Five Days to Happy Day 3 - Action

 

In the last two days, you should have started taking inventory of your thoughts (Day 1) and envisioning what would make you happy (Day 2). If you still have that "Ugly Thoughts" list, good. Keep adding to it. What about your "Dreams" list? Have you stuck it someplace you'll see it daily? These two lists are your motivators. They're very important that you keep both where you can easily access them. If you have them on your phone, try to set an alarm to go off at the end of the day or shortly after you wake so you can reread them and make changes.

Yesterday I mentioned how after I began to envision what I wanted out of life, I made the necessary changes to achieve those dreams. This is what Day 3 is about: Action.

My "Dream Life" list looked something like this a few years ago:

1. Visit New York in the winter.

2. See NYCB perform "Swan Lake."

3. Overcome my fear of flying.

4. Visit Ireland.

5. Get a book - or two - published.

6. Grow my hair out to my waist.

These are all things on my "bucket list" that I have sitting on my desk. One of them has been accomplished, three are in the works. I had my first book published June 6th of 2017. My hair is in the process of growing, but every curly haired gal knows split ends are killer and trims seem like they take more than they do so it's moving along quite slowly. Visiting New York in the wintertime- specifically Christmastime - would have been crossed off last December, but hubby and I decided to stay here for Christmas instead, BUT it's still in the works of being planned. Last June I did finally fly, and although it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, it still isn't my favorite thing in the world.

Another fun goal I have yet to write down is get fit and healthier, which is in the works! I started a workout program a little over a month ago and I'm feeling so great with where I'm at physically and mentally because of it. As much as I hate the workouts, I actually look forward to them because I know I'm bettering myself. And hey - I'm losing weight in the process!

What all these things have in common is they take work, planning, and patience. These three elements are what make up the "Action" sequence of having a happier life. And this is also where a lot of people lose ambition and settle. Don't settle. I repeat, DO NOT SETTLE. You will become unhappy and bitter and that just isn't fun.

Look at your "Dreams" list. You could have a lot of things written down or there could be few. If there are many, prioritize them. Which ones are most important to you? For me, it was writing a book.

Now, here's the fun part. You're going to make a third list. (You really are going to hate me by the end of this because of all the lists you'll have.)

On that third list, write at the top what your dream is. And then write down what things would have to be done to achieve that dream. Do this for each dream goal you have. When you're finished, start planning. For example:

I wanted to publish a book. To do that I first had to write a book, which meant I needed a story. I started with a concept, and idea, and brainstormed what this story could be about and when/where it took place and who it involved. Then I made an outline. And then the tough work started. I had to write, and I had to stick to a schedule of writing 1,000 words a day and do this 5 times a week. It was hard, I cried, and I hated the long hours and slaving over something that didn't see like it would turn into anything. But as the weeks sluggishly rolled by, it did. I saw progress. Before I knew it I had reached 50,000 words. And not long after that, I had finished writing by first book. I was elated! Then I had to edit, and I despised every second of it. But I did it anyway. I had come too far to quit. So, five revised drafts later, my book was published.

Take your dream, understand what needs to happen to achieve it, and start planning. What you want is baby steps. Try not to overwhelm yourself because then you'll get discouraged and not want to continue. Simply write out what you need to do to make your dreams happen, and make that third list realistic. "Win the lottery" is not how you plan for a happier future. If money is an object, consider working more hours or finding a job that pays better. Or, if neither of those are an option, babysit, make and sell crafts, offer to walk people's dogs. There is more than one option for all of life's obstacles. Don't lose hope because the answer doesn't jump at you right off the bat.

I truly hope you're finding this challenge challenging and exciting all the same.

God bless, lovelies!

x.

Hope

Five Days to Happy Day 2 - Envision

Yesterday I asked you to track your thoughts and write down all the "ugly" ones you have. Did you? Are you embarrassed because of them? Keep that list and keep adding to it. It might be helpful to date it each day so you can see if your thought process changes, even slightly.

Today's challenge branches off of being self aware. Today is all about envisioning what you want out of life. This works for anyone, of any age and of any economical status.

