Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are. - Pema Chodron
Saturday, November 15, 2014
My new Midori style Notebook by Jennifer Harvey
My custom 6" x 9" painted canvas Jenndori. Arrived today and I LOVE IT!
Thank you Jennifer Harvey! Doing the happy dance!!!
The front design is hand painted, and has my "One Words" from the last few years, and the words that are in the running for this year. I wanted them front and center, where I can see them everyday, multiple times a day.
I was surprised at the number of pockets!
Twice as many as my smaller Jenndori.
I love the feel of the painted canvas.
Over the next few days, I will be creating the planner and notebooks to place into this beauty.
Here is the link from a previous post, on how I plan to use this Jenndori as well.
Browse Jennifer Harvey's etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChicSparrow
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
30 Healthy Habits by A Mind Unleashed
Marc and Angel are the authors of 1000 Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. Here’s their amazing list of 30 things to start doing for yourself. If you enjoy this, be sure to visit their website for more inspirational advice and tips for life.
#1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.
#2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.
#3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. Read The Road Less Traveled.
#4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.
#5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
#6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.
#7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving. Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures. One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.
#8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.
#9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind. You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.
#10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile because you can. Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it. But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too. Read Stumbling on Happiness.
#11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just have to go for it! And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
#12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward. So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.
#13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.
#14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People and priorities change. As some relationships fade others will grow. Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
#15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.
#16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
#17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
#18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.
#19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.
#20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.
#21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks. – Slow down. Breathe. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose. When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity. These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.
#22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.
#23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.
#24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something! The harder you work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result. Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
#25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.
#26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.
#27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.
#28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
#29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on. Read The How of Happiness.
#30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night. You didn’t go to sleep outside. You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn’t spend a minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have access to medical care. You have access to the Internet. You can read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.
This is such a wonderful list. If we take little steps every day and practice these things, we can make great improvements in our lives. Share this post with your friends and loved ones.
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Friday, October 31, 2014
Getting Prepared for November
I love my DIF Fish Inserts for my Planner ( DIY Fish Etsy Shop ),
and I have been playing with all of her different set-ups
so I can figure out which works best for me.
This week I created a Diet Journal,
which I copied on both sides and sewn together to create a booklet.
Then I created a booklet using the DIY Fish LMI V03,
half page inserts to create my planner for November.
I then sewed the 2 booklets together and reinforced with washi tape
And then "tipped in" my November Chore Chart.
I still need to create a cover. And create my goal charts for the month on the blank pages.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Spirit Bow for a Cousin
A young Cousin of mine, made her High School Cheer Team.
Of course, I had to make her a Bow.
Used printable HTV, from Square One, and a few rhinestones to accent.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
A gift for my Great Nephew Jax
Still learning to create appliques for quilts.
I am getting better at it, but the Minky fabric is not really the easiest thing to work with.
I will be cleaning it out of my sewing machine for days.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Personalized Water Bottles
Using outdoor vinyl, created these for the team.
I really enjoy using my Cameo.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Trying to stay organized
Working on the schedule for next week.
Gonna be busy between work, practices, family and trying to find time for self.
Life mapping and color coding, works best for me.
http://ja-bella.blogspot.com/search/label/midori
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
203 Helathy Habits to Develope
Wellness Habits
If you want to be happier…- Talk with a positive person.
- Write down three good things that happened to you each day.
- Laugh – even if you have to force it. The mere action of laughing releases endorphins.
- Get some sun (or a happy light, if it’s a gray day.)
- Move your body (walk, exercise) for 20 minutes or longer.
- Walk a dog or pet an animal.
- Ask for a hug from one person a day.
- Call an old friend or relative.
- Invest 30 minutes a day doing a hobby you enjoy and find relaxing.
- Buy something new (even something small, like a new type of coffee.)
- Breathe deeply for at least two minutes. Focus on your breaths.
- Stretch different body parts for ten minutes.
- Listen to something calming and distracting (news, music) unrelated to whatever is stressing you out.
- Cuddle (with a lover, friend or even a pet – physical touch is comforting.)
- Detach from the source of stress (excuse yourself from a meeting, take a break from a project, remove yourself from an argument) for a five-minute break.
- Sniff lavender or geranium essential oil (both lower blood pressure.)
- Sit in the sun (outside) for five minutes.
- Paint a picture.
- Talk to a friend for ten minutes, even if just to hear about his or her life.
