What’s Your Plan When Shit Hits the Fan?

Dearest Readers,

I know it’s been EONS since I have last done an original blog post. I wanted to apologize.

Life has been busy, to say the least, and when shit hits the fan, sadly, this little blog gets less love.

Recently, life has given me a swift kick in the pants. It didn’t feel good. This first quarter of 2012 has had many ups and downs. And while I have had wonderful journeys upwards towards my goals, I found myself focusing more on the downward slides and the heart wrenching curves that have been thrown my way. I have found myself loosing my positive outlook and spiraling closer and closer to a very negative and sad point of view. I found myself wanting to hide more from the daylight (nope, still not a vampire), stay closer to home, and watch way too many episodes of “Auction Hunters” (don’t ask me why, it’s just always on when I turn on the tv).

That’s when I found myself looking for an escape. I have been looking at retreats all over the world to give myself a break. Mama needs a mental and physical timeout from life to regroup and focus. Sadly, I cannot justify spending money on all those lovely (and expensive) spa/meditational/spiritual retreats.

So what is a girl to do?

This is my plan:

Part One: Filling My Mind With Positive Material and Journaling

I’ve picked up an old book that has always gotten me through the thick of it: Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life. **Stay tuned to this blog later this month as I will be doing a GIVEAWAY of this book soon 🙂 (everybody love s a giveaway!). **

 My mom bought me a copy years ago and I have given it as a gift to countless people. I adore the gift edition with it’s beautiful colors and illustrations. I have also picked up an edition for my kindle so I can have a copy with me at all times. I started gently reading through it and journaling. I always forget how much this book can change my outlook. Recently I’ve been very focused on this particular passage:

“The past is over and done. We cannot change that now. Yet we can change our thoughts about the past. How foolish for us to PUNISH OURSELVES in the present moment because someone hurt us in the long ago past”

I keep journaling about this passage over and over again. So, I cannot change the past but I can change how I view the past. It seems so simple. Instead of thinking back to the moment where I didn’t reach my goal and thinking insecure, negative thoughts about the situation, why don’t I flip it to try to see the positive? Yeah, I can logically make that flip, but to believe it? That’s gonna take some work. And peeps, that’s where I’m at. I’m working on it.

Part Two: Saying “YES” to New Experiences

My bff Aaron is in this movie. He's hilarious and you should check it out if you've never seen it 🙂

Yup. That’s what I’m up to.

I was approached to do a workshop with a two hour commute each way. I normally would have said “no.” But the material is so moving and I get to work with a new group of cool people that I said “yes.”

The bf and I scored a new place. I said “yes” to moving *cue me groaning as I think about packing up my life*. AND YET, *cue me being excited for a new home and decorating a new place*.

I’m going to adopt a baby koala! Just kidding. Ugh, I wish. One day… one day….

Part Three: Living a More Healthy Lifestyle

Learning to cook new recipes with more greens.

Taking time to workout and enjoying that process.

Getting back into a more consistant Yoga and meditation practice,

Spending more time outside, whether it’s hiking, riding bikes by the beach, strolling through gardens, I need to be outside.

So, that’s where I’m at now. If you have any other suggestions, PLEASE by all means, leave some in the comments below.

I hope you are having a wonderful beginning to April and a great start to your month!

*liz