Now, before I continue, let me tell you something. Once you realize you are the only obstacle standing in your way, nothing can stop you. Money, education, gender, age, nothing. Everyone has a chance in this world to do great things. Not everyone has the same opportunities starting out, but that doesn't make the journey impossible. So first and foremost, get the "I can't" attitude out of your head!

Envisioning what you want out of life is simple: what are your dreams? What's on your bucket list? What did you want to be when you grew up? Answer these questions. Write them down. And put them on your bathroom mirror with a Post-It note. Read them every day. Picture yourself doing all those great things you've wanted to do. Today's challenge could quite possibly be the easiest one this week because it all revolves around using your imagination. Don't worry about the "what if's" and the "I can't." Those aren't important today.

In high school I pictured myself being an author, traveling to Ireland, and having a lot of pets. Back then those were just dreams, but as I grew older I realized how powerful our thoughts are and once I realized that, I started to change how I thought and made changes. But that's a challenge for another day.

Envision what you want. Write it down and put it somewhere you'll see it daily. Along with today's challenge, continue writing down your "ugly thoughts" on that list you started yesterday. Don't forget to check in for tomorrow's challenge!


God bless, lovelies!

x.
Hope

Five Days to Happy Day 1 - Self Awareness

"If you think about how the beginning of creation started with the power of a thought, you would understand how powerful your thoughts are. Thoughts are pure energy and the driving force of creation; thoughts contain unlimited creative power. Before anything thing can become physical, it must first begin as thought before it materializes into dense matter. Your imagination is your gateway to creating the life of your dreams or your worst nightmare. Why do you think the most successful people visualize their success first then make it happen? Do you want your thoughts to control you or do you want to be in control of your thoughts?" - Unknown

I begin with these two quotes because I feel they set the tone for this challenge. Really, challenge isn't a good word for it. Lifestyle fits it better.

2016 was a year of self-discovery. I "relearned" who I was and what I liked and what I wanted out of life. 2017 has been about making the necessary changes to achieve those dreams. The main change I've had to make is my thought process which isn't as hard as it sounds. It's quite simple. The first step to changing your thought process to be become aware.

Our inner voice (i.e. our thoughts) shape us. As the first quote says, if we keep doing the same things, we'll get the same results. Einstein said repeating our actions and expecting different outcomes is the definition of insanity, and I believe him to be right. If we don't like our life, we can simply think up a new one!

Okay. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Aware.

To be aware of our thoughts means to be conscious of the things we're allowing our mind to come up with. Thoughts shape emotions, emotions shape actions, actions shape our lives. Noticing the sky is blue or that it is about to rain, or that the neighbor is mowing their lawn are examples of being area of our surroundings, but I want you to be aware of your inner self. This includes taking "inventory" of what you think.

Day 1 is all about being aware, so here's the challenge for today: every time you think a bad/angry/bitter thought or catch yourself about to say (or after you've said) something hurtful/spiteful/or insensitive, WRITE IT DOWN! When we start to become aware of what we think, and how those thoughts lead our lives, we begin to see where we need to better ourselves. Writing down your "ugly" thoughts will embarrass you. Trust me. You will be able to see on paper how awful we can be as humans, and each thought and action will glare back at you with more intensity than when you initially thought/did it. This list can be shared or kept private, but keep it with you. Every day over the next five days you'll be working on this list. Each time an "ugly" thought enters your mind, write it down.

Ugly thoughts can include things such as:

"What an idiot driver!"
"Ugh, my in-laws are coming over."
"I swear I'm going to strangle that child!"
"What a moron! Who does that?"
"Is she really that self-centered?"

Or they can be directed at yourself like these:

"I'm not good enough."
"I can't do this."
"I'm not pretty/smart/handsome/educated/etc. enough."
"I will never be able to do that."

And so on. Four years ago I was the girl who didn't think I could do half the things I've achieved. I always had the "I'm worthless" and "I can't do that" thoughts running on repeat in my mind. Writing a book has been my biggest dream for almost ten years, but I could never get past the first few chapters because I didn't believe in myself. But then I started taking inventory of my thoughts, and that slowly started to change.