- Spend ten minutes grooming (nails, bath, hair.)
- Take a nap.
- Chew a piece of gum.
- List three things you genuinely like about yourself. Read those three things out loud.
- Stand up straight. Let your hands hang naturally at your sides.
- Dress in clothes that flatter you.
- Outline your thoughts/words before you enter an intimidating situation. Being prepared will help you feel more confident. Bring cheat notes if acceptable.
- Refuse to fidget. Instead, go to a private place (car, restroom) where you can stretch and get out the jitters. Then focus on relaxing.
- Pay attention to the other person instead of your own insecurity.
- Repeat a mantra in your head.
- Make a list of things you like about yourself.
- Ask for compliments from a trusted friend or relative.
- Devote 15 minutes a day to reading a spiritual text (Bible, spiritual book, spiritual workbook.)
- Walk in the woods.
- Perform one thoughtful act of kindness for a stranger.
- Give up one physical pleasure or material possession.
- Join a group of like-minded individuals from whom you can learn and be inspired.
- Look up at the stars.
- Enjoy a sunset or sunrise.
- Write out how a person you encountered that day could enrich your life journey.
- Take up meditation. Start with 15 minutes a day. Find a quiet place, set a timer, close your eyes and focus on your breaths.
- Pay attention to the details of now. What color is that butterfly? How does that salad taste? How many shades of green can you see right now?
- Consciously let go of worry or regret. Tell yourself “Future Me will take care of that” or “The past is the past.”
- Focus acutely on an immediate sensation, like how great it feels to be tucked into your comfy bed, or how invigorating that brisk wind is.
- Invest emotionally in a current interaction. How does your friend feel about her problem? What emotions are you feeling right now? What can you do comfort/inspire/rejoice with the person you are with right now?
Social Goals
If you want to make a new friend…
- Make a conscious effort to smile.
- Make eye contact with someone new.
- Introduce yourself to someone new.
- Ask open-ended questions about this new person’s preferences.
- Talk about common ground issues.
- Find a way to laugh together. Tell a joke, make a self-deprecating statement or engage in an activity that makes you both laugh. Laughter is bonding.
- Invest an extra twenty minutes a day in personal hygiene. Don’t leave home without being showered and groomed.
- Smile often.
- Refuse to gripe, complain or talk about anything negative.
- Relax. Roll your shoulders, sit up straight and open your stance. Uncross your arms and let your palms rest open, facing up. All of this sends the vibe that you are confident and approachable.
- Establish and maintain eye contact. Hold the other person’s gaze longer than you usually would, but not so long as to stare.
- Show a little skin. Choose your favorite spot (shoulders, legs, arms, décolletage) and wear clothing that shows off that one area.
- Wear red. Try red lipstick, a red shirt, red shoes, red nail polish… studies report that men will think of you as sexier and more attractive.
- Lean closer to him.
- Brush up against him.
- Wear heels.
- Stand tall (straight posture.)
- Roll your shoulders back.
- Initiate gentle touch without hesitation. Brush up against her; touch her arm during conversation. Touch the small of her back as you hold the door open for her.
- Wear slightly dressier clothing than is required in each situation.
- Prolong foreplay by at least five minutes beyond what you think is expected.
- Pay attention to how your lover is responding.
- Hold off on eating anything substantial in the two hours before you expect to make love. If you must eat in that time frame, keep it light and easy to digest.
- Engage in prolonged eye contact.
- Set up a sensual environmental. Clean up the bedroom; light candles.
- Get in touch with your playful side. Laugh; relax; have fun.
Fitness Goals
If you want to lose weight…- Eat six small, healthful meals a day to keep satisfied and on track.
- Eat that first meal within 30 minutes of waking up (to jumpstart your metabolism.)
- Move your body for ten minutes or longer first thing in the morning. A brisk dog walk or ten minutes of an exercise video is a perfect way to increase your metabolism.
- Work out for a total of an hour a day, five days a week. If you can break that up into two workouts, you will benefit even more (since you will create two spikes in metabolism that day.)
- Drink a glass of water before each meal.
- Fill your plate with vegetables and lean meat; use fat, grains, starch and sugary foods as condiments.
- Replace something white (starch, processed foods) with something green, orange, red or brown (vegetables, protein, lentils) at every meal.
- Try a new physical activity (rock climbing, whitewater rafting, yoga, dance class.)
