I think I am about ready to get back into the real world again! Geesh, what a week. I have been emotionally spent and I have been so physically tired. I am doing better. Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. I hope you all saw my comment at the end of your comments on the last post. I appreciate you all.
Not sure what this post will be today. My brain still doesn't feel real creative!!! I had a couple things in mind, then as I sat to type, they didn't float my boat! LOL
I guess today I will talk about living your life with intention. I think we often feel that what will be, will be. In some aspects I guess that is true. But we need to live an intentional life. Make things happen - don't just sit back and wait for something to happen.
Live slowly, mindfully and intentionally. Have a direction and a purpose in mind.
Make things happen!!!!! Stop making excuses.
Maybe you want to lose weight, write, travel, learn a new language, study, be in the country, learn to cook, save more money - whatever it is - MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Life changes - often in ways that we can not even imagine - but we can not stay still. I know that is our reaction. It is hard to move forward sometimes. Very hard.
But, we have to keep living and moving forward. Not just for ourselves, but for all those who would want us to!!!!! Think about that.
Life is relatively simple if we just stop to realize that. We need shelter, food, and water - the rest is gravy. Companionship and love is huge as well. Love comes in all shapes - family and friends - it doesn't have to be a relationship love. Companionship can be family and friends as well. I know when we think about those 2 things, we think 'special love' - but it comes in many ways. We just need to realize that and open ourselves to accept it.
Realize that STUFF will never make you happy. STOP shopping and buying, trying to fill a void. It won't. All it does, is make you have less money!!!!
If you think you can't save in today's world - you can. You have to work at it. Live a simpler life. Save in little bits - YES dribs and drabs help. Any of you that have ever read Kim's blog, Out My Window - knows that she has so many methods of saving and they all work!!!!!! She picks up change, she saves all change received back from purchases, she saves dollar bills or five-dollar bills, she just saves. She marks things off her list all the time that have been paid.
Buy ingredients (simple ingredients) and cook at home. Food and meals don't need to be fancy - good simple cooking is just fine.
You don't have to always be on the go. Stay home and save gas.
NO junk! Whether it be food or stuff. Just stop shopping! Use what you have - get creative. Use those pantries and freezers and closets.
Consumerism can be a huge threat to your life. Yes, there are things we all NEED - but much of what is spent is not necessary. Now, this is not for everyone. Many people have saved and saved to be able to do all the fun things they do. They have been INTENTIONAL on saving to do the trips or buy the things. Yes, they are living an intentional life.
But for most, spending is not a positive thing.
Stop letting debt and spending control your life.
Stop letting YOURSELF get in the way of having a happy life. Learn new things, experience new things. There are so many things we can do that cost us zero money - yet we grow!
So folks, stop making excuses - for whatever. Know you CAN go forward and grow.
TAKE THE JOURNEY - wherever it may take you. Get out of your comfort zone!
Care for yourself!!!!!!! (I am still working on this).
Maybe, just maybe if we stop complaining and bellyaching about what we don't have or can't have - and start being thankful for every teeny tiny thing that we DO have it will all work out!!!!!!
We can do this together.
Love you guys! Have a blessed day.
Hello, I really enjoyed this Blog Post, really so much wisdom! Loved the line everything else is just gravy! We truly need to be mindful in knowing what is important! Roxy
ReplyDeleteHi Roxy. Thank you. Yes, we do - all the gee-gaws and all the junk in the world will never make us happy. The SIMPLE things are the important things. We take so much for granted.
DeleteGood morning to you, Cheryl and welcome back! My goodness, you have certainly had your losses. As well as those around you. I hope the break did you good. Sometimes you have to take the time and regain your balance when like goes all catty wampus. My sympathy for your loss of Fluffy. May she eat heavenly tuna every day!
ReplyDeleteI finished The Long Winter by LI Wilder last night. What a saga! No matter how many times I read that, I'm always marveling at some part of the story. This time, I was wondering why they rubbed snow on frozen feet! It seems counterintuitive.
I had some unwelcome visitors to my Birdie Kingdom yesterday. Giant crows or ravens. They were bullies and chased everyone off. They also managed to open one of the suet feeders and hogged the brick that fell. So I sent the dog out! He was happy to chase them...4 times before they finally left.
It looks like we're gonna get a little weather break over the weekend. 50s. I'm looking forward to it.
Thank you. Yes, it has been a time. I did need the break and feel much better. Lots of crying, sleeping and just thinking. I needed it.
DeleteI was always told to run my hands under cold water if I got frostbit - never anything warm or hot. That may be the reason!
