The seventies and eighties had some good tunes. Grit, perseverance, kick ass stuff. Something to call upon when days suck or life gets hard. Something to scream out at the very least. I still like current stuff but it doesn’t call to the inner Viking we all need now and then. Can’t say it helps or will work for everyone. Today seems I need to call on a little more. Still didn’t take my own advice and rest, so I reap what I have sown. Sometimes life is just busy. Of course a little mini storm or two on your time off curbs the productivity or amps it up, depending on what you need to get done.

Problems come in groups and from different directions. I can’t solve everything, knowing you have limitations doesn’t make it easier. I can’t dwell in it and hold on to that worried face. I hate victim mentality, I still need to think of the glass half full. I like my head in the clouds. It’s too easy to get consumed by negativity, even when it is a reality. Just shows that there will always be days that are unbalanced and you will still juggle bowling balls.

‘Tired is as tired does.’ So do what you need to do and rest so you can recover. That can help the mentally fatigued. Have you ever tried to sleep, with something on your mind? ‘You are stronger than you know,’ and you won’t know until it passes. For now, I will pelt out the song by Triumph, the band name itself is a reward all on its own. Look up the lyrics to ‘Raise A Little Hell,’ for some problem solving or inspiration. Now sleep!

You do know you can rest right? I have been pushing too hard lately. Falling into bed exhausted, dragging myself out again in the morning. I felt the time change hard, and have been digging in trying to gain back an hour. In a rebellious move I haven’t changed all of my clocks. Doesn’t do much, just makes me miss the hour more. On a good note, Spring is almost here… no geese, so I am not holding my breath. The puddles in my head, match the ones on the ground!

I am back to pulling out my problem solving tools. Ask for cookies, no timeline, eat the frog legs first, write down what you did do instead of listing what has to be done, they work. Even using my tools, remembering to use them, talking myself out of procrastination… I am tired, even reverting back to two coffee…tired. There are real roadblocks in this world, sometimes they just stock up against you. You have to be okay with this to eventually succeed.

At least I didn’t sit on the couch this winter. I did inhale large quantities of books. I did get back into Yoga and some serious self care. My hibernation was very short. My mini goals were completed. All these things are satisfying! Now I am giving myself a break, mind and body, just a short time of nothing. No challenges. No plans. Some come what may time. I need it, you probably do too,if you are honest with yourself. Big breath in, dust the dirt off, empty your mind, breathe out. New season, new you… and go!

Growth is important. We go through so many changes in our lifetime. Not only physical growth, we have emotional, mental and spiritual as well. Starting from seeds and developing deep roots to grow the best version of ourselves. We need to feed and prune and water to get best results. This process can be stunted by the lack of important factors. Neglect, restriction, disturbing the roots, lack of sun and nutrients. Even the best soil and care can create a problem, we outgrow the original container. Sadly flourishing does not guarantee problem free.

To move forward, sometimes you have to pull up roots, get new soil, reposition to the sun and get a bigger pot. Fresh soil requires careful handling. Disturb too much and creating stress puts limitations that can also stop the ability to thrive. This does not mean avoid these valuable steps, you just have to be patient with the outcome. Leaving a plant in a smaller pot will allow it to tip over or become susceptible to a whole host of problems. When you outgrow the boundaries that you live within, you allow yourself to be who you really are.

If you are able to recognize the time to move forward, that’s growth. Fresh soil, expanding roots, maintaining consistent conditions allows new buds to branch out and adjust to a new environment. An environment that provides recovery from the borders you have encased yourself in. Spring is like that, it signals time to grow. 🌸

Roughly fifteen years ago hubby and I were in Vegas. It was Valentine’s Day, I told him for Valentine’s Day all I had to do was push a button and we would go to Mexico in a couple of weeks, if he said yes. He said yes and we had two trips within a month of each other. One of my favourite Valentine’s Day memories. It’s funny, when I try to recall certain dates, what pops up. The significance of a holiday or special day are not typical. I like remembering feelings, how I felt in a moment. I like recalling stuff that makes me laugh. Stories I can’t say without laughing, even if I am by myself.