- Walk your dog (or a neighbor’s dog.)
- Park in the furthest parking spot.
- Make protein the focus of every meal.
- Perform a set number of squats every morning before work. Increase the number of squats every week.
- Perform a set number of pushups every morning before work. Increase the number of pushups every week.
- Lift a set number of weights each morning before your shower.
- Commit to an easy form of exercise each day. Increase time spent exercising by five minutes a day until you reach your goal of how long you want to work out daily.
- Write down your exercise goal and actual achievements each day. Increase the intensity of your workouts slowly.
- Take your pulse while exercising. Calculate out your exercise heart rate so you know what zone to shoot for while exercising, and stay in the recommended zone.
- Pay attention to how you feel while exercising. Push yourself to the point where it’s tough, but not miserable, each day.
- Schedule exercise like you would appointments.
- Achieve one micro goal per day. You will need to map out your plan to building up to your final goal, breaking this plan down into daily exercise goals. For example, you may decide to perform specific swimming or running drills.
- Check in with a mentor each day. This can be a workout buddy, a coach or even a check in through an online forum or service.
- Spend ten minutes a day reviewing (in your head, using visualization) pointers you’ve learned from someone who is better than you. Practice with someone who is better than you once to twice a week.
- Read on a sport-specific forum each day.
- Invest in a book on your sport and read a specific amount of time each day.
Health Goals
If you want to fall asleep quickly…- Do not drink alcohol; instead drink a cup of herbal tea in that hour before bed.
- Exercise, but not within two hours of bedtime.
- Go to sleep at the same time each night.
- Wake up at the same time every morning (including weekends and holidays.)
- Dim the lights in that half hour before bed.
- Take three to five milligrams of melatonin a half hour before bed.
- Do not drink caffeine after 2:00 p.m.
- Deliberately visualize something pleasant and calming as you relax in bed.
- Snuggle (with a person or pet) – the rhythmic breathing of another living being will help you relax.
- Tense up all of your muscles, and then relax them, repeatedly, until you feel completely relaxed.
- Lower the temperature in your bedroom and use a heavy blanket for warmth.
- Cover (or move) all LED lights in the room.
- Turn on a sound machine (ocean, rain, white noise) for the night.
- Meditate, pray or journal for ten minutes as part of your nightly bedtime routine.
- Keep daily activities out of the bedroom; retire to the bedroom a half hour before bed, using the bedroom for sleeping and bed-related activities.
- Plan your meals ahead of time.
- Pack (from home) what you need to eat for each day.
- Eat one piece of fruit or one serving of raw vegetables (carrots, celery, cucumbers) mid morning and mid afternoon.
- Don’t carry money for vending machines. Instead eat a snack you brought from home. Pretend vending machines don’t exist.
- Pack a healthy snack for the ride home from work. Pretend fast food restaurants don’t exist.
- Shop from the outer rim of the grocery store (produce, meat, dairy), avoiding processed foods.
- Split restaurant meals in half. Take half home for later, and only eat half of the meal in the restaurant.
- Ask a friend or coworker to split meals with you when eating out.
- Order meals off the healthy section of the menu. Tell yourself you cannot eat anything on the menu that isn’t listed as healthful.
- Order a child-sized or senior-sized meal off the menu.
- Add a slice of lemon or lime to your water.
- Replace soda with seltzer water.
- Replace cold sugar-sweetened drinks with iced herbal teas or iced coffee (sans cream and sugar.)
- Replace high fat hot drinks with flavorful hot tea or flavored coffee.
- Replace regular juice with low sugar juices or flavored seltzer waters.
- Avoid cream and sugar.
- Drink a glass of (unsweetened) green tea three times a day.
- Exercise vigorously for ten minutes each morning before work.
- Eat within 30 minutes of waking up.
- Eat six small meals throughout the day.
- Sprinkle cayenne pepper or cinnamon on foods and beverages.
- Add ice to cold drinks.
- Exercise in the cold.
- Floss every night before bed.
- Walk for a half hour every day.
- Hug someone every day.
- Eat something live (fresh fruit or vegetables) every day.
- Try a new healthy recipe every day.
- Fill your plate with fresh, colorful vegetables one meal per day.
- Drink green tea every day.
- Make it a point to avoid smoke (including second hand smoke.) This may mean you ask a roommate to smoke outside or you decide it’s time to quit smoking.
- Stop eating fried food.