I recommend writing your ugly thoughts on paper (I have reason for this) and keep it in your wallet or purse - somewhere you can keep it with you throughout the week. As I said, feel free to share the list with someone else or simply keep it to yourself. Either way works. It's a small step, but being self aware can help transform your life overtime.

I hope that in the following days, you are able to become more aware of how you view yourself and your life and the people in it. Check back tomorrow for Day 2's challenge!


God bless, lovelies!

x.
Hope

Five Days to Thinking Your Way into A Happier Life Intro

The "Five Days" challenge will officially begin tomorrow, but tonight I wanted to explain what it is.

You've heard the term, "mind over matter." It simply means your thoughts are stronger than circumstance, but it's easy to let circumstance rule our decisions and happiness. When you realize that your mind is the most powerful muscle in your body, it opens up doors of opportunity. Over the next five days, I want to teach you - and challenge you - to change your way of thinking.

An example I want to leave you with tonight is one I'm sure to use several times over the coming days. In Genesis 1, God created the Earth by speaking life into a void of darkness. In the same way that God thought and spoke something into existence, so can we. Our minds are a gift, and when unlock it's true potential, we are left with a world at our fingertips.

God bless, lovelies!

x.
Hope

What Does it Mean to Seek Him?

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 KJV

Throughout the bible, several passages talk about man seeking God and searching for God, but what does that really mean - to "seek" Him? Let's look at the definition of the word from Dictionary.com.

SEEK [seek]
verb (used with object), sought, seek ○ ing.
1. to go in search or quest of:
     to seek the truth.
2. to try to find or discover by searching or questioning:
     to seek the solution to a problem.

Seek means to go on a quest for something, or to discover by questioning. Notice the word "questioning." Many people will read the bible and take it for face value without questioning why something is worded the way it is, or what the context behind the verses are. This is where a lot of Christians will begin to halt their growth and knowledge of God because questioning the bible and God's word had somehow become a taboo. There are many different scenarios I could use to explain this but I'll stick to something simple.

Everyone knows of Mary Magdalene, Martha's sister.

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!'

'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worries and upset about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'" Luke 10:38-42

Without the context, one might simply look over these verses and determine that Mary was a lazy girl who left all the work to her sister while she fawned over Jesus, but that is far from the case. Historically, sitting at one's feet was what one did if they were learning. In this case, that is exactly what Mary was doing.

"To sit at someone's feet meant, quite simple, to be their student. And to sit at the feet of a rabbi was what you did if you wanted to be a rabbi yourself. There is no thought here of learning for learning's sake. Mary has quietly taken her place as a would-be teacher and preacher of the kingdom of God." -N. T. Wright, Luke For Everyone

Rereading Luke 10 with the added context in mind gives the story of Martha and Mary a new meaning. (As a side note, if you have not heard of N. T. Wright, I highly recommend looking into his "For Everyone" series. He breaks down the verses in the bible, adds context to them, and helps explain why certain parts were mentioned and how they are important.)

In the famous 1 Corinthians 14:34, Paul says that women should be silent in church. But earlier in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11, he says that woman can pray and prophesy in church if dress appropriately. So which is it? Well, it's both.

During the time when these letters to Corinth were written, there was a severe disrupt in the church. Unlike our services now where you come in, sing worship songs, and listen while the pastor preaches, the churches in Corinth had no order and were chaotic. People spoke in tongues, prophesied, and preached over one another. So why was verse 34 included? Verse 35 hints at women being confused and that they should wait until they are home to ask their husbands instead of interrupt church service for it. That helps shed light that some women would become confused and distract their husbands and male peers from the service - chaotic as it was - to understand what was happening. In short, their timing for questioning was terrible.

Overall, the message was for everyone, as noted in verses 26-31 and 39 and 40.