The year my dad passed away, he had a colonoscopy. The story he told about this sordid adventure comparing the camera to a car ride was one for the books. He could barely get through the story without erupting with laughter. Deep hard belly laughter, one that makes others laugh without hearing the story, because the laughter is contagious. That makes the world go around people! I choose that as my final memory of my father. I will always choose laughter.

My husband is funny, he always makes me laugh. My kids too, as children and grown. Humour has many forms, but funny real stories, we got plenty. They are repeated enough, they are committed to memory. I try to write them down. The cute funny, the funny ha ha, even the dry, dark and sarcastic stuff, that makes you lose your drink out of your nose! The art of conversation should center around humour. You can’t text animation and emotion like a good old story. That year we went to Vegas, we went to see comedians, something we have implemented every year. Comedy is a happy ending!

It is easy to get tangled and overwhelmed in the day to day things. Sure we push through, but it is okay to step away and separate yourself from everything to reset. Not abandon, just a mini break. Caregivers are constantly tugged in all directions, all the time. Those around you don’t always see it, we are all busy. I send texts sometimes just before bed, because it gets sent, even if it isn’t seen until the next day. If I wait, I forget, my phone is not with me overnight. I have a house phone for emergencies… still have it, same number.

My mini goals are working for me this week, except for the night before prep, but I am getting better. For February, and the week I’ve had ( I know it’s only Tuesday) I am feeling pretty okay. Fixes can be so simple, but seem so uphill. My boys have been spoiling me this week and I am enjoying it. My daughter and son in law brought me home some PEI potatoes, sooo good, I haven’t been happy with potatoes this year since the last batch from PEI! It doesn’t take much to make me happy.

I want to make more goals already, but I think it is best to go slow. If these are to become new habits, they need to be mastered before I add anything else. That is what I have done in the past, overwhelmed and then give up. They say a little over two months to make a new habit. If you try a new food a little every day, it takes roughly 30 days to acquire a taste for it. We shall see at the end of February. They are not hard things, just different for me. That’s where my happy is, in the simple things.

Changing food habits is one of those things you can do, but it seems troublesome. I am a creature of habit, gotta change some habits. Little changes, starting slow. I meal plan for supper, that is usually locked in. Five meals planned, helps with the grocery trip. Breakfast on a work day is basic, yogurt and granola for me. Lunch is a rush and that is where I need to make the biggest change. Lunch needs to be done the night before. Dashing to do ten things in twenty minutes, means I am last in the equation. If that happens, I overeat at supper and the circle goes round and round. I will now try to add overnight oats, a smoothie and or soup/ wrap/ salad into my day, to keep it balanced. Right now it is cheese whiz on a folded piece of bread.

To break a habit, you have to start a new one and maintain it, for it to stick. I love food. And replacing plastic cheese is for the best. I also think my second coffee rule needs to be tweaked, having a coffee after 12 is going to mess with my sleep. If that second one isn’t done by lunch, I need to toss it. More importantly I cannot forget to drink my water after work, I can certainly tell the difference if I skip it. Maybe February will be different this year.

Everyone’s journey is different, I just know I have to change it up. I don’t want to be miserable for the rest of winter. I think it is just the cold, when it is extreme and my fingers split and crack instantly. It doesn’t matter what I wear on my hands. I will just keep adjusting and get through it!

Time for change! There was a time for several years I walked everyday 5 miles everyday, all seasons, all weather and I was better for it. If a was able to do that and feel great apparently J need to get back to that. Let’s make some feel good goals! I am not going directly to the walking, but perhaps shed the hibernation.

1. Make my bed everyday, I already do this, it is just to have success right away
2. Switch back to two coffee, to get rid of the brain fog and stay awake
3. Less wallowing, more smiling
4. Find my happy… I know it is in the back of the closet under all the sweaters
5. More protein and plants. No more chip dip!
6. 30 minute continuous movement, I’ll start with three times a week
7. Self care. I’ll start with sleep. I might have to buy a switch for my 2am brain

I could round this to ten, but I will dare to be different. Writing things down, makes them real. It creates accountability. It is just basic, but it is a beginning. Here we go!