Career Goals
If you want to be more productive at work…- Schedule out your day, setting mini goals and milestones throughout the day. Then race against your self-set goals for accomplishing tasks.
- Take a break every hour. Stand up, stretch, use the restroom or get a drink.
- Schedule your toughest task for your most productive time slot (whenever you typically feel your best) of the day.
- Arrive at work fifteen minutes before you are expected each morning.
- Sequester yourself for 45 minutes each day where you can crank uninterrupted on tasks. Consider booking a conference room or putting on noise cancelling earphones and posting a “do not disturb” sign during this time each day.
- Turn off your email for an hour per day.
- Disconnect from social media for chunks of the day.
- Be sure to speak up at least once in every meeting. You need to be noticed and heard.
- Show up at the office. Beware of work-from-home arrangements. If you are not seen in the office and people don’t know what you are contributing, you run the risk of getting let go (or passed over for promotions.)
- Rehearse presentations in the mirror beforehand. You should also rehearse important statements and arguments ahead of time so you can work out the kinks.
- Dress one step classier than your coworkers.
- Invest 15 minutes a day on building a portfolio of work samples.
- Carry business cards with you everywhere.
- Introduce yourself to someone new each day. Networking requires meeting a lot of people. Keep an eye out for potentially important connections. Look for potential clients, coworkers, inspiration, resources and financial partners.
- Review your business plan every night before bed.
- Spend 15 minutes each day learning about the business (reading a book, participating on an online forum, or listening to a webinar.)
- Devote 15 minutes each morning to one action item that moves your business forward (write a blog post, comment on a forum, return a phone call, make one cold call.)
- Read out loud.
- Record yourself reading key points (you need to memorize) out loud. Replay the recording as you rest in bed, right before falling asleep.
- Underline or highlight important information.
- Chew mint gum while you study.
- Pinch yourself or hold a bag of ice cubes while memorizing difficult formulas. The physical sensations will stimulate adrenaline production, locking the formula into your memory.
- Create a poem or song to memorize tough material.
- Use pictures (images, drawings, colors) to link definitions to new vocabulary words. For example, draw a picture that symbolizes a definition.
Personal Projects
If you want to write a book/poetry collection/screenplay…- Write 500 words before you go to work every morning.
- Check in with a writing buddy after you finish your morning writing (send your work for critique or just check in as accountability.)
- Read 15 minutes before bed each night (something in your genre.)
- Devote half of your lunch break to editing your work.
- Spend ten minutes a day reviewing artistic work that inspires you.
- Keep a journal with you. Make notes of colors, images and textures that catch your eye.
- Use your camera (phone.) Snap pictures of anything you come across during the day that inspires you.
- De-stress each night by working on your most recent art project for a chunk of time before bed.
- Rummage through your art supply box each day.
- Play or listen to music.
- Watch a YouTube video about your field of art.
Lifestyle Goals
If you want to be on time…- Schedule out your entire day, working backwards from appointments.
- Leave fifteen minutes before you think you need to for driving appointments.
- Leave five minutes before you think you need to for in-office appointments.
- Schedule in time for bathroom breaks, talking, coffee breaks, and distractions.
- Sandbag (build in time cushions for all estimates)
- Program your phone to give you reminders.
- Map out alternate routes to places you often frequent (to deal with traffic.)
- Recycle, shred or throw away junk mail on your way back from the mailbox. Don’t let junk mail (or stupid offers you know you won’t use) even touch the counter.
- Pay bills the same day you get them.
- File paid bills immediately after you pay them.
- Return items to their proper places immediately. Tell yourself counter space is sacred space that is not to be defiled.
- Recycle, repurpose, give away or throw away one item every day (until you don’t have any extra clutter left!)
- Contract with yourself to try something else for ten minutes before giving in to the bad habit.
- Identify emotions, places, or experiences that trigger you to do the bad habit. Respond to each trigger with a new habit. For example, if you used to bite your nails while driving, wear gloves while driving. If you used to pluck your eyebrows when nervous, pick up a pencil and draw each time you feel nervous.
- Set up “coping kits” that you can use on the spot. Promise yourself you’ll use your coping kit instead of doing the bad habit.
- Set up immediate reward and punishment programs. For example, charge yourself a quarter every time your swear (swear jar.)
- Remind yourself that cravings usually lessen if you delay gratification. Tell yourself “All I have to do is wait ten minutes” each time you experience a craving.
