting our goals met...accountability is important! I am filled with optimism, gratitude and just plain excitement for this year!


HEART & SOUL: Taking care of self isn’t selfishness, she learns
By Jennifer Hansen
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
LITTLE ROCK — Reader Nancy Billedeau is a woman with a plan and a network of support to help her stick to it.
The 57-year-old retired teacher lives in Little Rock with her husband and stepdaughter. On Jan. 1, she was sitting on her bed, working on the most ambitious goal she’s ever set for herself, when her husband brought in my column about staying resolute.
Shortly after that, I received one of the most on-fire, exuberant, inspiring e-mails ever.
As Nancy explained when I called her, during the past few years, she has gained a lot of weight. Painful arthritis in her knees has increasingly limited her activity. One day it dawned on her that she was in a prison of her own making. Tired of fighting the same battles over and over, she asked herself if this was what she wanted to settle for. The answer was, “No !”“You either live life or life lives you. The last several years, life has lived me,” she says. “We don’t know how much time we have on earth.
We go about our daily lives and get caught up in the little things that seem important. I don’t want to go on like that, I really want to change my life. I was stunned and thrilled to read your column on being resolute. It was like you’d written me and said, ‘You go, Nancy!’” Nancy’s goal? To lose 100 pounds.
Her plan has three parts. First, to pursue a healthy eating and exercise regimen. Second, to start a support group of determined women deeply committed to achieving their goals. Third, to address causes of stress that might be contributing to her eating, including getting control of her spending.
On Jan. 1, she made her decision and wrote it on a plaque on her wall.
“In my mind, it’s a done deal, and it’s happening,” she says.
Nancy is switching to a general eating plan rich in vegetables, fruits, light healthy proteins and olive oil.
For her, the trick is to stay off wheat and sugar. She’s started lifting light weights and stretching, and she’s trying to stay conscious of foods that are her weaknesses, like rich mocha coffees - “It’s the smell of mocha that gets me!” As for support, she already knew women with whom she shared focus and a strong connection, so she started her group. At their first meeting they brainstormed, discussed their individual goals, decided to meet in three weeks, and gave themselves a name: TIPS - Transformations In Progress Sisterhood.
“There’s nothing like the support of a group of women,” she says. “These women are successful, friendly, funand have social lives. It’s going to be a positive action group, not a let-me-vent group. Each has gifts to give and we can share with each other.” As for the spending, Nancy is working to put herself on a cash-only basis. She’s set an allowance for herself and put away the credit cards.
Why now? Because, she explains, there’s a whole shift in consciousness throughout our country and the world. “It feels like we can be real with ourselves. No more excuses.
“I spent nine years teaching in Alaska. I miss that sense ofadventure. I need to improve the quality of my life and I need to set an example for my stepdaughter. I’m trying to teach her life lessons, like ‘Taking care of yourself is not selfishness. If you’re not healthy and whole, how can you give to others?’” TIPS will meet again in three weeks to share progress. In the meantime, they’ll stay in touch via phone and e-mail. For now, Nancy says she’s feeling strong, resolute and ready to finally conquer old goals as well as some new ones.
Write to Jennifer Hansen at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 515 Enterprise Drive, Suite 106, Lowell, Ark.
72745. E-mail her at: jhansen@arkansasonline.com

A Year of Transformation-2009

Happy New Year Everyone! This will be an exceptional year for growth, and will be my year of personal transformation. Life seems to float by, day by day, and one notices the years passing quickly. All of a sudden, I thought to myself, do I want this to be my life? Limited by my own mindless choices? Fairly dull, routine, boring even to me. No way. It's time to get real, get busy living my life. You either live your life or life lives you. I plan to live my life. No more excuses!

So, on January 1st, I made a promise to myself, to eat foods that are healthy for me, so that I can lose a substantial amount of weight and have knee surgery in the late fall, and also to go on a cash only basis for personal spending. Today it is day 8, and so far so good! I am resolute, there is no turning back now. I am starting a lifestyle makeover group this Saturday called Transformations in Progress. Keep tuning in to watch us bloom!