"What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word or instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two - or at the most three - should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged... Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy... but everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." 1 Corinthians 14:26-31

If women were not supposed to speak in a church, or prophesy, why then would Jesus allow Mary Magdalene to sit at His feet?

Bishop Ida B. Robinson

God Himself told us to seek Him and to search for Him. How then could we ever possibly do such a thing without questioning? It is not wrong to question the bible, or question why God has instructed us one way or another on certain things. By questioning what the bible says, we open the door to knowledge. We free ourselves from the chains the enemy has coiled around us to keep us from reaching our full potential, and from truly seeking God which is exactly what the devil wants.

To seek God means to question, to read, to listen, to understand the root of specific words and to look at the bible as, not only a Holy text, but as a book with wealth of knowledge waiting to be deciphered. Jesus spoke in many parables, so why would the bible be written in a way that means exactly what it says?


x.
God bless, lovlies.

How I Successfully Cured Pinkeye WITHOUT A Doctor's Visit

I woke up with a swollen and red eye one morning this past spring. I had slept in late and thought it was due to the way I slept, but low and behold, it was pinkeye.  (I was self-diagnosed but after studying medicine for years I was confident that my symptoms lined up with pinkeye, especially as the days progressed.)

My mom's first instinct was to tell me, "Go to the doctor." Don't get me wrong, doctors can be very useful, but there was a time when people did not run to the clinic for everything an as an herbalist-in-training, I wanted to try my hand at curing such a common illness.

There are four different causes of pinkeye: bacterial, viral, chemical or foreign object related, and allergies. Symptoms of these types vary slightly but there are some tell-tale signs you can look for.

Viral pinkeye is most common to have redness, eyelid swelling and tenderness, itching or burning, tearing and/or clear or watery drainage. Bacterial infections of the eye can cause redness, eyelid swelling, greenish-yellow drainage, and mild pain. Allergic pinkeye typically effects both eyes and is accompanied by increased tear production, itching, and redness. Chemical or foreign object related pinkeye is the easiest to determine as it is often the result of having something get in your eye such as an incest flying into your eye or some sort of chemical splashing into your eye. It also is accompanied by redness, tearing, and irritation.

I had bacterial related pinkeye.

**Before I continue, I must add in a disclaimer that I am not a licensed medical doctor, nor am I saying that herbal medicine is right for everyone. I am simply explaining what I did and how it worked for me. For anyone interested in treating ailments with herbs, please do your research beforehand as some herbs can be dangerous if taken incorrectly or in large doses. Herbal medicine is not for everyone and I am not discrediting doctors whatsoever. Herbalism is my choice of treatment and self-care for my family. Using herbal medicine has been, and will continue to be, my preferred choice of treating ailments and illnesses. I would be more than happy to discuss the why's and how's of my decision if anyone is curious. Feel free to contact me with any herb-related questions.**

After self-diagnoses, I turned to my medical books for how to treat it. In one book, "The Herbal Drugstore" by Dr. Linda B. White and Steven Foster (I would recommend this book to anyone), it talks about the different types of prescription and OTC medicines used to treat pinkeye, as well as several herbal alternatives. I used a mix of the two.

Polymyxin B (which is Neosporin) was listed under the Drug Treatment section. This was odd to me because the tube says not to put on or near the eyes, however after doing more in-depth research, many doctors used to instruct patients to rub a small amount in the inner corner and around the eyelid of an infected eye. Neosporin helps to kill any bacteria and assists in speeding up the healing process and I used this method once a day before bed. (I also used anti-redness eye drops for a couple days but those did not seem to help so I discontinued the use of those.)

Tea - yes, tea - was listed with herbal remedies. Green tea can be used to treat viral and bacterial eye infections. The book says to soak a tea bag in water (cool water will help reduce symptoms in red and swollen eyes) and place it on the eye for several minutes. Knowing chamomile tea is also a great herbal alternative, I researched what benefits chamomile would have for eye infections just for fun. What I found was persuasive enough to add chamomile to my pinkeye fighting regimen.

The three treatments I used were Neosporin, green tea, and chamomile tea, which is good for treating both viral and bacterial pinkeye infections.