- Suck on a mint every time you want to smoke. Make yourself wait until the mint is gone before allowing yourself to decide if you really need to smoke.
- If you usually smoke outside, force yourself to walk around the block twice before allowing yourself to decide if you really need to smoke.
- If you have certain places you used to smoke, find replacements for those places. Establish new habits, for example, going to a restaurant where smoking is not permitted for lunch each day, or buying coffee in the office instead of walking somewhere (if you used to smoke while getting coffee down the street.)
- Make yourself drink a full glass of water before you indulge in each serving of alcohol.
- In social situations, set a number of conversations per drink. For example, you might force yourself to mingle with three guests (three full conversations) before you allow yourself to refresh your drink.
- Alternate club soda and alcoholic drinks.
- If you normally pour yourself a drink right when you get home at night, replace this habit with another habit. Walk the dog, take a shower, do an exercise video, or eat a salad before you allow yourself to pour that first drink.
Keystone Habits
The following are the most effective keystone habits you can possibly develop. These three can help improve your life in a number of different ways.If you want to improve in multiple areas at once…
- Walk (or complete some form of exercise) for 30 minutes a day. A daily walk will improve your mood, increase your energy level and will help you manage stress, stay fit and lose weight.
- Replace one main meal per day with a salad or broth-based vegetable or lentil soup. By eating several servings of vegetables per day, you will feel more energetic, lose weight, feel fuller and lower your chances of contracting cancer and many other diseases.
- Schedule at least eight hours (possibly nine – find out what you need) of sleep per night. Getting adequate sleep will improve your mood, give you more energy, make it easier to absorb new material, help you make healthier eating choices and improve your work performance.
Read more: http://www.developgoodhabits.com/good-daily-habits-list/#ixzz3AghXIjU2
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Rhinestones: Windsor WIzards
Windsor Wizards
Created a rhinestone design for my friends Taylon and Stacey Cockcroft.
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Monday, July 28, 2014
Rhinestuds: A shirt for Missy
Created this shirt using rhinestuds in various shapes.
I used a black and white clipart design, created a rhinestone template of the hands.
Then filled in the heart with the pink and silver rhinestuds.
The light weight hoody is from Walmart.
Hoody with Rhinestuds
A hoody for a young friend, who has a good heart.
Different light and stretched out a little.
Back side of the design
Experimenting more and more with different rhinestones and rhinestuds.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Just in case
Working on a t-shirt for the
First Day of School Pep Rally for the Team.
Because our uniforms won't be in on time.
I am leaning towards the 2 color design.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Quick Shirt for the Assistant Cheer Coach
Needs something to "Represent".....
A quick shirt for the new Assistant Cheer Coach
before she leaves for Cheer Camp.
First time working with HTV and rhinestones.
Monday, July 7, 2014
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Friday, June 27, 2014
Once Again.....
Reaching 225 pounds 120 days ago, brought me to an all time low. I started once again to diet.
First, I gave up soda, but ended up adding 8 pounds on because I ate sweets to replace the taste of soda. Which just caused me to be more frustrated, I was drinking my 64 + ounces of water a day. But I couldn't control what I was putting in my mouth. So I limited my self to one 12oz can of diet coke a day and within a week I had lost 10 pounds. And by March I was down to 205 pounds.
Then, I added more veggies and fruits. And made a point to walk the puppy twice a day. Today, I weighed in at 185 lbs.
40 pounds down, something to be proud of.
Today, I joined a gym.
And my goal for the next month is to go at least 3 times a week.
Let's see what happens next............
First, I gave up soda, but ended up adding 8 pounds on because I ate sweets to replace the taste of soda. Which just caused me to be more frustrated, I was drinking my 64 + ounces of water a day. But I couldn't control what I was putting in my mouth. So I limited my self to one 12oz can of diet coke a day and within a week I had lost 10 pounds. And by March I was down to 205 pounds.
Then, I added more veggies and fruits. And made a point to walk the puppy twice a day. Today, I weighed in at 185 lbs.
40 pounds down, something to be proud of.
Today, I joined a gym.
And my goal for the next month is to go at least 3 times a week.
Let's see what happens next............
Monday, June 23, 2014
Ciarra's Bag
Just a quick design on a bag, so Ciarra will know which one belongs to her.
I used Flocked HTV for the first time. I will need to wait and see how much dirt it attracts.
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