I don’t know if it is the internet age or what, but skills are on the decline. I am not even talking about degree or trade type skills, I am referring to life and survival skills. It’s misinformation nation, zero fact checks. If you see it on the internet, you do know.. it might not be true. That every story has multiple versions. Also we are flooded daily on our social connects with repeated versions of stories, drama, AI created images and an opinion for everything.

Not everything is the Gospel truth. You want longevity and health, you don’t need an app. Move your body, elevate your heart rate. Watch what you put in your body, on your body, and clean with. Get fresh air daily. Just because a brand says healthy, low sugar, no preservatives doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Stop buying processed foods, cook from scratch. We need to be more au naturale! Get more sleep, make good choices, and even after all of that, some of us are just genetically disposed to still get something that can steal us early.

I work with kids and some kids spend their day worried about Billy not putting the lid on his marker tight. Stop worrying about the other guy, worry about yourself. Worry about your marker, the only one being affected by that marker, is the one that uses it. If Susie Q is ten and uses face cream with hyaluronic acid and retinol, that is Susie Q’s money down the drain. Weight, height, age and wage are all numbers and nobody’s business. All these societal strains on children or yourself are unhealthy. Just be happy, look for happy, that is the goal!

No! This month is so close to being done! Well this has been the longest January ever. I don’t know why, but it went on and on like a bad number one hit. I know I don’t like winter, I know I don’t deal with the long, short or pieces of it. Snow is pretty and all but blah! Cold, dark or sun setting when I am trying to drive, I can’t get into it. Here we are, this month has had 7,000 days and I am done… alas winter isn’t ! Don’ t even get me started on February. I did do things to make it better, but it is like pulling teeth.

I will implement things to get through, well I do have the best intentions! I am planning gardens in my mind. I just picture summer and wait I guess. I am good at helping others cope. I threw myself into a snowbank and made a snow angel to make others laugh. I would rather just go to the beach, but I can live there in my mind. Thank God for imagination. I am not staying on the couch, but I don’t go far. As for the snow angel, I did wear a shin length coat, snow pants, hat , scarf and mittens. My trusty UGGS that are the only warm foot wear I have ever owned. They have no grip, so hiking would not be a good choice if I want to stay upright!

Going forward, I will be okay. Even though the months are long, I have better coping skills. Check in end of March, because that is when I can finally think without the winter brain fog that accompanies my hibernation and it starts to finally lift. All fellow winter sufferers, stay strong, we are half way there! Winter WooHoo!

You are allowed, I will allow it. Success is found when you take action. You can ponder all you want, but will never take a step forward. My dad used to say, “ He who hesitates is lost.” Opportunities pass if you don’t make the decision to proceed. Easy to say, but waiting for certainty never really comes, you just have to move on your decisions with faith. Tell yourself, yes! Will you get it wrong? Maybe, and maybe you will get it right.

Some of us are built from very different cloth. Some of us have thicker skin, waterproof, easy going. Some of us struggle with criticism, doubt, fear of making mistakes. We don’t often see it from someone else’s point of view, we only see from our own and don’t even realize that many of us suffer from the same things. I was asking hubby about something and he was being evasive and explaining his take on a situation without really answering my question. Being my need to know self, I suddenly realized .. he didn’t know. When I pointed out he could have just said that, he explained, “ I’m a guy, I don’t like to say, I don’t know.” That made perfect sense to me, he is my banter partner and I expect him to know everything. He’s always right and I am never wrong.

We do need to let ourselves off the hook more often. We can be wrong, we make mistakes and don’t have all the answers. Ultimately we may miss opportunities. We make mistakes. We are human, we are not perfect and we need to be okay with that. Give yourself permission regardless of the numerous outcomes. Have faith, proceed!