I started out rinsing my eye with green tea and chamomile tea every hour, alternating between teas. At night, I used a very small amount of the Neosporin on the inner corner of my eye and around the eyelid. I did this for three days and the swelling went down tremendously. On the fourth day, I cut out the green tea and only used chamomile as an eye rinse. Instead of using it hourly, I washed my eye several times throughout the day and continued to use the Neosporin. In total, my infection was gone within a week.

When my eye was still swollen, I would use a cool compress, using a clean rag each time. I would religiously wash my hands after touching my face or treating my eye, and  threw out any makeup I had used days prior to getting the infection and avoided makeup of any kind during treatment. My husband - the only person that was exposed to the infection - did not catch pinkeye and I have since not had any complications or other issues with my eye. I was extremely happy about the results and how quickly the infection cleared up, and would absolutely use the same method again if I had to.

x.

God bless, lovelies!

Total Reboot - Spring 2017 Edition (it's finally here!)

If you've been following my blog for a while, then you'll know I've been pretty excited about my Total Reboot Spring 2017 edition! Aaaaand, it's finally here!

A lot of you have asked, "What is the Total Reboot?"

Total Reboot is a fun new challenge that has four main focuses. These are:

1. Making our home life better, cleaner, more simplified, and happier.
2. Growing in our faith by reading challenges and keeping a prayer journal.
3. Having our health be a main priority of ours.
4. And making 2017 OUR year for accomplishing our goals and making the most of each day.

The first section - which starts today (March 19th) - will take a week to complete and during that week we'll be doing a total spring clean of our house, inside and out. (yikes!) In honor of Spring starting this week, I've created a Super Spring Cleaning list that will tackle everything from lint traps to the garage. Each day will have a new list of tasks to help move through each room of the house with less frustration and more productivity.

Growing in our faith will be a continuous challenge much like focusing on our health and making 2017 a year for us. These three sections will be posted about regularly and group discussions will be encouraged on the Facebook page to help everyone stay encouraged throughout this journey. I'll start getting into deeper detail about these next week, but for now...

SUPER SPRING CLEANING!

1 Week to a Cleaner Home

My Super Spring Cleaning is a amped up version of my 1950s Inspired Cleaning Schedule to helps us get back on track with our housewife duties if we've fallen off the bandwagon a little bit.

Super Spring Cleaning and 1950s Inspired Cleaning are meant to work together. After completing Super Spring Cleaning, then you can effortlessly jump back into 1950s Inspired Cleaning with little to no hiccups (link to original 1950s Inspired Cleaning post will be added at the end of this challenge).

Ready? Lets get started!

Rules to Live By:
1. Always clean top to bottom. Sweeping the floors will be fruitless if you dust the cobwebs out of the corners right after.
2. Keep up, don't catch up!
3. Enlist some help. Unless you live alone, enlisting the help of your kids or significant other will making housekeeping a breeze.
4. Old school and DIY cleaners are the way to go. Most cleaners that have been around for a while have one thing in common: they work! Why else would they still be on the store shelves? And DIY cleaners are great if you have allergies or simply don't want to use dangerous chemicals. Vinegar can be used as an all-purpose cleaner and, mixed with a few drops of your favorite essential oil, can give you that clean and fresh smell without the chemicals.
5. Have a "Donate" bin ready. At the beginning of Spring and end of Fall are great times to go through the closets and shoe bins to get rid of items you don't like, can't wear, haven't worn in months, or don't want anymore.

Here are some of my favorite deep cleaning how-to's to really kick off your spring cleaning!

How to Spring Clean Your Refrigerator

How to Clean Your Dishwasher in 3 Easy Steps

How to Clean Your Dryer Vent Like a Pro

The Easiest Way to Clean Your Washer

How to Clean Air Vents

How to Spring Clean Your Car

The Best Carpet Cleaner Recipe

Below I've shared a FREE printable version for you to download to keep with you while you clean!

Click HERE to download your Super Spring Cleaning Day One Checklist

Good luck and God bless, lovelies!