Those old birds can be bullies for sure. Good doggy!
After tomorrow we are to get a break as well - looking forward to it!
I so agree with your post. If we sit back and wait for things to happen, they usually won't. (You can't win the lottery without buying a ticket, springs to mind, though I'd rather use that money for something else).
ReplyDeleteA young person said to me one time, if I'm not learning, I'm leaving. They were referencing their job, but I believe that holds true in many parts of our lives. Mental acuity requires us to use and exercise our brain, and how better to do that then to plan for the future. Now that I'm home from my latest adventure, my mind has turned to clearing out the house (again - after four years). It may not seem to be a big thing, but making those decisions as to what to retain, what to donate, and what to discard will require thought.
Happy to see you back, I do hope your short break helped you work through your grief.
Actually I thought a lot about you while writing this. You plan these trips, you save and you make it happen. I love that. You took control of retirement!
DeleteYour analogy is so true. I will never win the lotto - don't play!!!
We need to grow and learn all the time. Nothing is just delivered on a silver platter - we need to strive for it and earn it.
Happy de-cluttering. I need to get back at it.
Yes, the break helped me deal with things and just handle it in my own way. I needed that. Thank you.
Life is good, then it's bad, then it's good again. I so appreciate your sentiments about moving forward. It is a choice to engage in life & move forward while processing the grief that occurs in response to the losses. There can be no life without death.
ReplyDeleteYes mam. It is all about change - the only constant in our lives!!!!! We have to go with the flow and learn from it, and grow from it. Life is always tough in some form or another and we will all grieve, sadly. It is what we do with that grief that counts (IMO).
DeleteGood to see you back, Cheryl! Yes, we do need to be intentional and present. And also as we release things to God, trusting and waiting expectantly, we MUST do the next thing! And things get done, and we grow in Him, and He keeps us. He never changes, he is always faithful and He is trustworthy, always.
ReplyDeleteSo very true. He never changes! I love that. He loves us ad watches over us, no matter how we falter. God knows ALL, we do not - we cannot see the bigger pictures. Faith - oh how lost I would be without it.
DeletePrayers and hugs for you, Cheryl. What a timely post, as always.
ReplyDeleteWhen we walked into my MIL's house it was a bit mind blowing. I've moved so many times in my life it's easy to lose count. Most of those were cross-country moves. What I saw in the house alone, not including 3 large storage sheds in the yard or the 3 car garage, wouldn't be able to be crammed into 2 moving vans. There are numerous sofas and loveseats, 6 recliners (that I counted), 2 china cabinets, a huge dining table with 12 chairs, several other tables with chairs, a piano, desks, dressers, more than a dozen end tables... the list goes on. That's just the furniture. BIL is keeping it all and moving it into storage in our area. My in-laws never parted with a thing over their lifetimes. It's just overwhelming. BIL seems a bit frozen in place from the sheer magnitude of stuff. To anyone reading here, keep that in mind. And once he gets it here, he can never afford a home big enough to store it all. I'd suggested (early on) hiring an Estate Sale company to help him deal with it, but he's just not (emotionally) ready to let go.
All of which had me wondering about my own priorities. So, again, thank you, Cheryl. --Elise
That is a lot of stuff to want to keep! My goodness. I remember going through my parents home, and it wasn't THAT bad, but like you said they kept everything. It is overwhelming. Again, reason I need and want to get rid of a lot - I don't want someone else to go through that.
DeleteYou have your hands full with the BIL, for sure. Hopefully he will get to a spot, when he realizes that he is spending money on storage for things, things that aren't being used.
Stuff isn't going to bring her back.
Good luck!!!!!
This is why I said (recently) how one grows up can leave an indelible mark on views of money, budgets and stuff. My MIL was the oldest of 6 children and grew up poor; their father worked for a mining company. When she married my FIL, in a short period of time, they were both professionals earning good incomes. Land in a "nice" area, a large house and upper middle class lifestyle were very important to them, but they always lived pretty close to the bone right up until the end. My own maternal grandfather was a factory worker. The trappings of success have been very important to my mom throughout her life. Maybe I shouldn't say this, but when I was a young teen, trying to buy a week's worth of groceries with $25, my mom still had her hair done at a salon every week, bought Avon, clothes, etc.
DeleteIn many ways, Hubs and I have reacted to the largess that was (in truth) unaffordable as we were growing up. Not that we didn't make our own mistakes, but our grandparents, all of whom lived through the Depression and ration years of WWII, had a huge influence on both of us. It's why we mindfully planned a simple retirement in a manufactured house on an acre of land in a more affordable area.
--Elise
Sounds like she was a sweetheart, Debby. In this day and age, with everything from garage sales to thrift shops, consignment stores, antique outlets and regular retail offering "blowout clearance" items, it's not hard to find new or "new to you" stuff. Those deep discounts (pennies on the dollar) are my own big pitfall. Which is why today's post hit a chord. Especially after seeing that house. :-O
Delete--Elise
Glad you're feeling a bit better Cheryl. Again, I'm so sorry for you losses. I never set resolutions or even goals but I do always think about my 'intentions' for the year to keep me going and hopefully improving. I'm glad I never really got caught up in acquiring all the 'stuff'. It just isn't for me. I like simple.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lori. You are a wise woman to not let things get in your way. Make your happy!!!!
DeleteSo glad you took time off to take care of yourself. So necessary when the losses (or any bad things) pile up.
ReplyDeleteBeing intentional (or mindful) is important. Gratitude for what we have goes a long way. The Father has provided goods for us as well as relationships. We need to be good stewards of all of it.
Thank you. Indeed. We need to be good stewards of all things - relationships, food, money, whatever we have. We are so blessed.
DeletePlease continue to rest as much as you need to recover. We will all be here. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. It is comforting to know everyone is so sweet.
DeleteI am sending encouragement and prayers..have not been keeping up on my blog reading,but yours is one of my favorites ...God bless ,you have had a tough couple of weeks, stay well and thanks for your great tips and pleasurable reading.
ReplyDeleteJust -- Thank You!
ReplyDeleteAahhhh - welcome! Thank you!
DeleteGood to see you posting again. We both know the importance of self-preservation in these trying times. Know that I'll continue to keep you in my prayers. The road after loss is so pitted that we can easily stumble and fall. But, the important thing is to keep getting up and take those baby steps and then extend our stride until we're back up and running. As I worked through that grief several years ago, a friend kept reminding me to "open the gift" that we are given with each sunrise, and to use and celebrate that "gift" of another day. Some days that gift is to simply take in and appreciate the colors in the morning's sunrise (and some days to share a photo of that beauty with others); other days it is to work on a hobby or skill. Still other days, it's just appreciating that I'm awake and breathing and have been given a new day. Allow yourself some grace and remember to open the gift of a new day that you've been given. Hugs from Chicagoland!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! It is all a gift, such a glorious gift. Yep - we wake each morning and the sun always rises and sets, the birds will chirp - it is all important and we need to appreciate it all.
DeleteI have been through far worse and here I am - some days you just feel beat down and need a rest! That is OK.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much. I still have my Blackie - he is about 4 1/2 or 5 now - younger than the others were. He is a sweet boy, but loves to rule the 'hood'. The neighbors call him the Mayor!
ReplyDeleteMy sister said that yesterday - she asked if I planned on getting another. I said no - and she said "God will send one when the time is right".
I bet your grandson is over the moon happy.
I hope things level out with your mom - that is a difficult situation. I know you know this, but make the best of it - even when on your last nerve. Some day you will honestly miss her little tiffs!
Thanks and have a good day.
Enjoying living life intentionally here. Taking time to enjoy the winter (even though it is really much too cold at times) as I can get things done that might not be done.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Excellent point. We complain about things we need to do - this is a perfect time to do those inside chores. Living the good life!!!
DeleteHahahaha.....the Mayor! lol
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with your sister, God will send one when the time is right but I am thankful you have Blackie, that makes me feel better. We have one named Howdy, and he can be shy but bossy too. My dad always waited for God to send animals to him too, I think that is a very good thing. I'm very much like that too, we're always willing to help with little fur angels who are dumped here.
Yes, my poor mom...She's almost 93 and is a sweet hearted person but very tightly wound and nerves up easily and just falls apart to the point of passing out. We have to talk her through things. It affects all of us when this happens, our daughters and I (I'm an only child) and we all want to head for the hills! lol But we love her to pieces but are a bit afraid of her spells. And it's the oddest thing, sometimes she won't be afraid of things that might be heavy things. You are very correct though. Yes, so true Cheryl and a very good reminder. Today we had a nice chat, she has no idea how she nerved me up yesterday because she was so very nerved up. lol And that's okay with me if she doesn't know. I've become much, much more delicate when it comes to anxiety or nerves at 62. As an only child there were wonderful happy times and nerve wracking times too even as a child I felt it. So...I've become quite a weinie at 62. lol